The Promises of God to Abraham

In Paul's view Jew and Gentile united in Christ are the assembly of God, not merely in continuity with the assembly of God. This entity must be distinguished from 'Judaism'.  The heritage of Israel is seen by Paul as being claimed and fulfilled in the Christian assembly and not elsewhere. This is not the view of some in the Jerusalem church. As we shall see, Paul will argue that it is in the Christian assembly that the promises of God to Abraham are being fulfilled. In fact, Paul will go so far as to say in a later letter (in Rom. 9-11) that non-Christian Jews have been at least temporarily broken off from the people of God, with the hope that they might be grafted back in on the same basis as Gentiles, namely through faith in Christ. While this sort of approach should not be called anti-Semitism, as Paul certainly is not manifesting prejudice against the Jews as a race of people, it is not inappropriate to call it a radical critique of Judaism. Paul's days of being bound to observe Torah as someone under the Mosaic covenant were over. It was what he 'formerly' (πὀτε) did.

From Grace in Galatia by Ben Witherington III (pg. 99)

Not Without Pain

"It is naive to think one can function with the simple formula: People have problems and the gospel resolves them. The fact is, the gospel generates in individual lives and in society a new set of problems. One has only to love impartially and hatred is threatened and stirred to violence. One has only to speak the truth and falsehood takes the stand with pleasing lies. Invite persons of different social and economic backgrounds around the same table and the fellowship is strained, often breaking apart ... Plant the cross in a room and the upwardly mobile convert it into a ladder. Evil, by whatever name it is called, will not sit idly by and allow the gospel to transform a community ... Let the preacher, therefore, be encouraged ... when having to deal with those problems which clearly have their origin in the fact that the gospel has been released in the community. A difference is being made, and that is seldom without pain."

F.B. Craddock "Preaching to Corinthians" ~ As quoted by Ben Witherington III in his commentary on 1 Corinthians.