SCRIPTURE: GALATIANS 1
INTRODUCTION:
The churches Paul founded in the Roman province of Galatia were invaded by false teachers called the Judaizers. They brought Christians into bondage by obeying all Jewish laws – such as circumcision, eating special foods and celebrating Jewish feast days. They told them not to listen to Paul because he did not have God’s authority.
Paul affirmed that his authority was from God. He explained that we cannot be saved by obeying the law. We are saved only by believing in Jesus Christ through faith. Christians are free to live by the law of love, not the law of Moses. Believers must show faith in love and live by the Spirit.
Paul magnified God’s grace in salvation and testified how God had delivered him from the bondage of sin through faith in Jesus Christ. He gave a doctrinal explanation and showed the relationship between law and grace. Christian freedom is not the license to do whatever you want by yielding to the desires of the old nature.
TO THE CHURCHES IN GALATIA (vs. 1-5)
“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen”
NO OTHER GOSPEL (vs. 6-10)
Paul warned the church in Galatia that some people were perverting the gospel of Christ other than the one he was preaching. As a consequence, they were being thrown into confusion and turning to a different gospel. He said that those who preach another kind of gospel will be eternally condemned. Paul said he will not please men nor win their approval. As a servant of Christ, he wanted to please God and seek His approval.
PAUL CALLED BY GOD (vs. 11-24)
Paul informed the brothers that the gospel he preached was not something that man made up. He did not receive it from any man, nor was he being taught. He received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
He cited his previous way of life in Judaism where he persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. He was advanced in Judaism and extremely zealous for the traditions. But when God called him by his grace and revealed Jesus to him, he was able to preach among the Gentiles.
Paul did not consult any man, nor did he go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before him. He went immediately to Arabia and returned to Damascus. After three years, he went to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him for fifteen days. He was not able to see any disciples except James, the Lord’s brother. Later, he went to Syria and Cilicia. He was unknown to the churches of Judea but they heard the report that the man who formerly persecuted them was now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy. And they praised God because of Paul.
THOUGHTS:
The gospel that Paul preached was: A person is saved by grace through faith. But some Jewish preachers preached that Gentiles had to follow Jewish religious laws and customs, especially the rite of circumcision in order to be saved. This message undermined the truth that salvation is a gift, not a reward for certain deeds. People who set up additional requirements for salvation deny the power of Christ’s death on the cross. Paul wrote this letter to settle the law versus grace controversy.
The Bible says that there is only one way to be forgiven of sin. And that is believing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. There is no other person, method or ritual that can give eternal life. God does not accept any man-made religion as a substitute for faith in Jesus Christ. The only one way is through Jesus Christ.
Paul strongly denounced the Judaizers twisting of the Good News of Christ. He warned that Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. He invoked a curse on angels or anyone who spreads a false teaching.
Paul spoke harshly to the Christians in Galatia because they were in serious danger. He did not want the Galatian Christians to remain on the wrong belief. He had the courage to speak out because he was not pleasing men but seeking God’s approval. Let us pray for the courage to seek God’s approval above anyone else’s.
Paul presented his credentials to the Galatians so that they will listen to him instead of following the Judaizers:
- He received his message directly from Christ. (v.12)
- He had been an exemplary Jew. (vs. 13-14)
- He had a conversion experience. (vs. 15-16)
- He had been confirmed and accepted in his ministry by other apostles. (vs. 18-19)