Revealed by God

DEVOTION

THE LETTER TO THE GALATIANS

REVEALED BY GOD

Gal 1:11-12

11 I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

NIV

Paul is making sure the Galatians know that what these others have come to confuse them adding something else to becoming a believer other than by faith. Again these men were Jewish believers but were insisting Gentiles had to become Jews in the sense of being circumcised in order to be believers as they felt Jesus came to the Jews as a Jew and thus salvation was for the Jews and the Jews alone. What a narrow closed-minded way of thinking. Of course, it is likely none of the gospels had been recorded as yet, especially John’s where he makes that statement about God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so whosoever believes will not perish, but have everlasting life. This meant the gentiles were included in whosoever believes. This is the gospel that Paul preached although he too had not heard John make that statement, but was informed of the pure gospel through a revelation from Jesus Christ. But there is also a great truth about religions made up by man. There is a host of religious beliefs which are just made up by man. A system devised to have some kind of idol to worship which allows man to adjust the content of that belief in order to fit their own personal agenda. We could make a list of those organizations, but that would serve no purpose. The fact is we know there is only one true gospel.   Of course, we were raised in a country that is primarily considered a Christian nation, which now has been challenged as we host so many religions that a former President said we are no longer just a Christian nation. However, the point is we were brought up thinking about Christianity and were faced with the choice to believe or not. We may have tried some of the other beliefs such as Yoga, Buddhism, or Zen, but we found the flaws until we came to the truth about Jesus Christ. But even among us believers in Jesus, we have various beliefs. Some have added to the pure gospel. Some have created a belief system of their own, one they want so to feel they have the real truth. It is difficult to keep the gospel as simply as it is. Salvation is available through faith in Jesus Christ and faith alone. This faith is a divine gift from God as well. We cannot make up our own faith, it is a gift of God so that everything is from him, for us and nothing is from us. We cannot make up any form of our faith, all we can do is respond to what God has done and is doing in and for our lives. This gift of faith, this measure of faith he has given to all men, is all we need to believe. We respond to that faith and exercise it by accepting his gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. We cannot take anything from that, nor can we add anything to it. This is what Paul is telling the Galatians. There is one true gospel message and it has been revealed by God.