February 28, 2023
I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ. 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.
Thought:
The Apostle Paul was shocked that the Galatians were turning from the true gospel to another message so soon after experiencing the blessing of salvation. Soon we will read that in Galatians 5:4 Paul says, “You are fallen from [out of] grace” (NKJV). This did not imply they had lost their salvation, but rather that they had moved themselves out of the sphere of grace into the sphere of the Law. Grace means I depend on God to meet my needs; through the Law I try to handle matters by myself, in my own strength.
The apostle speaks forcefully in condemning any other gospel, regardless of who the preacher might be—even an angel! Keep in mind that there are many “gospels” (messages of good news), but only one Gospel of the grace of God as Paul preached it. Abraham believed “the gospel”, the “good news” that through his seed all the nations would be blessed. In every age, men have been saved by believing whatever promise God revealed to them. Noah believed God’s Word about a flood and the ark; Abraham believed God’s Word about his promised seed; today we believe God’s Word about His Son’s death and resurrection. Since the advent of Jesus and the revelation of justification by faith through the Apostle Paul, there is no other Gospel.
Questions:
1. We cannot mix grace and works; how does one exclude the other?
2. Why is grace important, not just for salvation, but in all aspects of your life?