Stand Firm - Where We Stand
- Paul Downie
- 1 hour ago
- 20 min read
Galatians 1:1-5 NIV
[1] Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— [2] and all the brothers and sisters with me, To the churches in Galatia: [3] Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, [4] who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, [5] to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
In the ancient Ethiopian city of Axum, a single monk takes care of a room purported to contain the Jewish Ark of the Covenant. He is not allowed to leave the courtyard. No-one else is allowed inside. The Ark was allegedly taken to Ethiopia by the Egyptian King Menelek I. No-one has ever been able to verify that the claim is true.
So every day this one man performs his duty. He lets no-one inside. No-one knows if it’s all an act or whether his church speaks the truth. This one man knows, but he says nothing.
That is how a lot of people view the church and the Gospel. They view its truths as opaque. They wonder if someone somewhere will penetrate to the vaults of the Vatican or somewhere and the entire Christian narrative will tumble like a pack of cards in a hurricane.
And that is why these people refuse to believe.
This is, of course, a pile of nonsense. These people have read too many trashy Dan Brown novels. They cannot prove a thing of what they believe. However, it’s entertaining and fun to believe, so they believe it.
Besides, it inoculates them to the truths of the Gospel. It keeps them ‘safe’ in their ignorance. That is what they want.
But the Bible punctures this with surgical precision:
2 Peter 1:16 NIV
[16] For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
1 John 1:1-4 NIV
[1] That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. [2] The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. [3] We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. [4] We write this to make our joy complete.
The Gospel is real. Its claims are real.
Jesus Christ is real.
On the other hand, there are many Christians who rigorously defend their religion and their right to believe. However, they actually have no clue about what they are defending. They appear to be defending a culture and a way of life, not the truths of the Gospel.
How do we know this?
Because they defend the Gospel with beliefs and actions that are contrary to the Gospel.
Once you properly understand what it is you are defending, then how you defend it changes.
Allow me to give you some examples.
If you send a message to a bunch of churches telling them that you are defending freedom and the right to worship, in most countries in the world you will easily fill the streets with thousands of protestors.
However, this subject has been dominated in recent years by right wing politics that have no connection at all to the Gospel, and everything to do with a naked populist power grab.
Can you say that you are defending the Gospel while spewing racist, sexist, misogynist hatred?
No.
Galatians 3:26-28 NIV
[26] So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, [27] for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. [28] There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Can you say you are defending the Gospel while spreading baseless, groundless conspiracy theories online?
No.
Because Jesus is the truth (John 14:6).
Can you say you are defending the Gospel and threaten violence or use intimidation or provocation?
No. God is love (1 John 4:8), not hate.
Can you say you are defending the Gospel while behaving in a sectarian, divisive manner?
No. Because the Gospel is a message of peace and reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:16-21).
I said in my last post that Galatians is all about freedom. And that is correct.
But I also said that Galatians is about freedom to do right, not wrong. So before we go any further into this letter, we need to define what ‘right’ is. To do that, we need to rewind and define what the Gospel is.
Then, when we know what we are called to defend, we will know how to defend it.
Before we get into that, we need to understand what is going on in this letter.
Galatia was a Roman province in Asia Minor – modern day Turkey. It was a predominantly Gentile church, much the same as at Corinth.
However, they did not have the same morality issues as Corinth. Their biggest issue came from Jewish Christians who were seeking to make then Jews first and Christians second.
Historians place the writing of this letter some time before the Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15, where all restrictions preventing Gentiles from becoming Christians were formally removed. However, Paul is clearly irritated that the Galatians were so quickly abandoning the Gospel he had taught them.
And the Gospel we are called to spread and defend.
But what is that Gospel?
Paul, a man who was commissioned by God to share this Gospel, tells us one clear message in verse 1:
This Gospel is God's Gospel. Paul did not invent it. The Apostles did not invented it. We did not invent it.
The Gospel is God’s Sovereign initiative from start to finish.
No-one else was involved.
No-one else needed to be involved.
Paul teaches us three simple truths about this Gospel message that have wide-ranging implications, both for the Galatians and for us.
Firstly, we see that Jesus Gave.
Jesus Gave
Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV
[8] For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— [9] not by works, so that no one can boast.
In many European countries, and especially in universities and colleges, there are libraries where you can borrow books for free. These are really useful when you are studying. Academic books are ridiculously expensive. Having the opportunity to borrow and use them can save significant costs.
But these books are borrowed. You have to give them back.
We have twice spoken to our bank to get some money to buy a house. The money was a loan. We had to pay it back (or lose the house) so the house would be ours.
The money was borrowed. We had to give it back.
Every year we give presents to each other on birthdays or at Christmas or anniversaries or other special celebrations. These are wonderful situations. These are gifts. We don’t expect them back. If we do, then they cease to be gifts.
