Galatians

The One True Gospel {Galatians 1}

3:11 PM



March 9 “Walking In Wisdom”


After returning to Antioch, Paul learned that Judaizers, (Jewish Christians who believed in salvation through both grace and works) were stirring up trouble in the churches of Galatia. These Judaizers were teaching a false gospel of Gentiles being required to keep the Jewish laws in order to be saved. In response, Paul wrote a letter to the members calling them back to the one true gospel. “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. “ (Eph. 2:8-9) A gospel, Paul reminded them, given to him by a divine source; “For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.” (vs. 12) (You can read more about Paul’s life changing encounter with the Lord in Acts 9)

“Whenever someone advances a message other than the gospel of Jesus Christ or deviates from what the Bible clearly teaches, run for your life! That person promotes death, not life.”.......Dr. Charles Stanley

The adding and taking away from God’s Word is pretty serious business. So serious Paul doesn’t just tell us to stay away from those who teach a distorted gospel, he calls for a curse upon them declaring, “Even if we, or an angel of heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you any gospel contrary to what you have received, he is to be accursed!” (vs. 1:8-9) In 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, Paul says those who teach a different gospel are servants of Satan, and Proverbs 30:5-6 cautions, “Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words or He will reprove you and you will be proved a liar.”

Whether it’s an ear tickling gospel, a prosperity gospel, or a works based gospel, if it doesn’t line up with God’s gospel, it is a false gospel. False gospels keep us chained to rules and laws. False gospels say there are many roads to God. False gospels lead to death and destruction. And false gospels tell us that through our own efforts we can earn everlasting life. But the one true gospel of Jesus Christ gives us freedom and joy, not bondage and despair. The one true gospel of Jesus Christ wipes clean our record, declaring us innocent and blameless. And the one true gospel of Jesus Christ shows us God’s great love in that He gave His only Son to die so that we may live. (John 3:16) 

“The gospel gives an explanation for our existence, clarity for our confusion, grace for our guilt, meaning for our morality, and answers for our adversaries. The gospel makes sense of the world while filling life with meaning and purpose.” (Dan DeWitt) 

As fallen people with fallen hearts, we cannot fathom such a pure, perfect, and unconditional love as is God’s love. A love whose height knows no limits, and whose depth knows no end. And most wonderful of all, a love not earned but offered freely to everyone who receives Jesus as their Savior. Once we were dead in sin, separated from our Father in heaven. But through the grace of God and the blood of His only begotten Son, we can be reconciled back to our Father in heaven forever. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23) This is the only means of salvation. This is the Good News of Jesus Christ. And this is the one and only true gospel!




Galatians 1

God's Transforming Work {Galatians 1}

2:00 PM


Scripture for November 26, 2019

I’ve gone back and forth trying to decide if I will write my last post for the year about my own transformation, or something generic – let’s see how this goes.

I just completed a 6 week renewal program through our church.  It resulted because of the sex scandal in the Catholic Church.  It was filled with fighting hope.  And it reminds me of the book of Galatians.  The book of Galatians is Paul’s defense of his ministry and message. The gospel was stolen by false teachers who twisted God’s word and presented a different message as if it was the true gospel. Paul’s righteous anger drives him to write this letter to the churches he planted in Galatia. 1:1-10 set the tone. 1:11-24 continues the defense.

As Christians we are all transformed and because of that, we have a story.  We all come from different backgrounds and began our Christian journey at some point.

In Galatians Paul defends his faith because of the Judaizers.  Paul preached the gospel message he received by God’s revelation – not man’s invention.  That’s the kind of change Jesus creates in the gospel. We become people willing to share our shameful past because of the bright future Jesus has given to us. When God reveals his gospel to us, we become honest about our past and use our story to help others understand God’s story. Only freedom in Christ can create such honesty.

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In our last session in my church renewal study, the road to Emmaus was included.  It’s a little less dramatic than Paul’s conversion.  God moves on your heart in a gradual, incremental way, and looking back you declare, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the scriptures to us?”  Luke 24:32


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Ellen White says, “A person may not be able to tell the exact time or place, or trace all the chains of circumstances in the process of conversion, but this does not prove him to be unconverted.”

My story is ordinary, in my mind.  I grew up attending church and my parents taught me to love and trust God (Deut. 6:4-9 & Ephesians 6:4).  My conversion is not something radical.  It’s not something you can slap a date or place on.  But we only want to hear these radical testimonies.  What seems to happen to the people who have walked the road to Emmaus? 

Let me remind you what happened.  Emmaus was a town near Jerusalem, some people who had been Jesus’ disciples were walking home, three days after Jesus’ death.  They were walking home and Jesus Himself started walking with them.  How often has that happened to you?  We’re walking with Jesus and we’re crying out, “Why aren’t you doing anything?  I don’t see you!  I don’t feel you!”  But He’s right there with us, and He’s teaching us all about who He is.

