Challenged With The Truth Series

Challenged with the Truth

Galatians 1:6-12

I think you will agree that Paul offered a very encouraging and gracious greeting to the Galatians. However, having greeted them, he got right to the point regarding his concern for them. Paul was well aware of the presence of false teachers among them and the real dangers their teaching posed to the churches and those within their communities. This wasn’t an issue that Paul could ignore – the souls of people within Galatia hung in the balance. Paul wasted no time combating the false doctrine being spread among them.

As we survey the world around us and the many doctrines and philosophies being spread, there is cause for alarm in our day as well. We live in a fallen world, cursed by sin, where countless souls live apart from a genuine relationship with Christ. Their only hope is to hear the truth of the gospel. The world doesn’t need a “watered down” gospel that refuses to confront sin and heresy – it needs to hear of the atoning sacrifice of Christ and their need to respond to the gospel in repentance and faith. Just as it was in Paul’s day, the need is urgent in our day. We too must be willing to stand for truth and oppose the false teaching so prevalent in our day.

As we examine the challenges Paul presents in the text, I want to consider the thought: Challenged with the Truth.

I. A Serious Admonition (6-7) – Paul wasted no time confronting the false doctrine being spread in Galatia and the willingness of the people to embrace such heresy. Notice:

A. Paul’s Concern (6) – I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel. Paul is not concerned with sparing their feelings with this admonition. He understood the danger posed by the false doctrine being shared. He was astonished at how quickly some within the church had abandoned, not only the grace of God, but the Lord who called them into His grace. This wasn’t just a matter of entertaining another line of thought, this was an abandonment of truth and the Lord Himself. These had deserted genuine faith for a lie.

It is amazing how quickly some can be led away from truth into error. The prosperity gospel and the social gospel are other “gospels” being preached today that abandon the foundations of the faith and focus on humanistic needs rather than spiritual needs. A movement or doctrine may have gained prominence in society, but that is no genuine proof the doctrine is true. It ought to alarm any born-again believer when considering the false doctrine being embraced today.

B. Paul’s Conviction (7) – Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. While some may have viewed these teachings as “another” gospel, (possibly in their mind, a different point of view), Paul declared this was no gospel at all. In fact, such teaching was guilty of perverting the true gospel of Christ. To pervert “carries the idea of turning something into its opposite, of reversing and thereby perverting it. The least bit of law that is added to the gospel of Christ reverses its character and turns it into that which is contrary to God’s gracious provision of salvation and sanctification based entirely on the merits of His sinless, sin-bearing Son.” (i)

As believers, committed to the true gospel, we must stand firmly upon the truth of the gospel. There is no other gospel than the gospel of Jesus Christ. Any doctrine that adds to or takes away from the finished work of Christ upon the cross and His glorious resurrection for the salvation of mankind is a false gospel. We are not commanded to keep ordinances or work to earn our salvation. Genuine salvation is obtained through responding in repentance and faith when being confronted with the gospel. Rom.1:6 – And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

II. A Sobering Designation (8-9) – Paul reveals a sobering declaration regarding those who would preach any variation of the gospel other than the true gospel. This is quite convicting when we pause to consider the implication it brings. Consider:

A. The Certainty of the Gospel (8) – But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. Paul is fully confident in the truth of the gospel and it serving as the foundation of faith. There is no other gospel than the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul was so certain of the truth of the gospel that he encouraged the church to reject anyone, himself and angels included, who would preach an alternate gospel. (Now clearly, Paul is speaking hypothetically here. He does not imply that an angel from the presence of God in heaven would dare speak contrary to the gospel. His point is well made though – if that were to happen, even the angel should be dismissed as a false teacher.)