I was only one year old in the Lord when a Christian cultist confronted me with the teaching that Christians must follow the laws of Moses. He said that we must keep the Saturday Sabbath. When I denied that, he left me with these words, "Well, I guess I'm a better Christian than you." This denial of the gospel of grace is what Paul faced in Galatia. Judaizers claimed authority from the Jerusalem church and were teaching that the Law must be added to the gracious work of Christ. The new Christians in the Galatian churches believed them and were in the process of deserting the Lord Jesus. This horrified Paul and so he moved quickly to offset the false teaching. He said, "I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" (Gal. 2:21) To teach that human works contribute to salvation is to suggest that Christ's work was insufficient and needed to be improved on. The real question Galatians 1:6-9 poses is not why Paul became so incensed by this error, but why we, confronted with even deeper error in our own day, seem not to be shocked or dismayed at all. We accept it as a natural thing. Paul was a principled man and it has been through principled leaders like him that we have any Christianity at all today. Our easygoing tolerance is the sort of thing that could destroy it. Do you remember what the Lord said of those who cause believers to stumble? "And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea" (Mark 9:42)
Questions to Ponder:
1. Can you think of some modern perversions of the gospel?
2. How can one discern what is really true and avoid being led astray?
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4 comments:
The simple Gospel of Jesus Christ plus anything or minus anything is a "perversion of the gospel." Anytime man-made rules are added to what is needed for salvation it is gospel-plus. And anytime the gospel is presented without the need for repentance or genuine faith it is gospel-minus. Neither of these is the true gospel.
Colossians 2:16-23 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or new moon or Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is Christ. Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows from the increase that is God. Therefore if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations – “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” which all concern things which perish with the using – according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
There are many groups which are considered somewhat mainstream evangelical that have difficulties in this area. For instance, I've sat under teaching that "proved" circumcision, kosher dietary laws, etc. were a necessary part of growing in Christ.
And just like the young man who told you he was a better Christian, that attitude prevails in these circles, even if they don't say it aloud. That is the false humilty of which Paul speaks. If one follows the law, it is so easy to give lip service to Christ and His atoning work, but then to look to your own works and develop an attitude of pride. And all of these works are part of a self-imposed religion not one God has asked of us. If He has not asked these things of us, then are we doing them in His will? And, if we do anything that is not His will, is that not sin?
Richard just pointed me to your blog. I wish that I had the understanding you did as a new Christian years ago, but I fell under the teachings of IBLP and Bill Gothard, who do put people under the law of Moses in so many ways. Actually, Gothard picks and chooses based on health benefits or principles of success, but he doesn't understand Acts 15 nor Hebrews, which warns about going back to that system.
Great post!
God works through remnants - from Adam all through the history of the world. Today almost no one understands where they are saved from; therefore they cannot understand where they are saved to...and without those two crucial understandings...there is no humble repentance, no gratitude, no dying to self, that is required to walk in the spirit. Great lessons.
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