Points to Ponder in Galatians

To accompany your Come Follow Me study for September 25-October 1

In addition to reading the indicated chapters, you may wish to:

Read the applicable portion of the New Testament Institute Student Manual at : Chapter 43: Galatians (churchofjesuschrist.org)

See the following videos:

Come Follow Me (September 25-October 1) |Marshal’s Comin’ to Town | Galatians

Book of Galatians Summary: A Complete Animated Overview at Book of Galatians Summary: A Complete Animated Overview – YouTube

If you would like a Kahoot game related to this material which you could use for personal study or use with your family or your class, click here: https://create.kahoot.it/share/galatians/57168a36-cf7a-4e74-b1ab-f011948c4963. (To use it with a group, after clicking on this link, you will need to log into Kahoot, creating a free account if you have not done so previously, then click on the blue “Start” button.)

For each of the following statements from 1-32, indicate whether you essentially agree or disagree, and why. Relevant passages (or sometimes irrelevant ones!) are listed for each statement.

1. The reality of the Great Apostasy is easier to understand when we see that some of the Galatian converts were already apostatizing by the time Paul wrote his letter. (Galatians 1:6)

2. Paul taught that Church organization and policy should be the same in our day as it was in his. (Galatians 1:6‑9)

3. The gospel of Jesus Christ may be changed from age to age by divine revelation to reflect the changed needs and circumstances of Church members. (Galatians 1:6‑9)

4. It would be very difficult for a committed Latter‑day Saint to be elected to public office anywhere in the world today, with the possible exception of Utah and Tonga. (Galatians 1:10)

5. Paul implied that every convert should know by personal revelation that the gospel is true. (Galatians 1:11-12)

6. We learn from the book of Galatians that after his conversion Paul spent some time in Arabia, most probably preaching to the Arabs, descendants of Ishmael. (Galatians 1:17)

7. Though he was a non‑member at the time of Jesus’ crucifixion, one of the Savior’s half-brothers eventually was ordained an apostle. (Galatians 1:19)

8. Paul evidently preached in private to the more prominent Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, so as not to embarrass them before their associates. (Galatians 2:2)

9. Though he initially disagreed with Peter on a policy matter, Paul later saw the error of his ways and apologized for opposing the president of the Church. (Galatians 2:11-14)

10. Though he was technically right when he withstood Peter to his face, Paul could have been a little more tactful in his approach. (Galatians 2:11-14)

11. It is possible for one to be a devoted Latter‑day Saint and still occasionally disagree with Church leaders, including the President. Galatians 2:11‑14)

12. When Paul calls James, Cephas, and John “pillars,” he is complimenting them. (Galatians 2:9)

13. Paul taught, as do Latter‑day Saints, that converted Gentiles are adopted into the house of Israel. (Galatians 3:7‑9)

14. Paul evidently would have viewed Genesis 28:14 as a Messianic prophecy rather than a prediction of the blessing the children of Israel in general would be to the rest of the world. (Galatians 3:16)

15. The law of Moses served for ancient Israelites much the same function as repetitive practice drills do for a basketball team. (Galatians 3:24)

16. Paul evidently believed at the time he wrote Galatians that in the hereafter men and women will no longer have their sexual identity, but by now he has probably found out the error of his ways. (Galatians 3:28)

17. The logical implications of Paul’s teachings in Galatians 4:1‑7 are that men can become like God.

18. When addressing God in prayer, it would be okay to call him “Daddy.” (Galatians 4:6)

19. When Paul invited the Galatian saints to “be as I am,” he was saying something similar to what Jesus said in Matthew 5:48. (Galatians 4:12)

20. There is a relationship between Galatians 4:18 and D&C 58:27.

21. Without the atonement of Christ, true freedom would be impossible, as men would be subject to the power of Satan with no alternatives available. (Galatians 5:1).

22. Though it may make us freer in the hereafter, the gospel admittedly imposes some restrictions on us in this life. (Galatians 5:1)

23. Galatians 5:2 makes clear that it is wrong for those who believe in Christ’s atonement to practice circumcision, as do the unbelieving Jews.

