THE GOSPEL BILLBOARD

 

A billboard grabs attention. It distills volumes of information into a simple message, a placard of truth. What is Christianity's billboard? Paul explains in Galatians 3:1. Jesus Christ is THE CRUCIFIED ONE! 

"You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?"

Bewitched by the lure of success, the pride of works, and the promises of false teachers, the Galatians had lost sight of the essence of Christianity. We worship a Savior who was crucified as a common criminal. The Romans claimed that Carthage invented crucifixion, which they perfected to torture the worst slaves and criminals. Crucifixion was the worst shame that authorities could inflict on another human. The cross is the crux of our faith. A symbol of disgrace became the billboard of Christianity. Preaching placards the crucified one for all to see.

The verb translated "publicly portrayed" (προεγράφη) can have two meanings. It can mean "to write beforehand or in advance," or it can mean "to write up in public, to placard" (Lightfoot, Galatians, 134). The first century papyri show examples of the word meaning to "write above" or to "placard up" for public viewing. For example, a father directed that a public proclamation be set up to announce that he was no longer responsible for his son's debts. Government officials often used the word to refer to public notices and official declarations that were displayed where all could see them (M&M, Vocabulary, 538). Paul preached "Christ crucified" as if he placarded the message on a giant billboard for all to see.

Paul announced the crucified Christ before their eyes (οἷς κατ´ ὀφθαλμοὺς). Literally, it reads, "for whom, in the presence of eyes" (BAGD, 406). This is where we get the translation "publicly portrayed." Some argue that Paul painted a word picture of Christ on the cross. His preaching was so graphic that they could see Christ on the cross. However, there is no lexical support for taking the verb to mean "paint or depict," and the following phrase in the perfect tense would negate this view (Burton, Galatians, 144). The verb was not used for painting a picture but for public announcements of official business. It wasn't that Paul graphically painted a picture for them, but that he placarded the truth because he wanted to keep their eyes from wandering to the charms of this world (Lightfoot, Galatians, 134). He wanted them to keep their eyes upon Jesus - the crucified one - and not get distracted by the issues and concerns of this world.

Paul went on to say that he billboarded Christ "as crucified" (ἐσταυρωμένος). The participle is in a perfect tense, indicating past action with ongoing results. Paul proclaimed Christ as having been crucified for them. He stressed the foundational fact of Christ's crucifixion. It was a past act. It was a finished task. Christianity is based on what Christ did for us in the past, not what we do for him in the present. If Paul wanted to picture Christ hanging on the cross, he would have used the present participle, but he used a perfect participle. Our faith depends on an accomplished fact - the crucified Christ - and that makes it a matter of official pronouncement (Burton, Galatians, 145). We proclaim to the world a finished fact, not a possible present or a wishful future.

The gospel billboard announces that the work is done!

Lord, keep my eyes on the billboard of Christ crucified and not the alluring advertisements of this world.

BEWITCHING BELIEVERS!

 

Why are we, Christians, so gullible? 

How do we avoid being manipulated by the hucksters of this world? 

Lured by the deceptive success of the false teachers, the Galatian believers were bewitched by heresy. Paul warned them harshly, "O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you?" (Gal. 3:1)

The word translated "bewitched" (ἐβάσκανεν) conjures up the popular superstition about the power of the evil eye in first century folklore. Many writers closed their letters by wishing the reader protection from the evil eye (M&M, Vocabulary, 106). One superstition suggested that a person could ward off the influence of the evil eye by spitting three times (BAGD, 137). Spells and incantations could fascinate a person so powerfully that they were brought under the control of the bewitcher in Paul's metaphor (Lightfoot, Galatians, 133). 

While it is possible that Paul could be inferring a literal demonic influence in this delusion, he is using the term as a figure of speech, a trope, to warn the believers that false teaching is a serious threat to their spiritual health. Paul is shocked that the believers were so easily deluded and deceived by this mixture of law and grace. The false teachers exerted their influence without any use of magical arts. No extraordinary means were needed because of the gullibility of the believers. Paul uses the term as a rhetorical device to show them how easily the influencers could pervert the gospel and confuse their thinking through the clever use of words and symbols (Burton, Galatians, 143-144).

