Galatians 1:6-12 THE GOSPEL 10-12-13
Today we're going to talk about "the gospel" for a few minutes, what it is according to God's word.
The word "gospel" is found 114 times in the N.T. ~ 12 times in Galatians.
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~ Paul had explained to these Galatians converts that in Christ Jesus we are saved by grace through faith in His finished work on the cross, and not any thing pertaining to the Mosaic law, but the Judaizing teachers, were denying the all-sufficiency of Christ's atoning work for salvation, and were demanding that the Galatian converts be circumcised and observe the Mosaic Law.
~ So Paul writes this epistle to the Galatians to encourage them to continue in the grace that he had been preaching to them, and understand that law and grace do not mix.
> Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
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~ The Galatians began by faith, and their growth in Christ must continue to be by faith.
* Listen as I read today's text found in Galatians 1:6-12
6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert *(change) the gospel of Christ.
8But 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.
9As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
10For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
11But I certify* (make known) you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
12For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
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~ The word "gospel" means "good news" --
John 3:16 has been said to be the gospel in a nut shell; the truths in that verse are enough to save the whole world, if only people would believe it.
>John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world,*(human race, mankind) that HE gave HIS only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. -- Listen, every body in the world can be saved if only they would believe in Jesus, God's only begotten Son.
~~ God has many children, but He has only ONE Begotten Son. --what does "ONLY BEGOTTEN SON" mean?
* LISTEN-- The Holy Spirit is the Father of Jesus;
>Matthew 1: 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
~ "JESUS" was His earthy name, let us understand that God can not die; so He took a body like ours so He could die for our sins, because God would accept only a perfect, sinless, unblemished Sacrifice for mankind's sins, and only Jesus, God's only begotten Son could be that Sacrifice. --He was sinless.
~Jesus is the "ONLY BEGOTTEN SON" of God.
In order for us to become Children of God, we must be born again, notice, a new birth.
* LISTEN, we have been "BEGOTTEN AGAIN". -- born again.
>1 Peter 1: 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,--
~ So God has only One begotten Son, but He has many children that have been "begotten again" born again.
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„« Back too the gospel.
~Why is the gospel good news? ~ Because it is the good news of salvation -- of justification, and a home in heaven.
~Paul said in;
>Romans 1:16 in our K.J. bible For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
The Holms standard edition says -- Rm. 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel--
The NIV says the same thing--Rm.1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel--
~ What gospel are they telling about?
~And other versions as well, they leave "CHRIST" out.--and without Christ there is no gospel.--Satan is the director of things like this.
* What is the gospel of Christ?
„« 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. -- That is, unless it was an empty faith, to truly believe is more than just uttering a few words before others to show that we believe, we must believe it in our hearts.
~ Salvation is not obtained like stopping off at McDonald's for a burger, folks don't become saved just whenever it might be convenient, the "word of God" must first be heard, only the "word of God" will bring conviction, and convicting sinners of their sins is the work of the Holy Spirit.
~ When the "word of God" is proclaimed is what causes the Holy Spirit to get involved, but only when the "word of God is proclaimed".
> Hebrews 4: 12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
* ~ It is impossible to have saving faith apart from the hearing the "word of God".
>Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Not by casually walking down the isle and shaking the preachers hand, not by signing a card, or joining a church or being baptized, or by paying tithes.
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„« Listen as I read 1st cor.15:1-4 once again.
„« 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, *(and also) brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; - we're going to stand in the gospel of Christ, we're not budging.
2By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. ~~ That is, unless it was an empty faith.
„« ~Listen; the gospel is explained in verses 3 & 4.
3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; -- the way the O.T. scriptures said, Isaiah 53:-- PS. 22 -- tell how He died.
4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: ~~ PS.16:10 the Psalmist David say's- For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Zechariah 12:10-- and they shall look upon me, whom they have pierced,--this shows that He's been raised from the dead when this takes place.
„« ~ So the gospel of Christ is His death, burial, and resurrection.
