Galatians: Lesson 3

Overview

Grace, Sin, and the One True Gospel

Paul opens his letter with a greeting that is anything but ordinary: "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age" Galatians 1:3-4. True peace flows from a single source—the knowledge that Christ has given himself for our sins. To grasp that peace, however, we must take sin seriously. We cannot dismiss it as a trifle, nor can we be crushed by it into despair. Lutheran teaching sits comfortably in that paradox: simultaneously saint and sinner. Luther reminds us that "Christ was not given for petty or imaginary transgressions, but for mountainous sins, not for one or two, but for all, not for sins that can be discarded, but for sins that are stubbornly ingrained." If we are flippant about sin, we will see no need for Christ; if we deny we have sin, we cut ourselves off from the gospel entirely.

Astonished by a Quick Desertion

Paul is "astonished" that the Galatians are so quickly turning to "a different gospel" Galatians 1:6-7. His tone is firm but pastoral—like a parent grieved by a wandering child. The Judaizers had not denied Christ outright; they simply added requirements, suggesting the gospel of grace was incomplete and that something more was needed from us. Luther calls this being "seduced" away from the truth, and the seduction is real: we love the idea that we contribute something to our salvation. But mingling law and gospel, faith and works, "creates more mischief than a man's brain can conceive"—and ultimately cuts Christ out. The same pattern persists today in cults of Christianity that affirm Scripture in word while subtly adding to it or subtracting from it. Paul reminds the Galatians—and us—that the gospel he preached "is not of human origin… I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ" Galatians 1:11-12. Peter likewise insists the apostles did not follow "cleverly devised myths" but bore witness to what they had seen (2 Peter 1:16; Matthew 16:15-18).

Becoming Good Soil

The Parable of the Sower Matthew 13:3-23 shows why steadfastness in sound doctrine matters so much. Seed on the path, on rocky ground, or among thorns cannot bear fruit; only good soil yields a harvest. The local church is the place where God tills our hearts into rich soil—through his Word, in community with fellow believers, under faithful teaching. Friendly people, strong music, and good programs are gifts, but theology is paramount. As Luther warned, "The church is a tender plant, it must be watched. People hear a couple of sermons, scan a few pages of Scripture, and think they know it all." Heretics rarely advertise their errors; the more deeply rooted we are in God's Word, the more readily we recognize falsehood when it comes.

Pastoral Application

Take your sin seriously—but take Christ's grace more seriously still. Cling to the promise that Jesus died for all your sins, including the stubbornly ingrained ones. Remain in the community of faith where God's Word is rightly preached, and let the Holy Spirit till the soil of your heart through that Word. When you see a brother or sister wandering toward a "different gospel," it is an act of love—not cruelty—to call them back. And remember Paul's own story: faithfulness takes time. The years between his calling and his public ministry remind us that growing deep roots is slow work, but it is the work that keeps us standing when seductive voices try to add to, subtract from, or pervert the gospel of Christ.

Transcript

Lord, we thank you so much for this day. 6s

We thank you for your grace. 9s

We thank you that we are free to live in your grace. 10s

Lord, we thank you that you have given to us your spirit of truth. 14s

We ask that you use your spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit, to lead us as we study 18s

Galatians as we study your Word that we would know how free we are in you and that we 25s

would live to glorify and honor your Holy name. 32s

We lift this to you in the blessed name of Jesus Christ. 36s

Amen. 39s

Have you all been taking me up on my homework assignment to listen to Galatians or read Galatians? 41s

Is it not amazing? 48s

Oh my goodness. 52s

Yesterday I laid in a hammock and just listened to Galatians. 53s

It was awesome. 59s

It was awesome. 61s

And it's kind of interesting because there were some, a couple of people who are from a cult of Christianity. 62s

So they are not a part of the Christian church and they are mistaken. 69s

But they were going around the neighborhood apparently and I thought, oh, I might get to talk to someone. 74s

No such luck. 82s

But as I laid in that hammock and I listened to Galatians, I thought, how, how, how can anyone not know the grace after reading Galatians. 83s

It's just incredible. 99s

But we are going to talk a little bit more about some cults of Christianity today. 101s

Not a deep dive, but we will talk a little bit. 106s

So we're going to pick up in Galatians. 109s

So if you would open your Bibles to the book of Galatians last week, we talked a lot about the authority that Paul has as an apostle in Jesus Christ. 114s

