SLIDES

The Letter to the Galatians

Part 3

Introduction

In our last lesson, we discussed Paul call to be an Apostle. We discussed the difference between an apostle and a disciple. An apostle was one who was called and sent by God to be His’ ambassador, spokesman, and representative to heal the sick, cast out demons, and spread the gospel. The Apostles would help lay the foundation of the church. The ministry of the Apostle ended when the last Apostle, John, died on Patmos. A disciple, on the other hand, was a man who physically followed a rabbi for about three years to learn from him.

Paul in Galatians 1:1 made it crystal clear that he was not called to be as an apostle by any man, group of men, or church but by God Himself. He wrote this letter to the Galatian churches to demonstrate to these believers that the gospel message that he preached to them was from God, Himself, not man, and the gospel the Judaizers were presenting to these churches was a false one. 

Galatians 1:1-2

1 Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead),

2 and all the brethren who are with me,

To the churches of Galatia:

Vs. 2 –Paul does not mention any names in this greeting as he usually does in some of his epistles, it maybe that he mentions no one else by name because he wanted to stress to the Galatians that he alone was the one whom Jesus called as an Apostle and that his message, the gospel, came from the resurrected Christ as well, not man.

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

Vs. 3 – Even though Paul did not praise the churches in Galatia in any way, he did send them the blessings of God’s grace and peace. Grace and peace are gifts from God. We usually think of grace as unmerited favor, something we cannot earn, and so it is. But in this context, it has another meaning. In this context, it means divine enablement or divine empowerment. The believers in the churches in Galatia had already received unmerited favor from God when they were saved. It was God’s divine power through the Holy Spirit that they needed daily to live the Christian life.

When Paul used the Greek word for peace, he was probably thinking of the word Shalom that means peace in Hebrew. By trusting in Jesus as Savior, they already received eternal peace or well-being with God.  They had already experienced reconciliation with Him. What these believers needed was daily inner peace and peace with one another. Only God can bring this kind of peace through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Remember that peace is one of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

As a believer, do you depend on the Holy Spirit throughout the day to give you divine strength and power in times of temptation, weakness, and need.  Do you seek His’ divine guidance and wisdom when decisions need to be made that affect your life or your family.  Or do you live your daily life by depending on yourself.

Hebrews 4:16

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace (divine enablement), so that we may receive mercy and find grace (divine enablement), to help in time of need.

When you do go to the throne through prayer to ask for divine enablement of wisdom or strength, you must go with confidence that God will give the enablement you need. Asking and asking with confidence are both requirements for receiving what you are asking for.

Please notice in verse 3 that Paul did not just say the Father but God our Father. The believers in Galatia, Jews, as well as Gentiles, now had a personal relationship with God the Father, as well as with Jesus. Also, notice that he used the word Lord to describe Jesus the Messiah.

The word Lord means master in some contexts. While Jesus was ministering on earth, He was addressed as Lord or Rabbi. However, in this context and many others in relation to Jesus, the word Lord is ascribing divine nature and attributes to Him as Yahweh of the Old Testament as seen in Roman 10:9 which says, “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord (Jesus as Yahweh of the Old Testament), and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” So, in Galatians 1:3 Paul was saying that both the Father and Jesus are God. This is not only where grace and peace come from, but Paul’s calling and the good news he was preaching.

4 Who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

5 to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen.

Vs. 4 – We know that Jesus gave His life for the world so those who trust in Him can have forgiveness of sin and eternal life. In verse 4 Paul gives another purpose for giving up His life. In this verse 4 Paul writes about another purpose for dying for the sins of the world.  That purpose was so that believres could be rescued from this present evil age.

During of study of prophecy several years ago, we learned that there are two ages – the present age that ends at the second coming of Jesus and the age to come – the Messianic age. Jesus’ death rescues or delivers us from this present evil age. The word rescue or deliver harkens back to the Lord rescuing His’ people from Egypt. Even though we must live in this present evil age ruled by Satan, the Lord delivers us from sin’s slavery and condemnation.  All of this is a result of Jesus’ sacrificial death and the resurrection power that was willed by God the Father. 