Bewitching (βασκαίνω) was used metaphorically for the ability to harm others through words. The power of praise and insult, flattery and shame, could harm people as much as black magic. Even hostile looks or the sound of the voice can control others in a bewitching manner. Certainly, there was an understanding that the world was filled with non-human powers seeking to control us, which gave rise to formulaic incantations like "heaven preserve us." The magical power of a look or a word can influence others because there are demonic forces at work in this world. However, the word for "bewitching" (βασκαίνω) is never used for the magical powers of the supernatural world. It is used rhetorically for the power of words to influence others (TDNT, 1:594-595).

What are the bewitching methods that influencers use to confuse and control us as Christians?

FALSE REASONING

Lying and deception stand behind all magic. Bewitching people depends on deceiving them. Foolish people succumb to the power of falsehood, and so are led astray. Paul bitingly calls them "foolish" twice in these verses (Gal. 3:1,3). The word "foolish" (ἀνόητοι) can mean unintelligent (BAGD, 70) but more often refers to someone unreasonable (M&M, Vocabulary, 45) or unperceptive. Foolish people lack discernment (Longenecker, Galatians, 99). They are not so much stupid as they are confused. Foolish people lack the ability or the will to think clearly and deeply about matters, so they are easily manipulated by influence peddlers.

Foolishness is a characteristic we all share before we become believers (Titus 3:3). Once we become Christians, we are supposed to leave foolishness behind. Sadly, this is not always the reality. Many believers surrender to false reasoning far too easily and often. It is the bewitching of believers! Believers seem highly susceptible to the power of conspiracy theories with their emphasis on secret knowledge and inside information. Political manipulation and marketing schemes lure too many Christians under the power of the "evil eye!"  We seem especially susceptible to the power of abusive spiritual authority, proven by the long list of authoritarian pastors in recent years. All of these are aspects of the bewitching of believers through false reasoning.

SPIRITUAL DISTRACTION

When Paul calls the Galatians "foolish" (ἀνόητοι), he might be thinking of them as childlike in their simplemindedness (TDNT, 1:595). They struggle to resist the bewitching of the false teachers because they are easily distracted, like little children attracted to the latest flashing lights and sparkling toys. Foolish Christians are so busy chasing the idols of our world that they lose sight of the truth of the gospel. Too often, we become caught up in political battles, social quarrels, and methodological arguments that have no eternal value. We focus on buildings, programs, and culture wars while losing the gospel's centrality to our mission. The result is that we lose sight of Christ in the pursuit of the bangles and baubles that dangle before our eyes.

We are too easily bewitched through false reasoning and spiritual distraction. Christ must be the focal point of our lives, and the cross of Christ must be central to our message. Having begun our spiritual lives by the power of the Spirit, we must not turn to the methods of the flesh to live our Christian lives (Gal. 3:3). 

Beware the bewitching of believers!

DEBTORS TO GRACE?

 

"Oh to grace how great a debtor

Daily I'm constrained to be."

Can grace incur a debt?

Paul says, "NO!"

"I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly" (Gal. 2:21)

The verb translated "nullify" (ἀθετῶ) is in the present tense, indicating an ongoing activity. In classical Greek, it meant to set aside a treaty or to break faith with someone. The LXX uses it to translate a variety of Hebrew words in the Old Testament. It refers to profaning something that God considers holy, such as the sacrifice (1 Sam. 2:17) or the law of God (Ezek. 22:26). According to Ezekiel, the priests profaned God's law by making no distinction between the clean and the unclean. They despised God by profaning the holy things of God (NIDNTT, 1:74). In the Greek papyri, the verb was used for the cancellation of loans through repayment (M&M, Vocabulary, 12).

Paul uses the same verb later in Galatians, referring to a covenant once ratified, which "no one sets aside (ἀθετεῖ) or adds conditions to it" (Gal. 3:15). Jesus says, "He who rejects (ἀθετῶν) me ... has one who judges him" (Jn.12:48). Seeking to achieve righteousness by obeying rules and regulations, Paul says, annuls or renders inoperative the grace of God. Holiness by law-keeping is a rejection of Christ's death for us. If we seek to be righteous by the law after accepting God's grace, then "Christ died needlessly" (δωρεὰν). The adverb means without reason or to no purpose (BAGD, 210). The death of Christ becomes superfluous - unnecessary - if we can achieve righteousness by obeying the law.

The conduct of Peter is the context of Paul's statement. God saved Peter by grace alone, but Peter slipped into law-keeping for his sanctification. He implied that the Gentiles had to do the same by following the Jewish dietary regulations to maintain right standing with God. Paul argues that Peter nullified or rendered inoperative God's grace through his actions (Meyer, Galatians, 94). Peter rejected the sufficiency of Christ's death by adding conditions to the Christian life. Legalism is a practical rejection of grace and an annulling of the cross as foundational for Christian living. 

