The Challenge of a Different Gospel

The Challenge of a Different Gospel

Galatians 1: 6-9

6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,

7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 

8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 

9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

   Paul begins his letter to the Galatian Christians by establishing his authority as coming from God alone and not from men or from any church organization.  He is saying, in essence, “here’s my credentials..”  But he quickly gets into the reason for his letter. 

   He tells them he is aware that they turned away from the true Gospel he preached to them and to a different gospel.  “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel.”  And he says what amazed him was that it happened so quickly. 

   This is the part of the letter where Paul traditionally gives thanks for the saints he is writing to or tells them how well they are doing.  But in the letter to the Galatians, there is no thanks and no kind words.   Instead, Paul tells them they have turned away from Christ and from His Grace and turning to a false idea.

   First he says the false ideas they are following is not really a different gospel, but a distortion of the Gospel.  He writes that those who have come into the Galatian churches and promoted these false ideas came with smooth manners and gain their confidence.  They gave the people the idea that Paul had his truth and they had their truth.  Paul had his Gospel and they had their gospel

   The word Gospel means “good news,” so any gospel that is not of Christ can’t be really a gospel because it cannot contain the “good news” that Christ died for your sins and you now have a way to obtain grace and eternal life.  Their message isn’t “good news,” it’s “bad news” and is not the truth.  I repeat myself here, but there is only one Door and one Way and that is through the Blood of Jesus.

   The King James Version translates this passage: “unto another gospel: Which is not another.”  There are two Greek words used here that make a distinction between different and another.  Different has the idea of “another of a different kind.”  If I have a ham and cheese sandwich and ask for “another” sandwich, I could be asking for another ham and cheese or I could be asking for another of a different kind, such as a peanut butter and jam.  Depending on how I word my request, you can tell if I want another of the same kind or another of a different kind.  This passage is saying that Paul is making the distinction that this different gospel is not different but alike, it is different all together.   He is saying that these false teachers brought a completely different gospel.  Their claim was it is just an alternative gospel of the same kind, but Paul’s warning was that it isn’t the same kind, it was a false gospel.  Any supposed “good news” that is not of Christ is definitely not good news. 

   False teachers are everywhere and they have been at this for centuries now.  And they don’t show up at the door of your church wearing a sign that reads, “False Teacher – warning!”  False gospels don’t just happen; people bring them, and the people who bring them may be sincere, and have charisma, and they may even believe what they are teaching.  They may just be deceived themselves.  But their sincerity does not make them any less dangerous. 

   Most of these “other gospels” are actually a distortion or a perversion of the true gospel of Christ.  The devil doesn’t make up a new god, he uses names and ideas familiar to Christians, but slightly twists the ideas, and this makes the message more deceptive.  Se we need to take Paul’s warning to heart.  “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.”

   Paul is asking God for a double curse here, a curse on the false message and a curse on those who spread this false message.  Paul’s love is for souls that are in danger of hell, and he is protective of those he considers his children in the faith.

Stephen Cram                            July 1, 2012                       Colossians 2:8

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.  Colossians 2:8