Learning to Rest in the Grace & Peace of Our Heavenly Father
Observations on Galatians
Galatians 1:1-6
I. Notice that the Heavenly Father is mentioned 3 times in the first 4 verses & is the subject of verses 5-6. Consider the Father’s place in Paul’s understanding:
#1 Paul’s Apostleship is not from man nor through man. No one said to Paul, “You would make a good Apostle”, nor “If you go to this school or learn this curriculum, you can become an apostle.” No, He is an Apostle through Jesus Christ and GOD THE FATHER.” Paul’s “ordination” is found in Acts 9. His “ordination council” asks but one question, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me.” His diploma was a mantle of suffering tied up with a ribbon of blindness, a measure of which plagued him all his life. (See Gal 4:14-15, 6:11)
#2 God the Father raised Jesus from the dead. Paul prays in Ephesians 1:18-20 that “the Father of Glory” would give us the eyes of understanding (I John 5:20) to know the riches of the inheritance He has given us in Christ Jesus & the Power that is poured out toward us who believe, “according to the working of HIS MIGHTY POWER (The Father’s) which HE WORKED IN CHRIST when HE RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD AND SEATED HIM AT HIS RIGHT HAND IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES.” We see in the book of Acts, in the mystery of Godliness in I Timothy 3:16, & throughout Paul’s letters that the Resurrection of our Jesus is the very core of the Gospel, & is the very POWER OF THE GOSPEL! It is the Father Who gave our Great High Priest the Power of an Endless Life through His raising Him from the dead that He (Jesus) might live forever to make intercession for us that He might save us to the uttermost who come to the Father through Him! (Hebrews 7:16-27; see also 4:14-18 The power of death was destroyed by the Power of an endless Life!)
#3. Vs 3 Grace & Peace from God the Father & our Lord Jesus Christ: This is Paul’s consistent greeting in every one of his letters.(Rom. 1:7, I & II Cor. 1:1, Eph. 1:1 etc) When writing to Timothy & Titus, he adds “mercy”, probably because they are going to need a lot of mercy in dealing with the multitude of saints.(I & II Tim. 1:2, Titus 1:4) Why this phrase & it’s emphasis?
a. It is apparently first and foremost in the Father’s will that His Chosen ones live in Grace & Peace. This is why He sent His Spirit. John 14:25-27 This is also why He sent His Son. Remember John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, THAT IN ME YOU MAY HAVE PEACE. In this world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Note: If we believe on the Father’s Son Whom He sent,(Jn 6:33) we will ever live upon His Grace & rejoice in His Peace. If we add anything to Jesus as our standing and acceptance into the Father’s Presence and Relationship, we will lose our peace and are fallen from Grace. This is the ultimate message of Galatians! Grace & it’s resulting Peace are not optional!!!
#4. Vs 4 Remember John 4:34 where Jesus said, “My food is to do the Will of Him Who sent me, and to finish His Work”? Gal 1:4 seems to imply that the Father’s Will is to Give His Beloved Son as the sacrifice for our sins, which the Son willingly did, to deliver His chosen “from this evil age”, that is this present fallen world that clings to every fiber of our being, & unfortunately, we to it”. Any system of “religious thinking” that seeks to make us comfortable in this world is Antichrist, not according to our Deliverer & His Father’s Will!
a. Hebrews 2:5 says that the Father has put THE WORLD TO COME in subjection to man through the MAN, CHRIST JESUS (Vs 9) For all that is in this world is not of the Father. (I Jn 2:15-17) This whole world lies in wickedness. (I Jn 5:19) That is ALL the world!! Even the necessary things that are needed to maintain physical life are seductive. This is why Jesus spoke as He did about the “necessary things” in Matt 6:25-34. What’s wrong with necessary clothing, food or drink? Nothing in themselves, but beware! His Kingdom & His Righteousness must take precedent over even our basic needs, or the seduction of our basic needs will take precedent over our proper need of them, and His Kingdom will be merely an “afterthought”! Hedonism is the false religion of worshiping necessary things. All addictions are evidence of this seduction. Seek ye FIRST the Kingdom of God!!!
