If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Summary: Pleasing God and pleasing people are at odds with each other. They always have been, and they always will be.
Continue reading “Galatians 1:10c – God First”Galatians 1:10b – People Pleaser
Or am I trying to please people?
Summary: Pleasing people is a common theme. It takes a certain amount of people-pleasing for all of us to get along. Yet being a people pleaser can lead to living life on an endless treadmill to nowhere.
Continue reading “Galatians 1:10b – People Pleaser”Galatians 1:10a – Something Else
Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God?
Summary: The change in Saul on the road to Damascus was noticed by the people he used to hang around with. It was a change that offended and infuriated them, and the fact that Saul didn’t care made them madder still.
Continue reading “Galatians 1:10a – Something Else”Galatians 1:9 – Repetition
As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!
Summary: Repetition is a teaching tool, and Paul is a teacher. He wants us to understand a very important truth. The essence of Christ’s gospel is not up for discussion.
Continue reading “Galatians 1:9 – Repetition”Galatians 1:8b – Anáthema
… let them be under God’s curse!
Summary: What do you think of when you hear the word “cursed?” Looking into the Greek roots of this word, we find that what Paul meant might be very different than the picture we have in mind.
Continue reading “Galatians 1:8b – Anáthema”Galatians 1:8a – When Paul Met Jesus
But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, …
Summary: Paul is adamant that the gospel message he was given by Jesus remain pure. This makes us wonder what it would take to get Paul off-message.
Continue reading “Galatians 1:8a – When Paul Met Jesus”Galatians 1:7c – Dark Agenda
… and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.
Summary: Understanding the difference between the grace of Christ and a pseudo-gospel is important. Before we are done here, Paul will make sure that we know what he is talking about.
Continue reading “Galatians 1:7c – Dark Agenda”Galatians 1:7b – Standing for Jesus
Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion …
Summary: Satan doesn’t have a lot of power compared to God’s power, but he does have the ability to cause confusion wherever he goes.
Continue reading “Galatians 1:7b – Standing for Jesus”Galatians 1:6b-7a – In Search of Truth
… and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all.
Summary: Searching for truth doesn’t have to be a long journey. In fact, the destination is probably close at hand. At worst, it is as far as the nearest bookstore or computer. Simply open the Bible and begin to read.
Continue reading “Galatians 1:6b-7a – In Search of Truth”Galatians 1:6a – Pocket Gospel
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ …
Summary: Paul’s letter to the Galatians is relatively short, yet in these few brief words, Paul outlines the message of the New Testament.
Continue reading “Galatians 1:6a – Pocket Gospel”