Galatians 1:18-23

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brothers. (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God because of me.

Paul is continuing to build his case for not only his authority, but his unique authority. He is confident, as he should be. As a peer he traveled to Jerusalem three years after seeing Jesus on the road to Damascus. He is unique in his revelation of Jesus, but still he is the gentile representative (specifically) as Peter is the Jewish representative of Christ.

What is odd is the mentioning of James “the Lord’s brother”. This is the same James mentioned several times in the book of Acts, and the author of the New Testament book of James. It would appear that James and Jude (both brothers of Jesus) came to faith and grew into leaders of the Jerusalem church. Considered apostles… they were pillars. Perhaps this is why the disciples of Jesus became known as “The Twelve” and not just “The Apostles” in the first several decades of the church. Never the less. Paul is showing that the two largest leaders welcome him after 3 years of ministry.

Paul’s defense here should be taken to heart. He needs to make a thorough defense of himself, his message and his authority as a Spiritual Father to these churches that he helped start. He will be rebuking and challenging the false brothers, false teachers and a false test of faith that is invading the Galatian church later on. The deeper the rebuke, the deeper the defense of himself needs to be at the offset.

Perhaps the earliest records of Paul’s testimony would have been heard by others… “the one who once persecuted the church is now preaching the faith he tried to destroy.” And Paul gives credit where it is due! The churches glorified that Christ could forgive, and then use a man like Paul.

Bottom Line:
• Paul was unique because he was not an apostle sent by “men” but by God. However, this also means that he is not sent by the apostles either. Jesus appeared to Paul and “sent” him (appointed him). So Paul is a co-worker to the apostles and not a messenger of theirs.
• It is kinda natural in a way that the out of the norm apostle is the one that is also the out of Judea apostle. It must have been a jolt at first that Paul (who grew up away from Jerusalem, but studied and was on the fast track to being a major leader in the Sanhedrin (Jewish Senate) would then be “exiled” into church planting all over the Roman world.

As I sit here in India:
• I guess one has to be careful of all the “dreams of men”. Just because someone claims something, doesn’t mean it is the truth. I think Paul is showing that the Apostles were correctly cautious in welcoming Paul. And the Paul was also cautious in meeting them. Both so that “his gospel” (the way he preached Jesus) would not be influenced by them, and so his ministry would stand alone from “the twelve”.

Galatians 1:15-17

But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

Usually when one reads ‘BUT’ in Paul’s letters – one should make a note to read over that statement again. It is a change of pace, a change of rhythm for Paul. At least that is my impression. It doesn’t change the subject… but it is like those warning bumps before stop signs on country roads. You know those? Paul is notorious for taking us on scenic routes of his theology, enjoying the grand nature and beauty of Jesus – so much so that we often need those bumps to remind us that we are come close to a stop in our conversation with Paul and he is now showing a contrast.

I have often been slightly confused with this section of scripture. It is clear that the active entity here is the Lord (setting apart, calling, revealing). There is a divine intention with Paul’s life. So I simply confess that I don’t understand this mystery of providence and sovereignty. To not belabor the point, or go too far into my own understanding:

…We cannot all expect that God has our days planned out for us. There is little in scripture to assert that expectation for each one of us. But from time to time we have leaders (a Moses, a Paul, a church planter, a unique missionary going where none have gone…etc) that are specifically chosen by God sometime in their life, or before it. And one has to wonder the inner thoughts of a person like that – contemplating the hand of God in their life even before they considered God, or his will for them. I understand God can pick those he wants to use for his purposes… and they intern have the same freedoms we do, but a limited playing field in life, I suppose. So, it makes me wonder how Paul contemplated these things.

Back to the theme of Paul here. He is plainly asserting that his Gospel is from Jesus Christ… and not man’s thoughts. Also, it is not the summary of all the testimonies of the Apostles (of which he has joined in their ranks – being a witness to the risen Lord and taught by Jesus). Paul began preaching and teaching before any approval from Peter, or any one else. He knew what had happened to him and his road ahead. As the Lord also spoke in the book of ACTS, “I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” Paul was ready to suffer by the hands of Jews, Gentiles and Christians as well – who wouldn’t believe all of this and would reject him.

Notice that Paul is carrying his authority through verse 1, 10 and now 17?