Suppose that I give my daughter $10,000 in her time of great need. I insist that it is a gift given out of my deep love for her, and she has no obligation to repay me. She says that she is indebted to me and will work to pay me back. Eventually, she cancels the debt by paying me back what I gave to her as a gift. What has she done? She has set aside, rejected, and nullified my gift. When we treat a gift - grace - as a debt, we render the gift invalid. It is no longer grace.

This is what we do when we try to pay God back for His grace freely given to us on the cross. Too many Christians treat the Christian life as a debt to be paid to God for the grace He gave to us. We come to God by faith in His grace but soon turn the Christian life into matters of performance, duty, and obligation. We nullify His grace when the motive for our service is to pay back our debt to Him for His gift. The Christian life is by grace just as much as conversion. Sanctification is just as much a product of grace as justification.

There are two ways to nullify God's grace in our Christian lives (Bruce, Galatians, 146). 1) Grace frees us to sin more (Rom. 6:1). Since we are saved by grace alone, we think we can sin without consequence. The more we sin, the greater His grace. Wrong! May it never be (μὴ γένοιτο, Rom. 6:2). We nullify His grace through our presumptuous sins. 2) Grace motivates us to pay God back. Debt creates guilt. Our Christian lives develop a performance mentality. We think that if we do not measure up to the rules of sanctification, we will not earn God's favor. This too is μὴ γένοιτο! We nullify His grace through the debtor's motive.

We are not debtors to grace because grace cannot incur a debt! 

Praise be to God for His indescribable gift!

HOW DO WE NAVIGATE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE?

 

Three times in Galatians 2:20, Paul uses the pronoun "in" (ἐν). Christ lives "in me" (ἐν ἐμοὶ). I live "in flesh" (ἐν σαρκί), and I live "in faith" (ἐν πίστει). The triple use of the pronoun "in" (ἐν) explains how we navigate the Christian life. There are three points on our navigation chart: Christ, flesh, and faith. The intersection of those three points determines how we live the Christian life.

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. 

My life on earth is life in tension. 

Christ lives in me, but I live in the flesh. Christ "in me" (ἐν ἐμοὶ) is a figurative expression for "the state of being filled with or gripped by something" or someone (BAGD, 259). Paul writes, "For in Him (ἐν αὐτῷ) all the fullness of deity lives in bodily form" (Col. 2:9). The fullness of all that God is fills, grips, and controls Christ. Christ lives in me in the sense that He fills, grips, and controls me. It is not His fullness that lives in me for I am not Christ (or God), but His person fills and grips my life for His purpose.

Yet I live in flesh (ἐν σαρκί). The word flesh here is not used in its ethical/theological sense, as in Romans 8:7-8. Here the word is physiological, referring to the mortal bodies our souls inhabit in our lives on earth. Flesh lacks the article indicating that we should understand it in qualitative terms. The pronoun "in" (ἐν) is locative, indicating the place in which we live, the sphere of physical life on earth. (BAGD, 258; Burton, Galatians, 138). 

The tension is intentional and obvious. Paul rejects any notion that the divine life and our physical lives are "mutually exclusive," as some were teaching (Longenecker, Galatians, 93). Christ lives in me as I eat, drink, work, and play. He transforms our lives in the most elemental ways. Because Christ grips and controls me, He is there when I watch sports or movies. He enters the home with me. He interacts with co-workers through me. Christ is involved as I debate politics or argue about theology. Because Christ lives in me, even the most basic facets of life are filled with His transforming presence.

My life on earth is life in faith.

The expression "I live by faith (ἐν πίστει) in the Son of God" is placed in the clause so that the two prepositional phrases starting with "in" are next to each other for emphasis. Literally, it reads, "the life I now live in flesh, in faith, I live in the Son of God." The prepositional phrase can be either instrumental or locative, and there is a subtle but significant difference between the two. The New American Standard Bible translates it as instrumental "by faith." Faith is the means or instrument by which we live the Christian life (BAGD, 260). By faith becomes somewhat mechanistic. We are trusting Christ for the results in our lives. We achieve what we achieve by faith in the Son of God.

