Galatians 1:6-7

Paul defends the groundwork of faith he has given to the Churches in Galatia. He is astonished they would take what the interlopers have presented to them– a distorted gospel. Paul is not anti-Jewish. But these missionaries who have preached and taught that Christ is subject to Jewish Law have it all wrong.

One thing is central, crucial, and certain for our faith foundation and that is God’s grace: The fullness of God’s grace has come to you and I, and is freely offered to all, with perfect and pure love for each one of us. God’s greatest action of Grace is in giving us His Son — to rescue us, redeem us, and resurrect us.

Walking among us, Jesus teaches us and heals us and Jesus cares for us with utmost compassion and love. Jesus’ passion for us is nailed to the Cross. Jesus Christ’s suffering death on the Cross, with His passion for us intact throughout, was truly extreme suffering.

Christ suffered and died for you and I, and each one of us. We hold this truth dear. The Galatians do too and yet they have become confused. Our Father God raised Jesus Christ from the dead and in so doing made the latent texts of the Old Testament come alive with fulfillment. Paul appeals to the love commandment in Leviticus 19:8 (Gal.5:14) and resounds upon Isaiah’s ‘New Creation’ imagery in Isaiah 54:1 in that we have not been (barren) deserted by God (Gal. 6:15).

God is with us through Jesus Christ. Right now. Always. He is alive within us by the power of God through the Holy Spirit. This is actually the most remarkable thing God our Heavenly Father has ever done and God did this for unity in Christian community globally and for all who would receive His Son and believe. Let no one confuse you.

6 I [Paul] am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the One who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another Gospel, but there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. Galatians 1:6-7