Study in Galatians

Study in Galatians Presentation 01

Another Gospel Chap 1v1-10 Presentation 01

Introduction Are you constantly bombarded with junk mail from firms whose selling line is that their product has recently been upgraded? Their research and development departments have been hard at work and a significant improvement has been made on what was previously available. Such claims are common in the business world. We have seen products improved and changes made for the better. However, we must not transmit this idea to the gospel. Once we begin to tamper with it under the guise of improving it, we unleash a significant danger. It is in response to such a danger that the epistle to the Galatians was written. Presentation 01

Paul’s Gospel The Galatian church was the product of Paul’s apostolic ministry. He had seen the gospel’s transforming and liberating effect upon their lives. But the church had been infiltrated by false teachers whose message undermined the apostolic gospel and challenged Paul’s apostolic office. This explains why, from the outset of the epistle, Paul is defending his apostleship cf1v1 and 1v11-2v10. These verses neither, display personal vanity nor, a fit of pique that Paul’s authority had been challenged by wolves in sheep’s clothing! Paul recognised that the substance of the gospel was at stake. If Paul did not hold apostolic authority, then men would be free to reject his gospel! Presentation 01

Paul’s Gospel Paul also defends his gospel. In v3 Paul introduces two terms packed with theological meaning, “grace and peace”. These words summarise the whole gospel of salvation. The nature of salvation is peace, or reconciliation. It is a comprehensive peace; peace with God, peace with men, peace within. Significantly, Billy Graham, the famous evangelist entitled his book, “Peace with God”. Why? Because man’s most basic and fundamental need is for the peace which the gospel brings. Man’s restlessness of spirit and great burden of guilt can only be addressed by the gospel which brings him peace! Presentation 01

Paul’s Gospel The word ‘grace’ is no less important for it points to the source of this peace. It does not flow from man’s achievements but from God’s character. Grace is a divine waterfall it always flows downward. It is God giving a gift out of the rich bounty of his heart. Grace is God’s favour at work, where it is most needed and least deserved. Grace means two simple things: bad deeds are no hindrance, an good deeds are no help, when we come to God for salvation. Peace, is not the product of religious striving or humanitarian endeavour, it is not something we earn, merit or deserve but something which God freely bestows - the product of grace! Presentation 01

Paul’s Gospel But how has God’s grace made peace possible? Our attention is fixed in v4 upon the Son of God, who went willingly to die on the cross in our place. The Lord Jesus Christ gave himself for our sins. In other words, he died the death we should have died. He bore the punishment for our sin. This is absolutely central to the apostolic gospel! There can be no experience of the “peace that passes understanding”, no enjoyment and assurance of forgiveness, where there is no trust or, living, personal faith in Jesus as our sin-bearer! Presentation 01

Paul’s Gospel Now the peace of Christ is more than forgiveness, it involves rescue from this ‘present evil age’ v4. How are we to understand this? When Scripture describes Christ’s salvation it speaks being transferred out of this world system and into another world. Not in a geographical sense – the Christian has to live in this present age but he does so in the ‘power of the age to come’. However, he has been brought out of darkness and into light! How was this gospel, which magnifies the grace of God, coming under attack in Galatia? Presentation 01

Paul’s Gospel Quite simply the work of Christ was being added to by the false teachers. They taught that, Salvation = The work of Christ + the works of man. Many things are impaired when you add to them. One of the skills in watercolour painting is to know when to stop. If the artist keeps on painting then the translucent colours become increasingly muddy. As far as Paul was concerned, these false teachers were muddying the gospel. Presentation 01

False Gospel Clearly Paul’s opponents taught that Jesus had not done enough, that his death on the cross wasn’t sufficient to secure peace with God. And so, something had to be added to the cross of Christ. i.e. human endeavour, which in this case involved conformity to Jewish ceremonial law. This idea of faith in Jesus + something else holds great appeal to men, for they like to think that they have contributed to their salvation. In practice they are saying, “I can improve upon God’s plan of salvation”. Man’s proud heart finds God’s grace hard to swallow. Instead, he prefers to work for salvation. Presentation 01

False Gospel You may be interested to discover that the common thread which binds all the heretical cults together is, faith in Jesus + something which men contribute. This true of Mormans, Jehovah Witnesses, Christian Scientists etc. Indeed, within mainstream Christianity, one can still find people who are teaching faith in Jesus PLUS something else. But when you attempt to add to the work of Jesus you do not improve it, you only end up polluting it. You might as well argue that by adding lead to gold you improve its value. Presentation 01