Bottom Line:

· Paul is such a unique character. He is the exact example of the life lived in Christ. From rebellion to confession. From persecutor to promoter. This reversal of one of the first witnesses of Jesus should make us urgently pray for and expect some of the most negative advocates against Jesus to turn out to be some of the best evangelists for him (Josh McDowell, Lee Strobel, etc).

· This must happen through direct impact of the Revelation of God. A few will see Jesus (like Paul) but these are the exceptions. Mostly it is the reversal of life that all Christians should have that make people take notice and hopefully, after taking notice, the preaching, reading and contemplation of the sayings of Jesus and the Bible as a whole will allow the Holy Spirit to directly impact ones life apart from the salvation found in Jesus alone.

As I sit here in India:

· I still hate Satan here in India. I hate the lies and chains of false religions, philosophies, false promises, etc. But I must always see many here as prisoners to a system they were born into. A system that man and beast (satan) have shaped over 4-6 millennia. And they who promote this system the most, perhaps, will be the ones who will meet Jesus Christ and soon promote what they formerly persecuted. Is God any different today? Does he not enjoy and desire this also? Former Muslims, atheists, Hindus, Jews and Buddhists point us towards a resounding, “YES, the same God desires all to come to him now through the way made by his Son.”

Galatians 1:11-14

For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.

Paul again is reminding his audience of the “God vs. Man” argument (apparent in verse 14’s ‘traditions of my fathers’ statement). Paul is uniquely qualified as an Apostle and therefore, his message is unique from all other Apostles. This is why he has claimed in other places to be one “abnormally born” as an apostle – actually it means still born, or premature. It wasn’t a dream of man, a cunning story, a legend or a myth—it was Christ himself who appear and then taught Paul. Christians too often skip over these outrageous matters of Faith. I, Josh, believe Jesus rose from the grave in a new form, was later glorified and went to be with God the Father – but came back to earth to appear to Saul/Paul in the middle of the desert. It is weird, to be frank, it is abnormal. Not impossible by any means, just out of the ordinary.

This brings up a large point: REVELATION. It usurps all. Disclosure, especially seeing that the Bible claims to be a running commentary on the plan of God to conquer sin, death and to re-create a world again, post-redemption. Several times God surprises men with further revelations of his plan—these plans actually, in retrospect, make complete sense…but were somewhat hidden.

Such a surprise was this man who was “zealous” (literally meaning ‘daring the sword’ aka willing to die and willing to kill) for the TRADITIONS (somewhat corrupted by the time of Jesus and Paul) of the Elders and yet missing the point of God’s heart, desire and plan for ALL the NATIONS. Please Google Isaiah 45:22-23.

Bottom Line:

1- We also must see the contrast of God’s will (revelation) when man’s traditions (straying from previous revelation) have failed to keep the fences up guarding God’s will—or have readjusted the fences and are limiting consideration of God’s soverignity in his work.

2- Paul is making an argument even that this is happening in the Church of Christ. That this same zealous fervor for the “traditions” that is threatening to split Christianity and worse yet – is perverting the true nature, freedom and promise of the Gospel of Christ! I very large warning is beginning to be made… and history screams of the forgetfulness of the Church with this early episode in the regions of Galatia.

As I sit here in India:

I must always enjoy my heritage and history in Christ. However—when the type of _______ (fill blank in with music, preaching, service, missions trip, etc) becomes a model that I use as a striking stone with all other Christian experiences, I need to seriously consider the abiblical (nonbiblical) and perhaps anti-biblical nature of the American traditions surrounding our ideas of “church”. It is fine to add to the various activities of the church if it helps the mission—however it is not okay to add to the simplicity of the prophecies, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus of Nazareth.

Galatians 1:6-10

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Sometimes thing are indeed strikingly different. I am in a land that desires the compromise of many things in order to create harmony. It is a real value of Hinduism, or rather Hindu philosophy that I can appreciate: the desire to see a cease of conflict and a rise of a better solution (Buddha called this the ‘third and higher way’). However, there are times when you simply cannot have it both ways. When a person has 60% of something, there is only 40% left over. It just is.

Paul usually has 8-12 verses after his introduction(formal) to lavish a beginning prayer of praise to his recipients. It is token Paul. Truly he was a genius of speech, debate, rhetoric -- what have you. But not here. It should really be observed that Paul writes in a speech format (something to be delivered by a letter carrier – as in recited openly to a church, not just handed over). And there is no praise, only a quick to-the-point paragraph to underscore the seriousness of this letter.