He was appointed to his apostleship by Christ himself. 127s

He was commissioned on his mission journey out of Antioch. 132s

He in Barnabas by the Holy Spirit. 138s

So he is, he is a valid apostle. 141s

He's a valid apostle. 146s

And we talked about that, that beginning that he has to his letter. 148s

And so we're going to pick up from there where he's, he's saying to the churches of Galatia, verse three, 154s

grace and peace from, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, 162s

according to the will of our God and Father to whom be the glory forever and ever. 173s

Amen. 181s

Reading verse four again, Jesus Christ gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father. 183s

Luther writes about the genius, the genius of Paul's words. 199s

And we know they're genius because they are not Paul. 205s

It is, it is the Holy Spirit, Paul writes through the Holy Spirit, the genius of Christianity takes Paul's words as efficacious. 209s

That they do what they say they're going to do. 223s

They are true, holy and completely. 227s

And I'm trying to remember which, which book I was reading this week. 233s

I think it may have been a study on Leviticus. 240s

But the, the question was posed, do you take your sins seriously? 245s

And I thought that was a really good question and I sat with that for a long time and I want you to sit with that. 250s

Do you take your sin seriously? 256s

Because a lot of times we can, we can say, oh yeah, I'm a sinner. 260s

But we're a little bit flippant about it or we don't take it really seriously or we, we kind of have this theme going in our brains, 265s

whether we articulate it or not, that our sin can be dissolved by the good that we do, by the good action that we do or because most of our lives are spent being good. 276s

And so we kind of treat sin as just this byproduct of, yeah, it's kind of part of my life. 288s

I am a sinner. 295s

But it's not, it's not okay to not take sin seriously. 297s

We can't look upon sin, the sin in our own lives as, as just a little insignificant trifle. 304s

It's nothing, it's nothing. 312s

But on the flip side of that, we also can't regard our sin to the point of despair. 315s

There is no hope. 323s

I am a sinner. 325s

I'm doomed and destined to be condemned. 327s

So in Lutheranism, this is one of the things I appreciate a lot about the Lutheran doctrine is that we sit very comfortably in the paradox, 334s

that paradox of being simultaneously saint and sinner. 343s

We absolutely have to take our sin seriously. 348s

Sin is disobedience to the law of God. 354s

Sin is to be taken seriously by us because God takes sin seriously. 361s

God is not flippant about sin. 368s

But we also have to embrace and cling to the promise that we have in the gospel, in grace, that Christ was given for all sin. 374s

Luther says, Christ was not given for petty or imaginary transgressions, but for mountainous sins, not for one or two, but for all, not for sins that can be discarded, but for sins that are stubbornly ingrained. 391s

I love that and I don't know if it's because Luther is just so German. 406s

I don't know, but that stubbornly ingrained sin. 412s

I had a conversation this week and man I got just lovingly licked on the head. 418s

We were talking about temptation. 427s

And I said, I don't think that any of us know what it is to live without temptation. 431s

None of us know that. 443s

And then in my own brain I started thinking about, what am I not tempted about? 444s

I am never tempted to overindulge in lima beans. 452s

And I'm thinking about, well then I know what it's like to not be tempted, but then I catch myself, and this is the loving flick that the Lord gives, 462s

catch myself being tempted by my own pride to say, well I guess I do know what it's like to not be tempted. 470s

And that's a pride, that's my own pride. 480s

And so we are stubborn in our sin. 483s

We are stubborn in our sin. 492s

But if we had no sin, and this is that flippant side, if we have no sin, if we aren't serious about our sin, then we don't need Christ. 498s

If we don't have sin, we don't need Christ. 511s

Again coming back to that law gospel conversation. 518s

If someone is not aware of their sin, if they do not know the law that has made them aware of their sin, they are not ready to receive the gospel. 521s

Because they don't know that they need Christ. 534s

Our own efforts of self-justification are a hindrance. 540s

Jesus died for your sin and to believe this is to have eternal life. 547s

Here in verse 3, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age according to the will of our God and Father to whom be the glory forever and ever. 553s

Where does peace come from? Where does true peace come from? 575s

It comes from knowing that Christ was given Christ died for our stubbornly ingrained sin. 581s