The present evil age that Paul is referring to is the age that existed in Paul’s day, and it is the age that we also live in today.  The present age in which we live is also called “this age” (Rom 12:2), “the age of this world” (Eph 2:2), or “this present darkness” (Eph 6:12). This age, in which “the days are evil” (Eph 5:16), is under the domination of Satan, sin, and death.  In 2 Corinthians 4:4, Satan is called “the god of this world” who” has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

As believers we are not removed from the earth until we die or are raptured, but we are rescued out of this present evil age the moment we receive Jesus Christ as Savior. We are still in the world, but we are no longer of it (John 17:11, 14–18; Phil. 3:20–21; 1 John 5:5) In Romans 12: 1 Paul commands us not to be conformed to this is fallen and corrupted the world as it exists under the power of Satan, sin, and death. The character of this fallen age is also reflected in Col 3:2, “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

Vs. 5 –This verse is a doxology. A doxology is a brief expression of praise to God.

The saving work of Jesus’ death on the cross leads Paul to write his doxology to say that Jesus deserves all the glory forever. Indeed, He does. The result of Jesus’ sacrificial death will have an eternal impact in many ways on those who put their faith in Him, as well as those who do not. The word glory relates to the Jesus’ splendor, radiance, majesty, and power. The term Amen that we say so many times after praying is an expression of faith that means a strong affirmation of what is stated or just let it be so.

The one that Baptists are most familiar with is:

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!

2.  The Problem (1:6-10)

Have you ever known of a family member, relative, friend, or coworker who was involved in a cult or was associated with a large religious group that teaches heresy? There are many cults today, as well as large religious groups that have existed for a long time that have led many astray from the truth of Scripture. Teaching heresy is not something new. It started about 1950 years ago. It started with the perversion of the message of the good news in the churches of Galatia. As we shall learn from the Apostle Paul, we must be diligent to guard against adding to or subtracting from the good news that forgiveness of sin and the receiving of eternal life comes by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Today and for several weeks to come our lessons will revolve around keeping the message of the good news by which we were saved and stand.

6   I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;

7   which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

Vss. 6-7 – Paul now begins to unravel the problem which is the reason he wrote the letter in the first place. Paul was taken aback by the news about what was going on in the churches in Galatia. Paul was not only surprised at the news he had received, but he was amazed. The word amazed means Paul was extraordinarily astonished and disturbed. He kept rolling over in his mind the astonishment that this horrible thing was happening.  Some of the believers in the churches in the Galatia were in the process of deserting or turning away from God. Please notice that the emphasis is on turning away from God not turning gospel. They were turning away from their allegiance to God to their allegiance to the Judaizers. The verb tense shows that they were in the process of turning. However, they had not yet fully turned! The word quickly means too quickly, too easily, hastily. They were buying into the false teachings of the Judaizers without much thought to the matter and seriousness of what they were doing.

God is the one who called them into realm of the Messiah’s grace. Messiah’s grace was unmerited favor. The Galatians were turning away from God and God’s grace and turning to the Judaizers who had a false message.

These false teachers, known as Judaizers, had apparently just joined the church and had impressive ability and charisma, so much so that they were almost immediately accepted as teachers in the church. Many were immediately swayed by the force of their charisma, ability, ideas, and worldly wisdom. The believers in the fiver churches of Galatia needed to be warned that they were walking on thin ice. The result of completely turning away from God’s grace would be devastating because it would have eternal consequences.

The Judaizers were preaching a different and perverted message about salvation. It was not good news. They were teaching that belief in Jesus’ substitutionary sacrifice on the cross and the addition of circumcision were both needed to receive forgiveness of sin. Paul told the Galatian believers that message they were willing to embrace in place of that which they received from Him was perverted and therefore was a different message and certainly not “good news.”  There is no such thing as grace plus works being combined to bring forgiveness of sin. Grace plus works is an oxymoron i.e. a contradiction of terms. In Romans 11:6 Paul told the church at Rome:

But if it is by grace (Unmerited favor), it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace (Unmerited favor).

Therefore, it was not good news at all because there is only one “good news.”  The only good news that exists is that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. A message that is not the real good news consists of the following:

·  a different picture of Jesus. His death was not all sufficient to remove sin. Keeping the Mosaic Law was also needed. (Illustration of talking to two Mormons on my front porch.)

·  a different picture of grace which is not unmerited favor.

·  a different picture of way to be saved. Faith plus works was needed!

