Life Group Lesson: Galatians 1:6-Chapter 2

There is NO other Gospel! Called by God, Justified by Faith!

Galatians 1:6–23 (ESV)

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Verse 6-9: Astonished...Paul uses the present tense of the verb thaumazo (thou-mad’-zo), which means to wonder at, to marvel. Paul is saying that, after all the we have preached to you, (Christ Jesus and Him crucified) after all we have shared with you, you still are turning quick to another gospel. Paul is reflecting his shock and astonishment over the fact that the Galatians are running towards a different doctrine than the one that was preached to them. Paul is saying that he has preached the truth long and hard, and they still flock to false doctrine in a rapid pace.

Deserting… Paul speaks in the present tense when he says, “you are so quickly deserting...” which shows that the Galatians have not completed their turn away from the true Gospel but are well on their way to full apostacy. Paul gives the first hint of exactly what their error entails with his claim that they are deserting the initiative God took (“called you”) when Christ reconciled them to God as free, wholly undeserved gift (“the grace of Christ”)

Distort… metastrepho: a dramatic change from something positive to its negative opposite” good into evil, light into darkness, the joy of a wedding to the mourning of funeral. It means to twist, to pervert, twisting the meaning of a word. Paul uses this word to refer to twisting or perverting the Gospel into something that has a superficial resemblance to it but in substance is as different .rom the gospel as night is from day.

My Logos commentary says, “Paul uses hyperbole (exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally) to highlight the importance of distinguishing how one feels about a messenger from the truthfulness of a message itself. Paul is trying to get the Galatian church to understand that it was unlikely that neither he, or an angel from heaven would show up bearing a message opposite to the Gospel the Galatians originally received. “Even in these situations, however, the Galatians should judge the messengers but the truthfulness of the message they preached, not the reverse.”

The Galatians seem to have liked those who were troubling them with “a different gospel” enough that they made much of them and were disturbed by the thought that these attractive teachers might exclude them for their fellowship if they did not follow their teaching.

These men and women hate any opposition to their false teaching, and they surround themselves with other false teachers who boost their egos and preach the same worthless, graceless, faithless gospel. They have the people who sit under their false teaching believing that their warped version of the gospel is the true gospel, and if you don’t believe them, then you won’t be healthy, wealthy, and spiritually blessed.

We in today’s world are the same, we have quickly turned away from the true Gospel, and we have given over to the “gospel of comprise,” or a “non-offensive gospel.” Preachers are unwilling to answer direct questions about sin, or they spin it enough so that it will codify or pacify the majority. Preachers are afraid to say that abortion is murder, homosexuality, transgenderism, drag queen performances in front of children, adultery, rioting, and same sex marriage are sins.

Other add to, or take away from God’s Word, deceiving the multitudes for power or financial gain; they misuse the text, or twist to fit whatever side their on. The add to salvation such “grace through faith, after all you can do...” We know that it is by grace alone, through faith alone that saves.

Anathema: banned or excommunicated. The Hebrew word in herem, which means to be excluded from the favor of God. Devote d to destruction. Something that is done that is detestable and abominable. In the biblical sense, it means to invoke divine harm on something or someone. An appeal to some supernatural power (God) to inflict injury or destruction to someone or some group.

1 Corinthians 12:3-4 “3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;”

2 Timothy 4:3-4 “3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

2 Peter 3:16 “16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.”

2 Corinthians 11:14-15 “14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.”

1 Timothy 6:3-5 “3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.”

Paul’s description of the false teachers and his resistance to their teaching does not bend the truth for political gain but is God’s Word and therefore the truth. Much more is at stake for Paul than winning an argument and keeping a group of people on his side. He hopes to prevent their following a path that would lead them away from their only hope for peace with God

As the Judiazers, these false teachers try undermine Paul’s spiritual credentials, he set out to defend his apostleship, explaining once again that he was appointed by God, and not by human recognition.

We talked about this last week, how we see in today’s church, a lot of self-appointed “apostles” or “apostles” who have been “anointed” by other “apostles.”

apostolos: One who is sent. A delegate; specially an ambassador of the gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ.

In this case, a true apostle was one sent specifically by the risen Lord.

Verse 10: Think back when Paul/Saul was persecuting the church, how zealous he was to please and receive recognition from the Sanhedrin and fellows Jews. He enjoyed his status as a persecutor of the Church. Now, because God had grace and mercy on him, appointed him to bring the truth of the Gospel to the Gentiles. One who was once an enemy of the church becomes one unashamedly preached the Gospel.

11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.

15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born (God has always had a plan for our lives), and who called me by his grace (God has seen fit to use us wretched sinners to be light among the darkness), 16 was pleased to reveal his Son to me (how does God mold us into light? By revealing Jesus and Him crucified), in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles (He reveals His Son to reveal our purpose in this life), I did not immediately consult with anyone; (Paul went straight out and began to proclaim Christ.) 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

Remember, Paul just said that he didn’t need the approval of man, and that he was commissioned by the Lord Jesus himself.

18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. 20 (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) 21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”

Think back when Paul/Saul was persecuting the church, how zealous he was to please and receive recognition from the Sanhedrin and fellows Jews. He enjoyed his status as a persecutor of the Church. Now, because God had grace and mercy on him, appointed him to bring the truth of the Gospel to the Gentiles. One who was once an enemy of the church becomes one unashamedly preached the Gospel.