Hello Friends!
During
this week’s gathering, we’ll continue to work our way
through the book written to the Galatians as we consider the ONE and ONLY saving “salvation” message of “Jesus Christ” as
decreed throughout this excellent Epistle – “Only ONE Gospel!”
Galatians:
Only ONE Gospel! (Chapter 1:10-17)
10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men?
for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.11 But I certify you,
brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12 For
I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of
Jesus Christ. 13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in
the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and
wasted it: 14 And
profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being
more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. 15 But
when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by
his grace, 16 To
reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I
conferred not with flesh and blood: 17 Neither went I up to
Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and
returned again unto Damascus – Galatians
1:10-17
OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: The “Apostle” Paul founded several “churches” throughout “Galatia”
during his FIRST missionary
journey, further during his SECOND
missionary journey and later visited them on his THIRD missionary journey. It was there
where Paul had come into acquaintance with young “Timothy”
of whom became a very close friend, diligent pastor
and spiritual son in the “faith”
by the “grace” of God. It was
there where Paul had been “stoned”
and left for dead. Paul had also “ministered”
in the “towns” of “Derbe,” “Iconium,”
“Lystra” and “Antioch”
as he poured out his humble “heart”
to those waning “believers” in “Jesus Christ” our Lord. However, because
of Paul’s physical absence due to other ministry endeavors, many “false teachers” of the “Jews” under the auspices of so-called “Christianity” had intentionally INVADED the area of “Galatia”
and propagated
a particular FALSE and FATAL fickle “gospel”
message – Judaizing Jews!
Paul
opens this sensational section of “scripture”
with a poignant point of questioning addressing the FALSE claims by such “false teachers” purporting that Paul was
simply a MAN-PLEASER of hostile HUMAN opinion:
For do I
now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men,
I should not be the servant of Christ – Galatians
1:10
In
other words, Paul REFUTES his “deceitful” critics: “Do you think I'd spend my life serving Jesus Christ through
suffering and turmoil if all I wanted to do is please people?”
Or in the vernacular of our day, Paul answers with a stern – NO WAY!
For there
are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the
circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped,
who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy
lucre's sake. One of themselves, even a prophet of
their own, said, the Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they
may be sound in the faith; Not giving heed to Jewish
fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth – Titus 1:10-14
Rather,
Paul was a “faithful” and humble “servant of Christ” to
the very END of his life.
Besides, if all Paul wanted to do was “persuade’ and “please” these
maniacal “men”
with such “Jewish fables”
and their corrupt “commandments”
of “circumcision”
he wouldn’t be hurling damning “anathemas”
at them – Dooming Doctrine!
Paul’s APOSTOLIC Call!
QUIZZING QUESTIONS: Is there ACTUALLY
such a thing as TRUE apostolic AUTHORITY from God or did Paul deceptively INVENT
all of this “teaching” to entice a fickle
following? Did Paul tenaciously “travel”
to “Galatia” simply to flaunt his “fleshly” opinions like ALL the other would-be “false teachers” who opposed him? Did
Paul obtain this INFORMATION from “someone” else second-hand? Did the
other “apostles” instruct Paul during
his time in “Arabia” or upon his arrival
to the “Jerusalem”
fellowship? Or did Paul REALLY
readily “receive” this decisive “doctrinal” defense – Directly
FROM God?
BIBLICAL ANSWERS: As Paul continues to DEFEND his “apostolic”
credentials unto the beloved “brethren”
in “Galatia” at hand, he has this to say:
But I
certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after
man. For I
neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of
Jesus Christ – Galatians
1:11-12
The
Greek word for “certify”
is gnōrizō
of which says in the vernacular of our day: "Let me MAKE
this POINT perfectly CLEAR!" Thus, Paul could
indeed “certify”
by God’s AUTHORITY that the “gospel” of which he “preached” was NOT at all “received” by the rote TRADITION and REPETITION
of musing “men”
as such. Rather, it was indeed “received”
by supernatural “revelation”
rite DIRECTLY from “Jesus Christ” our Lord – Himself!
In
fact, that is also why Paul further DEFENDS
his “apostolic” credentials within the 10th through 13th chapters
of his second letter to the Corinthian congregation when his God-appointed
AUTHORITY was AGAIN
being callously CHALLENGED by “such” men:
…for in nothing am I behind the
very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing. Truly the signs
of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders,
and mighty deeds – 2 Corinthians 12:11-12
This
serious section of “Scripture” provides much MORE insight into the FACT that Paul indeed “considered” himself an absolute EQUAL to every OTHER
called “apostle” personally EQUPPED by “Jesus
Christ” our Lord. Although Paul was indeed “nothing” in his “old
nature” he did NOT
regard himself as some second-rate amiable “apostle” nor a “Paul-come-lately”
of sorts. And he definitely was NOT
simply an addendum to the apostolate. Rather, God CONFIRMED His true “apostles”
by miraculous “signs”
and “wonders”
and “mighty deeds”
as such. WHY? Because there MUST have been something MIRACULOUS concerning this “man” Paul and his “message”
of which will make him BELIEVABLE
to others. Therefore, Paul was in NO
way at all LESS than nor was he “behind” the “chiefest”
choice of ANY of God’s own – Paul is EQUAL!
Paul’s PRE-CONVERSION Life!
POIGNANT POINT: Incidentally, we have in verses 13 through 24
of Galatians
one of the most fantastic and air-tight arguments for APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY found anywhere
in the Bible – And it is exciting!
