Galatians 1 reminds me of the Guilt Gift. That is what I call it when you give a card or a gift to someone with a heartfelt joy, and a few days later you are given something in return as a hasty repayment. A sincere thank you from the recipient would mean so much more to the giver. Today’s lesson is about expressing gratitude. The letter begins by identifying the sender, “Paul, an apostle—sent… by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead”. We get the sense that this letter will convey something heavy. It is directed to “the Churches in Galatia” founded by Paul in his missionary trips. Paul adds his customary greeting, “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”. Grace and Peace are the two cornerstones of Paul’s message. Paul gets straight to the point, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the One who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel- which is really no gospel at all”. “Gospel” literally means good news. Why would someone intentionally choose anything else? Perhaps the answer is related to our desire to reciprocate? There will never be a shortage of those “trying to pervert the gospel of Christ”. In the strongest words possible, Paul condemns the false teachers that burden believers with requirements in order to repay God’s grace gift. “If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!”
Paul writes that he is not “trying to win the approval of human beings”. He explains that if he was, “I would not be a servant of Christ”. Shady grifters know that they can take advantage of human desire for reciprocity. They know many feel the need to pay God back and happily serve as the conduit. But Paul reiterates that “The gospel I preached is not of human origin”. Where did he get his knowledge? “I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ”. Paul spent a lifetime studying Scripture, but he was given revelation by God’s Holy Spirit.
The chapter closes with the story of Paul’s conversion. Most had heard of his “previous way of life in Judaism”. He confesses, “I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it”. Paul was on the career fast-track, “advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age… extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers”. But God “called me by His grace… to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles”. Wrapped up in that statement is the reality that every relationship was severed in order to follow this path. Paul apparently took considerable time studying scripture with a profound new understanding of Christ as Messiah; “after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas”. All they knew of Paul was “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy”. The chapter ends with the proper response to the free gift of God’s forgiveness, “They praised God because of me”. The very best response to God’s grace is to regift His mercy to others. My friend, do not allow anyone to guilt you into proving your worthiness. God’s grace is a gift, just accept it with sincere thanks.