No Other Gospel
Galatians 1:1-10

Father as we come before you in prayer we ask that you bless this study of your word. Speak to us through your Holy Spirit and reveal the truth about the gospel of your Son Jesus. Show us the importance of allowing only one gospel and how it impacts our life, our society and our world. We ask this in Jesus name. Amen.

Key Words:

Reading The Word:

Galatians 1:1-10

 Studying The Word

 Christianity is a unique spiritual concept. It is not a religion exactly because it does not require ritual. It is not merely a set of beliefs, a theology, because it emphasizes a relationship.

Paul, the author of the book of Galatians, presents us with an ironic paradox. He studied under the best Jewish theologians. He practiced the rituals of Judaism religiously. He worked very hard at doing the things his religion required of him. He did so well that he excelled above many of his peers. Yet God called him to the vilest group of people that exist for a devout Jew, the Gentiles.

Gentiles are everyone who is not a Jew. The reason why they were considered vile is that they had no knowledge of God. They broke all of the commands of God. They had no shame, no limits, no understanding of what was biblically proper. To even be within the presence of a Gentile in certain situations made a Jew ceremonially unclean (spiritually dirty).

Yet, God in his infinite mercy chose this wholly dedicated man to lead the entire world of non-Jews into a relationship with him through his Son Jesus. The gospel of Christ is that God became a man, lived a perfect life in the fleshly body of Jesus then sacrificed himself upon the cross as a payment for our sins. If we accept this and repent of our sins, reject the sinful lifestyle and ask forgiveness for our sins in Jesus name we are given the power to become the children of God and are made new…born again. It is a very simple message. Very easy to understand. Difficult to put into a box of rules.

The Jews embraced this Jewish Messiah (savior) and rapidly spread the gospel through the Jewish world. Sadly, their continued practice of The Law of Judaism prevented them from fully embracing the spread of that glorious gospel to the Gentiles. When Paul, the most despised antichristian terrorist of the time, accepted the gospel then took it to the Gentiles many Jewish Christians were very bitter. They felt that Paul was teaching a false gospel. Paul taught the people the simple gospel and didn’t teach them The Law. Some of the Jews felt that The Law was required in addition to the simple gospel. They were wrong.

They went to the Galatians and used their power of persuasion to convince these folks who had no knowledge of The Law that they were required to follow all of The Law in order to be born again. When Paul learned of this he wrote to the Galatians to inform them that the "gospel" they were being taught by these Jews was not a real gospel. Although it seemed like an expansion of the gospel they had been taught by Paul it wasn’t similar at all. Its basis for salvation was found in doing things (rituals) instead of knowing someone (Jesus). 

The book of Galatians is basically about the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is divided into 3 basic parts.

• The authenticity of the gospel
• The Superiority of the gospel
• The Freedom of the gospel

 The purpose of this book (letter from Paul to the Galatians) was to refute the "Judaizers".  These were the Christian Jews who were wanting ALL believers to adhere to the Jewish laws and customs.  Paul was proclaiming the importance of Faith and the freedom we have in Christ.

This letter to the Galatian churches was written approximately 49AD prior to the Jerusalem council which was held in 50AD. 

The most urgent controversy in the early church was the new believers, particularly the Gentiles, relationship to the Jewish laws and customs.  This letter was written to correct the misunderstanding and later it was addressed at the Jerusalem council and there it was officially resolved by the church leaders.  

If there is one key verse that gives the theme of Galatians it would be Gal 5:1  1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (KJV)

Paul and Barnabas had just returned from their first missionary journey (Acts 13:2-14:28) When Paul returned to Antioch he was confronted by some Jewish Christians who did not agree with Paul's teaching to the new converts.  They felt that the Jewish laws and customs were to be adhered to by EVERYONE, even the new believers who were Gentiles. Some of these "Judaizers" followed him to the Galatian cities and were telling the new converts that they had to be circumcised and follow all the Jewish laws and customs to be saved.  Basically they were telling the Gentiles that they had to first become a Jew to be a Christian.

