The supremacy of the Gospel: (chap.1)
A few hundred years before the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, some fierce tribes migrated from Gaul (modern France) into Asia Minor, and founded Galatia, which simply means “the country of the Gauls.” When the Romans reorganized the ancient world, they made Galatia a part of a larger province that included several other areas, and they called the entire province Galatia. So, back in Paul’s day, when a person talked about Galatia, there was confusion that whether it was the smaller country of Galatia or the larger Roman province. But Paul wrote to churches in the southern part of the province of Galatia which included Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe where he founded the churches on his first missionary journey (Acts 13-14).
Greetings and Paul’s authority: (1:1-5):
Paul was called to be an apostle by the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father. He presented his credentials because some people questioned him of his apostleship. An apostle is one who had witnessed the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul was one such person. Although Paul was not a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord spoke to him directly. Paul was careful to point out that he had been made an apostle by Jesus Christ just as much as had the original Twelve. His apostleship was not from human selection and approval, but by divine appointment. Therefore, he had the authority to deal with the problems in the Galatian churches.
He greeted the Galatians with grace and peace. Yes it was God’s grace and by faith we are saved from the slavery of sin. We have been rescued from the power of this present evil age. Although we still have to live in this evil world, we are free from the power of sin and freedom in Christ. Every Christian must be grateful to God because only through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are rescued from the power of sin.
No other Gospel except the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ: (1:6-10):
Paul strikes while the iron is hot. God had called them in His grace, and saved them from their sins. Paul felt that Galatians are moving from grace back into Law. They are abandoning liberty for legalism! And they are doing it so quickly, without consulting Paul who was their spiritual father. They have become infatuated with the religion of the Judaizers, just the way little children follow a stranger because he offers them candy.
Ruins of ancient Galatia in Turkey.
“The grace of God” is a basic theme in this letter (1:3,6, 15; 2:9, 21; 5:4; 6:18). Grace is simply God’s favour to undeserving sinners. The words “grace” and “gift” go together, because salvation is the gift of God through His grace (Eph. 2:8-10).The Galatians were perverting the Gospel of God. The Judaizers claimed to be preaching “the Gospel,” but there cannot be two gospels, one centred in works and the other centred in grace. God’s grace involves something more than man’s salvation. We not only are saved by grace, but we are to live by grace (1 Cor.15:10). It is the foundation for the Christian life (Rom.5:1-2). Grace gives us the strength we need to be victorious soldiers (2 Tim.2:1-4). Grace enables us to suffer without complaining, and even to use that suffering for God’s glory (2 Cor.12:1-10).
The twisting of the truth is very difficult to find out. At one point, they say that Salvation by faith was sufficient and at the same time, they say to follow the law of circumcision which is keeping the Gentile believers at bay. It is true even today there are many sects, cults which twist the truths of the Bible and say that Jesus’ death was insufficient for redemption of sinners.
Paul strongly denounced the Judaizers’ perversion and further go on to say that even if an angel from heaven comes preaching another message, the angel would be eternally condemned. Then that angel was not from heaven but certainly from a fallen group of angels. Satan masquerades as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14-15). Paul pronounces curses on such people or angels. Our Gospel is an unchanging Gospel and whoever tries to add or removes anything from it will be eternally condemned.
The apostle makes it bare clear that he is not trying to please men but God. Paul had to speak very harshly because the Galatians were clearly in danger. It is always to seek the approval of God rather than man. He rebukes the Galatians to please God by seeking and following the true Gospel given through Paul.