However, the two phrases "in flesh" and "in faith" are best taken as parallel constructions. Both "flesh" and "faith" are anarthrous, stressing the qualitative aspects of each. Both prepositions are best taken as locative, indicating the sphere in which we live. Just as it is not "by flesh" (the means), but "in flesh" (the sphere), so it is not "by faith" (the means), but "in faith" (the sphere) that we must live the Christian life (Meyer, Galatians, 93). Faith is the "atmosphere" in which we live and breathe (Lightfoot, Galatians, 119). The Son of God is the object of our faith. We think and act in the atmosphere of faith in the Son of God, who dominates our lives. We are not just trusting Christ for results. We are trusting Christ for life.

The Christian life involves total immersion in Christ, like a fish in the water. Our lives become autonomic, like breathing air as we live in an atmosphere of faith. In Physics, we achieve equilibrium when the elements exist in perfect balance. So too, in the Christian life, there is equilibrium in Christ. Like a marble at the bottom of a bowl, no matter how the bowl of life is turned, we are stable in the atmosphere of faith. In biology, there is homeostasis, the organism maintains a stable inner state despite outside changes. Like our bodily temperature regulates to remain stable, so faith in the Son of God regulates all of life so that we remain stable. Our awareness of Christ becomes so enveloping that we sense His presence in all we do and say.

Living in the atmosphere of faith in Christ is how we navigate our Christian lives.

DETHRONED EGO

 

Painted on the rocks high above the main street in Skagway, Alaska, are some often photographed images. Legend has it that the clock, set to 7:20, memorialized the time of Abraham Lincoln's death. However, 7:20 is the normal clockmaker setting used to display the symmetry of a clock and likely advertised a local store. The other two engravings - Kirmse's Curios and Moe's Frontier Bar - were historic businesses in Skagway dating back to the gold rush days. People flocked to these streets from all over the country drawn by advertisers who promised they would get rich quick with all the gold in the mountains. In reality, the merchants in the tiny boomtown were the ones who made the most money. Ego drove gold fever. Self-promotion is inherent to human nature.

To know God, self must be dethroned and Christ enthroned in our lives. Paul wrote, "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God" (Gal. 2:20).

The KJV translates it "nevertheless I live" but the first δὲ is continuative not adversative so should be translated "and." The second δὲ should be understood as adversative and translated "but." "I no longer live" continues the thought of being crucified with Christ followed by the contrast - "Christ lives in me." The literal word order in the Greek text is dramatic - "live no longer I, but lives in me Christ" (Burton, Galatians, 137). The "I" (ἐγώ) is emphatic and directly contrasts with the emphatic "Christ." Ego and Christ cannot coexist in the Christian life!

LIFE B.C.

The "I" (ἐγώ) summarizes life before Christ. Paul says in verse 19 that "I died ... that I might live." The I who died (v.19) is the I who no longer lives (v.20). The I who lives has been merged into Christ. The natural man died. The person who was driven by the human ego no longer lives. Living for self is the person I was before Christ. Self-identity and self-promotion focus on the almighty I. Ego drives life apart from Christ. Once I become a Christian I no longer have a separate identity from Christ. My life is merged into His life (Lightfoot, Galatians, 119).

LIFE A.C.

We expect Paul to write, "I no longer live but I live in Christ." However, he is so caught up in the transformation of what it means to be a Christian that he writes, "Christ lives in me." The old me died. The new me is Christ. It is not that I now live in Christ but that Christ lives in me (Bruce, Galatians, 144). The present tense of the verb (ζῇ) indicates that Christ lives in me in an ongoing, continuous way. He is always in me. Paul is talking about our present life on earth not our future life in heaven. Our merger with Christ is now not later. There is no place that I can go and no activity that I can do that Christ is not in me as I do it. The Christian life is nothing less than the life of Christ operating in the Christian. Christ is resident within us. He is the controlling, operating power in our lives today.

We don't wait for this transformation to happen in heaven. Paul makes this clear when he writes, "and the life which I now live in the flesh." The life is "now" (νῦν) not later. It is in the flesh (σαρκί) not in the spirit. Flesh (σαρκί), in this context, refers to the physical, mortal body not the ethical, immoral nature of the human heart. The pronoun "in" (ἐν) expresses the sphere in which life operates. Paul is talking about living in the sphere of the physical body (Burton, Galatians, 138). 

