PAUL’S AUTHORITY AND GOSPEL
Galatians 1:1: “Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.”
In other words, Paul says, my credentials have not come from the Northern California Conference or from the Pacific Union Conference. I am an apostle by the direct appointment of God. An apostle is one who is sent. “He whom God has sent utters the words of God.” John 3:34. The apostle’s words are God’s commandments.
“. . . By Jesus Christ, and God the Father. . . .” He distinguishes between the two. That’s very interesting. Jesus said, “I and the Father are One.” John 10:30. All gospel teaching is based upon the deity of Christ. They both sit upon one throne.
I was struck just a few days ago reading in Revelation how many times Jesus speaks of the Father as “My God.” I never noticed it before.
“. . . Who raised Him from the dead. . . .” The Father raised Jesus from the dead. In other words, the Bible does not say that Jesus raised Himself from the dead.
Galatians 1:2: “And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia.”
Galatians 1:3: “Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.”
These verses contain the whole gospel. God has sent grace and peace, bringing righteousness and salvation to all men. Jesus spoke to the woman: “Your sins are forgiven.” “Go in peace.” Luke 7:48, 50.
This grace and peace come from Christ. “Unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” Ephesians 4:7. Christ Himself is given to every one of us. The very fact that we live is evidence that Christ is given to every one. The measure of “the gift of Christ” is the whole of Him.
You love your children, each and every one of them with all your heart. Each child does not receive your love a quarter here and a quarter there, but all of it. So Christ has grace for He tasted death for every man, so that every man in the world has received the “inexpressible gift.” Hebrews 2:9; 2 Corinthians 9:15.
If a rich man gives you a check for $1000 and you do not cash it, what has he lost? It seems the Bible is clear:
Galatians 1:4: “Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.”
Does it make any difference what we believe about what Christ accomplished at the cross? Has “the Lord in His great mercy sent a most precious message to His people” in these last days that honors and glorifies Christ in His sacrifice? Is He indeed “the Saviour of the world” (John 4:42) or does He merely offer to be? Are all men actually infinitely and eternally in debt to Him for even their next breath? Why can the Father send His rain and sunshine on “all men,” “the just and the unjust,” unless Christ has actually accomplished something for them all and has GIVEN them the GIFT? How amazing is Christ’s grace? Dare we limit or restrict it? He “gave Himself for us.” He went to hell. He died a death in which He could not see the resurrection coming up. He poured out His soul unto death says Isaiah 53:12. There was nothing left to pour out. The last drop was drained. Emptied Himself for us.
And why did He do this? “. . . that He might deliver us from this present evil world. . . .” And yet we are living in “this present evil world,” aren’t we? TV and all the trash in the world is all around us. It doesn’t mean He’s going to take us out of this sinful world, but deliver us from the evil that’s in the world. It’s the fulfillment of the Lord’s Prayer where “deliver us from evil” is what He taught us to pray.
Now the idea of God being “our Father” is something Jesus taught us. A pastor’s friend was afflicted with cancer at a young age. And she asked to be anointed with prayer. He asked her to pray also.
She began her prayer, Dear God, so-and-so, so-and-so.
Well, he didn’t usually criticize a person’s prayers. That’s very personal. But when she had finished and said, Amen, he said, Lady, do you mind if I help you with your prayer?
She said, No, please.
I said, I noticed you began your prayer by saying, Dear God.
And she said, “You know, I just can’t say that word ‘Father.’ My daddy, was so mean to me that I’ve had this thing all my life. I just cannot pray the Lord’s Prayer as the Lord taught us to pray it.”
And so the pastor felt step number one before they prayed to be delivered from cancer was to get down on the knees and understand who God is. She has this blockage coming from her childhood about father. Her job is to learn to believe even in the emotional darkness of her soul that God is a heavenly Father. So he did the best he could to help her.
She comes over every morning for devotionals. And now every prayer she offers, Dear Father in heaven. It’s a little bit of a victory.
But here’s what Paul says: “according to the will of God and our Father. . . .” God is also “our Father.”
