LEARNING DAILY

Galatians 1:3-5, Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

I have been doing some reading on Paul and his writings and would like to share some thoughts over the next few pages of the blog on his writing to the Galatians. In the verse above, it is important to see that the same evil that surrounds us was in the world the Galatians lived in. The Galatians faced many temptations from Satan and the false teaching that we do today. Paul focused on a problem many deal with today, “the challenges of transitioning from following many rules for salvation to one based on a relationship; from a life based on merit to one birthed by grace; from a life empowered by human flesh to one experienced in the power of the Holy Spirit” (David Jeremiah study Bible). The key problem Paul was addressing was “legalism”.

First and foremost, Paul begins this letter with stating the way to be delivered from the evil world was to have faith in the “Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins”. Paul reminded the Galatians that Jesus gave His life for them; no one took it from Him. He willingly sacrificed His life as a substitute for their sins. He did so because it was the “will of our God and Father”. Because of the obedience of Jesus, the Father will receive the “glory forever and ever”.

Paul’s statement of Christ’s saving purpose needs to be remembered by all Believers today. The salvation He gives is to deliver Believers from the evil that dominates this world’s societies.  Believers today are set on a narrow way that leads to eternal life with “our God and Father” in His kingdom and “must live for Him and refuse to be governed by the prevailing values, wisdom, opinions, corrupt desires and self-indulgence of the people of the world” (Life in the Spirit Study Bible).

The world we live in today is saturated with temptation, sinful indulgences, false teachers and preachers spewing their deceit in order to lead even the elect away from their walk on the narrow way. Paul is writing to warn the Galatians that false teachers teaching salvation included not only believing in Jesus Christ but included incorporating their salvation into the Jewish faith. These teachers said salvation included circumcision, following the Jewish law, and keeping Jewish holy days. Paul expressed his surprise that the Galatians would be so quickly turned from the “gospel of Christ” (verse 9) to follow or to mix in additional teaching with it.

Just as Paul wrote to the Galatians, “there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ” (verse 7). These who do this are preaching a false gospel. Yes, these people appear to be sincere in their teaching and may certainly have a lot of charisma. They turn the truth to make it look different; they turn it to make it agree with their false beliefs. These people are from their father, the devil, twisting the truth enough to make it believable. Same old story, same old technique. “Did God really say ….? This perversion of the truth appeals to our pride – we want to believe that we can save ourselves by being a “good person”. Those perverting the gospel appeal to one’s desire to live as he/she wants, to walk on the broad way and not live by denying self and following Jesus on the narrow way.

Be careful believer what you read and what you listen to. We live in perilous times, a time when the enemy is working extremely hard to pervert the gospel of Jesus Christ. The lies are in abundance; they are not even subtle! Know the Word of God! Read/study/meditate on it every day in order for the truth to saturate your mind, your soul, your heart. Put on the belt of truth every day so you know when lies of the enemy come against you! That is the only way for the peace Paul write about to come into your life.