It was in response to this that Paul wrote this letter to the Galatians churches.  He explains that following the Old Testament laws or the Jewish laws does not bring salvation.  We are saved by grace through faith. 

Gal 1:1-2   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: (KJV)

Paul begins his letter with a salutation as usual.  He states his leadership role and who gave him that office.  He starts off laying a strong foundation for his authority. There were some in Galatia who were questioning his authority. He is an Apostle but that office, authority was given to him by Jesus and the Father. Later on he expands upon this topic of his office and how he was called to it.

Gal 1:3-5 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. (KJV)

Here Paul begins the benediction.  He prays for the church.  He asks for GRACE and PEACE from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, who sacrificed himself for our sins so we could be delivered from the evil world.  Which is the will of God. 

He gets right down the the basics.  He prays for Grace & Peace which they seemed to be lacking at this point in time.  The grace of God seemed to escape them and it was causing a lack of peace in the churches. 

God's plan has always been to save us by Jesus death. By that sacrifice we have been rescued from the power of the evil in our world. 

 Being rescued from the evil world does not mean that we are taken out of it but that we are no longer to be controlled by it.  The hold on us is broken.

Are we grateful for this deliverance, for this rescue? 

Have we transformed our loyalty from the world to Christ?  To serve the world is to serve and be concerned about the things of the world; the physical things.  To serve the Lord is to serve and be concerned about the things of the Lord. 

Christ died to give us all that victory.  He truly does deserve glory and honor for ever. 

In this next section, verses 6-9 Paul is distress that they have so quickly turned from the gospel. 

Gal 1:6-9 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. (KJV)

Here Paul strongly denounces the Judaizer's perversion of the gospel.  He said he marvels that they are so soon removed into another gospel.  He states that it is another gospel and then he says "which is not another" but merely a perversion of the gospel of Christ.  He wanted to be perfectly clear that there was only ONE gospel. 

This "other gospel" takes away from the truth of the good news that salvation is truly a gift not a reward for doing certain things. 

We must beware of anyone who says that we need more than simple faith in Christ to be saved.  When additional requirements for salvation are set up they are denying the power of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for us.

Next he proclaims a curse on ANYONE who preaches any other gospel, even if it would be an angel from heaven. Paul is so emphatic about the evil of this deed that he repeats the same proclamation in verse 9. 

The next verse Paul makes it plain who he seeks to please. 

Gal 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.(KJV)

Once again Paul reiterates that he is a servant of Christ.  He was again referring to his authority given to him by Jesus Christ Himself.  The Judaizers, those who preached up the ceremonial law, foremost of which. was the requirement of circumcision, wanted to lessen Paul's reputation and authority because he preached the pure gospel of Christ to the Gentiles.

Paul was speaking rather harshly to the Christians in Galatia because they were in serious danger.  He does not apologize for his forthright way of speaking to them.  He knew he would not be serving Christ if he allowed the Christians in Galatia to remain on the wrong track. 

We should look at our lives and ask ourselves who do we seek to please?  Are we people pleasers or God pleasers?  Do we take this Christian walk seriously? Do we hold on to the truth once given to us by Jesus?  Or is compromise part of our daily agenda?

Paul was correcting the churches in this error of what is required for salvation but there is a deeper lesson here too. 

When we see ANYTHING in our lives drifting away from what we KNOW is truth we need to stop and access our standing. 

We live in a world today that worries so much about being politically correct but they, overall, have no concern about being biblically correct.  It is so much more important to be biblically correct. 

We must always pray for the courage to seek God's approval above anyone else's.

Beyond The Lesson: 

Here is a map of the area during the first century.  Seeing and studying a map of the area sometimes can help us understand the life and times of the authors we read.  Take a modern map of the area and find the areas of Antioch and Galatia. 

THE WORD: 

Galatians 1:1-10  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.  

     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.

     10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. Gal 1:1-10 (KJV)

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