Category: Galatians

Re:Verse passage – Galatians 1:1-10 (day seven)

who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age. Galatians 1:4a

Have you ever heard someone attempt to discredit the Bible due to its age?  They try to say that a book written by men thousands of years ago should not govern or provide morality for the present age. The problem with this logic is that the Bible is not some book written by men; it is the inspired Word of God.

Paul addressed this particular book to the churches in Galatia, clearly intending for it to become a circular letter that was passed around the region. We can know that God intended for it to circulate all the way to you and me in 2023. Why? Because He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. His Word is not outdated. It is more than capable to rescue us from this present age. How is the Word speaking to you today?

Re:Verse passage – Galatians 1:1-10 (day six) 

This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead. Galatians 1:1

What I appreciate most about Galatians is its intimate portrait of Paul the Apostle. No other epistle includes the same details of his life as Galatians. While his introduction is not necessarily unique from his other letters, it does set us up to learn more about Paul’s life.

Paul makes clear from the beginning that he was appointed by Jesus himself and given special authority to be his spokesperson.

Sometimes, it helps me to give Paul’s history real thought, that he was a real person in history, with real encounters, struggles, and ambitions. In these few verses, we re-learn two valuable and personal things about him.   First, he really cared about the truth; he had given his life to the Truth. Second, he really cared about people. What becomes clear is that the two are not at odds. In fact, the reason Paul really cares about people is because he really cares about the Truth.

I’m looking forward to getting to know Paul better over the course of the 13 weeks, aren’t you?

Re:Verse passage – Galatians 1:1-10 (day five) “who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us”

Being the Youth Minister at FBCSA for 20 years has provided hundreds of memories and stories. One that is still etched in my mind was from an All-Nighter. Our very first activity was to go to SeaWorld and swim in the wave pool. We hadn’t been there 10 minutes when I heard the lifeguard blow his whistle. Then again. And then another whistle blew.  If I’m being honest, my first thought was these were college kids exerting their authority over younger teenagers- a power trip. What I quickly discovered was one of our middle school boys had swum too close to the “wave making contraption” at the head of the pool and was being sucked under- continually and violently. Before I could verify that in fact the teenager was in trouble, the lifeguard was already in the water rescuing the student. When they pulled him out, I tried to console him and convince myself that in fact it wasn’t that bad. But when I saw the fatigue in his body and desperation on his face (as he lay there) I immediately understood this was a life and death situation. He had been in trouble. Life threatening trouble, and couldn’t get out/free.  He was incapable. He needed rescue.

That’s how Paul is describing the human race “us” (he also includes himself)- incapable, unable, helpless, lost. Not flattering. In fact, kinda offensive. Scripture tells us that we really are that spiritually helpless and far gone. One of my HPU professors always said, “Until you realize how lost you were, you’ll never understand how saved you are”. WE (all) in fact, needed and have been rescued.

Re:Verse passage – Galatians 1:1-10 (day four)

For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

We get a glimpse into Paul’s inner life here. Throughout the letter to the Galatians, Paul is clarifying and defending the freedom we have in Christ. He does this so fervently because he knew better than anyone the bondage that came with a life consumed with the law and pleasing men. While he was advancing in his career and accruing power, he was also sinking further under the weight of his own sin. When Christ broke those chains in his life, he was determined that he would never be bound by the things of the world again.

Paul asserts here that when we seek the favor of men, and spend our life striving to please others before pleasing God, we add constraints to our lives rather than living in the perfect freedom of the gospel. The more we do this, the more the gospel becomes obscured in our hearts, until we’re living by a different gospel, which is really no gospel at all, as Paul would say.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a recovering people-pleaser. When I look at my life, though, Paul is right. When I try to please other people and get the approval of men, my life quickly becomes constrained and heavy with sin. When I give all that up and pursue only God’s approval, I can enjoy the perfect freedom of Christ. Let us be determined to keep hold of the freedom we have in Jesus.

Re:Verse passage – Galatians 1:1-10 (day three)

“…a different gospel; which is really not another…”

What makes the good news good? In a word, welcome. Heaven receives you as is, not as you or somebody else would prefer you to be. If the invitation from God comes with a checklist, it’s not the gospel. It’s just another person’s low regard for you. But when God sees you, he sees someone he made and loves. You talk about accepting Christ, but the gospel is Christ’s accepting you. And this is where repentance arises: the welcome itself so speaks to your deepest longings that you would do anything – anything – to leave behind your old way and live in something as comforting and healing as God’s reception of you. The welcome, the open arms, precede anything else. The good news is actually that good.

Re:Verse passage – Galatians 1:1-10 (day two) 

only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. Vs. 7b

Do you ever feel like you aren’t qualified to know what is good theology and which is bad? Or maybe you fall into the other extreme that simply accepts whatever you read under the classification of “Christian.” What do we do when we are trapped somewhere in the middle trying to discern what is good, and what is not? This is a question we all need to be asking on a daily basis.

Our source for the gospel is scripture, and our ultimate discernment comes from the Holy Spirit. We know that, and hopefully when we come up against a teaching, good or bad, we will test it against what we already know about scripture. Paul would argue that if you hear something, go to the source. God has also provided teachers, pastors, and other saints in your life that have made the study of scripture a life-long pursuit. Use these resources! There is a billion dollar ‘Christian’ book industry that has the gamut of treasure and trash. As we seek to grow in our knowledge of the Lord, don’t shy from reading and learning, but you must continue to examine these teachings against the unchanging truth of scripture.