The Judaizers were causing the Galatian believers to have mental confusion because they were putting pressure on them to believe in this distorted message. The word distort means to change or pervert. A perverted message causes the greatest havoc among immature believers. They could have been overwhelmed before they reach the stage of matured stability. After all, the intent of the Judaizers all along was to distort the good news. They wanted to make it more Jewish by adding obedience to the Mosaic Law. So, salvation was obtained by belief in Jesus plus obedience the Mosaic Law concerning circumcision. This was something that was unacceptable to God and, therefore, caused Paul to write his statement found in verses 8-9. It was not good news at all. In reality it was bad news because what they were preaching was not God’s plan for removal of sin and entrance into heaven.  

8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!

9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!

Vs. 8 – Paul was clear. It’s not the messenger of the good news that’s important, but the message. The message is even greater than an angel. If one of God’s messengers, an angel from heaven, preached a perverted good news message that was contrary to the message Paul and his companions preached on their previous journey through Galatia, he would be accursed. The term accursed comes from the Greek word anathema. Was Paul using the illustration of the angel as hyperbolic language to make his point? It would certainly be unusual, wouldn’t it? However, in Revelation 14:6 we find an angel doing just that. The message of good news God gave to Paul was greater than Paul, the other Apostles, and any of Paul’s companions. Even if Paul, another Apostle, or any of his companions were to preach a good news message different from the one Paul and Barnabus preached to the people of the cities of Galatia, they would also be accursed. This is one of the most severe warnings in all of Scripture!

Paul did not consider a perverted message of the of the good news a trivial matter. Being accursed for preaching a perverted good news message is serious business with eternal consequences not only for the one preaching it, but also for the ones listening to the false message. The term accursed is an Old Testament concept. The Old Testament term devoted meant something that was delivered up or given over for divine wrath. Those who took certain items under the ban in the conquest of the land under Joshua were accursed. Remember that Achan took some things that were under the ban and hid them under his tent floor. Achan, all his family members, and even all of his animals were placed under God’s wrath and were destroyed. Those who preached a perverted message of the good news would be accursed. Their fate would be eternal condemnation. Jesus said in Matthew 7:15-19, "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. “

Vs. 9 - Paul repeated the same serious warning about preaching a false message. To repeat the warning in this verse underscores and emphasizes that preaching a false message of salvation was to be taken very seriously because believing I would have eternal consequences.

 10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

Vs. 10 – Apparently the Judaizers had charged Paul with teaching that salvation was by grace alone, through faith alone, in Messiah alone and because of that, there was freedom from the Mosaic Law. He was accused of doing this to woo the Gentiles into the churches. But the tone of this letter, specifically the harsh language Paul had just used, was hardly intended to win the approval of men. Men-pleasers simply do not throw eternal curses against those who proclaim a false good news message. Indeed, if the apostle had wanted to please men, he would have remained a zealous Pharisee and promoter of the Mosaic Law rather than becoming a servant of Christ. The word servant and slave, depending on the translation, are translated from the same Greek word. In this context it would be better to translate it bond-servant or just servant rather than slave. Believers are servants of Christ, not slaves.

Application

As with Paul, Barnabus, and the believers in Antioch, Syria, Paul and Barnabus’ home church 1950 years ago, believers in Jesus today must stay vigilant in making sure the good news message of Jesus Christ remains pure, wherever we attend. If not, the church will be susceptible to heresy being taught.  As we remain vigilant, we must remember several things about the message of the good news:

• There is only one good news message – salvation from sin comes by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

•     For lost people to receive enteral life, there must be a clear good news message presented to them.

• Preachers, teachers, evangelists, missionaries, and anyone else who presents a perverted or false message of the good news will be accursed. Their fate will be eternal condemnation in the Lake of Fire. Why? Because they are leading people away from heaven not to it.

For the last couple of lessons, we have been discussing that there is only one gospel message. In our next lesson we are going to take a closer look at the message of the good news God gave to Paul in 1 Corinthians 15. We are going to do this so you can determine if the message of the good news you believe in and share with others is the same as in 1 Corinthians 15:1-7.

The week after that we will begin to look at and discuss the different responses or answers people give to the questions, “What must I do to be saved?” or” How do I get into heaven when I die.?” After presenting the good news to someone, what do you say to them concerning how to receive the free gift of eternal life and forgiveness of sin that God offers because of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection?   Some responses believers give today are biblical and clear. However, some responses that are widely used today are neither biblical nor clear.