Comparing Paul's 'Diet And Special Day'

Paul’s writing about “diet” and “special day” to illustrate his principles is merely meaning that just like diets you have to cut out certain things from your life, like sugar, candy and pop. This does not mean they are poisonous to us but we should not have then on a daily basis. Just like in life sex, drinking, and partying can be done but not in excessive amount or knowledge of what the bible truly says about it. For instance, the bible never says you cannot have sex but it says only have sex with your husband or wife. The bible never says you shall never drink but it says do not drink to the point of carousing or drunkenness. The bible only states to behave decently and to make wise choices with your lives. The principles Paul gives us that we can apply in our lives today by realizing the difference between the worldly desires and Gods desires for us. The world today is filled with sins that include ones that Paul warns about in Romans. The conclusions that surrounds weak and strong Christians in our current culture is nothing other than sin. When it comes to weak or strong

Christians I believe it’s merely only those who succumb to our sinful ways or we refuse and walk away from them.

Book of Galatians Reflection Paper
Holli Ison
Colorado Christian University

The Book of Galatians Reflection Paper
The book of Galatians is such an important book for Christians. I have never fully read the book before. After reading it, I now see the messages that Paul was trying to get across to the Christians in Galatia. Paul was telling them that they were saved by faith alone and that they need to get back to living only by the Spirit. He was preaching that we need to live our lives by the Spirit alone, not by our fleshly desires. I see the big deal in Galatians as that, live by the Spirit.
Paul was angry with the Galatian Christians. Gundry (2012) says, “Paul immediately and heatedly introduces the reason for his writing. He was shocked that the Galatian Christians are deserting to another gospel, which is really not a gospel (“good news”) at all” (p. 391). The Gentiles, believed that they had to be circumcised to be a true Christian. Paul was angry that the Gentiles thought they needed more than just faith to be saved. They were falling away from their true faith by doing this, consequently Paul called this following a false teacher. “We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So, we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the words of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified” (Galatians 2:15-16, NIV Study Bible).
Paul was also preaching about faith or works of the law in chapter 3.

Paul was upset that the Galatians could be succumbed to other influences rather than the spirit. “I would like to learn just one thing from you; Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?” (Galatians 3:2). Paul was telling the Galatians that they didn’t need a cultural identity (Jewish circumcision) to experience the spirit. “Those who want to impress people by the means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about our circumcision in the flesh” (Galatians 6:12-13). I think that Paul was trying to show them that just being circumcised wouldn’t bring them closer to

God.
In Galatians chapter 5, Paul speaks about freedom not to sin. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free” (Galatians 5:1). Paul uses harsh language about those who were misrepresenting the gospel. He continues to talk about circumcision. “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love” (Galatians 5:6).
Lastly, Paul speaks about how to live our lives by the Spirit. He mentions this throughout the book of Galatians. “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). I believe the whole book of Galatians is revolved around this. Paul was telling the Galatians that all they needed was the Spirit of God, nothing else.
The book of Galatians is crucial to Christianity. It shows us that we need to live in the Spirit and to care for one another. I think it is also important that we watch for false teachers. We can’t let others convince us that we need more than our faith to be a part of God’s Kingdom. “Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith” (Galatians 3:11). If we see false teachers, we need to speak the truth just as Paul did.