Intro to Galatians
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Intro and Greetings
Intro and Greetings
Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Paul’s Defense
Paul’s Defense
Often in Paul’s writing’s he defends the fact that he is an Apostle. This was mostly because he didn’t physically see Jesus and directly get discipled by him like the other disciples did. But Apostle simply means one who is sent. And Paul was without question sent by Jesus after his miraculous vision and conversion. Paul’s faith was arguably as strong and maybe even stronger than most of the disciples. He wrote 75% of the new testament, 72 if you don’t count Hebrews, and every letter he wrote was saturated with the Gospel. You get the majority of the Gospel just in the opening alone. He speaks of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection in verse 1 and that he gave himself for our sins in verse 4. I love what Paul says at the end of verse 4, that he might deliver us from this present evil age. This is the very age that we live in. See we are all under the New Covenant church age of grace. The same age that Paul began his ministry in. In The Bible you will hear many writing about the end of the age and they are teaching about the point up till the rapture of the church. I say all this because Paul is speaking directly to our age. This is a promise that through his salvation we are sparred this evil age, meaning that we won’t perish with it.
Q: So what does it mean that Jesus will deliver us? Does it mean nothing bad with happen?
A: We will not be judged with the non believers at the end of the age. God’s wrath won’t be poured out on his saints.
One Gospel
One Gospel
I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
We have been given one Gospel, it’s that simple. Now people try to add to the Gospel or take away from the Gospel and still call it the Gospel, but it’s not the same Gospel at that point is it. If Joseph Smith would have had these 5 verses memorized or even the truth of them hidden in his heart, he would not have believed when he was decieved by a fallen angel. That simple. I know I hit on this last Sunday when we talked about false prophets and I believe the ladies are going to be talking about false prophets on Friday 2 Peter 2. But what makes a teacher false is that they modify the Gospel in some way. The Mormon’s would agree with the Gospel except when it comes to the identity of Jesus. They would say that he is not the only son, because he was a created being and brothers with Lucifer. JW’s say that Jesus is Michael the Archangel and not God. So you can see where holding to the full Gospel and not adding or subracting to it is so important. I like how Paul puts himself to the test too, even if we change our minds, you have already heard the truth. See cultic practices are always looking for something new. When we have already been given the complete councel of God.
Verse 10 has something very important in it. Do I seek to please men? Believe it or not, this is a big reason why we don’t share the Gospel. We don’t want to or are afraid of insulting someone. Look what he says though. If I please men, then I am not a servant of Christ.
Q: What’s the best way to avoid being led astray by another Gospel?
A: Know the real Gospel! Know and believe every aspect of it!
You know the best way to spot a counter-fit 100 right? Study and know the original better than anything else, then when you see the counter-fit, you will identify it quickly.
I try to share the Gospel regularly here in this church not only for the non believers, but for you so that you know it through and through.
Message From Christ
Message From Christ
But I make known to you, 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 it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Gospel From Christ
Gospel From Christ
Not many of us can say that we got the Gospel directly from Jesus Christ, but in a way we can, because the Bible says that his spirit confirms with our spirit that the Gospel is true. I know when I chose to follow Christ, I had an overwhelming belief that it was true and it was more than making a choice, because I could feel Jesus confirming it.
Now the thing is, God does use man to share the Gospel, so Paul is not saying that man can’t share it or that it is less valuable if it comes from man, but he is giving testimony how he received the Gospel. Now we have to stay grounded though don’t we, always keep verses 6-10 in mind. If another Gospel comes it’s Heresy. Joseph smith basically claimed the same thing that Paul is claiming here right, I got a special revelation of the Gospel. So what was different. Paul’s version matches up with John, Peter, and James and all the other 4 Gospels. Where Joseph had a new gospel.
Paul’s Testimony
Paul’s Testimony
For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood,
Election?
Election?
So it seems as though paul is saying that he was called at birth.
Q: So how do we answer that? Are we chosen or do we chose Christ?
A: Well I believe both are true. See God knows exactly what you are going to chose in your twinkling of an eye of this life and so he can chose us from the foundations of the earth.
Jesus said that he stands at the door and knocks showing that we have a responsibility to respond to him, but if he didn’t knock, how could we ever know we needed to answer the door in the first place. Jesus also said this in Matt 22:14
“For many are called, but few are chosen.”
See many are called, but not all hede the call. But those who do, are the chosen ones. Now one thing you have to realize about Paul’s conversion, he was radically saved, there was a bright light and there was thunder and he was blinded for several days. God turned up the heat on his desision while most people don’t experience this type of conversion I think that they can understand the doctrine of free choice. But what if paul would have said no to God? I mean how could you have said no to God in his position, he probably would have been dead or permanently blind. But see even in his testimony here he acknowledges that he was zealous for sect of the Pharesees and thus he was already blinded.
And so paul goes on and gives a brief history of everywhere he went, but his main point is that he didn’t go around learning the Gospel, It was revealed to him in his radical redemption.
Glorify Christ
Glorify Christ
nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. (Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.) Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ. But they were hearing only, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God in me.
Why did Jesus save Paul so radically? Because verse 24. That he would be glorified through Paul’s conversion and ministry. See Paul was an extremest wasn’t he? He was zealous for Judaism even persecuting Christians and then he swung way to the other side and became a soul winner and he was even persecuted himself as a Christian