Introduction to Galatia

Good morning, everyone,

This morning we are changing gears and moving in a different direction from our study in First Corinthians and starting a new book written by the Apostle Paul. Just like Timothy was mentored by the Apostle Paul and was given guidance, understanding, and knowledge,

Pastor Rich strongly recommended choosing a different first book that I go through verse by verse. (I was told I could throw my mentor under the bus, but I am a lot nicer than some since I know the feeling.)

The advantage of going verse by verse is that we can understand and dig deep into what the human Author and God were trying to convey to the person with the stone tablet and to us in 2022. Before starting this verse-by-verse journey, we must lay down the groundwork. We must understand the timing, the concept, why it was written, whom it was written to, and what the text is not saying, to name a few things. I am not here to say what Brian thinks it says, but what does our Creator mean for it to say through the hands of their human Author.

First, we must understand who wrote the Good of Galatians, and without any doubt, we know that the Apostle Paul authored this book to the Church in Galatia. Galatia is a part of the Roman providence of Asia Minor, which is modern-day Turkey.

This opens it up to understand what is happening because we think that is far away, but we know that it is tied to what is real and something we can touch. We must start flying to do that.

We will dive deeper into this, but we must understand the form and the two aspects just like an email or, in this case, a scroll. Even if you are writing yourself a letter, you know you are the sender and the receiver. The whole aspect is to understand the reasoning, and just like a house has a foundation, we must lay it down with elevated but straightforward information. I am not dumbing down Scripture but bringing it down to explain it to your neighbors, coworkers, essential workers, and those you are trying to reach. Because in a pinch, you will not remember all the details, but you will understand the general concept to set that foundation for them to understand.

Before we dive deep into the context, we must understand when the book was written and what was happening during this time. Many different Scholars disagreed when the Apostle Paul authored the book of Galatians. Most scholars agree that the book was written in 48 A.D. This is still incredibly early in the journey for Christianity since we know that Jesus was crucified by the Romans just 16 years prior. This is still in the hearts and minds of everyone involved.

Remember I mentioned that some Biblical Scholars could not agree when the book was written well this also comes into account with the actual location that the Apostle Paul is writing to. Just like how our area codes. And mailing zip codes change ande government changes or other factors. We must understand the theories that Biblical scholars have used to figure out Galatia's exact location because these matters.

We have the Northern Galatia theory, which like it says in the title, would be the northern portion of the province of Galatia and was visited by the Apostle Paul after the Jerusalem conference.

The northern theory is not immensely popular because individuals think of Apostle Paul. Would refer to the church members as Galatians. Also, Galatians and Acts does not mention any cities from the north.

Galatia is not considered racially associated with their tribes, which shows a disconnect between the theory and the actual events.

Now we have the other side of the theory: the Southern Galatia theory, which is more common and favored with Biblical Scholars.

Galatia was used to describe the Roman providence and was not specifically a group of people, even though they are called from that region. The churches in that Region were Parisian, Antioch, Iconium, lustration, and Debra. We know this from

Acts 13 and Acts 14

. Churches during this time were more close-knit and together. There was no way you got lost, and you were not a number. This is not a butt and bucks in seat situation, and your church members were your family. You took care of each other and learned and lived God's word. Sounds familiar? Do they know what was going on in each other's lives? Someone needed help. They lent a hand, and it was not a big deal.

Communities had their version of BBQ and spreading time together. They did not shut themselves up in their homes and got to know each other. It was not like how it is now where we all are scrolling Facebook and shut inside of our homes kind of be hermits away from people and from each other. And the community started incredibly early from northwestern Europe Barbaric tripe in 278 b.c.

We know that Timothy and Gaius came from the southern Portion of Galatia. We know this from First Corinthians 16. As Pastor rich mentioned, you were mentored and lived with your teacher during this time.

