First the Question: Not only was the authority of the Apostle Paul Christ given, but his message was received directly from the Risen Christ in heaven. True or False?
Please take a moment to respond at the LLM Question of the Day
And now the answer to the LLM Question of 12-8-2011
Question: In the Epistles of the Apostle Paul he does not deal with the doings and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth on earth. True or False?
Answer: TRUE! "Who gave Himself for our sins". Galatians 1:4. It is interesting and significant to note that in the messages of Paul he does not deal with the doings and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth on earth. He begins with the death and resurrection of Christ. The believer must be identified with Christ in death before He can live with Him. Now, out of the 702 responses we received to this question, 60.9% of you got it right. So, we need some work in this area. Therefore...
THE LLM STUDY OF THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS, CHAPTER 1, PART 1 of 3
Paul, an Apostle, “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office.” Romans 11:13.
“The Grace that is given to me of God, That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the Gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. I have whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God. For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed. Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God: so that from Jerusalem and round about Illyricum, I have fully preached the Gospel of Christ. Yea, so have I strived to preach the Gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation.” Romans 15:16-20. Now, go read also 1 Timothy 2:7; 2 Timothy 1:11; Colossians 1:24-27; Ephesians 3:1-3.
“Our LORD Jesus Christ Who gave Himself for our sins that He might deliver us from this present evil world (age).” Galatians 1:4.
The believer has been delivered from the power of darkness (Colossians 1:13); from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10); from the fear of death (Hebrews 2:14); from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13; Romans 7:6). The believer is in the world, but he is not of the world. John 17:16, and John 17:11. He is crucified to the world. Galatians 6:14.
“Who gave Himself for our sins.” Galatians 1:4.
It is interesting and significant to note that in Paul’s messages he does not deal with the doings and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth on earth. He begins with the death and resurrection of Christ. The believer must be identified with Christ in death before He can live with Him.
“Called into the Grace of Christ.” Galatians 1:6.
The fickle Galatians were removed to another Gospel. “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if He that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another Spirit, which ye have not received, or another Gospel which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.” 2 Cor. 11:1-5.
PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THIS. Those messengers who went among God’s people preaching another Gospel were the servants of Satan (transformed into an angel of light); although they went in the name of the LORD. 2 Cor. 11:13-15. These false prophets, with their perverted Gospel, (of works+Grace), troubled the believers who had received the message of Grace. “Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law; to whom we gave no such commandment.” Acts 15:24. A perverted Gospel subverts the soul. Satan is always the enemy of the Gospel of the Grace of God. He heads up every religious system in the world, not only in the pagan world but in Christendom. Many people confuse that which is religious or moral with that which is spiritual.
Pure Christianity and pure religion are purely different.
“Another Gospel.” Galatians 1:6
Note the anathema of God is upon the messenger of a mixed message. Now listen to me very carefully, the messenger may believe in the inspiration of the Scriptures, in the virgin birth and Deity of the LORD Jesus Christ, in His sacrifice for sins and His bodily resurrection, in the Deity and personality of the Holy Spirit, and still be a heretic, guilty of frustrating the Grace of God and perverting the Gospel of Grace. God is very jealous concerning His own redemptive work.
To the Apostle Paul, the Risen Christ committed the Grace message for Gentiles, “justified without a cause by His Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:24. “A man is justified by Faith without the deeds of the law”, that is, “without religion.”
Now, take a look and behold Christendom today! Most professing Christians are religious. They are the enemies of the Grace message and many of them are the enemies and persecutors of the Grace messengers. It is a serious spiritual crime to offer to saint or sinner a message of Grace and law, mixed, which is ANOTHER Gospel. The Epistle to the Galatians is the antidote for the Roman Catholicism, Seventh Day Adventism, Church of Christism, and for the false teachings of every other “Law” sect in Christendom.
“If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10.
When Christ was on earth He said, concerning the religious leaders, “they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” John 12:43. Note, in Galatians 2:11-14, Peter’s duplicity and compromise. Why? “fearing them which were of the circumcision.”
How many religious leaders and followers there are today who refrain from preaching and practicing what they really believe to be God’s spiritual program in this day of Grace, because of the fear and favor of men. They please men. They fear the leaders of their denominations. They love the praise of men more than the praise of God. There are comparatively few fearless, uncompromising messengers of Grace today who have the courage of their convictions.
In many instances, the political and spiritual radicals of today are the political and spiritual idols of tomorrow. Any careful student of the second chapter of Galatians and the third chapter of Ephesians will learn that the Apostle Paul was indeed a spiritual radical in his day. Think about it, humanly speaking, if the Apostle Paul had not taken an uncompromising stand against the legalistic Christians of his day, including the Twelve Apostles, the Gospel of Grace would have been lost in Judaism in the first century. And make no mistake about it even Fundamentalists, (such as Baptists), of today, who claim to love Paul’s Grace Gospel, would put out of their assemblies men of God who would dare to preach pure Pauline truth!
“Believe on the LORD Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” Acts 16:31, while there is still time!
So There You Have it!
Spread this message to everyone you know, far and wide. The time is short
Grace be to you and peace, from God: our Father, and The LORD Jesus Christ.
In The LORD Jesus Christ,
The Lion and Lamb Ministry
Pastor David Picos, D.D.
Minister and Ambassador for Christ in the Ministry of Reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-20)
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