Next
Paul describes his PRE-CONVERSION
spiritual “conversation”
as an “exceedingly
zealous” loyal LEGALIST
who “beyond measure”
had pragmatically “profited”
in the serious study of the “traditions”
of his “fathers“
throughout the “Jews' religion”
as such:
For ye
have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that
beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: And profited in
the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more
exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers – Galatians 1:13-14
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: Legalistic
“Judaism” would NOT at all
settle for the development of the “church” nor the growth
of the “gospel” message. Therefore, they began to adamantly FIGHT against
them on the INSIDE and on the OUTSIDE as well.
And through a supernatural set of EVIL
circumstances, “Satan” began to PLANT a plethora
of “Jewish” juxtaposing TARES AMONG THE WHEAT within the
“church” of whom claimed to “believe” that “Jesus
Christ” was indeed the “Messiah” of Israel, that He “died and
rose again” and that He was their “Savior” so to
speak. However, they ALSO declared that all this TRUTH was NOT
SUFFICIENT for “salvation” of the “lost” soul.
Rather, these mundane “men” taught that one MUST ALSO
ADHERE to the Old Testament covenantal
God-ordained “Mosaic Law” as well
as a “religious law” system of their own making. This
group DEMANDED one MUST be
physically CIRCUMCISED and outwardly CONFORM to the “traditions
of men” as required. Thus, the ONLY way the “Gentiles” could be
“saved” from their “sins” was to
come THROUGH their jury of “Judaism” in kind –
Treacherous TRADITIONS!
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: Although God’s great “grace” is NOT
a foreign concept within the Old Testament
itself, it WAS indeed foreign
in the mind of “Saul of Tarshis” prior to
his “conversion” who was once a “Pharisee of Pharisees” by choice. And
the “Jews' religion”
was so intent on their own “law”
they couldn't spiritually see ANYTHING
else. Paul had been a fanatic for this “law” and it had been his ENTIRE life’s focus. His main “religious” objective was to know,
study,
defend
and propagate
the “law” of God per se’. Paul was indeed more
“Jewish” than MOST
of his “equals” throughout “Israel” and was “more
exceedingly zealous” for these religious “traditions”
as a super-duper LEGALIST. He even set
out BEYOND these BOUNDS
to publicly “persecute the church of God”
and thus TRIED to utterly DESTROY it completely:
As for
Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men
and women committed them to prison – Acts 8:3
And Saul, yet breathing out
threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the
high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if
he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them
bound unto Jerusalem – Acts 9:1-2
I am verily a man which am a Jew,
born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of
Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers,
and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. And I persecuted this way
unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women – Acts
22:3-4
Which thing I also did in
Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received
authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice
against them. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to
blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto
strange cities – Acts 26:10-11
Obviously,
Paul was absolutely FURIOUS with “this way” of Biblical CHRISTIANITY
to say the least. Then, all of a sudden… BANG! Paul
begins to “preach” God’s great GRACE and now the LAW
of “legalism” is rightly GONE
for good –
PRAISE the LORD!
Paul’s CONVERSION Life!
Next
Paul describes his CONVERSION
state as a GRACE empowered “preacher” when it perfectly “pleased God” to SOVEREINGLY so “separate” him as an “apostle” selected
unto service:
But when
it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his
grace, To reveal his Son in me,
that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with
flesh and blood: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them
which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto
Damascus – Galatians 1:15-17
How
did the original twelve “disciples”
learn about the “gospel” of God? They “received” it DIRECTLY
from the lips of God’s “Son”
Himself, “Jesus Christ” our Lord! And
that is EXACTLY how Paul
personally “learned” the “salvation” message. In a divine INSTANT Paul went from HATING Jesus to BELIEVING
in Him as the “Only begotten Son of God”
incarnate. In a SUPERNATURAL flash – Paul was SAVED!
CONTEXTUAL COMMENTS: And our AWESOME
great “God” also SOVEREINGLY had “known” and “chosen”
and “called”
as HE had “pleased”
perfectly throughout the Old Testament
as well:
Listen, O
isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath
he made mention of my name… And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob
again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the
eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength – Isaiah 49:1 & 5
Before I
formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the
womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations – Jeremiah 1:5
Brethren,
God’s TRANSFORMING and ILLUMINATING
great “grace” is a SUPERNATURAL work of the “Holy Spirit” indeed. And this is the DIVINE perfect PLAN
and PURPOSE of “God”
for His “elect” choices – Jesus Christ is SAVIOR!
In closing:
The
early “church” had no New Testament Bibles to read or study. Thus,
the ONLY information they had was that which
was GRACIOUSLY granted to them FROM God Himself. And “God” had thus “chosen”
to “give” it all THROUGH
His “apostles” and from time to time, even
His personal “prophets” in more practical
life situations. Therefore, in “studying”
the “words” of Paul,
Peter, Jude
or any
other of God’s “apostles”
was tantamount
to “reading” our Bible today – It IS the SAME thing!
REAL REFLECTIONS: Beloved, may God give US the courage and boldness
to “contend earnestly for the faith”
that was signed, sealed and delivered
some – 2000 years ago…
Beloved,
when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was
needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly
contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints – Jude 3
Praise the Lord Jesus Christ!
With
this information as a foundation for your personal studies, please read through verses 10-17 in the first chapter of
the excellent book to the Galatians.
We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!
Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><
Encouraging Concepts
Truth for Today
"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"Lighthouse Publications <><
