THE SECOND PART: A BIRD’S-EYE VIEW OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
The Epistle of Paul to the Galatians
Message One—Christ versus Religion
Scripture Reading: Gal. 1:15-16; 2:20; 4:19; 3:26-28; 6:15
I. The most crucial and mysterious matter revealed in the Bible is that God’s ultimate intention is to work Himself in Christ into His chosen people—Eph. 3:17a; 4:4-6:
A. God’s desire to work Himself into our being is the focal point of the divine revelation in the Scriptures—Rom. 8:9-10, 6, 11.
B. The book of Galatians reveals that God’s intention is for Christ to be wrought into His chosen people that they may become sons of God for His corporate expression—1:15-16; 2:20; 4:19; 3:26; 6:10, 16.
II. The book of Galatians presents a comparison of God’s two economies—His Old Testament economy and His Testament economy—3:22-29:
A. The word for God’s Old Testament economy is law, and the word for God’s New Testament economy is Christ—v. 24.
B. Paul experienced a genuine conversion, a real turn from God’s old economy of law to His new economy of Christ—1:13-16.
C. Christ, the Spirit, the new creation, and our spirit are the four basic things covered in this book as the underlying thought of God’s economy—2:20; 3:2; 6:15, 18.
D. God’s New Testament economy is to dispense Himself as the processed and consummated Triune God into our being to be our life and our everything to make Himself one with us and us one with Him so that we may express Him in a corporate way for eternity—Rom. 8:10, 6, 11; 12:4-5; Rev. 21:2, 9-10.
E. It is not God’s intention to have a group of good people; God wants many sons who are one with Him organically and who possess His life and nature and who thus can be members of the Body of Christ—Rom. 8:14; 12:4-5.
F. God’s New Testament economy is the dispensing of Himself into His chosen and redeemed people to make them His sons; therefore, sonship is the focal point of God’s economy—Gal. 4:4-6.
G. As we read the book of Galatians, we need to see that God’s New Testament economy is to put us into Christ and to impart Himself as the all-inclusive life-giving Spirit into us to produce an organic union—an organic oneness in life—between us and the Triune God so that we may become His corporate expression—Gal. 3:27-28; 4:19; 6:10, 16.
III. Galatians reveals that Christ is versus religion with its law—2:16, 20:
A. Galatians deals with the law given by Moses and with the religion formed according to this law—4:21; 1:13-14.
B. The law, the base of Judaism, has been terminated and replaced by Christ—Rom. 10:4; Gal. 2:16.
C. The book of Galatians deals strongly with deviation from Christ by coming back to the law—5:1-2, 4.
D. The desire of God’s heart cannot be satisfied by our efforts to keep the law; His desire can be satisfied only if we remain with Christ and live Him out—Phil. 1:21a.
E. To hold to the law after Christ has come is against the basic principle of God’s New Testament economy—Gal. 4:21; 5:4:
1. It is rebellion against God’s economy to snatch people from Christ and and to bring them back to the law.
2. Since Christ has come, the function of the law has been terminated; therefore, Christ must replace the law in our life for the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose—3:23-25.
F. The three main negative things dealt with in Galatians are the law, the flesh, and religion; these three go together, for when we are under the law, we are involved with both the flesh and religion—2:16; 3:3; 1:13-14; 6:14.
G. Paul’s burden in Galatians was to reveal Christ in such a way that He would be not only the focal point of God’s economy but also the focal point of our daily walk—1:15-16.
IV. God’s New Testament economy is not with man in the old creation but with man in the new creation through the resurrection of Christ—6:14-15; 1:1:
A. The main issue in Galatians is not circumcision or uncircumcision, religion or no religion; it is an issue of whether or not we are a new creation through an organic union with the Triune God—6:15.
B. Apparently Paul wrote the book of Galatians to deal with the law; actually this book deals with the old creation.
C. The new creation is altogether different from any kind of religion; religion is part of the old creation, and everything practiced in the religious world is part of the old creation—v. 14.
D. Galatians brings us to the new creation by way of the inward revelation of the living person of the Son of God—v. 15; 1:15-16.
E. The new creation is the mingling of God with man—John 15:4; 1 John 4:15:
1. The meaning of the new creation is that the processed and consummated Triune God mingles Himself with us and constitutes us with Himself to make us new—Eph. 4:4-6, 24; Col. 3:10-11.
2. Although we remain God’s creature, we are nonetheless mingled with the Creator.
3. Because we now one with the Creator, His life becomes our life, and our living becomes His living; this mingling produces a new creation—1 Cor. 6:17.
