The Heart Of Paul’s Theology: Paul And The GalatiansSample

Paul’s Understanding of Law: Galatians 6:15-16

A final place in which we may see Paul’s heavy dependence on his doctrine of the latter days is his appeal to the idea of the new creation. This doctrine appears in the postscript of his epistle. Consider the way Paul put it in Galatians 6:15-16. 

Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation. Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God (Galatians 6:15-16).

In many respects, these words summarize the entire point of view presented in the book of Galatians. In Paul’s outlook, his opponents were making far too much out of circumcision, because with the coming of Christ, it does not matter at all if a person is circumcised or not. Instead, what matters is that every person become a part of “the new creation.” 

You will recall that one way Paul believed the eschaton, or end times, had come with the first coming of Christ was that Christ had begun the renewal of the entire universe into a new creation. This new order of things brought such enormous blessings to the people of God that it completely overshadowed the ways of the old creation. Rather than going back to the ways of life prior to the coming of Christ, living in the new creation is to be the preeminent concern of every believer. From the days of Paul until Christ returns, the chief concern of every follower of Christ is to be life in the new creation. And as Paul put it, those who make this their choice are indeed “the Israel of God.”

Click here to watch The Heart of Paul's Theology: Paul and The Galatians, lesson two in the series The Heart of Paul's Theology. Biblical Education, For the World, . thirdmill.org