And then “IT” happens!  There is a moment when Jesus does something, and we recognize Him, and it’s like everything clicks.  We look back at the whole time and we realize we’ve been in the boat.

The road to Emmaus is not a blinding light.  It’s not a slap in the face.  You walk with Jesus and He teaches you about who He is and He helps you understand the thing He’s doing and then brings you to a place where you are capable of understanding.  And your testimony is that you walked with Jesus – He changed you!  He made you a stronger disciple.  He changed the way you approached life.

And here in Galatians, Paul teaches us to fight for that truth.  God changed me.  God changes me.  And last week I wrote about the storms of life and about being in the boat with Jesus through the storm or standing safely on shore with the crowd. 

I’m a fighter.  Most people who know me would probably tell you that I fight for what I believe in and it’s quite difficult to knock me off that track.

Here’s my point.  God saved me.  He hasn’t used me in some world-changing way.  This post isn’t even about me.  It’s about God.  It’s about a series of days, months and years of seeking God.  Knocking at His door.  God answered.  God transformed me.

I’ve had some pretty incredible experiences – God experiences – that I shy away from sharing because so many people don’t believe it.  But the storm I spoke about last week has stirred in me a desire to share ‘my story’.  This storm is because the culture that surrounds us tells us that there’s no need for God.  No, nothing new under the sun.  But this sick warped culture has infected my family who I thought I had carefully placed and protected in God’s care.

I’ll tell you – I walk back and forth to Emmaus every day.  Jesus is walking with me and some days I recognize Him, and other days it takes me a bit longer to see clearly.  But because of that walk, I’m like Paul and I’ll fight for the truth of Christ because He changed me!  And the freedom I have from my relationship of a faith in Christ makes me want to wear my spiritual armor every day and tell my story. 

What’s your transformation story?




1 John 2;24

Walking in Truth and Watchfulness (2 John 1:13)

9:00 PM





John addressed this letter to a particular congregation and he expressed how much he rejoiced to find God's people walking in truth, which means they also abide in God. The same idea was expressed in 1 John 2:24 “Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.” 

 “When we receive Jesus as our Savior, His truth lives in us through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is described in many ways including a “Spirit of help”, (John 14:16), and a “Spirit of truth”. (John 16:13) The Spirit helps us to walk in God’s truth and to obey His commands. Especially God’s greatest commandments; to love Him and to love others as we love ourselves.” If you’d like to learn more about Walking in His Truth click here.

John also warns the church to stand firm against false teachers:

 “Watch yourselves, so that you do not lose what we have accomplished together, but that you may receive a full and perfect reward [when He grants rewards to faithful believers].” (8)
Many people today are so “open minded” and they think that the Truth can change from age to age and from generation to generation. I have sadly seen family and friends wander away from the truth because they are being attracted to deceptive “modern” doctrines. I have also seen many of my fellow Christians running to these preachers which combine the truths of the Gospel with “Life Coaching” -diluting the Gospel- and they find this so amusing! 
Peter encourages to be sober, alert and cautious:

8 Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, be firm in your faith [against his attack—rooted, established, immovable], (1 Peter 5:8-9a)

“The more deceivers and deceits abound, the more watchful the disciples must be. Sad it is, that splendid attainments in the school of Christ, should ever be lost. The way to gain the full reward is, to abide true to Christ, and constant in religion to the end. Firm cleaving to Christian truth unites us to Christ, and thereby to the Father also; for they are one”. M. Henry

Paul also gave this warning: “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we [originally] preached to you, let him be condemned to destruction! 9 As we have said before, so I now say again, if anyone is preaching to you a gospel different from that which you received [from us], let him be condemned to destruction!” (Galatians1:8-9)
The truth is not always well received by some people, because it can confront them and convict them:
“10 Am I now [a]trying to win the favor and approval of men, or of God? Or am I seeking to please someone? If I were still trying to be popular with men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10)

This conviction should bring us to repentance and as James exhorts us:

 “So get rid of all uncleanness and [a]all that remains of wickedness, and with a humble spirit receive the word [of God] which is implanted [actually rooted in your heart], which is able to save your souls.” (1:21)

When we walk in truth this shows we are walking with the Lord. So if we abide in the truth, we will be able to stand up for our Lord.

As I close, I would like to invite you to pray with me:

“Lord God, remind me today (and every day) that I have an enemy who wants to steal my affection from you by deceiving me. Make me watchful. Give me a diligent heart so that I might enjoy the great reward of knowing and serving you. (iWorship Bible)

Blessings,

Mari