Galatians 1:1-12
Early in 2025, I began a new series of Sunday School lessons on the book of Galatians. The following is a sermon I preached to introduce the series.
Background
The first four books of the NT are known as the Gospels. These tell the story of the coming of the New Covenant as it was revealed in the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, whom we all know as the incarnation of God in the flesh.
The fifth book in the NT following the four gospels is the book of Acts, which tells the story of the coming of the Holy Spirit, the founding of the early church under the leadership of the Apostles, the spread of the gospel message from Jerusalem, through Judea and Samaria, and the beginning of its journey to the ends of the earth.
The church grew very rapidly in those first days after the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. But as the church grew, so did the persecution of the church by the Jews in Jerusalem and Judea, much of it led by the young upstart Pharisee from Tarsus named Saul.
As the persecution worsened, those who proclaimed Christ were forced to flee. As they did, those whose homes were somewhere other than Israel carried the message of the good news of Jesus Christ with them back to their homes, while those who were native to Israel were forced to flee from their own homes and into the homes of strangers in far off regions of the world – and many of those were the homes of non-Jewish peoples.
As the Gospel message spread across the world and as the church began to grow, doctrinal questions inevitably arose. As long as Christianity was about Jews witnessing to Jews, and Jews confessing that Jesus of Nazareth was, in fact, the Messiah promised from the earliest days of Israel’s history, things seemed to go relatively smoothly within the church, in spite of the persecution from the Jewish leadership. However, when people of other nations – those who were not Jewish and whom the Bible refers to most commonly as “Gentiles” – when these “outsiders” began to respond to the message of the gospel and to confess Christ as Lord and be baptized, a whole new set of problems arose.
- What was going to happen to the laws concerning ceremonial cleanliness if Jews began to live in constant association with non-Jews?
- What about the strict dietary laws and the traditions that had been handed down for generation after generation?
- Was the church – which had its roots in Judaism – supposed to open its doors freely to the entire world?
- Or is that narrow passageway into the kingdom of God that Jesus mentioned defined by the restrictive boundaries of Judaism?
- Was God’s gift of justification by the faith in Christ only the gateway by which those who were newly converted would then complete their sanctification by strict adherence to the requirements and traditions of the Law of Moses,
- Or was the entire subject of redemption – from justification to glorification – to be understood only within the context of grace?
These questions were being debated from Jerusalem to Philippi, from Alexandria to Rome, and everywhere else that there was a Jewish contingent within the church. In spite of the efforts that the Roman Empire had made to assure peace in the world, there was a revolution taking place in that world, and these two opposing forces were headed for the inevitable showdown.
The Apostle Paul found it necessary to deal with this issue of “law v. grace” within the ranks of his own associates and ministry partners…
The Apostle Paul found it necessary to deal with this issue of “law v. grace” within the ranks of his own associates and ministry partners, as well as with the recognized leaders of the church who made Jerusalem their headquarters. And the battleground where he elected to take a stand was in the Roman province of Galatia, located in what we know today as Turkey.
From chapters 13-14 of the book of Acts, we know that on their first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas traveled to Galatia, establishing churches in such places as Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe – cities of the southern part of the province of Galatia. Most scholars believe that they also established churches in the northern region of the province of Galatia. The Bible does not tell us that explicitly, although it is implied.
All along the way Paul and Barnabas faced persecution from the Jews who were opposed to the teaching that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah. In Lystra, the Jews stoned Paul, then dragged him outside of the city and left him for dead. But God had other plans for Paul. He recovered from this stoning and continued to be faithful to his call as an apostle of Jesus Christ.
Paul made a personal investment of his own time and wealth and even shed his very own life blood to see that these churches in Galatia were establish and firmly grounded in the truth of the Gospel message. Yet the requirements of his calling meant that Paul could not remain in Galatia. So that when news of the trouble that had arisen in the Galatian churches reached Paul, he had moved on to other far-flung regions of the Empire.
