Fighting for Grace

I am amazed that you are so quickly turning away from Him who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are troubling you and want to change the good news about the Messiah. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel other than what we have preached to you, a curse be on him! As we have said before, I now say again: If anyone preaches to you a gospel contrary to what you received, a curse be on him!

this is the only letter Paul wrote where he just jumped right in to the problem without the slightest positive bragging and commendation. Why because what Paul wrote about was SERIOUS.

Many times in the Bible the Apostles encountered counterfeit preachers and teacher who led people astray. An instance of this would be early on in Paul’s first missionary journey when a magicians tried to turn one of Paul’s converts away from the Gospel. Look at what Paul said to him in

Acts 13:10 HCSB

and said, “You son of the Devil, full of all deceit and all fraud, enemy of all righteousness! Won’t you ever stop perverting the straight paths of the Lord?

Paul viewed anyone who would move people away from the real Gospel in strong terms.

Guard against a different gospel message

Galatians 1:6 HCSB

I am amazed that you are so quickly turning away from Him who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—

Paul was not amazed that false teaching was out there. The early church had to deal with these false teachers pretty early on. What surprised Paul is how quickly and how easily the Galatians believers had fallen prey to these deceptive wolves.

Paul, the greatest Christian teacher ever, besides Jesus himself, had founded their churches, he was their first pastor, but they were being led away by a different Gospel.

Its not that they were lost, but they were brothers who had become confused by teachers who would have affirmed many Christian truths. But they added to the simplicity of salvation by grace.

Paul argued that the Galatians Christians were deserters. They were deserting the Gospel of grace to embrace Jesus plus works. We will see this clearly.

Guard against a distorted gospel message

Galatians 1:7 HCSB

not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are troubling you and want to change the good news about the Messiah.

Paul now says any other Gospel is not really gospel, since there is only one Gospel, one good news.

Gospel- the good news of the death burial and resurrection of Jesus.

Its the word euongelion.

We get evangelize from this word. Evangelism is the communication of the Good News.

Paul’s argument is that they have made a change to the message. But change is not a strong enough word. Distort ESV and perfect KJV really show the force of what Paul is saying.

Anyone who adds to the message of salvation that it is Jesus plus anything is off base and is distorting the Gospel.

Paul says these false teachers are troubling the Galatians. shake back and forth, churn. creating an unsettled and confused heart and mind.

Many times I have been asked “what do you think of this preacher or that book?” and I’ll confess my circle is pretty small.

We need discernment.

Here’s a recent case in point

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Here’s the problem with this .

This has nothing to do with salvation to heaven or damnation to hell, but with escaping the flood.

It was grace that saved Noah in the flood. God told Noah to build a boat, he wouldn’t have otherwise done. That’s grace. God told Noah about the flood, he wouldn’t have otherwise known. That’s grace. God held off the rain for over a century why Noah worked, that’s grace.

God shut the door of the ark and sealed it. That’s grace.

God kept them safe in the ark. That’s grace.

The Bible clearly says Noah found GRACE

Genesis 6:8 HCSB

Noah, however, found favor in the sight of the Lord.

Noah’s obedience made him a recipient of God’s grace, but it was God’s grace that saved Noah. The writer of Hebrews says Noah had faith in God and built the ark.

the song is not Amazing Obedience how sweet the sound, I saved myself that day.

No its amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.

But see how subtle and sneaky someone will try to distort the Gospel? Keep your heart guarded and your ears and eyes wide open!

Guard against a dubious gospel messenger

Galatians 1:8–9 HCSB

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel other than what we have preached to you, a curse be on him! As we have said before, I now say again: If anyone preaches to you a gospel contrary to what you received, a curse be on him!

Paul gives two hypotheticals and one concrete statement.

the two hypotheticals- If Paul and company OR an angel would preach a different message, then they would be destined for destruction. hypothetical because Paul nor a heavenly angel would ever distort the Gospel. But Paul is saying if he did, he would be accursed. That’s is strong language of condemnation and destruction.

One reality- The person or persons who are preaching a distorted gospel than the REAL one, is cursed. ANATHEMA.

What they say may sound pretty. We want to believe that we need to do something to help God save us. Jesus plus something validates my part to play. I want to have a part in my redemption. It is hard for us to believe that its not “do something” but something has already been done.

But be warned- the language of accursed means that something is devoted for destruction.

We must not only guard against the teaching, but distance ourselves from the teachers.. they are devoted for destruction. Condemned by God for their distortions.

RUN RUN RUN.

Application:

Never stop believing in amazing Grace. Keep the wonder of God’s free gift to undeserving sinners as your guiding principle.

Be careful of the latest teaching, teachers, books, podcasts, etc. Use discernment. Be like the Bereans who studied the Scripture to see if the things being taught are so.

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