Another gospel
Unto another gospel?
The apostle Paul starts his letter to the Galatian churches greeting them with the usual introduction, praises them, and explains to them the basic gospel of salvation. However, he then surprises them with this rather uneasy rebuke:
6I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: – Galatians 1:6
We need to look at the word choice here:
- I marvel
- that you are so soon removed
- from Him that called you into the grace of Christ
- unto another gospel.
To understand this lesson, read the letter to the Galatians first. It is not long and should take no more than 40 minutes to read. The purpose of Paul’s letter to the churches in Galatia (It was not just one congregation but a number of churches, spread over a wide area.) is to bring them back to the gospel that he proclaimed to them. Soon after his departure, the churches were influenced by false teachings, and instead of staying with Paul’s teaching, they opened their ears to “another gospel” – a false one.
In essence, Paul taught that we are saved through faith in Christ alone and that works can never save mankind. After him, others came in and taught that faith was not enough, and so many of these Christians returned to their former beliefs where the law of the Old Testament was upheld.
Paul says he marvels at their change in thinking. Some translations render “marvel” as meaning “surprised”, “amazed” and “astonished”. Whichever you use, all point to one thing going on in Paul’s mind – a realisation that goes beyond being disappointed. He is so convinced of the truth of teaching proper doctrine, that he says that even if he would suddenly bring a new teaching, other than what he had taught them before, let him be accursed (Galatians 1:8-9). The letter is devoted to correcting their wrong ways, undoing the wrong things they had been taught, and bringing them back to the true gospel.
He says he is surprised that they have fallen away so quickly. The churches in Galatia were not very old and less than one generation had passed since their founding. However, very soon sound doctrine was replaced with their old law. It is not that the law was not good, but that we have been set free from the law, now living under the grace of God through Jesus Christ. Not all of the Galatian believers were Jews but now many of them, with no prior knowledge if the law, started following the law because of the influence of Jews who wanted to return the churches to the old ways.
He states that they have started clinging to another gospel. This is the dangerous area. Any gospel that is not perfectly in line with the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ alone, is another gospel, and thus false.
What about in our time?
If the Galatian churches managed to be deceived so quickly, what about in our time? Those Galatian believers did not have information at their fingertips the way we do today. A quick online search will show that there are many preachers and teachers out there that have fallen away from the truth and are spreading their false messages to unsuspecting masses. Most people do not bother to test what they hear and see against the infallible Word of God. In our time seminars with themes such as “Becoming a better you” and “Improving yourself” are common. These teachings elevate man to show his supposed inherent goodness and attain greatness, instead of focusing on how we can become a better servant of Christ. Paul teaches that we should think and act like Jesus:
5Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedientunto death, even the death of the cross. – Philippians 2:5-9
You cannot be a true believer if satisfying your own desires is a priority. He makes it clear that the true Christian believer is dead in himself but alive in Christ:
20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. – Galatians 2:20
If I have accepted the saving grace of Jesus Christ, then I have accepted His crucifixion and have made it my own by crucifying (killing) the old me. However, I live, but not because of what I have done, but what Christ has done, who is in me. The life I now live as a human being, I live in faith and obedience to Him who gave His life so that I may live. Thus there is no “becoming a better me” but rather “becoming a better follower and servant of Jesus Christ”.
Is this easy to accomplish? Absolutely not! The deceiver wants to let you attempt to do this in your own power, maybe as a result of you reading one of those “improving myself” books, and put Jesus on the backseat. Then, when you fail, you have a sense of defeat, or worse, anger. The key is the directive in Galatians 2:20 that the life you now live in the flesh, you live by faith of the Son of God.
Life application and the results
How do we counter this? We overcome by focusing on the Word, Jesus Christ, and His many promises for those who overcome. These are His promises to the church, as represented by the seven churches in Asia (Turkey) to whom the letters were sent.
7He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. – Revelation 2:7
11He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. – Revelation 2:11
17He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. – Revelation 2:17
26And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations. – Revelation 2:26
5He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. – Revelation 3:5
12Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. – Revelation 3:12
21To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. – Revelation 3:21
In every instance the focus is on "to him that overcometh" - the person who endures to the end. Since these are all promises made to overcomers in the church, in other words believers of all ages, one would be wise to note these promises carefully, repent, surrender, and live a life crucified with Christ.
More articles on deception:
- Deception in the church of the last days, and deprating from the faith, as predicted by Paul...
- The real and the fake church: Paul warns Timothy that there will be a real and a fake church in the last days...
- The ultimate deception: The world is preparing for the arrival of antichrist...
- The very real face of deception: Lies are being fired to you from all sides, no matter who or where you are. You need discernment...
- The worst forms of deception and disappointment take place where it should never have been – in the church...
More resources
View an animated and very effective description about Paul's letter to the Galatian churches here, courtesy of Bible Project.
