Galatians – Abandoning the Gospel

Galatians 1:6-10

 

INTRODUCTION:  On November 25, 1981 the United Nations General Assembly adopted a "Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief." Now listen to that wording carefully: "Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief."

This signifies a different age in human history.  We live in a postmodern culture.  One that has given up on the possibility of truth

 Paul was completely intolerant of anyone who would mess with the message of the Gospel. So serious is their offense that he anathematizes them–i.e. he calls for their eternal condemnation.

THESIS There is only one Gospel, let us tolerate no other.

FIRST, We should be amazed that so shortly people would give it up. (Verse 6)

·        There were those who were denouncing Paul’s apostleship and authority.

·        Paul express shock at their defection from the Gospel (Grk word is sometimes used of miracles and their effect – to wonder, astonishment)

·        The word translated “deserting” is to “change sides” – in military to dessert.

·        He is amazed that it had taken so short a time for this to occur. 

·        Luther writes, Seeing then that the Church is so soft and so tender a thing, and is so soon overthrown, men must watch carefully against these fantastical spirits who, when they have heard two sermons, or have read a few leaves in the Holy Scriptures, make themselves masters and controllers of all learners and teachers, contrary to the authority of all men. (Martin Luther, Commentaries on Galatians, (Simpsonville, SC: Christian Classics Foundation) 1997.)

APPLICATION:  There are many today who would move the church from the its historic Gospel.  Today, I am thankful that the PCA is still preaching and teaching the true Gospel   of Jesus Christ.  Today, the Gospel is still being preached faithfully, and that is truly the main thing.  Yet, I am concerned because we clearly see signs of novelties and innovations that are clearly out of accord with traditional Reformed faith and practice. Women preaching, infant dedication rather than infant baptism, those who hold to a kind of continuing revelation, discounting the regulative principle of worship, lack of resolve to hold officers to full subscription to the Church’s doctrine.  There is reason for some concern. 

We must be vigilant with the truth of God’s Word – When we lessen our esteem and faith in the sufficiency of the Bible to speak to the times, we come into serious risk of losing the Gospel itself.

Jude 1:3     Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.  [NASB]

Illustration:  The Gospel is like a boundary post, set up to mark the edges of God’s truth.  Posts that are set up for such a reason are often painted white so that they can be seen clearly.  Over time, the paint may begin to fade so that it must be repainted again and again as the years go by.  In the same way, each generation must make the true Gospel visible, lest it be lost in the terrain.

APPLICATION – No one should despise us for wanting to make very clear the true Gospel in contrast to the many false versions of the Gospel around us in this day.  In a day when it is thought that truth is unattainable to human beings, we say that the truth is to be found in the historic Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

SECONDLY, We should say clearly that those who give it up are cursed. (Verses 8-9)

·        Paul anathematizes, any one who would change the Gospel

·        Anyone who takes away or adds to the Gospel is ruining the true Gospel – it is not to be tampered with at all by anyone!  WE LOSE THE GOOD NEWS IF IT IS DISTORTED OR ALTERED IT IS THEN NO GOSPEL AT ALL.

·        Anyone who takes away or adds to the Gospel is worthy of eternal condemnation, is surely doomed!

LUTHER -Here Paul casts out very flames of (hell) fire, and his zeal is so fervent that he begins almost to curse the angels and himself. I would rather that I myself, and my brethren, yea, and the very angels from heaven should be holden accursed, than that my gospel should be overthrown….Here with great fervency the Apostle dares curse all teachers throughout the whole world, yes, in heaven also, which pervert his gospel, and teach any other; for all men must either believe that gospel that Paul preached, or else they must be accursed and condemned. Would to God that this terrible sentence of the Apostle might strike terror into the hearts of those who seek to pervert the gospel of Paul.

 

  • Many today who would distort the Gospel – Roman doctrine of Justification by Faith plus Good Works…Protestants who would assert that you must believe and then you work or do something else to be saved. Protestants who dilute the Gospel for the sake of cooperation with those who are its enemies.  Those who suggest that we are to just “love one another” and that doctrine or truth doesn’t matter.  Those who say that you are not saved unless you speak in tongues or some other such thing. 
  • THE TRUE GOSPEL IS ROOTED IN THE MOTTO OF THE REFORMATION – Sola Gratia (By Grace Alone), Sola Fide (By Faith Alone), Sola Cristo (By Christ Alone). 
  • Galatians 1:4     who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us out of this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,  [NASB]
  • THE FALSE GOSPEL The “other gospel,” or the “un-gospel” to which Paul referred in verses 6-9, finds the finished work of Christ inadequate to sanctify men in a sinful world. As a result, they seek to add Law-keeping to faith, and thus nullify grace altogether. The false gospel which is countered in this epistle is man-made and man-pleasing (1:10-11).

 

Ephes. 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; [9] not as a result of works, that no one should boast.  [NASB]

 

Galatians 3:11 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, "The righteous man shall live by faith."

 

Romans 3:28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.

 

Romans 4:5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness,

 

Romans 10:10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

 

John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,

 

Philip. 3:9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,

 

Galatians 2:16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified.

 

APPLICATION:  NOTHING COULD BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THIS!  NOTHING COULD BE MORE PLAIN –

  • THE TRUE GOSPEL IS THAT WE ARE SAVED ON THE BASIS OF THE FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST –
  • THAT WE RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE BY FAITH IN CHRIST ALONE –
  • CHRIST’S WORK OF SALVATION IS SUFFICIENT TO “DELIEVER US FROM THIS EVIL AGE”

 

IS THIS YOUR GOSPEL?   IT IS THE ONLY GOSPEL THAT IS CONTAINED IN THE SCRIPTURES – THERE IS NO OTHER…TO REJECT OR TO ALTER THIS GOSPEL IS TO CALL DOWN THE DOOM AND JUDGEMENT OF GOD UPON OURSELVES…

 

 

THIRDLY We should be willing to suffer the consequences for saying it truly. (VERSE 10)

 

  • Do you spend your life trying to please everybody? Paul had to speak harshly to the Christians in Galatia because they were in serious danger. He did not apologize for his straightforward words, knowing that he could not serve Christ faithfully if he allowed the Galatian Christians to remain on the wrong track. Whose approval are you seeking—others’ or God’s? Pray for the courage to seek God’s approval above anyone else’s
  • A true preacher will bring the roof down on his head before he will speak distortions and lies from the pulpit…He will see himself in poverty or in ruin or even death before he simply speaks flattering words.
  • LUTHER –“Is it not clear to you whether I serve man or serve God? I have not only stirred up persecution against me in every place, but have also procured the hatred of my own nation, and of all other men. I show plainly enough by this, that I seek not the favor or praise of men, but I strive to set forth the benefit and glory of God.”

 

APPLICATION:  This should be the rule that would protect the true Gospel – We should be willing to be alienated from all who would distort the only way of salvation. 

 

CONCLUSION –

 

There is only one Gospel, let us tolerate no other.

We should be amazed that so shortly people would give it up

We should say clearly that those who give it up are cursed

We should be willing to suffer the consequences for saying it truly.