Galatians 1

We have been studying the book of Galatians on Sunday mornings for the past 4 weeks. I love this little letter! It only takes about 15 minutes to read the whole thing and yet I know that I’ll be attempting to apply its truths for the rest of my life. Here are some of my jumbled thoughts from my sermon prep and my quiet time.

If we embrace the message of Galatians, we will gain freedom!

• Freedom from condemnation – Salvation.
• Freedom from intimidation – Confidence.
• Freedom from performance – Joy and Boldness.
• Freedom from sin – Deliverance.

Galatians is our Emancipation Proclamation.

(Galatians 1:3) Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ…

Salvation comes purely by grace and it results in peace with God. That’s the cause and effect of the Gospel summed up in 2 words: Grace & Peace.

Paul takes them back to where it all began - Grace! Then he immediately jumps right to the where God’s grace was put on display and peace with God was provided! (Galatians 1:4)

• Jesus gave Himself for our sins...
• Jesus gave Himself to rescue us from the present evil age…
• Jesus gave Himself according to the will of our God and Father…

Religion is only good news for "good" people.

But, the Gospel is good news for bad people.

(Galatians 1:6-7) I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

"Distort" literally means "to reverse."

The Message captures the literally meaning when it says that they are, "…turning the Message of Christ on its head."

They were actually reversing the Gospel – turning the message of free grace upside down.

Jesus + anything else = nothing.

Legalism is subtraction by addition. It's adding our human effort to the completed work of Christ. When you add human effort, you subtract Jesus. A different Gospel equals no gospel at all.

Jesus + nothing = everything.

The “Great News” of the Gospel is that God's pleasure in us is not based on our performance for Him. God's pleasure in us is based on His performance for us!

(Galatians 1:10) For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

  BOBBY PRUITT  |  Lead Pastor

Bobby was born and raised in Atlanta, GA. He is the youngest of 13 children and was the first believer in his family. He graduated from Columbia Bible College and served in churches in North & South Carolina before coming to Texas in 1994. Bobby and Amy have been married since November of 1990 and have 3 children (Riley, Beau, and Emma Grace).