In the introduction to Paul's epistle to the Galatians, we may learn some exceedingly interesting and helpful things about the man whom God inspired to write this epistle.

Take the very first word in the salutation, "Paul". That name denotes the HUMILITY of this man. In itself it is eloquent as to the transformation which the spirit of God has wrought in his life. Once a bigoted Pharisee, a relentless persecutor of the Church of Christ, this man has now become a humble follower of the Christ, whom once he fought. As a testimony of this change in his attitude, he has taken a new name. He was born the free man, Saul of Tarsus. Now "Saul" means, "Asked For" or "Desired" (Gesenius, Young), suggesting that the one who bore that name was a great man, one who is sought out for his company or his counsel. It is a name of pride, so much so, that in Classical Greek, it came to mean, "Conceited" or "Affected"' (Liddell and Scott). When the man who bore this name became a believer in our Lord Jesus Christ, and learned to "count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ," he adopted a new name, henceforth being known as "Paul". In striking contrast to his former name, "Paul" means "Little" (Young). Truly this name is a key to the character of this man who had become little in his own eyes as he sought to magnify his Lord.

Pressing on, we note Paul's positive confidence as to his Divine CALLING.

"Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by men, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, Who raised Him from the dead;)" (Galatians 1:1). This is but one of many such expressions which appear in the salutations of the Pauline epistles. Paul had no doubt about his calling. HE KNEW HE WAS WHAT HE WAS BY THE WILL OF GOD.

This blessed assurance may be shared by every child of God who is willing wholeheartedly to yield himself to his Heavenly Father, and prayerfully to seek His will for his life. God's Word plainly teaches that God has a plan for the life of every one of His children.

"We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10).

In his splendid tract, "The God Planned Life", James H. McConkey very helpfully points out that that expression "ordained" denotes a plan. God has a plan for each of his children, as specific and definite as the plan which an architect draws for a building or a tool designer for a new machine. If we will, we can learn and have fulfilled in our lives God's plan for us, for

"The meek will He guide in judgment: and the meek will He teach His way" (Psalms 25:9).

If we are willing to yield ourselves to the will of God, as was Paul, we may learn to say with the same positive definiteness, "What I am, I am by the will of God".

These same words speak eloquently of Paul's ORDINATION.

"Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, Who raised Him from the dead)" (Galatians 1:1).

Note, first, what it was that Paul was ordained TO "an apostle" That word comes from two Greek words which mean, "sent away" or "sent forth". An apostle is one who is sent forth with a message. This word is almost exactly equivalent to the word "missionary", derived from the Latin, "mitto" meaning "I send" Paul's calling and ordination was that of a missionary, and what a missionary he was!

But note also BY WHOM Paul was ordained. His was no human ordination. His was an ordination at the hand of the Most High God. True, man recognized the Divine ordination and witnessed to it by setting Paul apart for t^e work to which God had called him:

"The Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them" (Acts 13:2).

It was in obedience to this Divine directive that the council at Antioch laid their hands on these men and, in prayer, publicly set them apart to the work of the gospel ministry.

"And when they had fasted and prayed, and layed their hands on them, they sent them away.

So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed . . . . " (Acts 13:3-4).

Blessed is that pastor or teacher or missionary who can say with the Apostle Paul, "My ministry is not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, Who raised Him from the dead".

In the next words we may learn something of Paul's COMPANIONSHIP:

"And all the brethren which are with me" (Galatians 1:2).

Paul kept company with believers. He knew full well that "evil communications corrupt good manners" (I Corinthians 15:33), and so he did not cultivate the companionship of unbelieving and ungodly men. Come in contact with such, he must, but it was to preach the gospel to them and to conduct such necessary business matters as he must conduct. But when it came to choosing his companions — his intimate friends — he was careful to seek the fellowship of the "brethren". In this Paul practiced what he preached:

"Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty" (II Corinthians 6:17-18).

Happy are we if, like the Apostle Paul, we seek out the companionship of our fellow believers and make them our intimates.

In the next verse is suggested Paul's COMPASSION:

"Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ" (Galatians 1:3).

Herein is a significant indication of Paul's attitude. He was writing to sinning believers. In seeking to correct the wrong conditions among them, he must sternly rebuke them and he must speak plainly of the nature of their sins. But before he speaks of their sin and before he rebukes them, he earnestly prays that they may experience the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In this we have also an expression of the compassionate desire of his heart. He knew full well that nothing couldsorob the believer of peace as to cherish sin in the life. Only by confessing his sin and forsaking it, could the backslider truly enjoy the blessed experience in fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ in which this benediction could be realized to the fullest extent. Before he could clearly perceive the grace of Christ, to which his sin had blinded his eyes, and before he could experience once more the peace of which his sin had robbed him, he must respond to the invitation of the Lord:

"Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon" (Isaiah 55:7).

These words were written to the backslider. So also was the promise of I John 1:9:

"If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

But before we can forsake the wickedness of our ways, we must see that cur ways are wicked. And before we can confess our sins, we must know that we have sins to confess. It was to the end of awakening these Galatian believers to their sin and need that Paul was about to reprove, to rebuke, and to exhort. And it was his heart's sincere desire that through his reproof they might come once more to the blessing of experimental knowledge of grace and peace from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, through repenting of their sins and forsaking them.

Paul's MESSAGE also is clearly seen in this salutation, for he goes on to say:

"Our Lord Jesus Christ . . gave Himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world (age), according to the will of God and our Father" (Galatians 1:4).

What was the substance of Paul's message? It was none other than the Lord Jesus Christ and His redemptive work. It was upon the redemptive work of Christ that he based his hope of recovering the Galatians from the pit into which they had fallen, for it was His redemptive work which alone could meet their need.

This is the message which is developed throughout the epistle to the Galatians — the message of the grace of Christ and His redemptive work as the antidote for self-righteous self-dependence which had been produced in these believers through the false teachings to which they had fallen prey.

But finally, we note here also the OCCUPATION of Paul:

"To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

This man of God was occupied with the glory of God. He sought to glorify Him in his own life and was eager to glorify Him in restoring those poor, sinful, backslidden Christians at Galatia. This is truly a keynote in the life and ministry of the Apostle Paul — the unceasing desire that Christ might be glorified in him, whether by life or by death. (See Philippians 1:20).

Such also should be the occupation of our hearts. Let us therefore give earnest heed to the admonition:

"Ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" (I Corinthians 6:20).

"Whether, therefore, ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God" (I Corinthians 10:31).