GALATIANS SERIES
EXPOSITION
(Lesson 1 - Galatians 1:1-2)
By: Bishop
Albert Gran
Another time to commune with the Lord in His precious
words praying somehow many would appreciate the cause to have fellowship in the
mystery. The power and wisdom of God working in us that believe are always in
effect and in response to His written
word redounding many thankful hearts. The special manifestation of God's active
dealings to us-ward Jews and Gentiles in the BOC today are always in reflection
when our spirit commune with him through His word, the written revelation and
not through intuition, inner feelings and emotions, and or other third
revelation . This is where the deep things of God which springs forth wisdom
which also caused every believer in Christ at all cases triumphant in Him.
My prayers that this personal project of expressing
God's word and my delight in it, along the
objective for doctrinal soundness and teachings, could somehow encourage many
believers who were tied by traditions, legalism, and religious outbreak that result
blunder and ignorance to the written word of God - not bound in the original
manuscripts, but through the faithful copies of God's word preserved in the
English language, the KJV.
The blessedness of all Jews and Gentiles
today, and of course the Jews in our times in the Body of Christ, with His
plans eternally in the heavens, was
unique in its sense. It was introduced to us in our recent time, the period called "The
dispensation of the grace of God" in simple Pauline way, upon the
pureness of His grace, and in the approach based on the real account where
God's demonstration of grace has been declared to every human kind. This is on the account of God's reconciliation program by the death
of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:19-21).
Let's begin this study and may our hearts and
minds will see throughout how God revealed his agenda for the Body of Christ
through the instrumentality of Paul, his commissioning and apostleship,
revealing all his epistles for our grandeur so we could have sound words of
wisdom with faith unfeigned and not wavered.
Galatians 1
King James Version
(KJV)
1 Paul, an apostle,
(not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who
raised him from the dead;)
PAUL THE APOSTLE
The
authorship of this epistle remains unquestioned, however along the way of Paul's ministry, many had
questioned his "apostleship" even from within those who were already
in the church.
The
significance of his apostleship and his being the truth bearer of God's word in
this age of grace is always linked to the resurrection power of the Lord Jesus
Christ. This is a direct calling and appointment when after the resurrection of
Jesus Christ gave a special revelation, called "the mystery" which
contain a new set of dealing, unique gospel and mode of divine intervention which purely worked out our inner man and so
therefore produce a grace walk in our outward man with fear of God and
trembling.
Not
of men, neither by men... It's interesting to understand this phrase to prove
that the person who is the center of Paul's apostleship was described here as
no longer a "man" although there's an instance where he became human
in so far as the account of His earthly ministry during the walks and affairs
of the 12 apostles declaring the gospel of the kingdom in consonance with the
earthly plan of God for the nation Israel. Christ appeared to Paul and revealed
an information as the Lord God in heaven, revealing the spiritual things of
God, the deep things of God for His heavenly plan and purpose. The most
significant thing was that, it was centered to the saints in the church which
is the Body of Christ (1 Tim. 3: 14-16).
Though
Paul by his own uttered statement claim himself as one born out of due time,
yet his calling is very remarkable through which God can share his good news
for you today. Paul and his apostleship was the reason why you obtained the
truth of your salvation in our time. It's in the revelation of the grace of God
brought by the "MY GOSPEL" declared by Paul from his pen to you as Christ speaking to you
today so you can be reconciled back to Him and have fellowship with His Son,
and so therefore accepted in the beloved.
TO WHOM
THIS EPISTLE WAS DELIVERED?
2 And all the brethren which are with me, unto
the churches of Galatia:
And all the brethren
which are with me....
This phrase for me had significant points or issues to deal with. First issue
is the possibility through at the onset Paul referred it to the believers
literally with Paul who was with him when he wrote this epistle. Secondly, it
would refer to those believers who stand firmly following the gospel which they
believed. It's a good thing to notice here why Paul used "which"
instead of "who". Literally, it would supposed to have its rendition
as: " And all the brethren who
are with me...." It's my picture after I figure it out that the believers following
the gospel of the grace of God which they took benefit from Paul, and thus "with
me". So if you are with Paul, you're in particular with the mystery
truth, the gospel of the grace of God which you believed.
unto the churches of
Galatia....Paul's missionary journey
had much significance in matters of understanding God's delineated purpose in
regard to his apostleship and how he built up churches and gathered believers
who followed Paul and believed the gospel distinct from circumcision gospel
which were for the Jews especially on the gospel preached by the 12 apostles
concurrent in the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ " Preaching that the
kingdom of heaven" is at hand with the manifestation of "repentance
and baptism" for the remission of sins.
