SO SOON REMOVED
Galatians 1:6 (KJV)
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
An argument can be made that the whole subject of the book of Galatians is liberty.
Paul had gone to the region of Galatia, now Turkey, where he has established, we really don’t know how many churches.
This book in many ways serves to show us exactly how much we don’t know about the earlier days of Christian growth.
•We don’t know when Paul went to Galatia
•We don’t know where Paul went in Galatia and
•We don’t know how many churches Paul planted in Galatia
But we know he did go there and that he did plant churches there because, well, here we have him writing to them.
In a pattern that we see happening Corinth and addressed in Acts 15, After Paul had planted these churches, and moved on, certain men crept[1]in and sought to destroy that work God had wrought through him.
They were Judaizers.
Their intention was to convince these newly saved Gentiles, that they could not be right with God without obedience to the Old Testament Laws of Moses.
Now the Apostle, the nature of whose ministry, had pressed him to new territories and new places to preach the Gospel, had heard that these churches had been so adversely influenced.
The tools he possesses to combat the error is his pen and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God.
After giving some pleasant and prayerful remarks to open his address, Paul dives right into his purpose with verse 6
Galatians 1:6 (KJV)
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
And it is at this point that I want to make a suggestion.
That is, in the case of this epistle, the words “grace” and “liberty” are so tightly woven that they are almost interchangeable.
The word liberty is found three times in the book of Galatians. I want you to hear them now.
Galatians 2:4 (KJV)
And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
Galatians 5:1 (KJV)
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Galatians 5:13 (KJV)
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
The grace of Christ they had been so soon removed from, threatened the liberty they had received with that grace.
We know Apostle Paul to be a gracious man.
In the book of Philippians he says,
Philippians1:12-18 (KJV)
But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;
And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
I don’t know about anyone else, but I struggle right here.
I have a difficult time rejoicing when I hear of someone preaching “Christ of contention.”
Not so with the Judaizers. Paul is harsh, even merciless towards them. Notice his words
Galatians 1:7-9 (KJV)
Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
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.
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.
He insists that their message is no gospel at all and that, even if they could prove an angel gave it to them, they should be accursed.
Now, he can’t do any real damage to these perverted messengers.
•He can’t throw them in jail
•He can’t physically force them out of the churches
•He can’t make the Galatians stop listening to them
He can do one thing alone.
•He can present the truth to them and
•He can commend them to the Holy Spirit of God
So he begins to write.
He first assures them that His gospel was from God
Galatians 1:11 (KJV)
But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
He provides his own testimony as evidence of his message’s truth
Galatians 1:15-16 (KJV)
But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
He cited the incident with Peter as proof that they were to turn from Jewish requirements
Galatians 2:11-16 (KJV)
But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.
But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
In chapter three the Apostle uses a line of logic, surrounding the account of Abraham to persuade them
Galatians 3:1-6 (KJV)
O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
And in chapter four he reasons using the account of Ishmael and Isaac; the one a child of the flesh and the other of faith.
Galatians 4:21-26 (KJV)
Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
Then in chapter five, he begins to draw them to a decision
Galatians 5:1 (KJV)
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Can you see where he is going with this?
“Don’t let these troublers do this to you.”
•Paul could not force the Judaizers to quit their message and
•Paul could not make the Galatians to quit hearing their message
So here he challenges them
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free….
“Oh ye Galatians - you are going to have to stand up for your own liberty.”
And then I think in chapter six he addresses those who have chosen to stand - how they must treat those who have fallen into this heresy
Galatians 6:1-2 (KJV)
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
There you have a general flow of the book of Galatians.
I think it can apply in a number of ways
I. IT CAN APPLY TO THE FAMILY BEGINNING TO BACKSLIDE
Galatians 4:9 (KJV)
But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
As a pastor, and one who cares for the well being of souls and for the glory of God, it is heartbreaking to see people turn away from the Lord.
•People who once attended church faithfully
•People who once taught Sunday school class
•People who once preached the gospel
But now they have turned again to the weak and beggarly elements of the world.
They are involved in the same sins, and in some cases even worse sins than they were before they professed Christ as Saviour.
II. IT CAN APPLY TO CHURCHES CHANGING THEIR COURSE
Galatians 2:13 (KJV)
And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.
The phrase “carried away” means “to yield to lowly things” or “to not evade their power.”
I became a Christian back in the late 70’s and trained for the ministry in the early 80’s.
In those days there were great churches preaching the gospel and standing for Bible truth.
Churches in:
•Cincinnati
•Detroit
•Denver
•Springfield, MO and
•All over Southern California
Back in those days even Jerry Falwell and Thomas Road Baptist Church, were strong Fundamental Baptists.
Now, so many of those churches have been carried away into the very modernism, they originally stood to resist.
And in reaction to that, many of the churches more recently planted have been carried away into the doctrinal errors of Reformed Theology, Calvinism, and Protestantism.
III. IT CAN ALSO APPLY TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Galatians 1:6 (KJV)
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
In the grand scheme of things our nation’s 243 year history is but a blink of the eye.
• British history goes back at least to 886 AD
• France back to Clovis in 509 AD
• Spain goes back at least to the Visagoths of 718 AD
Our country is a baby in comparison.
And I too marvel that we are so soon removed from those founding principles our forefathers gave us.
Our courtshave all but destroyed the Constitution with dynamic interpretation where they can make it say whatever they want it to say.
Our congressis nearly traitorous in their current course toward democratic socialism, and communism.
And
Our major corporationshave caved to every sort of wickedness - LGBTQ
The sports world buckled to the peevish demands of their athletes.
For a bit Americans threatened to boycott. But I knew that would never happen. We idolize sports too much for us to ever really give it up.
Now Colin Kaepernick was just able to get Nike to recall a line of tennis shoes because he felt like the original American flag is offensive because the people who flew it lived in an age of slavery.
Conclusion
We can complain and fret about all the negative all day long.
The question should be, what do we do?
I think Paul gives us some answers.
1. We must speak up for truth
It seems to me like, while Paul did “curse” those who preached a false gospel, he majored on arguing for the truth.
The best way to turn our country around is not through legislationor election.
It is through evangelization.
Get people saved, baptized and into Bible preaching churches and they will be the salt and light that moves our country toward righteousness.
2. Our pulpits need to be aflame
If we get people saved and into churches, but the pulpits have no Spirit anointed preaching we have missed the boat.
Paul used the Word of God to clearly point people toward liberty and away from legalism.
He was able to demonstrate from the Word of God the difference between strong conviction and fleshly coercion.
The people of God need the Word of God.
3. There must be a spirit of grace
So many have fallen.
Someone has to be willing to love them, forgive them and help to restore them.
I don’t think that means being soft on sin.
It just means being ready to pick up those who reach out for a hand back to God.
And, until the day Jesus returns
4. Don’t give up
Galatians 6:9-10 (KJV)
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:
As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,
But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
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