What Paul is saying, in Galatians and Ephesians, and, indeed, throughout the New Testament, that our salvation is a gift.
What does that mean?
We cannot earn it. It is a gift, not a wage:
Romans 6:23 NIV
[23] For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We cannot repay it. It is a gift. A priceless gift beyond compare.
Psalms 36:7-9 NIV
[7] How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. [8] They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. [9] For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.
It does not leave us indebted. It is a gift.
It does not leave us obliged. It is a gift.
We respond to it in acceptance, admiration and love. It is a gift.
I have relatives who were never that good at buying gifts. They could never quite get it right. Sometimes at Christmas we would have to suppress our laughter or tears at the inappropriateness of their well-intentioned, but profoundly wrong, presents.
But not with Jesus. Because He did not give a trinket or a treasure or a plastic bucket and spade to a young teenage girl (yes, that actually happened!).
No, He gave Himself. He gave precisely the right thing at precisely the right time and in precisely the right place:
Romans 5:6-8 NIV
[6] You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. [7] Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. [8] But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
This is so extraordinary precisely because we did not ask for it or pay for it or deserve it. Jesus died because it was necessary. He died because it was needed.
He died out of love.
This is a very important truth.
Why?
Because it changes everything.
It changes the way we see God. He is no longer an angry, judgemental God, out to punish us for the smallest little mistake. He is not like a celestial headmaster. He is love (1 John 4:8-9).
It changes the way we see ourselves. Yes, we are unworthy sinners (Romans 3:21-23). But we are unworthy sinners who are loved by God and precious to the Almighty (Colossians 3:12). Jesus gave up His very breath to save us (John 10:14-15). Because we are precious to God and because of the price tag He placed on us, He always works for our good – in every situation (Romans 8:28).
But it also changes the way we see other people. An often overlooked verse in 2 Corinthians says this:
2 Corinthians 5:14-17 NIV
[14] For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. [15] And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. [16] So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. [17] Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
So because of all Jesus has done for us, because of His indescribable gift, because of His grace, the way we view other people has to change too. We see them also as unworthy receivers of His grace too. We see them as loved by God too.
That is why Paul says this later on in Galatians:
Galatians 3:28 NIV
[28] There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Do you see it?
The very fact that our salvation is a gift and not earned transforms everything. It smashes down the man-made distinctions in society. It makes us all equal.
It changes everything.
So Jesus gave. He gave Himself to save us.
But Paul is not done there. He also says that Jesus Saved.
Jesus Saved
Titus 3:4-7 NIV
[4] But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, [5] he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, [6] whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, [7] so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
Outside a shopping mall in Glasgow is a quite magnificent piece of equipment. It’s a defibrillator, complete with a phone number to call if it’s needed. I have never seen anyone use it, but I am sure that it will save lives.
But no-one would try to use it to charge their phones. Or to try to give themselves a Van de Graff generator style spiky haircut.
That would be foolish.
We have a big park with an artificial lake between our town and the next one. The lake isn’t used so much for swimming, but it is used for boating. Behind the boat yards you can see red boxes on metal posts. Inside those boxes are red and white floatation devices – life preservers. They are critical pieces of equipment.
You don’t see little kids playing with them. Or teenagers using them to play hoopla with nearby trees.
They are too important for that.
Paul is saying something critically important to the Galatians:
Jesus saved them.
Now, who is it that needs to be saved?
Is it not people who are in trouble?
Is it not people who are at risk?
If you’re chilling in a nice beach resort or sitting quietly in a cafe sipping tea or reading a book on a library, most likely you won’t need to be saved. You are already safe.
People who need to be saved are those who are not safe. They are in danger.
Maybe you’re wondering why I’m telling you the absolutely obvious.
Don’t you see it?
Paul’s point is that ‘this current age’ put us in danger. ‘This current age’ threatens our peace. ‘This current age’ puts us at risk.
But Jesus rescued us from it. Jesus saved us.
People don’t normally require the emergency services if they can rescue themselves. They simply get out of trouble and let the emergency services concentrate on those who cannot rescue themselves.
Paul’s point is that ‘this current age’ puts us in deep trouble, we are unable to rescue ourselves, but Jesus Christ rescued us.
This is a recurring theme in the New Testament:
Acts 2:40 NIV
[40] With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”
Romans 10:9-11 NIV
[9] If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. [10] For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. [11] As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”
Colossians 1:13-14 NIV
[13] For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, [14] in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
What Paul said in Galatians is that there were two forces, as we saw in an earlier post, battling for their loyalties. Both of these forces put them in a very dangerous position, exposing them to serious unnecessary risks.
The first of these is empty religion. This is a religion that depends on what we do for us to be saved. Paul told the Galatians this:
Galatians 3:10 NIV
[10] For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”
In other words, if we rely on what we do to save us, we will be lost, because what we do is never enough. No-one ever kept the law flawlessly.
