In this letter we have been able to see:
1. Paul wrote to the Galatians out of a heart of love.
2. Paul wrote to the Galatians out of a heart of disappointment because they had so soon turned from the doctrine of grace to a false doctrine.
3. Paul wrote to the Galatians out of a heart of concern because they had allowed false teachers to enter their church and allowed them to:
• Trash the gospel of grace
• Trash him as an apostle
Let’s look at the last passage of scripture that Paul wrote to the Galatians. We see three things, such as -
I. THE FACTS
This letter contains some facts that needed to be brought to their attention.
Illus: Did you hear about the hillbilly woman that sent her nephew a letter letting him know how things were going back home. It went like this:
Dear Arnold,
I'm writing this letter slow because I know you can't read fast. I do not know if you have heard, we don't live where we did when you left home. Your Pa read in the newspaper that most accidents happen within 20 minutes of your home, so we moved. I won't be able to send you the address because the last family that lived here took the house numbers when they moved so they wouldn't have to change their address.
About that coat you wanted me to send; your Uncle Bubba said it would be too heavy to send in the mail with the buttons on, so we cut them off and put them in the pockets.
Your sister had a baby this morning, but I haven't found out what it is yet so I don't know if you are an aunt or uncle. The baby looks just like your brother.
Three of your friends went off a bridge in a pickup truck. Butch was driving. He rolled down the window and swam to safety. Your other two friends were in the back, they drowned because they couldn't get the tailgate down.
I better close this letter, I just thought you might want to know what is going on back home.
Your Favorite Aunt
In this letter that Paul wrote to the Galatians, he let them know the facts.
WHAT ARE THE FACTS OF THIS LETTER?
Paul normally dictated his letters to a scribe.
WHY DID HE DICTATE HIS LETTERS?
It is believed by many that he had poor vision.
Illus: Did you hear about the fellow that said to his friend, "Let's go over to that restaurant and get something to eat." The man had a Doberman Pinscher and his friend had a “weiner dog” with him. The friend said, “We can’t do that, we have our dogs with us.”
The guy with the Doberman Pinscher says, "Just follow my lead." They walked over to the restaurant and the guy with the Doberman put on a pair of dark glasses, and he started to walk in. A guy at the door says, "Sorry, mac, no pets allowed." The guy with the Doberman Pinscher says, "You don't understand. This is my seeing-eye dog." The guy at the door says, "A Doberman Pinscher?" He says, "Yes, they're using them now, they're very good." The guy at the door says, "Come on in."
The guy with the “weiner dog” says, "Ok, he got by with it, let me try it now!" He puts on a pair of dark glasses and starts to walk in. The guy at the door says, "Sorry, pal, no pets allowed."
The fellow with the “weiner dog” says, "You don't understand. This is my seeing-eye dog." The guy at the door says, “A weiner dog?"
The guy with the “weiner dog” says, "You mean they gave me a ‘weiner dog’?" The man said, “Ok, come on in with your ‘weiner dog’!”
We do not know exactly how severe Paul’s eye problems were, but they seem to be severe.
He mentioned something about his physical handicap in Galatians 4:14-15, we read, “And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.”
The reason he mentions that they would have plucked out their own eyes and given them to him, was because at that time they loved him and would have given their eyes to him if they could.
WHEN DID HE START TO HAVE THIS EYE PROBLEM?
Some believe it goes back to his conversion.
Look at Acts 9:1-9, we read, “And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.”
The Bible tells us that Paul went three days without sight. But even though he regained his eyesight, many believe it left him with limited vision.
WHY DID GOD ALLOW THIS?
At Paul’s conversion there were things revealed to him that probably had never been revealed to any man before.
With this special blessing, it would have been easy for Paul to become proud. His limited eyesight was always a reminder that he should not be proud.
Look at 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, we read, “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”
This letter to these Galatians was so important that Paul said he wrote this letter with his own hands.
