Untitled Sermon (4)

The SOURCE of Paul's Apostleship

Galatians 1:1–2 KJV 1900

Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:

652. ἀπόστολος apŏstŏlŏs, ap-os´-tol-os; from 649; a delegate; spec. an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ [“apostle”] (with miraculous powers):—apostle, messenger, he that is sent.

Paul asserts that his Apostleship was neither

FROM men - as to its original AUTHORITY, nor

BY / THROUGH men as AGENTS by which it was delivered to him

Rather, it was THROUGH

Jesus Christ - AGENT and

God the Father - AUTHORITY

Fellowship in the Gospel

Galatians 1:2 KJV 1900

And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:

Although Paul did not derive his Apostleship from / by men, he did not exercise it INDEPENDENTLY of men. He operates in fellowship with the brethren.

Similarly, the churches of Galatia are addressed collectively. Mutuality is a key feature of the Gospel - after all, we are called to ONE body.

The OUTCOMES of the Gospel

Galatians 1:3–5 KJV 1900

Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

GRACE and PEACE are the outcomes from the perspective of the sinner become saint

GLORY for ever and ever is the outcome of the Gospel from the perspective of God.

These are achieved by:

Christ DELIVERING HIMSELF for our sins, in order

To DELIVER US (Lit. RESCUE) from the present evil age.

The present EVIL AGE

evil age n. — a particular stage of history understood according to its values, beliefs, and morals in distinction to God’s.

https://ref.ly/logos4/Senses?KeyId=ws.age+evil.n.01

For our sins

Galatians 1:4 LEB

who gave himself for our sins in order to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

In Romans 5:8 Christ died for us.

Here, he gave himself for our sins, the emphasis being upon deliverance from the defilement of the world.

The SINGULARITY of the Gospel

Galatians 1:6–10 KJV 1900

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

Paul expresses his ASTONISHMENT that the Galatians are presently in the process of turning towards a Different Gospel.

The Galatians were DESERTING the One who called them

There were some who were DISTURBING the believers by preaching a DIFFERENT (HETEROS) Gospel

It was a DISTORTION of the Truth

All such teachers are DEVOTED TO DESTRUCTION

Approval of Men

Galatians 1:10 KJV 1900

For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

Paul is not seeking to gain the approval of men. He is working out his Apostleship to Christ, as the servant of Christ and is ready to stand alone (if necessary) for the integrity of the message of the Gospel.

Defense of Paul's Apostleship

Galatians 1:11–24 KJV 1900

But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother. Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not. Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia; And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ: But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. And they glorified God in me.

Paul's Apostolic Message was not of Human Origin

He did not receive it From / By Man ( )

Negatively - His former life was characterized by VIOLENT OPPOSITION to the Gospel ( )

Positively - He was progressing beyond his contemporaries in VAIN TRADITIONS ( )

He did receive it by REVELATION from Jesus Christ ()

Paul's SEPARATION () for special service was accompanied by

God's INVITATION () of Grace for the purpose of

Christ's REVELATION () in Paul to accomplish

The PROCLAMATION () of the Gospel among the Gentiles,

The integrity of the Gospel was assured by Paul's ISOLATION ( & ) from the other Apostles.

The reality of the message was confirmed by the inexplicable TRANSFORMATION () in Paul's Life which resulted in Glory to God.