A Distorted Gospel (Galatians)
The gospel is the basis for our relationship with God. So what is the gospel? Are we believing and trusting in the gospel as we should?
Tonight we will look at Paul’s letter to the Galatians. This is a letter about the gospel, but it’s not just any letter about the gospel. This is a letter where Paul helps us understand the danger of falling away from the gospel. If you are listening and you believe that once you are saved, you are always saved, this will be one of the most challenging books for you as it discusses the danger of a congregation of saved people falling away from grace. How does that happen? False teachers have come in and deceived the people. What are they teaching? Let’s study it together and find out.
A Peculiar Introduction
The first words of this letter tell us that something is off.
Galatians 1:1--5 (ESV) --- 1 Paul, an apostle---not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead--- 2 and all the brothers who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
The Galatian letter is scathing. Paul doesn’t waste time with thanksgiving because he is not thankful for the Galatians. Instead, listen to what he says instead of thanksgiving.
Galatians 1:6--9 (ESV) --- 6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel--- 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
Wow! Immediately, Paul confronts the issue. He doesn’t waste any time at all. The Galatians have abandoned the gospel in favor of a distorted gospel of Christ. He wants it to be clear in their minds that men must not distort the gospel.
Well, we must ask ourselves, “How have they distorted the gospel?” Paul will get there in due time, but first, he must explain to the Galatians (and us) why his gospel is the one true, authentic gospel.
Authentic Gospel
Throughout the remainder of Chapters 1 and 2, Paul will discuss the authenticity of his gospel so that the Galatians will stop believing anything else.
In Galatians 1:11-2:10, he speaks about how he received the gospel. He was not like so many who heard the gospel through the apostles. Paul heard the gospel directly through Jesus. Then, he taught it for years before coming to the apostles to verify that everything lined up. Of course, it did because the Holy Spirit doesn’t make mistakes. Peter, James, and John added nothing to Paul’s gospel to the Gentiles and gave Paul the right hand of fellowship. Most notably for this letter, Titus went with Paul to Jerusalem, and he was not forced to be circumcised. This will be important later.
Then, in Galatians 2:11-14, Paul tells us that he had to rebuke Peter for treating the Gentiles differently than the Jews. Peter was unwilling to eat with the Gentiles out of fear of the circumcision party getting upset. In other words, Christians who have different views on clean and unclean foods were struggling to eat together. Why does Paul bring this up? On the one hand, it shows that Peter is just a man. He makes mistakes like the rest of us, but it also shows us that the root of the problem is Gentiles and Jews combining.
The Jews have a different opinion about clean and unclean foods, so they think they are better than the Gentiles. Another aspect of this divide is the circumcision that Jewish men go through. Jewish Christians would commonly teach that Gentile Christians should be circumcised to be in a right relationship with God. These are opinions and rules that men were making a big deal over.
The last part of this section begins to explain how this has distorted the gospel.
Galatians 2:15--21 (ESV) --- 15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. 17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.
There are many complex sentences in this and words that we may not be familiar with, so I will try to summarize, and you can check me later.
Saved By Believing In Jesus
Paul says that everyone found justification (standing as righteous instead of guilty before God) through belief in Jesus. Works of the law had nothing to do with it. God saved no one because they kept the law.
Not Saved To Go On Sinning
Then, he says, “If, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!” In other words, we can’t continue in sin after receiving grace through faith in Jesus.
So The Law Is Dead To Me
Verses 18-21 tell us that trying to rebuild justification through the law is sinful. Paul says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” In other words, I don’t rely on myself for salvation anymore. I rely on Christ for salvation, and I live for him. The last words are the easiest to understand. Seeking righteousness through keeping the law is nullifying the grace of God. When the Galatians try to be righteous by eating the right foods and being circumcised, they render the grace of God of no effect. It’s like saying to God, “Thanks for the offer, but I have something better in mind.”
Curse Vs. Blessing (3)
The rest of the book contrasts these two points of view. Chapter 3 tell us the curse of living for the law versus the blessing of pursuing grace by faith. Chapters 4-5 tell us about the freedom we find in the gospel versus the slavery we find in our flesh. The final chapter has instructions for the Galatians in light of all this.
You will notice as you study these Chapters a large amount of Old Testament references. We must understand the Old Testament references in detail before deciding what all of this means, but we don’t have time to do that in an overview. So I’ll give you the short and easy version.
God promised Abraham that through his offspring, all the nations of the earth would be blessed. That’s great news because all the nations of the earth had been cursed under the sin of Adam. Four hundred thirty years after the promise, God gave mankind the law. The law was not a blessing to man. It resulted in another curse because men fell short. If men wanted to be righteous like God, they would have to keep the law perfectly, but they failed to do that. God did not deliver that promise of a blessing until Jesus came. Jesus kept the law perfectly, died on a tree, and removed the curse that stood against us. He was then able to provide the Spirit to all those (Jew and Gentile) who hear the gospel, believe, and enter his body through baptism. Their salvation is wholly dependent on entering into Christ, not keeping the law. That’s Chapter 3.
Slavery Vs. Freedom (4-5)
At the end of Chapter 3, Paul brings back the promise of Abraham. He says that we are Abraham’s offspring if we have entered into Christ through faith. Baptism puts us into Christ, gives us the Spirit, and makes us heirs according to promise. We are heirs of God’s blessing.