Paul is genuinely surprised at the speed that the church has fallen to false teaching, motivations and specifically a revision of the Gospel message concerning Jesus that he himself set before these churches in the Galatian area of Asia Minor (modern: Turkey). Paul refers to himself as the “him who called you in the grace of Christ”. Again, I think it is intentional that the one with AUTHORITY (Paul, through the RISEN Jesus) does not overpower this church with his Apostleship but reminds them of the message of Christ – a message of grace (of favor, deliverance, death, forgiveness…that great equalizer of sin).

We have here the fist hint that there is opposition to Paul’s ministry from WITHIN the church. This letter will be addressing, as it is recited out loud verbatim to the church by the letter carrier, these specific members. They cannot hide from what will be said, and it will be obvious to all who Paul is calling out, and their motivations for changing the Gospel of Jesus.

Paul’s condemnation of these individuals – who took the Good News of Jesus, the Gospel, that the Apostles and their disciples have been entrusted to carry to all the nations—and EDIT the message and the requirements of Faith in Christ. This does remind us of Paul’s Jewish heritage. “Let them be damned”.

Verse 10 finally brackets this section with the previous, actually the very first verse. Paul is an Apostle by the will of God, through the appearing of Jesus to himself. And therefore he has no one to live for, report to, truly fear but God. Why should he be concerned with not offending those who are his spiritual children when they are clearly wrong? Is love going to look away as a neighbor you love and care for builds his house on sand and not rock? Will you stand and shout to your neighbor who’s house is on fire – or will you take your hose to him, or break in to save him and use his fire extinguisher? Yes, there sometimes is no compromise and it is black and white – love seeks the best for others, even from themselves.

Bottom Line:

1. The Galatian church has changed, moved, rotated somehow in the equation – But God has not. The Gospel has not changed since the beginning of the events in Jerusalem some 15 years earlier. No, Paul is proclaiming “YOU have changed the rules, the boundaries, and the message of the Gospel…for the worse!”
2. Paul is following God, not man. If the false teachers and their followers are creating a different Gospel, then Paul will be parting with them. Paul, the chief persecutor of the church, many of the stories of his own pursecussion fresh in people’s memories after all of these years in Christ’s service. Paul replies to this situation saying, “I have changed from hating “the way of Christ”(Gospel) for the better.”
3. It is real. This is a boundary, a line in the sand, that Paul’s opposition in his absence has drawn. And he complies with this fact: His ‘change’ is real change, these new teachers ‘change’ is hollow and against Paul and Jesus.
   
   

As I sit in India:

· The more things change, the more we need to discover and cling to what stays the same. We discussed in a meeting yesterday the fact that many new words come into our language and vocabulary because of technology, trade and other factors. After 4-5 generations – it is difficult to know what is truly from your language, or was a borrowed word. Americans are always borrowing from everyone! In Telegu (the state language of “Andhra Pradesh”) cell phone is “Cellphonoh” phonetically. Notice a “transliteration” there. But in 100 years many would die to defend the stance that this word is purely Telegu, and has not influence from outside.

· This paragraph at the begging of this letter reminds me of that eccentric father in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” who claims everything can be traced to Greek original roots. Revisionism. And this humor of the movie when transferred to the presentation of the very foundation of Christianity (the Gospel (life, death, resurrection and return of Jesus) becomes a dangerous cancer to the life, health and spread of Christianity. We must always be on alert to how easily it is to require more, assume more and substitute the “period’ statements of God with a “ ; however,’ statement.

Galatians 1:1-5

Paul, an apostle--not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead-- and all the brothers who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Paul had such a awkward entering in to the Body of Christ—from a persecutor (approving of deaths, imprisonments, public embarrassment, harassment) of this sect of Judaism to it’s most vocal, active and enduring advocate of the early first century. It is then through this “power” that appeared to him on the road to Damascus and this “gospel(good news)” that he accepted in faith and baptism 3 days later that he appeals to in this letter.

I find it interesting that Paul’s experience, and much of his ‘theology’ of Jesus is based on the DEATH and REZURRECTION of Jesus Christ (aka Jesus of Nazareth). Much of the Christian experience to Paul requires the necessity to associate ones life with the DEATH of Jesus (faith in that event and the promise of this event); and to associate then in the promises of REZURRECTION (indeed Jesus was whom he claimed to be, these events were not outside God’s will, in fact it was His will, eternal life, words and teaching of authority—all that Jesus taught in his ministry should be well studied, etc.)

