How many of us when look into the Bible, longed to really understand it. How many of us wished we can comprehend every passage inside out. How many of us simply want to see God in the Scriptures and His Word coming alive in us. Actually, we can! But still, sometimes this may seem a little overwhelming. For modern day believers, the foundational cornerstone must not be further than the gospel of grace of Jesus Christ in post-resurrection written by the Apostle Paul in the Bible.
In order to understand the key of the gospel, we must have a proper view of the Bible; who wrote it and what authority the writers have. We all know that the Bible are divided into the Old Testament and the New Testament. In both sections, we have to deal with the history of different peoples, in other times, in various covenant relationships with God. Because of this, distinct laws, practices and rituals sometimes appear to be in conflict. When we read the Bible, we have to understand whose it is addressing to; whether to believers then, believers now, non-believers, Jews or Gentiles – then or now.
In the Old Testament, as God spoke through Prophets of old; He promised to descend to earth. The Israelites then looked and waited for the Messiah–Immanuel, or “God with us.” While the Old Testament speak of the prophecy of the Messiah, The New Testament is the fulfillment of that prophecy.
However, Calvary’s cross was the people’s answer or rejection to the offer of their Messiah, Jesus the Christ, as in the prophecy too. Then, the risen Christ chose a proud Pharisee and blasphemer, Saul of Tarsus, to be His special ambassador. Jesus Himself met Saul on the Damascus road. Deep in the Arabian desert, Jesus unfolded the “unadulterated” gospel to Saul. He would later return to Jerusalem as the Apostle Paul. His distinctive message would be salvation by grace through faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, see Romans 5:1-11.
This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead. All the brothers and sisters here join me in sending this letter to the churches of Galatia. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.
But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. Galatians 1:1-5, 11-12
In the first chapter of Galatians, Paul writes that his unique gospel, was the only true gospel of God. So emphatic was he, that he declared anyone preaching another gospel was under the curse of God. In verse 11, Paul declared that the gospel he preached was not of human nature; it was not passed on to him from another man but was received by direct revelation by the Lord Jesus Christ. He states that he did not learn his gospel from the apostles.
Only after fourteen years, did Paul go back Jerusalem and gained acceptance from the other apostles, James, Peter and John, see here. So what is the main message from this “radical” apostle? If there is only one thing you can take away from this post, take this!
But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. Galatians 4:4-7
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