Galatians--Chapter One

Background Study: Acts 9;13;14: 1-7, 19-23; 15:35-16:1-6.

Introduction: Paul had established churches in the area known as Galatia in Asia Minor on his first missionary journey. He established churches in Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe and on his second missionary journey, (Acts 16) he preached in these churches again. Paul wrote this letter about 58 A. D.

Paul wrote this letter for the purpose of refuting three doctrinal errors that were being taught by some individuals in those churches.

1. Legalism - This was the doctrine propagated by the Judaisers who said that in order to be saved, you must accept Christ as Saviour and follow the Judaistic religion, which involved circumcision and other Jewish teaching. Galatians. 2:16.

2. Anti-Nomianism- This was the doctrine propagated and espoused by some which said, "Yes, we are saved by grace and now we can live anyway we desire.." Paul refutes this in Galatians 2:19.

3. Galatianism - This was the doctrine that said "we are saved by grace but if we want to stay saved we must live up to the law. " Note Galatians 3:3." Conclusion: God can change the worst sinner. II Corinthians 5:17. God can also then use that saved sinner (and it pleases Him to do so) to proclaim His glorious message. If you're not saved, God wants to save you. Jn 3:16.

Vs. 1-Paul was called by God and established as an apostle. Jesus Christ was raised by the trinity. The Father, Galatians. 1:1; The Son, John 10:17, 18; The Holy Spirit, I. Peter 3:18.

Vs. 2-To the churches in Galatia.

Vs. 3-The pathway to Peace is always through Grace. Eph. 2:8,9.

Vs. 4-Jesus died as our substitute (lI Corinthians 5:21) so that we might be delivered into heaven one day and out of this world and all the evils it has brought about. cf. John 7:37-40.

Vs. 5-God deserves all the Glory. Revelations. 5:9, 10.

Vs. 6-It was Paul that had brought the gospel to them and called them to God's grace and now they (the church members) were listening more to the false prophets than they were to him.

Vs. 7-They were listening to another gospel, which really wasn't a gospel (good news). The word "pervert" means "twist". These false teachers were twisting the real gospel to mean something else.

Vs. 8-9-There is but one gospel. I Corinthians 15:1-4. Even if an angel reveals a different message to us we are not to believe it. We are to only believe His (God's) Word and the true Gospel. Salvation is of the Lord. Jonah 2:9. All of Him!

Vs. 10-11-Paul begins a defense here of himself as a God-called man with a God-given message. Paul was not a man pleaser. It pleases man to hear that he can have a part in procuring his own salvation. But Paul preached salvation was accomplished completely by Christ and man just came as a bankrupt sinner and received it by faith from a merciful God.

Vs. 12-Paul received the message of Salvation by Grace through repentance and faith (Ephesians. 2:8, 9 and Acts. 20:17-21) wholly from God and not man.

Vs. 13 & 14- Conversation means behavior. Paul before his conversion was extremely religious (Phil. 3:4 & 5) and very educated. Acts 22:2,3.

Vs. 15 & 16-Paul gives God the glory for his salvation and says he was saved by grace and called to preach by grace.

Vs. 17-Paul's going to Arabia was not mentioned in Acts and must have occurred between Acts 9:20 & 21- He was in Arabia two or three years. As soon as he was saved he went into Arabia, the same area God had used to train Moses and John the Baptist.

Vs. 18 & 19-After returning to Damascus from Arabia, he then went up to Jerusalem but only talked to Peter and James.

Vs. 20-Paul's writings were inspired of God. II Timothy. 3:14-17; II Peter 3:15,16.

Vs. 21-After leaving Jerusalem, Paul went to Tarsus where Barnabus got him, when he was needed in Antioch. Acts 11:19-26.

Vs. 22-24-The people in the churches in Judaea hadn't seen Paul since his conversion but they had heard of his conversion and that now he was a preacher of the gospel and God was glorified by this news.