Galatians 1 - God Doesn't Grade on a Curve, He Grades on the Cross!

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1 Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2 and all the brothers and sisters with me, To the churches in Galatia: 3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Today we begin Paul's letter to churches the Galatians. Note he says, "churches". This was the area called Asia Minor, which is modern day Turkey. 

"Galatians addresses the sensitive and complex issue of the role Old Testament Law plays in salvation, specifically regarding circumcision. Paul's main goal in his letter to the Galatians is to defend salvation by faith in Jesus, not by works of the Law." www.spokengospel.com

Paul starts by stating that he was an apostle who was personally called by Jesus himself. He states the essential aspect of our faith that Jesus the Son was raised by God the Father. Jesus gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age. 

Note, he not only rescues us from our sins but also from this evil present age. God doesn't just send us to heaven but he delivers us from the current evil age. We live in an evil age. We live in a culture the mocks and defies God and also the church of Jesus Christ. We must never think that any government or group in the world is going to rid the world of evil. The only person powerful enough to do that is Jesus Christ, and his church. Though we are to obey the government unless they require us to sin, we also need to resist the government and be the salt and light in the world. We can't be salt and light unless we are interacting with the world working to overthrow evil practices.  We are called as Christians not just to wait until Jesus takes us to heaven but also we are to bring God's kingdom on earth today, as it is in heaven. 

No Other Gospel

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!\ 10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Paul's main issue with the church in Galatia was that they were replaced the free gift of the gospel with going back to the Law. We call this "legalism", and it is as much as a curse today as it was back then. Any gospel which requires works to be made right with gospel is not the GOSPEL. The gospel is clear, salvation by works is confusing!

For instance, how many works do I have do to. How many works do I have to do to outweigh my bad works (i.e. sins). God doesn't grade on a curve. He grades on the cross. One can never have any peace when they are relying on their good deeds to outweigh their bad deeds. We know we can measure up to God's standard which is perfection. God can't just "wink" at sin, or he would not be a "just" God. But God can choose mercy so that the righteous requirements of the Law can be fulfilled. 

The only way we can at peace with God is to know that our sin was paid in full on the cross. I am not relying on my works, I am completely relying on what Jesus did for me. I can rely on Jesus wholeheartedly, because he rose from the dead proving He was and is the Son of God. This means everything Jesus said was trust and we can trust in him. 

Paul's call prevented him from relying on the approval of men. Paul was not a "people pleaser". He had an "audience of ONE". He was a servant of Christ. He was a servant of people but not in the sense of serving their agenda. He served people by loving them unconditionally and not being afraid to speak the truth in love to them. 

Paul Called by God

11 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

Paul received his call directly from Jesus, when he revealed himself to Paul on the Road to Damascus. Jesus said to the then Saul, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" This transformed his life and he was blinded and did not eat for three days. His sight was restored by Ananias, and Paul, and he started preaching the gospel in Damascus, and three years later Jerusalem, after spending time in Arabia . (Acts 9 and Acts 22)   

13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. 17 I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.

: Paul did not travel to what we would call Saudi Arabia. The area known in that day as Arabia in his day extended all the way to the city of Damascus. Paul probably lived in some quiet desert place outside of Damascus. Then after three years: Paul proved here that he did not learn the gospel from the apostles, because he had been a Christian for three years before he even met the apostles Peter and James. - Guzik

It was unusual for him to wait so long. “A new convert, especially one who had been foremost in persecuting the believers, would surely touch base with the leaders of the movement he was now espousing, if only to make sure that he now had a correct understanding of what the Christian movement was teaching. But Paul did not do this.” (Morris)

18 Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother. 20 I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie. 21 Then I went to Syria and Cilicia. 22 I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they praised God because of me.

Paul spent sometime in Jerusalem mainly with the apostle James, Jesus' brother. This is probably where he learned of the financial needs of the saints there. Then he went to Syria and Cilicia, which was northwest of Jerusalem. 

Paul's dramatic call from Jesus caused him to be the greatest apostle and missionary the world has ever seen. Though your call might not be like Paul's, how can you be as obedient to the Lord's call on your life as he was? What people might he be sending you to. 

Also remember you never have to be worried about your salvation if you have trust in Jesus to be Your Lord and Savior. He died for you so you could be at peace with God and live a life worthy of Your calling in Him.