The relative pronoun (ὃ) can be understood as a cognate accusative or an adverbial relative pronoun. The NASB translates it as a cognate accusative sometimes called a content accusative meaning that the content of the relative pronoun must be brought out by the translator. So the NASB supplies "and the life which I now live" (Turner, Grammar, 3:245-246). It could also be an adverbial relative and translated "whereas I now live" (Moule, Idiom Book, 131). The adverbial relative explains how Christ lives in me. I think it probably best to understand it as a cognate accusative stating that the life I am now living in my physical body must be lived dependently not independently, on Christ not for self. 

EGO OR CHRIST?

God dethrones ego to enthrone Christ. This is the central transformation of the Christian life. All immorality is narcissistic. Ego drives every sin we commit. Moral behavior can be altruistic but, sadly, narcissism taints even our finest altruism. God dethrones our egos to transform our lives. Every moral failure - racism, abortion, sex outside of marriage - is self-centered at its core. We will never change the social order by law. Christ must dethrone self one "self" at a time to change society. 

Following Christ means allowing Christ to dethrone my ego. The Christian life is not about me. It is all about Him. My self-identity is wrapped up in Him. My self-interest is merged into His will. I no longer live because Christ lives in me.

THE MORALIST'S DEATH

 

Benjamin Franklin, the classic moralist, set out in life to achieve "moral perfection" through his little book of 13 virtues. For each virtue, he lined out seven columns, one for each day of the week. He would self-evaluate these virtues daily as he sought to be a better man, but at the age of 79, he had to admit that he had failed (Christensen, The Spiritual Life of Normal Christian, 132-133). The moralist thinks that you must live for law to live for God. Paul wrote that we must die to law to live for God (Luther, Galatians, 83). "For through law I died to law so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ." (Gal. 2:19).

The first word of the sentence is an emphatic "I" (ἐγὼ). The "I" of verse 18 is not emphatic because Paul was reflecting an accusation made by others against him, but the "I" in verse 19 is emphatic because Paul is now stressing his personal experience. Paul states, "I died to law" (νόμῳ ἀπέθανον). The Aorist active indicative is a declarative statement of a fact about his past. His death to the law is in contrast with his statement that "I might live for God" (θεῷ ζήσω). The first verb is declarative, stressing what is, and the second is subjunctive, stressing what might be. His death to the law is done, making possible his living for God. 

Death, in Paul's thinking, ends a relationship, but life opens up a new relationship (Longenecker, Galatians, 91). The contrasting datives "law" (νόμῳ) and "God" (θεῷ) are datives of relationship although the second dative (θεῷ) may be understood as a dative of advantage. We ceased our prior relationship to the law, but we now live for the advantage or benefit of God (Burton, Galatians, 134). When Christ justifies by grace through faith, our past is dead. A new life for God opens before us. The possibilities are endless.

The noun "law" (νόμος) lacks the article as it did in verse 16. An anarthrous noun usually carries a qualitative force stressing law in general as opposed to a specific code like the Mosaic Law. Burton argues that law in verse 16 should be taken qualitatively, meaning that Paul is talking about the law principle inherent in all cultures as opposed to the Law of Moses. However, in verse 18, Burton argues that Paul is referring specifically to the Mosaic Law even though the noun lacks the article (Burton, Galatians, cf. 120, 133). I think it best to remain consistent and understand "law" in a qualitative sense (Lightfoot, Galatians, 118). A law principle - moralism - undergirds all cultures, not just Judaism. Moralism is man's attempt to live for God and is always doomed to fail (Gal. 2:16). We must die to moralism to live for God.

There are two elements of our death to moralism. We die to law-keeping as a way to God 1) through the law and 2) through the cross. We die to law "through law" (διὰ νόμου), but our release from law comes only when we can say with Paul, "I have been crucified with Christ" (Χριστῷ συνεσταύρωμαι). Most translations take the second phrase as part of verse 20, but most critical Greek texts place the phrase as part of verse 19. It is probably better to take it with verse 19, explaining how we can be released from law-keeping to live for God (Longenecker, Galatians, 92).

We pass through three stages in the process of conversion to a new life for God (Lightfoot, Galatians, 118).

1) Before the law: I am a sinner but ignorant of my sin. Paul will expand his explanation of these stages in Romans 5-7. Sin entered the world through Adam and spread to all humanity. We are all sinners who are subject to death even though ignorant of the sin without the law (Rom. 5:12-14; 7:7). Sin, in one sense, might be considered dead until the law reveals it so the law could be said to stimulate or even create sin (Rom. 7:8-9).

