The Pauline Epistles

 Of all of the books in the bible, I think some of my favorite are the pauline epistles. There is just something pretty cool about a guy who used to persecute Christ followers but now is one of them. Paul is awesome because he never minced his words. He knew what he had to say, and he said it straight out, with no holds barred. Here, he was answering the question of whether or not Christians were obligated to follow the Mosaic law.

Galatians 5:1 "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

 If Paul were speaking today, he would likely say something like; "This is the whole reason Christ came, to set us free from sin and to bring a new law of grace! He was the sacrifice for all mankind, so you can stop being legalistic about the Law! We are free in Christ, so stop looking for other things for you to be a slave to."

 You see, the early Christians were having trouble understanding the concept of salvation by grace, through faith alone. The Pharisees had bullied everyone into their own legalistic version of the law for their own gain, and after hundreds of years of this flawed thinking, the idea that the God of all the universe sent his Son to fufill the law and bring a new law of grace was simply too much.This concept is even perpetuated before Christ's coming, in the book of psalms.

Psalm 119:45 " I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts." 

Jesus himself said something similiar in His time on earth.

 "Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose." Matthew 5:17.
In Galations, Paul echoes in a new way a theme that had been writtten about for hundreds of years. After being the most gung-ho of the pharisees, Paul came to Christ and fully embraced Grace.

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