This letter addresses a community which had fallen victim to an early heresy. Namely, people were thinking you had to be circumcised and obey certain parts of the Mosaic Law to be saved.
Paul wrote against this heresy in no uncertain terms; contending both for the divine origin or his message and his apostleship.
Here we go!
Chapter 1
Hey, it's Paul - an Apostle appointed by Jesus Christ himself.
I am amazed at how quickly you have forsaken the true Gospel for a false one. The message you received from me was of divine origin. No one should be allowed to contradict it.
Remember, I was originally a zealous Jew who persecuted Christians. Then God called me away from that so I might share the message of Christ.
I waited three years before I finally conferred with Peter. Then I resumed my travels.
Chapter 2
After 14 years I returned to Jerusalem. I presented my message to the other Apostles. They approved as well. James, Peter, and John accepted me and sent me out to the gentile nations to preach.
Now, when Peter came to Antioch he began eating with the Gentiles. But when a group arrived from Jerusalem, he became afraid of their disapproval and ceased eating with the Gentiles. This was a massive scandal - and I had to rebuke Peter publicly.
We know that we're not justified by fulfilling the requirements of the Mosaic Law. No one can be justified in that way - only through faith in Christ. If that were not the case, Jesus would have died for nothing.
Chapter 3
Did you fools receive the Holy Spirit in vain? Were all the miracles you saw done in the name of the Mosaic Law?
It was always the divine plan - starting with Abraham - for the world to come to God through faith in Jesus Christ rather than the Mosaic Law. Since no one can keep the whole Law, it is only capable of condemning us. Christ ransomed us from this curse.
What was the purpose of the Mosaic Law then? It served to discipline and train us in preparation for Christ. But now that faith in Christ is available, we are no longer under it.
By faith we are all children of God. So the distinctions which used to divide us are gone. We are all made descendants of Abraham.
Chapter 4
Were my efforts with you in vain? You originally accepted by message. What happened?
You were once slaves to idols. Do you now want to become slaves to the Mosaic Law? Jesus transformed us from slaves into co-heirs with Himself.
Consider the two figures of Sarah and Hagar. The first was a free woman, the latter was a slave. You know that the children of slaves have no inheritance. So would you rather be the child of a slave or a free woman?
Chapter 5
You cannot just pick one part of the Law of Moses. If you think you need to obey the part about circumcision, you need to obey the whole thing. And then Christ is of no use to you.
What matters now is faith working through love. This is the summation of the law; "Love your neighbor as yourself."
Walk in the Spirit and don't give into your temptations. Impurity, idolatry, factions, jealousy, anger, drunkenness. As I warned you before, people doing these things won't go to Heaven.
The fruit of the spirit is: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.
Chapter 6
Be good to one another. If someone has fallen into sin, others should rescue him out of it. Whoever chooses sin will reap his own death. The one who chooses the Spirit will reap eternal life. So don't get tired of doing good.
SEE HOW BIG THESE LETTERS ARE? THIS IS MY HANDWRITING.
Ok, one last time: Don't listen to those people who are preaching the necessity of circumcision.
Farewell.
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