Book of Galatians: Part 1

Introduction

The book of Galatians is probably the best book on the freedom in Christ Jesus.

It was probably written around AD 50.

Galatia, was in modern day Turkey, where the Celtics. This is the same place where the Gaul’s (Asterix comic series) lived.

In the book of Galatians Paul is saying that what he is saying is the true gospel. He is saying that there might some smooth talkers and might be people who are extremely popular, but you have heard from me, that this is the gospel.

Grace and peace

Galatians 1:3–4 NASB 95

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

He says, grace and peace. This is not just a greeting. This is Paul giving a signature of the gospel. He is extending grace and peace to this church. In fact no matter what the church is going through, whether the church has sinned, or divided or messed up, he always starts with grace and peace.

Paul’s message is about grace. Most of the time people think of grace as if you believe grace, or if you preach grace, then you are someone who compromises holiness. That is not true because only grace can teach you to be holy. As mentioned in Titus 2:11-12 that the grace of God has instructed to deny ungodliness and live in holiness.

Titus 2:11–12 NASB 95

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,

He is saying that in a nutshell the gospel is about God’s grace and its about peace from God. You are good with God in Christ. He is not upset at you, and you are not a sinner at the hands of an angry God.

Later in Paul’s life, when he is writing to Timothy, he writes, grace, peace and mercy, because grace and mercy are actually two different things. Grace is you getting something good which you did not deserve, but mercy is when you do not get what you really deserved.

The Rescue

Galatians 1:4 NASB 95

who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

Then he talks about rescuing us from this present evil age. It is not to get us out of this present evil age. If that was the case, everyone would just have to drop dead as soon as they would be born again. But the gospel is for now. We are not of this world, but we are in it, and we are placed here to live the life of Jesus.

The rescue which is being mentioned here is that we were placed in Christ before the foundations of the world (Eph 1:4), and in Him, we were justified, we were crucified with Him, we died with Him, and we were cut of from its dominion (Rom 6:14) into our lives.

The rescue is greater than forgiveness. The rescue is new life, new identity and being severed from the power of sin, so that it no longer has any power over us. We may sin, but we do not have to give under temptation. What used to be was the we were slaves to sin, and now we are slaves to righteousness. God picked us up and rescued us from Adam, and placed us in Jesus, and this is how he rescued us.

A different gospel

Galatians 1:6–7 NASB 95

I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

Paul delivered to the Galatians, what was directly delivered to him, yet you quickly deserted the truth?

Paul is saying that this new thing that you are hearing is not truly the gospel but rather it is something to stir you, to disturb you. You remember how the gospel gives you rest, and any other gospel will produce a disturbance. He is saying that this is not even a gospel.

We have a certain kind of gospel which is currently going on in the world, and that is, do more, be more, be more anointed, try to please God. If Paul would see this, he would ask the same things that he asked the Galatians.

Those who tried to distort the gospel tried to bring the law into the mix and they wanted to include the 613 laws for good living and good life, but Paul is quick to address that issue and say no. Some people might say that this is referring to just the ceremonial laws and not the moral laws. But in Romans and Galatians and wherever Paul talks about the law being done with, he says “law”. He says that we are dead to the law. In fact, in Romans 7:7, when he talks about the law, he talks about “You shall not covet”, which is the moral part of the law, in our sense. So Paul is not saying to include the moral and exclude the ceremonial law. In fact, he is saying not to distort the gospel by adding any law.

We see that the church of Galatia started off well, but later went astray.

Galatians 1:8–9 NASB 95

But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!

It does not matter how popular the preacher is, but if it is a gospel that is different from the gospel preached by Paul, then Paul is saying that the preacher is accursed. He wrote it twice to emphasize his point.

Galatians 1:10 NASB 95

For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

The message of grace was not that popular back then. It was not the majority opinion. Even today, it is not the popular message. Preachers that emphasize the do-it gospel are much more popular. If you have to wait for an anointing, and cry and weep and wail, people are happy to do that, but if someone says that you have already received it in Christ Jesus, it makes them uncomfortable. It is the same problem with people who try to believe the word of God. You repent and you believe and you are saved? What? That’s hard to believe. But if someone would say climb 3000 steps at this place, and you will earn favour with God, you will be so happy to do it. Christians have added the law to the gospel.

Today it is still about 5 steps, 3 ways, 10 ways, and so forth.

When you think about it, though the Galatians and people today who believe in that gospel does not really have an excuse, that self-improvement gospel sounds really good. It sounds right, it sounds amazing. It seems right. In the physical realm, you work harder, train harder, and get fit, so it is natural to think that the spiritual realm is similar.

Gospel through revelation

Galatians 1:11–12 NASB 95

For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

This gospel came straight from God.

Galatians 1:13–14 NASB 95

For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions.

Paul was the best in keeping the law. He was zealous about it, and he was trying his best to keep the law. There was nothing wrong to be found in him. He was a scholar, an expert. Also, on top of it, he is killing the people against keeping the law. By these, his popularity is soaring high.

And one day, after being touched by God, Paul despite his popularity decides to say “I was wrong”. This is huge. I know people who sit and hear the truth, and they are like “Yes, this is true”, but they do not want to take the steps to move into the truth just because they think it might alienate them from their peers, their ministry, and family.

Chosen to Minister

Galatians 1:15–16 NASB 95

But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood,

The quick thought would be that we were predestined. But this is not talking about predestination, but rather it is talking about God choosing people for his purposes and his ministry. We see this throughout the Old testament that God chose people for his ministry.

Paul was chosen, yes. But so were the disciples. It is not a doctrine of salvation, but choosing them to be disciples.

Galatians 1:16–18 NASB 95

to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus. Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days.

There are doctrines that we should first consult with your Pastor, and if he agrees, then you should accept the Word given by the Lord to you.

Galatians 1:18–19 NASB 95

Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days. But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.

What is Paul trying to say here. He is saying that after spending 3 years with the Lord, he did not let the word he received he got from the Lord get adulterated. This is the real deal, he says.

Galatians 1:20–24 NASB 95

(Now in what I am writing to you, I assure you before God that I am not lying.) Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea which were in Christ; but only, they kept hearing, “He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy.” And they were glorifying God because of me.

Final thoughts

Paul is saying laying out the introduction for his masterpiece on grace. He is saying that this is something which he got from the Lord.

Paul was saying that the teaching was not popular, but he stood by it, are we ready to check the word like the Bereans and stand by it if it is true. You may have preached a totally different message altogether so far, but will you stand with the truth?