False Gospel When the gospel is distorted in this way can it not still be called the gospel ? Paul clearly says “No!” in v6-7. He uses two adjectives, “heteros” which means ‘another’ [in the sense of being different], and “allos” which means ‘another of the same’. The significance of what Paul is saying can be shown in the use of three chairs. For the sake of this demonstration the chair in the middle is the control chair. The one on the left is ‘heteros’ another chair but different. The chair on the right is ‘allos’ another chair which is exactly the same! Presentation 01

False Gospel The point of the picture adjectives is that Paul is saying to the church at Galatia, “You are turning to a different gospel, which is really no gospel at all. It is not the same Gospel that I preached to you” Paul is intolerant of this “other gospel” it had stood the gospel on its head. It was a complete reversal of God’s grace, and a denial of the sufficiency of Christ’s death. The seriousness with which Paul viewed this danger is seen first, in the unique layout of the epistle. It does not follow the normal pattern with an opening prayer, praise, and commendation. All are omitted thus underlining the apostle’s sense of urgency in dealing with this issue. Presentation 01

Faithless Galatians Secondly, we can measure Paul’s attitude towards his Galatian converts by the strength of his reaction cf. v6 “I am astonished... He was absolutely dumfounded by the speed with which they seem to have turned their backs on God’s grace. How could they revel in the immeasurable sea of God’s grace one minute, only to forsake it for the muddy puddle of false teaching the next? Of course there is a spiritual dimension to all of this - there’ is a devil! Presentation 01

Faithless Galatians Thirdly, notice the language Paul uses to describe them, “deserters” or “turncoats” v6. The word describes the transfer of allegiance. It was used to describe soldiers who changed sides. By embracing this false teaching the Galatians were turning their backs on God’s grace. It was not simply a case of losing ones way but of purposefully leaving God’s camp and joining that of the opposition. That is how serious their defection had become! Whenever we try to add to the gospel of grace, we are rejecting both grace and God himself! Can you understand why Paul was hot under the collar? Presentation 01

False Teachers We should not be surprised at Paul’s attitude towards these false teachers, who were bewitching his young converts? They ‘troubled the church’ v7. Literally, ‘agitated the people of God’, introducing a state of intellectual confusion and turmoil in the church. The Council of Jerusalem, was called to deal with this very issue, “We have heard that some persons from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your minds although we gave them no instructions.”Acts 15.24 The word which describes them as ‘perverters’ of the gospel, could be translated “reversers”. They weren’t just corrupting the gospel they were reversing it. Setting it in the wrong direction! Presentation 01

False Teachers It is frightening to think that the church’s greatest danger did not lie with those outside of the church opposing, ridiculing and oppressing it, but those inside the church, who were trying to change the gospel. They may have come with great authority, dignity and scholarship. But whoever seeks to serve up a different gospel, from the one proclaimed by the apostles, must be rejected. You cannot modify or supplement the gospel without rapidly changing its character! And despite initial appearances it has within it the seeds of great destruction. Presentation 01

False Teachers For this reason Paul expresses the wish that God’s judgement would fall upon these false teachers v8-9. This is not an intemperate outburst, or a sentiment inconsistent with the spirit of Christ? Paul’s words do not express a personal venom towards his rivals. The ‘anathama’ that he pronounces is universal. It applies it to anyone, who distorts the essence of the gospel, including himself and the angels of heaven. Some people are easily influenced by strong personalities and charismatic leaders in the church but says Paul if anyone without exception, preaches another gospel, which leads men and women astray then they stand under God’s judgement. Presentation 01

False Teachers Paul’s words reflect Jesus’ teaching. He said, “It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble”Lk.17v2. We live in a day when tolerance is considered a mark of enlightenment. It’s considered narrow-minded to hold strong opinions. But if we care for the glory of Christ and for the spiritual welfare of others we will not tolerate the corruption of the gospel of grace. Of course we mustn’t confuse intolerance with intransigence or bigotry. Intolerance of error can be expressed can be expressed courteously and with grace. Firmness of conviction is not the same as boorishness or fanaticism. Presentation 01

Conclusion We must never lose sight of the fact that there is only one gospel! A popular view suggests that there are many different ways to God, many roads leading to the top of the mountain. Others are eager to manufacture a gospel that reflects the changes in society and a contemporary world view. But this is not a view that the Bible itself endorses. Indeed, it teaches that the opposite is the case. To alter the gospel is to corrupt the gospel, to add to the gospel of God’s free grace is to turn one’s back upon God! Presentation 01

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Study in Galatians