No Other Gospel

Big Idea: The major theme of this chapter is Paul's rebuke of the Galatians for entertaining the corrupted ideas of the Judaizers. Paul wanted there to be no misunderstanding -- the gospel he had proclaimed to them was truth.

Paul is dealing with a church that he has already preaching the gospel to and by reading his words, they had readily accepted the gospel. But something had caused them to turn away. Something had led them down a different path and Paul was not happy.

In Vs. 6, Paul says you have turned away (NASB “Deserted) the gospel that he had preached to them.

Why is Paul so upset? What is the big deal? Paul is concerned because the false message and the threat to the true gospel was coming from within the church!

The book of Galatians centers around the one true gospel. This book is a New Testament epistle written by the Apostle Paul. It is the 9th book in the New Testament and only six chapters long. It doesn’t take long to see that Paul is passionate about preserving the gospel.

The Galatians quickly turned from the gospel that Paul had just taught them. Another closely tied theme is freedom in Jesus. Because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, we are free. The church in Galatia is distorting this truth and adding things to the gospel.

When we, who know better, begin adding things to the gospel message, we endanger not just the life of our church, but also the lives of those whom our church tries to reach!

When you add or subtract anything from the gospel you’re left with no gospel at all. You’re also left with a distorted view of freedom.

This series will compel us all to stay centered on the gospel and walk in freedom!

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 1

1 Paul, an apostle—not from men or by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead—2 and all the brothers who are with me:

To the churches of Galatia.

3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father. 5 To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

NO OTHER GOSPEL

6 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—7 not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are troubling 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 what we have preached to you, a curse be on him! 9 As we have said before, I now say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, a curse be on him!

10 For am I now trying to persuade people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

What is the Gospel?

I Corinthians 15:3-4 - Paul defines the gospel clearly to the church at Corinth saying, “For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: 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.”

The gospel is the good news that Jesus died on the cross for our sins so that man could be made right with God!

I polled my professor of evangelism, Dr. Matt Queen, and asked him how he would define the gospel. His response was:

“The gospel is understood as God’s message of salvation to all mankind through the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins, which is proclaimed to unbelievers by His followers.”

He then said to summarize its message, “Everyone has disobeyed the one, true God. Demonstrating His love, He sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh to die for our sins, be buried, and rise from the dead. He forgives anyone who repents of his/her sins, believes in Christ alone, and confesses Him as LORD.”

What are some examples of false gospels that are preached today?

Prosperity “gospel”: If you faithfully follow Jesus, you’ll be given health, wealth, and prosperity in return.

In Mark 10:17–25 Jesus deals with a rich young ruler who wants eternal life—so long as he isn’t asked to sacrifice his great wealth. When Jesus tells him to sell all he has and give it to the poor, he’s disheartened. He goes away sorrowful, for he has great possessions.

Jesus goes on to make the unequivocal statement, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” You don’t hear these words from prosperity gospel preachers. Rather, they give the impression that material wealth is the sure sign all is well between your soul and God.

Legalism “gospel”: I have to contribute works in order to be saved.

What are some things that we today, often add to our gospel message, often times with out even thinking about it?

Baptism

Church Attendance

Sobriety

How a person looks

Sexual Orientation

Tradition

We have let our feelings or how the world views us shape how we deliver the gospel, but Paul says it is not our gospel to distort! He says our gospel is from the one true God who died on the cross for us and let anyone who preaches another (adds to) be cursed!

Free Grace “gospel”: I say a quick prayer and I’m saved. I can now live as I please.

Romans 6:1-2 - What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? (Explain) Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

So What do we take away from this today? I have 2 things that I want you get you to take from today if you take nothing else.

The gospel and Jesus can’t be separated

Another gospel is not gospel at all.

The gospel and Jesus can’t be separated

Lets look back at Paul’s definition of the gospel but lets look a little deeper.

1 Corinthians 15:1-14 - 15 Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel I preached to you, which you received, on which you have taken your stand 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold to the message I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. 6 Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers and sisters at one time; most of them are still alive, but some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one born at the wrong time,, he also appeared to me.

9 For I am the least of the apostles, not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it is I or they, so we proclaim and so you have believed.

Now if you at any point take Christ out of that, you no longer have the gospel message!

Without someone perfect laying down there life for all mankind there can be no forgiveness of sin!

Jesus and the gospel are 1 and they can be separated!

Another gospel is no gospel at all.

Paul said in Galatians 1:6-7 - “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 distort the gospel of Christ.

When we add Man’s tradition to what God has already said is perfect, we diminish His work!

A great example of what Paul is dealing with can be found in Acts 15:1-5 - 15 Some men came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom prescribed by Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 After Paul and Barnabas had engaged them in serious argument and debate, Paul and Barnabas and some others were appointed to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem about this issue. 3 When they had been sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they brought great joy to all the brothers and sisters.

4 When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. 5 But some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”

Did you miss it? Vs. 5 Says “BELIEVERS.”

The most damage that is done to the church is often done by believers who hold to tradition or legalism and refuse to let others who don’t fit their idea of worship have part in serving God.

Application

What are some “other gospels” prevalent in our culture? In our town? In your life?

We must CHOOSE to turn from these.

Well they were not born here so they will never truly belong in our church, school, city… (Jews to the Gentiles)

They want new music

They want to change things.

I heard they drink, they cant be saved.

When we do this, we have changed our gospel message and in essence we have begun playing for the other team!

Rivalry - Indians and Bulldogs

Imagine in the midst of a heated rivalry game, one teammate takes off their jersey and puts on the jersey of the rival. This would be shocking. This wouldn’t be a matter of just changing a jersey; it is changing allegiance altogether.

Turning from the gospel is turning your allegiance away form Jesus.

When we are saved, we don’t just avoid something. We run to someone. That someone is Jesus.

This week, cling to Him. Tell him how much you love him! Call out his name daily. Let His presence overwhelm you and ask him to help you to clearly see past your personal preference or opinion of others and rather to see brothers and sisters in Christ.

Ask Him to help you see the lost around you and if you are brave enough and really want to do something for God, ask Him to give you a brokenness about them!