But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!

                                                                                                               Galatians 1:8-9

After a brief introduction, Paul wastes no time in getting straight to the heart of the matter, a theme that will be reiterated throughout this wonderful letter. Consider the following:

I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

                                                                                                                 Galatians 1:6-7 

Paul was completely amazed that anyone would receive the gospel only to defect and take up the cause of a “different” gospel, which Paul identifies as no gospel at all. I believe a bit of context is important here. There was a group of Jews who were not rejecting the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, rather they were just adding to the gospel. Namely, these men were pushing for new converts to Christianity to be obedient to the old covenant by taking part in circumcision. In our modern world, circumcision is done for health reasons, but for these 1^st century religious men, called Judaizers, circumcision was done for spiritual purposes. The issue didn’t stop with circumcision, rather that was just the beginning of a slippery slope that would require believers to adhere to the Law of Moses.

It didn’t even take an entire generation from the time Jesus ascended into heaven for mankind to take the simplicity of the gospel and begin to add requirements to it. We still see this in the church today and for Paul, it was a mountain worth dying on. Why? First, you will notice that, for Paul, adding any requirements to the gospel was a desertion of the gospel and not just the good news, rather desertion of Jesus Himself. “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you…” Paul pointed out that this “different” gospel was not authentic and would not save, also the theme we will see throughout the letter. Imagine holding an authentic $100 bill in one hand and a $100 bill from the game monopoly in the other. Trading the real thing for a fake bill was exactly what some of these Galatian Christians were doing.

If you look at our focus passage today, you will hear some of the strongest language Paul utters in the entire letter. Paul declares that those adding requirements to the gospel should be accursed. The original word being used here is anathema and for the 1^st century hearers this was extremely strong language. Today, we certainly would not accept rhetoric such as suggesting someone “go to hell”, but that is the very tone that Paul is using in this passage. He even repeats himself for emphasis. These Judaizers, even with incredible sincerity, were distorting the gospel by adding legal requirements to it, causing people to become confused and abandon the true gospel, which is received by faith.

So what does this mean for us today? First, we need to recognize that this “adding on” to the gospel still exists in the church. I believe the best defense against this confusion is to know the gospel. In order to hear the gospel, let’s reference two passages from 1^st century church history:

They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

                                                                                                                        Acts 16:31

Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses. 

                                                                                                                   Acts 13:38-39

In both of these passages, the issue of salvation is presented. The first passage was an answer to the direct question, “What must I do to be saved?” The answer was to believe in the Lord Jesus. The second was a declaration of forgiveness and spiritual freedom for everyone who would believe. Paul even goes on to point out that this freedom cannot come from the Law of Moses. It would serve us well at this point to remember that the word gospel means “good news.” We are reminded that, as believers, we are to carry this message to the world: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things (Romans 10:15). When you hear the gospel it should bring a smile to your face and hope to all those who hear and receive. Because of its deceptive and troubling potential, I believe that any distortion of adding requirements to the gospel should be met with the same righteous anger as Paul. I pray you are receiving and carrying the good news of Jesus Christ today!

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

                                                                                                                     Romans 10:12-13