“Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you.” (Galatians 1:8)
Read Galatians 1:1-24
Thoughts… Every once in a while it’s a rather obvious thing, but most of the time it’s a subtle, almost imperceptible, theological slight of hand. I’m talk about the twisting of the pure and simple Gospel.
It happens, you know! To think that Satan would sit quietly by and allow the Good News to be preached in its simplicity and purity Sunday after Sunday from pulpits or week after week in Sunday School classes and home group Bible studies would require a willingly suspension of disbelief on your part. Satan knows the fundamental power of the Gospel, so he goes after it early and often, trying to pervert it in any way he can.
That’s why Paul writes so many of his letters. That’s why he continually calls believers to alertness. That’s why he gives this sober warning here in the opening verses of Galatians. If anyone, a preacher, teacher, Bible study discussion leader, even an angel from heaven for that matter, brings a Gospel message other that salvation by grace through faith in the atoning death of Christ on the cross and his physical resurrection of the dead, then let the curse of God fall upon that messenger.
So be alert. Be discerning. Check out the sermon to see if it lines up. Don’t swallow everything you hear, hook, line and sinker. Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you aren’t sure what was being said. Never let anyone mislead you into thinking that your salvation is based on observing certain laws, or doing good works or worshiping in a certain way or being sinlessly perfect. On the other hand, reject anyone who teaches you that sin doesn’t matter, that takes advantage of God’s grace to gratify the flesh, that leads you to abuse your spiritual liberty.
Stick to the basic: Salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone.
Prayer… Lord, I believe that you died of the cross as the only substitute for my sins. It is only through your sacrificial death that I can receive forgiveness and be made righteous before God the Father. I believe that you rose from the grave after three days, that you now live before the Father to ever intercede on my behalf, and will return one day soon to take me home to be with you forever. It is by the grace of the Father than I have been saved from sin through the gift of faith that puts trust in your redemptive work. I completely trust in you as my Savior and fully follow you as my Lord.
One More Thing… “It is a remarkable fact that all the heresies which have arisen in the Christian Church have had a decided tendency to ‘dishonor God and to flatter man.’” — Charles Spurgeon
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