Galatians Day 1
Galatians 1:1 – 5 “Greetings! Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—and all the brothers who are with me, to the churches of Galatia:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
In our home, we have cards and letters that we have saved throughout our journey as a family. These letters and cards take us back to different seasons in our lives that were so long ago, and when we read the letters, we step back into the feelings and emotions that are discussed. In the letter to the Galatians, Paul is writing to people that he developed a relationship with as they planted churches together in some of the cities of Galatia. Through this letter, we get to step into their relationship and witness Paul’s concern for them about the various struggles they were having. In fact, one of the issues is addressed in the first chapter, where Paul warns the Galatian churches to resist following a false gospel (1:6 – 10). Because of this, Dr. Jack Barentsen labels the epistle as a “reactive letter,” because Paul’s purpose was “to respond to particular situations and problems that had already occurred in the church.”1 Paul’s words strike a tone of parental authority that is very appropriate.
The letter to the Galatians is filled with foundational theology and relational application for believers. The insight found in these letters is foundational for the body of Christ and has been used by church leaders to guide the church through perilous times. Cyprian, the Bishop of Carthage in the third century, turned to Galatians as a pastor applying the text to his context. He used the letters to focus on “the unity and uniqueness of the church, care for the poor and captive, and the necessity of discipline and repentance . . . ”2 Three very appropriate subjects for the twenty-first-century believer as well.
This letter to the churches also provides insight into Paul’s strategy for his mission work, which was to “visit regions with large population centers in order to reach as many people as possible and to plant churches in those centers. This letter was to be circulated among the churches planted by Paul and Barnabas during the first missionary journey – in Derbe, Lystra, and Iconium.”3
In the first verse, there is a phrase that is rephrased two other times in the first chapter. In these three statements, Paul affirms his credentials as an apostle. In his salutation, he introduces himself as “an apostle — not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father.” Farther down the passage, Paul restates his credentials when he writes, “For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ” (1:12). This speaks to Paul’s intersection with Jesus on the road to Damascus, where his mission in life changed forever. Finally, we find this emphasis of Paul in the last part of the chapter, where Paul writes about the components of his spiritual transformation — that God had set him apart before he was born, called him by His grace, and revealed his Son to him, which led to his ministry to the Gentiles (1:15 – 20). Paul proclaimed to the Galatians that his authority was found only in his relationship with Jesus. What Paul was saying here was that if the message came only from him and not from God, it was worthless.
My questions for all of us today are, “What is the foundation of our message to the people around us today? Are we resting in our own wisdom and experiences, thinking we have all the answers?” According to Paul, this leads to nothing that is good. However, if we seek guidance from God — keeping in mind that He set us apart for Himself before we were born, called us by His grace, and revealed His Son to us through His Word — He promises to provide us with His wisdom and direction (Proverbs 3:5 – 6). My challenge for all of us today is to jumpstart our week by spending time focusing on these incredible truths and lean into the wisdom of God, seeking opportunities to use our lives to spread the message of the Gospel in the things we do and say.
Have a great week!
Pastor Chuck
- Jack Barentsen, Emerging Leadership in the Pauline Mission: A Social Identity Perspective on Local Leadership Development in Corinth and Ephesus (Eugene: Pickwick Publications, part of the Princeton Theological Monograph Series, 2011), 90.
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Edwina Murphy, “Divine Ordinances and Life-Giving Remedies: Galatians in the Writings of Cyprian of Carthage,” Journal of Theological Interpretation 8, no. 1 (2014): 81, ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed November 3, 2015).
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Barton and Taylor, et al, Life Application Bible Commentary: Galatians, Grant Osborne, Ed. (Wheaton: Tyndale, 1994), 762.