Competeing Gospels

Galatians 1

Galatians 1:1–24 NET

From Paul, an apostle (not from men, nor by human agency, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead) and all the brothers with me, to the churches of Galatia. Grace and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever! Amen. I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are following a different gospel—not that there really is another gospel, but there are some who are disturbing you and wanting to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we (or an angel from heaven) should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be condemned to hell!As we have said before, and now I say again, if any one is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let him be condemned to hell!Am I now trying to gain the approval of people, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ! Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin.For I did not receive it or learn it from any human source; instead I received it by a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I was savagely persecuting the church of God and trying to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my nation, and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my ancestors.But when the one who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I could preach him among the Gentiles, I did not go to ask advice from any human being,nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before me, but right away I departed to Arabia, and then returned to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and get information from him, and I stayed with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. I assure you that, before God, I am not lying about what I am writing to you!Afterward I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia. But I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They were only hearing, “The one who once persecuted us is now proclaiming the good news of the faith he once tried to destroy.” So they glorified God because of me.

Greetings

Author is Paul

Apostle: Set Apart/Saw Jesus

Understands the Will/Plan of God

Different Gospels

Judaizers

Believe that circumcisions is necessary for Salvation

Spiritualists

Believe that the indwelling and a Spiritual Filled life is necessary for Salvation

Moral Therapeutic Diets

Believe that a moral life, performing good deeds for others, and that the Will of God is for everyone to be happy and all will go be Heaven

Prosperity Gospel

Believe that Salvation is both present and futuristic

Anti-Christ

Substitute objects or persons who try to deliver/save

True Gospel

Salvation comes from God’s grace, through our faith.

Faith alone

Jesus fulfills the job description of Christ, and only Jesus is the true Christ.

Christ

Described in Psalm 22, 24, and Isaiah 53

Jesus is the only Christ

Exclusive

Intolerant

The Contradictions

Which one is authoritative?

The Reader or the Author

The difference between the prepositions of “to” or “for”

Is the Bible written “to” us or for “us”?

Combining the persona of God with the position of God

Descartes: “I think therefore I am.” (Discourse on Method, 1637)

Pascal is credited with this statement: “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of each man which cannot be satisfied by any created thing but only by God the Creator, made know through Jesus Christ.” (Pensees, 1662) No Biblical reference is given to the concept of Vacuum/Hole/or avoid in the anthropology of mankind.

Transformation

Recognizing that we are sinners in need of a savior. That only Jesus fills the role/position of the Christ, and that only through His blood can we be redeemed. That through God’s grace and our faith (the application of willful obedience to a directive/command based upon the evidence shown and the expectation of fulfillment to a promise by God; hope), salvation occurs.

Application

Communion