Christ died for the sins that we try to be flippant about. 592s

Christ died for our sins that we don't even know or don't qualify for ourselves as sins. 597s

Christ died for those all and this is where that grace and that peace or that peace of knowing the grace of God comes from. 607s

When we know that Jesus Christ died for our sins when we believe in that, we know we have eternal life. 617s

This is the peace and the comfort that comes. 625s

Moving on to verse 6, Paul writes, I 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. 631s

Not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 646s

So let's back up just to verse 6. 654s

I'm astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ. 657s

Paul is actually being gentle here. He's being gentle, I say, gentle-ish. 663s

He's not coming out and saying, you idiots. 669s

I can't believe you. I am so ashamed of you. I just am so, so angry. 672s

He's more, he's more coming to them as a parent who approves his or her child who says, what are you doing? 678s

What are you doing? 687s

And so Paul comes to them sternly, but not, not cruelly. 687s

Not cruelly. He is not telling them that there is no hope. 697s

He's not shying away. He does not shay away about his anger towards those who have seduced the Galatians from the truth. 702s

I love that terminology that Luther uses, being seduced away from the truth. 713s

When we think of seduction, it's something that is pleasing to the ear, to the eye, to the senses all around. 723s

What does Paul write about in, in, to Timothy, he writes about, you know, being hungry or, or, or people will want their, their tickling ears scratched or itching ears scratched. 734s

When we hear or see something or think something that sounds pleasing, we get seduced. 746s

And I think that, with, with the gospel or with the law, mixing with the gospel, and we're going to talk more about that again, but there's a seduction to that because we want to be able to do something for ourselves. 758s

There's a seduction to knowing that we have some power in our salvation, that we have something to say about it, that we have something to do about it. 780s

And it's putting ourselves then above the authority of God. It's putting ourselves then above the authority of Scripture. 794s

Is God's Word relevant? Always. Always. Is it always adhered to? In new. Absolutely not. But it is always relevant. We are always at all times under the authority of God's Word. 806s

And so Paul is admonishing or he's coming to the Galatians saying, I'm astonished, I'm amazed that you have so quickly deserted the grace. What you know is the gospel, the good news, and you've been seduced away from it by these judisers. 829s

You've been seduced away from it. It's really difficult. It has always been really difficult to remain steadfast in faith, to remain sound in faith. 850s

Let's go to Matthew chapter 13. So this is the first book in the New Testament. It's the first gospel. Matthew chapter 13. 867s

And we're going to begin in the middle of verse 3. It's the parable of the sower. Where Jesus is telling the parable, he says, listen, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path. 881s

And the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground where they did not have much soil. And they spring up quickly since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 895s

Other seeds fell among thorns. And the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain. Some a hundredfold, some 60, some 30. Let anyone with ears listen. 909s

And then the disciples come to him and they ask him, why are you speaking in parables? And what does this mean? And so he tells them what it means in verse 18 or beginning in verse 18, he says, hear then the parable of the sower. 922s

When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart. This is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. 940s

Yet such a person has no root but endures only for a little while. And when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choked the world, the word and it yields nothing. 957s

But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields in one case a hundredfold in another 60 and in another 30. 978s

The church is the place where we really grow and become that good soil. It is so important, so important that as we stand and remain steadfast to sound doctrine remains steadfast to the faith that has been given to us, we have to be. 993s

In a community to which God gathers us, because it is in the community with fellow believers that we grow, that we are held to his word, that we cling to his word. And when we see a brother or a sister wandering, we have not only the right and responsibility but the serving, the serving. 1022s

The serving of that brother or sister to make him or her aware and to reframe them or help them re-center on what they know and have been told to be true. 1052s

The church is the place in which we become rich soil. Pastor Eibel talks so often about when you are church shopping, I don't think he uses that term, I use that term. 1069s

When you are church shopping, it is lovely to have a church or find a church that has good music that has friendly people that has a lot of engaging opportunities, that is great. 1084s

But if the theology is junk, then you are being junk soil or you are being what it tilled as junk soil. 1098s

The theology is the utmost important aspect of the community of faith to which you are called by God's grace. And this is going to be a tuning of Living Wordshorn by God's grace. 1112s

