Getting the Gospel Right

Sometimes, what is not said speaks more loudly than actual words. The silence, as we say, is deafening. In the opening verses of his letter to the churches of Galatia, the apostle Paul employs this communication technique to underscore the seriousness of the subject at hand. As he does in all of his letters, Paul begins by identifying himself as the author, naming the intended recipients, and pronouncing a blessing on them (1:1–5).

It is what comes next that is so uncharacteristic for him. Immediately after his introductory comments, and before launching into the body of the letter, Paul writes…nothing. He offers no expression of gratitude to God for them or words of encouragement about their spiritual vitality.

When compared to his other warm greetings (for example, Rom. 1:8; 1 Cor. 1:1–5; Eph. 1:15–23; Phil. 1:3–11), what Paul does not say to the Galatians speaks volumes.

He leaves no doubt about the seriousness and urgency of the topic of his letter. His burden is to explain and defend the true gospel of God’s grace. He launches into the subject early and writes with a fiery tone, employing sarcasm, threats, warnings, and rebukes to get his points across.

Like a soldier rushing into battle with guns blazing, Paul immediately begins contending for the truth of the gospel. His purpose is not simply to win a theological argument. Rather, he is determined to fight for the spiritual lives of the Galatian believers.

Getting the gospel right is crucial. It is a matter of spiritual life and death. If you miss this, it does not matter what you get because you will miss God.

Paul understands this and therefore strongly refutes the false teaching of those who have begun to undermine the Galatians’ confidence in the simple gospel that he had preached to them.

That message is all about the finished work of Jesus Christ “who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father” (Gal. 1:4). The gospel that Paul preached to them proclaimed salvation by grace alone received through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone.

This message is great news for sinners because it reveals that salvation, from first to last, is God’s work and not dependent on anything in us. It eliminates any basis for pride as well as any cause to despair. Those whom God saves are made right with Him not because of anything they have done or not done, but because they have been “called…in the grace of Christ” (v. 6).

On the one hand, the worst of people are genuine candidates for salvation because the only way that God saves is by grace. On the other hand, if the most respectable people are to be saved, it will not be because of any goodness in them but, again, only by the grace of God.

No wonder Paul was “astonished” to learn that the Galatians were so quickly and easily being led away from the gospel of God’s grace (v. 6). The false teachers insisted that trusting Christ was not enough — to be right with God, a person must also keep certain Old Testament ceremonies. But adding to the gospel is just as disastrous as subtracting from it. Both “distort the gospel of Christ” (v. 7).

Any change in the message of Jesus Christ turns it into “a different gospel” (v. 6) that keeps people from knowing God. This is why Paul writes with such passion, warning the Galatians never to tolerate anyone — not even an apostle or an angel — who would dare to preach as the gospel any other message than salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone, plus nothing.

Twice Paul says that any creature who distorts the gospel should be “accursed.” He literally pronounces “anathema” on such a person (v. 9). Those who spread false gospels are worthy of God’s damnation.

Paul intends that his use of such strong language should have a sobering affect on us. Misrepresenting the gospel is serious business. Those who believe false gospels will wind up in hell. Those who teach false gospels deserve nothing less.

The churches of Galatia were very young when Paul sent them this letter. Yet, he expected that they — all of the members and not just the leaders — would be doctrinally alert enough to discern the true gospel from counterfeits.

This is the responsibility of every Christian. Like sheep who will follow only the voice of their shepherd, we must learn to recognize the simplicity and fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ and refuse to tolerate any teaching that deviates from it.

.....”Any change in the message of Jesus Christ turns it into “a different gospel” (v. 6) that keeps people from knowing God”......

All cults and false religions will add and twist the Gospel message though initially it will not appear as so......, generally after the bait is taken that they do believe in the gospel message..’and’ or ‘but’... is soon to follow with what ever additional “stuff” that group might teach to entrap them in their cult.

In some cases people who have grown “dull of hearing” within the faith begin to desire “something else” or want “more”.....it is not unusual this is when the enemy of mens souls pounces by introducing his bait and switch on the unsuspecting individual.

If they are a person of God's Word they recognize the deception pretty early on......if not...they are “open” to something “new” and or additional to what they already know.

I have seen well grounded Christians take the bait at a low or troublesome time in their life.....the enemy strikes when we're our weakest for the most part. And why many who are, let's say, going thru divorce or a death in the family, or lost relationship, are vulnerable to false teachings because they feel a need "to do something more" to offset the situation. I love the Gospel message just as it is for that door is open to all. When you put "add-ons" in that equation you simply plug up the free flow of live Jesus would have us to live IN HIM...and the walk of "faith" we are positioned by Him to walk.

For 'in the gospel' the righteousness of God is revealed--a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith.".....Romans 1:17

.....”Mankind hasn’t changed since the Garden. Lost sinners still try to cover their nakedness with a fig leaf apron of works.”......

Very true...human nature really doesn’t change apart from Christ. He will always seek to “improve” himself by his own standards of righteousness. Not realizing those efforts mask his abbility to see himself as he really is.

As is written in Romans 10:3...

Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

also written..in Romans 3:21...

...”But NOW ‘apart from the law’ the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.”

and as Galatians 3:11 states:

“Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.”

As also Philippians 3:9 tells us regarding an individuals own righteousness...

...”and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the ‘righteousness that comes from God’ on the basis of faith.

There is a vast difference between our righteousness and that which God desires we have In Christ.