They were moving the suitcases, watering the camels, running errands, and doing everything else they needed. This is not normal in our current period because you usually send a young man to seminary for a few years and then are sent to a church. In Biblical times, this was not the case when you went out in the field with your teacher. You lived with him, ate, drank, and studied together. You were immersed in everything they did and learned by observing it. Seminary now is usually in books, and it is not common to be doing sermons or even series before you are ordained. There was no on-the-job training, but in Paul's time, you were getting your hands dirty and doing what had to be done.

We have a saying at my work that we do what must be done and if it is not unsafe or unethical, you are good. Get the job done because people depend on us to get the bread out to the grocery stores.

We know from extra-biblical sources that in 48 A.D., the famine that lasted for four years in Jerusalem ends, which But helps us to understand that this was a particularly challenging time for everyone and to mention the leadership of the Roman Empire. We all are concerned about food costs this year, but this was just the beginning of what Believers of this day are going through.

Being a Believer was not safe during this time, and I would equate it to being a Christ Follower in countries like China or other parts of the world where wearing a cross could get you killed very quickly. However, The Apostle Paul and his gang did not care, and they took the great commission to heart that they were going to spread the message of Jesus to the ends of the earth. The early Christians were more concerned with doing what Jesus told them, and they took the mission to heart no matter the cost or consequences.

So, question time. Who remembers king Nero from high school?

I would have to say we all agree that king Nero was not a nice guy. He was bat crazy and was the top tog of the entire Roman Empire. His father died early in his life; then, he is thrown into more family drama.

To boil it down to where we understand it, he would be the president.

One of the things that we need to understand is that Nero did not have a great childhood and killed his mother before she could kill him. Talking about some family drama, he set fire to Rome to rebuild the center of the city. In Scripture, he is called Cesar in Acts and died in 68 A.D. To fit our period, he lived for a while in power, and he tortured people for any reason. In our current society, he would be in some deep counseling if not at park royal mental hospital. I am not defending the guy, but we need to understand that background and why the people of the time feared him, and what he could do.

He was known for killing people and banishing the Jewish people from Rome in 49 A.D.

Now, what about Herod, and what does he have to do with everything going on. I must admit this is not clear unless you do some deep study and even ask for help because you would think that king Herod and king Nero were the same individuals without really looking.

However, King Herod was the regional king with extraordinarily little power given to him by the emperor. His Father dies in Acts 12.

and he was only 17 years old in 42 A.D. He was still noticeably young by our standards and was gaining some experience, but this left him in a position where he was adrift. However, King Herod entertained the concept of the Apostle Paul and did not just kill him without delay. King Herod was the last in the line of Herod’s, and the family tree stops there.

In the current context, he would be like the governor or even the mayor because he has someone he has to report to and cannot do everything he wants.

Everyone has someone they must report to in this world. Even the CEOs of major companies must report to shareholders, so it goes to show you that no one can do precisely what they want.

So, we have finally set the stage for the Roman Empire and all the moving pieces of the Government, but what about the Jewish Leaders that Paul is known for upsetting.

We know that the church that the Apostle Paul addresses was established after the Jerusalem Council. These churches were iconic, lustration and Derbe. These churches were founded in Apostle Paul's first missionary journey.

I have mentioned this council a few times, and you wonder what the big deal is and what it is. Let us learn more and head over to

Acts 15:1–7

Acts 15:1–7 ESV

But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.” The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.

The council has told the Apostle Paul their stance and that he needs to chill out because they feel that they are right and wrong.

I know that was a great deal of information, but a group of religious leaders debated and dove deep into theology. It would be like the ministerium that Pastor Rich and other pastors in the district do each month to equate this. We talk about theological topics, pray for each other, and give assistance when we can and ask for it. It is a long zoom call but needed because ministry can be lonely for some of these guys when they do not have the backup.

The Religious leaders stated that unless you are circumcised according to Moses's Law, you cannot be saved. They were still going by what they knew and understood because they did not believe Jesus was the Messiah.

