During his first missionary journey, Paul preached the gospel to the men and women of Galatia resulting in the conversion of many to Christ. But a short time after their conversion, many of the Galatians allowed false teachers to persuade them of error. In Galatians 1, we read about Paul’s response.
Galatians 1:6-9 (ESV)
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
Paul begins by saying, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ.” The word astonished here means to be amazed. Paul, after all that he had experienced and seen, could not have been an easy man to amaze, but the saints at Galatia did it. What amazed Paul? He was amazed that the churches at Galatia were so easily turned away from the truth. The Greek word for “soon” here points, not only to quickness but also to rashness. Thayer says that it suggests “inconsiderateness.”
The false teachers who came to Galatia did not have to engage in a lot of expostulation. It is almost as if they only had to suggest something new, and the Galatians were ready to accept it. Are you like this? I know a lot of brethren who are. They appear ready to give in to every new doctrine that comes along. Anything that sounds exciting or seems a little fresh, intrigues them, and, so, they give the doctrine a listening ear. Before you know it, they are clinging to all kinds of teachings that contradict the true gospel of Christ. Paul warned his brethren about this.
Ephesians 4:14 (ESV)
14 So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
It will be helpful if we always remember that there is no other gospel other than the one that Paul and the other apostles preached. When it comes to the gospel of Christ, it has been said, “If anything is new, it is not true; if it is true, it is not new.” We should remember this. The gospel that was preached in the first century is the same gospel that we must preach and believe today. Sadly, this gospel has been distorted by many.
There are two ways that the gospel has been perverted over the years. First, some have corrupted God’s plan of salvation. The Word of God is not ambiguous when it comes to God’s plan. A person must hear (Jn. 6:444-45), believe (Jn. 8:24), repent (Acts 17:30), confess (Rom. 10:9-10), and be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) to be saved. Any message that is more or less than what we read from the pen of the inspired apostles is a perversion of the gospel and God’s grace. Perversions include the doctrines of infant baptism, saved by faith only, the need for a miraculous outpouring of the Spirit, etc. Do not be persuaded by the doctrines of men. They will not save you.
Second, man has perverted the gospel by distorting doctrinal truths. We are under a strict mandate from heaven never to add to or take away from the Word of God (Revelation 22:18-19). If we do, Paul said we will be accursed. The word “accursed” is “anathema” and it means “doomed for destruction” (Thayer). This is the strongest word for condemnation that Paul could have used. If you want to avoid this condemnation, make sure what you believe, teach, and practice is the real gospel.
The gospel is wonderful and powerful and able to save the soul. But there is just one gospel, and any other message will move people away from God instead of bringing them to Him. Let’s make sure that we help to bring others to God, saving ourselves in the process.
As you wind down for the night, think about these things