Not Another Gospel Galatians 1:7 - Equipped for Battle

Paul the apostle has begun his discourse to the churches of Galatia. Paul was marveling at the Galatians as his attention is given to the fact that some “other gospel” has been believed by the memberships. Judaizers added to the finished work of Jesus Christ upon the cross as a sacrifice for our sins and were promoting the idea that the law of God must also be kept by them. The absence of people keeping the law was the reason that Jesus came in the first place. People could not keep the law, and only Jesus did. In verse seven of chapter one Paul adds:

Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

Paul notes first, “which is not another;”. Jesus made it very clear when He was on the Earth that there was only one way to God the Father: “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me.” Peter said in Acts chapter four and verse twelve: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” These who had come in among the churches of Galatia were promoting another way.

Paul adds, “but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.” We can relate to Paul's statement here. There are those who come around today and present something different than what Paul initially spoke concerning the gospel. They say, “you must join our church, do these tasks, say these things, and not do other things.” This is nothing different than the teachings of the Judaizer's of old. Paul says these “trouble you.” In other words they are troublemakers, and because they add all these burdensome tasks, people are confused and often misled to believe additions to the “Good News” of Jesus Christ. Legalism is promoted even today as people continue to try to “earn” their salvation. This is not “good news”. In fact, it is a “perversion” of the gospel of Christ.

We must be careful to know that our salvation is based upon what Jesus did for us and not what we do for Jesus. We cannot have “Jesus and...” as a basis for our salvation lest we be as the Galatian churches were. It would behoove us today to take an inventory and ask ourselves, “Have we become legalistic about a saying, a task, an action or habit that if were we not to keep it, we would feel “unsaved?” Perhaps as we take inventory we may find “another gospel” within our own lives that needs to be addressed and removed as we align ourselves back to the true basis of our salvation.

Next time we see Paul curse anyone who brings another gospel, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow...there is more...

Look for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore