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15 Dec 2024 ~ 10 min read

A Study on Galatians 1:3-4, 1:6-9 - *A Different Gospel*

book In short, the Gospel is the message of salvation, the good news that men may be forgiven of their sins and reconciled to God

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatians is a passionate defense of the Gospel of grace against distortions. In Galatians 1:3-4 and 1:6-9, Paul emphasizes the foundational truths of salvation, particularly that it is granted by God through repentance and grace by faith alone. These passages challenge us to consider the purity of the Gospel we believe and proclaim.

Galatians Theme

The main theme is Christian Liberty, the doctrine of Justification by Faith. Jesus Christ has set us free, defending against legalism.

Galatians Chapter 1

Introduction to Galatians

Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through human agency, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead), and all the brothers who are with me, to the churches of Galatia: Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen.

Grace, Peace, and Will

  • Grace: God’s unmerited favor and blessing, often denoting His gracious gift of salvation.
  • Peace: The reconciliation of believers to God through Christ, fostering harmony.

We were saved by grace, (God’s unmerited favor), and that grace gave us peace with God, and that grace came as a matter of the will of God.

Salvation is solely God’s grace, not human effort.

  • If someone claims that any work is required for salvation, they have changed the message and distorted the gospel
  • Men receive grace, men receive peace, men receive salvation
    • Men do not earn it
    • Men do not retain it
    • Men do not even ask for it

Rescue from This Evil Age

Who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.

When we receive the Gospel, we are born again that spiritual change separates us from the sin of the world, we are set apart from that evil even as we live around it.

Secondly, we are set apart in our future destiny, we are rescued from the judgment this world will experience, We will not share in that fate

Now notice, if God’s grace has rescued us from the world around us and from the judgment to come, then what more is required than grace?

  • The Gospel of grace grants us everything we need for our life both now and to come, It is the source of our sanctification and justification. Nothing else is required.

Distortion of the Gospel

I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel, which is not just another account; but there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, even now I say again: if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!

Notice Paul says the church is deserting Christ, to abandon the Gospel is to abandon Christ, they are abandoning the One Who called them by grace

  • Is there such a thing as a diffrent gospel, gospel means glad tidings, good news. Any other gospel is not a gospel at all.
  • Shouldn’t every Christian be able to explain the Gospel easily?

The Gospel

In short, the Gospel is the message of salvation, the good news that men may be forgiven of their sins and be reconciled to God

Repentance

The Gospel begins with repentance:

For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. (2 Corinthians 7:10)

  1. Repentance is granted by God:
    Read Romans 1:26-2:6 - In the same context it was shown that Esau was not granted

    See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that there be no sexually immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. For you know that even afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears. (Hebrews 12:16-17)

  2. Process of Repentance (Psalm 51): Once we have been “granted” repentence, we recognize we are sinners in need of forgiveness:
    Read Psalm 51

  • Recognition of Sin (Psalm 51:3)
  • Godly Sorrow and Brokenness (Psalm 51:4)
  • Pleading for God’s Mercy (Psalm 51:1)
  • Confession and Cleansing (Psalm 51:2)
  • Desire for a new heart (Psalm 51:10)
  • Restoration and Commitment (Psalm 51:12-13)
  • Offering a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 51:17)

Secondly, the Gospel proclaims we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ

  • We believe and confess Jesus is Lord, that He died to pay the debt for our sin
  • We Hope in His resurrection that demonstrated His power over death, our hope is continually that if He was resurrected, and we are in Him that we too shall be resurrected delivered from death and Hades.

Process of Salvation

Read Ephesians 1:1-2:9, Romans 8-9

See Prevenient Grace

Key Supporting Scripture

  • 2 Tim. 2:24-26The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, skillful in teaching, patient when wronged, 25with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, 26and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

  • 2 Peter 3:15-16
    ”and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which there are some things that are hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.”

  • 2 Tim. 3:16-17
    ”All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work.”

  • Romans 10:17 *“Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of God”

  • 2Cor. 7:10 “For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.”

  • Eph. 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

  • Acts 7:55-56,58; 8:1 “But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.”

  • Eph. 1:4-5 “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love, He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,“

Prevenient Grace

Prevenient Grace is a theological term used to describe the grace of God that precedes human decision and enables the sinner to respond to His offer of salvation. This grace is often associated with God’s initiating work in salvation, softening the heart and drawing individuals to Him. While the term itself is not directly found in Scripture, its concept is reflected in several biblical passages.

Key Aspects of Prevenient Grace

  1. God’s Initiative in Salvation
    Prevenient grace highlights that salvation begins with God, not human effort.

    • John 6:44: “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”
    • Philippians 2:13: “For it is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure.”

  2. Enabling Response to the Gospel
    This grace is understood as God’s work in enabling the spiritually dead sinner to respond to the gospel.

    • Ephesians 2:4-5: “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).”
    • Romans 2:4: “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and restraint and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?”

  3. The Universal Aspect of Grace
    Prevenient grace is often seen as universally available, giving every person the opportunity to respond to God.

    • Titus 2:11: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people.”
    • John 12:32: “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.”

  4. Conviction of Sin
    The Holy Spirit’s role in convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment is an expression of prevenient grace.

    • John 16:8: “And He, when He comes, will convict the world regarding sin, and righteousness, and judgment.”

Summary

Prevenient grace demonstrates God’s proactive love and mercy, breaking through human inability and spiritual deadness to make salvation possible. It aligns with passages like Romans 5:8—“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”—underscoring that God always takes the first step toward humanity. This grace is not irresistible but works to enable the free choice to accept or reject the gospel.

Prevenient grace, therefore, is the foundation of God’s redemptive work, ensuring that salvation remains an act of divine initiative and grace from start to finish (Ephesians 2:8-9).