Falling From Grace Series

Galatians 1:1-10

“Falling from Grace”

Background

• Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey established churches in the cities of Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe; these are located in the southern part of Galatia (Acts 13:14- 14:23).

• Paul is writing to churches he had established and that he had a relationship.

• Vs. 1 Paul starts off stating his apostleship, but not just that  he feels the need to establish by what authority he was called an apostle.

• Many were doubting Paul’s authority.

• Vs. 2 Paul is remarking that he does not stand alone in what he is about to say but that all the brethren with him stand firm in the truth Paul is about to deliver.

• Vv. 3-4 grace = Jesus gave Himself for our sins.

Peace = delivered from this present evil world.

• This belongs only to true believers in the true gospel of Christ.

• “Deliver” speaks to our future with Christ, we have peace in this world not because our lives never have trouble or turmoil, but because we know this is not our home.

• And to that we should all say Vs. 5

• Vs. 6 Paul quickly gets into the reason for his writing this epistle.

• “Marvel” is a very strong word, today we might say “I am shocked” or even “have u lost your mind?”

• The believers in Galatia were already abandoning the grace of the gospel for the works of men.

• Vs. 7 Which in reality, Paul says, is not another gospel at all. There is only one true gospel.

• “Some that troubled you”  Judiazers – Jewish Christians who were teaching Gentile believers that in order to be truly saved or to live a righteous life, that you had to observe certain Jewish practices (circumcision).

• Important to note that they were not denying Jesus was Messiah or His resurrection, or even that one must have faith in Him to be saved  but they were adding man-made requirements to God’s gift of grace.

• Vv. 8-9 It doesn’t matter who it is, an apostle, an angel, or any man; if they preach a different gospel, they are to be accursed  (something that is unusable to God).

• Vs. 10 Who are we trying to please? God or men?

o God – child-like faith, trusting God.

o Men – is must be more complicated.

• How do we make sure that we are staying on the right path?

• 1 Timothy 4:6-7