Galatians

Sunday, 7 February 2016

For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. Galatians 1:10

Paul begins this verse with the Greek arti gar – “For now.” The use of the adverb arti, rather than the more common word for now, nun, is used to indicate “here-and-now; exactly now, in the immediate present” (HELPS Word Studies). James Strong says that it indicates to “draw close together.” For this reason, these words of Paul are probably not speaking of his former life in Judaism which is just now being contrasted with his conduct in Christ. He has been converted for almost a quarter of a century at this point.

Rather, he is making an immediate connection with the words he just expressed –

“As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.”

The “right now” attitude which he is expressing gives the thought of, “It is necessary to leave off with my usual way of greeting a church in my letter and to be stern and direct. If the matter weren’t so urgent, I would give a happy and friendly greeting. However, at this time, the matter is so urgent that it is just not possible.”

The urgency has prompted him to simply open the letter and move directly into a curse upon those would attempt to “persuade men.” The word “persuade” is not the intent here, though. It is better translated as “seek approval of.” Paul is concerned about the Galatians looking for the approval of the false apostles; something he was completely unwilling to do. In contrast, he would rather seek God’s approval than that of any man.

In addition to seeking approval, he next asks, “Or do I seek to please men?” The false apostles were doing just that. If they were seeking to please God, they would hold fast to the true gospel of Jesus Christ – salvation by grace through faith. Instead, they were seeking to please men through the observance of matters of the law; a law which was set aside by the work of Christ. This leads directly to his final proclamation of this verse –

“For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.”

Paul had come out of the Old Testament system; the Law of Moses. This was certainly displeasing to those who were still under it. But that law was fulfilled. It was annulled, it was set aside, and it was nailed to the cross. If he were a men-pleaser, he would still be pursuing works of the law, and he would still be teaching others to do those works – “Don’t eat!” “Don’t touch!” “Observe the Sabbath!” “Get circumcised!”

But because Christ had fulfilled those and established a New Covenant of grace, Paul determined that he would “be a bondservant of Christ” rather than under the bondage of the law. He had a new Master and his face was set on pleasing Him. There is only one choice that is set before man – either please men though some type of work and thus reject Christ, or follow Christ and willingly receive what He has done, putting aside the works of the flesh.

Life application: Galatians is given to show us the utter severity of not receiving and adhering to the finished work of Christ. It is only though a complete submission to Him that we can be saved. We must realize that there is NO WORK which we can do in order to please God except to receive the completed work of His Son. This is why Jesus said, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” John 6:29

Heavenly Father, help us to get our thinking straight. If Jesus died in fulfillment of the law, then the law is fulfilled. If we return to deeds of the law in an attempt to be acceptable to You, then we have rejected what You have already done and have set out to seek our own righteousness. Was the cross that meaningless to us? No! Help us to understand that we stand justified by faith in Christ alone. I put my hope in His work alone! Amen.

Saturday, 6 February 2016

As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. Galatians 1:9

There is a great divide between scholars concerning the words, “As we have said before.” Because of Paul’s seemingly great surprise at what has transpired in Galatia (read verse 6 to see this), it seems to some scholars that it is unlikely he had any idea that this turning away from the truth so quickly would have been possible. Therefore, the “before” appears to be speaking about the preceding sentence (read verse 8 to see this). In other words, “before” indicates the substance of verse 8 and what he says in verse 9 is a repetition for stress.

However, other scholars look to the structure of this verse and adamantly suppose that he is speaking of a previous warning which is not recorded elsewhere. Vincent’s Word Studies, for example, state –

“Not to be referred to the preceding verse, since the compound verb would be too strong, and now in the following clause points to an earlier time, a previous visit.”

What seems the most likely is that the first case is correct. The incredulity of Paul in the opening verses of his letter appears to indicate that he was taken completely by surprise by what has transpired. The repetition for stress is a common means of expression found throughout the Bible.