And Paul talks about in Romans the evidence that you are a child of God is not your feelings or how many people you baptize or how many people you’ve won to the church or how much you give in tithes. If deep in your heart something wells up deep within you crying, Abba, Father, that is evidence you are a child of God. If you have this instinctive, deep-seated, deep-rooted, clinging to the Father. You can sing Hallelujah. That is the evidence you are a child of God. You may live to be a hundred years old, but you still need of Father. You’re still of child of God.
Galatians 1:5: “To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
This is his introduction to the letter. The first angel’s message announcing the everlasting gospel has as its burden, “Fear God and give Him glory.” Revelation 14:7. Here the Apostle Paul in Galatians ascribes the glory to God by setting forth the everlasting gospel. Therefore, this is a book for Seventh-day Adventists in these last days.
Galatians 1:6: “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.”
There are at least five different gospels being taught within the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Historic Adventism—faith and obedience. The Social Gospel, Evangelical Adventism, and the Arminian Gospel. Which is the true gospel? There can be only one true gospel. The true gospel is the power of God to give salvation. In order for any false doctrine to pass as the gospel, it must pretend to be the way of life. The Galatians/Adventists were/are being seduced from God by something that promises them life and salvation but by a power other than that of God.
A false gospel which Paul calls “another gospel . . . than that which we have preached unto you” (Gal. 1:7, 8) says “YES!” You can cling to your besetting sins—you’ll have a special “handicap” section in His kingdom. To change the metaphor, the idea is you’ll be given a white robe of righteousness that only legally “covers” your filthy robes underneath that you keep on wearing. In contrast, the true gospel says you give up every stitch of those filthy robes so that the white robe of Christ’s righteousness is not only LEGALLY “imputed” to you but is also EXPERIENTIALLY “imparted” to you; it no longer hides cherished character deformity underneath. We find the idea surfacing all through Scripture: “to him that overcometh . . . even as I also overcame” (Rev. 3:21); “these . . . have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (7:14); “they overcame him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb” (12:11); Christ as High Priest “is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him” (Heb. 7:25); “the God of peace . . . make you perfect in every good work to do His will” (13:21); “be ye therefore perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Mt. 5:48). An impossible standard? If all we have is that counterfeit “other gospel” Paul warns against, the “gospel” of “Babylon [that] is fallen”—yes; but thank God for the Good News of the true “gospel [which] is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Rom. 1:16). The problem is our spiritual pride that insists on remaining “handicapped” when healing is not only offered us but is given us “in Christ.” Let’s humble our proud hearts and learn to “hunger and thirst after righteousness” [by faith—the only kind there is!] (Mt. 5:6).
Galatians 1:7: “Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.”
The Oct 31 Augsburg “accord”: Roman Catholic and Lutheran congregations worshipping together, pastors exchanging pulpits, “we all agree,” “let’s be one.” But Revelation 14 paints a prophetic picture of very sharp “Christian” controversy in the last days just before the second coming of Christ. The angel from heaven proclaims “the everlasting gospel” (vs. 6), which of course is justification by faith. In contrast, “Babylon is fallen” (vs. 8), and spiritual warfare between those who favor “the mark of the beast” and the “saints” who “keep the commandments of God and the faith of the Jesus” (vs. 9-12). The “beast” is a religious power who counterfeits the gospel (Rev. 13:5-8), the grand deception of the last days (Mt. 24:23, 24). (And “let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall,” 1 Cor. 10:12). Paul says there are two gospels: one is “the truth of the gospel” and the other is “another gospel, which is not another,” but is an exceedingly clever counterfeit (Gal. 2:5; 1:6, 7). The counterfeit “sits in the temple of God” (2 Thess. 2:3, 4), thus deceiving multitudes (Rev. 13:8). Very earnestly Jesus pleads with us, “Take heed lest any man deceive you” (Mk. 13:5). The worst fate that could possibly befall you would be for Jesus to come the second time and catch you in the act of supporting the counterfeit! A clever enemy is bent on one purpose: “if possible deceiving the very elect” (Mt. 24:24).
