I really feel that Paul’s letter (Epistle, in the truest sense of the word) to the Churches of Galatia may be the most personal thing, autobiographical thing, the Apostle ever wrote. Or that we still have available to us, anyway.

And today he continues with his life story, testifying: “For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles.” Galatians 2:8

The “He” of our verse is God Himself!

If you remember, Paul has just told us that God called him (primarily) to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles! While Peter was (primarily) commissioned to preach the Gospel to the Jews! (Here it is: “The gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter.” Galatians 2:7, Saturday’s Lesson.)

Now Paul is informing us that the God Who called him, also helped him to the job! Hence the wording: “For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles.”

One verb (appearing twice) plays a fundamental role in this sentence, used of both Peter and Paul!

God (the Holy Spirit) “wrought effectually” in Peter’s preaching.

And “was mighty” in the life of Paul as he proclaimed the glorious Gospel of Christ Jesus!

Peter’s verb: “energeo,” is literally our word (borrowed from the Greeks) “energized!” The word specifically means “doing a work within” a person! Peter was a preaching “dynamo,” being so endowed of God!

Then Paul’s verb: “energo!” Yes, the very same word, even down to the “tense” employed! (Except Peter’s verb is a participle, a verbal adjective. While Paul’s here is an indicative, an assertion of personal experience!)

God treated His two spokesman the same!

In saving both the Jews and the Greeks, the Gentiles!

Point today being:

It takes God’s HELP to do God’s WORK!

Man, within his own ability, is incapable of achieving true spiritual results!

Acts 1:8 works well here: “But ye shall receive power, after that the HOLY GHOST is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

Amen!

So does Zechariah 4:6: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my SPIRIT, saith the LORD of hosts.” Wow!

Energized of God!

The only way to serve His Name!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

I once heard a Preacher who told us he prayed for God’s “power” hundreds of times a day! After our Lord’s (victorious) Temptation (40 days) in the wilderness, Luke tells us: “And Jesus returned in the POWER of the SPIRIT into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.” Luke 4:14

Paul said this is the Same Power that raised Jesus from the dead! Oh, what Might! “The exceeding greatness of his POWER to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his MIGHTY POWER, Which he wrought in Christ, when he RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.” Amazing, Ephesians 3:19-20.

Lord willing, more tomorrow morning.

I nearly added a Lesson after the Lesson!

 

Jesus died for Jews!

Jesus died for Gentiles!

Jesus died for “all,” everyone, for “whosoever will!”

And that (seems to me) is the glorious conclusion reached by those who were “in conference” with Paul the Apostle in Galatians chapter 2.

“But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter.” Galatians 2:7

A certain group of Church “leaders” … men who had been saved longer than Paul … chose NOT to change a thing about the Gospel he had been preaching! (Not that they ever could have, I suspect!)

They “contrariwise” … here simply meaning “instead” … agreed that the Law of Moses was NOT essential to genuine soul salvation. That a Gentile convert to Christ did NOT have to be circumcised, not for religious, spiritual purposes. Or he or she did NOT have to worship on Saturday! Or did NOT have to follow the earlier dietary Laws, except they strongly urged not eating blood! (Salvation truly being “by Grace through faith!”)

So Paul was, as they say, “good to go!”

To go preach (to continue preaching really) the Gospel of the Grace of God to the Gentiles … many of whom well may have never heard about Jesus Christ, God’s Son!

Again, today’s Text Verse: “When they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter.”

We now see the two “groups” to whom Peter and Paul respectively had been called to preach that glorious Gospel. God “called” Paul to preach primarily to the Gentiles! (“Was committed” translates “pisteuo,” meaning “was entrusted” to Paul!)

And Peter? Inversely … he was called to preach the (same) Gospel to the Jews!

Wow!

Yes, it seems God often (if not always) calls some of his children (missionaries, for example) to preach in certain areas, to certain people groups! Even Pastors feed “led” to certain congregations! And occasionally they resign to go to another area, another Church … because the Lord “led” them there as well!

Paul to the “uncircumcision,” his was of saying “non-Jews!”

And Peter to the children of Abraham, the “circumcision.”

As an evangelist, I feel God has called me to the “Churches of America,” largely so. To people who speak English and need to know more about our Saviour, our Bible, the things of God!

Amen!

But now I need to say this. Everything above being true … each of us still has a mandate, a command, to … “Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15, see it? “Every creature,” back to my “whosoever will may come” thought mentioned earlier!

Praise the Lord!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Whom have YOU told about Jesus recently?

 

To me that is a “catchy” clause, “added nothing,” today’s Lesson Title.

Paul has been to Jerusalem.

“In conference” with some of the Church “leaders” there.

Sharing with them the “Gospel” he had been preaching!

“Comparing notes,” so to speak!

And Paul deduces: “But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me.” Galatians 2:6

“These who seemed to be somewhat,” is a clause that basically means the “more popular and influential leaders” of the Jesus Movement. Men who have been saved, but still “cling” heavily to their Jewish heritage, particularly the some aspects of the Law of Moses!

And here in today’s Verse we see a little bit of what I would called “Paul’s sanctified sarcasm!” Our little hero, the Apostle Paul, did not feel he had to take a “backseat” to anyone, even those who “first” knew Jesus! Knew Him while He trod the pathways of earth.

He is comparing “notes” with them … not because he is unsure of the Gospel he preaches … but to further the Gospel he preaches!  Frankly, to get them to stop fighting the Gospel he preaches! To get them to accept the fact that God saves men and women totally by His Grace! Meaning … without their being held to the standard of the Law,  of the 613 commandments embedded in Moses’ Writings! (Or even the well-known Ten Commandments either, as a means of salvation!)

Watch Paul’s attitude … “of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person.”

Paul does not really “care” who they are! They carry no “weight” with him! They just “seem” to be somebodies! (No peer pressure here, not now anyway!) God does not have “favorites!”

Paul will not belittle his Call to the Ministry!

He will not demean his Standing in Christ!

He will not bow before some spiritual “boss!”

JESUS, Paul’s Best Friend, outshines them all!

All those who are “somewhat,” almost Church “bosses,” looks like!

Then Paul “drops the bomb!”

Hits the “knock-out punch!”

As Paul met “in conference” with these Church “heavy hitters” (these with “reputation”) … he adds: “for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me.”

Paul knew the Gospel … because he had experienced salvation personally (dramatically even) on the Damascus Road … that earth-shaking day a few years earlier. He knew the Gospel because it was given to him “by revelation,” during those 3 years in Arabia!

And none of the original Twelve (the remaining Disciples) … plus Jesus’ Brother James (half-brother, really) … could refute Paul’s Gospel either!

Nor add to it!

“Add to” is the Greek verb “pros+anti+tithemi!” Could not place one more thing on the list! Could not pile one more log to the fire! (Literally “to place up against.” Or “to place in front of!”)

Salvation is “by Grace through faith!”

With … nothing added!

Paul simply wants their agreement, maybe even the approval of these “key” Jerusalem men … if he can get it. Otherwise (which in reality might have been the better outcome) Paul would have walked away from Jerusalem permanently! TOTALLY giving his Ministry to reaching the lost Gentile multitudes in the whole wide world!

Paul is a little “feisty” here today!

And I love that!

The Lord willing, another lesson in the morning.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Hint: don’t let anyone “put you down,” or “make you feel inferior” either, my dear brother or sister in Christ! God has no “bosses, dictators” in His family! Just Jesus our Head! Yes … you (because of Jesus in you) are somebody!

 

Posted Thursday Evening … 10:15 PM … by a tired Preacher!

Our “motel” for two nights, pretty location!

Debbie and I awoke this morning in Marion, North Carolina. We drove home, to Tunnel Hill, Georgia. Repacked the car, and I headed out to the northeast Georgia mountains, to preach some more!

That’s why no Galatians Lesson has appeared today!

Though I intended to write one!

Friendly Mission Baptist Church, Cornelia, Georgia

By the way, a sweet Revival Service tonight as well!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Few men of God ever have been as adamant as the Apostle Paul, particularly in respect to the great doctrine of salvation by grace, God’s Grace!

He traveled untold miles, suffered innumerable trials, and virtually lived his whole (Christian) life defending the “by Grace through faith” concept of salvation! The only true means of going to Heaven!

Jesus in John 5:24 … “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”

Show me the Law of Moses in Jesus’ Statement above!

Or  circumcision!

For that matter, water baptism!

It, “eternal life,” is based on “hearing” and “believing!”

Now I am ready for this morning’s (Epistle of) Galatians Text!

Paul, in the face of certain “false brethren” wrote, men trying to put the Galatian Churches “under the Law” … “To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.” Galatians 2:5, a single verse.

That opening pronoun, “whom,” is plural! It is spelled “hois” in Greek; here expressed in the dative case, masculine gender as well. A whole “group” of detractors!  (No liberal women theologians yet … Oh, how times have changed!) These “Judaizers” are the “focus” of Paul’s diatribe here, his jeremiad! (Study this last word. It is interesting!) Judaizers, as the name implies, are those who want to take away our freedom in Christ Jesus, and force us back under the “yoke” of the Old Testament Mosaic legislation. (They are still around!)

“To give place,” is the Greek verb “eiko,” Found only here in all the Bible, a “hapax legomenon!” (Learn this term too, especially you more diligent Bible students.) And “eiko” means “to yield!” Or if you prefer, “to give in” to a person or thing. It’s an “aorist” verb here, Paul NEVER ONCE buckled before these (lying) trying-to-act-like “Christians!” Who were really, according to the Holy Ghost’s leading of Paul, still “unsaved!”

The added noun “subjection” is a military term. “Hupotage” means (it’s called a blend, a joining together of two words) “to stand under” a person. Or here a belief as well! To place yourself “under their domain, their authority!” (Like a sergeant is supposed to do to a captain, to obey!)

In English a “double negative” equates to a “positive.”

But not so in Greek!

Paul’s “no, not for an hour” simply amplifies his refusal to yield an inch (a centimeter really) to this crowd of imposters! The Greek noun “hour” (watch this) is spelled “ora” but is pronounced “hora!” nearly our very word, “hour!” It is defined as a “short, determined” block of time! It can even be considered a “moment.”

Paul never even “thought” about acquiescing to that bunch of spiritual bullies! (They covertly wormed their way into those little Churches of Galatia and tried to “force them” to live under the Law! “Moses’ Law” … which most of those Gentile saints had barely even “heard of!”)

But WHY is Paul being so “hard-headed” here?

He tells us, in the remaining part of verse 5, today’s Bible Text, our Lesson this Wednesday morning.

“That the truth of the gospel might continue with you.”

Paul is “fighting” for the Gospel’s Sake!

“Truth” and “Gospel,” certainly compatible terms! The Gospel as God gave to Paul in those years in Arabia. (Probably in those first three days of his Christian life as well! When he was blind, in the city of Damascus, on Straight Street! See Acts 9:11!)

“Truth” in Greek carries the idea of something you can’t forget! The noun “aletheia” is derived from “alethes,” meaning “not” (the “a” prefix) plus “lanthano” (“to be unaware, to be hidden”)! “Can’t be hidden, buried, forgotten,” not once personally realized!

And just as well say “Gospel” means “good news!” Best I have ever heard anyway! (Paul’s definition of the Gospel: “How that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” Wow, Hallelujah, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4! Believe it … and be saved!

Today’s text once again: “To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.”

“Might continue” translates “diameno,” derived from two little Greek words.  As defined here: (“through,” as in “from one end to the other” is the Greek preposition “dia) plus (“to abide in, to permanently indwell” which is the meaning of “meno” the verb)! This is a subjunctive verb, too. That is, Paul “hopes” for this outcome! But it is not a 100%guarantee! Paul longs and prays for this (victorious) result among his dear Galatians!

Folks, I am gaining a new appreciation for the Gospel of the grace of God!

As in Paul’s later words to the Ephesians: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2, verses 8 and 9, to be exact.)

Men and women have literally died for this Truth!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell