Additional Thoughts on Galatians – Part 1
GAL 1:1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)
GAL 1:2 And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:
GAL 1:3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
GAL 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
This letter was written to the churches of Galatia. A church is a local assembled group of believers. And in the beginning of this letter to saved people, we have the declaration in verse 4 that Jesus gave himself for our sins. This is a truth that is not just for the lost. It is a good thing to keep reminding ourselves that Jesus went to the cross for us. He paid for our sins. He died that death for us and then He was raised again 3 days later. Jesus paid the price and the payment was accepted. What a wonderful truth.
And after stating it in verse 4, in verse 5 he gives the glory to Jesus.
GAL 1:5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Jesus did not pay for our sins because we were worthy. No He died for us while we were yet sinners. He died for us when there was no good in us at all. O the love of God. It is amazing and cannot be fully comprehended.
There is no room for any of the glory to go to man. All the glory is to go to Him for ever and ever. He is the one that is worthy. Not us.
GAL 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
GAL 1:7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
GAL 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
The Ink is not even dry yet on the New Testament and there is already people preaching another gospel. Paul said that he marveled that they were so soon removed unto another gospel.
Paul then says that there is not any other gospel. There is actually only one gospel. All others are perversions. Paul says to let anyone who preaches another gospel be accursed.
Even if an angel from heaven preaches any other gospel, let him be accursed. The Mormons have another gospel. It is a perversion. And I find it interesting that they say that an angel from heaven came and gave it to them. This is exactly what verse 8 is warning against. Even if it was an angel, the Word of God says let him be accursed for perverting the one and only true gospel.
The gospel is defined in 1 Cor. chapter 15 as the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Salvation is a free gift based upon believing the gospel.
ROM 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
ROM 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
ROM 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Works are NOT involved in salvation. Adding baptism, or only after doing all you can DO, is a perversion of the gospel.
Salvation is simple faith with a repentant heart. Adding anything at all to that is a perversion.
And the Word of God has very strong language for anyone who perverts the gospel.
GAL 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
GAL 1:21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;
GAL 1:22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:
Paul had never visited the churches of Judaea. He was unknown by face it says. They never met. They were real churches. Paul says, which were in Christ. But these believes had never seen Paul. They were not in his scope of ministry. One man cannot do it all. God does call different men and puts them in different areas of service. These churches were not in Paul’s ministry.
GAL 1:23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
GAL 1:24 And they glorified God in me.
They never met Paul, they were not under his ministry. However, they did hear about Paul. They did hear how Paul went from persecuting Christians to preaching the faith. The same faith that Paul had destroyed, he now proclaims everywhere he goes. What a change! And even though they never met, and even though Paul was in a different ministry, they still had the right reaction. They glorified God for the change in Paul. They gave the glory to God for what He was doing thru Paul. They were praising the Lord for what He was doing in someone else’s ministry. They were praising God for what He was doing in the life of someone that they never met.
When we hear about God working in the life of others, even people we do not know, we should have the same reaction. We should give God the glory and praise Him for what He has done.
GAL 2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
GAL 2:8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
GAL 2:9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
GAL 2:10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.
Christians are to remember the poor. And this means more than just think about them. This is not talking about a mental accent to their plight. This is not talking about saying an empty, I will pray for you. This is talking about doing something about it. This is talking about giving.
Jam 2:15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, Jam 2:16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be [ye] warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what [doth it] profit?
The answer is it does not profit them. It does not help them. If it is in your power to give them a loaf of bread, then you are to give them a loaf of bread. We need to have compassion for people and care about their situation. We need to let the Love of Christ work thru us. His Great Love is a working love.
1Jo 3:17 But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels [of compassion] from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
A good practical question is what is a good way to help those really in need and not help the fakers and those who are really thieves and want to take advantage of you? One way we do it is to give to good organizations that do a good job about not giving a handout but instead a hands up.
One example is Phoenix rescue mission. They go out and work with the homeless every day. They will give them water and hygiene kits, but the real big help is reserved for those who are ready to change. They have a good program for those who want to quit the drugs and get off the streets. It is always a bad idea to give money to a homeless person standing on the street. In most cases you are just enabling their drug addiction.
GAL 2:11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
There was false teachers that were working hard to draw people away from the simplicity and the grace of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And they were having some success. Even Peter was being drawn into some of it. In verse 12 we find out that Peter withdrew himself and would not eat with the Gentile believers. He did so because he feared those who were of the circumcision. He was fearing man and not God. Peter was not taking a stand for the Gospel.
