Galatians 1:6-10
6 “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel, 7 which is not just another account; but there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 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!9 As we have said before, even now I say again: if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!10 For am I now seeking the favor of people, or of God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.”
Different Gospel: The Gospel is the free gift of salvation founded in the finished work of Christ. This means that God is always in us, with us, and facing towards us. God will never leave His children. Different gospels inject law-based religion into the grace of God. These different gospels are based on man’s works to earn righteousness or maintain righteousness. But Paul is noticeably opposed to such false teachings as they violate the finished work of Christ by adding to it with dead works.
Deserting Him: Notice Paul’s association of desertion of the pure Gospel with desertion of Jesus. If we neglect the real Gospel, we are not merely deserting a doctrine. We are deserting Jesus Himself! So, Paul is not speaking of leaving a denomination or specific church building. He is speaking of abandoning the Christian faith altogether by abandoning the foundation of the faith.
Disturbing You: The true Gospel brings peace to the believer. False gospels cause this peace to be disturbed. In Paul’s context, those who had received the true Gospel were at rest, but the false teachers, those who were adding works of the law to the Gospel, were disturbing this rest. This is because there is no room for mixing law and Gospel. We are saved by grace and sustained by grace. Whenever we mix law and Gospel, we invite people into a life of sin (see Romans 7). This is why Paul didn’t show up with Moses under his arm. He offered Christ and Christ alone.
But even if we or an angel: The Gospel is simple and is based on the simplicity of Christ’s finished work. Christians are to reject any Gospel that is different than what Paul and the apostles preached no matter what miraculous signs or charismatic messengers accompany the message.
Please men: The real Gospel does not necessarily get the masses. Paul knew this all-too-well. People do not like non-legalistic gospels because they take works out of the equation. These are the gospels that please men. But without works, there’s no room for ego or flesh to somehow achieve or maintain salvation.
