stoneshms.jpg - 54764 Bytes
Our Priority,

Our Philosophy,

Our Position,

Our Programs,

Our Physical LocationOutside Links-

Baptist Bastion,

Books and Bibles Online,

HomeSchool Sailor,

Fundamentally Basic,

Religions & Cults,

More Christian ResourcesSupported Missions,

Other Missions,

World Church DirectoryRecent Additions to Our Site
Home PageSermons in Type,

Sermons on Tape,

Doctrinal WritingsOur Pastor,

Our PeopleAsk the Pastor,

Pastors Pen Online,

Memorization,

Daily Devotions
galley.gif - 2962 Bytes
......................
Ask the Pastor
......................
Pastor's Pen
......................
Memorization
......................


Quick Links
clear.gif - 808 Bytes
clear.gif - 808 BytesOur Priorities
clear.gif - 808 BytesOur Constitution
clear.gif - 808 BytesOur Pastor
clear.gif - 808 BytesOur Programs
clear.gif - 808 BytesOur Location
clear.gif - 808 BytesOur Missionaries

......................
Favorites
clear.gif - 808 Bytes
clear.gif - 808 BytesGoogle Search
clear.gif - 808 BytesAsk the Pastor
clear.gif - 808 BytesDoctrinal Writings
clear.gif - 808 BytesFresh Supplies

......................

Thank you for visiting. Please send spiritual comments to Pastor's Pen

......................

Please e-mail all other comments to WindJammer

......................

Ambassador Baptist Church
1926 Babcock Blvd
Pittsburgh, PA 15209
(412)477-3210
clear.gif - 808 Bytes
   You Are Here: Bridge / Galley / Pastor's Pen / Pathways through Paul, Vol 2
Pathways through Paul, Vol 2 Daily Devotional
clear.gif - 808 Bytes pp.gif - 1611 Bytes clear.gif - 808 Bytes
Pathways Through Paul, Vol 2
Daily Devotional

January 3
Click on verses for Full Scripture
previous - - - - - - - - - - next


Today's Pathway:


 Galatians 1:6
  1. I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

His Majesty's Service

 Having greeted the Galatian churches, Paul immediately dives into the purpose for his epistle. He writes that he is astonished by the direction that these Christians have taken. He clearly thought that they were theologically intelligent enough to not fall for the false teaching that they are now espousing. As an aside, please allow me to give this word of caution: anyone is capable of getting sidetracked in their doctrine and practice. For example, we will read in Galatians 2 that both Peter and Barnabas drifted away from the correct doctrinal position at one point, and Peter had to be rebuked by Paul face to face. As a pastor I have been surprised, and disappointed, to see people who should have known better go down a variety of unbiblical avenues. I've seen people choose to attend churches where the doctrine is clearly wrong. I've seen them wind up in compromising churches simply because of the personality of the pastor or the exciting programs that church has to offer. I've seen some go off the deep end spiritually because of the rantings of some "internet guru" that they saw online and about whom they know absolutely nothing except that he's an interesting and persuasive preacher. I've also seen them make decisions concerning their lifestyle that make me scratch my head and ask, "How did they end up there?" My point is this: we had all better make sure that the church we are attending and the lifestyle we are living match up with the Word of God. In Ephesians 4:14 Paul wrote,

"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine."
He admonished the church at Rome with these words,
"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them" (Romans 16:17).
There are multitudes of churches and religious leaders who will tell you what you want to hear. Don't be the Christian who fulfills Paul's statement in II Timothy 4:3-4:
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."

 Paul writes that the Galatians were "so soon removed" The word "removed" carries the idea of "deserting", or "transferring", or "changing sides". The verb tense indicates that this was a process that the churches were currently involved in. They had not yet completely abandoned sound doctrine and embraced the Judaizers, but they were allowing themselves to move in the wrong direction. It is interesting to note that the idea behind "removed" is to "change sides". There really can be no compromise between sound doctrine and false doctrine, just as there can be no communion between light and darkness or between Christ and Belial (II Corinthians 6:14-15). When one moves away from truth he embraces error, and becomes on some level a traitor to the cause of Christ. Notice that this desertion happened to the Galatians quickly ("so soon"). Once someone gets their eyes off of the Lord it is easy to fall away from Him in a very brief amount of time. This is why it is so important to be constantly vigilant. It is also important to see that Paul writes that this desertion is away from "him that called you unto the grace of God". Some feel that Paul is speaking of himself, but I believe he is speaking of the Lord. Jesus is the Living Word, the Bible is the Written Word, and to turn away from the Scriptures is to turn away from Christ. This does not mean that the Galatians were unsaved, for Paul treats them as believers (Galatians 1:9; 3:2, 26; 4:6). However, they are moving away from Christ's teaching and from the relationship that they used to have with Him.

 Have you "changed sides" in what you believe and how you live? If so, it's time to get back to where God wants you to be.

Pastor Mark J Montgomery

 previous - - - - - - - - - - next



Return to Top
Return to The Pastor's Pen
Return to The Galley

Pastor's Pen image by
Domenico Mattei from Pixabay

Disclaimer: Use of images is not necessarily
an endorsements of all the authors materials.
His Majesty's Service
Home of Ambassador Baptist Church
1926 Babcock Blvd
Pittsburgh, PA 15209
(412)477-3210
clear.gif - 808 Bytes