Galatians 1:1-10
1Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2and all the brothers with me,
To the churches in Galatia:
3Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
No Other Gospel
6I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!
10Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
St. Paul was an apostle sent by Jesus...An apostle is one who takes the good news to a new region...An apostle also is a witness to the resurrected Jesus...Paul, also called Saul, was converted by Jesus on the road to Damascus...Paul had planned on persecuting the Christians there...But Jesus flashed around Paul, and made him fall to the ground...Jesus then spoke to him, and ask him, "Saul, Saul why do you persecute Me?"... Then He told Saul, "I AM Jesus whom you are persecuting...Now get up and go to Damascus, and I will tell you what to do."...During this conversion, Jesus blinded him, for a short period of time to give him time to think about what had happened, and how Jesus fits into the Scriptures... After all Paul, did not believe in what Jesus was teaching, up until this time (Acts 9:1-9)...
St. Paul tells the Galatians of this background...Jesus is the One who appointed him to teach the gospel...Paul has the credentials and the ability, given to Him by the Father and Son to preach the gospel...He was specifically appointed by Jesus to carry His name before the Gentiles and their Kings and before the people of Israel...Jesus would show Paul how much he would have to suffer for Him...Jesus took away Paul's blindness and then filled him with the Holy Spirit... Then Paul was ready to immediately preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in Damascus (Acts 9:15-16)...He went from a persecutor of Jesus to a believer in Jesus...St. Paul, after Jesus had touched Him, has the credentials to preach the gospel with this background from our LORD...
St. Paul realized that some people were leaving the gospel of Christ...The new gospel was such a new teaching and religion but it is the truth...Those following a different gospel were not making the right decision...Jesus died for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father...God deserves the glory we give Him for ever and ever...This is the truth...Jesus is our mediator and Savior...Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life...No one comes to God the Father except through Him (John 14:6-7)...Jesus came to earth to call not on the righteous, but to call on sinners...Sinners are the ones who need help (Matthew 9:13)...This is why God the Father sent Jesus, and the reason He was born, and came into this world...Jesus was to testify to the truth...Everyone on the side of truth will listen to Him (John 19:37)....Whoever believes in truth, and lives by the truth comes into the Light, so that they may be seen plainly what Jesus has done has been done by God the Father (John 3:21)...
Jesus' gospel teaches the Truth...There is no other gospel...If we hear another gospel, a different gospel, and follow it, we are not following the truth...Why would we follow that different gospel?...We will be condemned for not following the truth...
God the Father, sent Jesus His Son to teach sinners the good news...This good news, which is the gospel, and His teachings is the Truth...Everyone who who believes in the Truth will listen to Him...He is the Truth...All those that hold on to His teachings, and this good news are His disciples...Then we will know the truth, and the truth will set us free (John 8:31-32)...Jesus has told us the truth that He has heard from God (John 8:40)...He is the Truth...When we make decisions about belief and what we believe in, the truth should be why we decide to believe...Why else believe?...