Examination of Galatians 1:6-7: There is Only One Gospel of Jesus Christ - Part 1

-Acts 13:6-12 reads, "And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus: Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, And said, O full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord."

Here we read about a false teacher opposing the apostle Paul and Barnabas in the city of Paphos. This sorcerer didn't want the "governor" of the Island to trust in Christ. The Apostle Paul knew exactly how to deal with false teachers; to make this man understand and all those who saw him understand, the apostle Paul made him blind, for he was already spiritually blind; and he was trying to keep others blind as well.

NOTE: Throughout the church's history, heresy upon heresy, false gospel upon false gospel, has presented itself as true.

We too, in the likeness of the apostle Paul in verse 10, must recognize false teachers as "liars," "sons of the Devil," "enemies of righteousness," and "perverters of the Gospel". The purpose of today's message is that all Christians would continue in the one Gospel of Jesus Christ, never wavering from their belief in it. Also, that all of those who don't know Christ would come to Him alone for salvation through this one Gospel presented from His word today.

-There is only one Gospel of Jesus Christ because...

v.6-7 - 1. God has determined to call sinners to repentance only through this Gospel.

v.8-9 - 2. God has determined every so-called new "gospel" is false.

v.10 - 3. God is pleased by the preaching of this Gospel alone.

v.6 - I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

The apostle Paul was amazed at how quickly they were leaving what they previously believed concerning their salvation. These Christians started out believing their salvation was by God's grace through faith in Jesus alone.

Paul, in Galatians 3:2-3 said, "This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" But now, there were false teachers who had come into the church, and they were telling these Christians that it was by faith at the beginning, but that they had to be "good enough" now. They were being told they had to "keep" the law 100% now; as well as, to be circumcised, and to follow the rituals and ceremonies of Judaism. The apostle Paul calls this another Gospel all together.

-Illustration: -Some denominations within Evangelicalism teach this doctrine. They teach exactly the same thing these false teachers were teaching. They teach Jesus saves you by "faith alone" at the beginning of your salvation, but after this you have to keep the law in order to stay in this salvation. Now, these are our brothers and sisters in Christ because they at the beginning trusted salvation was by God's grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Just like the Galatians, these brothers and sisters don't realize how saved they are; and they are believing a different Gospel now then they first believed.

NOTE: If we're saved by grace at the beginning of our salvation, then we're saved by grace during our salvation and at the end of our salvation as well. If we don't deserve grace at the beginning, then we don't deserve it now either; and we're not going to deserve it when we die.

Paul in Romans 5:8 says, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

-Illustration: How many of you were born sinners? Answer: All of us. How many of you are sinners right now? Answer: All of us. How many of you will die sinners? Answer: All of us. His grace alone saves us at the beginning, and at the end!

The question is, "Are we depending on God's grace alone through the finished work of Christ alone, to get us to heaven? Or, are we depending on another Gospel?" To depend on anything or anyone else is to believe in a different gospel.

v.7 - Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

We must understand to believe anything other than God's grace (we can't deserve it) through faith (whole dependence) in Christ (He is the only Way) alone, is to believe another Gospel; which doesn't really exist. There is one Gospel of Christ. There is only one "good news".

Adding "works" to the beginning of salvation is no different than the Pharisees believing they could earn their salvation through the works of the law. It's the same as believing you've "earned" God's grace. What we must understand is that to ever be able to earn God's grace is for His grace to stop existing. If you can earn it, then you deserve it, and it's no longer God's grace.

Conclusion:

The apostle Paul said in Romans 11:6, "And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work." If works are involved, grace stops being grace. We must therefore examine ourselves daily, making sure we are continuing to trust in God's grace through faith in Christ alone for this is the only Gospel through which sinners are called to repentance.