In Exodus 25, the Lord describes the construction of the ark of the testimony. In verse 16, He then says, “And you shall put into the ark the Testimony which I will give you.” Then, just a few verses later, after describing the mercy seat, He repeats the thought with, “You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony that I will give you.” This is seen again and again in Scripture. It is a grammatical device called parallelism. It is a repetition for emphasis.

The Lord used this type of repetition as well –

“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
¹⁹ “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:18-20

The substance of the words changes a bit, as it does now from Paul’s pen, but the intent of the words, with their accompanying emphasis, remains the same. The changes in Paul’s words are of substance, but not of intent –

8 – But even if we, or an angel from heaven, (the absolute negation of anyone after the original)
9 – As we have said before (speaking of the original)

9 – so now I say again (emphasis)

8 – preach any other gospel to you (from the absolute negation of anyone else)
9 – if anyone preaches any other gospel (who would dare!)

8 – than what we have preached to you, (what Paul originally preached)
9 – to you than what you have received, (what they received from Paul)

8 – let him be accursed. (stated penalty)
9 – let him be accursed. (stated penalty)

Life application: If you come across difficult passages in Scripture, there is a whole host of sound resources that you can refer to for an explanation of them. If these scholars are at polar opposites concerning a conclusion, then you must refer to your own knowledge of Scripture in order to make the best possible conclusion concerning the issue. The more familiar you are with the rest of Scripture, the better chance you will have of coming to the correct conclusion. Also, making diagrams and comparisons of what is being analyzed may help in the decision making process.

How marvelous, O Lord, is Your name in all the earth! You have set our earthly home in the most wonderful spot. It turns around each day, lighting one side and then the other. The sun rises and it also sets. The moon waxes full and it wanes to a beautiful crescent of sliver. Tides rise, and the fish are abundant. Tides ebb, and crabs are there to do what crabs do. There is harmony and there is wisdom on display, and everything is as it should be. How marvelous, O Lord, is Your name in all the earth. Amen.

Friday, 5 February 2016

But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. Galatians 1:8

Paul now makes a most direct statement, asking his audience to think the words through carefully and with all of the weight of what they imply bearing over them. “But” is set against the words of the previous verses which said –

“I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, ⁷ which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.”

What Paul will write concerning delivering a “different gospel” is exactly what the Judaizers had done. However, their actions will now be placed in comparison to other categories which bear even more weight and authority than they supposedly possessed. This comparison will draw out the enormity of the sin which they bear for their false gospel.

“But even if we” is Paul’s way of saying, “If I or any other true apostle.” Those who were commissioned by Christ Jesus personally were the ones entrusted with the gospel message. They were the highest authorities in humanity concerning this precious trust which had been delivered to them. This is the first comparison and it is something that would seem unimaginable to occur. And yet, in verse 2:11, something will arise which could almost be considered in line with this impossible-to-imagine scenario. When it does, Paul will note his actions to correct the situation.

From this human level of authority, Paul next raises the bar by saying, “or an angel from heaven.” We might be able to conceive that a man would presume to preach “another gospel,” but surely not so awesome an authority as an angel from heaven! And yet, Paul’s words echo down through the ages, even to our modern times, as a warning against the tricks of the devil as he sends his demons, masquerading as heavenly angels, in order to pervert the gospel.

The religion of Islam was supposedly given to Muhammad by the angel Gabriel. It is a religion which is contrary to Christianity and is a “different gospel” for sure. Mormonism began by a supposed visit to Joseph Smith by the angel Moroni. Mormonism is likewise contrary to the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Other false teachers such as Ellen G. White of the 7th Day Adventists have claimed heavenly visions and have, in turn, perverted the truth of the true gospel. The list is not a short one and it is to be warred against by those who hold to the truth of the gospel.

And what is it that Paul warns against concerning these false apostles and false heavenly visitors? It is that they will “preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you.” There is one gospel message. Jesus Christ has come in the flesh; He was born under the law; He lived out that law perfectly; and He died in fulfillment of that same law. In His death, the Law of Moses was annulled and in its place came a New Covenant. The proof of this gospel is that Christ rose from the dead, prevailing over death.