b. In reality, all of the above is according to the Eternal Father’s revealed Will & Purpose. Paul spends all of Ephesians 1 expanding his revelation of the Father’s Will in pre-history as well as in history. His prayer in 1:15-23 is that the Father of Glory would give unto us the Spirit of Wisdom and knowledge of Him and this Will. We will never be sure of our salvation unless we are sure of the Father’s Eternal Will to Love us & do whatever His righteousness requires to bring us sinners into the inseparable Relationship with Him. (Rom 3:21-26) The security of this Hope is God’s Spirit shedding abroad in our hearts the Love of God in our hearts. (Rom 5:5) Do you KNOW the Love of God intimately?
c. This leads us to the paradox of Grace: To think that God loves us more because we sin less is as much a misunderstanding of Grace, as is, “shall we sin more that Grace may abound?” The Love of God is not determined by the merits or demerits of His chosen ones. His Love is shed abroad in our hearts only and always because of the Righteousness of our Jesus! We stand in Grace & Grace alone. (Rom 5:2, I Pet 5:12) The Throne from which our King Jesus Rules is the Throne of Grace & it’s Companion, Mercy. Heb 4:14-16) Our King/Priest is always mediating His Grace & Mercy to us from that Throne! We have no other source of strength in this fallen world nor any other source of standing before the Perfect Holy God, than this incredible blood bought Reservoir of Grace & Mercy! Do not mistake Godly Discipline for God’s attempt to make you more lovable. He has done everything necessary through His Son! (Romans 3:21-260
#5 Vs 5 It is for the Glory of the Father that all of human history exists! He is the Ancient of Days of Daniel 7:9-10. He is the One of Rev 4:2-3 Who’s Appearance is as precious stones and is surrounded by a rainbow, the emblem of His Eternal Promise fulfilled in His Son! He is the One Who is Glorified in all the Work that His Eternal Son did in fulfilling His Will. (Jn 17:1-5) Something is desperately wrong with a “christianity” that does not “give glory & honor & thanks to Him Who sits on the Throne, Who Lives Forever & Ever.” The Biblical Father is inseparably joined with His Son. The Adoption of His human family, as unexplainable as it may seem, is why He sent His Son in our flesh. Christ Jesus came to show us the Father, to make us one with the Father as He IS One with the Father. (John 17) Is His Name “FATHER” always on your lips?
#6 Vs 6 Notice that Paul isn’t speaking of turning away from a set of doctrinal propositions, nor some objective “truth”. He is talking of a turning away “from HIM Who called you in the Grace of Christ.” It is this Eternal Relationship that is at stake! I think this context is clearly implying that this “HIM” is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Consider these “called” passages:
Jn 6:44-45 “No one can come to Me unless the Father Who has sent Me draws Him ....Therefore everyone who has heard & learned from the Father comes to me.” Vs 37 “All that the Father gives to me will come to me”. Vs 65 “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” Salvation is The Father's will, purpose and operation!!!
Gal 1:15-16 “When it pleased God, (Who) called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me.”
This turning away is very ominous. This is flirting at least, with the “evil heart of unbelief” of which the writer of Hebrews warns of in 3:12. It is “departing from the Living God". We are called in the “Grace of Christ”. He is our only access, our only dwelling place, in the Presence of the Heavenly Father. To add ANYTHING to Christ and His blood bought Righteousness, is a turning away, a falling from Grace which is our only standing! This is the warning of Galatians
This is Paul’s opening statement that should rivet our attention to his understanding that the Father is the Bosom of the Will & Purpose of the Triune God & is the starting point of all Paul’s thinking & teaching. We must learn to start in the same place! When we start with man, his condition & our understanding of God’s solution, our thinking will always underestimate man’s condition & our view of God’s solution will fall short of the Glory of the Father for which the whole of human history exists to reveal!!!