Ecclesiastes 7:20 NIV
[20] Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.
Relying on religion to get us into heaven – whatever the religion – is a very dangerous game to play. It exposes us to a very serious risk: the risk that we could do the very best we can and it still might not be enough.
Good works outside of religion are the same. It’s the same risk.
The second force is that of sin. Sin always comes with a serious risk:
Romans 6:23 NIV
[23] For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Galatians 6:7-8 NIV
[7] Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. [8] Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
A sinful life will always receive its just reward.
So neither a religious or good life or a sinful life can save us. They both leave us needing to rescued.
That is where Jesus comes in, as Peter wrote:
1 Peter 1:18-19 NIV
[18] For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, [19] but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
But why did Paul write this? Why did he remind the Galatians that they had been rescued?
Imagine for a second that you have been rescued by the fire brigade from a burning house. You’re standing there, watching the flames lick away at your home, completely devastated as everything you have rises in cinders into the night sky.
That is what it means to be rescued from sin and empty religion.
Since you have been rescued from that deadly burning building, would you think about running back in to watch TV? Would the idea even cross your mind?
The Galatians had believed in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on cross. They had been saved. They had been brought out of empty, destructive lifestyles.
Why on earth would they go back into those lifestyles?
Why would they submit to slavery to the law or to sin once more?
Where was the logic in that?
The very idea clearly vexed Paul (Galatians 3:1).
So here he writes about their salvation to remind them of what they were saved from (sin and empty religion) and saved to (a Saviour who loves them and gave everything He had to save them).
Once they knew that, surely they would not turn back!
But Paul has something else to talk to them about. Having taught then that Jesus had gave Himself and rescued them, he also wanted them to know that their salvation wasn’t a reaction or an afterthought.
No, God Willed it.
God Willed
Ephesians 1:4-10 NIV
[4] For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love [5] he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— [6] to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. [7] In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace [8] that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, [9] he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, [10] to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
These days our manufacturing processes can be very fast. We have objects in our home that were created in minutes – or even seconds – in huge machines in factories.
Objects that are made so quickly, and sometimes cheaply, are rarely treated with great care and respect. Often they are used a few times and then thrown out.
But when you find an ancient object that took years to design and construct or sculpt, your feelings are different. You have a profound respect for the creator: for their artistry, skill and patience. You treat that object with care.
It is valuable.
Paul wants the Galatians, and us, to understand this about our salvation:
It was an eternity in the making:
Ephesians 1:4 NIV
[4] For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
2 Timothy 1:9-10 NIV
[9] He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, [10] but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
Titus 1:1-3 NIV
[1] Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness— [2] in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, [3] and which now at his appointed season he has brought to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior.
That makes it a precious, precious thing.
Our salvation and our freedom are costly enough, that much is sure: they were blood-bought:
Ephesians 1:7 NIV
[7] In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.
Hebrews 9:13-14 NIV
[13] The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. [14] How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
But this salvation was not a reactionary plan. It was not the case that disaster struck and God thought He should send Jesus like some first century super hero to save the day.
No, that is not how it worked at all.
Paul taught us that it was God’s will. It was God’s plan. There was a purpose. A sense of deliberation.
And this plan began before the world was even created.
What’s more, the Galatians, and you and I, if we have accepted Jesus as our Lord, were also a part of this plan from the very beginning.
That is an incredible thought. It’s mind-blowing.
But what does it mean for these Galatians? Why mention it?
Because they were being tempted to surrender this for something much, much lesser. They were in the progress of exchanging diamonds for dust.
Some fly-by-night Jewish preachers had infiltrated their numbers. They were out to convince the Galatians that they needed to be Jews to be Christians. That the cross of Christ might not be enough. That if they had this surgery or carried out that ritual or said this prayer or made that sacrifice then they would be assured of God’s blessing.
But it wasn’t true.
These men were nothing short of spiritual snake-oil salesmen.
They were making a whole heap of promises they could not keep.
Now, if you were lacking in assurance in a miracle you had not seen, and someone offered you the chance to do something tangible to be sure of salvation, you’d likely do it, right?
Right?
But Paul disagreed. Profoundly. For two very good reasons.
Firstly, because adopting this mind-set and carrying out these rituals is an indication that Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross was not enough. That is not just a horrible thing to say, it’s downright blasphemous. Of course it is! There is no need for anything else to save us. The cross is enough!
Secondly, following the law is not enough to save us. Neither will it ever be.
Why?
Because no-one can follow the law perfectly. Anyway, the law was never designed to assure us of salvation. Instead, it was designed to show us the difference between right and wrong, and to demonstrate to us that we are in the wrong (Romans 7:7).
