Setting the Tone: Introduction to Paul’s Letter to Galatia

Setting the Tone: Introduction to Paul’s Letter to Galatia

Galatians 1:1-24

-Series: “The Gift of Freedom: A Study of Paul’s Letter to Galatia”

-Key verse: 5:1, Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

-Paul’s concern for these churches in Galatia was that the poison of self-dependence and self-righteousness would enslave these believers again and it didn’t have to be that way because Jesus had died to release them from that slavery.

-4 points of introduction that are vital as we prepare to examine Paul’s heartfelt plea to the believers in Galatia to live in the freedom that Jesus provides instead of the bondage that our flesh and religious tendencies tell us to be controlled by. 

I. Résumé of the Messenger (Galatians 1:1-2)

–Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:

-4 Résumé items:

A. Converted (1a) Paul

-When Paul says his name, it is highly likely that his reputation had preceded him.

-Remember in Acts 9:1-2, …breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord…wanted to bring them bound unto Jerusalem…

B. Commissioned (1b) an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

-apostle = lit. he that is sent

-Paul is reminding these believers in Galatia that His authority as an apostle (messenger) is one that God Himself gave to Paul.

C. Confirmed (2a) And all the brethren which are with me

-Paul is not some crazy individual with a crazy message–but others around him support and vouch for him and the message he brings from the Lord…he is confirmed by the witness of others.

D. Concerned (2b) unto the churches of Galatia:

-He wrote this letter specifically to these churches to address a specific problem he had become aware of in those churches.

II. Focus of the Message (Galatians 1:3-5)

Paul’s whole goal with this letter is to redirect these believers at Galatia to the pure Gospel instead of a gospel that is twisted or changed by adding unbiblical requirements to it.

-3 Gospel focus setters:

A. Source of Our Well-Being (3) Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

-Grace and peace are both references to God-given gifts that set man’s eternal souls at ease and gives man what he needs to keep taking each next step in life.

-Grace and peace…elements of well-being that come through our acceptance of the Gospel of Jesus…they come FROM the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

B. Provision for our Well-Being (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:

-God’s will for man = to be in right relationship with God, but when man first sinned and subsequently sin has passed to all people, a right relationship with God became impossible because God is holy and cannot be connected to sin.

-Man is completely enslaved by sin and alienated from God because of sin.

-Payment for our sins and deliverance from the present evil in the world is possible through God’s provision.

-That provision = Jesus Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us…

-This truth sets the tone for this entire letter on making sure we do not fall into the trap of thinking there is ANYTHING we can DO to keep ourselves good.

C. Praise for Our Well-Being (5)

To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

-It is God and God alone Who deserves the praise and accolades for whatever good is in our life and He is especially deserving of our praise for salvation.

-There is no room in the Christian’s life for taking credit for good works…that’s what leads to a perversion of the Gospel message!

-Any possibility of goodness IN our lives or coming FROM our lives is all because of God’s redemptive work through Jesus Christ.

III. Twisting of the Message (Galatians 1:6-10)

-In vv. 6-10, Paul first approaches the subject at hand (twisting the Gospel message to be something God never intended it to be)

-3 parts of Paul’s initial address of the issue:

A. Problem Introduced (6-7) I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

B. Penalty Highlighted (8-9) 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. 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.

-If anyone believes or preaches a message that is other than Jesus alone, it reveals that that person is not a believer in the true Gospel and the result: an accursed eternity.

C. Passion Demonstrated (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.

-In essence: “I don’t care if someone is going to get upset with me over my preaching of this message—this is a matter of eternity with God or eternity without God in hell!

IV. Transformation of the Messenger (Galatians 1:11-24)

-In the last 14 verses, Paul describes how this pure, Jesus-only Gospel has radically changed him into a new person.

-3 parts of this transformation:

A. Supernatural (11-12) 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.

-The Gospel and the change it brings is not a man-made concept…this is God’s plan and God’s working–supernatural!

B. Life-Altering (13-22) 13-17, 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 (caused a lot of problems): And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. 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.

-When Jesus came in and opened his eyes to the Gospel he went from persecuting Christians to making disciples of Christ!

-18-22, Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother. Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not. Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia; And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:

-Living for Christ because of Christ and to reach people for the sake of Christ is an absolutely life-altering path!

C. Purposed (23-24) But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. And they glorified God in me.

-The main purpose of God’s transformation of our lives through the Gospel of Jesus is to bring God Himself the glory so that more and more people will see Him and ultimately be reconciled to Him.  

-The Gospel is NOT a/b what we DO…it’s all about what God through Christ has DONE!

-May it be the goal of every single one of us that others “[glorify] God in [us].”