We do have amazing music and we do have amazing people and incredible opportunities to engage. But first and foremost, it comes down to the theology, the doctrine, understanding God's word and understanding the full truth of the law and the gospel. 1131s

Luther says, the church is a tender plant, it must be watched. People hear a couple of sermons, scan a few pages of scripture and think they know it all. 1155s

We have all seen or experienced those theologians. 1167s

We have to guard the church. We have to guard the church always. Watch and keep steadfast in faith and in God's word. Paul says that the Galatians have been called by Christ into grace. 1174s

That is that Paul taught them the doctrine of grace and liberty from the law. We are free in Christ, not slaves to the law. I am losing my place here. Here we go. 1195s

Yes, okay. So coming back to Galatians. In chapter 1 verse 11, Paul says, for I want you to know brothers and sisters that the gospel that was proclaimed to me is not of human origin. 1207s

I did not receive it from a human source nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. So he did not teach them anything of his own thoughts, his own wills or his own ideas. 1231s

In verse 7, he is saying that there is not another gospel, that the Judaizers are perverting the gospel. I think this is also an interesting aspect that Luther highlights. He says, Heretics don't advertise their errors. 1255s

Heretics don't advertise their errors. This is again coming back to the church and the importance of the doctrine and theology where we are being rooted and the word that we are being rooted in. As we grow in the word, we become more rooted and more founded and more understanding and stronger and stronger. 1275s

So that as the Heretics don't come saying, okay, I'm going to teach you an error now. We can hear error and we know it because we know God's word. The more that we grow in God's word, the more that we are rooted in His word and understand His word. 1299s

The more easily we can spot falsehoods. The more easily we can spot the Heretic, the one who is trying to spread lies. The Judaizers came in behind Paul as we talked about and they gave the idea that the gospel was incomplete. 1323s

That it was incomplete. Paul has been saying, you are saved by grace through faith. It is Christ doing. He writes that to the Ephesians. He is saying that you have grace continually. We know that Paul preaches grace. He preaches salvation in Christ and Christ alone. And then the Judaizers come in and they say, well, yeah, yeah, you have grace in Christ. But then there's also some stuff that you have to do. 1346s

There's also some work that you have to do. And so they're saying that the gospel of Christ is incomplete. That rings so loud and clear of modern day cults of Christianity. 1374s

Well, this book, we do like the scripture and we do believe that the Bible is good. But now we have another book and it's the completed word. There is no other book. This is the book. This is God's word for us. 1396s

The cults of Christianity, and I have a couple in mind in particular, the whole idea is that it's the word of God, but it has errors. 1423s

It's the person saying, well, Jesus didn't quite mean what he said. It's not okay. And if that makes you go, that's good. That's good. You should. And that means that you are being rooted in God's word. His word is taking root in you. 1440s

And that is where we grow from. The perversion of the gospel of Christ, it comes at us from every single which way. It's constant. It's a constant battle. There are many wolves in sheep clothing. This is where again, as we know God's word, even if something has been written in the Bible, 1465s

that the label of Christian does not mean necessarily that it is Christian. We're called to be discerning. We are called to hold everything to the word of God. Because if it is commanded or forbidden in scripture, that is God's word. 1493s

It's a word of God's word. It is very clear. And I told you, during this whole class, we will be talking about long gospel over and over and over and over again. 1516s

But it is so important and so key to understanding God's word as we go through it. Everything, every single chapter or verse of scripture, you can hold up and you can say, is this law? 1528s

Or is this gospel? Is this showing me my sin? Is this showing me direction? Or is this gospel? Is it showing me my savior? Is it showing me the promise that I have in Christ? 1547s

Even in the Old Testament, there is a boatload of gospel. In the New Testament, there is a boatload of law. It's finding that distinguishing, that distinction between the two because mingling law and gospel, mingling faith and works. 1564s

As Luther says, it creates more mischief than a man's brain can conceive. And it cuts Christ out. 1584s

I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin. For I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 1596s

The gospel of Christ is not an invention of Paul. Let's go over to second Peter. So if you start turning right, you're going to go through the letters of Paul. You're going to find yourself at Hebrews and James. You're going to find first Peter and then you'll have second Peter. 1611s

Second Peter, chapter 1, Peter writes about this also. In verse 16, he says, 1629s

Peter and the other apostles witnessed the miracle of Christ's resurrection that after death he lives. If we go to Matthew, we'll see that. 1655s