GAL 2:12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
GAL 2:13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.
GAL 2:14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all…
There are things that are not worth disputing over, and then there are things that are. The truth of the gospel is one of those. Peter was not walking uprightly according to the truth of the gospel. Paul therefore was going to take a stand against Peter.
But notice real carefully how Paul did it. He did not gossip to others about it. He did not accuse Peter behind his back. He did not slander him. He did not talk nice to Peter to his face and then attack when Peter was out of the room.
Paul confronted Peter about this serious issue to his face. God’s work is not to be done in a closet. If what you are doing cannot stand the light of day, then you should not be doing it. So Paul confronted Peter before them all (verse 14).
This has application to all of us. If what you are saying to others about your Pastor is something that you would not say to his face, then you should not be saying it. We need to be honest and upfront about our disagreements.
In this case Peter was to be blamed. But the goal was not to hurt Peter. Paul did not set out to belittle him. The goal was to restore Peter to the truth. To restore him to a place of usefulness. This confrontation was done out of a love for the Gospel of Jesus and out of a love for Peter.
May God give us all the wisdom to handle our disagreements correctly?
GAL 2:15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
GAL 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
This verse is a very clear declaration that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith. The only way to be justified in the eyes of God is thru faith in Jesus. The Word of God is clear. By the works of the law shall NO FLESH be justified. That means no one, no how, no way, and at no time could anyone be justified by works. It is simply NOT possible to be saved by works.
GAL 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Verse 21 teaches us that if it was possible to be saved by works then Christ is dead in vain.
Just think about it for a minute. If we could be saved by obeying some rule, then why would Christ have to die? What an atrocity for the Son of God to die on the cross if we could have been saved by works. If works saves then what Christ did on the cross is vain. There would have been no reason for it.
But the fact is that works DO NOT save and CANNOT save anyone. The fact is that the only way that man could be saved is by Jesus going to the cross and paying for our sin. The price has been paid. All we have to do is believe and call upon Him with a repentant heart. Salvation really is that easy for us.
Act 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
It is sad that most religions that profess the Bible actually teach some form of works. Their teaching goes against the clear teaching of the Word of God.
How do they teach what goes against the Bible you ask?
The answer is they don’t teach the Bible. They will add other books to the Bible and make them more authoritative. One example would be the Mormons. Or like the Catholics they will teach traditions, and they hold their traditions as more authoritative than the Bible. These groups only claim the Bible to try to give themselves some credibility, but they do not follow the Bible. They actually teach against what the Bible teaches.
You cannot believe the Word of God and believe in working you way to heaven by being good, doing good works, or performing rituals. The Bible teaches that the just shall live by faith. It is faith that saves and not works.
GAL 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
There are many who think that you have to work your way to heaven. That you must be good and obey the Ten Commandments to be saved. This verse goes completely against that false belief. Abraham was way before the giving of the Ten Commandments. Hundreds of years in fact. So how did Abraham get saved? The Bible says that Abraham believed God. That’s faith! And His faith was accounted to him for righteousness. Not his being good! Not his works or his obedience! It was Abraham’s faith that did it. We get saved the same way.
GAL 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
The promise of eternal life is given to them that believe. It is given. It is a gift of God. We could in no way ever earn it. We don’t measure up to God’s perfect standard. We are all under sin. And this gift is given to them that believe! What wonderful news. No theological degree needed. No working yourself to the bone to try achieve what you can never achieve. Just believe that you are a sinner, believe that Jesus died for your sin. The sinless Son of God paid your penalty. The Just dying for the unjust. Then call upon Him to save you.
Salvation truly is whosoever will may come.
GAL 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
GAL 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
The law cannot save. It never did and it never will. The purpose of the law was not to save but to show man how sinful he is and that it is impossible for man to work his way to heaven. “No man is justified by the law in the sight of God.” That is just about as clear a statement as you can get.
GAL 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
GAL 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
We don’t have to follow all the ceremonial laws to get saved. The ceremonial laws all pointed to Jesus who was coming. They are in no way needed today because Jesus already came.
The Moral part of the law does not have to be followed to get saved either. They cannot save. They showed us that we are sinners. They could only show us that we are sinners if the laws were just and righteous. The moral laws are good. They do not need to be followed to get saved, but they should be followed because it is right to do so.
We should not have any idols. We should not lie. We should not steal. We should not murder. We should not covet. And so on. And we should strive to follow them, again NOT to get saved, but simply because they are right and just laws given by a Holy God.
They are His moral laws and have a right to be respected.
See more lessons from Galatians