Apostasy appears throughout the Holy Bible when God’s people become unholy.
Roger@TalkofJesus.com
HOT topic #2 – apostasy
Although Paul does not specifically name apostasy for the Galatians he will when writing to the Thessalonians.
[Circumcision may be a HOT Topic of the flesh of 2023 CE, but this physical SIGN from a broken covenant was just one sign of apostasy, SINCE MANY OPPOSE and deny Almighty God and the Lamb of the NEW COVENANT Christ Jesus!
Galatians HOT topic #1: Perversion of the Gospel
In our first look at Paul’s letter to the Galatians (possibly sent from ACHAIA) we quickly discovered that the Apostle’s #1 HOT topic and concern for these new churches is perversion of the gospel of Christ.
WE easily get pulled off-topic. CIRCUMCISION is NOT the issue.
Even for the Jews circumcision is NOT the issue, but an excuse to JUDEIZE Greek and Roman converts by forcing a sign of a broken covenant on the flesh of men.
So apostasy is an unnamed HOT topic in his letter to the Galatian churches. Apostasy is a HOT topic result of false teaching by others which the Apostle to the Gentiles addresses.
What is it?
To oversimplify, apostasy is akin to adultery against God.
And as we see the cultural custom of wedding bands, so too the Jews viewed circumcision of a man as a visual sign of their covenant with God.
Apostasy defined:
מְשׁוּבָה
The KJV translates Strong’s H4878 in the following manner: backsliding (11x), turning away (1x).
Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.
Jeremiah 2:19 KJV 2:19 תְּיַסְּרֵךְ רָעָתֵךְ וּמְשֻֽׁבוֹתַיִךְ תּוֹכִחֻךְ וּדְעִי וּרְאִי כִּי־ רַע וָמָר עָזְבֵךְ אֶת־יְהוָה אֱלֹהָיִךְ וְלֹא פַחְדָּתִי אֵלַיִךְ נְאֻם־אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה צְבָאֽוֹת׃
When the Jews broke their covenant with the LORD,
a NEW Covenant was needed
– NOT a cultural covenant ONLY for the Jews, but a lasting covenant
— a NEW testament of God’s love for men and women made in His Image — mortals from every culture of the world HE created.
we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law
Epistle from Paul to the Galatians 2:15 excerpt ESV
20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.
And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.
Galatians 3:
O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?
It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.
Paul’s epistle to the churches in Galatia 3:1 ESV
Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?
- all who rely on works of the law are under a curse 10a
- “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” – 10b
- Deuteronomy 27:26 אָרוּר אֲשֶׁר לֹא־ יָקִים אֶת־דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָֽה־הַזֹּאת לַעֲשׂוֹת אוֹתָם וְאָמַר כָּל־הָעָם אָמֵֽן׃ פ
IT’S A BIG DEAL TO THE JEWS who knew AND tried to practice ALL THE LAWS OF SCRIPTURE.
19 Why then the law?
It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made.
The ONLY sinless offspring (son of man) IS Christ: descendent AND predecessor of Abraham (to whom the covenant was given with its sign) AND of Moses (to whom was given the LAW of perfection by which ALL are transgressors (sinners) come under its curse.
24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.
25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.
27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
Certainly this was Paul's GOSPEL PREACHED to the GALATIANS at first.
Galatians 4:
8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.
9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?
15 What then has become of your blessedness? .. 16 Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?
17 They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them.
Galatians 5:
4 You are severed [cut away] from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.
5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
- Who hindered you from obeying the truth?
- This persuasion is not from him who calls you.
- 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump.
- do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh,
- but through love serve one another.
The GOSPEL of Christ’s grace IS good news not only to the redeemed but by its evidence to others.
17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit,
and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh,
for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
Perversion of the FLESH? vs. Fruit of the SPIRIT?
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident:
sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies,
and things like these.
I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
THE PERVERSITY OF HYPOCRISY BECOMES OBVIOUS IN ITS WITNESS THROUGH THOSE WHO CLAIM CHRIST?
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;
Paul’s epistle [instructive letter to the churches] to the Galatians 5:22-23a ESV
against such things there is no law.
24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Let’s just leave it there.
a side note on Circumcision
Technically the HOT topic of Apostasy is circumcision which Paul mentions seven [7] times in his epistle to the men of the churches of Galatia and frequently in his other epistles to the churches.
WHY?
- Jewish men apostate from the LORD could make false claim to this covenant long-ago broken between the Hebrews and God
- (much like a christian wearing the Cross of Christ while living in the flesh as Paul calls out to the Galatians).
- Such claims certainly lead to further apostasy from God by the witness of such hypocrisy justifying further sin forbidden by the LAW and perversion of the flesh!
Does Paul’s HOT Topic #2 for the saints of the churches in Galatia CONVICT YOU?
WHAT FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT do you lack?
OR
Is your witness as a christian saint somewhat steeped in the unholiness of the fruit of the flesh?
COMMENTS? or Questions?