F. If we would be in the new creation, we must enter into an organic union with the Triune God; apart from this union we remain in the old creation—2 Cor. 5:17.
G. The new creation is the new man in Christ, our being regenerated by the Spirit, having God’s life and the divine nature wrought into us, with Christ as its constituent; it is this new creation that fulfills God’s eternal purpose by expressing God in His sonship—Eph. 4:24; John 3:6, 36; 2 Pet. 1:4; Col. 3:10-11.
Ministry Excerpts:
In 1:13-16 we see the matter of God’s Son versus man’s religion. Verses 13 and 14 present a vivid picture of man’s religion. In verse 13 Paul says, “For you have heard of my manner of life formerly in Judaism, that I persecuted the church of God excessively and ravaged it.” Here we see a contrast between the Jewish religion and the church of God. When Paul was in Judaism, he persecuted the church because the church was different from his religion. Paul hated the church because it detracted from his religion. In his religious zeal, he persecuted the church of God excessively and ravaged it.
GOD’S PLEASURE TO REVEAL HIS SON IN US
Then in verses 15 and 16 Paul declares, “But when it pleased God…to reveal His Son in me….” At the time appointed by God, when Saul, zealous in his religion, was persecuting the church, the Son of God was revealed to him. God could bear with Saul’s zeal for the traditions of his fathers, for this produced a dark background against which to reveal Christ. At a time which was pleasing to Him, God revealed His Son in Saul of Tarsus. God was pleased to reveal to him the living Person of the Son of God. To reveal His Son in us is also a pleasure to God. It is Christ, the Son of God, not the law, in whom God the Father is always pleased (Matt. 3:17; 12:18; 17:5).
The Son of God as the embodiment and expression of God the Father (John 1:18; 14:9-11; Heb. 1:3) is life to us (John 10:10; 1 John 5:12; Col. 3:4). The desire of God’s heart is to reveal His Son in us that we may know Him, receive Him as our life (John 17:3; 3:16), and become the sons of God (John 1:12; Gal. 4:5-6). As the Son of the living God (Matt. 16:16), Christ is far superior to Judaism and its traditions (Gal. 1:13-14). The Judaizers bewitched the Galatians so that they considered the ordinances of the law above the Son of the living God. Hence, the apostle in the opening of this Epistle testified that he had been deeply involved in that realm and far advanced in it. God, however, had rescued him out of that course of the world, which was evil in God’s eyes, by revealing His Son in him. In his experience, Paul realized that there is no comparison between the Son of the living God and Judaism with its dead traditions from his fathers.
In 1:16 Paul emphasizes the fact that the Son of God was revealed in him. This indicates that God’s revealing of His Son to us is in us, not outwardly but inwardly; not by an outward vision but by an inward seeing. This is not an objective revelation; it is a subjective one.
God made the Apostle Paul a minister of Christ by setting him apart, calling him, and revealing His Son in him. Therefore, what Paul preached was not the law, but Christ the Son of God. Furthermore, he did not merely preach the doctrine concerning Christ; he preached Christ as a living Person.
THE LIVING PERSON OF THE SON OF GOD
The crucial point in this message is that this living Person, God’s Son, is versus man’s religion. This was true at the time of Saul of Tarsus, it has been true throughout the centuries, and it is true today. Instead of focusing his attention on this living Person, man has a natural tendency to direct his attention to religion with its tradition. But from Genesis 1 through Revelation 22 the Bible reveals a living Person. God cares only for this living Person, not for anything else.
The record of the experience of the disciples with the Lord Jesus on the mount of transfiguration illustrates this (Matt. 17:1-8). After bringing Peter, James, and John up into a high mountain apart, the Lord Jesus “was transfigured before them, and His face shone as the sun, and His garments became white as the light” (Matt. 17:2). Along with the other two disciples, Peter saw the Lord’s glory. He also saw Moses and Elijah speaking with Him. Although it is doubtful that Moses and Elijah were in glory, they nonetheless were speaking with the glorified Jesus. According to Matthew 17:4, Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You are willing, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” In making this suggestion, Peter was elevating Moses and Elijah to the same level as that of the Lord Jesus. He was heir of the centuries-old tradition concerning Moses, who represented the law, and Elijah, who represented the prophets. To the Jews, Moses and Elijah were the representatives of the entire Old Testament. Hence, even on the mount of transfiguration, Peter was zealous for the traditions regarding Moses and Elijah. But while Peter was still speaking, “behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is My beloved Son, in Whom I delight; hear Him!” (Matt. 17:5). Moses and Elijah then disappeared from the scene. When the disciples lifted up their eyes, “they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone.” This indicates that in the eyes of God there is no place for religion or tradition—only the living Person of His Son has a place.
