Galatians: Uniting Divided People
Subtitle: The Truth of the Gospel
Publisher: Henry Hon
Published: March, 2022
Place of publication: United States of America
ISBN-13: 9781954436084
Copyright date: March, 2022
Description: Galatians: Uniting Divided People – The Truth of the Gospel by Henry Hon is an exploration of the Apostle Paul’s motivation for writing his epistle: the practical oneness of the Body of Christ. While Galatians is traditionally studied for its focus on personal justification and sanctification, Hon argues that these are secondary "procedures" intended to lead to the ultimate goal of building the ekklesia—a spiritual democratic assembly of diverse and once-contrary people.
The book frames the "truth of the gospel" as the breaking down of barriers between divided groups to create "one new man" through the cross. Hon identifies the catalyst for Paul's letter as the event in Antioch where Peter and other Jewish believers separated from Gentile followers, an act Paul labeled as being "against the truth of the gospel".
Key themes include:
The Distortion of the Gospel: An analysis of how "another gospel" is not a different religion, but rather the addition of any requirement (like the law or specific "marks") to simple faith that results in the division of believers.
Modern "Circumcision": A contemporary application of how various "marks"—such as denominational brands, political affiliations, and lifestyle standards—are used today to categorize, judge, and separate Christians.
Ekklesia as a Spiritual Democracy: A vision of the gathering of believers where no single ministry dominates, and every member has the right and responsibility to participate.
The Rule of the New Creation: An exploration of how believers can "march in step" with the Spirit to manifest the "Israel of God," characterized by peace and mercy rather than factionalism.
Ultimately, Galatians: Uniting Divided People serves as a manual for believers to move beyond sectarianism and "pulpit-pew spectatorship" to experience the organic unity that causes the world to believe.