As Paul writes to many of the churches he help begin, he justifies his Apostleship (literally: one who is sent with authority) through appealing to Jesus as RAISED and God the Father as the POWER that raised him. He is not appealing to the one that died for our sins, and the one who’s will demanded that He would sacrifice His Son for justice. No, it is power, the head of the church, the Creator of all that Paul is insisting on as his “Boss”. Not a mere man claiming to be something he is not, or claiming authority to teach something he knows little of (as we will see coming later in the letter).

Second then he greets his spiritual family with the substance of the DEATH of Jesus, grace and peace. I think this is just a combination of Roman ideals of goodwill (that God has our best in mind, we can trust that) and Jewish peace (wholeness, oneness, prosperity of joy, peace in the midst of chaos). But the interesting point is the justification for this is the dying of Jesus aka the sending of God’s Son as a sacrifice. So after Paul cites the power of God for his Apostleship and authority, he then quickly reminds all of the family of God (that he serves as an Apostle and doesn’t ‘lord over’) that our grace and peace come directly from God and we can know he is that good because of the one who has died for us. To be our deliverer.

Finally all of this was to the will of God the father, and so is Paul’s apostleship (as he will argue later) and so is Paul’s authority in his teaching (especially when the Apostles add to the teachings of Christ and set new precedents… it is extremely important that anyone who adds to the teachings of Jesus, or further clarifies them (ie: Paul’s’ teaching on marriage in Corinthians) that this individual be appointed by Jesus Christ or one of his Apostles or they should not be trusted (as we will see later in the letter).

Bottom line?
1- Jesus is the one who BUILDS his church with those whom he wishes, and it is his direct extension and delegation of his authority as the risen Lord and not the delivering sacrifice that our faith must root itself in – especially our faith in the New Testament documents, leadership, and our current leaders of today (elders, pastors, etc).
2- The church is the community of the BROKEN. There is no one in Christ, not necessarily in the church community or building, but “in Christ” that doesn’t get there without the impact of Gods grace and peace. There is no room for boasting in self, but only in Christ. All must come into the family through the death of Christ, the deliverance from sin. New life is our gift, not our entitlement.
3- The family of God to function correctly must be the community of the BELOVED. First the community of the Beloved Son of God (our deep feelings of grateful love and affection towards our Lord and God and His heart towards us). Second the community must hold our Maundy Thursday commandment to “love each other as I have loved you” is such a greater position as we reflect on and grow in our appreciation for the deliverance of our sins and the confidence of Jesus as Lord of his people (his body, his church, etc). Frankly it is God’s will. That simple!

As I sit in India:
• If I am to do any action in my life I must reflect on the general will of God morally… I must then reflect on the additional ‘law of Christ’ or ‘law of Love’ as a Christian… I must embrace the further commandments in Jesus’ church but also the true freedom we have knowing the boundaries and all that we can do and still know that we are definitely in God’s will…this is even more important to reflect on when you are thinking outside of yourself (who, what, when, where and why to help minister in this world)… lastly I must reflect on the awesome tasks of Jesus and when I consider full-time mission work, ministry work, I must give the Lord time to choose whether he wishes to intervene into my life and declare his will, to disclose his idea for my life, if he so chooses.
• Nothing will help our marriage as we spend 40 days here in India unless I also realize the calling in Jesus to be a husband. To take that role now not just as a created being, but also as a recreated disciple of Jesus under his authority to SERVE Kathryn. This will bear directly with my role to be a vessel of GRACE and PEACE from both Jesus and me. It is truly remarkable that Jesus is willing to step back from what he could do, and chooses to allow Kathryn and myself (mistakes and all) to grow in our understanding of his love for our spouse and our growing love for him/her.
• The future of this mission, the ministry of Christ’s love share to all –regardless of background, faith, income, caste, sex, etc—and the task of helping in communication, fundraising and future development of BSSI MUST be a ordained thing that Jesus places his authority on (to truly CALL us into this work) and it must not be a really great idea to help a family member. The motivations and the move to come here over the last year has been good. But now we must return with a real sense of our role. One cannot be 90% convinced and attempt to stand before a missions team, or 300 members of a church to share the need of BSSI.

Well, a lot for just an introduction to a letter of Paul. And a prayer for shorter posts in the days ahead.