What was Paul’s object, or rather the Holy Ghost’s object, in giving us the Epistle to the GALATIANS? Was it not just this, the earnest defense of the gospel? Nothing can be more needed at the present time than an equally earnest study of this defense. We invite our readers to this, not merely to what we may have been given to say upon it, but to an earnest study of the Epistle itself. Remember, the subject is one of paramount, yea, of eternal moment to our souls; and especially if we find that the different gospel here exposed and resisted, has become the almost universal gospel adopted in this day.
Chapter 1:1. “Paul, an apostle, not of [or from] men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.” This then is our starting-point, and it is most carefully defended throughout the Epistle. Well did the Holy Spirit know that those bringing in the different gospel would soon become the predominant party, and that their delusive argument would be the pretension of authority derived from man—what is commonly called apostolic succession. Once admit that, then you must accept as gospel whatever they please to teach, however contrary it may be to the word of God.
We shall see, lower down in the chapter, how careful the apostle is to sweep all this away. He is not of men, or from man, neither is he by or through any authority of men. The true servant of God receives his commission, his call, his authority, from the ascended Christ. “He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors, and teachers,” &c. And if we search every line in the New Testament we cannot find a single instance where one of these derived his call, or authority, or ordination from man, or by or through men. Elders and deacons did, but that was quite a different matter. It might be said, But was not Paul ordained to the ministry in Acts 13? How could this be, since Paul was a minister of Jesus Christ at the time? And mark, the Holy Ghost called and sent him, and Barnabas, another well-known servant of Christ, to a special work, or, as we may say now, on a mission. And the assembly, not apostles, at Antioch, most solemnly commended them to that mission, with fasting and prayer, and laying on of hands.
If a man receives his authority from man, he is a servant of men. The true servant of Christ receives his commission direct from Christ, “and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.” Paul also could say, “and all the brethren that are with me.” The assembly at Rome, and even at Jerusalem was with him, as we shall see.
Without further introduction, he states in a few words the glad tidings to the churches in. Galatia—that which he has to defend.
“Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father; to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” In this gospel all is from God, and accomplished by our Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing was of or from man. Grace, peace, and deliverance. The infinite price of redemption was given, freely given. “Who gave himself for our sins.” That one sacrifice stands out in all its infinite and eternal efficacy. This is according to the will of God and our Father. With Paul then the gospel is Christ alone. Whatever perverts the gospel is an insult to Christ, and would rob the believer of redemption and deliverance.
Just as when the ransom price had been paid according to the will or vote of the British parliament, for the redemption of the West Indian slaves—to tell a slave it was not enough, that he must supplement it by a life of work and labor, would be to set aside the kindness of the English government, and to rob the poor slave of his liberty, and keep him still in bondage. Yes, this is just what the Judaizing teachers were wanting to do in Galatia. To teach anything besides Christ, or in addition to Christ, for righteousness and redemption, would. be to set aside Christ altogether. Yes, Paul felt that the whole truth of salvation was at stake.
Does not this explain his vehement earnestness? He exclaims, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto a different gospel: which is not another; but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ.” But what would Paul have said could he have seen the vast army opposed to him since? Popes, princes, cardinals, bishops, and thousands of clergy, bringing in a different gospel, indeed the very “no gospel” he is here opposing as introduced into Galatia? The Holy Ghost foresaw all these when He inspired Paul. May we not then read these words as Paul’s answer to such an inquiry? They are so important, we will give the new literal translation. “But if even we, or an angel out of heaven, announce as glad tidings to you [anything] besides what we have announced as glad tidings to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, now also again I say, If any one announce to you as glad tidings [anything] besides what ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now seek to satisfy men or God?”
What earnestness! such a contrast to the indifference of the present day. When do we hear a man speak like Paul? Now the question is this, To whom do these words apply in this our day? And to whom would they apply during the past centuries? It is not very difficult to answer that inquiry, as the case is put so plainly. To take our illustration of redemption. The British nation gave twenty-two millions for the complete redemption of her slaves. Paul says Christ “gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us.” This is the uniform gospel which Paul and the other apostles announced.; and that this redemption is complete and eternal. This was the very foundation of everything in their preaching, and was well known to be so. Forasmuch as YE KNOW that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold... but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” And this redemption every believer had. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” Thus every man who was a Christian had this redemption, and had forgiveness of sins. If he had not redemption, and needed something beside the blood of Jesus, then he was not a Christian.
