responding

Galatians 1:1-7

There is blunt message in the salutation. Every other letter of Paul has, within the opening greeting, words of commendation to the people to whom he is writing. Not here. He is ticked. The reason is to be found in verses 6-7. There are those in the Galatian churches who have abandoned the teaching Paul brought them, and have challenged his authority as an apostle.

Although the attack on him is personal, the issue Paul confronts them with concerns the essence of the Gospel message. They have, as we shall see in the letter, watered down the grace of the Gospel, in favour of reliance on various works. Their attack on his apostleship is just part of that. Paul is ticked because they are missing the point of the Gospel. When they discredit him, they discredit the message he brings. A person was only considered an apostle if they had direct experience of the risen Lord. He had such experience (see Acts 9).

It is by Christ’s sacrifice alone, not by human works, that anyone can experience the power and blessing of the Gospel. The benefit is to be delivered from the power of an order of things that is not of the Lord (verse 4). So Paul desires that the Galatians would experience for themselves the ‘grace’ (the means) and ‘peace’ (eternal blessedness experienced in the present) that the true Gospel brings.

Prayer:
Lord God, it is so easy to slip into old patterns. I don’t need to look to others for examples of that. The message of salvation is so simple that it is hard to believe it is so simple – simple but not easy, because it is hard to accept what is totally a gift: where are the strings? I want to see myself in things that work, and my part in it. Thank you that you give us more than enough to do by way of joyful response. Life is full, responding. Thank you. Through Christ. Amen.