Galatians 1 - The Dangers of Being a People Pleaser!
As we begin Paul's letter to Galatians, it would be helpful for you to read Pastor Chuck Swindol's helpful introduction; It gives the historical context, some of the major themes, and he suggests how this letter to the Galatians is important to us today.
Introduction to the book of Galatians
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[a] 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.
Paul begins this letter with a reference to his calling as an apostle, who was sent by Jesus to spread the gospel. He writes to the churches in Galatia, which is modern day Turkey. He starts with his familiar greeting, "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!"
Galatians has been called the “Declaration of Independence of Christian liberty.” The great reformer Martin Luther especially loved this letter; he called Galatians his “Catherine von Bora” after his wife; because, he said, “I am married to it.” Leon Morris wrote, “Galatians is a passionate letter, the outpouring of the soul of a preacher on fire for his Lord and deeply committed to bringing his hearers to an understanding of what saving faith is.”
Most importantly the book of Galatians will distinguish clearly the difference between the Law and the Gospel. Paul confronts legalism but also dismisses the idea that just because we have received grace, we can do whatever we want.
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.
Whereas Paul certainly had a stern tone with the church in Corinth, he is no less disappointed in the church at Galatia. He says they were, "Deserting the one who called you and turning to another gospel." The gospel that was taking root in Galatia was a perversion of the the true gospel. For Paul this is the absolute worst thing that can happen. The gospel is at the very heart of the Christian faith. Without the gospel Christianity is a waste of time. How did they pervert the gospel?
After starting with being saved by grace, they were returning to works. Paul had no problem calling out these heretics, because he knew how much was at stake. Later, he will distinguish between receiving the gospel through faith in Jesus, and what it means to live a life worthy of the gospel by the Spirit.
Paul equates this to people pleasing. He wasn't will to try and appease and please the Jewish Galatians who were trying to compel the church to go back to the Law of Moses. Paul sees being a people pleaser as antithetical to being a servant of Christ.
Do you care more about pleasing people or pleasing Christ? This is a tough one I know I struggle with. This is especially important in the culture we live in, as many Christians and churches are caving to the world's values, which was an attack on Christian values. The one thing Charlie Kirk did was not be afraid to call out what was happening in the world. He did it respectfully by firmly. The younger generation has gravitated to his boldness in calling out falsehoods. Young people have lost trust in politicians and other authority figures and Charlie has re-engaged them in the political process and brought faith in Jesus Christ in public arena.
“There have always been preachers who have sought popular acclaim above all else, and there are some still. It is part of fallen human nature that even those charged with the responsibility of proclaiming the gospel can fall into the trap of trying to be popular rather than faithful.” (Morris)
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. 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 is so adamant about preaching the true gospel because of his previous way of life. Paul's conversion was a radical departure from the law to the gospel of Jesus. Paul was zealous for the Law. He rounded up Christians and took them to be killed because of his passion to keep the law pure. But then he met Jesus on the Road to Damascus, and he realized everything he was doing was against Jesus.
Paul realizes his call to preach the gospel to ironically enough, the Gentiles, was something he was set apart from birth to do. Paul's calling was so clear and specific that he went into Arabia to process it. He was not ready to go to Jerusalem yet, but soon he would.
Paul did not come to Jesus because any man decided that he should. It wasn’t at the pleasure of any man, but when it pleased God. Additionally, God did not choose Paul because there was something in Paul that pleased him; God called Paul through His grace, God’s unmerited favor. We know this call wasn’t because of anything Paul did because he said that he was called from my mother’s womb. Therefore, God called Paul before Paul did anything to deserve it.
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 time in Jerusalem getting to know Peter. He also spent time with James, Jesus' brother. If anybody had any issues with Paul, they certainly could not argue with the radical change in his life. Paul was from Tarsus, so the other apostles were relatively unfamiliar with him.
This shows that God has a sense of humor. He selected a man before he was born for the job of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles. That man grew up hating Gentiles, probably believing as some (not all) other Jewish people did in his day: that the only reason God made Gentiles was so they would fuel the fires of hell.
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