If you have redemption through the blood of Christ, complete and eternal, the forgiveness of all sins, then you are a Christian. If you have not, you are not a Christian. You may be trying hard to be a Jew, and keep the law; but, to speak the plain truth, you are not a Christian, but under the wrath of God as a rejecter of the free redemption that is in Christ Jesus, for the wrath of God abideth on him that believeth not. (See John 3:3636He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36).) All this will come clearly out, further on, in Paul’s defense.
Now do you wonder at Paul’s earnestness? Paul only announced as gospel Christ and His finished work. He gave Himself: that was the full price of our redemption. To preach anything besides is to set Christ aside. To tell a man he has to do anything for it, is to deny that Christ has done it. It really is, as an old countryman said a few days ago, “To set Christ aside.” Turn where you will in Paul’s preaching, the terms are so plain that we need make no mistake. Take Acts 13, that well-known preaching at Antioch. First he announced the death and resurrection of Christ; then forgiveness of sins through Jesus preached to all, and the complete justification of all who believe. Just like the announcement of freedom to the slaves, when the ransom had been paid. The Jews or the Gentiles at Antioch, had no more to do for their redemption than the slaves of Jamaica. And to tell a slave in either case that he had to work for it, for salvation or deliverance, would be simply to reject the announcement of freedom. It is a hard and cruel thing to tell a poor lost sinner he must seek to be saved, by prayer, or penance, or sacraments, or temperance, or any other thing. Yes, Paul says, let any one who preaches another gospel be accursed.
But let us go on to the defense. You will agree, reader, that this is a serious matter, and fully justifies Paul’s earnestness, yea, vehemence.
It was enough for Paul that he satisfied God—in thus announcing the gospel of His beloved Son. Yet, strange to say, that which is so pleasing o God is most distasteful to men. Our natural proud hearts hate the free grace of God. How sad! Paul then lets us know that the gospel he preached was not according to man. “For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” The gospel is not to be learned at Jerusalem or Oxford. The soul must be brought into direct contact with Christ Himself. Saul was a most zealous religionist, but he was darkness itself, as to Christ and His redemption. It is then of vast moment to know that he received his gospel by direct revelation from the Lord Jesus.
Since this was the case, to preach anything different as gospel is to oppose not merely Paul, but to contradict Christ. People go back to the Fathers so called. But it is our privilege to go back to Christ Himself. Yes, Paul received the gospel he defended from Christ. What Christ taught him could not be error; therefore whatever is different to the gospel Paul preached must be false. Now what he preached was the free forgiveness of sins through that Jesus who had died on the cross, and had been raised from the dead; and he proclaimed that all who believed were justified from all things. And thus being justified from all things, they had peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Every condition had been met by Christ. Now this justification is without any condition left for man to fulfill, therefore Paul and all Jewish believers with him, had to give up entirely seeking justification by law, or on that principle; and were completely justified by, and in Christ. This, we shall find, is the great point Paul has to defend in this Epistle.
Now before we proceed, how is it with our own souls? Are we forever justified in Christ, or are we seeking to attain to, to arrive at righteousness before God by practicing the righteousness of the law? Here are the two principles. The one is what Christ is to me before God, the other what I can attain to be by righteous works before God. The question of justification before men is shown in James to be by works, the fruit of faith. But, reader, have you fairly given up all hope, or effort, of doing your best to be delivered, or to be righteous on the principle of works? Is it what Christ has done and what He is, or is it what you hope to be and do for God ‘? If you should be under this last soul-destroying delusion, so natural and pleasing to the heart of man, may God grant unto you full deliverance by our further meditations on Paul’s defense of the gospel, as revealed to Him by the Lord Jesus Christ.