Study 1 on Galatians 1 NKJV: 

1 Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), 

COMMENTS: It seems clear Paul is Christ’s choice to fill the office of Judas’ apostleship. Christ’s choice trumps all other means of ascertaining who is and who is not, an Apostle of Christ. In Acts 1, Mathias was chosen through the instrumentality of men, principally by Peter in Acts 1. I believe Peter erred in assuming the need of the believers to choose Judas’ replacement immediately. He also erred in the method of selection: Mathias was chosen by employing an Old Testament method of determining the will of God by the casting of lots. 

Peter was correct however in believing a replacement was needed for Judas and to thus bring the Apostles of the Lamb (a distinct group) back up to 12.   Revelation 21:14  reads; “Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” Therefore, this group is eternal in God’s plan for the ages. Jesus also briefly outlined His future plans for His Apostles during the Millennium Kingdom age, after the Tribulation. 
Matthew 19:28 So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

And again in Luke 22:30:that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

 Any messenger of God can be an apostle (like Barnabas, for instance), but there are only 12 in the group known as the Apostles of the Lamb. These 12 also make up the foundation of the church, Christ Jesus being the chief cornerstone.  Ephesians 2:20: “having been built on the foundation of the apostles and (New Testament) prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone”.  Therefore, we may correctly see the Twelve presently occupying their place as part of the foundation of the church while anticipating receiving crowns as rulers over the 12 Tribes of Israel in the coming kingdom of Christ on earth. 

The most distinctive thing about an Apostle of the Lamb is the fact each are personally chosen by the Lamb Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ. The original 12, including Judas, were chosen from many disciples by Christ after a night of prayer. These were also personally instructed by the Lord Jesus Christ and became personal witnesses of His bodily resurrection.

 This pattern of Christ choosing and instructing the original Apostles is what Paul was claiming for himself. By claiming this, he distanced himself from false apostles, while publicly aligning himself with the other 11 Apostles of the Lamb. This was an important declaration, since his opponents were trying to demean his position and calling in order to deny his teaching of the Gospel of grace.

Another reason he made the distinction of his calling clear was to expose their lies about their own status in the church. Paul declared war on the presence and teaching of the Judaizers among the Galatians. Unlike Paul, they relied heavily on their “credentials” of ministry. Having come from Jerusalem, they falsely claimed the endorsement of the “real Apostles” the original 11, through fake letters, all to impress the gullible Galatians.  This claim was also designed to call into question the authenticity of Paul’s Apostleship and His teaching of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone.

Much was at stake, and the battle lines had been drawn…either a believer is complete in Christ or he must keep the Law and be circumcised to be saved.  

More to come…