In
this verse there were two-fold respondents we can glimpse as far as the
recipients of this epistle is concerned. It's first addressed to the believers
"which are" (not "which were" to emphasize the
present standing in the present age of pure grace believers not mixed up
doctrines) with Paul. This is the sense through which I inclined to mean those who followed the gospel of the
grace of God and had sound grace teachings and doctrines. Secondly, it was
addressed directly to the churches of Galatia. Let's consider these
churches of Galatia in the account of Acts when Luke record these things:
Acts 16:5-7
King James Version
(KJV)
5 And so were the CHURCHES ESTABLISHED IN THE
FAITH, and increased in number daily.
6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and
the region of GALATIA, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to PREACH THE WORD
in Asia,
7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to
go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
It's
clear according to the book of Acts that Paul had gone to the region of Galatia
wherein the churches (collective believers and not the church buildings)are established
in the faith. In other words, these churches were followers first to the gospel
with sound doctrines ever been learned and that which had been taught to these
people who heard the preaching of the grace of God (Acts 20:24). In his
missionary journey, the content of the gospel centers "the grace of God" as sole basis of the
established faith. This is the "PREACH THE WORD" wherein Paul was bound in chain. I cannot
find all along the way in the Acts of Paul where he declared "Repent and be baptized for the Kingdom
of heaven is at hand". The latter gospel is not the gospel by which Galatian
churches are established in the faith to mean that the apostles before Paul like
Peter, James, etc. had begotten them in the gospel which they preached in view
of the commission of Jesus Christ and His circumcision ministry.
Acts 18:22-24
King James Version (KJV)
22 And when he had landed at Caesarea,
and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.
23 And after he had spent some time
there, he departed, and went over all the COUNTRY OF GALATIA and Phrygia
in order, STRENGTHENING ALL THE DISCIPLES.
24 And a certain Jew named APOLLOS, born
at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.
It's clear to this effect that there were
disciples in Galatia who were established in the faith through the demonstration
and gospel preaching of Paul however, there's a man mighty in the scriptures
whose name is Apollos through which his understanding and background adheres
the gospel and teachings of the 12 apostles under the kingdom with the gospel
of the kingdom. I also was confident he's one contributor who caused the mixed
up doctrines causing blunder to the Galatians of which Paul reprimanded them to
the point of calling them " Foolish Galatians" and one subject of
division in the book of Corinth by which many members had said " I AM OF
APOLLOS" (1 Cor. 1: 11-13; 1 Cor. 3: 3-5)
Though Apollos was a man mighty in the
scriptures, it's interesting to note that his baptism was in accord to that of
the baptism of John and thus made him vitally know through Priscilla and Aquila
about the way of the Lord more
perfectly. This is the way of grace which was found in the gospel of the grace
of God, the mystery truth kept secret since the world begun. Let's be fair to
say Paul had contemporary kingdom saints during His missionary journey working
along the early period of the dispensation of grace but needs to know what
information current in the time when the Lord gave mercy to Paul in view of
grace with the gospel concerning the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
Consider how remarkable is the transition period wherein the "WAY OF GOD
MORE PERFECTLY" has to be taught to those who followed John's baptism and
especially who embraced the circumcision gospel and establish righteousness
UNDER THE LAW.
Acts 18:18-27
King James Version (KJV)
18 And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then
took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him
Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.
19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself
entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.
20 When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he
consented not;
21 But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this
feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will.
And he sailed from Ephesus.
22 And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the
church, he went down to Antioch.
23 And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went
over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the
disciples.
24 And a certain Jew named APOLLOS, born at Alexandria, an eloquent
man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.
25 This man was instructed in the way of the
Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the
things of the Lord, KNOWING ONLY THE BAPTISM OF JOHN.
26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue:
whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and
expounded unto him the WAY OF GOD MORE PERFECTLY.