24. An acceptable paraphrase of Galatians 5:16‑17 would be: “I advise you to obey only the Holy Spirit’s instructions. He will tell you where to go and what to do, and then you won’t always be doing the wrong things your evil nature wants you to. For we naturally love to do evil things that are just the opposite from the things that the Holy Spirit tells us to do; and the good things we want to do when the Spirit has his way with us are just the opposite of our natural desires. These two forces within us are constantly fighting each other to win control over us, and our wishes are never free from their pressures.”

25. Galatians 5:19‑23 can be very helpful to us in discerning whether we are being influenced by the Holy Spirit or some other spirit.

26. Paul believed that in to be a true Christian it is necessary to give up all physical pleasures, even though doing so may hurt as much as crucifixion. (Galatians 5:24)

27. Galatians 6:1 would be good counsel for an elders quorum or Relief Society leader who discovered that an activity chairperson was making some very poor and totally unacceptable posters to advertise an upcoming event.

28. What Paul is saying in Galatians 6:4 is virtually unintelligible.

29. Galatians 6:2, 5 is a good example of mistakes in the Bible, as the two verses cited seem to be in opposition to each other.

30. Galatians 6:7 shows that despite what may appear from some of his other epistles, Paul really did believe salvation comes through our good works and not just from passive faith.

31. Galatians 6:9 can be encouraging to those who faithfully plug away, day after day, doing the Lord’s work and keeping his commandments, all the while receiving little recognition for their efforts and enjoying little visible success in changing the world for the better.

32. Since we can’t do much to improve the economic standard of the world by dividing our incomes among 8 billion people, we should concentrate our charitable efforts on the most deserving, especially on needy Latter‑day Saints. (Galatians 6:10)

33. If you could keep only one verse out of all of Galatians, which verse would you select, and why?

Possible Answers to Points to Ponder in Galatians

1. The reality of the Great Apostasy is easier to understand when we see that some of the Galatian converts were already apostatizing by the time Paul wrote his letter. (Galatians 1:6)

Agree. “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.” If the Galatians could depart so much from the true faith within a few years, it is not surprising that by 1820 the Lord could tell Joseph Smith that all of the existing Christian churches were wrong.

2. Paul taught that Church organization and policy should be the same in our day as it was in his. (Galatians 1:6‑9)

Disagree. Paul says nothing here about Church organization and policy. Those will necessarily change according to needs and circumstances. But the basic gospel itself can never change.

3. The gospel of Jesus Christ may be changed from age to age by divine revelation to reflect the changed needs and circumstances of Church members. (Galatians 1:6‑9)

Disagree. See question 2 above. Policies and procedures may change, but the gospel will not. “If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”

4. It would be very difficult for a committed Latter‑day Saint to be elected to public office anywhere in the world today, with the possible exception of Utah and Tonga. (Galatians 1:10)

Agree: Difficult, but not impossible, as is seen by the numbers of Latter-day Saints in public office in various countries of the world. But such may be elected more in spite of, not because of their religious affiliation. Paul assures us, “If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”

5. Paul implied that every convert should know by personal revelation that the gospel is true. (Galatians 1:11-12)

Probably agree. He is really talking only about himself in these verses, and how he learned through Christ’s appearance to him on the road to Damascus that Christianity was true. But, it is certainly true that every convert should have a personal revelation on the subject, though it will seldom be so dramatic as was Paul’s. While there are probably other scriptural passages which are clearer on this point, Paul certainly says nothing to dispute it. (See Matthew 16:16-18; Revelation 19:10; 1 Corinthians 12:3.)

6. We learn from the book of Galatians that after his conversion Paul spent some time in Arabia, most probably preaching to the Arabs, descendants of Ishmael. (Galatians 1:17)

Disagree. There is no record of Paul’s preaching to the Arabs. Had he done so and made converts among them, he would almost certainly have made additional visits to them, as he did to his converts in Corinth, Ephesus, Galatia, and elsewhere. But we have no record of any such later visits to Arabia. It is not impossible that Paul may have unsuccessfully attempted to share his message with local Arabs, but more likely he spent his time primarily in meditation, study, prayer, and preparation for his ministry.

7. Though he was a non‑member at the time of Jesus’ crucifixion, one of the Savior’s half-brothers eventually was ordained an apostle. (Galatians 1:19)

Agree. James, the author of the book of James, was Jesus’ half-brother. He, along with Jesus’ other siblings, initially didn’t believe in His divinity (John 7:5), but he later became an “apostle” (not necessarily a member of the Quorum of the Twelve) and a leader of the Church in Jerusalem.

