Go! And Guard The True Gospel - Galatians 1:6–9 Series

Go! And Guard the True Gospel - Galatians 1:6–9

Galatians 1:6–9 (NLT): “I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.

Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you.

I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed.”

Introduction: “The Counterfeit Gospel”

There is an old story about a bank teller who could spot counterfeit money without ever studying fakes. How? She handled genuine notes every day. She knew their texture, their weight, their design — so that when something false came across her hands, it felt wrong.

In the same way, the more we handle the true Gospel of Jesus Christ, the more quickly we will recognise a counterfeit gospel when we hear it.

Paul writes to the Galatian churches — a group of believers who had started well but had begun to drift. They had received the true Gospel of grace through faith in Christ alone, but false teachers had come along preaching a different message — one that added human effort, ritual, and law-keeping to the free gift of salvation.

Paul’s tone is urgent, even shocked. He says, “I am astonished!” He is not just surprised — the Greek word thaumazo means “to marvel, to be amazed in disbelief.” Paul cannot believe that believers who had tasted the grace of God could so quickly trade it for a lie.

1. The Shock of Turning Away from the True Gospel (v.6)

“I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ…”

Paul’s concern isn’t merely that they were leaving him — but that they were turning away from God Himself. The Gospel is not just a set of ideas; it is the invitation of a Person — the God who calls us “through the loving mercy of Christ.”

The Greek word for “turning away” here is metatithesthe, which means to transfer allegiance. It’s used of soldiers who change sides in battle or politicians who betray their cause. Paul says, in effect, “You’re deserting your King.”

John 14:6 (NLT): “Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’”

To turn from the true Gospel is to turn from Jesus Himself. There is no alternative path, no version 2.0 of salvation. Only Christ saves — by grace, through faith, not by works.

Imagine being gifted a priceless diamond, and someone later convinces you to exchange it for a plastic toy. You would be foolish to do so. Yet that’s what happens when someone trades the Gospel of grace for one of human effort.

John Piper: “The Gospel is not a help-wanted ad. It’s a help-available announcement.”

Piper’s words capture Paul’s passion. The Gospel is not about what we do for God but what God has done for us through Jesus Christ. Any “gospel” that shifts the focus from divine mercy to human merit is not good news at all — it’s slavery disguised as salvation.

2. The Danger of a Distorted Gospel (v.7)

“You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.”

The word “different” (heteros) means of another kind. Paul says this “different gospel” is not just another version — it’s something completely foreign. It may pretend to be Good News, but it’s spiritual poison wrapped in religious packaging.

The false teachers in Galatia were the Judaizers — they insisted that Gentile believers must obey Jewish laws, including circumcision, to be truly saved. But Paul declares that such teaching destroys grace.

Salvation is not Jesus plus something. It is Jesus plus nothing.

Ephesians 2:8–9 (NLT): “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”

The Greek word charis (grace) means “unearned favour.” To add works to grace is to nullify it. It’s like adding muddy water to pure spring water — the result is no longer pure.

Tim Keller: “The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.”