Galatians Study #1 Galatians 1:1-5 1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) 2 And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia: 3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, 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: 5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. ****** Here in the introductory verses we can already sense that there was an issue in this group of churches about Pauls unique apostleship! Paul had to remind the Galatians; and present day denominational Christendom needs to be reminded also, that Paul was NOT one of the 12 apostles of Israel, and he did not preach the same gospel as they did! Pauls gospel was all grace, as verse 3 tells us. We will discover later that the 12 apostles of Israel did not understand this grace that Paul preached until after Paul taught it to them. In any case, Acts 15 is the historical backdrop of the book of Galatians. There was a meeting in Jerusalem between Pauls men and the Jewish leaders, including the 12 apostles. There was big trouble being created by some of these Jews. Notice: Acts 15:1-2 1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, EXCEPT YE BE CIRCUMCISED after the manner of Moses, HE CANNOT BE SAVED. 2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. *** So then, they have the meeting, and some issues are ironed out. The results can be seen in Acts 15 AND in Galatians 2:6-9. Well cover that later! In verse 4, Paul reminds them of of how they were delivered from this present evil world. Christ gave himself for OUR SINS! Verse 1 told us that God raised him from the dead! This present world is evil for at least two reasons. 1.) Satan is the present god of it 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 2.) The Lord Jesus Christ is not ruling as King over Israel and the nations of the world, having been crucified and rejected by the Jews. Israel was given one more year to repent of this act per Luke 13:6-9, but as the first 7 chapters of Acts shows, Israel again rejected their Messiah! Luke 13:6-9 6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years ( Christs ministry was THREE YEARS!) I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? 8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone THIS YEAR ALSO, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. **** After this last offer of Christ returning to Israel as her King was rejected, God did something totally unexpected, something he kept hid in himself from before the world began. He gave the world GRACE instead of WRATH! It was the chief enemy of Christ himself that was given this grace. Notice: 1 Timothy 1:15-16 15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I (Paul) AM CHIEF. 16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that IN ME ( Paul) FIRST Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should HEREAFTER BELIEVE on him to life everlasting. ***** When Christ saved Saul of Taurus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9), the DISPENSATION OF GODS GRACE began! Ephesians 3:1-2 1 For this cause I PAUL, the prisoner of Jesus Christ FOR YOU GENTILES, 2 If ye have heard of THE DISPENSATION OF THE GRACE OF GOD which is GIVEN ME (Paul) to you-ward (Gentiles): This is the most important historical event of the world since the crucifixion of our Lord, yet most of Christianity is ignorant of it. I was one of them! God opened my eyes to the scriptures. I now see it clear as day. I have understood how to rightly divide law and grace since 1989. I learned how to rightly divide Paul from the 12 apostles around 1993 from a Chicago radio preacher named Jim Kirkwood. I then fine tuned it all by reading C.R. Stams Things That Differ around that same time. By the way, I highly recommend that book to any serious student of the Word of God! In closing this introduction, it is important to understand that since the Lord Jesus Christ called Paul to be the apostle of the Gentiles in Acts 9, there is NO OTHER man that God has given you to follow. In other words, if you are not following Paul today, then you are NOT following Christ. It is that simple! 1 Corinthians 4:15-16 15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I (Paul) HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU THROUGH THE GOSPEL. 16 Wherefore I beseech you, BE YE FOLLOWERS OF ME (Paul). 1 Corinthians 11:1 Be ye FOLLOWERS OF ME, even as I ALSO AM OF CHRIST. Philippians 3:17 Brethren, BE FOLLOWERS TOGETHER OF ME, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. ****** Romans 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: It is with this in mind that we can learn tomorrow of what Paul calls another gospel, which had been perverted! Galatians 1:6-7 6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
Posted on: Fri, 25 Jul 2014 11:34:27 +0000
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