8. Paul evidently preached in private to the more prominent Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, so as not to embarrass them before their associates. (Galatians 2:2)

Disagree. Paul is evidently not preaching to non-member Jewish leaders here but is consulting with Church leaders in private to make sure he is on the right track with what he has been doing. The J. B. Phillips New Testament translation of verses 1-10 is much clearer than the King James Version. It reads:

“Fourteen years later, I went up to Jerusalem again, this time with Barnabas, and we took Titus with us. My visit on this occasion was by divine command, and I gave a full exposition of the Gospel which I preach among the Gentiles. I did this first in private conference with the church leaders, to make sure that what I had done and proposed doing was acceptable to them. Not one of them intimated that Titus, because he was a Greek, ought to be circumcised. In fact, the suggestion would never have arisen but for the presence of some pseudo-Christians, who wormed their way into our meeting to spy on the liberty we enjoy in Jesus Christ, and then attempted to tie us up with rules and regulations. We did not give those men an inch, for the truth of the Gospel for you and all Gentiles was at stake. And as far as the leaders of the conference were concerned (I neither know nor care what their exact position was: God is not impressed with a man’s office), they had nothing to add to my Gospel. In fact they recognised that the Gospel for the uncircumcised was as much my commission as the Gospel for the circumcised was Peter’s. For the God who had done such great work in Peter’s ministry for the Jews was plainly doing the same in my ministry for the Gentiles. When, therefore, James, Peter and John (who were the recognised “pillars” of the church there) saw how God had given me his grace, they held out to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, in full agreement that our mission was to the Gentiles and theirs to the Jews. The only suggestion they made was that we should not forget the poor—and with this I was, of course, only too ready to agree.”

9. Though he initially disagreed with Peter on a policy matter, Paul later saw the error of his ways and apologized for opposing the president of the Church. (Galatians 2:11-14)

Disagree. There is no evidence that Paul ever considered himself wrong, but seems to take some pleasure in recounting how he withstood Peter “face to face.”

10. Though he was technically right when he withstood Peter face to face, Paul could have been a little more tactful in his approach. (Galatians 2:11-14)

Probably disagree. We are not told that Paul’s disagreement with Peter occurred in public. It may well have been a private conversation. As the following excerpt from the New Testament Institute Student Manual makes clear, it can be argued that Peter was as right as was Paul on this occasion:

“In order to emphasize to the Gentile converts in Galatia that they did not need to be circumcised, Paul recounted a confrontation with Peter, the chief Apostle. After a meeting in Jerusalem (see Galatians 2:1), Peter visited the Saints in Antioch (in Pisidia), where Paul was staying. While there, Peter began to dine with the Gentile Saints, but he stopped doing so when a group of Jewish Christians arrived from Jerusalem. He feared that the visitors would find his association with the Gentile Saints offensive (see Galatians 2:12). In many cultures of the ancient world, including the Jewish culture, dining with others affirmed a bond of fellowship and loyalty (see Mark 2:15–16; Acts 10:28). To some Jewish Christians, the cultural tradition of maintaining separation from Gentiles was more important than the Christian bond they shared with Gentile Saints. This was unacceptable to Paul. He taught that among the followers of Christ, there was to be “neither Jew nor Greek, … for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). Paul felt that Peter’s withdrawal from the Gentile Saints implied that they could not enjoy fellowship with Church members like Peter unless they lived “as do the Jews” (Galatians 2:14).

“It is important to remember that we have only Paul’s account of this confrontation and that Paul acknowledged that Peter’s ministry was primarily to the Jews (see Galatians 2:7–8).

“’In defense of the chief Apostle, however, one should recall that Peter was the leader of a relatively small church that was composed of two emotionally fragile factions; the situation was delicate. The Jewish Christians, on the one hand, did not appreciate the reluctance of some Gentiles to submit to the regulations of the Mosaic law, especially circumcision. Paul and his followers, on the other hand, were not worried about offending the feelings of the Jewish Christians who still held fast to the traditions of the law of Moses. Peter the prophet, naturally, loved and was concerned about both Jewish and Gentile members of the Church.