Most biblical scholars believe that Paul was working in Corinth, Greece, when he received the shocking news that something had suddenly gone so very wrong in the churches of Galatia. Since he could not travel to Galatia to take care of the problem firsthand, Paul did the next best thing – he wrote them a letter.
That letter is preserved in the New Testament as the book of Galatians.
What has happened to make Paul so upset?
A key verse to understanding the problem in the churches of Galatia, why Paul is so upset, and the purpose behind Paul’s writing this letter to the Galatians is verse six of chapter 1 of Galatians.
Galatians 1:6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel…
The King James Version begins the verse with “I marvel…,” but the word marvel does not adequately convey the effect the news from Galatia had on Paul.
The word means “to be struck with astonishment.” We might add that the news struck Paul speechless, but I don’t believe that being speechless was a problem Paul ever had to deal with.
…the churches of Galatia appear to have abandoned the truth of the gospel as Paul had taught it…
For some reason and in a relatively short time, the churches of Galatia appear to have abandoned the truth of the gospel as Paul had taught it and had begun to believe a false doctrine.
It could be that Paul’s thoughts immediately turned to the Old Testament story of Israel and how quickly the nation had turned from worshiping the one true God to worshiping idols.
After the people of Israel had been delivered from the slavery of Egypt, they languished at the foot of Mount Sinai as the return of Moses from the presence of God on the mountain was delayed for 40 days and nights. (Exodus 32; Deuteronomy 9)
After He finished giving Moses the law, God spoke with urgency to Moses…
Deuteronomy 9:12 “Arise, go down from here quickly, for your people whom you brought out of Egypt have acted corruptly. They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them; they have made a molten image for themselves.” (NASB)
Just as Moses acted quickly to the crisis in the camp of Israel, Paul responded quickly to the crisis in Galatia. And just as Exodus 32 tells us that “Moses’ anger burned hot” when he realized what was happening in the camp of Israel, Paul appears to have responded with the same burning zeal when he realized what was happening in Galatia.
I don’t believe Paul was the kind of person to act recklessly, but I believe he did act decisively after he realized what was happening in Galatia.
So, what was happening in Galatia?
Incomplete Message
Apparently not long after Paul left Galatia, there came onto the scene Christians who had been born and raised as Jews who still considered themselves primarily as Jews. They are commonly referred to as Judaizers, a word found only once in the NT here in Galatians 2:14. A Judaizer was not necessarily a Christian by definition, but one who chose to live and to conform to Jewish customs and manners and apparently urged or even attempted to compel others to accept these same customs and traditions.
In the case we have before us, these Judaizers were, in fact, Christians who believed that a true Christian not only had to believe in Jesus as the Messiah but also had to keep the Law of Moses, which meant observing the feast days and the traditions and rituals of OT Judaism, which for men included the physical act of circumcision.
These Judaizers added something to the Gospel that Paul had never taught, and by doing so, corrupted the purity and simplicity of the message.
They did not deny that the atoning death and resurrection of Christ were essentials of salvation, but that a person needed to do more to be completely saved than simply believe in Christ. In other words, they added something to the Gospel that Paul had never taught, and by doing so, corrupted the purity and simplicity of the message.
That is one thing that has so angered and disappointed Paul.
It is not the last time that someone will add something to the gospel message, however. Since the founding of the church, several “items” have been added by various elements of Christianity defined as requirements to make the process of salvation effective or complete, including such things as seven sacraments of grace, or a “second blessing” (baptism of by the Holy Spirit), the requirement of the act of baptism, and recognizing that the true Sabbath for the church is Saturday rather than Sunday.
Those of an evangelical persuasion often express thankfulness that at least they have not added anything to the purity of the gospel message. Or have they?
Using the “Roman Road to Salvation,” evangelicals often teach that, for a lost person to be saved, they must first admit that they are a sinner and confess their sins. While such may make good church doctrine, it does not make good biblical doctrine, because there is no such teaching in Scripture. Peter told the Philippian jailer, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” Paul told the Romans, “Confess Jesus as Lord and believe God raised Him from the dead and you will be saved.” Nowhere does Scripture state that there is any requirement for a lost person to admit they are a sinner or to confess their sins in order to be saved.