Paul clearly defines the gospel he preaches in 1 Corinthians 15 –

“Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, ² by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
³ For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴ and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, ⁵ and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. ⁶ After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. ⁷ After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. ⁸ Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.” 1 Corinthians 15:1-8

Christ is the fulfillment of the law and a New Covenant has been established through His shed blood. It is a covenant of grace. No works of any kind are to be added into the gift which He offers. To pervert this gospel is to say that what He did was insufficient for salvation. In essence, it is to say, “I don’t trust Christ to fully save me.” It is a slap in God’s face and it is the greatest of heresy. For such a false message, Paul says to “let him be accursed.”

Whether it is an apostle or even an angel from heaven who proclaims any different gospel, the pronouncement is the same. The word “accursed” or anathema in Greek means to be “devoted to God.” In this case, it is to be taken in a negative way. Such a person is to be devoted to the curse of God as set apart for destruction.

Life application: Today, many people are following the “Hebrew Roots Movement.” Although this sounds great because Jesus was a Jew and it’s always good to know the background of any issue, they have taken it to dangerous extremes – reinserting the law and mandating that followers of Christ live as He lived – as a Jew under the Law of Moses. This is heresy and it is exactly what Paul agues against. Why would anyone want to go back under the bondage of the law instead of trusting in the grace of Christ? The reason is that they do not trust in the finished work of Christ. This, and any other perversion of the true gospel, is exactly what Paul condemns. Don’t get swallowed up in such heresies. The law is fulfilled; we are under grace.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the finished work of Jesus. What could we add to what He has done? Help us to trust that when He said, “It is finished,” it means that this is so. May we never reintroduce precepts from the law, which is now annulled through His work, and thus set aside the grace You offer though Him. Help us to trust the pure and undefiled gospel. Thank You for the finished work of Jesus. Amen.

Friday, 4 February 2016

…which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. Galatians 1:7

The NKJV wisely departs from the older KJV in their translation of verses 6 and 7. Notice the difference between the two –

I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, ⁷ which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. NKJV

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. KJV

Two entirely different words are translated as “another” by the KJV. The first is héteros – another (of a different kind). This stands in contrast to állos (“another of the same kind”). The KJV confuses this. Should verse 6 be cited alone, which is not an uncommon thing for people to do, there could be a misunderstanding of what Paul is saying. Thankfully, there are other versions one can refer to in order to get a fuller meaning of the intent of what is being said.

His words show us that what was presented to the Galatians by the Judaizers was a “different” gospel which was no gospel at all. He is so adamant against these people who are bringing in their false message that he calls them hoi tarassontes – “the troublers.” They are especially troublesome and are to be utterly rejected. There is one message of the good news found in Jesus Christ, and that is His fulfilling the law and then annulling it through His sacrifice on Calvary.

Paul notes in Romans 7:2, “For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband.” In this, he was using a real-life example to make a spiritual point about the law. In his continued explanation he then says in verse 7:6, “But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.”

In other words, the gospel is that of grace. Christ fulfilled the law on our behalf and then He died, thus annulling the law (Hebrews 7:18) for all who believe in the sufficiency of His work. This is the gospel message. The Judaizers had come to the Galatians and were proposing a “different gospel” which was based on works of the law. This will be seen as we continue. It is these wicked people who Paul speaks of with the words, “but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.”

The word Paul uses for “pervert” is metastrephó. It indicates a complete turning from one thing to another. To understand its sense, read the words of Acts 2:20 which use the same word –

“The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.”

The change in the sun is complete, from light to darkness. This is what happens when works of the law are reintroduced into the grace of Christ: something entirely different results; something which can only bring condemnation to those who pursue it.

