Galatians 1:1-12, NKJV
Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the
Father who raised Him from the dead), and all the brethren 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, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 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. 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. 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. But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Acts 15:1, NKJV
And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
Acts 15:8-11, NKJV
So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”
1. Legalism Defined
• Working in our own power.
• Working according to our own rules.
• Working to earn God’s favor.
“God’s pleasure in us is not based on our performance for Him.”
Galatians 1:8-9, NKJV
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. 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.
2. Legalism Destroyed
• The Gospel is Free:
Galatians 1:3, NKJV
Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,
“God’s pleasure in us is not based on our performance for Him. Instead, God’s pleasure in us is based on His performance for us.”
• God the Father has initiated our salvation.
Galatians 1:3-5, NKJV
Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 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, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Galatians 1:13-15, NKJV
For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of
God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the
traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my
mother’s womb and called me through His grace.
• The gospel is not invented by man, it is revealed by God.
Galatians 1:11-12, NKJV
But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not
according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.
• God the Son has accomplished our salvation.
Galatians 1:3-4a, NKJV
Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave
Himself for our sins…
The Gospel:
• We malign the gospel when we add to grace.
• We misunderstand the gospel when we cheapen grace.
Galatians 2:14, NIV
When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to
Cephas in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a
Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?
• We marvel at the gospel when we trust in grace.
The Gospel is Freeing:
• By His grace, we are free from the sin of this world.
Galatians 1:4, NKJV
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,
• By His grace, we are free to share with this world.
Galatians 1:15-16, NKJV
But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and
called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the
Gentiles…