Observations on Galatians
Galatians 1:1-6
I. Notice that the Heavenly Father is mentioned 3 times in the first 4 verses & is the subject of verses 5-6. Consider the Father’s place in Paul’s understanding:
#1 Paul’s Apostleship is not from man nor through man. No one said to Paul, “You would make a good Apostle”, nor “If you go to this school or learn this curriculum, you can become an apostle.” No, He is an Apostle through Jesus Christ and GOD THE FATHER.” Paul’s “ordination” is found in Acts 9. His “ordination council” asks but one question, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me.” His diploma was a mantle of suffering tied up with a ribbon of blindness, a measure of which plagued him all his life. (See Gal 4:14-15, 6:11)
#2 God the Father raised Jesus from the dead. Paul prays in Ephesians 1:18-20 that “the Father of Glory” would give us the eyes of understanding (I John 5:20) to know the riches of the inheritance He has given us in Christ Jesus & the Power that is poured out toward us who believe, “according to the working of HIS MIGHTY POWER (The Father’s) which HE WORKED IN CHRIST when HE RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD AND SEATED HIM AT HIS RIGHT HAND IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES.” We see in the book of Acts, in the mystery of Godliness in I Timothy 3:16, & throughout Paul’s letters that the Resurrection of our Jesus is the very core of the Gospel, & is the very POWER OF THE GOSPEL! It is the Father Who gave our Great High Priest the Power of an Endless Life through His raising Him from the dead that He (Jesus) might live forever to make intercession for us that He might save us to the uttermost who come to the Father through Him! (Hebrews 7:16-27; see also 4:14-18 The power of death was destroyed by the Power of an endless Life!)
#3. Vs 3 Grace & Peace from God the Father & our Lord Jesus Christ: This is Paul’s consistent greeting in every one of his letters.(Rom. 1:7, I & II Cor. 1:1, Eph. 1:1 etc) When writing to Timothy & Titus, he adds “mercy”, probably because they are going to need a lot of mercy in dealing with the multitude of saints.(I & II Tim. 1:2, Titus 1:4) Why this phrase & it’s emphasis?
a. It is apparently first and foremost in the Father’s will that His Chosen ones live in Grace & Peace. This is why He sent His Spirit. John 14:25-27 This is also why He sent His Son. Remember John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, THAT IN ME YOU MAY HAVE PEACE. In this world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Note: If we believe on the Father’s Son Whom He sent,(Jn 6:33) we will ever live upon His Grace & rejoice in His Peace. If we add anything to Jesus as our standing and acceptance into the Father’s Presence and Relationship, we will lose our peace and are fallen from Grace. This is the ultimate message of Galatians! Grace & it’s resulting Peace are not optional!!!
#4. Vs 4 Remember John 4:34 where Jesus said, “My food is to do the Will of Him Who sent me, and to finish His Work”? Gal 1:4 seems to imply that the Father’s Will is to Give His Beloved Son as the sacrifice for our sins, which the Son willingly did, to deliver His chosen “from this evil age”, that is this present fallen world that clings to every fiber of our being, & unfortunately, we to it”. Any system of “religious thinking” that seeks to make us comfortable in this world is Antichrist, not according to our Deliverer & His Father’s Will!
a. Hebrews 2:5 says that the Father has put THE WORLD TO COME in subjection to man through the MAN, CHRIST JESUS (Vs 9) For all that is in this world is not of the Father. (I Jn 2:15-17) This whole world lies in wickedness. (I Jn 5:19) That is ALL the world!! Even the necessary things that are needed to maintain physical life are seductive. This is why Jesus spoke as He did about the “necessary things” in Matt 6:25-34. What’s wrong with necessary clothing, food or drink? Nothing in themselves, but beware! His Kingdom & His Righteousness must take precedent over even our basic needs, or the seduction of our basic needs will take precedent over our proper need of them, and His Kingdom will be merely an “afterthought”! Hedonism is the false religion of worshiping necessary things. All addictions are evidence of this seduction. Seek ye FIRST the Kingdom of God!!!
