II Corinthians 11:22,23
"Are they Hebrews? so am I, Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. 23. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) (he knows he may sound a little braggadocios, but remember he's inspired by the Holy Spirit to write. He says) I am more; (do you see that? This apostle says he was more than those back there at Jerusalem. More) in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft." Then he goes on to show how he suffered for the sake of the Gospel, the likes of which Peter, James and John never did. Now coming on into chapter 12 and, for emphasis, the Holy Spirit has Paul repeat this for the third time in just a few verses. So this is very important to the Spirit of God.
II Corinthians 12:11
"I am become a fool in glorying; (Paul didn't like to bring up his own credentials, but he had to defend himself because they were trying to put him down as a no account) ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing." Paul knew he was nothing. He never took any of the credit, but he has to constantly affirm his apostleship, and even in this day and age we have to defend him even as much as when he was writing. We've stressed it over and over, how many theologians, pastors, and preachers, and ministers totally ignore this man's writings? His writings are almost treated like a plague. And yet, this is where we get our doctrines of salvation, this is where we have to be if we're going to know the Truth and Grace of God during this Age of Grace. Now for the Book of Galatians.
Remember Galatia was that central part of what is now the country of Turkey. It was probably in the southern half of Galatia where Paul had his first bad experience on his first missionary journey as he visited these cities of Antioch, Persidia, Listra and Derbe. Remember, Listra is also where he was stoned and left for dead. But here he writes to this group of little Churches that no doubt he had planted. Now they were being bombarded by these Judaizers. They were the believing Jewish element from Jerusalem. Whether it was the Orthodox who still rejected Jesus of Nazareth as their Messiah, or whether it was the Judaizers who had embraced Christ we don't know. Either way it doesn't make much difference.
They both were so hung up on the fact that we had to be circumcised and keep the Levitical Law of Moses or we couldn't be saved. So these Judaizers were coming into these little congregations that Paul had been able to plant through his sweat, blood, and tears and they're telling them, "You can't be saved by Paul's message alone (which was "By believing in your heart that Jesus died for us, was buried and rose again and that God saw us IN Christ through it all, as he is the All in all."). These Judaizers were saying "You can't be saved like he says, but rather you must be circumcised, and keep the whole of the letter of the Law." They just couldn't get it out of their craw. Let me show you what we're talking about. We're going to see it again in Galatians chapter 2. Come back with me to Acts chapter 15.
Acts 15:1
"And certain men which came down from Judaea (that's Jerusalem) taught the brethren, and said, (see they somehow wiggled their way into Paul's converts who had recently came out of paganism and some from Judaism. But these Judaizers said) `Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.'" Do you see how plain that is? Now jump over to verse 5 in this same chapter.
Acts 15:5
"But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, (now these were people who had believed like the Twelve that Jesus was the Messiah.) saying, `That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.'" Now these people were trying to pervert Paul's Gospel of Grace without works. And they didn't just suggest that they keep the Law of Moses, they commanded them to do it. When they commanded it they were attaching the keeping of the legalism of the Law to Paul's Gospel. Now that's what our Bible says. We don't care what translation that we have they can't foul it up that much. We and understand and know some of the translators do a pretty good job of fouling up the Word of God. Now then back to the Book of Galatians.
Here the Apostle Paul is probably back at Corinth if we're not mistaken. Now at this writing it's about 60 AD, so it's been about 20 years since he began his ministry to the Gentiles. He is now getting word that his little congregations up there in Galatia are being bombarded and heavily harassed to come under the legalism of the Law of Moses. So this little Book is written to correct this false teaching and bring them back under the pure Grace of God (remember that God put the whole of Israel on notice because their leaders had added to His Word with things He did not say). Now listen, it's just as appropriate for the world today as it was then. We're speaking of the world of Church people. Now verse 1, and we know we've looked at a few of these verses so we'll just skim over them.
Galatians 1:1,2
"Paul, an apostle, not of men, neither by man, (in other words the Antioch Church didn't commission him an apostle) but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) 2. And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:" Now the brethren that were with Paul would probably include Luke, and Silias, and maybe Timothy. Now verse 3:
Galatians 1:3
"Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ," Now we've got to make a point about something up there in verse 2. Because they had given in to false teaching, we find Paul leaves an important part out of his address to the Galatian Church. Now you probably won't catch it unless we tell you. Look at the verse again.
Galatians 1:2
"And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:" Let me show you. A good example is found in the Book of Romans chapter 1:7. Let's compare Scripture with Scripture. That's the only way we learn some of these things. And it's a subtle way of telling us how far these Galatians had already degenerated because of the perverted Gospel.
Romans 1:7a
"To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints:..." Do you see that? Now that's quite a commendation isn't it? He is commending the Romans for that kind of a position. Now let's look at the Corinthians. We're pretty sure that it's in there also.
I Corinthians 1:2
"Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,..." Now we don't know whether II Corinthians does it or not. Let's look and see.
II Corinthians 1:1
"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:" Even the Corinthian Church. Remember, what kind of a church were they? Carnal. Now let's look at the Book of Ephesians and that will be far enough because we think we've made our point.
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