Galatians
1 – The Power of God to Salvation
To
Paul, the gospel was much more than a message he preached: it was a miracle he
had experienced. The gospel is “the power of God to salvation” (Rom. 1:16) and
it brings freedom. Christ died “that He might deliver us”. When Paul trusted
Christ, he became a free man. The shackles of sin and legalistic religion were
broken!
But
the gospel was also a treasure that Paul guarded. Paul did not invent the
gospel or learn it from others; God gave it to him (I Cor. 15:1-11). There is
no other gospel. To add to this message, take from it, or substitute another
message is to destroy it. No wonder Paul attacked those who attacked the
gospel; when you lose the gospel, you lose everything.
The
gospel is a tie that binds God’s people together. Saul the enemy became Paul
the brother, and he was able to fellowship with people he once persecuted.
Christians may disagree on minor matters of interpretation and organization,
but they agree on the message of the gospel.
Galatians
2 The Steward, Watchman and Destroyer
Paul
saw himself as a man running a race, and he was sure he was on the right track
and headed for the right goal. The Judaizers were trying to move the church
into bondage and get them on a detour; (Acts 15).
God
had committed the gospel to His people, and we must guard it and share it with
others. God is not looking for popular celebrities; He is looking for faithful
servants.
Paul
was not afraid to confront the apostle Peter when Peter moved away from the
truth of the gospel. “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.” Said Wendell
Phillips, and that applies to our spiritual liberty as well.
Jesus
destroyed the law by fulfilling it (Mt. 5:17-20). His death tore the temple
veil (Luke 23:44-45) and removed the wall between Jews and Genitles (Eph
2:14-18). To go back to Moses is to rebuild what Jesus tore down and say that
He did not really save us when we trusted Him
Please
read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.
If
you have missed any lessons, you can go to: https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com. Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.
Dr.
David Jeremiah Study Bible. Through the Bible by J. Vernon McGee.
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