APROVAL OF HUMAN BEINGS OR GOD
Galatians 1
I once attended a worship event and before the speaker took the stage a choral group was singing. I was to lead a prayer before the speaker began, so I was silently worshipping and reflecting on my words for the prayer.
As the choral group sang a very interpretative and contemplative version of Holy, Holy, Holy I observed a young lady with her hands lifted in the air and her lips were moving as if she was in conversation with someone right in front of her but nobody stood in front of her. Her eyes were closed, intently concentrating on the words of the song. It was evident that she was deeply moved and seemed to be talking to God. She was getting it. She simply stood in the presence of God.
I continued to watch her. She made no acknowledgment of my watching with awe at how God was moving in her heart. As we worshipped in song, her concentration rested simply on positioning her heart to receive from the Lord what only He could give. She did not care what was going on around her. Her focus was on the presence of God in that moment. Her worship and the gospel in song was enough. That image of a young girl in that worship service has stayed with me.
I think we can all relate to that young lady at times but yet for some reason we remain in our seat paralyzed with fear over the “what if’s” of life. At times in our Christian walk we lose our footing, forgetting what we know is right and turn away to something else that grabs our attention.
We lose the foundation that we once held onto so tightly. We wander away from the truths of God and do what we desire because of the sway of someone else.
? What will you do when this happens?
? Will you be able to stand tall in the midst of a crowd of people doing what the Lord wants regardless of what others are doing?
? Can you cling to the truths of God to have life and have it to the fullest?
In counsel to his young protégé, Titus, Paul said, “The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared .” Some people think that happens immediately at conversion, but it doesn’t. It is a lifelong process. As you reflect on your life – how do you recall grace seeping in at unexpected times?
The meaning of life itself … the time lived without Christ … the poor choices we have made – God answers the mess of life with one word – G-R-A-C-E .
In the first 5 verses of Galatians, Paul has established his authority and purpose for ministry. Notice that Paul’s statement here does two things. First, it sets Paul apart as a special apostle, chosen by Jesus Christ himself through the encounter on the Damascus road. Second, it subtly but distinctly “sets Christ in a category apart from ordinary man.” It was not any man that chose Paul - it was Jesus Christ !
He then invokes grace and peace upon the Galatians. There are two main ideas to the word “grace” (?a´???, charis). The first is sheer beauty - the idea of charm and loveliness. The second is sheer undeserved generosity - the loving favor that God gives to people who have not earned it. F. F. Bruce says "Paul's claim [was] that the message he preached was the authentic gospel of Christ. It is this: two things on which Paul pre-eminently insisted - that salvation was provided by God's grace and that faith was the means by which men appropriated it. ”
Peace, on the other hand, is a natural result of grace. Peace is the “state of wholeness” enjoyed by those who have effectively experienced divine grace.
They have not struggled to earn God’s approval, nor must they find some way to earn the right to keep it. Because grace has been freely given, peace can be securely enjoyed.
Grace was a favorite word for Paul because of his past beliefs and behavior. In 26 texts he mentions the word grace 94 times. He was a devout legalist who was not going to be stopped – but Jesus stopped him and his life was radically changed forever.
Beginning in Galatians 1:6-10 NCV we read, “God, by his grace through Christ, called you to become his people. So I am amazed that you are turning away so quickly and believing something different than the Good News. Really, there is no other Good News. But some people are confusing you; they want to change the Good News of Christ. We preached to you the Good News. So if we ourselves, or even an angel from heaven, should preach to you something different, we should be judged guilty! I said this before, and now I say it again: You have already accepted the Good News. If anyone is preaching something different to you, he should be judged guilty! Do you think I am trying to make people accept me? No, God is the One I am trying to please. Am I trying to please people? If I still wanted to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
Paul is amazed that the Galatian Christians have so quickly turned away from the Good News - that Christ died, rose again, and gave them the Holy Spirit. They allowed others to distort the truth by not defining what they knew was right at the moment they should speak.
Little by little they became desensitized which led to a justification of personal preference and actions.
Paul is astonished that the people are unwilling to define verbally what they knew was right in the face of oppression regardless of the consequences they would face. It is not the lack of communication that Paul is furious with, but the lack of conviction the people having regarding the truths about Jesus.
Peter reminded his readers, “So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have .”
And John the beloved apostle stated, “I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. ”
Jesus is truth. We get into trouble when we start defining truth according to our personal beliefs and preferences. The truth of Christ is defined by His work on the cross, His work done in the tomb, and His restoration at the resurrection. We know it, we profess it inside the church but when it comes to the life lived outside the doors we too often abandon it. Sometimes we are more worried about the affirmations of others than the approval of Christ.
James 4:17 states, “Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” We need to continually acknowledge Romans 8:31 – “If God is for us, who can be against us?” He is in us when we acknowledge Him.
He alone has the ability to help us when temptation comes to submit to those who distort the message of Christ. It is up to his people to define it for those who do not understand.
We must question ourselves. Does my life, my beliefs, my practice square with God’s Holy Word? Have my positions and preferences misinformed or confused others?
Paul reminded the Galatians and us that truth must be taught in vv. 8-9. It is not enough that we simply define what is true. An explanation for what has been defined is often needed. As Peter says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. ”
Paul states that if anyone preaches a gospel contrary to Christ then there not only needs to be a definition of truth but also a teaching that supports what has been defined. This instruction must be accompanied with the validation of scripture instead of personal opinion. The insertion of personal opinion over scripture is improper for teaching the principles outlined in God’s Word. In this practice you give what is inside self and not that which is of God.
Therefore a proper Scriptural study must be obtained to make sure what has been defined is of God. The implementation of teaching doctrine trumps personal opinion every time.