That is why Paul said this:
Romans 3:19-20 NIV
[19] Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. [20] Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.
It’s the same with the rituals. They were not designed to cleanse people of their sin so they could sin again.
No, they were designed to remind people of the savage cost of sin so they would turn away from it. The penalty was high, and bloody, and kept needing to be offered, because, despite the sacrifices, the people of God still sinned:
Hebrews 10:1-4 NIV
[1] The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. [2] Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. [3] But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. [4] It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
The huge scandal for Paul – and the reason he was so frustrated with the Galatians – was not out of pique that they were now following someone else.
No, it was out of principle, that they were turning away from their sure salvation in Christ, to sure damnation under the law.
That was the problem.
God had planned their salvation from all eternity.
Surely they could not abandon it in a moment.
Conclusion
Galatians 1:1-5 NIV
[1] Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— [2] and all the brothers and sisters with me, To the churches in Galatia: [3] Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, [4] who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, [5] to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
As I write these lines, a number of British tourists are under arrest and some facing the death penalty, for doing something so utterly stupid and wrong that it almost defies description:
Smuggling drugs.
Some did it deliberately and got caught. I doubt if there will be too much mercy for them.
Some claim to be ‘innocent’. They were offered fabulous sums of money to take a suitcase from one country to another without knowing its contents.
Really? Did alarm bells not ring?
These days, as the political arena has become superheated and disappointment with governments is at an all time high, people are voting for political parties without knowing what it truly means. They then wake up and find their benefits are gone, their jobs are gone, and an immigration officer is standing at the door to deport them.
We’ve created a society that doesn’t read the small print when it signs on the dotted line. Then, when things go badly wrong, they blame anyone else but themselves for the situation.
The Galatians were in serious danger of doing the same thing. What seemed like a harmless gesture to give them a little more assurance turned out to be very harmful. It reminds me of the somewhat brutal story in Genesis 34, and what happened to the Shechemites when they didn’t think things through carefully enough. Or how Jephthah the Gileadite made a rash promise that cost him his daughter (Judges 11:29-40).
That’s why Paul clearly states his credentials: that, unlike the false preachers who are leading the Galatians astray, he was sent by God not man. He has the full authority to tell them what he is about to say. He is assuring them of that.
And then he enters a remarkably short piece of doctrinal teaching. In all his letters, Paul begins with some form of theological teaching, which then leads to practical application. In Galatians and 1 Corinthians, the doctrinal teaching is remarkably short.
Why?
Because there is too much to fix.
But in this short doctrinal section, Paul focuses on the Gospel – the real Gospel. The one aspect that he focuses on the most is how the Gospel is an act of sovereign grace. We are saved not because of anything we do, but because of what God does. Salvation is His initiative, not ours.
Paul focuses on three things God did for us.
He gave – He gave His Son die to free us. It was a gift. We couldn’t earn it. We can never earn it. To try to earn it is folly.
He rescued – We could not save ourselves. We cannot save ourselves. We are lost without Him – lost without hope.
He willed – Salvation was God’s initiative from before the dawn of time. He planned from all eternity to save you.
There is nothing in this world that is more precious than this.
But why teach this? Why add it to his letter to the Galatians?
Because if we try to save ourselves through our on actions, then we have no faith in Jesus to save us. If we have no faith in Jesus, then we are lost.
Let’s not think for a second that the fly-by-night conmen who promise us the earth and deliver nothing in return are confined to the first century. Shysters and chances like that still exist nowadays. And they exist across the denominational spectrum, and beyond it.
There are those who insist that you cannot be a Christian unless you go to their church or use a certain version of the Bible or dress a certain way or subscribe to their niche theologies. There are those who insist that you should give to their cause to be assured of a place in heaven, or buy indulgences, prayers or special services.
We must be clear about this. The denominational label above the door or in the hymnbook or the version of the Bible you read or even where you give your money are all useless and pointless when it comes to salvation. Those who teach otherwise are con artists. They are taking your money for something they cannot provide.
Steer clear of them.
Salvation is in Christ alone. No-one else.
We are saved by faith in Christ’s work, not our work.
Anything else is heresy.
In Galatians, Paul taught Christians how to stay free by standing firm on the Gospel. To do that we need to know the Gospel.
In these few verses, Paul explains what the Gospel is. Once we know the real thing, we know how to recognise the false Gospels that are everywhere, just like then.
And we know how to avoid them.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You are glorious. Your Gospel is glorious. I will believe no other Gospel because no other Gospel can compare to Yours. Keep me alert to fakes, I pray, so that I remain faithful to You. Amen.
Questions
1. Who does Paul say he is? Why is this important?
2. Who is responsible for the the existence or the true Gospel? What is it? When was it planned?
3. What do you see in there verses that will help you to spot fake Gospels?
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