Bondservant of Christ
“I marvel that you
are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a
different gospel, which is not another, but there are some who trouble you and
want to pervert the gospel of Christ.
But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you
than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again,
if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him
be accursed. For do I now persuade men
or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a
bondservant of Christ.” Gal. 1:6-10
Paul begins his
rebuke of the people by “marveling” at how quickly these new converts to Christ
have turned to a different gospel – that is, a perversion of the one true
gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul is
reminding the hearers of his letter that they heard the gospel and had received
it. However, others had come along (in
Paul’s absence – footnote about the strategy of the enemy!) and were teaching a
different gospel. Paul put it
strongly: a perverted gospel. And the people around Galatia were buying
into it! We might wonder how such a
thing could occur. Well, have you ever
heard a distorted or perverted gospel?
Did you believe it?
Paul indicates that
if he were seeking to please men, he would not be a bondservant of Christ. This poses the question for us: whose attention and affirmation are we
after: that of God, or man? Our walk of faith cannot be done to please
people. It must be done to win the
praises of the One we praise – our Lord God.
The Galatians had been easily swayed.
Are we? Paul was writing so
directly because his heart was broken for a people on the verge of perishing
for lack of knowledge. Are we on such a
verge? Beloved, this is the gospel of
Jesus Christ:
- He was crucified;
- He rose from the grave;
- He ascended to sit at the right hand of His Father;
- Our sins are forgiven by His blood; and
- The gift of eternal life is available to all who call
upon the name of the Lord.
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