INTRODUCTION
Every minister of the gospel is delightful to see his flocks to grow in the knowledge of God and longs to see them growing in faith and be faithful to God and His Word. On the other hands, it brings sadness and bitterness when his flocks depart from the truth and embrace the wrong doctrine or heresy. Such as this, it ever happened in the ministry of the apostle Paul in the church of Galatia. Paul expressed his hearts when he said, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:6-7).
When we try to make a comparison between the church of Galatians and Corinthians we notice that there is a great different in the way Paul saw the problem. We know in the church of Corinthians occurred many problems though this church actually was blessed by God with many spiritual blessings or gifts, yet the same church faced a lot of problems such as the issue of adultery, of marriage, of food offered to idols, of Holy Communion etc. However one thing we notice that Paul was still giving thanks to God for the church of Corinthians despite of these issues. Paul said, “I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ.” This depicts to us that God was merciful to forgive the Corinthians when they came to God for confession and repentance.
But when we see the book of Galatians we cannot find such statement in the beginning of the letter but rather Paul expresses his disappointment for they have departed from the true Gospel of Christ and embraced a different gospel. What happened with the church of Galatians? The Galatians have embraced the claims of the world. They have departed from the Gospel of Christ and taken another gospel which is not the gospel. For this reason Paul wrote the church of Galatians to respond to their errors and to state the absolute truth of the Gospel of Christ. Firstly, Paul wanted to declare to the Galatians that apart from the Gospel of Christ there is no Truth.
I. Apart from the Gospel of Christ there is no Truth (Gal 1:6-7)
It seems that shortly after Paul departed from Galatia the heretics came to destroy the faith and steadfastness of the Galatians on the true Gospel of Christ. Paul expressed this in Galatians 1:6 when he said, "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.” Paul was so disappointed with the Galatians. He marveled because they so soon departed from the truth which in the time of Paul was still with them, they firmly declared that they believed the Lord Jesus Christ and His Gospel.
Paul said that the Galatians have embraced ‘another gospel.’ What is another gospel here? It is the teaching that believing in the Lord Jesus Christ is not sufficient for salvation but Christians still need the Law of Moses such as circumcision added into the grace of God in order to be saved. In other words, the Galatians were asked to go back to legalism of the Judaism. This is the rejection of the shedding blood of Christ once for all. However the sad thing was that the Galatians were persuaded and embraced this wrong and unbiblical teaching. The Bible clearly teaches that Christ is the one way of Salvation as Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Paul absolutely had taught the Galatians the whole counsel of God as he did to the Christians in Ephesus (cf. Acts 20:24-32). There is no doubt on the theological persuasion of Paul. He knew that Jesus Christ is Lord and Saviour.
What Paul had taught to the Galatians is only the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ that contains the absolute way of salvation. Jesus clearly said, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36). Paul also said, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1). The point here is that salvation is only obtained by faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). There is no place of good works for salvation. Good works are required from believers not to add merits unto salvation but as the evidence of their salvation. Good works must be practiced and become a custom of believers as the products of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of believers and of the process of sanctification.
What had happened in the church of Galatia was very serious. That is why Paul could not thank the Lord for the Galatians as he did for the Corinthians. Paul could only express his disappointment and anger, hoping that the Galatians might come back to the Lord because there is no truth apart from the gospel of Christ Jesus.
Friends, if the church of Galatia which was founded by the apostle Paul himself can be influenced by the heretics, how much more in our days? In our generation there are so many groups of Christians who claim to have the true Gospel of Jesus Christ but in daily practice and teaching they are far from the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. The heretics such as Jehovah Witness and Mormon will work hard to achieve their goal and destroy the faith of true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. They are the preachers of another gospel which is not the true gospel.
How about the churches around you? Are they teaching the correct teaching of the gospel of Christ? Sad to say, many so-called the big churches around have taught another gospel and embraced another Christ which is not the Christ of the Bible. In fact it is common among the Charismatic churches describing Christ as different from which is in the Bible. The Charismatic churches are teaching that the elements of the Lord’s Supper: bread and wine, were treated as magic elements that can help and heal the sick. The teaching of the wrong doctrines will be more as the coming of the Lord Jesus nearer (2 Timothy 3:1-9). It is the fact in our generation that so-called Christians have preached and promoted another gospel such as the gospel of Judas and so on. In so doing these churches have stumbled many people because the gospel they promote is contrary to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Truly the gospel of Christ is the only absolute truth and there is no other.
The second point is apart from preaching the Gospel of Christ is anathema.
II. Apart from preaching the Gospel of Christ is anathema (Gal. 1:8-9)
When Paul knew that some Galatians had embraced another gospel, he wrote this statement in which no one would desire to here. Paul said, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). And again in verse 9, he reaffirmed it by saying, “As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”
We know that Paul has some friends during his missionary journeys such as Timothy, Barnabas, Silas, Luke, and others. And Paul clearly said here if anyone from among them who preaches any other gospel, Paul pronounces the accursed. Paul takes it serious of those who preach another gospel. Even ‘an angel’ from heaven, if this angel preaches another gospel which is different from what Paul has preached, it is also accursed. Of course, there is impossible for an angel to preach another gospel in our generation because those wicked angels had fallen together with Lucifer. There is no wicked angel in heaven. The angels who are in heaven right now are good angels, messengers of God, serving God faithfully. But what Paul means is that no one can escape from the curse if preaching another gospel apart from the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The word ‘accursed’ comes from the Greek word ‘anathema.’ The literal meaning is ‘given up to the curse and destruction, accursed for God’s sake.’ In other words, it is something is being given up to divine condemnation (cf. Romans 9:3; 1 Corinthians 12:3; 16:22). If this word is applied to man it means that man is given to God for destruction. A person who preaches another gospel is accursed and worth for destruction by God Himself.
