“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.”
The word “love” is found five times in the letter of Galatians, not quite one occasion per chapter. There are 149 verses in Galatians. In contrast, the word “love” is used 52 times in John’s three letters of 133 verses total. Clearly, “love” is not a major theme in Paul’s letter to the Galatians and yet, when you read it, as we will see, the letter is saturated with the sentiments of love.
GOD’S LOVE:
Look at 1:15: “But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood.”
That is the love of God made visible in the life of the apostle Paul. And Paul will go on to write in 1 Timothy 1:16 that in saving Paul, Christ demonstrated His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him. So, God’s love, illustrated in the apostle Paul, shows that God would like to save everyone. No one is outside of the reach of the love of God.
As we see in 1:4 and as we all understand, the love of God is epitomized most clearly in the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. But, it is unfair and unjust to punish one person for another person’s sins unless the innocent person willingly accepts that punishment. Herein, we see the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as an expression of His love. What does Paul say about the love of Christ in Galatians?
JESUS’ LOVE:
In 1:12, before Paul mentions that God called him from his mother’s womb, he will tell the Galatians that the doctrine he taught was not his but given to him “through revelation of Jesus Christ.” The gift of the revelation of the Gospel message is an act of the love of Christ.
If God so loved the world that He gave His only unique Son, the Son so loved the world that He gave His only unique message – the Gospel of the Truth.
But, we go on in Galatians and see in 2:20, the only occasion where Deity, specifically Jesus, is the subject of the verb “love:” “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.” Not only did Christ give us His only unique message but He also gave us His only unique life – pure, holy, sinless. Incidentally, this is the first time the verb “love” is found in Galatians, appropriately enough. Christ motivates our love.
PAUL’S LOVE:
We see Paul’s love illustrated in the first chapter, verses 6-9, in which Paul expresses his deep concern and fear that his young Christian friends are being bewitched to desert the Gospel of Christ and follow a different message.
In 2:10, Paul’s love for the poor is hinted at as he says Peter, James and John had asked him to “remember the poor,” something Paul says he “eager to do.” Paul loved poor people and he was thrilled to preach to them the “unsearchable riches of Christ” (cf. Eph. 3:8).
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What does love look like in our own lives? Our key verse is Galatians 5:6 quoted above. This is the second occasion of “love” in Galatians. How do we “stand fast in love?”
First, we glorify God for what He has done for us – 1:24.
Second, we receive His messengers who carry His message – 4:14.
Third, we serve one another – 5:13. The third occasion of “love” in Galatians.
There are two occasions of the word “love” that we have not mentioned, found in 5:14 and 5:22 (an aspect of the fruit of the Spirit).
We draw our application here from the points we have observed above:
1. Like God, we are impartial in our love and we love others because God first loved us.
2. Like Jesus, we share ourselves with others, indiscriminately.
3. Like Paul, we teach the truth to and serve others, including the poor, in the spirit of gentleness, promoting unity.
With everyone in your sphere of influence, share the love of Christ, indiscriminately, serving and teaching the Gospel.
Your fellow-servant in Christ,
–Paul Holland
