Welcome back to Daily Bread! Delighted that you could join in for
another interesting letter from Paul, this one written to the Galatians.
How
about a little Daily Bread Crumb to start off with? The area of Asia Minor
that was called Galatia back in Paul’s day, is now modern day Turkey. The
reason why it was called Galatia was because the people from that region
migrated there from a place called Gaul, or the Latin name, Gallia. That was
what is now mainly what is modern day France and Belgium, and at one time
included part of northern Italy.
The
first part of Paul’s letter reveals that the people of Galatia had been
convinced somehow that the way to salvation was through works, contrary to
the Gospel of Faith that Jesus taught. We’re about to find out how Paul
reacts to this, so anyone who is keeping a tally of their own good works,
hoping that your score is high enough to enter Heaven at the end of the
game, pay close attention.
From Paul an Apostle, (not chosen of men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and
God the Father, who raised Him from the dead), and from all the brethren
which are with me,
To
the churches of Galatia.
A
few things to note in Paul’s opening lines. First, Paul always identifies
himself in a humble manner, saying in so many words, I am who I am because
of the Lord. Another thing to notice is that this letter is addressed to the
churches
of Galatia, meaning more than one. If you look at a map of ancient Asia
Minor, you’ll see that Galatia was a fairly large area, so naturally there
would be more than one church to serve such a region. Also, remember Paul’s
note in parenthesis, as he is about to tell the Galatians the same thing
about the Gospel, that it is not from man, but from Jesus.
WHAT
IS THE GOSPEL TRUTH LESSON WITH WHAT IS THE GOSPEL TRUTH EXPLANATION
Now, Paul continues his greeting and gives praise to God.
Grace be to you and
peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for
our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according
to the will of God our Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
I’m
amazed that you so quickly left God who called you into the Grace of Christ,
to follow a different gospel, when there is no other gospel, but there are
some people who trouble you, and wish to corrupt the Gospel of Christ. But,
whether we, or an angel
from Heaven, preach any other gospel to you than the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
let him be accursed. As we said before, I repeat again, If any man
preach any other gospel to you than the one you have received (from Jesus), let him be
accursed.
Am
I now supposed to persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? Because
if I still pleased men, I shouldn’t be the servant of Christ. But I assure
you brethren, that the Gospel which was preached by me is not from man. I
neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I learned it by the
revelation of Jesus Christ.
You’ve heard of my lifestyle in the past, in the Jewish religion, how I
persecuted the Church beyond measure and ravaged it. And I advanced in the
Jewish religion above many my own age in my own nation, because I was more
dedicated to the traditions of my fathers than they were. 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 Gentiles,
I didn’t immediately consult with men, and neither did I go to Jerusalem to
those who were Apostles before me, but I went into Arabia and then returned
again to Damascus.
Then after three years I went to Jerusalem to see Peter and stayed with him
fifteen days, but I didn’t see any of the other Apostles, only James, the
Lord’s brother.
WHAT IS THE GOSPEL TRUTH INFORMATION WITH WHAT IS THE
GOSPEL TRUTH MEANING
This is quite an interesting thing to note. He didn’t go and ask the other Apostles what
it was all about. It was three years before he went to Jerusalem to see
Peter. So what do you suppose he did for three years? Spent a lot of time in
prayer, one would imagine. Probably studied scripture in a totally different
light than he had for his whole life, changing gears from law to Grace.
Discovering the TRUTH of prophecy written in the Old Testament which is
called the Torah in Israel. And also, learning the Gospel as it was revealed
to him by Jesus. He was in a time of preparation, training, readying to do
the Lord’s work, with the Holy Spirit conforming him into the Apostle that
would spread the Good News to the Gentiles. If he didn’t spend any time with
the other Apostles, how then could he have learned the Gospel, if not from
the Spirit of Jesus? Friends, that’s the only way he could have.
He
continues, Now, the things I write, I say before God, I’m not lying. After
that, I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia and in the churches of
Judæa which were believers in Christ, I was unknown by face, (they hadn’t
met Paul), but they had only heard, that the man who persecuted them in the
past was now preaching the Faith that he once destroyed. And they glorified
God about me.
What do you suppose Paul’s point is in explaining to the Galatians about his
past? Well, there are intruders in Galatia, trying to teach things that are
contrary to the Gospel, yet calling it the Gospel. Paul is merely saying,
just as he did in his greeting, I am who I am because of the Lord, and I
learned the Gospel by revelation from Him. It was first hand. The other
Apostles were with Jesus in the flesh to learn the Gospel and by the Spirit
of Jesus it was revealed to Paul. So, the point that Paul is driving at is
that whatever so called gospel these intruders were trying to convince the
Galatians of, they didn’t get it from Jesus, so it’s not the TRUTH.
Next time, we’ll find out a little more about Paul’s early days as an
Apostle, so be sure to come back soon and we’ll share it together, right
here at Daily Bread.
