Day 172 "Paul's Defense of the Gospel" (Galatians: Chapter One)

For the next six days, we are going to walk through the book of Galatians. On each day, I will highlight what I feel are the key points of the chapter and a few verses that have had a particular impact on me and why. As I did for going through the chapters in Romans and Hebrews earlier in the year, I will come up with my own title for the chapter which is an aid for me in highlighting what I feel the chapter is about to me. I encourage you to do the same. One of the recurring themes throughout Paul's writing is the freedom of grace. Once tasted, why would one ever want to give it up? Shall we begin?

Chapter One: "Paul's Defense of the Gospel"

:3 "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

Paul often begins his books with the words grace and peace. As we can see

from previous writings (especially in the book of Acts which shares about Paul's previous life as Saul-the persecutor of the early church), Paul who had given much of his life to the adherence of laws and ritual owes much of who he has become to God's grace. He is no longer tethered and bound to the old Mosaic laws. He has been

set free by what Christ accomplished on the cross.

:4 "who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to

the will of our God and Father,"

It was God's purpose and will to send Jesus to do for us what we could not do for

ourselves- make us holy and righteous before God.

:6 "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the

grace of Christ and returning to a different gospel."

Paul must have been so shocked and dismayed that people would willingly give up believing and living their lives by faith in order to return to living one's life under the yoke of rules and laws-the very things for which Jesus died on the cross to set them free.

:9 "If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be

eternally condemned."

It is one thing to personally choose for yourself what you want to believe, but to steer others away from the grace of God, Paul had very strong words for anyone who might try to undermine the faith of others.

:10-12 "If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."

"I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that

men made up."

"I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ."

Paul was adamant. Having followed the rules and law himself in the past, Paul was

exhorting the Christians at Galatia that the gospel that he is now preaching was

revealed to him directly from Jesus Christ, himself.

:13-14 "For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I per-

secuted the church of God and tried to destroy it."

"I was advancing in Judiasm beyond many Jews of my own age and was ex-

tremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers."

By his own admissions, Paul lays down his past hatred for the church and sought

its destruction. He also lays down his own piety through his own efforts and sac-

rifices. But as we shall discover in Paul's other writings, Paul has grown to under-

stand that his own efforts were nothing but rubbish, and the only thing that mattered to him, now, was simply knowing Jesus.

:15-16 23 "But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his son in me so that I might preach him among the gentiles, I did not consult any man,"

Paul acknowledges his gratitude to God's grace and the priviledge given to him

to preach the gospel to the gentiles. He also empasizes that his knowledge of the

gospel come from God, not from man.

:21-24 "Later I went to Syria and Cilicia. I was personally unknown to the churches of

Judea that are in Christ. They only heard the report: The man who formerly per-

secuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy. And they praised

God because of me."

Paul's testimony to the Galatians was about a life, his own, that was changed. Where, once he persecuted the church, he, now, lived to see it flourish. Jesus, and only Jesus, is what made the difference in his life.

Key Verses to Me:

:21-24 "Later I went to Syria and Cilicia. I was personally unknown to the churches of

Judea that are in Christ. They only heard the report: The man who formerly per-

secuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy. And they praised

God because of me."

It is difficult to refute one's personal testimony. For Paul, who once was knee- deep in religious laws and rules, has only one message worth preaching: Jesus,

the one who gave himself for our sins and who set us free to live by faith and grace. Once having tasted the fruits of freedom by grace, why would one ever

want to go back to living one's life under the strain and habitual efforts of trying

to live by religious rules and regulations. "By grace" is a much better way to live.

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The purity of the gospel is Jesus, and Jesus alone. Anything

else added to the equation adds an unlimited amount of fear and

anxiety to our lives. Is it any wonder why Paul was so adamant in

his stand for the gospel?

In his love, see you tomorrow...

"Carpe Momentum in Love" (Seize the moment in love)