Galatians 1

The Explanation

Paul writes a letter to the churches in a region called Galatia. Right at the beginning something is different from his other letters. Usually Paul starts warm and friendly. Here he almost skips the friendly part. You can feel that something is wrong.

Paul says who he is: an apostle, but not sent by people. He was sent by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father. That may sound like Paul is bragging, but he has a reason. Some people in Galatia are saying that Paul is not a real apostle. They say his message is not the true message. Paul wants to make clear right away: my message comes from Jesus, not from myself.

Then he writes something amazing. He says that Jesus gave himself for our sins to rescue us out of this evil age. That is the heart of the whole letter in one sentence.

After that, Paul does something you rarely see. He does not thank God for the Galatians. Instead, he writes that he is astonished. They are turning away from the gospel so quickly. Someone came with a different message, a message that says: believing in Jesus alone is not enough, you must also keep all kinds of Jewish rules. Paul is furious about this. He even says: if anyone, even an angel from heaven, brings you a different gospel, let him be cursed.

Then Paul tells his own story. He used to persecute Christians. He hated them. But God, who had set him apart even before he was born, revealed his Son Jesus to him. From that moment Paul preached about Jesus. And here is what is striking: he did not first go to the other apostles to learn from them. He went to Arabia, then back to Damascus. Only three years later he went to Jerusalem to meet Peter, and he saw James too, the brother of the Lord. That was it. So his message really did not come from other people. It came straight from Jesus.

What Does This Mean?

Paul is fighting for something precious. The gospel, the good news that Jesus saves us, is being twisted. People are adding conditions. Do this, keep that, then God will accept you. Paul says: no. Jesus gave himself. That is enough. Adding to it is not making it better, it is breaking it.

That is why Paul sounds so sharp in this chapter. Not because he is grumpy, but because he sees people slipping away from the freedom Jesus gave them. When something matters that much, you speak loudly.

The Common Thread

This chapter points straight to Jesus. Paul says Jesus gave himself for our sins. That is the same story that runs through the whole Bible: God rescuing his people. In the Old Testament God rescued Israel out of Egypt. Now, through Jesus, God rescues us out of this evil age. The word Paul uses, gospel, means good news. And the good news is not a list of things you must do. The good news is a Person who did it for you.

There is also something to think about here. Why did God choose Paul, of all people? Someone who hunted Christians? The Bible does not fully explain. But it does show us that God can turn a life completely around. If God can use Paul, then no one is beyond his reach.

For You

Sometimes you might feel that God only likes you when you have been good. When you obey, listen well, are kind to your sister or brother. And when you mess up, you feel like God is a bit disappointed in you. Galatians 1 says something different. Jesus gave himself for your sins. Not for your good behavior. For your sins. That means you can come to him with your worst moments too.

You can also learn something from Paul's courage. He dared to say: this is not true, even when many people said otherwise. Sometimes you have to dare to stand alone too, at school or with friends, when something is not right.

Talk About It

Why do you think Paul is so angry that people are believing a different gospel? What is he afraid of?

Paul used to hurt Christians, and God still chose him. What does that tell you about how God looks at people?

Praying Together

Lord Jesus, thank you that you gave yourself for us. Not because we were good, but because you love us. Help us to hold on to that, even when other voices say something different. Amen.