2) Under the law: I am a sinner who becomes conscious of my sin. The law reveals my sin and condemns me to death, but the law cannot provide any solution for my sin. So the law defines, stimulates, and condemns my sin, making the law an instrument leading to my death. Sin uses the law to kill me (Rom. 7:7-12). However, the law is still holy and good (Rom. 7:12) because the law leads us to Christ (Gal. 3:24-25). Offering no remedy, the law shuts us up until we come to Christ's grace for release. In this way, we die to the law through the law.

3) Freed from the law - I am a sinner who has been justified by grace (Rom. 5:20-21). Paul uses his famous marriage analogy to make his point (Rom. 7:1-6). A wife is bound to her husband by law. Only the death of her husband releases her from her bondage under the law. Therefore, we were made to die to the law (ἐθανατώθητε τῷ νόμῳ) "through the body of Christ" (διὰ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ) which is another way to say that we have been crucified with Christ (Rom. 7:4). The death of Christ releases us from the jurisdiction of the law, so don't remarry the dead man by placing yourselves under the law.

My conviction of sin comes through the law. My release from guilt comes by the cross of Christ. Thank you, Jesus, for liberating me from the bondage of moralism.

THE PARADOX OF MORALISM

"O Lord Jesus, I come unto Thee, and I pray Thee that these burdens and this straitness of my rule and religion may be a full recompense for all my sins."

Here is the prayer of the moralist. Martin Luther prayed these words regularly when he was a non-Christian (Luther, Galatians, 82). He was obsessed with being good before he understood the good news about his badness. Once he grasped the gospel, he renounced his goodness to rejoice in Christ's goodness. The gospel transformed his life and rescued him from moralism.

WHAT IS MORALISM?

Moralism teaches that our good works earn God's favor. What we do that is good pays for what we have done that is bad. Moralism expresses religion's path to God. Good people will one day stand before God, and the good they do will outweigh the bad they have done, claims the moralist.

Sadly, many preach moralism after starting well with grace. The more we push morality, the less we preach grace because moralism nullifies grace. Paul dealt with moralism as he witnessed Peter turn back to follow Jewish religious rules about eating and drinking. Paul writes, "For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor" (Gal. 2:18).

The clause "what I once destroyed" (ἃ κατέλυσα) comes first in the sentence for emphasis. The verb means to dismantle a building or repeal a law (BAGD, 414). The condition (εἰ) is a simple condition, not a contrary to fact condition, so Paul is referring to what actually happened, which he explained in verse 16. Paul had trusted in the law to make himself good enough for God. When Paul turned to Christ, he repealed the law as a way to be right with God. He dismantled law righteousness to accept Christ's righteousness.

By insisting that Christians obey the law, Paul would now be rebuilding (οἰκοδομῶ) the law that he once dismantled. If that is the case, then he proves himself to be a transgressor of the law. The present tense verb (συνιστάνω) used with the reflexive pronoun "myself" (ἐμαυτὸν) means to show or represent one's self as a transgressor (R&R, Linguistic Key, 506). Paul uses the word "transgressor" (παραβάτην) because the term connotes a violator of the true intent of the whole law more than any single statute in the law (Burton, Galatians, 131). If he builds up what he once dismantled, then, either way, he is a transgressor. He either transgressed the law by dismantling it, or he transgresses God's salvific solution by rebuilding it. The one activity negates the other activity (Bruce, Galatians, 142). Law and grace cannot both be right.

PARADOXICAL MORALITY

The paradox of moralism is the better we try to be, the worse we prove to be. The gospel of grace tells me that I become a Christian by renouncing my faith in my goodness to place my faith in Christ's goodness alone. I must accept that I am a sinner to believe in Christ as my Savior. If I return to stressing my moral goodness, I nullify Christ's grace and prove to be a worse sinner than before. There must be no mixing of my goodness with Christ's goodness to earn God's approval. To follow Christ, we must renounce moralism.

The paradox of moralism is the more we preach morality, the less we preach Christ, leading to greater immorality. Moralism creeps into our "culture wars" preaching. In our striving to see righteousness permeate our society, we slide into moralistic preaching implicitly communicating that we can create a moral world without Christ. Slipping into moralism minimizes Christ. The solution to the world's immorality is the goodness of Christ, not the morality of humanity. Unless people give up on their goodness to accept Christ's goodness, there will never be social goodness.

Our culture will never be transformed by preaching moralism. Good works flow from changed hearts. Society is changed by regeneration, not legislation. The gospel is the most transformative power the world has ever seen. Let's preach the gospel, not moralism!