THE PURE GOSPEL: Galatians Chapter 1

THE PURE GOSPEL: Galatians Chapter 1

by Ralph Norwood.¹

I. INTRODUCTION

1. I want to talk about the book that teaches that you "CANNOT PATCH UP LEGALISM"....

2. Background: There were many Galatian churches, but this was written to the church at Galatia....Paul had taken to them a very pure gospel....within a short time, they lost the pure gospel.

3. This book has one of the shortest and most terse introductions in Epistles.

4. These people questioned the authority of Paul....He makes it clear that when he speaks, it is the same as the Lord speaking.

5. Then he registers his amazement at their change....1:6 "I am utterly shocked"....They had departed from the true gospel.

 

a. Note: whenever there is a problem among believers, then go back to the basics and you most likely will find their problem. The problem of these people was the SIMPLICITY OF THE GOSPEL....which they had deserted.

 

b. Note v. 7....where it teaches that there is ONLY ONE GOSPEL. There is no such thing as COMING CLOSE to the real.

 

c. How about v. 8....may he be damned. [THIS IS NOT VERY ECUMENICAL.] Some would say that this was not very loving....Paul would tell another angel who preached another gospel...to GO TO HELL....

6. Paul mentions that he was NOT TAUGHT THE GOSPEL but received it by revelation. [He was the only person who was not taught the gospel.]

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL? 1 Cor. 15:3-5 "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then the twelve."

1. There are 4 verbs.

 

a. Christ DIED

 

b. Christ was BURIED

 

c. Christ was RAISED

 

d. Christ APPEARED. [It is in the passive voice.]

2. Note the subject of each is the same...."CHRIST"

3. Comments:

 

a. Christ died: definite event...

 

b. Christ was buried: definite event [in the aorist tense]

 

c. Christ was raised: definite event [with a line following it...with lasting results]. Why was the tense of the verb changed on the resurrection?²

4. NOTE THE COUPLETS.

 

a. Christ died and how do you know he died? HE WAS BURIED.

 

b. Christ was raised and how do you know He was raised? BECAUSE HE APPEARED....HE WAS SEEN.

5. Only ONE of the 4 verbs has the phrase "FOR OUR SINS" added to it...."FOR OUR SINS" is not connected to the BURIAL, RESURRECTION OR APPEARANCE....It is connected only with HIS DEATH.

 

a. His death dealt with our sins; The burial, resurrection and appearing did not. He was NOT raised for our sins...HE DIED FOR OUR SINS....

 

b. He died FOR which means ON BEHALF OF our sins.

ENDNOTES:

¹ Ralph Norwood, "The Pure Gospel: Galatians Chapter 1" (Oct 19, 2015), Bible Readings for Believers website. Reprinted by permission.

² The tense of the verb "was raised" (1 Cor. 15:4) is in the Greek perfect tense (indicating abiding or lasting results) because Jesus was raised from the dead "never to die again" (Rom. 6:9). He is "alive forevermore"!  (See Rev. 1:18; cf. Psa. 16:10-11.) Editor.