“It was a no-win situation for Peter. If he continued eating with the Gentiles, he would offend the visiting group of Jewish Christians. If he departed, he would offend Paul and the Gentile Christians in Antioch. No compromise was possible. Either way, he was going to hurt some feelings. Maybe Peter felt that an offended Paul would still remain true, while an offended group of Jewish Christians would potentially influence many others to dissent or leave the young church’” (Frank F. Judd Jr., “The Jerusalem Conference: The First Council of the Christian Church,” Religious Educator, vol. 12, no. 1 [2011], 67; rsc.byu.edu).

11. It is possible for one to be a devoted Latter‑day Saint and still occasionally disagree with Church leaders, including the President. Galatians 2:11‑14)

Agree. But only under certain conditions. Presidents of all Church organizations have counselors, whose responsibility it is to counsel energetically according to their best judgment, prior to the president’s taking a decision. Other Church members may also appropriately provide information or counsel in private.

But once a president has taken a decision, it is the responsibility of those under him to faithfully support that decision, especially in public, and especially that of a President of the Church, whose word the Lord instructed us to receive “as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith.” (D&C 21:5.) Public opposition can be considered grounds for withdrawal of membership because of apostasy.

12. When Paul calls James, Cephas, and John “pillars,” he is complimenting them. (Galatians 2:9)

Agree. They could be compared to the “pillars” which hold up a stately building. Other translations call them “leaders,” “key leaders” “head church leaders,” “the most important people,” or the “backbone of the church.”

13. Paul taught, as do Latter‑day Saints, that converted Gentiles are adopted into the house of Israel. (Galatians 3:7‑9)

Agree. This is one of the clearest passages on the subject. Here, of course, Paul mentions only that those of faith are considered “the children of Abraham.” But we learn elsewhere that the same Abrahamic promise was passed down through Isaac to Jacob, or Israel, so that those not literally of Israelite lineage are adopted thereto upon their conversion.

Agree. While it is true that all the families of the earth are blessed by the ministry of modern “children of Israel,” or Church members, it is even more true that they are blessed by the “seed” (singular) of Abraham, or Jesus Christ, who would be born through his lineage and who would suffer and die for all mankind.

15. The law of Moses served for ancient Israelites much the same function as repetitive practice drills do for a basketball team. (Galatians 3:24)

Agree. That seems like a good analogy to me. The hope was that by repetitive attention to rites and ordinances which symbolized Christ, the Israelites would eventually turn their attention to the promised Messiah and begin to have faith in Him.

Disagree. That is not what Paul is saying at all. He is simply saying that just as Jews and Gentiles would have an equality of blessings before the Lord, as would slaves and freemen, so would men and women.

17. The logical implications of Paul’s teachings in Galatians 4:1‑7 are that men can become like God.

Agree. What else would it mean to be, as a son, “an heir of God through Christ”? Even in mortality, an only son, as “heir,” would receive all that his father had. It could be argued that Galatians 4:1-7 means only that we would inherit a place in God’s kingdom. Fortunately, we have the words of other prophets, both ancient (e.g., 1 John 3:2) and modern, such as Joseph Smith to clarify that more is intended.

18. When addressing God in prayer, it would be okay to call him “Daddy.” (Galatians 4:6)

Disagree. At least, it would seem inappropriate to do so in a public prayer, as everyone would be focusing more on your boldness than on the rest of the content of your prayer. The term “Abba” was a term of affection and intimacy, somewhat equivalent to our “Daddy,” but no English translation of which I am aware has so rendered it. The closest any have come was to translate it as “Dear Father.”

19. When Paul invited the Galatian saints to “be as I am,” he was saying something similar to what Jesus said in Matthew 5:48. (Galatians 4:12)

Agree. At least that was what Joseph Smith seemed to suggest, when he rendered the first part of the verse as “Brethren, I beseech you to be perfect as I am perfect.” Certainly, Paul would not have meant that he was as consistently perfect as Jesus, but if he could get the saints to be as good as he now was, they would have taken a major step upwards.

Most translators and commentators, however, seem to understand Paul as saying something like, “I plead with you to live as I do in freedom from these things, for I have become like you Gentiles—free from those laws.” (New Living Translation). We won’t go wrong with either interpretation.