Chapter 16, again, this is that first book in the New Testament, first gospel, Matthew 16, beginning in verse 15. And this is when Jesus and his disciples are walking, they're going into Cessaria, Philippi. And Jesus is asking, who do people say I am? And they're answering him. And then he says to them, but who do you say I am? 1668s

This is verse 16, Simon Peter answered, you are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered him, blessed are you, Simon, Son of Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter and on this rock, I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 1694s

Yeah, chapter 16, verses 15 through 18, we read. Jesus tells Peter, plainly, you couldn't know this by yourself. 1720s

This is the father who has revealed the truth to you. What do we have promised by Christ to his disciples in the gospel of John? He says, I will send a helper. I will send my advocate and he will lead you in all things true. He is speaking of the Holy Spirit. He is sending his own Holy Spirit to reveal truth to those who hear. 1736s

Paul has come to Galatia and he has proclaimed the true gospel, not his own ideas, not something that sounds neat to him, but what he has received from God, from Jesus Christ himself. 1762s

Peter and the other apostles have gone out, sharing what they have heard, what they have witnessed, not their own myths or ideas or good stories. We all know good stories. We all meet good storytellers, but it doesn't mean that the story is truth. 1780s

Paul is saying you have left so quickly the truth of what I have shared with you, the truth of what you knew, the truth that Christ himself gave me to give to you. 1800s

And now you are being seduced away. Going back to Galatians one more time. Galatians chapter 1. Now I am past it. I should have kept a bookmark there. 1819s

He cares very deeply for his people. Paul cares very deeply for all of the churches that he has helped to plant all the people that have been converted to Christianity through the proclamation that he and his cohorts have brought to them. 1837s

He cares for them and he doesn't want to see them snatched away from truth. He doesn't want to see them in that turmoil of one time having peace in Christ and then the chaos of despair. 1863s

Am I doing enough? Am I doing what I need to do? How much more should I be doing? Have I done it just right? 1885s

Paul cares for them and comes to them saying, don't abandon this. These people are perverting the gospel. 1899s

It's so important for us to remain steadfast in the faith. It's so important for us to be rooted in his word to continually have the spirit himself telling the soil of our heart so that we can know him better and better so that we can then go forth sharing the true gospel. 1910s

The true gospel of salvation in Christ and Christ alone and God will use us as we encounter people in the world as we encounter people in our lives and he will use us to share with authority not as Paul has. 1939s

Paul has been made an apostle in Christ Jesus but Christ gave authority to the church and he gave his commission to his disciples to go forth. 1963s

And so he tells our hearts, teaching us truth, he keeps us grounded and rooted in his word and he sends us forth not with our own stories to tell, not with our own ideas to tell but proclaiming the truth and the word of God. 1978s

Paul then continues going on talking about his life in earlier Judaism how he was persecuting the church of God. He was trying to destroy it. 2002s

He talks about how God had set him apart before he was born and was pleased to call him to reveal his son to him and to set him to be the one to proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles. 2013s

Paul goes into his story and we've talked about his story so we're not going to linger too long here. 2030s

But Paul goes in talking about his story about the time that he spent. 2037s

It wasn't like the day after the scale of the scales fell from his eyes. He was out there preaching but he took time to know God, to learn God. 2044s

To understand the call that was being placed upon him by God. He took time. We hear after three years. After three years he went up to Jerusalem. 2057s

He talks in chapter two about 14 years being spent. We read scripture and we think it's just boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. One week leads to another week leads to another week but there are stretches of time that happens. 2071s

We can read the book of Acts in just a few hours, a couple of hours, one hour depending on how fast of a reader you are. 2088s

But it didn't take just a few hours to get through the book of Acts. It was a long time period, a lot happening. 2097s

We are called to remain faithful. We are called to remain steadfast. The way that we do that is to remain in his word, to remain engaged in the community of faith that God has called us to, and to keep growing in truth as the Holy Spirit brings it to us through his word. 2108s

Next week we are going to continue. We are going to talk about the rebuking of Peter at Antioch and we will have fun. 2136s

We are going to dive in more to Laugh Gospel. We will keep going through Galatians every week. If you have anything you want to share, email it to me and I will be bringing your insights with me. 2148s