#45
What is the Letter to the Galatians?
Paul writes about his key points regarding his own background, the theology of the Laws of Moses, how to know what to do and what is right.What do scholars and theologians know about the Letter to the Galatians?
Sent to Galatia, an entire area that is today Turkey.
One of the seven letters that nearly all scholars agree is legitmate.
What happens in the Letter to the Galatians?
Paul introduces himself and background as a Christian persecutor. Then he goes into his main theological point- that he is a preacher and apostle to the Gentiles, the uncircumcised, the unreligious. He brings up how God blessed Abraham before the Law of Moses existed, and how Abraham himself was saved through faith. Paul talks about how freedom through Christ is supposed to work, and goes into signs of the Holy Spirit. He talks about how issues should be solved in the church and gives a closing argument.
1:1-2. Hello! It's me- Mr. Saint Paul.
1:3-5. Love and light from Jesus – remember that friend, and all they stuff they taught us? God bless.
1:6-9. Remember the grace and forgiveness that saved you, not what you think sounds good or agreeable.
1:10. Sometimes you have to be a little blunt and piss some people off.
1:11-12. So here we go- yeah- I received this shit straight from Jesus himself.
1:13-14. I'm not sure if you all have heard, but I used to hunt Christians to arrest them. But yeah, that was a while ago, because I was still stuck in the system.
1:15-16. But then God showed me crazy shit so I could go help tell others.
1:17-20. So, then I went to Arabia and Damascus, before going to Jerusalem to see Peter and James- the only 2 apostles there.
1:21-23. After that I went to Syria and Cilicia, where no one knew me, except for the fact I used to be a cop, and that I turned around to become a Christian.
1:24. And they were psyched.
2:1. Then after 14 years, I went back to Jerusalem with friends Barnabas and Titus.
2:2. Essentially, I got some revelation from God and shit, and wanted to make sure no one had an issue with it.
2:3. See- Titus didn't want to get circumcised.
2:4-6. And I backed him up- here's why. And yeah, you can disagree, but God doesn't give a shit.
2:7-8. Here's the deal- Peter is the preacher to the religious, those who are circumcised, and I'm the preacher to the unreligious, the uncircumcised.
2:9. Peter, James, and John ALL backed me and Barnabas up, and said that we should keep on our path- and they'll keep on theirs.
2:10. The only thing they asked us to do was to remember the poor- which fuck yeah, we had been doing.
2:11. Anyways, this got a little deeper when I ran into Peter at a city called Antioch.
2:12. He had fallen prey to your exclusivity mentality, shunning the uncircumcised, refusing to eat with them.
2:13. Other people, including Barnabas, started believing this, too.
2:14. But I called them the fuck out, just like I'm going to call you out.
2:15-16. "How the fuck do stupid rules matter? Did you listen to Christ at all? We are saved because God is awesome, not because we know how to follow rules.
2:17. And so what if people are breaking stupid rules? They are stupid rules to begin with.
2:18. Why just make another list of rules? That really would make me a heretic.
2:19. I followed the rules to find out the rules, so that I could escape the rules, just like the rules say.
2:20. I have been reborn, and Christ lives in me.
2:21. But still- this was because God is good and awesome, not because the rules are good and awesome. What do you even think the point of Christ is?"
3:1-2. Did someone brainwash you? Did you find God by following every single rule? No, you didn't, you found God by having faith.
3:3-4. So, if faith worked for you, why are you now promoting rules? Have you learned anything?
3:5. Do you think it does more good to share faith; or to enforce rules?
3:6. Abraham himself simply believed in God, and it was enough.
3:7. So if you believe in God, you are children of Abraham.
3:8. Remember when God told Abraham, "All nations will be blessed through you"?
3:9. So yeah. If faith was enough for Abraham, it's enough for everyone.
3:10-12. If you rely on rules, they can be used against you. You will have to follow every last one. So instead of relying on rules, you should rely on faith.
3:13-14. Christ exposed this and made this known, so that anyone can come to God and get the promises of the Spirit.
3:15. Look, no one would ever break a pinky promise.
3:16. God pinky promised Abraham, and that was the start of all promises.
3:17. When Moses introduced the rules 400 years later, it did not undo the promise to Abraham.
3:18. It would be kind of stupid if God gave Moses rules that could ruin the promise to Abraham, huh?
3:19. So… Why give the rules at all? Because we needed them.
3:20. They were a compromise given through Moses.
3:21. I mean all rules have their limits- rules cannot magically make someone a better person just because they were written.
3:22. There is meaning and reason for scripture, to track the beauty of the promises that will be given to those who believe
3:23. Before Christ taught us love and faith, we were bound to following stupid rules.