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~ Salvation is free, it cost no one anything, all people have to do is believe the gospel, -- the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. ~ place our faith in Jesus, trust in His finished work on the cross, in that He paid our sin debt, it's paid in full.
>Romans 5:18 -- even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
>Romans 6: 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
>Ephesians 4: 7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
~ Jesus didn't make the down payment and leave it up to us to keep up the installment payments.
>1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
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„« There are countless religions, but only one salvation, only one true GOSPEL.
The judaiazers in Galatia were preaching something other than the gospel; they were trying to lead the Galatian converts to also be circumcised and to keep the Mosaic Law, which is to do with works, Paul is trying to straighten the confused Galatians out.
~ Paul had preached the true gospel to these Christians, and then these false teachers had come in and were trying to lead the young believers astray by teaching something other than the gospel.
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~~ Galatians 1: 6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert *(change) the gospel of Christ.
8But 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.
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„« Jesus said in:
>Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
„« Paul said in:
>1 Timothy 4:1- 3 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 3Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
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„« These false gospels come under the heading of one of these three.
1. Romanism; instead of the Gospel substitutes their so called Church, along with the worship of Mary -- praying too dead saints--confessing sins to a so called priest-- salvation by merit and by works.
2. Ritualism; which says that we can only be saved if we conform to certain rites and ceremonies, such as being baptized, confirmed, circumcised, etc.
3. Rationalism; which substitutes's man's opinions for God's truth -- It denies the authority of the Word of God. The wisdom of the world.
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LISTEN- In the "Israel My Glory" magazine for September/October issue is an article telling about "a meeting of the church of Scotland's general assembly in Edinburgh" ~~ there they attack God's Character , integrity, and honesty.
The Church of Scotland is saying that God can not be trusted.
It's a full page article to do with belittling the truths of God. -- There's a picture of the meeting. -- They said that God never promised the Jewish people a land, even though it's found in Gen.15:-- Exod.23:-- Num.34:-- and Ezekiel 47:
~~ These are the kind of people that Paul said would depart from the faith.
~ These are the kind of people that will be among those going to hell.
>Hebrews 10: 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
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~ Its true, God is love 1st Jn.4:8, but to tamper with His forever settled word comes with a great price; He's also a consuming fire.
>Hebrews 12: 29 For our God is a consuming fire.
>Proverbs 30:5-6 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. 6Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
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„« The Gospel is true because it is not man- conceived but God-revealed.
~ Where did the gospel come from? If it is of man it is like man, frail, faulty and unreliable; but if it comes from God it is God-like, reliable and authentic.
~ It is the only true revelation from God and of God.
~ The gospel is not a religion but a revelation; it is not something which begins with man and endeavors to reach God, but it is something which begins in the heart of God and has been revealed to sinful man.
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~ if people want to be saved there can not be a substitute for the gospel, any time we hear of a substitute for the gospel, it's our duty to expose it.
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>Jude 3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
The true gospel, "the faith" was once delivered, it is the one and only common salvation, there will not be another one.
~ All other so called gospels are of the devil, their certainly not of God, so they have to be of the devil.
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~ Lost sinners can not be saved by listening to stories; they must hear the true gospel.
~The Lord Jesus commanded His followers to teach and preach the gospel.
>Matthew 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you --
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~The preaching of the cross seemed foolish to the so called great minds of the world, but not too God.
>1 Corinthians 1:20-21 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
~ In other words the so called wise men of the day thought that the very idea of a man dying on a cross could save people was foolish.
What the world considered to be foolish was the means that God was going to use to save sinners.--not that preaching is foolish, but this was the vehicle that God would use.-- this so called foolishness of the world, the preaching of the cross.
~ There's nothing foolish about God, but to them the cross seemed foolish. Had they seen it from God s viewpoint, they would have realized the wisdom of God's great plan of salvation.
To the Greeks the cross was foolishness, the Greeks emphasized wisdom; they saw no wisdom in the cross, they looked at the cross from a human point of view.
~ Lost sinners must hear the gospel, the gospel certainly includes the cross where Jesus paid the sin debt, and it may seem like foolishness to the so called educated people but not to God and to us that believe.
