(1) HE HAD TO DEFEND HIS APOSTLESHIP
Those who hated Paul were stating that he was not a true apostle.
Ministers go into the ministry for a number of reasons:
• Some think it is an easy job, SO WHY NOT
• Some folks enjoy being in front of people
• Some are in the ministry because Mommy wanted a preacher boy and to please Mommy they went into the ministry
• Some are in the ministry because of the money
Illus: A teacher was asking her class what were they going to be when they grew up. One little boy said he was going to be a minister. The teacher said, “Johnny, that is wonderful, why do you want to be a minister?” The little boy said, “Well, I am going to have to go to church anyway, why not get paid for it!”
But many are in the ministry because of the Divine calling of God upon their life.
This is the reason that the apostle Paul was in the ministry. It was because God had called Him.
Look at Gal. 1:1, he says, “Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)”
But he also dealt with another serious problem.
(2) SOME WERE PREACHING ANOTHER GOSPEL DIFFERENT THAN WHAT PAUL HAD PREACHED
But Paul made it clear that the gospel he preached provided GRACE and PEACE.
Look at verse 3, we read, “Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,”
Illus: L. Thomas Holdcroft said, “There may be those on earth who dress better or eat better, but those who enjoy the peace of God sleep better.”
The thing that the lost world craves for is peace. But only the gospel of Christ can provide PEACE.
God’s grace provides peace. But even though it provides peace that passes all understanding, let’s look at -
I. THE TRUE GOSPEL
Look at verse 6, we read, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.”
It never ceases to amaze us that some folks are not satisfied with life until they mess it up. For example:
• We have seen people inherit a lot of money. They had a chance to really do something with their life, but they blew their entire inheritance.
• We have seen folks who had a good job where they could have really done something great with their life, but they were not satisfied until they destroyed those opportunities.
• We have seen folks with a wonderful spouse, but they were not satisfied until they had messed their marriage up.
It seems that some folks can not stand SUCCESS!
They can’t stand SUCCESS in two ways. They can’t stand SUCCESS in-
(1) THE LIFE OF OTHERS
For example, a federal judge released "findings of fact," in which he declared Microsoft to be a dangerous monopoly. One fact was undisputed: the defendant is extraordinarily successful. This success is the very reason why Microsoft was declared to be a dangerous monopoly. The conclusion is inescapable: Microsoft is being punished for being the most successful company in their field, and some folks who can not compete are down right jealous.
This hate for success is not only seen in the Tech world, but also in sports.
Illus: One obvious example is Alan Webb. Everyone loved the guy when he was breaking records for a short time, but then he secured a contract, started to make money and made running his full-time work, and slowly people started hating him for it.
The same is true in the business world. There are those who have worked hard and been successful and there are those who will look at them and say, “It’s not fair, the government should not allow them any tax break, take their tax break and give the money to us.”
There are folks who can not stand SUCCESS in the life of others.
But also there are some who cannot stand SUCCESS in-
(2) THEIR OWN LIFE
This seems to be the case with these Galatians.
God’s marvelous grace had saved them from their sins, and then some FALSE TEACHERS came along with a new doctrine and they accepted it.
This way of thinking was shocking to Paul.
Look at verse 6, Paul says, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.”
Look at the word “Marvel”, this is the word “Thaumazo” (Pronounced as “Thou-mad'-zo.”) which has two meanings.
• It has a POSITIVE meaning, as when we see something good and we marvel (admire) at what we are looking at.
• It also has a NEGATIVE meaning, as when we see something and we are shocked by what we see.
It is the latter meaning that Paul is using with these Galatians. He is saying that he is shocked, that those who have been saved by grace, and enjoyed the peace of God, would accept a different gospel when it was preached.
HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?
When people are not ROOTED and GROUNDED, they are an open prey to the devil’s crowd.
This is why we see some folks who accepted the Lord as their Savior, but they never became ROOTED and GROUNDED and:
• When some cult came along and knocked on their door, the first thing you know they have joined the cult.
• When they heard some television preacher preaching another gospel on television, the first thing you know they became a very devout follower to that particular television preacher.
It is obvious that these Galatians Christians were not ROOTED and GROUNDED in the Word of God, because had they been, they would not have left the doctrine of grace that Paul preached.
But Paul was shocked at how soon they switched from a gospel of grace to another gospel.
We have looked at THE TRUE GOSPEL that Paul preached, of salvation by grace alone, but let’s look also at-
II. THE FALSE GOSPEL
There is only ONE TRUE gospel, anything other than that is a COUNTERFEIT gospel.
Look at verse 7, “Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.”
Look at the word, “trouble”, this is the word “tarasso” (Pronounced as “Tar-as'-so”) which means to stir or agitate.
Illus: Every washing machine has an agitator. The water is calm inside the washing machine, but when that agitator begins to work, it gets rough inside.
The same thing can happen in a church. A church can be a smooth running church, but you can let a few agitators in and soon things will begin to get rough.
The devil has always had his AGITATORS trying to stir up something.
They know they can not stir anything up with those who are ROOTED and GROUNDED, but they will find those who are not and begin to work on them.
Paul identifies three different groups in these verses of scripture, such as:
(1) THE DISTORTERS
Paul had preached the true gospel, that we are saved by grace plus nothing.
Then some came along teaching we are saved by outward acts. They taught that the act of circumcision will saved a person.
They tried to lure the Galatians into believing that the outward acts of identifying with Judaism, culturally and ceremonially, would gain them right standing with the Lord.
Ironically, some today try to pervert the gospel by suggesting ridiculous things also, even requiring that any legitimate redemptive or saving experience will always be accompanied by some outward act.
The easiest group to persuade, the most likely group to confuse enough to get them to accept a perverted gospel, is that group that does not really know what it is supposed to believe in the first place.
They are not ROOTED and GROUNDED in the scriptures.
• Paul tells the Galatians that the source of the distortion does not matter.
• He then says that if an angel came along with another gospel, "Let him be accursed"!
Look at verses 8-9, we read, “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. As 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.”
These are THE DISTORTERS. But also look at-
(2) THE DESERTERS
Look at verse 6, we read, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ UNTO ANOTHER GOSPEL:”
Paul's disdain for the distorters is only matched by his dismay at the Galatians who actually BEGAN WITH THE TRUTH AND DESERTED CHRIST!
Jeremiah talks about this same problem in Jer. 2:11-13, we read, “Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD. For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.”
What Jeremiah is saying, is what Paul is saying; if a person does not come to the gospel of grace there is no other place they can go to for salvation. NONE!
Conclusion:
Paul wraps up this paragraph by protesting the shameful way the Galatians have followed after the Jerusalem delegation, seeking to gain the good graces of the leaders in the "Home Church."
Look at Galatians 1:10, we read, “For 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.”
As a part of his assault on the gospel, the enemy will resort to our need to be accepted, favored and pleasing to the important people in our lives.
Paul says that others may be willing to sell out, but he will not! Let others think what they will, but he will live only to please the One who called him by His grace!"
I. THE TRUE GOSPEL
II. THE FALSE GOSPEL