3:24. Yup, we were ruled by those rules until Christ taught us that faith was most important.
3:25. So… yeah… fuck the rules and fuck the system.
3:26-27. Under Christ, we are all equal children of God.
3:28. There is no such thing as religion or class or gender when we are under the rule of Christ.
3:29. If you serve Christ, then you are pretty fucking alright. God promises you just like God promised Abraham.
4:1-2. Even rich children are forced to follow rules set by others.
4:3. Even the most blessed and wise among us are at best just rich children, enslaved to the spiritual forces of the world.
4:4-5. But God sent their Child; as a Human; to learn the rules and follow the rules, so that they may save others from the rules.
4:6. And because we are all God's children; God sent to us the Spirit of the Child into our hearts, so we may love God with our whole heart.
4:7-8. I think we can agree that once you personally know you are God's child, then you are no longer enslaved to things that are not good and divine.
4:9-10. So… how could you escape the bullshit rules then turn around and force them on others?
4:11. Seriously, I'm starting to think this might be a giant fucking waste of time.
4:12. Come the fuck on, meet me somewhere.
4:13-14. You guys were on my team a few years ago- you treated me like royalty. Remember that?
4:15-16. So, what- now you're all pissed at me cause I'm not making people cut off their dicks like you are? You're that mad at me, huh?
4:17-18. I get being passionate about things, but make sure its worth it, and keep it the fuck up even when I'm not looking.
4:19-20. Seriously what the fuck is wrong with you?
4:21. Have you even read the rules you're forcing others to follow?
4:22. Abraham had two children.
4:23. One was born of natural instinct, and one was born with faith as a result of God's promise.
4:24-31. We ourselves are like the children of the result of God's promise.
5:1. God was supposed to give us freedom; why are you still acting like you're trapped by rules?
5:2. I promise that you can either follow the rules and the fools; or you can follow God.
5:3. You either have to follow ALL of the rules, or abandon them all, and start from scratch
5:4. It's either the old rules or the new grace.
5:5. The Holy Spirit can help us do better.
5:6. The whole fucking point of Jesus Christ is that rules don't matter; but only love, faith, and grace do.
5:7. Think about it- where does that void and pain in your heart come from?
5:8. God didn't put it there.
5:9. A tiny little shit-streak stains the whole white sheet; I don't blame you.
5:10. But I know God will show the truth, that all evil done in God's name will be destroyed by God through time.
5:11. They are persecuting me because I am saying you don't need to circumcized. They really don't like that.
5:12. They are a bunch of babies wanting to fight over bullshit.
5:13. Remember, we were called for truth and freedom. Do not only use your freedom for selfish reasons that only apply to yourself and your life, but for the opportunity to love one another and begin to build something real.
5:14. All the "rules" are summed up with, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
5:15. So if you are debating with one another; make sure each of you are growing as a result.
5:16. If you walk with God, you will grow.
5:17. Evil desires and Holy desires are opposite of each other.
5:18. But if you are growing with God directly, no, you are not under the rules as prescribed as the ancients, because you are directly ruled by God.
5:19-21. Evil acts are obvious: sexual assault and adultery, idolatry, hatred, jealousy, anger, envy, addiction, orgies, and more. Do not be like this.
5:22-23. The good things from God that show you have the Holy Spirit are:
Love
Joy
Peace
Patience
Kindness
Goodness
Faith
Gentleness
Self-Control
If they show these things, then there is no law, those things are not evil, and they are not breaking any rules.
5:24. Those who belong to Jesus have destroyed their evil desires and thoughts.
5:25. Live by the Holy Spirit.
5:26. Don't be an asshole.
6:1. Hey friends, if you think someone is doing something wrong, you can and should say something. But be careful- giving someone advice is risky business.
6:2. That's why we help each other, to fulfill the law of love.
6:3. Be self-aware.
6:4. Test yourself. Know yourself. Be yourself.
6:5. Be responsible for only yourself.
6:6. But speak your heart with no regret.
6:7. You cannot take advantage of God- you get what you give.
6:8. Give good things, get good things.
6:9. Do lots of good things.
6:10. For everyone in the world- but also each other.
6:11. So- are you still going to play dumb? Or should I use bigger letters to make it easier for you to understand?
6:12. If you're really impressed by cutting off your dick, that's kind of weird.
6:13. Not even those who cut off their own dick follow all the rules, they just want to brag about convincing others to do the same stupid thing they did.
6:14. I don't want to convince you to do anything; or brag about anything.
6:15. Whether or not you cut off your dick doesn't matter- what counts is new life and new light and new souls.
6:16. Love and light and peace and blessings to all who are not assholes.
6:17. Now- leave me the fuck alone.
6:18. Let the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, friends. Bye!
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