SCRIPTURE: GALATIANS 1
INTRODUCTION:
This letter was written by Paul to the Christian church in the Roman province of Galatia. The false teachers called Judaizers taught them to obey all the Jewish laws in order to be saved. Paul told the Galatians that only faith in Christ can be saved. He told them to enjoy grace and freedom in the daily life. The Christian freedom is the liberty to become all that you can in Jesus Christ and not the license to do whatever you please.
BIBLE VERSES:
“As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!” (Galatians 1:9)
“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10)
“I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 1:11-12)
NO OTHER GOSPEL (vs. 6-10)
Paul had experienced a miracle of freedom when he knew that the gospel is the power of God to salvation. He was free from the legalistic religion. That was why he treasured the gospel and did not allow other gospel to substitute or destroy it. Paul’s gospel was centered in Christ – His death, burial and resurrection and not in Moses’ law. This Gospel is to receive Christ by faith and allow him to set you free.
The gospel that Paul preached was received by him through the revelation from Jesus Christ himself. Before, he was adoring Judaism and zealous for the tradition that he strongly persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. But God set him apart from birth and called him by his grace to be his apostle to preach among the Gentiles.
PAUL CALLED BY GOD (vs. 11-24)
Paul argued that his ministry was independent of the twelve and the assembly in Jerusalem:
- He received his Gospel personally from Christ (vs. 11-14) – Paul met Christ personally on his way to Damascus. His life was radically changed and a remarkable transformation was made.
- He received his Gospel apart from the apostles (vs. 15-17) – Paul did not belong to the twelve. The twelve resembled the 12 tribes of Israel and their call is from Christ on earth for Israel’s earthly kingdom. But Paul received his call from heaven. He did not go to Jerusalem to meet the 12. His message did not come from human insight. It came from God. He spent 3 years in Arabia and later returned to Damascus to witness for Christ.
- He received acknowledgment for his Gospel from the churches (vs. 18-24) – The believers were afraid of Paul at the beginning. However, when the churches heard the wonderful news of Paul’s conversion, they accepted him.
THOUGHTS:
The Judaizers wanted the believers to follow the Jewish laws of customs consisted of holidays, circumcision, rituals, good work, etc. This was the “other Gospel” that Paul condemned. The true Gospel is the Gospel of the grace of God through justification by faith in Christ Jesus alone.