20. There is a relationship between Galatians 4:18 and D&C 58:27.

Agree. At least they both seem to be teaching the same thing, that “men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness.” Joseph Smith may well have remembered reading Galatians 4:18 when the Lord inspired him with the concepts of D&C 58. However, the language is different enough that it is not necessary to assume a literary connection.

21. Without the atonement of Christ, true freedom would be impossible, as men would be subject to the power of Satan with no alternatives available. (Galatians 5:1).

Agree. Paul teaches it here, but it may be even clearer in the Book of Mormon, which teaches that without the atonement, our spirits would necessarily have become like unto the devil, “angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like unto himself.” (2 Nephi 9:8-9.)

22. Though it may make us freer in the hereafter, the gospel admittedly imposes some restrictions on us in this life. (Galatians 5:1)

Disagree. It “imposes” no restrictions, but it does teach us how to live voluntarily so that we can maximize our freedom and happiness here and hereafter.

23. Galatians 5:2 makes clear that it is wrong for those who believe in Christ’s atonement to practice circumcision, as do the unbelieving Jews.

Disagree. Paul has nothing to say about circumcision for medical or other reasons—only that it is not necessary for one to have it for religious reasons.

Agree. That is how The Living Bible renders it. I rather like it.

25. Galatians 5:19‑23 can be very helpful to us in discerning whether we are being influenced by the Holy Spirit or some other spirit.

Agree. This is one of the greatest passages of all scripture. It clearly tells us that if we have feelings of hatred, anger, contention, envyings, and carnal desires, we are being influenced by Satan. But if our “strong feelings” are accompanied by feelings of love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, faith, and meekness, it is a good indication that they are prompted by and compatible with the Holy Ghost.

26. Paul believed that in to be a true Christian it is necessary to give up all physical pleasures, even though doing so may hurt as much as crucifixion. (Galatians 5:24)

Disagree. Paul is not saying we can no longer eat, have wholesome recreation, or enjoy appropriate intimacy in marriage. But he is saying that our allegiance to God must be paramount, and that our physical pleasures must be kept within prescribed bounds.

Agree. Correction must at times be given, but it should always be done “in the spirit of meekness.”

28. What Paul is saying in Galations 6:4 is virtually unintelligible.

Disagree. It’s a bit vague in the King James Version. But I like how The Living Bible renders it: “Let everyone be sure that he is doing his very best, for then he will have the personal satisfaction of work well done and won’t need to compare himself with someone else.”

29. Galatians 6:2, 5 is a good example of mistakes in the Bible, as the two verses cited seem to be in opposition to each other.

Disagree: A summary from Bing’s artificial intelligence app states: “Galatians 6:2 and Galatians 6:5 seem to contradict each other at first glance. In Galatians 6:2, we are told to “bear one another’s burdens,” while in Galatians 6:5, we are told that “each one should carry his own load.” However, the Greek word for “burden” in Galatians 6:2 is “baros,” which refers to a heavy load that is difficult to carry alone. In contrast, the Greek word for “load” in Galatians 6:5 is “phortion,” which refers to a backpack or a soldier’s pack that is easy to carry alone. So, the two verses are not contradictory, but rather complementary. We are to help each other with the heavy burdens of life, but we are also responsible for carrying our own lighter loads.”

30. Galatians 6:7 shows that despite what may appear from some of his other epistles, Paul really did believe salvation comes through our good works and not just from passive faith.

Disagree. Paul does not say that salvation comes from our sowing and reaping, independent of Christ’s atonement. But he does here clearly suggest that our faith in Christ should lead to some action on our part (the “sowing”), which will make possible a later harvest. But it is our faith in Christ, not our independent sowing, which is the underlying cause of our salvation.

Agree. We are growing the spiritual equivalent of an oak tree here, not a radish!

Agree. Certainly, none of us can help every needy person. But all can help someone. Paul suggests we do good “especially unto them who are of the household of faith,” but he also indicates we have a duty to “all men.” The Church provides welfare assistance especially to needy members, but also provides humanitarian assistance throughout the world, regardless of the recipients’ religious affiliation.

33. If you could keep only one verse out of all of Galatians, which verse would you select, and why?

Your choice. For me, it would be 5:22, which describes the “fruit of the Spirit” as love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, [and] faith.” It helps me discern between “strong feelings” motivated more by my selfish desires and those which would accompany the Holy Ghost.