Life application: Paul lays out, in advance of directly making his charges against the Judaizers, the enormity of the error which has come to Galatia. It is an error which continues on today when any precept of the Law of Moses is reintroduced into the Gospel of grace of Jesus Christ. Paul will use circumcision as the benchmark of what he means concerning reintroducing the law. But the precept stands true for any other precept of the law: “You cannot eat pork.” – heresy! “You must tithe” – heresy! “You must observe the Saturday Sabbath” – heresy! We cannot pick and choose what constitutes grace. We can only trust in the grace that is given through the work of Christ. Trust in Christ and in Him alone for your salvation. After that, if you want to not eat pork, that is fine. If you want to give 10, 20, or 90% of your money to the church, that is fine. If you want to lay around all day on Saturday and do nothing, that is fine too. But if you are doing these things expecting to earn God’s favor and bring you salvation, you have fallen from grace.

Heavenly Father, how marvelous is the grace of Jesus Christ. He did all the work, fulfilling the law on our behalf. Now, you simply ask us to believe. How can we continuously muddy these pure and precious waters with all kinds of crazy additions to what He has done. “Yes, He fulfilled the law, but…” Rather, “I trust that what He did is fully sufficient to save me and keep on saving me. No ifs, ands, or buts!” Thank You for this absolute surety I possess. Amen.

Thursday, 3 February 2016

I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, Galatians 1:6

After his opening blessing, Paul jumps immediately into the meat of the matter. There is no delay or beating around the bush. Rather, his words are direct and are intended to show the immense dissatisfaction that he has with the Galatians. According to Vincent’s Word Studies, the words “I marvel” are often used “by Greek orators of surprise as something reprehensible.” They are used by Jesus in this same way –

“And He marveled because of their unbelief.” Mark 6:6

Next he says, “…that you are turning away.” The word for “turning” implies a transfer in the middle of something and carries the specific idea of going over to another party as a deserter. The Galatians had begun to apostatize from the true faith. The tense of the verb shows that it is in the process of occurring. The KJV says “that ye are so soon removed.” Thus it misses the sense of the verb which indicates the on-going nature of what is occurring; they are in the process of being deluded.

Continuing with his words, the NKJV says that they are turning away “so soon.” The word means “quickly” rather than “after a short time.” The Galatians made a sudden change in direction from where they were heading to where they are now heading. This explains the astonishment of Paul. He had probably heard that things were going along well at some point in the past, and then all of a sudden he hears that they have started down another completely new avenue.

The certain explanation for this is that they have been misled by a new and unsound doctrine. This will be confirmed as the chapter continues, but it is the same thing that happens constantly in churches around the world. Some person comes in with a false message, and because the people don’t know the word, they are easily misdirected from the truth of “Him who called you in the grace of Christ.”

This is speaking of “God the Father” who is mentioned in verse 4. Therefore, the word “in” should be translated “by.” In other words, Christ is the mediate agency by which God’s grace is bestowed upon sinners. As Charles Ellicott notes –

“The ‘grace of Christ’ is His voluntary self-surrender to humiliation and death, from no other prompting than His own love for sinful men.”

It is by this work of Christ that the Gospel is brought into the world of fallen man. It is from this precious gospel, which is the pure and undefiled gift of God, that the Galatians had begun to turn to “a different gospel.” However, as will be seen in the next verse, this “different gospel” is no gospel at all. There is only one truth in this matter and the Galatians had turned from it.

The work of the Judaizers, who have as yet not been introduced into the epistle, has had a damaging effect on the Galatians. And their false message continues to have the same damaging effect on countless souls today. Galatians is a vital epistle for understanding what the pure and undefiled gospel message is.

Life application: Grace indicates “unmerited favor.” If you have to do something to receive grace, then it ain’t grace.

Heavenly Father, I pray that people will take the time to understand what the word “grace” means. So many folks who claim the title of “Christian” feel that they need to do something before receiving Your grace which came through the work of Christ. With this approach, they have rejected the unmerited favor which You offer and have set about to established their own works as a means of appeasing You. Grace plus is not grace. Help us to understand this and to be willing to simply say, “I receive Jesus and I stand on His work alone.” Amen.