Galatians Lesson 3 - Fairhaven Baptist Church

Galatians

Lesson 3

Text: Galatians 1:6-25

Intro:last week we looked at the reason they would want to hear from Paul. This week we are going to look at Paul’s main concern, and his testimony.

Paul’s First Concern,
1. He Expresses His Anxiety, 6&7
  1. Grace of God,
    1. Paul begins his letter by hitting the most important point head on.
      - Paul says he marvels at the fact that they were so quickly removed,
      - yet, with all the personalities that were there, I think it was bound to happen.
    2. He also adds, “ye are so soon removed…”
      - it is amazing how quick we can revert when we allow ourselves to slip away.
      - It is like when we are sick, and how much strength we loose by staying in bed for a couple of days.
    3. But, what were they being removed from: Grace,
      - it is the difference between what we have earned, and what God has Given.
        
        He adds, this is not another gospel. It is a false teaching.
        
        And there is a result when we have false teachings:
        
        you see no two opposing views can both be right, they can both be wrong, but not both right.
  2. Troubled,
    1. this is the result of false and contradictory teaching.
      - The idea of trouble is: confusing, unrest.
      - It is used in Matthew 14:26 when the disciples were on a boat, the winds tossed them about, and it says the winds were contrary.
        
        If the wind is from the back, you know how to steer your boat, if it is from the east, the west, or another direction you can work with it. But, when the wind is unstable, you are confused, and just have to Batten down the Hatches
    2. when we teach things that are contrary to the word of God, we cause confusion
  3. Pervert the Gospel,
    1. to “pervert” means to change into an opposite character.
    2. Think of the English word divert. Comes from the french de- aside or from and vertere- to turn
      - it means that is is used for what it was not intended, or not used for what it was intended.
    3. When we pervert something, we take it from it’s natural uses.
      - Acts 2:20; it is used to describe how the sun will be “turned” into darkness in the last days.
      - James 4:9, “Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness”
  4. When A Christians Turns Away From Grace, They Are Relying on Their Own Power,
    1. we are causing confusion, and perverting the gospel.
    2. And there is only one way to deal with it.
2. The Adversaries, 8-10
  1. Waging war,
    1. we want to avoid conflict and problems, but there are times when it is necessary.
    2. Throughout the bible we have been encouraged to withstand false teachers and doctrine,
      - See Psalm 97:10; Isaiah 8:20; I Timothy 4; I John 4:1-6
      - Jude even states “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” Vs.3
  2. Oppose False Teachers,
    1. Paul is harsh in his direction here, he says (Vs.8) “ But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. ”
      - to be accursed means dedicated to destruction.
      - Paul loved all men, and wanted them to be saved, but he had little tolerance for false teaching.
        
        Remember when Peter wanted the gentiles to be circumcised, he even went and confronted him on it.
    2. Now, I want to say here, there is a difference between people who teach in err, and those who purposefully teach false doctrine.
      - The difference is found in Vs.10, who is it we want to please? Man or God?
        
        Someone can err but their heart wants to please God, and they can be taught from the scripture.
        
        Where someone who wants to be man pleasers, have no delight in the word of God, they just want to be accepted by others.
        
        We see a lot of this in society today. And even in churches, who desire more the approval of man, than they do of God.
        
        We should realize the word of God is not ours to defend, it is God’s
3. Origins of the Gospel, 11-12
  1. The Gospel is not a doctrine of man,
    1. it comes form God.
    2. It is sealed in the heart form the Spirit of God,
    3. this is what Jesus told Peter when He gave his great confession “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 16:17)
      - as evidence of the Heavenly origins of it, Paul offers his personal testimony:
4. Born Again, 12-24
  1. The Past life,
    1. he begins by stating:
      - I Persecuted the church, and wasted it.
      - I propheted in my own religion, above others
      - I was zealous for the traditions,
      - …BUT…
        
        what a wonderful word, there is the conversion. On God’s timing, salvation.
  2. The Believer,
    1. God did it, 15&16
      - When it pleased God,
      - He Separated me
      - He called me to grace
      - He revealed His son to me
      - He called me to preach.
    2. By Grace, 15
      - all this was done through Grace, the unmerited favor of God
    3. Through Christ, 16
      - All this was done through the blood of Jesus.
    4. For the sake of others, 16
      - And it was done for a reason, God had a plan for his life.
    5. God did it for His Glory, 24
      - and all this was done for the glory of God.
      - Remember, the difference between grace and works is who get’s the glory.
      - Grace means that the Glory belongs to God.
  3. The Preacher,
    1. After Paul’s conversion, He goes for three years.
    2. Luke ends talking about Paul in Acts 9:32, and doesn’t begin again until the end of Ch.11.
      - It was during these years, the Lord started to work and prepare Paul for the ministry.
        
        We need to remember, Paul already had a superior knowledge of the Old Testament. Now he had the indwelling of the Spirit of God.
    3. After he returns to the picture, he goes to Peter, and they spend 15 days together.
      - Then he goes to James, the brother of Jesus to spend some time.
        
        Can you imagine the conversations these three had?
        
        One who was an expert in the OT scriptures, one that spent three years of intense training under Jesus, and one that grew up with him.
    4. After this he began his ministry,
      - and it was all for the glory of God.
    5. It is almost as if he writs this to say:
      - this is how important the gospel is to me. Why is it so easy for others to quickly abandon it for something else.