What’s the difference between “the truth of the gospel” kind of justification by faith and the clever counterfeit? There are many differences, but in our brief inquiry today we can only take time to look at the results of believing either: the genuine experience of justification by faith makes the believer obedient to all “the commandments of God” (Rev. 14:6, 12). It reconciles the heart to His righteousness, which is total obedience to His holy law, a crucifixion of self “with Christ” (Gal. 2:20). In contrast, the counterfeit justification by faith cleverly appears to be genuine by approving of obedience to nine of the ten commandments but insists on disobedience to one that in effect nullifies them all (see James 2:10-12), and thus leaves the so-called “believer” ignorantly devoted to the worship of self. It is modern Baal-worship, which is worship of self disguised to look like worship of Christ—in principle the nemesis of ancient Israel.
Galatians 1:8: “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”
Galatians 1:9: “As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”
Why should anyone be “accursed” for preaching a different gospel? Because “there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and . . . shall deceive the very elect.” Matthew 24:24. These preachers are leading God’s people to trust for their salvation in something which is nothing. These counterfeit gospels are devised by men. So they are leading people to trust in their own power for salvation. “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm, whose heart turns away from the Lord.” Jeremiah 17:5.
The second death is being “accursed of God” (Deut. 21:22, 23). Paul quotes that text from Moses when he says, “Christ [was] . . . made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree” (Gal. 3:13).
We are informed that the source of these counterfeit gospels is from those claiming to be an “angel from heaven.” But such an angel would not be recently from heaven. “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness.” 2 Corinthians 11:14, 15. So you see Satan has his preachers bringing messages of righteousness: God’s love, joy, peace and much spirit.
Galatians 1:10: “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”
Apparently, all through the centuries since the time of the apostles it’s been impossible for any person to preach the pure gospel and at the same time “to please men.” You can’t do it. You’ve got to swim against the current if you preach the truth of the gospel. Self-love is always at the bottom of efforts to appease and please men. In so doing we gather power to ourselves. How many have stifled conviction, fearing the loss of money or position!
I try to encourage young pastors or young men preparing for the ministry like I think my teacher in college tried to encourage me. Don’t try to please the conference. Please the Lord. Be faithful above all to Jesus Christ. Don’t try to climb the hierarchy ladder.
Galatians 1:11: “But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.”
Galatians 1:12: “For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
And that “revelation” is yours just as much as it is anybody else. You may not have a degree from Andrews or Loma Linda. If you have a Bible and you can read. If you’ve got eyes to see, sing the Hallelujah Chorus. Thank God I can see. If you read the words of the Bible thank God for that gift that you have and then study it for yourself. And let the gospel leap at you from these pages and find a place in your heart. And I guarantee you you’ll never be the same.
I’ll guarantee you something else. If you learn to understand the gospel and you accept and believe the gospel you will win souls. There will be someway that the gospel will flow out from you to somebody else. If all you can do is ask a question in the Sabbath School class, anybody can do that, you can lead souls to Christ.
“Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto Me.” John 6:45. The gospel is such fantastic good news that no human being could ever invent it. It must have been thought up by God Himself. Therefore the only way that you can understand it is for Him to reveal it to you.
Do not ask, Who endorses it? As if you need the approval of some recognized authority before you will believe. If the Holy Spirit who inspired the Scripture teaches you truth, seize upon it with all your heart and believe. It was the Pharisees who quoted authority after authority for what they believed, but the man of God will quote the Scripture for what he believes.
We need “the revelation of Jesus Christ” just as much today as did Paul in his day. God is waiting anxiously to reveal Christ in every man. He has been given to you in the fullest measure. The very fact that you live is testimony that you have Christ as your life. Now cherish His life in you and let Him perfect His good work in your life.
Galatians 1:13: “For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:”
That word “persecuted” is very interesting because Ellen White said in 1893 that our own brethren “persecuted” the messengers that brought to us the “beginning” of the latter rain. That’s the very word she uses. Our brethren “persecuted” God’s special messengers. Well Paul did that.
Galatians 1:14: “And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.”
Paul was the youngest member of the Sanhedrin. So he was way up at the top in early life.
Galatians 1:15: “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,”
Paul was a go-getter. A bright and shining light, a meteor, if you please. He was a rising star. And the Jews all thought, Saul of Tarsus is going to be the greatest Jewish leader.
