Problem: Paul writes, “[God] chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him” (Eph. 1:4). Calvinistic interpreters argue that this passage teaches God’s unconditional election of believers. Is this the case?
Gal 6:16 – Does the church inherit the promises of Israel?
Problem: Paul writes, “And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God” (Gal. 6:16). This passage has puzzled interpreters of various stripes. Is Paul saying that the church is Israel (i.e. amillenialism)? Or is he saying that the church is distinct from ethnic Israel (i.e. premillenialism)? Paul never uses the term “Israel” to refer to the church. In fact, Johnson writes,
The normal usage of “Israel” in the NT as referring to the physical descendants of Jacob. Galatians 6:16 is no exception, as Peter Richardson observes: Strong confirmation of this position [i.e., that ‘Israel’ refers to the Jews in the NT] comes from the total absence of an identification of the church with Israel until a.d. 160; and also from the total absence, even then, of the term ‘Israel of God’ to characterize the church” (Israel in the Apostolic Church [Cambridge: Cambridge University, 1969], pp. 74–84).[1]
How do we handle this difficult passage?
Gal 6:7- Does this passage teach karmic law?
Problem: Paul writes, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap” (Gal. 6:7). New Age teachers claim that this passage supports the concept of karmic law. Is this the case?
Gal 6:5 – Are we to bear other’s burdens or our own?
Problem: In Galatians 6:2, Paul exhorts us to “bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” But only a few verses later he says “every man shall bear his own burden” (v. 5, kjv).
Gal 6:2,5 – Do we bear one another’s burdens or not?
Problem: Do we bear one another’s burdens or not? Galatians 6:2, 5. In once sense we do. In another sense we don’t.
Galatians 6:2, “Bear one another’s burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ.”
Galatians 6:5, “For each one shall bear his own load.”
Gal. 5:21 – Will sinners not “inherit the kingdom of God”?
Problem: Some interpreters argue that Christians with these sins will not be forgiven, and they will not go to heaven. After all, Paul wrote, “The deeds of the flesh are evident… those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21). Is this the case?
Gal 5:4 – Does this passage teach that Christians can lose their salvation?
Problem: Paul says that believers can be severed from Christ. Does this mean that Christians can lose their salvation?
Gal. 4:27 – Why does Paul quote Isaiah 54:1?
Problem: Is Paul’s citation of Isaiah 54 out of context, or does this help him build upon his argument?
Gal 4:22 – How many children did Abraham have, one or two?
How many children did Abraham have, one or two?Genesis 22:2, Hebrews 11:17, and Galatians 4:22 tell us different things. What about Ishmael and Isaac? Aren’t they both the children of Abraham?
Gal. 4:14 – Isn’t it arrogant for Paul to compare himself with Christ in this way?
Problem: Paul says that the Galatians treated him “as Jesus Christ himself” (Gal. 4:14). Should Christian leaders be viewed as Christ himself?