TREASURING TRADITIONS IN PLACE OF CHRIST
Man has a natural tendency to appreciate traditional things. How people treasure their traditions! For example, the Seventh-Day Adventists treasure the Sabbath day. They fondly cling to the tradition of the seventh-day Sabbath. But according to Colossians 2:16, the Sabbath is a shadow of which the reality, the body, is Christ. Now that Christ has come, we should turn from the shadow to the reality. Nevertheless, like the Jews of old, today’s Seventh-Day Adventists treasure the shadow and neglect Christ. Christ is our day. He is not only our real Sabbath, but the reality of every day. How foolish to treasure the seventh-day Sabbath when we can enjoy Christ as our real Sabbath and as the reality of every day!
Some Christians treasure certain things that are far more ridiculous than this. Have you heard that some preachers are occupied with the lengthening of legs? Where is Christ in such a practice? Those who specialize in the lengthening of legs should call themselves “leg-lengtheners,” not ministers of Christ. To associate the lengthening of legs with the name of Christ is to use His name in vain.
Today millions of Christians are occupied with miracles, healing, prophecy, speaking in tongues, the so-called manifestation of gifts, and head covering, but few are occupied with Christ. What a pitiful situation!
For seven and a half years, I was with a very strict Brethren assembly. During my time with them, I heard a good number of messages on the books of Daniel and Revelation. In these messages a great deal was said about beasts, horns, toes, and certain periods of days. As a young man zealous for knowledge, I was somewhat satisfied by that kind of teaching. But although I heard many messages about different aspects of prophecy, I did not hear very much concerning Christ. Actually the book of Revelation is not focused on beasts, toes, and horns; it is focused on Christ. This book is a revelation of the Person of Christ. Even the book of Daniel reveals Christ. Nevertheless, the messages given in that Brethren assembly were by no means centered on Christ.
If you attend the so-called Sunday morning services in today’s Christianity or go to Bible studies held by Christian teachers, you will hear about many things. But rarely will you hear a message in which Christ is unveiled and ministered to the Lord’s people. This indicates that today, as it has been for centuries, religious people are zealous for religious things and for traditions, but not for Christ. A great many Christians care for religion and traditions, but they do not care for the living Person of Christ.
THE EMBODIMENT OF THE TRIUNE GOD REALIZED
AS THE ALL-INCLUSIVE SPIRIT
It is significant that in Galatians 1:15 and 16 Paul does not say that God revealed Christ in him, but that He revealed His Son in him. Speaking of Christ does not lead to the same kind of involvement as does speaking of the Son. The reason for this difference is that whenever we speak of the Son of God, we are immediately involved with the Father and the Spirit. According to the writings of Paul, to have the Son is to have both the Father and the Spirit. As we have pointed out repeatedly, the Son is the embodiment of the Triune God realized as the Spirit for our enjoyment. Hence, when Paul says that it pleased God to reveal His Son in him, this means that the One revealed in him was the embodiment of the Triune God realized as the processed all-inclusive Spirit. The burden I have received from the Lord is to minister this matter to God’s chosen people. Although I have been ministering on this for many years, I can testify that this burden is heavier today than ever before.
In Paul’s Epistles we see that the Son is the mystery of God, the embodiment of God, and the One in whom the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily (Col. 2:2, 9). One day, through incarnation, the Son of God became a man called the last Adam, who, through death and resurrection, has become the life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45). In 2 Corinthians 3:17 Paul says, “Now the Lord is the Spirit.” Putting all these verses together, we see that the Son of God, the embodiment of the fullness of the Godhead, became a man and that in resurrection this One is now the life-giving Spirit.
Concerning Christ as the Son of God, there are two “becames.” According to John 1:14, the Word, the Son of God, became flesh; that is, He became a man. Furthermore, according to 1 Corinthians 15:45, this One, called the last Adam, has become the life-giving Spirit. This is the reason that Paul can say explicitly that now the Lord is the Spirit. The Son of God is thus the embodiment of the Triune God realized as the all-inclusive Spirit. This wonderful Person is versus man’s religion.
GOD’S UNIQUE INTENTION
The heart of God is fully occupied with the living Person of His Son. Because His attention is focused on this living Person, God has no interest in giving us things such as immersion, tongues-speaking, healing, circumcision, the Sabbath, head covering, or doctrines about prophecy. God’s unique intention is to give us His Son as a living Person.
