Day 163 – Friday, August 15, 2025

One Year Journey Through the New Testament

Galatians 1

Welcome to our journey through the New Testament!

Greeting

1 Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), ² and all the brethren who are with me,

To the churches of Galatia:

³ Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁴ who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, ⁵ to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. 

(Galatians 1:1–5, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Paul begins his letter with typical greetings from himself and the brothers with him.
• He establishes himself as an apostle again. Obviously, Paul’s apostleship had been questioned often by those who opposed him.
• He offers grace and peace from God the Father and Jesus the Son, and then reminded the readers of the work of Christ to provide our salvation.
• He then glorifies Christ and the Father for their marvelous gift to those who believe.

Only One Gospel

⁶ I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, ⁷ which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. ⁹ As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

¹⁰ For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. 

(Galatians 1:6–10, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Paul begins by expressing shock at their departure from the true gospel to another gospel. Their departure is so egregious that Paul calls them to not accept any other gospel or preaching that is contrary to what they have given the Galatians.
• Paul declares that he will seek to please God and not any man in opposition to God.

Call to Apostleship

¹¹ But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. ¹² For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

¹³ For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. ¹⁴ And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

¹⁵ But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, ¹⁶ to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, ¹⁷ nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. 

(Galatians 1:11–17, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Paul goes further to say that his gospel is not from man, but directly from God. It is the revelation of Jesus Christ.
• Paul then reminds them of his former life of opposition to Christ as a devout Jew. He was a stellar Jew, advancing to the highest ranks.
• Paul was all in on Judaism in its purest form until God called him, in a drastic and powerful fashion, to preach the gospel.
  When this occurred, he did not seek the wisdom of men, but rather stayed in Damascus, seeking the face of God.

Contacts at Jerusalem

¹⁸ Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. ¹⁹ But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. ²⁰ (Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.)

²¹ Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. ²² And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ. ²³ But they were hearing only, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.” ²⁴ And they glorified God in me. 

(Galatians 1:18–24, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Three years later, Paul went to Jerusalem to see Peter, and then James.
• He was virtually unknown to the other disciples and apostles as he preached in Syria and Cilicia. All they knew was that the former persecutor of the church was now preaching faith in Jesus Christ.
• They were encouraged that one more persecutor had turned to Christ. They glorified God.

__________________________________________________________________________

All Scriptures from New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Join us this afternoon at 5:00 pm for a discussion of this chapter live online. Live@5 with Dr. Greg Sloop can be found on Facebook on the Dr. Greg Sloop page or on the Kannapolis Church of God Facebook page or Youtube page. Another blog will be posted each weekday at 6:00 a.m.