By Stan Cox, on October 25th, 2010
Paul begins his epistle to the Galatians in a manner typical to him. In the first few verses he defends his apostleship, and asks blessings upon his readers.
His defense of himself is especially appropriate in that the churches of Galatia had been influenced by Judaizing teachers. These false teachers not only advocated false doctrine, they also sought to destroy the reputation of Paul at every opportunity. Their chief tactic was to claim that since Paul was not one of the original apostles, he had usurped the position. In response, Paul declared that his apostleship was “not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father…” (vs. 1). The truth of this is evident in the reading of his conversion (Acts 9).
In praying for Grace and Peace for the Galatians, Paul identified Jesus as the Savior. He expressed the purpose of Jesus’ sacrifice, “that He might deliver us from this present evil age.”
In that Jesus accomplished this wonderful objective, Paul rightly noted that He is solely worthy of “glory forever and ever. Amen” (vs. 5, cf. Revelation 5:1-7).
By Stan Cox, on August 21st, 2008
Galatians 1:6-10
The Apostle Paul was a stickler for accuracy. He was careful to preach the gospel as it was revealed to him, and was harshly critical of any who would “pervert the gospel of Christ.”
Of course, the condemnation was given by inspiration, and so reveals to us the attitude we must have toward God’s word. While it is popular to modify the gospel to suit the desires of men, it is not acceptable to God. Consider the severity of the condemnation, “let him be accursed.”
The word, a translation of the Greek anathema, literally means to be banned or excommunicated. The lesson? God will cut off those who change the gospel to please men!
Our purpose is to please God, not men. As such, we should be willing to preach His word to the world, even if it earns us persecution, and the disdain of others. That is what it means to be a bondservant of Jesus Christ.
By Stan Cox, on September 23rd, 2007
Galatians 4:21-31
In our text, the apostle Paul uses the two wives of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar, as an allegory. His words, “which things are symbolic.”
The two women represent the two covenants. Hagar is the Old Covenant “from Mount Sinai”, and Sarah the New “the Jerusalem above.”
The point of the allegory is to establish that the New Covenant, like Sarah, is to be preferred. Sarah was the mother of Isaac, the child of promise. It was through this lineage that redemption came, not from Hagar and Ishmael.
In the same way redemption is found in the New Covenant, not the Old. The New Covenant of Christ is to be preferred to the Old. We are to cast off the Old, just as the scripture says, “Cast out the bondwoman and her son.” As Paul wrote, “So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.”
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