Now I know that many individuals think that the Jewish council was hard-headed, but they were repeatedly told that the 613 laws of Moses saved them and that their savior, messiah, would be a strong military leader. This is still early, so they think and still due to this day that Jesus was just a foul that was crazy spreading false teaching throughout the land. He was not a military leader who saved them from Rome but themselves and the wrenches of their transgressions.

They did not understand that these laws and everything they followed was impossible to follow. It would be like giving me an instruction manual for plumbing in Spanish and expecting me to fix it in an hour. It is impossible, and God did this to teach them a lesson. Human beings are hard-headed, some more than others. Just ask my family, and he would agree. They were going by the information that they thought was correct but was very wrong because they looked more into the Law and not the meaning of the Law.

The Early Christians were being told that you had to be circumcised to be a follower. You were not saved unless you followed the laws of Judaism and then some. They believed and followed that you had to earn your Faith by your works and following laws and commandments.

If you are a good Christian and you do everything you are supposed to do, you will be saved. Let us break this down into 2022.

That would be like me telling you that if you pay you thrive to the church, go to service, and are friendly to everyone you meet and live a moral life; you will be saved and go to heaven.

What is wrong with this statement?

Suppose there was a way to earn your Salvation, then why would not we all do it. There is nothing that we can do to earn our Salvation. It does not matter if I give everything I earn; I live out of a text in the park, I am nice to everyone. If I do not have a love and a relationship with my Heavenly Father, I am not saved.

There is nothing that Brian can do, or anyone can do to earn their Salvation. You could cut off your entire arm, which would not earn your Salvation. It is not based upon the Law but is a way that God used to show us that we were unclean and needed his mercy and grace to save us.

This was what the Apostle Paul was addressing, and yes, this is way too short, but I want to give you an overview of the book.

Growing up, who was told that if you worked hard, you could be anything you wanted?

Was anyone told they could be the next Michael Jordan or an astronaut if they worked hard and studied? I am sure that everyone was told this. I was told that if I worked myself to death that I would get that next promotion, but they never told me that I had to have personal relationships with the critical people for it to happen.

A child that wants to be an astronaut cannot do it if they have a physical disability or even glasses. Millions of people have tried to join the military with specific health or moral issues. So, it did not matter how hard they worked or what they did it was how the cards were given.

The same goes for our Salvation because we cannot earn it or do anything. We know from the previous teaching from this very spot that either we pay for our transgressions, or we have Jesus pay for our sins. God sent his Son to die on a Roman cross just for this. We learned during Christmas that he was born to die for us and our messed-up sins.

Romans 3:24–25

Romans 3:24–25 ESV

and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

The topic was so important that the Apostle Paul wrote about it later in Romans. Justification by Faith is the importance of this book, and of course, we will dive deep into the whole book and dissect just like the frogs we all did in High school, but we need to understand what is happening and the overall theme or picture.

Now I know we dig deep, but I know everyone wants to get home before midnight, and we have set down the groundwork of all the moving pieces.

We have learned that there is a reason for the book of Galatians and the importance of what God has inspired human authors to write his words.

Additionally, we know that man's words do not supersede what God has written. It does not matter what the Jewish Council told the Apostle Paul or the Governing body of denominations. What does our Heavenly Father want, and what is said in his word?

Last question -Can we Earn our Salvation?

That is correct. We cannot earn our salvation no matter what we do. We do not matter and do not add to the equation at all. We must understand this entirely before we dig deeper into this in weeks. Our Salvation in God is a gift, grace, and mercy that was given not because we are impressive or did everything, we think we are supposed to do but a Heavenly Father who loves us and chose us before the earth's foundation.

I realize that this is highly oversimplified, and we will dig deep, but we must understand the who, what, when, and where so it is more realistic for us. I know that when I am reading something, I try and visualize it and utterly understand what is happening.

Prayer