Liberated- Part 2

Introduction- Galatians 1:6-10

Last week we considered the opening verses of the epistle to the Galatian church where the believers in the churches of Galatia were reminded of the authority which God had given to the apostle Paul and of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for their sins in order to deliver them from the present evil world.

In the verses that follow the epistle turns immediately to the issue of the gospel and more specifically to “another gospel” which had apparently been preached among the churches of the region.

This entire section is committed to impressing upon them the importance of rejecting any other gospel which should be preached among them besides that which was initially delivered to them.

This passage is designed to boldly confront and condemn the perversion of the gospel which was now taking place among them.

Another Gospel (Vs. 6-7a)

This passage opens with the Apostle Paul expressing his astonishment at the fact that the believers in the churches of Galatia had so soon departed from the truth to “another gospel.”

The phrasing which is used here is important to understanding the nature of their departure and how it had taken place.

Paul was obviously surprised that they would put up so little resistance to the influence of the false teachers—so soon may refer to their falling into error soon after their conversion or may refer to their falling into error so soon after the false teachers had entered in among them.

In either case Paul expected that they would have held more firmly to the truth.

The believers in the churches of Galatia were obviously influenced by others to depart from the truth because Paul speaks of their being “removed”—this word involves the idea of changing sides and was also used in a military context of those who deserted their post.

They had yielded themselves to the influence of false teachers who had led them away from truth.

This had ultimately resulted not only in their departure from the truth but also from God—the one who called them into the grace of Christ.

It is important to recognize that a departure from the truth of the gospel is ultimately also a departure from God’s influence as well.

In yielding to the influence of the false teachers the believers in the churches of Galatia were rejecting God’s influence upon them for the truth originates with Him.

They had essentially turned their back on God and His truth in favor of the erroneous lies of the false teachers.

The scripture speaks of their turning away from God as well as their turning unto “another gospel.”

Then in the following verse Paul clarifies that what they have turned unto is not actually another gospel.

The point being made here is that there is but one true gospel and that anything which is a departure from this is no longer the gospel at all.

This is an important concept for believers to understand—the gospel is simple and concise and when anything is added or taken away from it, it is no longer the gospel.

1 Corinthians 15:1–4 “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

In this particular case the false teachers were adding to the gospel the works of the law, insisting that faith in Jesus alone was not sufficient for salvation.

This has been a common error throughout history—men have added to the gospel making it more complicated and the requirements for salvation more stringent.

1 Corinthians 11:3 “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.”

There are many men who have imagined that the gospel is too simple and that there must be something more required in order to be truly saved—but this is not the case—the gospel is intentionally simple such that anyone may believe and be saved.

By the same token those who would take away anything from the gospel for instance those who deny the resurrection or who deny the deity of Christ also make it so that it is no longer the gospel.

There is but one gospel and to change it in any way is to corrupt it entirely.

Let Him Be Accursed (Vs. 6b-9)

Now the scriptures speak of those that have troubled the believers in the churches of Galatia—the idea of the word troubled here is to cause confusion or to cause distress to.

The false teachers had “troubled” the Galatians by their perversion of the gospel of Christ—through their insistence that these Gentile believers must adhere to the Jewish traditions in order to be truly saved.

They were seeking to convince the believers in the region of Galatia that Paul had led them astray and that they were the ones who held the truth.

This effort to pervert the gospel, Paul condemns in the strongest of terms.

The believers in the churches of Galatia had initially received the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ—His death, burial, and resurrection and that faith in Him alone brings salvation.

Here Paul seeks to impress upon them the vital importance of holding to that which they had first received and believed.

He tells them that even if he and those who have labored with him should come preaching another gospel they should reject it.

He even goes further to insist that even if an angel from heaven should come to them preaching a gospel aside from that which they had first received, they should reject even him.

Paul is so insistent on this point that he not only tells them that they should reject them but that anyone who would preach another gospel should be accursed.

Paul is so adamantly opposed to those who preach another gospel because he well knows that this would would ultimately lead to the condemnation of all those who believe their lies.

These are worthy of being accursed because they knowingly pervert the gospel and in doing so they lead men away from God and bring about the condemnation of all those who believe their lies.

Some may imagine that there is no harm in adding to the gospel their own traditions or standards and yet this perverts the gospel and leads men into error.

Too many people are convinced that salvation involves something more than simple faith in Jesus Christ and this belief ultimately leads to condemnation because men are trusting in the combination of their works and their faith for salvation.

Romans 4:4–5 “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”

Romans 11:6 “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”

The scripture plainly indicates that these cannot be mixed, for in doing so the gospel message is corrupted and men will find themselves condemned.

The overall point being made here is that there is only one gospel and there cannot be another.

Pleasing Men or Pleasing God (Vs. 10)

This final statement is likely given in response to some accusation which may have been brought against Paul that he presented the gospel as he did in order to please men.

What Paul is expressing here is that he his motivation for preaching and defending the gospel is not to please men but to please God.

It is not hard to imagine why men may have accused Paul of preaching the gospel in a manner which would appeal to men.

There are still those today who will insist that a gospel which requires only faith in Jesus Christ for salvation is too simplistic, too easy, and must be an attempt to appeal to men.

In reality Paul preached the gospel in this manner because it was the truth as it had been revealed to him by God Himself.

He held tightly to the message that he had received from the Lord and would not add to or take away from it in order to please men.

Paul understood the fact that if he altered his message in order to please men, he would no longer be the servant of Christ.

It is important to understand that as servants of Christ our greatest concern must always be pleasing him regardless of the opinions of men.

In our world today there are many men and women who have altered their message in an attempt to please men and in doing so they cease to be servants of Christ.

We must remain committed to the truth no matter how men respond to it—we cannot adjust our message to please men, we must declare the truth.

The Judaizers were actually likely guilty of seeking to please men themselves.

They were most likely acting upon the desire to appease Jewish believers who were convinced that they must continue to adhere to the tenets of the law.

Conclusion

This passage introduces the core issue which prompted Paul to write to the churches of Galatia—the perversion of the gospel and the danger it represented to their spiritual growth.

Paul is clear and concise in his assertion that there is but one true gospel and that any addition or subtraction to it represents a perversion of it.

He is also very straightforward regarding the fact that the truth which comes from God must not be compromised.

He plainly indicates that no one, not even an angel from heaven, has the right to modify the truth of God for any reason.

This is to be taken so seriously that those who would do so are to be considered accursed from God and must be wholeheartedly rejected.

Finally Paul asserts his own desire to please God as a servant of Christ who is committed to truth regardless of the opinions of men.