One example in the Old Testament is Achan. When the Lord led the Israel to conquer the city of Jericho, the Lord said that the city is accursed to the Lord, “And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the Lord” (Joshua 6:1). Furthermore, the Lord in verse 18, “And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing and make the camp of Israel a curse and trouble it” (Joshua 1:18). The Lord was the One who spoke this word and the Israelites ought to take heed. But Achan ignored the commandment of God and he took the accursed thing unto himself. Joshua 7:1 says, “But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.” As a result of Achan’s disobedience, he was stoned to death together with his family and belongings because he took the accursed things to the Lord.
What a dangerous thing to be involved in the accursed thing! Those who preach another gospel are accused before the Lord. They are under the condemnation of God and they are worth for destruction. True believers in the Lord Jesus Christ must not ever join or have fellowship with those accursed preachers who preach another gospel. Christians must make a clear cut from heretics. Christians should not entertain those who hold to the wrong doctrines.
However, the fact in the church today is the pastors and preachers dare not to separate from those who preach a different Gospel. They want to be labeled as unloving pastors. As a result, they compromise with errors and they are hand in hand with the heretics, the enemies of Christ. Paul gave an instruction to the Christians in Rome that they might not have fellowship with those heretics. “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:17-18). It is the responsibility of the pastors mark those heretics because they were trained in the Word of God and they know the different doctrines from the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
There is no place of those who teach a different gospel in the church. The true church of Christ must separate from those who preach the anathema gospel. Paul warn the Corinthians on this matter when he said, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).
Christians who truly believe in the Lord Jesus Christ must take the stand that honoring God and His Word. The church of Jesus Christ must not comprise her pulpit with those who preach heresy because the message they bring is the accursed message and they too are accursed. The only absolute truth the church must preach is the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. The pastors of the church must not sacrifice the church for fame by inviting those famous heretics to speak to their church members.
The third point is apart from pleasing Christ is man’s pleaser.
III. Apart from pleasing Christ is man’s pleaser (Gal. 1:10)
Imagine how is the response of those Galatians who have joined the Judaism or planning to join or whose family members have joined the Judaism when they heard the writing of Paul in verse 8-9. Unhappiness and hatred would be kindled because it is not a very popular statement. A person is not willing to be pinpointed that he is wrong though reality he is wrong. He wants all people to be quite about it. He does not want others to talk about it or even to say bad thing about it. This is the common attitude. Many people have this attitude, “If you do not like it then, do not say anything about it.” However to Paul it is not right because the message the Judaism brought to the church of Galatia is the heresy and contrary to what Paul received from God. It was his responsibility to warn, rebuke and correct the Galatians because he was the spiritual father to them. A good father must correct, warn and rebuke disobedient sons.
Listen what Paul said in verse 10, “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” Paul clearly stated his ultimate and final purpose in the ministry that he is the servant of Christ. Being a servant of Christ, his duty and responsibility is to please Christ as his Master. No matter what the consequences are, Christ must be pleased even to the extent he must suffer for it because Paul knew that he has only one Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul acknowledges his position before the Lord Jesus Christ in verse 1, when he said, “Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.” He knew that he was an apostle that belongs to Christ and his responsibility was to do what Jesus Christ commanded him.
Paul was not man’s pleaser. In fact Paul also rebuked Peter for what he had done among the Gentiles Christians in Antioch. Paul wrote, “But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles” (Galatians 2:11-15). Peter was rebuked for the mistake he did in Antioch, though he was an apostle of Christ. Paul’s only desire was that he might glorify and magnify the Lord Jesus Christ in his life and ministry.
Every servant of God must follow the step of Paul who had courage to stand for the truth without fearing anyone but the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The problem in the church today is so many pastors, evangelists and preachers who do not have courage to stand for the truth and rebuke those who teach error willfully in the church. They are afraid to rebuke others, thinking that it is unloving to rebuke people. They rather try to be pleasing in the sight of many people than in the sight of God. But apostle Paul not only rebuking those who have done wrong or followed the world, even mentioned and written their name in the Holy Scriptures for the things they had done. Look at Demas, being a fellow teamwork of Paul in the ministry, yet when he left the ministry, Paul said, “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica” (2 Timothy 4:10). In 2 Timothy 2:16-18 Paul also wrote concerning people who did not believe on the resurrection, “But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.” Whoever has taught the heresy is the object of rebuke, not to destroy the persons but that he may know his errors and confess and repent from their sins. Paul realized that it was his duty to do so. The pastors and preachers do not have a choice but to rebuke and correct those who have taught the wrong doctrines and disobeyed the word of God.
The question is raised; do you have courage to rebuke those who teach the wrong doctrines in the church? Does your pastor dare to rebuke or correct members of the church who teach other gospels? Or do you have courage to correct your Christian friends who hold to the wrong doctrines? Or do you let them die in their errors?
CONCLUSION
Friends, it is a responsibility of the Christians to defend the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ because the Lord has entrusted His word to His church that the church might proclaim His absolute truth to the world. The world may promote another gospel which is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ because the world wants to destroy the church. We have the true Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ which is the only absolute truth. We must not have fellowship those who preach the accursed gospel, the heresy. We must not be man’s pleaser but let us be the men of God who endeavor to do what the Lord has given to us in His Gospel. Let us be firmed that the Gospel we have in our hands is the only Truth.
Let us remember, firstly, Apart from the Gospel of Jesus Christ there is no Truth. Secondly, Apart from preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ is Anathema. And lastly, Apart from pleasing the Lord Jesus Christ is man’s pleaser. Amen.
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