b. In reality, all of the above is according to the Eternal Father’s revealed Will & Purpose. Paul spends all of Ephesians 1 expanding his revelation of the Father’s Will in pre-history as well as in history. His prayer in 1:15-23 is that the Father of Glory would give unto us the Spirit of Wisdom and knowledge of Him and this Will. We will never be sure of our salvation unless we are sure of the Father’s Eternal Will to Love us & do whatever His righteousness requires to bring us sinners into the inseparable Relationship with Him. (Rom 3:21-26) The security of this Hope is God’s Spirit shedding abroad in our hearts the Love of God in our hearts. (Rom 5:5) Do you KNOW the Love of God intimately?
c. This leads us to the paradox of Grace: To think that God loves us more because we sin less is as much a misunderstanding of Grace, as is, “shall we sin more that Grace may abound?” The Love of God is not determined by the merits or demerits of His chosen ones. His Love is shed abroad in our hearts only and always because of the Righteousness of our Jesus! We stand in Grace & Grace alone. (Rom 5:2, I Pet 5:12) The Throne from which our King Jesus Rules is the Throne of Grace & it’s Companion, Mercy. Heb 4:14-16) Our King/Priest is always mediating His Grace & Mercy to us from that Throne! We have no other source of strength in this fallen world nor any other source of standing before the Perfect Holy God, than this incredible blood bought Reservoir of Grace & Mercy! Do not mistake Godly Discipline for God’s attempt to make you more lovable. He has done everything necessary through His Son! (Romans 3:21-260
#5 Vs 5 It is for the Glory of the Father that all of human history exists! He is the Ancient of Days of Daniel 7:9-10. He is the One of Rev 4:2-3 Who’s Appearance is as precious stones and is surrounded by a rainbow, the emblem of His Eternal Promise fulfilled in His Son! He is the One Who is Glorified in all the Work that His Eternal Son did in fulfilling His Will. (Jn 17:1-5) Something is desperately wrong with a “christianity” that does not “give glory & honor & thanks to Him Who sits on the Throne, Who Lives Forever & Ever.” The Biblical Father is inseparably joined with His Son. The Adoption of His human family, as unexplainable as it may seem, is why He sent His Son in our flesh. Christ Jesus came to show us the Father, to make us one with the Father as He IS One with the Father. (John 17) Is His Name “FATHER” always on your lips?
#6 Vs 6 Notice that Paul isn’t speaking of turning away from a set of doctrinal propositions, nor some objective “truth”. He is talking of a turning away “from HIM Who called you in the Grace of Christ.” It is this Eternal Relationship that is at stake! I think this context is clearly implying that this “HIM” is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Consider these “called” passages:
Jn 6:44-45 “No one can come to Me unless the Father Who has sent Me draws Him ....Therefore everyone who has heard & learned from the Father comes to me.” Vs 37 “All that the Father gives to me will come to me”. Vs 65 “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” Salvation is The Father's will, purpose and operation!!!
Gal 1:15-16 “When it pleased God, (Who) called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me.”
This turning away is very ominous. This is flirting at least, with the “evil heart of unbelief” of which the writer of Hebrews warns of in 3:12. It is “departing from the Living God". We are called in the “Grace of Christ”. He is our only access, our only dwelling place, in the Presence of the Heavenly Father. To add ANYTHING to Christ and His blood bought Righteousness, is a turning away, a falling from Grace which is our only standing! This is the warning of Galatians
This is Paul’s opening statement that should rivet our attention to his understanding that the Father is the Bosom of the Will & Purpose of the Triune God & is the starting point of all Paul’s thinking & teaching. We must learn to start in the same place! When we start with man, his condition & our understanding of God’s solution, our thinking will always underestimate man’s condition & our view of God’s solution will fall short of the Glory of the Father for which the whole of human history exists to reveal!!!