Galatians
False teachers have infiltrated the churches in Galatia, falsely suggesting that works of the law (specifically circumcision) must be added to faith in Christ in order for salvation to be real. In no uncertain terms, Paul condemns the mixture of law and grace, showing that salvation and sanctification are all of grace. Christ’s salvation has set us free. We rely on the Spirit’s work, not our own.
Read by
Rev. Dr. Lee B. Spitzer
Lee B. Spitzer is a Historian for the Baptist World Alliance and an Affiliate Professor of Church History at Northern Seminary in Chicago. He is the retired General Secretary of the American Baptist Churches USA —the first person of Jewish descent to hold that office. He pastored three ABC churches and served as the Executive Minister and Senior Regional Pastor of ABC New Jersey for 14 years. His Ph.D. is from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, in association with the International Baptist Theological Study Centre (IBTS). He serves on the Committee on Ethics, Religion, and the Holocaust for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and as an IBTS Research Fellow. He is the author of several books, including Baptists, Jews, and the Holocaust: The Hand of Sincere Friendship (Judson Press, 2017) and Making Friends, Making Disciples: Growing Your Church Through Authentic Relationships (Judson Press 2010).