27 And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia,
the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was
come, helped them much WHICH HAD
BELIEVED THROUGH GRACE;
If you are a preacher today and you are a
type of Apollos, let me share you some encouragements to personally decipher
and perceive thoughts why there's a need for you to know "THE WAY OF
GOD" more perfectly. I believed it's the way to be certain there's a MYSTERY
in the soundness of information you got to know. The information about the
grace of God. Today, I emphasized, the PURE MESSAGE OF GRACE not to be mixed
with the doctrines and teachings of APOLLOS, though mighty in scriptures and
much knowledge about JOHN'S BAPTISM. John's
baptism is all but similar to that of the 12 apostles. The gospel brought by
one (Paul) who was born out of due time is yours today and it's in his received
revelation where you can UNDERSTAND THE WAY OF GOD PRAISE AND WORSHIP IN SINGING MISUNDERSTOOD SONGS VS. PRAISE AND
WORSHIP THROUGH BIBLE STUDY RIGHTLY DIVIDING
By:
Bishop Albert B. Gran
2 Chronicles
7:2-4
King James
Version (KJV)
2 And the priests could not enter
into the house of the Lord,
because the glory of the Lord had
filled the Lord's house.
3 And when all the children of
Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they BOWED THEMSELVES with their faces
to the ground upon the pavement, and WORSHIPPED, and PRAISED the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his
mercy endureth for ever.
4 Then the king and all the people
offered sacrifices before the Lord.
This Old
Testament citation is a proof to tell adherents of PRAISE AND WORSHIP that such
is not only and can only be understood IN SINGING OR IN VIEW OF MUSIC.
At the
onset, we found that the priest BOWED THEMSELVES when the worshipped and praise
the Lord God.
HOW DID YOU
PRAISE AND WORSHIP GOD TODAY?
This
article was designed to warn today's
Christian youth regarding the
issue of "Praise and Worship"
which majority thought a sole activity and manifestation in the pouring out of melodious voices to the Lord accompanied
by the rhythmic banging of musical instruments . In the long run it is thereby
associated like what had happened to those believers in time of Paul who spoke
in tongues and yet they became like Barbarians unto the unbelieving hearers.
MUSIC AND SATAN
Ezekiel 28:11-18
11 Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
12 Son of man, take up a
lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the
sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
13 Thou hast been in Eden the
garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and
the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald,
and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes
was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
14 Thou art the anointed cherub
that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God;
thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways
from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
16 By the multitude of thy
merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast
sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I
will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
17 Thine heart was lifted up
because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy
brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that
they may behold thee.
18 Thou hast defiled thy
sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy
traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall
devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all
them that behold thee.
The Lord God gave a word to prophet Ezekiel concerning
the king of Tyrus who in the context
ascribed the anointed cherub and described in v.11 as someone who accounted the
sum of angels and thus, sealest the sum
for he was known as the "son of the morning" as it read:
Isaiah
14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, SON OF THE MORNING! how art thou cut down to the ground,
which didst weaken the nations!
It's good to understand the fact
about the origin of Satan before he became an adversary of God connecting the
sense when Ezekiel wrote about him. Lucifer, the anointed cherub of God led the
angels in heaven of which in scriptures they were called morning stars.
Lucifer had possessed the title as "SON OF THE MORNING",
and a very special creation of God who was perfect in beauty.
How does this set of verses relate
to Lucifer as a musician? It's clear in verse 14 and I quote: Thou hast been in Eden
the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz,
and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the
emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: THE WORKMANSHIP OF THY TABRETS AND OF
THY PIPES WAS PREPARED IN THEE IN THE DAY THAT THOU WAST CREATED.
Music was already an innate passion of
Lucifer and it's plain to believe how he was skillful in tabret, a tabor or
small tambourine and a pipe player. It made me believed how he was chosen as a
lead conductor when the morning stars (host of angels) sing to the Lord of
host, our God Almighty.
Job 38: 7 When the morning stars
sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy........
The
morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy. It's very
plain according to the word of God through Job how angels were accustomed to do
their activity in heaven who were singing and shouted for joy such like having
praise and worship.
If
angels shouted for joy to the Lord in heaven why can't we as men don't do it?
We should! As those adherents of praise and worship through singing emphasized
like our Pentecostal friends and other charismatic evangelicals.
THE RHYTHM SATAN PLAYED AGAINST GOD'S WORD
Mind
you, Lucifer's activity before he became Satan the adversary played a vital
role to exalt the majestic name of God as the most High God, the creator of
heaven and earth. He came to the point of becoming like THE MOST HIGH through
pride, envy and jealousness and thus, he was lifted up with P-R-I-D-E. And
because of this, God cast him down and his PRIDE made him SATAN the ADVERSARY,
and THE DEVIL.
As
music was part of his innate passion, Satan who was known as Lucifer would
certainly use it as a scheme to sway all people in the world even to the point
of penetrating to God's people SO THAT THEY WOULD RATHER HOLD ON TO SATAN'S
MUSICAL SCHEME using songs about God but void of understanding
and had the least approach of grace and in contrast, the law still. If Satan
can quote God's word in scriptures, he can cause worshippers to sing songs
about God but certainly singing without understanding and his instruments were
measures to cover the heart of God's people as the rhythms banging in the
chambers of their hearts in a 100% wavelength AGAINST THE WORD OF GOD UNHEARD
AND MISUNDERSTOOD.