Galatians 1:16: “To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:”
Now we don’t know whether Paul ever saw Jesus. The Bible is silent. We have no evidence he ever heard Jesus preach. But you would expect when Paul was converted that the first thing he would do would be to go straight to Jersusalem and get a chair and draw himself up and sit down and learn from James, Peter and Andrew, Bartholomew and Philip and the other of the eleven apostles. No. He didn’t do that.
Galatians 1:17: “Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.”
But he went to Arabia, verse 17, for three years. He must have had a little cabin out there. But he must have had the Bible with him. And he studied. And he studied until he learned the gospel.
“The truth in agape” is Paul’s “revelation” of the cross that held him firm as a new convert alone for “three years” in “Arabia” where he enjoyed no social club fellowship (Gal. 1:17, 18; 2:2). When “the truth in agape” wins new converts, they hold firm forever after even though disappointments in social fellowship may tend to drive them out; the reason is that “agape never fails” (1 Cor. 13:8). Suppose that a new convert does find “seven friends” in the church and those seven end up taking “the mark of the beast” in the final trials? He’d better be “rooted and grounded in agape,” and he can be! (Eph. 4:17).
Galatians 1:18: “Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.”
Galatians 1:19: “But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.”
He doesn’t call James an apostle. But James by now was converted. James was one of the older brothers of Jesus who made His life miserable as He was growing up.
Galatians 1:20: “Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.”
Galatians 1:21: “Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;”
Galatians 1:22: “And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:”
Galatians 1:23: “But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.”
Galatians 1:24: “And they glorified God in me.”
In Christian faith, the same principle is true: if false doctrine is proclaimed, people will believe it if no one refutes it with truth. When teachers came from the church headquarters in Jerusalem to the churches in Galatia teaching false doctrine, Paul the apostle vigorously refuted their error in his Letter to the Galatians. He was obeying the command of Jude who said: “I was very diligent . . . to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (vs. 3). The reason Jude gives is that false teachers had corrupted the truth of the gospel, and he was saying, Speak up for the truth! Some people lament the almost extreme “earnestness” Paul reveals in his sharply worded Letter to the Galatians, telling them that even if “an angel from heaven” comes preaching a false “gospel” to them, don’t believe him (Gal. 1:6-9). And today some wimp-minded Christians shy away from “contention” for the gospel, saying “we want peace and quiet.” The common saying is true, all that is needed for evil to triumph is for good men to say nothing. When the Son of God became incarnate on this earth, He had only a brief lifetime, but He spoke up so vigorously for the truth that He changed the world. We are rapidly approaching the final struggle of the great controversy between Christ and Satan. It’s too late in the day for anyone who loves Jesus to be content to be a spiritual wimp.
“THE APOSTLE PAUL IS NOT GUILTY!” That’s how the black headlines should run in the world’s media. The apostle Peter is not accusing Paul of being “hard to be understood,” which is the cardinal fault of would-be gospel preachers who are superficially minded (cf. 2 Peter 3:16). For anyone to stand in a pulpit and confuse people about the most blessed truth the world can know, is awful! Paul was anything but confusing to people.
People have glanced superficially at what the apostle Peter says there. It mentions Paul’s “epistles, speaking in them of . . . some things hard to be understood,” and they assume (from their English Bible) that Paul’s Romans or Galatians is a forbidding thicket of theological confusion; so skip Paul. You’ll get to heaven fine without understanding him; all you need is the little ditty, “Jesus-loves-me-this-I-know.” Period. God asks no more of your understanding.
But the Lord Jesus Himself declared of Paul, “He is a chosen vessel of Mine” (Acts 9:15). It was He Himself who saw to it that many of Paul’s “epistles” got into the New Testament; we need every one of them, especially Galatians and Romans. That’s where at last we find the clearest answer to the question of what Israel’s convoluted history means; set in perspective, it’s the world’s best good news for it’s told in the light of the cross where the Jews crucified the world’s Christ. In this grand Day of Atonement, the last of earth’s history, we are privileged to overcome ancient Israel’s sins, for as never before in 6000 years the message of “Christ and Him crucified” is to be proclaimed most clearly.
What Peter meant and said is different from the popular understanding: the problem was (and is) that people “wrest” or distort what the apostle Paul said, and thus rob themselves of eternal life, for it’s “to their own destruction.”
