Defined by Grace

Galatians 1:11 CSB

For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel preached by me is not of human origin.

INTRO—

What defines you? (what you might consider significant to your identity — family heritage…education…physical prowess…job/career…???)

How do we define grace?

χάρις — “charis”… = GRACE; to show kindness, favor, good will; to give (generously), bless with gift(s). [In the biblical context it is often used of God’s unearned favor.]

In Galatians 1.11-24…we see Paul’s testimony of a life transformed, defined BY GRACE.

REVEALING GRACE [Galatians 1.11-12]

Galatians 1:11–12 “For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel preached by me is not of human origin. For I did not receive it from a human source and I was not taught it, but it came by a revelation of Jesus Christ.”

[[True grace can only come from, be learned from, be effective from the person (presence) of God (in our day, especially the Holy Spirit). Others are helpful insofar as they point us to Christ and then the Holy Spirit empowers us to live—this is “by grace”!!]]

Regarding 1.11-12 (Spurgeon):

Galatians The Gospel Is Not of Human Origin

Do you receive anything because Calvin taught it? If so, you need to look to your foundations. Do you believe a doctrine because John Wesley preached it? If so, you have reason to mind what you are at. God’s way by which we are to receive the truth is to receive it by the Holy Ghost. It is helpful to me to know what such and such a minister believed. The judgment of a holy, godly, clear-sighted, gifted divine is not to be despised; it deserves to have due weight with us. He is as likely to be right as we are, and we should differ from a grace-taught man with some hesitancy. But it is a very different thing to say, “I believe it on this good man’s authority.” In our raw state as young Christians, it may not be injurious to receive truth from pastors and parents, and so on. But if we are to become men in Christ Jesus and teachers of others, we must quit the childish habit of dependence on others and search for ourselves.

IMPORTANT REMINDER — THE TRUE GOSPEL, A GIFT OF GOD’S GRACE TO ANY WHO RECEIVE IT, IS ALL OF GOD OR IT’S OF NO USE AT ALL. [This is why faithfulness to biblical truth (revelation) is very, very important…]

GRACELESS ZEAL [Galatians 1.13-14]

Galatians 1:13–14 “For you have heard about my former way of life in Judaism: I intensely persecuted God’s church and tried to destroy it. I advanced in Judaism beyond many contemporaries among my people, because I was extremely zealous for the traditions of my ancestors.”

[[Graceless zeal can still be quite religious; This section = ‘previously defined by…’]]

Enthusiasm, or even a ‘curious burning in the bosom” (a la Mormonism) is not a primary [first level] indicator or confirmation of God-honoring faithfulness (or of the truth of what has been read or said)

IMPORTANT REMINDER — THE TRUTH OF GOSPEL IS DETERMINED BY GOD’S REVELATION. (God said it; that settles it; It does work transformatively in our lives and motivates good works…but those works do not establish the reality or reliability of biblical truth.)

REDEEMING GRACE [Galatians 1.15-16]

Galatians 1:15–16 “But when God, who from my mother’s womb set me apart and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me, so that I could preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone.”

[[The call of salvation is a call to ministry… Matthew 4:19 ““Follow me,” he told them, “and I will make you fish for people.””]]

IMPORTANT REMINDER — GOD IS THE ONE WHO CALLS (SAVES) US, AND THE ONE WHO CALLS US TO MINISTRY. (Note: not the mystical message in our Cheerios like JD Greear has mentioned; also, our lives of ministry as Christ-Followers is not about if, but how and where.)

SANCTIFYING GRACE [Galatians 1.17-24]

Galatians 1:17–24 “I did not go up to Jerusalem to those who had become apostles before me; instead I went to Arabia and came back to Damascus. Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem to get to know Cephas, and I stayed with him fifteen days. But I didn’t see any of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. I declare in the sight of God: I am not lying in what I write to you. Afterward, I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia. I remained personally unknown to the Judean churches that are in Christ. They simply kept hearing, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God because of me.”

[[The grace that saves transforms—noticeably so—a life.]]

IMPORTANT REMINDER — GOD’S GRACIOUS GOSPEL GIFT WILL CHANGE OUR LIVES.

CONCL—

We are defined in the context of grace…

Titus 2:11–12 “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age,”

SALVATION — For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,

MINISTRY — instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age

INVITATION:

Salvation

Ministry

Galatians 1:24 CSB

And they glorified God because of me.