Then, in Chapter 4, Paul takes that heir imagery to say that the law was setting us up for the blessing. It was a guardian until the time of blessing. In other words, the law showed us our sin and, consequently, our curse so we could see our need for the blessing. It was making us to where we would cry out for God to save us as a child cries out for a loving Father, “Abba! Father!”
Halfway through Chapter 4, Paul breaks the explanation to tell the Galatians a critical message.
Galatians 4:9--11 (ESV) --- 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years! 11 I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.
Following this statement of accusation, Paul encourages them to remember the love they had at first. They desired to do all that they could to serve Paul and God because of the gratitude in their hearts. Now people take advantage of them and turn them against Paul by teaching them to keep the law to be saved.
In verses 21-31, Paul tells them an allegory using the story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar. The blessing was promised through Sarah, not Hagar. So he relates Hagar to Ishmael, who was born of the flesh (that’s a way of saying he was born by human work). This represents Mount Sinai, slavery, and Jerusalem in the first century. As Ishmael persecuted Isaac, so Jewish Christians persecute non-Jewish Christians. On the other hand, Sarah is related to Isaac, who was born through promise (by God working and Abraham’s faith). She and her offspring represent the Jerusalem above that is free but also desolate for a time.
The message that Paul wants to get across in his allegory is that the Galatians must cast out the law and the flesh (Human will and exertion) like Hagar. We cannot see ourselves as able to save ourselves through anything other than faith working through love.
Galatians 5:1--6 (ESV) --- 1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
Going back to a system of law-keeping for righteousness means that they have fallen from grace found in Christ. God doesn’t care about whether a Gentile is strong enough to accept circumcision. He ignores the type of foods they eat. He cares about the heart of the Gentile, trusting him and loving others. Jesus came to set men free from law-keeping so that they would live for God unhindered.
Galatians 5:7--8 (ESV) --- 7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you.
God wants the Galatians to run. Trying to keep the law only hinders them from becoming workers who glorify God. This letter seems on fire, but he comes down to show a little gentleness and give a little encouragement. He finally gives them a little relief.
Galatians 5:10--12 (ESV) --- 10 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. 11 But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!
Notice how quickly that encouragement turns to more condemnation. Why is Paul so adamant about this? Their salvation hangs in the balance! He wants false teachers to get out because they are causing brethren to devour brethren. Men are not acting like Christ. They are acting like Pharisees. At the end of Chapter 5, he clarifies what a works-based religious system gets you and what a Spirit-based religious system gets you. Being led by the Spirit is another way of saying hearing with faith. It means that they are motivated by the promised blessing, not slavery of the law. Remember the context of the book. That lifestyle is full of love and patience, not anger, malice, divisions, and immorality.
Final Instructions
Chapter 6 encourages the Galatians to bear with one another but also to bear their own load. Everyone should be working and sewing seeds with faith that God will provide a harvest. If we sew with faith and do not give up, we will reap eternal life. If we sew with pride in our accomplishments, we will reap nothing.
The very end of the book summarizes the whole.
Galatians 6:11--18 (ESV) --- 11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. 12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16 And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. 17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.
Application
Now, let’s briefly talk about the message of this book and how we can apply this book to ourselves. The message of this book is quite apparent. God does not want Gentiles acting like Jews. Remember the Jews murdered Jesus. He wants everyone acting like Christ, in purity and love, and he wants them to feel free of law-keeping righteousness. It’s not about doing all the right things. It’s about holding on to Christ for forgiveness. Paul condemns returning to the law-based system after receiving Christ for the forgiveness of sins.
So, how does this apply to us? We certainly don’t want to go back to the Old Law, and I feel like we are in some danger of doing that. But more importantly, if we hold onto anything other than Christ for justification, we distort the gospel of Christ. We cannot lose sight of the gospel of grace.
There is a difference between creating traditions (trying to do the will of God) and creating a new standard to be considered righteous before God. If I elevate any work and say that it is the basis of my relationship with God, I lose sight of grace. I have seen people do this with many different standards. Some have said to me, “Someone is in a lost state if they are listening to Christian music.” Do we see how that is a standard God has not set? We have just added law and elevated it to the point where our salvation depends on keeping that law. There is so much wrong with that! Have we done this? Do we depend on Christ’s sacrifice or our own ability and wisdom? People have condemned those who drink alcohol, don’t wear a head covering, miss church services for work, change the order of worship, use a particular method to select elders, or many other similar things.
We bite and devour one another when we elevate works to a standard of righteousness that we must do for God to accept us. The danger only comes when we care more about ourselves and boasting in our righteousness than we care about God’s grace. This is the reason Paul writes a scathing letter to the Galatians. This is the one thing we must not do!
Conclusion
Paul’s letter to the Galatians is scathing. Why? Because they have fallen away from grace to pursue a form of self-righteousness through the law. God’s will for us is to trust in him for righteousness and love one another. Both of these are broken when we seek righteousness through law-keeping. When we enter Christ by faith in baptism, we enter into a new creation where the requirement of keeping the law to be righteous is no longer present. We are sons and daughters of God who cry out Abba Father, and he hears our cry. He forgives our sins and restores our relationship so long as we are striving for purity and love.
Are purity and love what you are seeking in life? It’s easy to pursue law-keeping for the basis of a relationship with God. I have seen it in myself and others around me on numerous occasions. It leads to chaos and destruction. But those who are seeking purity and love with faith in Christ for their relationship with God create peace. Isn’t it wonderful that Christ has set us free? Walk by the Spirit and do not gratify the desires of the flesh.