seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Galatians 1:1 Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2 and all the brothers and sisters with me,
To the churches in Galatia:
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!
10 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.
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Here's a link to the commentary I read.
Paul: The apostolic authorship of this magnificent letter is virtually unquestioned, even by more skeptical scholars.
Galatians has been called the “Declaration of Independence of Christian liberty.” The great reformer Martin Luther especially loved this letter; he called Galatians his “Catherine von Bora” after his wife; because, he said, “I am married to it.” Leon Morris wrote, “Galatians is a passionate letter, the outpouring of the soul of a preacher on fire for his Lord and deeply committed to bringing his hearers to an understanding of what saving faith is.”
Not from men or through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father: Paul’s calling as an apostle was not from man, nor was it through man. It didn’t originate with man, and it didn’t come through man. It originated with God and came directly from God. His standing as an apostle was not based on opinion polls and it did not come from any human council. It was based on a Divine call, made through both the Father and the Son.
“The bluntness of Paul’s denial is due to the charge… that Paul was not a genuine apostle because not one of the twelve.” (Robertson)
“When I was a young man I thought Paul was making too much of his call. I did not understand his purpose. I did not then realize the importance of the ministry… We exalt our calling, not to gain glory among men, or money, or satisfaction, or favor, but because people need to be assured that the words we speak are the words of God. This is no sinful pride. It is holy pride.” (Martin Luther)
And all the brethren who are with me: Paul gave a greeting from all the brethren who are with him; but the use of I in this letter (such as in Galatians 1:6) shows that it was not really a “team effort” written by Paul and his coworkers. Paul wrote this letter and he sent greetings from his friends as a matter of courtesy.
I marvel that you are turning away so soon: Paul seemed amazed not so much that they were turning away (this might alarm him, but not amaze him), but that they were turning away so soon.
Which is: Galatians 1:7 tells three things about this different gospel. First, it was an illegitimate gospel (which is not another). Second, it was not good at all but trouble (who trouble you). Third, it was a distortion of the true gospel (pervert the gospel of Christ).
Which is not another: Paul recognized that this different gospel was not really another gospel at all. Those who promoted this different gospel perhaps said, “We know our message is different than Paul’s message. He has his truth, and we have ours. He has his gospel, and we have ours.” Paul rejected the idea that their message was a legitimate alternative gospel in any way.
To pervert the gospel of Christ: The other gospel was really a perversion or a distortion of the true gospel of Jesus Christ. It didn’t start from nothing and make up a new name for God and pretending to have a new Savior. It used the names and ideas familiar to the Galatian Christians, but it slightly twisted the ideas to make their message all the more deceptive.
But even if we, or an angel from heaven: Paul didn’t care who brought the false gospel. Even if it were himself, or an angel from heaven, it was to be rejected. Any person who spreads a false gospel was worthy only of a particular curse from God (let him be accursed).
So now I say again: The curse was repeated for extra emphasis; it is really impossible for Paul to express this idea with any more strength than he did here.
It might be fair to ask, “Where was Paul’s love?” He asked for a “double curse” on people — people who spread a false gospel. He didn’t just ask God to curse the message, but to curse the people who spread the message. So, where was Paul’s love? Paul’s love was for souls that were in danger of hell. If a gospel is false, and not “another good news” at all, then it can not save the lost. Paul looked at this false, perverted gospel and said, “That is a rescue ship about to sink! It can’t save anyone! I want to do everything right before God to warn people away from the wrong rescue ship.”
For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ: For Paul it was one or the other. He could not direct his ministry towards pleasing men and at the same time direct it towards pleasing Jesus Christ. And if his concern was not first to please Jesus Christ, then he was not a bondservant of Christ.
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There were no Bibles when Paul [Saul] was writing these letters to the churches. Humans learned from "word of mouth" and letters like these that were passed around the churches.
Since there was no Bible to share, only the letters from that guy named Paul, who was called Saul before he started writing these letters.
I've told you about the preacher who took away my Bible, along with other Bibles that were in the hands of others in the church that morning.
He took any Bible except the King James Bible. He said the other "Bibles" were perversions, and according to Paul [Saul] they were false Gospels and should be disposed of.
At the time, an NIV Leatherbound Bible cost about $40. That was an expensive morning for the humans in that church in Orlando, Fl.
I couldn't, I still can't, understand the King James translation. I just get thrown by the "Kings English". Every time I get to a thee or thou, my brain freezes. I don't know why but it's been that way for my whole life!
Now in the Bible Study that takes place in my neighborhood, the teacher [a preacher] insists that the King James Version is the only "true gospel".
What good is a Bible no one can read? What good is a Bible that just sits on the shelf? Isn't the Bible more than a part of someone's home decor?
In these verses, Paul [Saul] calls himself an "apostle", instead of an "Apostle".
The commentary says " really a perversion or a distortion of the true gospel of Jesus Christ.". Paul says all the other evangelical groups that are preaching in Galatia are spreading a fake Gospel. He reminds me of the preacher who burnt my Bible in a Biblical Bonfire that morning. I tip my hat to the Florida Preacher for making his sermon hit home! He sure did that!
I don't know if I was taught correctly.... When I was growing up, I heard that no one in the Catholic Church has a Bible to read along with the priest. I heard that in the Catholic Church, we, the common people, are not capable of interpreting the Bible properly. I heard the Children of God have to confess their sins to a priest because no one can talk directly to God other than the Priest.
"Pray to Mary... leave God alone... He's busy!"
Isn't that a perversion? Does that mean that the whole of the Catholic Church a fake?
In the Mormon "Meetings" they read from the Book of Mormon. The New Testament is included in their Book. Does that mean the Mormon Church is a fake?
Paul [Saul] would say, "don't listen to them"!
They perverted the Bible!
