The Way - Day 046 (Galatians 1)

Pastor Tom's Journal on Today's Reading:
Galatians 1
Paul brings a standard greeting to the churches at Galatia as he reminds them that he is an apostle (one sent by God for a specific mission) by the will of Jesus Christ and God the Father (1:1). He is careful to explain his apostleship as something which was not set up by man and therefore what he was about to say also came from God, not from man. As we will discover later, these false teachers had been bringing Paul's apostleship into question so Paul felt like it was necessary to defend his calling. Verse 2 describes his recipients as the churches at Galatia which Paul founded during his first missionary journey. These churches were located in Derbe, Iconium, Lystra, and Pisidia. Paul greeted the readers with "grace and peace from God the Father and Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age." Paul quickly turns his attention to the reason he was writing - the churches of Galatia had turned away from the grace of God given through Jesus Christ by accepting a "different gospel." This gospel was one of legalism and in Galatians 5:4 Paul describes it as attempting to be justified (declared righteous) by the law. Paul emphatically states that the gospel being spread by the false teachers is "another gospel." Romans 3:24 puts it like this: "being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Being declared righteous is never an act of obedience to the law; however, justification takes place when a repentant sinner accepts the mercy given through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This act is done apart from works. Paul says that anyone who preaches a different gospel should be accursed, meaning they should be sentenced to eternal life in hell. When Paul had previously visited these churches, this was not the gospel he had preached so he was in essence telling them that nothing had changed (1:8-9). In our current society there are many who say that all roads lead to heaven, but according to Paul there is only one gospel and that gospel is the message of the death, burial, and resurrection for our sins.

Paul continues his argument to his readers that his goal as an apostle is to please God not man; furthermore, he said that "the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man." Paul wanted to make sure that his readership understood that what he taught was not his own ideas, but rather "it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ." These false teachers were not undermining the message of Paul, but the message of God! Paul then identifies himself with the false teachers of Judaism who persecuted the church and perverted the gospel. He wanted to remind his readers that he also used to be zealous for these false teachings that they were currently receiving (1:13-14); however, God got his attention and called him to preach Jesus to the Gentiles (1:15-16). Immediately after his conversion from Judaism to Christianity, Paul went to Arabia for 3 years to be trained by the Lord and then to begin his ministry in Damascus (1:17). Paul went to Jerusalem to see Peter, who was the most influential man during this time of the early church. Paul also was able to see James, the brother of Jesus (1:18-20). After being in Jerusalem, Paul went to churches in Syria and Cilicia where he was not known by face; however, they had heard that he was the one who formerly persecuted the church but now preached Jesus (1:21-24). Paul shared his experience with his readers so they would remember that he was formerly wrapped up in Judaism, but now he was coming to them in the name of Jesus Christ to spread the one, true gospel. No ordinary message had the ability to change the life of Paul, but only the gospel of Jesus Christ possesses the power to totally change a person. It is the message of the gospel (Jesus died and rose again for our sins) which has the ability to change us. This message is not one which has been created by man, but given by God through His Son, Jesus Christ. Those who will turn from their sin and trust in the righteousness of Jesus Christ will receive new life and eternal life in heaven!

Dear God, I thank You for the power of the gospel and its' ability to change the lives of people, even those who are far away from You. Please help us to see that this message is not from man, but directly from You. Continue to change us into Your image!