NT Wright uses this illustration to explain the setting behind Paul writing to the Galatian church. Imagine that we could go back in time and build a community center in South Africa during the time of Apartheid. There was strict racial segregation then. But imagine that we wanted to build a community center that would be a place for all people. One building where separated people come together. You go through the process of getting the project started and the foundation is layed. But then you have to move on to another project so you leave the community center in the hands of others who have the blueprint for the community center. Not long after you leave, others come in and change the blueprints. Despite the foundation that was layed, they make two front doors, two gathering rooms, two bathrooms. It is still one building but it's now keeping the separation that exists in the world.
That is exactly what Paul feels is going on in the churches he started in Galatia. The foundation that Paul built was one of unity based on grace. Jews and gentiles are equal in Jesus. Because of this Jewish christians began to relax their cultural laws and eat with gentile christians. But something happened. Other Jewish christians began to come in and teach that if the gentiles want to have full access to the Kingdom of God then they must follow all the Jewish rules. And because of this many Jews stopped associating with the gentile christians.
In order to understand the book of Galatians we must understand why Paul is writing it, and the cultural climate he is writing to. The people who first read this letter, and all the people who heard it read in their local gatherings, would have absolutely associated social issues to what Paul is going to say.
In verse 4 of Galatians 1 Paul says clearly that Jesus came to rescue us from this present evil age. It is Jesus that rescues, not us. But what is this present evil age? It's worldly thinking. It's doing what seems natural. It's using the logic of those who don't know God. It's putting trust in anything besides the blood of Jesus and the grace of God the Father.
Let's pretend that we could measure how much grace we each need from God to be forgiven. And since we are pretending let's also pretend that we would only need enough grace to fill a small bucket. We all know we would need much more than that, but we can pretend.
God, out of his grace fills our bucket with grace. We are now saved. It's very exciting. As we experience more and more of God's grace, we are changed. The fancy word would be sanctified. We begin to live differently. Actions that are unhealthy and which damage our relationship with God are stopped. Actions that aid our relationship with the Father are added. Our life genuinely looks different. And we begin to carry around a second bucket. We now have a bucket full of grace and a bucket of our own self righteousness. We are legitimately doing good things. Nothing wrong with that. But there is a danger that we begin to view grace as a means to initial salvation, but view our own good works as the means to continued salvation. We metaphorically begin to pour our good works into the grace bucket, thinking I am saved by grace but I'm also saved because I did this or that. The reality is that when we do that, we displace God's grace in our life.
The temptation to believe that our good deeds merit our salvation is one that every believer has to struggle with. The reality is that we do not ever want to be judged by our own righteousness. If we place our trust in our own works, we will be disappointed. We must completely trust in God's grace. That is what saves. That is what has power. That is the story of the gospel.
At the same time we must understand that grace is not the opposite of rules. Grace is the opposite of legalism because legalism makes our actions the basis of our salvation. The reality that grace is the basis of our salvation does not mean we don't have to follow rules.
Imagine that you were givien a job you were not qualified for. The owner of the company hired you and instructed your supervisor that they could not fire you, but instead, each time you made a mistake you must be instructed and trained so that over time you could be proficient at your job. If you show up for work and don't make any effort, there is going to be a problem. If, instead of taking the direction and training of your supervisor, you remind everyone that you are there by the grace of the owner and they can't do anything about that, eventually the owner is going to fire you himself.
It is the same way in the Kingdom of God. Salvation by grace WILL produce lifestyle changes. It will produce a deeper degree of obedience to God's commands. It will produce a life that is constantly becoming more and more Christ like. Grace and obedience are linked.
If you take your position of grace seriously and learn all you can from your boss, you will one day be good at your job. You may even get promoted and eventually have a very high position. That never changes how you first got hired. No matter what you do, you were unqualified when you were hired, and you were trained under orders of grace.
As Christians we were unqualified, lost people that were saved by grace through the sacrifice of Jesus. We should become better. Out of love we should live to please God. No matter what we accomplish this never changes. If we preach to millions, if we donate millions, if we are instrumental in helping millions, we are saved by grace and grace alone.
Grace is enough. In fact, it is only grace that is enough. Our righteousness will never fill the bucket. But if we are willing to stop counting on our own righteousness, and empty our bucket of our accomplishments, God promises to fill us with his grace.
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