The
Simple Gospel - ch.1
Paul wrote the book of
Galatians to defend the true gospel of Christ. This gospel is very
simple yet is the greatest news we could ever share. He is very plain
about sticking to the God-given gospel without any additions or
changes.
"6 I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different “good news”; 7 and there isn’t another “good news.” Only there are some who trouble you, and want to pervert the Good News of Christ. 8 But
even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any “good
news” other than that which we preached to you, let him be cursed. 9 As
we have said before, so I now say again: if any man preaches to you any
“good news” other than that which you received, let him be cursed."
The main problem of his day
was people trying to make Christians follow the Law of Moses while
following the gospel. The Law has served its purpose... we now have
the gospel of Christ!
"1 Now I declare to you, brothers, the Good News which I preached to you, which also you received, in which you also stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold firmly the word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,"
Hypocrisy - ch.2
This sin was so deceptive that
at least one of the Lord's apostles found himself trapped within it!
The sin was hypocrisy... the way it revealed itself is a whole
different story.
"11 But when Peter came to Antioch, I resisted him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For
before some people came from James, he ate with the Gentiles. But when
they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing those who were of
the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews joined him in his hypocrisy; so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. 14 But
when I saw that they didn’t walk uprightly according to the truth of
the Good News, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew,
live as the Gentiles do, and not as the Jews do, why do you compel the
Gentiles to live as the Jews do?"
Do you ever find yourself in
Peter's shoes?
If we are honest, then we
probably find ourselves there all too often...
Let us study the book of
Galatians together to seek the true and simple gospel.