However, because of the fall, we are easily distracted to care for other things in place of Christ. It is quite possible that even among us in the Lord’s recovery we may care for any number of things instead of Christ. For instance, we may care more about the church service than we care for Christ. It is crucial for us to have a vision of this all-inclusive living Person. This Person includes the Father, the Son, and the Spirit; He includes divinity and humanity. Although this living Person is so all-inclusive, He is very practical to us, for, as the life-giving Spirit, He is in our regenerated spirit. On the one hand, He is in the heavens as the Lord, the Christ, the King, the Head, the High Priest, and the heavenly Minister; on the other hand, He is in our spirit to be everything to us. He is God, the Father, the Redeemer, the Savior, man, life, light, and the reality of every positive thing. This is the living Person of the Son of God.
THE LIVING PERSON REVEALED
We have pointed out that Paul’s Epistles were written according to God’s revelation. But we also need to see that a very high degree of intelligence was required to interpret this revelation and to express it in words. Others may receive such a revelation, but, unlike Paul, they may not have the ability to understand it and to convey it in language. We have seen that Paul, a highly educated person, was a leading religionist. According to his darkened mentality, nothing could compare to Judaism with its law, Scriptures, priestly service, and traditions. As one who always pursued what he thought was best, he was wholly given to these things. He despised the followers of Jesus; he considered that they were merely following an insignificant Nazarene, whereas he was zealous for the traditions of his fathers. But one day, when it pleased God the Father, the living Person of the Son of God was revealed in him. When this Person appeared to him, he fell to the ground and spontaneously called, “Who art thou, Lord?” (Acts 9:5). Immediately the Lord replied, “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.” According to the darkened understanding of Saul of Tarsus, Jesus had been buried in a tomb, and His disciples had stolen His body and hidden it somewhere. But now Saul was shocked to realize that Jesus was living, was speaking from the heavens, and was being revealed to him. From the time this living Person was revealed in Saul, the veil was taken away and Saul’s keen mind was enlightened with respect to the Son of God. Henceforth, he cared for this Person and no longer cared for religion or tradition.
Pray that you may see such a vision of the living Person of the Son of God. Also pray that others will see this vision. Pray that they will see this living Person and care for Him instead of things such as the Sabbath, head covering, healing, and spiritual gifts. We need to pray that we shall care for this living Person more than anything, even more than for the church life. Without this living Person as the reality and content of the church life, even the church life will become a tradition. Oh, it is vital that we see this living Person!
THE LIVING PERSON VERSUS ALL THINGS
Though we have a good deal of knowledge of Bible doctrine, our burden is not to minister doctrine; it is to minister the living Son of God as the embodiment of the processed Triune God realized as the life-giving Spirit. We should not treasure anything, including our Bible knowledge or spiritual experience and attainments, in place of this living Person. Daily and hourly, we need to experience this living Person. The church is the Body of this Person, His practical and living expression.
Because this living Person is everything to us, there is no need for us to seek mere holiness, spirituality, victory, love, or submission. As the embodiment of the Triune God realized as the all-inclusive life-giving Spirit, He is within us to be whatever we need. In a forthcoming message we shall see that this One is now living in us. What we lack is not holiness or victory—it is this living Person. He is versus everything. Without Him, everything is a tradition made either by others or by ourselves. May we all see that today this living Person is versus all things.
Apart from Christ, the living Person of the Son of God, whatever we have is religion. For example, a brother may love his wife. But if he loves her apart from Christ, even this is religious. The same is true of sisters who submit to their husbands apart from Christ. This kind of submission is religious and traditional. I have known some Chinese wives who were submissive simply because they were submissive by nature. Before they were saved, they were submissive. After they became Christians, they became good, submissive, Christian wives. But this kind of submission has nothing to do with Christ. It is the expression of Chinese tradition, not of the living Person of the Son of God.
I am concerned that many of us are trying to practice the church life apart from Christ. If this is the case, our church life will be nothing more than a religion with its own kind of tradition. How desperately we need a vision of this living Person! It is crucial that He be revealed in us.
Before I received a vision of the living Person, I was one who kept many traditions. But one day it pleased God to reveal His Son in me. Now I know that this living Person is the embodiment of the processed, all-inclusive Triune God realized in my spirit as the life-giving Spirit. In my spirit I enjoy Him, experience Him, partake of His riches, and live Him. To be a Christian is to be one who is occupied with the living Person, not with religion. Judaism is a religion formed by man in dead letters with vain traditions. But the Son of God is life, the uncreated, eternal life of God. For our experience and enjoyment, this One is the all-inclusive Spirit with the divine reality (John 1:14; 14:6). I do not want anything to do with religion—I want this living Person. Which do you choose—man’s religion or the living Person of God’s Son? (Life-Study of Galatians, msg. 3)