Galatians

1.1-24

With only six chapters in Galatians, we will quickly be through the book. Don't let the pace confuse the content. Remember, as we go through the "entire" Bible, pray - asking God "LORD, what would You reveal to me from Your Word today?" And don't let the introduction Paul presents in this first chapter undermine what God would reveal to you here. We tend to glance past the first few verses of a book's introduction where an author basically says "hello." But Paul never just says "hello." Paul presents the Gospel in his greeting. Paul uses his name in his introduction, but also a title: "apostle," and Who sent him: "Jesus Christ and God the Father," and what happened to Jesus "God the Father raised Him from the dead." Thats verse one, and he's not done saying hello. He notes there are some brothers with him, He acknowledges that he's writing to the church at Galatia, he wishes them grace and peace, and then again gives testimony to the life of Christ: "gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us," and tells us why Jesus did it: "according to the will of our God and Father," and finally gives honor to the LORD: "to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen." Well, hello, how do you do? There are only 19 verses left in Chapter one after that "hello." Ask God to reveal what among them He would have you to consider today - for yourself, or for someone else.

CHAPTER 1

Greetings and Grace

1 Paul, an apostle—not sent from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead—
2 and all the brothers who are with me,
To the churches of Galatia:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,
4 who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Distorting the Gospel

6 I marvel that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ for a different gospel,
7 which is really not another, only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to the gospel we have proclaimed to you, let him be accursed!
9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is proclaiming to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let him be accursed!
10 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 slave of Christ.

Paul Called by God

11 For I make known to you, brothers, that the gospel which I am proclaiming as good news is not according to man.
12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.
14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being far more zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
15 But when God, who had set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased
16 to reveal His Son in me so that I might proclaim Him as good news among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood,
17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.
18 Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days.
19 But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.
20 (Now in what I am writing to you, I assure you before God that I am not lying!)
21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
22 And I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea which are in Christ;
23 but only, they kept hearing, “He who once persecuted us is now proclaiming the good news of the faith which he once tried to destroy.”
24 And they were glorifying God because of me.