GALATIANS 1:1-10 – GOD’S ONE AND ONLY GOSPEL
Something very big has been going on over the last week or so. When you watch the news, or the television at other times during the day, when you read the newspapers, you can see that something big is going on. Of course, as you know, one of our former presidents, Ronald Reagan, has recently died. And whenever a former president dies in the United States, it is a big deal. Whether you agree or disagree with his policies, most people take a moment to remember and honor their former presidents. There are many ceremonies, many historical moments are highlighted, and there is a great deal of emotion. Something big, something important is going on.
In Christianity, something big is also going on. But, unlike the funeral of a president, it receives no publicity. There are no TV specials, no special reports. In Christianity, something very big is going on, and if you’re not paying attention, you may not even realize it. What is it, in Christianity, that is such a big deal, that is going on?
There are a group of people based out of California, that do research to determine the religious beliefs of Americans throughout the country. Now remember, America is called a quote-unquote “Christian” country, where 90 percent of people claim to be Christians. In one of this research group’s most recent surveys, this is what they found: Out of all the Americans they surveyed, over half, 58%, believed that if you do good things, if you try to be a good person, then you will get to heaven. Out of all Americans surveyed, 31% strongly, very strongly, agreed that salvation is something you earn by your good works. I thought America was a “Christian” country. Do you see what is going on in our quote-unquote “Christian” nation?
This research group also surveyed “born-again Christians.” Now, while it is true that all Christians really are born-again, this is the name of that group that is supposedly REALLY Christian, really gung-ho about believing in Jesus as their Savior. Out of that group, 33% said that you can get to heaven by earning it, by being a good person. In fact, 40% of people who believe in Jesus, really don’t believe that he is the Savior - you must trust in your good works, and be a good person, in order to be saved. (Barna.org)
What is this big thing that is going on in Christianity today? Can you see it? There is a false teaching out there that is sweeping through churches all over the country, and even right here in our own small community, and that false teaching is what I will call “good person theology.” In other words, “I believe in Jesus as my Savior, yes. But that’s not enough. I also need to earn my salvation by being a good person.” That’s “good person theology,” and that is the big thing that is ruining Christianity in our country today.
“Good person theology” is nothing new. “Good person theology” has been a problem for the Christian church ever since the days of the Bible. Today, we’re going to look at a portion of Paul’s letter to the Christians in the province of Galatia. We’re going to look at the problem back then, and see how it is still a problem today. And as we focus this morning on God’s Word, we’re going to grow in our sense of contentment with and commitment to God’s one and only Gospel, which is the ONLY way one can be forgiven and saved for eternity.
Paul wrote this letter to a group of churches that he had started some time ago. When he had left them, they were filled with joy and comfort. They had repented of their sins and had put their faith in Christ alone as their Savior. Paul reviews the Gospel he had shared with them in verses 3-5 of our text. The people of Galatia had put their faith in Christ, and had been filled with peace and joy and hope.
Normally, at the very beginning of his letters, Paul would say something good about the people he was writing to. Sometimes he’d thank God for them, or he’d rejoice about them. But not in this letter. Something big was happening to the Christians in Galatia. They were beginning to fall for “good person theology.” Look at verse 6: “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel, which is really no gospel at all.”
People were coming to the Galatians and telling them, “No, trusting in Christ as your Savior is not enough. You also need to earn God’s love by being a good person.” These teachers were telling the Christians that they needed to follow the Old Testament ceremonial law – circumcision, special festival days, special customs, special sacrifices. “If you want to go to heaven, you need to be a good person, and do these things, along with believing in Jesus. Then you will be saved” That’s “good person theology.”
This teaching was throwing the churches in Galatia into confusion. What do we believe now, they were wondering? In verses 8-9, Paul tells them that this is a big deal. It’s such a big deal, that even if he, or anyone else teaches them any Gospel, other than the Gospel of Jesus Christ alone, even if an angel were to do that, then, “let him be eternally condemned,” he says. In other words, may that person be sent by God to hell. That’s some pretty strong language! And the Apostle Paul feels so strongly about that, that he says it twice in this section of the Bible.
Paul knew that he wouldn’t be popular for telling those people the truth about “good person theology.” But he wasn’t trying to win a popularity contest. In verse 10, he tells them that he wasn’t trying to win man’s approval. He’s more concerned about God’s approval.
We see here that Paul treats this false teaching as a very very big deal. In our culture today, false teachings about how to get to heaven are considered not to be a big deal. Whatever you believe about how to get to heaven is fine. And whatever I believe about how to get to heaven is fine. It really doesn’t matter - they’re both different, and they’re both OK. Everything is fine. That’s why “good person theology” is so prevalent, even among professed Christians, in our world today. There may even be some here at Beautiful Savior – I pray not – that believe that trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation is not enough. You also need to be a good person and earn it.