A bold example of standing for truth from the OT was Daniel in the Lion’s Den reciting Scripture to validate that His God was the living God .
On another occasion, Jesus sends demons out of a man and into pigs, which leads to a declaration of the Christ to not only his family but also the entire town .
And, Steven standing before the Sanhedrin declaring the Good News to defend his belief that Jesus is the Messiah .
To defend the truth declared for another must be validated by teaching from Scripture. Today, when it comes to God’s Word, many people are illiterate. Today, we have God’s written Word and education that allows us to read and know God’s will for our lives. The Galatians did not have the advancements that we have today.
And Paul was upset with the Galatian brethren in their quick departure from the truth. He stated that their rejection of the truth was the same as preaching another Gospel. To claim knowledge when there is little is to claim intelligence when there is none.
Regardless of educational or social, age, gender, race, or color, there is no excuse in today’s culture for the abandonment of understanding the Word of God. To love God is to love His Word and the principles contained in the text. It is the answer for the profession that we make and it must be taught to those who ask questions.
When we engage others in conversation do we use the opportunity to explain the Good News? Some are quick to assume that is not their task – but the task of a minister. But, the Bible reminds us that we are all ministers!
Paul emphasizes that truth glorifies God – v. 10. When we look at ancient church history it is remarkable to see how quickly believers detoured from the truth. In the second and third century we see vast departures from the Good News that Paul preached.
And today, we must push back against those who distort the truth. We must remain firm on the simplicity of the Gospel and let the Holy Spirit speak to those who oppress. If we confuse the simplicity of salvation, we will confuse people. When we confuse people we are in danger allowing others to be eternally lost.
In the letter to the Galatian church Paul unravels a hypothetical situation. Paul said that if he (a called apostle of God) or an angel (a messenger from God) were to change the gospel message then they would be accursed.
Paul and Barnabas had given a warning of judgment to anybody who was preaching a different gospel than Christ. These people would come under God’s eternal judgment.
It is not difficult to understand why Paul reacted so strongly, because the Jews were disgracing the work of Christ on the cross saying that good works were necessary for salvation and the work of Christ was not sufficient .
How many times in your lifetime have you personally seen works invoked instead of the heart of God’s truth? In making a stand for Christ, a heart immersed in the Good News is essential but do you declare what you know is in your heart when faced with opposition to do God’s will?
In order to stand for truth, we must build on the foundation of the gospel, just like Paul did. That foundation consists of a heart that is centered in the gospel and that communicates the Good News to others.
Paul had an impeccable Hebrew resume but now that meant nothing to him – his desire was to declare Christ and Him crucified. Do we possess that same desire? We can be just like Christ when we start to be just like that young woman among her peers – by taking an unmistakable stand for Christ.
The foundation for faith is found in a relationship with Christ. The Good News is sufficient.
It breaks through false teaching and personal opinions. It eliminates insecurities, it shatters doubt, it overcomes torment, it defies expectation, and above all, it glorifies God.
Does the truth, grace and peace that the young woman I mentioned at the outset define you? Do you have it? Do you own the Good News as the rule for your life? Is the message buried inside you and is it reflected in your interactions with others?
Paul questioned, “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” And that begs the question for us today – who are we trying to please – God or people?
Our fellowship has a checkered past on taking a stand on many, many issues but over the years those issues have collided with truth and been found wanting. May we ever appreciate the depth of God’s grace and pursue truth with a passion and heart for God.
We have always had some zealous legalists who have tried to bind their opinions on people and churches to make sure every one of their religious t’s were cross and the i’s dotted. Some of the issues that have splintered and divided us over the years include:
- 1875-1890 - Rebaptism, card-playing, dancing, going to the theater, reading fiction, and going to baseball games
- 1890-1910 - Instrumental music, blue laws (Sabbath question), use of tobacco, pacifism, role of women, role of the Holy Spirit
- 1910-1940 - Premillennialism, use of prepared Sunday school literature and, congregational autonomy
- 1940-1960 - Non-institutionalism, non-class, kitchens in the church building, one-cup, and mutual edification
- 1960-1985 - Bible translations, Holy Spirit, pacifism, marriage, divorce and remarriage
- 1985-2017 - Authority of elders, rebaptism, hermeneutics, women’s role, worship styles
None of these issues stay around for any extended period, but they come and go. They are recycled. Truth and our faith in that truth is permanent though.
Faith allows for Diversity leading to Unity, Issues demand Conformity leading to Division
The only type of unity the Bible knows is unity in diversity, though some will deny that vehemently. Remember Romans 14-15? The question is raised about who is the weak brother and who is the strong. That depends on where you start.
A sectarian or liberal is one who has what we oppose, and a legalist is one who opposes what we have! This is how it is in our brotherhood. We are to look like Christ, not clones of each other. The Gospel transcends every ethnic, social, political, economic, sexual and cultural wall ever devised by humanity.
Grace and Christ are synonymous. Grace lives because Christ lives. Grace works because of what Christ did.
To be saved by grace is to be saved by Christ – not some preacher’s idea or issue – not the doctrine espoused by some paper or college – not by a creed or what church you belong to, but by Jesus alone!
Where do you stand today?
What would be Paul’s words to us today?
Have you received God’s amazing grace?
Do you need God’s amazing grace?
If we can assist you in any way – please come now as we stand and sing a song of encouragement.
Resources used:
Max Lucado, GRACE, Nashville, TN, Thomas Nelson, 2012
The College Press NIV Commentary – Galatians & Ephesians
https://www.christianquotes.info/quotes-by-author/f-f-bruce-quotes/#axzz4fHNTPbaq