Look at verse 11, we read, “Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.”
The reference to large letters draws their attention to his poor eye sight. Paul wanted the Galatians to know that this letter was such a concern of his that he wrote with his own hands rather then dictate it to a scribe.
This also shows it’s importance to the readers of this book. If Paul wrote it with his own hands, then we should read it carefully and heed what it teaches.
We have looked at THE FACTS, now look at -
II. THE FALLACY
Look at verses 12-13, we read, “As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.”
These false teachers that were teaching contrary to what Paul was teaching, were in it for THEMSELVES.
Look what Paul says about them in verse 12. He said they were in it “…To make a fair show in the flesh…”
Notice, he also says they are not sincere in what they are teaching and preaching. The fact is, they themselves did not practice what they preached to others.
Look at verse 13, we read, “For neither they themselves who are circumcised KEEP THE LAW; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.”
WHAT MOTIVATED THEM?
• They sought the favor of men above the favor of God
• They would preach whatever they had to preach to be popular
WHY DID THEY PREACH A FALSE RELIGION?
Because it was very unpopular to preach that salvation is by grace alone, which was what Paul was preaching. But Paul had the courage to preach it.
These false teachers did not have the courage or the love for God to preach the gospel of grace.
We still have those today in the pulpit preaching whatever is popular.
Look at 2 Timothy 4:1-4, we read, “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
False preachers will preach whatever it takes to make them popular. These false teachers were only looking out for themselves.
We have looked at THE FACTS and THE FALLACY, now look at -
III. THE FAREWELL
HOW CAN YOU TELL A FALSE MINISTER FROM A TRUE MINISTER?
You can tell by what they preach!
The false minister tries to get people to rally around him. He knows the more he can get to rally around him the more money he is going to make.
The true minister of God tries to get people to rally around the Lord Jesus.
Look at verse 14-17, we read, “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. 18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.”
Notice, while these false preachers glorified themselves, Paul said, “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ…”
Today many Christians:
• Boast of their church programs
• Boast of their church attendance
• Boast of their beautiful church buildings
• Boast of their elite membership
• Boast of their large budgets
And may I say, nothing is wrong with having any of these things within themselves.
But let me also say that while we the church today boast in these things, that is not what God put the church here to do. It seems we have forgotten what God put the church here to do.
Paul said, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ…”
Illus: Dr. J. Vernon McGee explains it this way. He said, “We have a lot of soaps on the market. Those who promote them tell us they will make you smell good or make you feel good or they are kind to your skin. So let’s you and me get out a new brand soap, and we’ll call it CLEAN, since getting you clean is the purpose of soap, and that seems to be the one thing the advertisers have forgotten. We’ll start advertising it by claiming that it is the only soap that will make you clean. Our slogan will be “Buy Clean and get clean.” Now that will get us in trouble immediately when we claim that it is the only soap that will get you clean. Manufactures of other soaps will really begin to howl.”
The gospel of grace is the only gospel that cleans a sinner from his sins. So naturally, those who teach contrary to this do not like what we promote.
And the false teachers did not like what Paul preached either.
The false religions do not hate Christianity simply because they hate Christianity. They hate it because the Word of God teaches CHRIST IS THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN, and if a person does not come to Christ for salvation they will perish.
THE LOST WORLD DOES NOT LIKE THAT!
Now if we tell them that Christianity is one of many ways they can get to heaven, they would have no problem with us. If you tell them that they can go to heaven through:
• Judaism
• Catholicism
• Mormonism
• Jehovah Witnesses
They are fine with that!
But when you tell them that salvation is by GRACE ALONE THROUGH CHRIST, they do not like that.
Conclusion:
Notice, Paul starts the book of Galatians on Grace and he closes it on Grace.
Look at verse 18, we read, “Brethren, the GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST be with your spirit.”
We have looked at:
I. THE FACTS
II. THE FALLACY
III. THE FAREWELL