Why is this idea so popular? There are all kinds of reasons. Earning our salvation appeals to our pride. It makes us feel empowered, in control of our eternal destinies. We naturally prefer to rely on ourselves rather than on someone else. “Good person theology” appeals to us because it also makes us feel like we’re more a part of the world – if the rest of the world believes it, then I do too. And that’s politically correct. But theologically, it’s wrong.
My friends, “good person theology” has the potential to destroy your faith. What if I were to take a gallon of water, and put one drop of arsenic into it. It’s only one drop, in a whole gallon of water – not a big deal! And yet, that one drop would poison all of that water – it would be undrinkable. And so it is with “good person theology” – one little drop of that into your heart, into your way of thinking, into your faith, and everything is poisoned. Before you know it, you’re trusting in your own good works for salvation, and forgetting about Jesus.
Have you ever bought into “good person theology”? Have you ever promoted it? When you agree with others in that, even just a little, because we want their approval, then you are guilty too. And just as Paul says here to the Galatians, so he says to you, that you also deserve to be eternally condemned.
But we aren’t, are we. Instead, we are eternally forgiven! Did you know, that in some cultures, especially in centuries past, that would hang a sign around a condemned criminal’s neck? That sign would say “condemned” and then list the crimes that criminal committed. They would march that condemned person through the town as he wore his “condemned” sign around his neck, and then they would execute the person.
You and I are born with a “condemned” sign around our necks, condemned because of our sins. And as we live our lives, we add all kinds of sin that could be written onto that sign. But as we begin our march toward punishment, Christ stops us. He takes that “condemned” sign off of our necks and puts it on himself. And then he pushes us off the path to punishment, and he walks it himself. And where does that path lead? It leads to the cross, and there, with all of our sins around his neck, he is eternally condemned by God the Father, as our substitute. He is punished, and we are forgiven.
That’s what Paul was talking about in verse 4, when he said that Christ “gave himself for our sins, to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.” That’s the Gospel! That’s why you’re saved! That’s why you’re forgiven!
A story says that one day, Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan was gloating. He said, “I just caught a world full of people down there. Set a trap with the kind of bait I knew they couldn’t resist, and I got them!” Jesus asked, “What are you going to do to them?” Satan replied, “Oh, I’m going to have fun. I’m going to teach them how to marry and divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to get drunk and immoral and curse and steal. I’m gonna teach them to invent guns and bombs and kill each other. I’m really gonna have fun!” “And what will you do with them when you get all that done?” Jesus inquired. “Oh, I’ll kill them, physically, and eternally.” “How much do you want for them?” Jesus asked. Satan replied, “They aren’t any good. Why, they’ll hate you and spit on you and curse you and kill you. You don’t know how evil these people are!” “How much?” Jesus asked again. Satan looked at Jesus and said, “All your blood, your tears, and your life.” And Jesus said, “DONE!” Then he paid the price. He gave his life, as a payment to save us, and all mankind, from their sins. (Illustration from Concordia Pulpit Resources)
That’s the Gospel my friends, and there’s nothing else like it in the world. That’s why you’re going to heaven, and not because of “good person theology.”
We still do try to be good people, but not to earn our salvation. Jesus earned salvation for us. We try to be good – why? As a way of saying “thank you” to God. As a way of saying “I love you and I worship you” to Christ. We try to be good, but not to earn God’s forgiveness. Jesus earned that for us. We try to be good, not to open the doors of heaven. Jesus has already opened them for us. As Christians, we naturally want to be good, to help others, to be kind to others and to share with others – not to earn anything from God, not at all. We live this way as a way of worshiping Christ, loving our Savior, and thanking him, for the amazing sacrifice he has made for us.
It is my prayer that what was happening in Galatia won’t ever happen here, at Beautiful Savior. Be aware that you live in a culture today that is saturated with “good person theology.” Many of your relatives, your friends, and your coworkers, believe in it. For many of them, it’s their version of religion, and they may even call it “Christianity.” It is a big deal, and when you are faced with it, may God give you the strength to resist it. Even if I, or an angel from heaven, or one of your loved ones tries to teach you that you must be good to earn your way to heaven, then resist it. Instead, use that moment as an opportunity to witness the truth, the wonderful and amazing truth, that you are saved by the grace of God alone, through faith in the sacrifice of Christ alone. May this alone be what fills you with joy and hope every day of your life. Amen.
