Galatians 1:1-5 - Moving Forward, Means Going Back

Why was this letter written? This is the most important question. The answer unlocks the entirety of the book. In Chapter 1, Paul tells the church, “there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ” (v6, ESV). After Paul planted these churches, false teachers gained influence and insisted that Gentile converts to Christianity must follow Jewish law, including practices such as circumcision, to be truly saved. To validate their teaching, they devalued the validity of Paul’s claim to be an apostle. Paul’s apostleship and his gospel are interconnected. Imagine the questions the false teachers would raise. They probably asked something like, “If Paul is not truly an apostle like Peter and James, can Paul’s gospel be trusted?” Paul’s Introduction The first five verses focus on the validity of Paul’s apostleship and the sufficiency of Jesus’ work. Both of these will serve as dominant themes throughout the book. Paul wasn’t called by men; he was called by the God-man, Jesus Christ. Jesus has been validated as the God-man by the Father, who raised him from the dead. Paul speaks on behalf of the Risen Christ, who has conquered sin and death. The message of Paul’s gospel is grace and peace (v3). Don’t skim over this because it’s so common in Paul’s letters. Paul emphasizes that the elements of the gospel’s message are grace and peace. Peace with God can only be found by God lavishing upon us unmerited favor, or grace. The good news is that he has done that. How? Through Christ’s powerful and sufficient work on the cross (v4). Main Point of the Sermon – To progressively move forward in Christ, we must constantly go back to the cross. Outline of the Sermon – 2 Reminders to Move Us Forward Go Back to the Validity of the Cross’s Messenger Go Back to the Sufficiency of the Cross’s Message Additional Study Questions How are Paul’s apostleship and message interconnected? Why is it important that Paul references his apostleship? Why does his apostleship matter to us today? Look at v4. Break down what Jesus has done for us. How does this work display God’s grace, and how does it provide peace? How is it sufficient for our acceptance with God? In what ways are you tempted to ruin the gospel by adding to it? [1] Joseph A. Pipa, Galatians: God’s Proclamation of Liberty.