We have added that a good Christian must attend worship, read their Bible, pray and fast regularly, go on mission trips, help the poor, and tithe. The problem with such thoughts is the word must. We have re-defined Christianity as a “must do” kind of religion instead of a “will do” kind of relationship with the living Christ.
Regular attendance at church, reading our Bibles, praying daily, telling others about Christ, tithing, and doing good works are all good things, but they are not elements of a prescription for how one becomes a Christian. Instead, they are the description of what a true Christian looks like. In an online article, James A. Fowler writes, “Whenever a Christian begins to think that the performance standards of what they ‘do’ or ‘don’t do’ is the basis of or the quality of their Christian life or their ‘spirituality,’ then they have lapsed into ‘Galatian thinking.'”
Contemporary church members are too much into “Galatian thinking.”
The church member who is practicing “Galatian thinking” thinks like this: “If I don’t smoke, drink, swear, or fall into any terrible sin; if I pray more, read my Bible more, witness more, am more regular in church attendance,
get along better with my spouse, or try to be a better parent, then I will be a better Christian and will be more pleasing to God.”
“Galatian thinking” evaluates the Christian life by achievement, merit, and reward, rather than by constant receptive trust in the grace of God in Christ. This “must do” kind of thinking – this “Galatian” concept of Christianity is what has angered Paul to the extent that he immediately fires off a letter to the churches of Galatia in an effort to correct what has gone so horribly wrong.
Paul knew that adding anything to God’s plan of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone was nothing less than idolatry, the result of which is not salvation but eternal separation from God.
Incompetent Messenger
Not only had these Judaizers taught that the gospel according to Paul was at best an Incomplete Message, they also made accusations against Paul in an attempt to prove that he was an Incompetent Messenger. According to these false teachers, Paul was not a true apostle as were the other twelve Apostles. Paul taught things differently than James and Peter and the other Apostles were teaching concerning salvation back in Judea.
In light of these accusations, Paul spent the better part of the first two chapters of Galatians dealing with the vindication of his call to be an apostle of Christ.
Galatians 1:11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
These Judaizers claimed that James and Peter and the other apostles taught that, since God’s law is eternal, it cannot be set aside for anything else. Why, even Jesus kept all the Law. Could those who claimed to be His followers do anything less? Oh, yes, grace is necessary for salvation, but it simply is not enough.
Paul deals with this subject in chapters 3 & 4 by an explanation of justification by grace through faith.
Galatians 3:11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” 12 But the law is not of faith…
Thirdly, these Judaizers claimed that Paul’s gospel message led to low morality. In other words, without the Law, there would certainly be an increase in lawlessness, sin, and immorality. So, in chapters 5 & 6, Paul will make an exhortation to sanctification to counter this false understanding of God’s grace.
Galatians 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
In Christ, and only in Christ, can mankind fulfill the Law of God.
What the Judaizers failed to realize is that Christianity does not lead the believer away from the Law into nothingness (or into lawlessness). Instead, the Law leads to Christ. In Christ, and only in Christ, can mankind fulfill the Law of God.
Galatians has often been referred to as the Magna Carta of Christian Liberty, The Christian’s Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights of the Christian Life, and as the Emancipation Declaration, because grace has broken the bondage of both sin and legalism and set the Christian free to enjoy obedience and spiritual growth in Christ.
Galatians 5:1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. (ESV)
Let me close this message by reminding everyone that the freedom and liberty of grace is not the same thing as the freedom and liberty that we celebrate on the 4th of July.
The liberty and grace of God is not to be confused with or demeaned by equating it with patriotism, which too many church members are so quick to do. It’s OK to be patriotic, but that is not the message of the gospel.
The freedom and liberty of grace is freedom from the curse of sin and freedom from the penalty of sin and freedom from the wrath of God because of sin. The writer of Hebrews would add…
Hebrews 7:1 For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God. (NLT)
And that hope rests in the understanding that salvation comes only by the will of God by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
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