Galatians 1
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Galatians 1:6-7, I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.
During Paul's three missionary journeys, he established churches throughout what is now Turkey, Greece, and in Rome. Once the church was started, he sent pastoral letters, providing both encouragement and rebuke to the new believers. Over the next six days, we will be reading through the pastoral letter sent to the churches at Galatia. The region of Galatia included several cities to which Paul evangelized during his first missionary journey, including Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe. In fact, this letter may be the earliest pastoral letter that Paul wrote, penned around AD 48 or 49.
Since Paul had established the various congregations in Galatia, the churches had been plagued by false teachers. They fiercely rejected the Gospel that Paul preached, which was that people are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. Rather, the false teachers were saying that to be saved, people must also be circumcised and follow the whole law of Moses. Besides rejecting the Gospel, they also attacked Paul's credibility. Throughout the letter, we will see Paul continually going back to these two themes - his credibility and apostleship AND the gift of grace offered by the Good News of Jesus.
That helps us better understand our focus verses for today. Paul is clear that anything less than the true Gospel is not the Gospel at all. Those who teach that something other than faith is needed for salvation are twisting the Good News and Paul expresses shock that the Galatians would be so quick to believe this false teaching.
Salvation by grace through faith in Jesus is the core teaching of our faith. Are there times in which we try to twist this doctrine? Do we add or subtract from it? What can we do to ensure that this teaching stays central to the church's teaching?
Let's pray...Lord Jesus, Thank you for your gift of grace. We are sorry for the ways we distort it and cheapen it. Help us stay strong in the faith, teaching and living out your Good News in all we do. In Your Name, Amen.