Let
not this article be misunderstood but
the real intent of the author will simply give you a consideration to think that the devil had used this element or
scheme to sway many believers who rendered much praise and worship IN SOLE
SINGING instead having PRAISE AND WORSHIP THROUGH BIBLE STUDY RIGHTLY DIVIDING.
As the Pentecostal system emerged which popularly used singing as the sole element of worshipping
and praising the Lord, many teens and
even elderly worshippers declined the time spent for self-edification and enhancement from the
real source which is THE WORD OF GOD. The reality speaks wise even in Christian
churches how much singing lessen the quality time spent for Bible study. It's
very notable that PRAISE AND WORSHIP SIGNING hampers the essentiality in giving attendance to reading and exhortation
to gain power and might from the Lord AND HIS WORDS.
It's
obvious then that lapses and undisciplined Pentecostal application may turn out
to be for the occasion of the flesh which is no longer evident to worship the
Lord most especially when the song being sang was not dispensationally in
context as pretty obvious like
SINGING VOID OF UNDERSTANDING.
THE ELEMENTS OF GRACE SONGS:
1.
GRACE SONGS WERE SERVED TO TEACH AND ADMONISH ONE ANOTHER
Colossians 3: 16
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;
TEACHING AND ADMONISHING ONE ANOTHER in
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the
Lord."
2.
GRACE SONGS WERE MEANS TO SPEAK ONE ANOTHER
3.
GRACE SONGS WERE BASIS TO MAKE MELODY IN YOUR HEART TO THE LORD
Ephesians 5:18-20
King James Version (KJV)
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but
be filled with the Spirit;
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Note: The issue about which one is a true type
of praise and worship between DRY SINGING AND JOLLY SINGING is a childish issue
in the church. To make melody IN ONE'S INDIVIDUAL HEART TO THE LORD can be done
WITH or WITHOUT musical instruments. Paul made it plain how in singing THE GRACE OF GOD AND HIS WAYS IN THIS
AGE OF GRACE can be promoted to anyone. The fact is: THERE IS A DOCTRINAL
IMPLICATION IN VIEW OF RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH IF YOU WANT TO
QUALIFY YOUR SINGING AS WE KNEW ITS PURPOSE IS TO TEACH, ADMONISH, AND SPEAK
FOR ONE ANOTHER ASIDE FROM MAKING MELODY IN YOUR HEART TO THE LORD.
Not
all Christian songs in our times are savored and seasoned with GRACE in view of
right division FOR UNDERSTANDING SAKE as
the instruction calls for. Hear ye beloved of God that "When ye sing, sing
with understanding" and "singing with GRACE and make melody in your
heart to the Lord" ( Psa. 47:7; 1 Cor. 14:15; Col. 3:16). Although in
all songs and singing renditions melody
was present yet the foremost thing failed is GRACE AND UNDERSTANDING. This
means that singing has to be associated with DOCTRINAL INFORMATION ABOUT GRACE
AND THE GRACE OF GOD which promote and introduced who our God is in the present dispensation of grace
where we are fitted in. It's not a presupposed notion but a sensible
and honest recognition if you do things pleasant before God in the area of
singing. While the elements of singing (GRACE AND UNDERSTANDING) are gone
because the emphasis were set to melodic instruments, worshippers unknowingly
separates themselves to listen God's
voice from the printed copies available in KJV for English for they turn
much of their lips praising God as they
claimed things not in view of His
dealings under grace due lack of understanding about GOD'S MYSTERY IN CHRIST TO
PROVIDE UNTO US FULL AND COMPLETE PACKAGE OF RICHES, GLORY AND HEAVENLY
BLESSINGS IN THE DISPENSATION OF GRACE.
What
is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also:
I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
IF YOU INTEND GOD WON'T
SNUB YOUR SONG SING WITH UNDERSTANDING. HOWEVER PEOPLE WILL SNUB YOUR SONG IF
YOU SING OUT OF TUNE.
MOST PEOPLE LIKED TUNE THE
MOST EVEN IF THE SONG'S WORDS ARE UNCLEAR BUT THEY NEVER LIKE THE SONG WHEN THE
TUNE IS OUT.
Grace and peace to you.
MORE PERFECTLY.
Grace and peace!
