Saved By Grace Series

Chico Alliance Church

“Saved By Grace”

Out of a devotion to the basics of “teaching, fellowship breaking of bread, prayers” comes relevant ministry and connection that develops and demonstrates dynamic relationship with God, selfless love for each other and effective impact in our world. Early in the history of the church we not only have examples of passion and devotion to the basics but it did not take long for the enemy to disrupt and disturb the church by distorting the “good news”, the Gospel message.

Paul’s letter to the churches in Southern Galatia were being disturbed by false teachers called Judaizers very soon after they had embraced and experienced the wonderful message of freedom through Christ. These guys were terrifying the churches by casting doubt on their newly taught relationship with God through Christ. These were churches established by Paul himself through the preaching of the Gospel.

These Judaizers disturbed these young believers by:

1 – questioning Paul’s authority

2 – advocating circumcision as a requirement for salvation

3 – requiring them to keep the laws and customs of Judaism for salvation

It is my hope that by reinforcing the vital truths concerning grace, not only for salvation but also our daily walk, we will experience the joy of our salvation that God intended to continually motivate us into deeper relationship with Him.

From: Paul

To: the churches of Galatia

Blessing:

Directed to the Galatian believers

Directed to God

I. Correct Divine Credentials 1:6-2:21

A. Paul expressed amazement at such a quick departure from the gospel of grace vs 6-7

B. Paul condemned anyone distorting the gospel of grace vs 8-9

C. Paul affirmed his personal commitment to the gospel of grace vs 10

D. Paul confirmed the divine origin of the gospel of Grace 1:11-2:21

1. Paul’s Adamant assertion “Gospel received from Christ 11-12

For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. Galatians 1:11-12

I want you to really know and understand a simple, but vital fact. This Gospel which I preached. “The good news having been good newsed by me” This message does not originate from human thinking or development. This is an important fact even today for there are those who would have you believed that religion is an evolutionary thing. Paul adamantly asserts that the truth of the gospel preached by him to the Galatians did not originate from any human source. In fact he goes on to assert that what he taught was not even passed on to him from any particular person. He did not receive it (aorist passive) from any human. Nor did anyone sit down and teach (aorist passive) him these things.

Paul was an educated man but he offers this disclaimer concerning his teaching of the Gospel. These were truth revealed to him by Christ Himself.

The word used here is “apocalypse”. The Greek word for to cover or hide attached with a negative. Revelation, uncovering, unveiling, appearance, manifestation.

Christ could be the object.

The gospel could be the object.

In other places Paul claims to have experienced a personal audience with the resurrected Christ.

then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as it were to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. 1 Cor. 15:7-8 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? 1 Cor. 9:1 For I received (same verb as our text) from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; 1 Cor. 11:23

Paul boldly asserts that the truth taught by him did not come from any human source nor did he learn it in the School of Gamaliel or from the other apostles. Paul clearly claims to have received the Gospel from Christ Himself. Paul’s credentials are based on his relationship with Christ. He does not appeal to earthly credentials but to divine connection. In order to demonstrate the fact that his teaching was not influenced by any human source,

2. Paul’s life Before Christ 13-14

For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure, and tried to destroy it; and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. Galatians 1:13-14

Here Paul draws attention to his former life.

Used to persecute the church of God beyond measure.

Tried to destroy the church of God.