Galatians 1:1-5
So Soon?
THEME: The Theme of the book of Galatians is, "How far into Judaism
must a person go to be saved?" The answer is, "None." A person can
be saved without knowing or following Judaism at all.
The importance of this book cannot be over emphasized. This book is
the first in a trilogy of books, Galatians, Romans, and Hebrews. They
explain the Biblical doctrine of grace, and they show us how WHY we
do not worship with the laws and rituals of the Old Testament.
1. Ignorance of these three books has opened the door for a
resurgence of Judaism in the church today.
2. Judaism is when Christians are told they must keep the Old
Testament law to either be saved or to be right with God.
3. Understand, the further into the end times we go, the more
false teaching, such as Judaism and Calvinism, are going to
creep back into the church.
4. The only defense against such ignorance is a knowledge of the
Word of God.
Let me share an important key with you: These three books (Galatians,
Romans, and Hebrews) do not teach a change in God’s plan of
salvation. They teach that salvation has always been by grace.
WHO THE BOOK IS WRITTEN TO?
Gal 1:2 … unto the churches of Galatia:
The book of Galatians is not written to a church but rather to a
group of churches. These churches are located in a region of Asia
Minor know as Galatia, a region Paul passed through as recorded in
\\#Acts 15:6\\. That area corresponds to the nation of Turkey
today. The exact number or location of the churches is not known.
The people and Paul bonded in a powerful way.
Gal 4:14 And my temptation which was in my flesh
ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as
an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
15 Where is then the blessedness ye spake of?
for I bear you record, that, if it had been
possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes,
and have given them to me.
WHEN THE BOOK WAS WRITTEN
The exact time of the book’s writing is not known but probably around
55AD. Paul passed through the region after the Council of Jerusalem
\\#Acts 15:6\\ and shares those events \\#Gal 2:1-10\\ in this
letter.
I. \\#Gal 1:1-1:5\\ Our God is a great God.
A. \\#1:1\\ We worship a God with power to direct our lives.
1. Notice the things that Paul either outright stated or
hinted that was actively working in his life and the
lives of others.
a. \\#1\\ God had called Paul to be an apostle.
b. God had raised Jesus from the dead.
c. That implies that God had send Jesus into the world.
d. \\#3\\ And to those who will accept Jesus, God had
sent peace and grace into the world.
2. That, my friend, is a God who is active in the affairs of
mankind!
3. Notice, God personally works in people’s lives.
a. Paul testified that he had heard God CALL him to be an
apostle.
b. Your very presence here tonight indicates that God is
working on you.
(1) The fact that you are at a small, rural church on
a Wednesday evening indicates God either has
saved you or is working to save you.
(2) I trust you have also discovered that God is
working in both your life and your eternity.
(3) And I pray that God has answered prayer,
personally, just for you.
c. But Paul’s statement also indicate that God works in
the lives of all the world.
(1) God sent Jesus to die for the world. God offers
peace and grace to those throughout the world
that accept Jesus.
(2) Understand that God wants the entire world to be
saved, sanctified, and serving Him.
(3) Nothing would please God more than that today
every person would turn to Him in faith and
obedience.
(4) I believe that even if only a small percentage
of the world would, a revival would break out
that would delay the anti-Christ’s revealing for
decades if not for centuries.
B. We worship a God with power to raise the dead.
Gal 1:1 …who raised him from the dead;)
1. We should never let the power and the amazement of
this feat escape us.
2. The resurrection completed the payment for our sins.
a. Indeed, the payment for sin was the death of Jesus
Christ and in the resurrection, God gave to us
Jesus’ change.
b. All Jesus’ death had to do was take away damnation
and nothing beyond that.
c. Whatever above and beyond the payment that Jesus
made, God through the resurrection gave it to us.
d. i.e. Eternal life, the Holy Ghost, heaven, a
mansion, purpose
3. In this verse, Paul was speaking of Jesus’
resurrection.
4. Let us not forget that has surely as Jesus has been
raised from the dead so we will be raised from the
dead.
C. \\#Gal 1:4\\ We worship a God with power to deliver us
from this evil world.
Gal 1:4 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:
1. In that verse, Paul was stating that this world is an
evil place—and it is.
(a) Many could testify that life is against them.
(1) The longer we live the more it rewards us
with loneliness and a ailments.
(2) That is not right.
(3) I read today where a tribe in Africa kills
its old women and runs off its old men.
(4) The leaders of the tribe said they could not
let sentiment stop them for their
resources were just too limited.
(b) Others would testify that nature is against them.
(1) You work and save and build only to have
a tornado, hurricane, earthquake, or famine
to sweep it all away.
(2) Or you can do like we do it in America, have
insurance payments or taxes them away.
(c) I can testify that the world is against us. It
constantly tempts us to constantly do evil.
(d) In such a world, it is understandable that some
are angry, depressed, and bitter.
2. But in that verse, Paul makes a second statement even
more important.
(a) God has given to us deliverance.
(b) Of course bad things still happen to good people,
but God has given to us forgiveness, newness of
life, purpose, power, and hope.
(c) Only a great God could plant an oasis of victory
on a deserted island of defeat!
II. \\#6-9\\ Our Gospel is a Unique Gospel.
Gal 1:6 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.
8 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.
9 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.
A. Notice the statements that Paul made in those verses to
describe the uniqueness of the gospel.
1. \\#6\\ Paul was amazed they had moved to another gospel.
2. \\#7\\ He said plainly that there is NO OTHER GOSPEL.
3. \\#8\\ Paul said don’t believe there is even if the
message of it is delivered by angels. (Isn’t it a shame
that the Mormons never read that verse.)
4. \\#9\\ Paul said if anyone preaches another gospel, put
him out of the church.
B. Why would Paul make those kinds of statements? Because there
is only ONE GOSPEL.
C. Allow me to remind you of the gospel:
1. It always centers upon the works of ONE, Jesus.
2. It always requires the TWO actions of the sinner.
a. To believe and accept that all the works are of Jesus.
b. To repent of living a life in rebellion to God.
D. This is the gospel.
1. Anything less is inadequate to save.
2. Anything more is irrelevant to salvation.
III. \\#6-9\\ Our people are a Gullible People
A. It is not I who will call the Galatians foolish. It is Paul.
Galatians 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath
bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth,
before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been
evidently set forth, crucified among you?
Galatians 3:3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in
the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
B. Many in this region had turned from the gospel to a false
gospel.
1. The problem was not in the gospel. It is complete and
powerful.
2. I do not think the problem was in the preacher. Paul
would have had to have been one of the best.
3. The problem then lay in the flock.
C. But it is hard to be too harsh on sheep for acting like sheep.
D. What is the solution?
1. There is only one.
2. We must study the Scriptures to understand what is so.
Hence, tonight we study again an important book. May God help us to
learn what we need to know.
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