Not From Man

The world bears the Gospel a grudge because the Gospel condemns the religious wisdom of the world. Jealous for its own religious views, the world in turn charges the Gospel with being a subversive and licentious doctrine, offensive to God and man, a doctrine to be persecuted as the worst plague on earth.

Luther, Martin. Commentary on Galatians . Digireads.com. Kindle Edition.

Galatians 1:1–5 ESV

1 Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2 and all the brothers who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Why is this opening important?

Man is not the ultimate authority. Nor is he the conferrer of ultimate authority.

In 2 Corinthians Chapter 10 Paul addresses this issue as well. Speaking of demolishing arguments against the knowledge of God by the authority granted to him and the rest of the apostles. He criticizes those who claim their authority by the knowledge of men saying

2 Corinthians 10:18 ESV

18 For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

Then we have to remember Paul’s opening

Galatians 1:1–2 ESV

1 Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2 and all the brothers who are with me, To the churches of Galatia:

Authority Established

He says something very similar to Peter in

2 Peter 1:20–21 ESV

20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Revelation 22:18 ESV

18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book,

Remember I said last week that I try to stay away from the “I feel” comments on scripture?

That is because if I am not careful, you make take my opinion at the same level as scripture. You also may take the opinion of others at that level.

I think it was Dan Rather, but he may not have been the one, who said,

“The death of news was when one anchor turned to the other and ask, what do you think about that?”

Scripture could face the same problem if we begin too often to ask that question of it.

This Word is God’s Word

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

John 14:26 ESV

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

1 Corinthians 14:37 ESV

37 If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord.

So, on who’s authority is Paul an apostle, and his teaching worth listening to?

Jesus Christ and God the Father

Only when we begin to take this Word with its proper authority and seriousness, will it make straight our paths.

Colossians 3:16 ESV

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Let’s agree to let the Word be the authority as we study Galatians.

Danny talked about the Jesus centered Life, the easiest way to live this life, is to be grounded in the word.

Galatians 1:10 ESV

10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Paul was not going to compromise the word for the interest of man.

Do we?

Next week we will talk about why we so quickly abandon the gospel.

What does all this mean to us today?

The Word is reliable and inspired by the very Spirit of God.

We cannot change the Gospel to obtain man’s approval.

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life

Grace and Peace

Opening Up Galatians Together Conveying Blessing (v. 3)

Grace has been beautifully defined as ‘that goodwill on God’s part which not only provides and applies salvation but blesses, cheers, and assists believers … that many-sided favour that comes in the form of hope to saints in despondency, of joy to them in sorrow, of patience to them in suffering, of victory to them under assault, and of final triumph to them in the hour of death’. It is wonderfully comprehensive

Opening Up Galatians Together Conveying Blessing (v. 3)

Peace in the midst of trials, peace that arises from a sense that we are right with God, peace that comes from trusting that all things are working together for our good, peace that keeps anxiety at bay—we all need constant supplies of it!

Authors of Our Salvation

Galatians 1:4 ESV

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

Add in the Spirit in inspiring the Bible we read these things in, and you have the trinity of our salvation.

The Vehicle of our salvation-Jesus Christ

The Driver of our salvation-Father God

The Revealer of our salvation-The Holy Spirit

I need these blessings!

These blessings are dependent on the authority of the word of God.

I need His word to be true.

It has to come from God and not from Man