Galatians 1:11 KJV
But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
In a manner not unlike how 2 Corinthians ends, the Apostle is defending his apostleship before these Galatian believers. Just as in Corinth, there had been some who had come to this ministry and began to cast questions about the message Paul preached by casting doubts about the authority Paul had. Judaizers were a sly trick of the devil. If they had come in to this newly formed church and announced that they believed people should just return to their old religion (especially a Jewish one) they would have been denounced immediately. So they came in with the implication that they too were Christians but that their message was more complete than was Paul’s. They had enough Christian doctrine to give them an audience, but so much false doctrine to make them poison.
Paul “certifies” or assures these brethren that his gospel was not after men but was received of the Lord. He is relying on two counts for his message here to be received;
His relationship with them
It was his desire (and hope) that they would hear what he had to say because of his personal rapport with them.
His testimony of being with Jesus in Arabia
Paul received his message not from the Apostles or from other teachers but from Jesus Christ personally. He had been instructed of the Lord alone, though not during His three and half years of ministry among the Apostles, but in a time of seclusion with the resurrected Christ in the desert.
A preacher today faces many with varying and perverted gospels. He too has just two counts by which to certify to his congregation that his gospel is the real thing;
His relationship among them
It is the value of the local church; the pastor rubs shoulders with his people weekly, and in many instances, daily. The congregation sees
His use of the Word of God
The Apostle Paul had no completed Word of God as we do today and therefore had a different means of access to the Lord than we do today. A preacher today may certify that His message is not of men by urging those who hear it to check it out for themselves. His is to direct his congregation to the Word of God. If he is faithful to the Word, then his message will be certified by the Word.
If his congregation can’t find the same message he found in the Bible then he ought to question his message himself. Too much preaching today might be of men because it takes some pretty fair wrestling with the Scriptures to find it. That ought not to be.
But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
In a manner not unlike how 2 Corinthians ends, the Apostle is defending his apostleship before these Galatian believers. Just as in Corinth, there had been some who had come to this ministry and began to cast questions about the message Paul preached by casting doubts about the authority Paul had. Judaizers were a sly trick of the devil. If they had come in to this newly formed church and announced that they believed people should just return to their old religion (especially a Jewish one) they would have been denounced immediately. So they came in with the implication that they too were Christians but that their message was more complete than was Paul’s. They had enough Christian doctrine to give them an audience, but so much false doctrine to make them poison.
Paul “certifies” or assures these brethren that his gospel was not after men but was received of the Lord. He is relying on two counts for his message here to be received;
His relationship with them
It was his desire (and hope) that they would hear what he had to say because of his personal rapport with them.
His testimony of being with Jesus in Arabia
Paul received his message not from the Apostles or from other teachers but from Jesus Christ personally. He had been instructed of the Lord alone, though not during His three and half years of ministry among the Apostles, but in a time of seclusion with the resurrected Christ in the desert.
A preacher today faces many with varying and perverted gospels. He too has just two counts by which to certify to his congregation that his gospel is the real thing;
His relationship among them
It is the value of the local church; the pastor rubs shoulders with his people weekly, and in many instances, daily. The congregation sees
- His walk with the Lord
- His testimony of faithfulness and
- His care for them
His use of the Word of God
The Apostle Paul had no completed Word of God as we do today and therefore had a different means of access to the Lord than we do today. A preacher today may certify that His message is not of men by urging those who hear it to check it out for themselves. His is to direct his congregation to the Word of God. If he is faithful to the Word, then his message will be certified by the Word.
If his congregation can’t find the same message he found in the Bible then he ought to question his message himself. Too much preaching today might be of men because it takes some pretty fair wrestling with the Scriptures to find it. That ought not to be.
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