Galatians 1:6-10
Audio version of the Message:
Paul is astonished that Galatian Christians are so quickly turning away from God. They received the gospel of grace. But they were so quick to leave God who called them in the grace of Christ. We too do the same. We promise to follow God, we go to church on Sunday, etc. We mean it ,but as soon as we get home, we too turn to a different gospel. We are deserting God. Deserting gospel of grace.
Why was Paul bringing this up?
1. Disturbance in Galatian church (verses 6-7)
Paul was astonished
Great work of God had happened in Galatia. Gentiles and Jews had been accepting the gospel of Jesus. Acts tells us that in Iconuim, a great number believed. In Lystra, the people treated Paul like a god. In Derbe, many become disciples. But now trouble had come in. Paul is astonished that Galatian Christians were so quickly turning away from God. They received the gospel of grace. But they were so quick to leave God who called them in the grace of Christ. We too do the same. We promise to follow God, we go to church on Sunday, etc. We mean it ,but as soon as we get home, we too turn to a different gospel. We are deserting God. Deserting gospel of grace.
Judaizers
Paul wrote this letter to Galatians with great urgency. Galatian Judaizers (Jewish-Christian Legalists) were adding law of Moses to Gospel. They wanted the Gentiles to become Jews before becoming Christians. Their thinking can be summarized from Acts 15:1, “Unless you are circumcised according to the law of Moses, you cannot be saved.” They wanted to add works on top of faith in the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Why were they doing this? Pride of Jewish heritage. Jealous of Paul’s growing ministry. He wasn’t one of the 12. Thought they were better than Galatian Gentiles.
Who were these people? Trouble makers (7). Grace always leads to peace, but Galatians did not have peace in their hearts because they were deserting grace. Judaizers were not just troubling the gospel, but completely reversing it - distorting it. They were turning the cross upside down. Greatest troublemakers (then and now) are those not outside (those who make fun us, persecute us) but inside. They didn’t deny Jesus’ saving grace. But said you had to add something to it. You need to add works. So now the gospel becomes grace + something else. Which in simpler terms means religion. It seems what they said might be right. You have to do good works.
Galatian Christians
Paul wrote letter because Galatians were abandoning Christian faith. They were “turning to a different gospel”. Greek word for turn is metatithemi which means “to transfer one’s allegiance.” It is used of soldiers who desert or revolt. Galatians were turning away from God who called them in the grace of Christ and were embracing another gospel.
II. What is the Gospel (6b, 7a)
So what is the true gospel? Paul says, “not that there is another gospel (7a). Paul is clear about this. There is only one gospel. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”
What is the gospel?
1. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Christ died for our sins, buried, raised from the dead, according to Scriptures
2. Gospel of Christ is the gospel of free grace (can’t mix grace and works)
a. Nothing we can do to merit God’s favor
b. We’re sinners who are damned to eternal hell
c. We’re justified by grace alone: What Christ has done for us
III. Let Him be Accursed (8-10)
Paul says if anyone adds to the gospel, “let him be accursed”. Greek word for accursed is anathema which means, “cut off from Christ”, “set for destruction.” We have become numb to this word, anathema. We don’t take it seriously. In 2 Thessalonians 1:9 Paul said that those who don't obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus "shall suffer the punishment of eternal destruction and exclusion from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might." Anyone who adds to the gospel is set for eternal destruction. We always have to be on our guard. These trouble makers didn’t have a t-shirt that said, “Hug-me, I’m a false prophet.” They taught that they were saved. That’s what made them dangerous. They preach a different Christ but still call him Jesus. Example – church talks about gospel but never about confronting sin (they don’t want to offend). Jehovah Witnesses believe in Jesus Christ, but don’t accept the Trinity. Mormons believed an angel come to Joseph Smith and gave him a message. Words, deeds, and actions cannot save us. Only the true gospel saves.
In America, we have really turned to a different gospel. We believe in Jesus’ salvation, however we think we need to do something else outside of the gospel or have something in addition to the gospel to be happy, to have peace. Gospel means, “Good news”. Gospel bring us peace and happiness. But we think we need something more to be happy – Material prosperity (Bigger paycheck, better job, bigger HDTV, faster computer), family values, self help, etc.
These are dangerous because what they offer are things that are beneficial to us. But they are all based upon something that we have to do – based upon our works. This isn’t the gospel.
Paul is very serious about this matter. He concludes in verse 10 saying, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
What other gospel do we need? We already have God’s forgiveness, God’s loves. This is why the true gospel is the amazingly good news. We don’t become Christians by agreeing to some doctrine but by submitting to Christ and trusting him (Rom 11:6)