SR: The question presented is whether the Bible contains contradictions in its written teachings

RW: You can make it a matter of technicalities if you want, I don`t see any need for that.

From your post here: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/3245055/posts?page=52#52

"But no, I am not convinced every thing they wrote in the epistles was directed by the holy spirit."

The doctrine of divine inspiration is not some minor technicality. It goes to the heart of how we poor destitute sinners can connect with our Creator. A

So let me clarify the question, lest we misunderstand one another: Are you saying God can't direct His own apostles to produce a contradiction-free text, in spite of their sin?

Then you are admitting that Peter was wrong but you are not about to admit Paul was wrong, right?

What Peter did was wrong. Was that ever in question? And I have no need to admit that Paul too was capable of sin, because he openly admitted it himself. In fact , that admission was a key part of his teaching in Romans. Proving Peter and Paul did wrong things is superfluous and irrelevant. That's already on the table. What really matters is what you think of God. Is He able to overcome the limitations of us sinners, or do we block His eternal purposes?

Daniel 4:34-35 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: (35) And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

And if our sin presents no obstacle to God, then we know He will have no trouble giving us His word, whether through Jesus, or through the men He chose as His apostles:

Isaiah 55:10-11 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: (11) So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

And what is the purpose of God in giving us Scripture? So we can debate about whether Jesus messed up picking fallible men as the secretaries of divine truth? Or this:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (17) That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

How much Scripture is God-breathed? All? Or just the Gospels? Maybe the epistles of John? Throw Hebrews in there? Half of Paul? Which half? Which quarter? Who gets to decide what parts of Paul are uninspired? You? No, creating a two-tiered model of inspiration is a recipe for destroying the concept of inspiration entirely. It sinks the concept into a war of subjective opinion from which no certain truth can ever emerge again. It is nothing but another way for the serpent to say, "Hath God really said ..."

SR: The fact that Holy Spirit will lead us does not mean we will always follow His leadings perfectly.>>>>>>>>

RW: So you agree with what I said except where it concerns Paul?

I disagree with your conclusion because it is based on a misuse of the Biblical data. Proving sin in an apostle does nothing to prove any defect in the work of God to give us an inerrant text. This is all about your view of God. Can he handle our defects? Or not?

SR: But a public offense is not like this. The damage is already well publicized

RW: I believe you are way off base, Paul made it personal and he is the one who made it public.

Believe as you like. What is your evidence that "Paul made it personal?" For review, here is the passage in question:

Galatians 2:11-14 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. (12) 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. (13) And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. (14) 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?

Nothing in there like,"Peter you rotten so and so," etc. No, nothing personal in the least. Everything said was above board and based on public knowledge, because Peter had already made his hypocrisy a matter of public record, so much so he was drawing off those "other Jews," with even faithful Barnabas getting sucked into the public snubbing of fellow Christians, just because they were Gentiles. Peter was wreaking havoc by inducing one group into snobbery and huddling another group into the back of the bus, as it were. This was happening openly in the fellowship at Antioch. It wasn't happening just in Peter's personal space. It was a public offense on a grand scale, hurting lots of people, and Paul was right to call Him on the carpet for it, in public.

We would not know that peter was such a hypocrite except for Paul.

Possibly. More likely I suspect God would have used someone else if not Paul, and it would still have to have been addressed publicly to set the pubic record straight. God used Paul for that job, so it's him we associate with it. But any other apostle might just as well have done it. And it was necessary to do. We would have an altogether different history of the Ecclesia if Peter's error had gone unchecked. Legalism and the divide between Jew and Gentile would have gained a permanent foothold in apostolic doctrine. I can hardly think of anything more public than something that would damage the Christian faith on such a large scale for such a long time. The response was proportional to the offense, and we can all rejoice that it happened, because it preserved for us the perfect Gospel of God's grace, despite the imperfections of human flesh.

Peace,

SR

“But no, I am not convinced every thing they wrote in the epistles was directed by the holy spirit.”

That is true, but you are wanting to go all over the place with it.

So you've quoted yourself, as if I said it, and then said what you said was true. For the record, I didn't say what you appear to be quoting me as saying, and it is still false, and I would prefer if in the future you would provide proper attribution of such statements. In case anyone is confused by your rendering, I believe everything recorded in Scripture is God-breathed, i.e., directed by the Holy Spirit, and that the doctrine of partial inspiration, which you appear to hold, is a significant deviation from the truth.

You contend that it was not a private matter but the fact that we only know about it via Paul proves other wise.

Sorry, having a single source of information about an event doesn't impeach the testimony that it was a public event. To the contrary, because Paul was writing under divine inspiration, that alone would certify his testimony as true, and that means the offense as well as the rebuke happened in public. God chooses what goes in His Book. Editorial privilege. For example:

John 20:30-31 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: (31) But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

So you couldn't say all those unrecorded events were "private" just because God decided not to record them.

But I have a bigger logic problem with your statement. To qualify for the privacy rule under Matthew 18, Peter's offense would have to have been personal to Paul. In other words, logically, Paul would have had to bring a complaint about Peter snubbing him because he was Gentile. You can see the absolute absurdity of this, I hope. Paul arose in defense of many other people who were being hurt by what Peter did. Under law you don't need a lot of people to get to "public" status, as with defamation. Just passing something defamatory on to a third person is enough. And there were way more than three people involved, the whole congregation at Antioch. So yes, very public, under almost any standard you care to measure it.

Anyway, at this point the reader can judge for themselves.

Peace,

SR

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