Problem in Galatia

• <Ac 15:1> Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.”
• False teaching that it is not enough to believe in Jesus, but one must also practice Jewish customs.

Central message of Galatians

• “a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ” <Gal 2:16>.
• R. C. Sproul: Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone because of Christ alone.

<Gal 1> 1 Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2 and all the brothers and sisters with me,

To the churches in Galatia:

3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

1. The gospel in brief <v3-5>.

• Why did Jesus save us?
• <v4> to rescue us from the present evil age.
• <2 Pe 1:4> “so that through them (God’s promises) you may participate in the divine nature,having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”
• The gospel first deals with the problem of our sin.
• “gave Himself for our sins” <v4>.
• Final and ongoing sanctification.
• <v3> The gospel brings grace and peace.
• <v4> Jesus gave Himself, His all!
• <v5> The gospel brings all glory to God!

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!

2. What might make the Galatians desert the pure gospel so quickly?

• Failure to detect subtle distortions.
  • Satan can use what seems good and right as much as what is bad and wrong.
• Desire to escape persecution.
• Tendency to rely on self-efforts.
• Turn to outward rituals: (1) to feel better and more assured; (2) guard from letting loose.
• Over-emphasize one aspect of biblical truth over another.

3. No other gospel!

• Anything different is no longer the gospel.
• Cannot add to or subtract from the gospel.
• Not just guard pure doctrine, but also align our living to it.

Reflection:

1. How well do you think you can detect any subtle distortions to the pure gospel? Have you ever been misled to follow “another gospel”?
2. Why is it tempting to turn to “another/different” gospel? How can you prevent yourself from straying away from the one pure and true gospel?

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