Chapter 10 Conclusion

A review of Paul's view of freedom. / Selected Bibliography

All too often we find that interpreters are guilty of journeying with Paul as far as the cross of Christ (Christ died for me) and then, almost neglecting the mystery of the Gospel that now, Christ lives in me. Räisänen and Sanders not withstanding, it is not observed that Paul was ambivalent or vacillating in his view of the Law. He knew only too well from his career in Pharisaism that Torah could only produce self-righteousness [Phil. 3:4-9].

Neither here in Galatians nor anywhere else in the Pauline corpus is there any encouragement to believe that the Law will be revived or reinstated. Nonetheless, in many mainstream evangelical circles, the Law remains legal tender. The author contends that it is in fact the Law and not sin that is the great threat to the church. Grubb states the dilemma well: "The emphasis is predominantly on the active dedication of the Christian to his Lord and to a much less degree, on the dynamic remoulding of the believer by his Lord" . Rather than repressing sin, the Law, in any of its manifestations, retards spiritual progress.

In concluding this essay, the author offers a brief summary by way of a number of propositions:

.  The most rudimentary principle upon which the subject Galatian passage has been approached is that "Christ is our life" [Col. 3:4];

.  The Law is holy [Rom. 7:12]. However, rather than producing and promoting holiness, it stimulates sin. This is because the power of sin is in the Law [1 Cor. 15:56];

.  For Paul, the believer is discharged from the Law and he does not anticipate that its retirement will result in diminished spirituality among believer in whom the righteous requirements of the Law have been met [Rom. 8:4];

.  Sin is not something that people do or don't do. It is something that people are or are not. The Christian is indwelt by Christ and has been freed from sin.

It is imperative for us to see that what we do does not define who we are. Who we are defines what we do! Accordingly, we see that the most pressing need for the church at this time is to enable her to discover who she really is. The New Covenant revelation is not that God has given us His gifts, His power or anything else that He possesses. Rather, He has given us Himself. The clarity with which this internal reality becomes externally visible depends upon, if you will, the quality of the resolution in the revelation and not in personal resolve. Proximity is determined by "knowing". There are degrees of knowing and knowing in its most intensive form is " epiginosko " where knowledge perfectly unites the subject with the object. This is the leading thought in the Union Life movement. Those who subscribe to the Union Life view are not pantheists. Union Life emphasizes the immanence of God. The Old Covenant revelation - "God for us" - gave way to the Messianic Hope of the New Testament - "Immanuel, God with us" - and this, in turn, must now yield to the realized truth of the New Covenant - Immanence, "God in us". The typology of the Old Testament is now fulfilled. The believer is the temple of God and is the place where God lives. This is the realm of the Spirit and not the Law.

We are courtesy of the Last Adam - "Adam at last", and not just "Adam again" but an Adam that will last. As Jesus' high priestly prayer reveals [Jn. 17:23], we have become the Adam that is as superior to our progenitor as Christ is superior to Moses [Jn. 1:17]. The issue at hand transcends the question of audience and goes right to the heart of Paul's essential and perennial concern, namely, that the Gospel is a revelation not of an eternal ascended Christ but an internal revelation of the indwelling Son. Ultimately, it must be realised that behaviour is not learnt but is derived from nature and this, more than anything else, is what is on view in this famous passage of Galatians 5:13-26 through 6:1-3. The glorious truth is that we have become partakers of the divine nature and hence, we are free to be who we are.

The trip we are on is not outward. It is inward as Jesus said, "The kingdom of God is within you" [Lk. 17:21] and this is the great journey we call the Christian life - a voyage of discovery towards the reality that is no longer Law but GRACE, no longer I but CHRIST.

Selected Bibliography

.  Allen, Roland, Missionary Methods: St Paul's or Ours?

(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998)

.  Banks, Robert, Paul's Idea of Community

(Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 1998)

.  Barclay, John, Obeying the Truth, A Study of Paul's Ethics in Galatians

(Edinburgh: T. and T. Clark, 1998)

.  Barclay, William, The Daily Study Bible, The Gospel of John, Volume 1, Chapters 1-7

(Edinburgh: The Saint Andrews Press, 1975)

.  Barrett, CK, Freedom and Obligation: A Study in the Epistle to the Galatians

(London: SPCK, 1985)

.  Betz, Hans Dieter, Galatians: A Commentary on Paul's Letter to the Churches in Galatia

(Hermeneia; Philadelphia: Fortress, 1979)

.  Bruce, FF, New International Greek Testament Commentary on Galatians

(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 1982)

.  Bultmann, Rudolf, Theology of the New Testament, Volume One, 8 th Edition

(London: SCM Press, 1976)

.  Crabb, Larry, The Pressure's Off

(Colorado Springs: Waterbrook Press, 2002)

.  Dunn, James D, The Epistle to the Galatians Black's NT Commentary

(Peabody: Henrickson Publishers, 1995)

.  Dunn, James D, The Theology of Paul's Letters to the Galatians

(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993)

.  Eaton, Michael, No Condemnation: A New Theology of Assurance

(Illinois: IVP, 1995)

.  Fee, Gordon, God's Empowering Presence

(Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 1994)

.  Fung, Ronald Y K, The Epistle to the Galatians

(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 1988)

.  Gillham, Bill, Lifetime Guarantee

(Oregon Harvest House Publishers, 1993)

.  Grubb, Norman P, God Unlimited

(Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, 1989)

.  Grubb, Norman P, The Liberating Secret

(Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, 1971)

.  Grubb, Norman P, Yes, I am

( Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, 1982)

.  Grubb, Norman P, Whom Am I?

(Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, 1988)

.  Hansen, G Walter, Galatians: The New IVP NT Commentary Series

(Leicester: IVP, 1994)

.  Jewitt, Robert, The Agitators and the Galatian Congregation

(NTS 17, 1970)

.  Kruse, Colin, Paul, the Law and Justification

(Leicester: Apollos, 1996)

.  Longenecker, Bruce W, Until Christ Is Formed in You: Superhuman Forces and Moral Character in Galatians

(The Catholic Bible Quarterly, 1999)

.  Martin, Troy, Whose Flesh? What temptation? [Galatians 4:13-14]

(JSNT 74, 1999)

.  Matera, Frank J, Sarca Pagina Galatians

(The Liturgical Press, 1992)

.  McVey, Steve, Grace Walk

(Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 1995)

.  Montague, George, Holy Spirit Growth of a Biblical Tradition

(Peabody: Hendrickson, 1976)

.  Murphy-O'Connor, Jerome, Paul: A Critical Life

(Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996)

.  Nee, Watchman, The Normal Christian Life

(Eastbourne: Kingsway Publications, 1961)

.  Stone, Dan, The Rest of the Gospel

(Dallas: One Press, 2000)

.  Stott, John R W, The Message of Galatians

(Leicester: IVP, 1968)

.  Vos, Howard F, Galatians: A Call to Christian Liberty

(Chicago: Moody Press, 1971)

.  Wright, N T, The Climax of the Covenant: Christ and the Law in Pauline Theology

(Edinburgh: T. and T. Clark, 1991)

.  Wright, N T, The New Testament and the People of God

(London: SPCK, 2002)

Grubb, p. 11.