The Amish Voice 3
b. The words so soon show how quickly people can be led
away from God. The false teachers had apparently just
joined the church and had impressive ability and charisma,
so much so that they were almost immediately accepted as
teachers in the church. The result had been devastating:
many were immediately swayed by the force of their charis-
ma, ability, ideas, and worldly wisdom.
c. The word marvel means astounded, astonished, surprised.
Paul could hardly believe the fact, for the Galatians had
been grounded in the true gospel and had been growing in
Christ. But here they were turning away ever so quickly.
The believers needed to be warned: they were walking on
thin ice. They were turning away and deserting God Him-
self.
“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many
shall wax cold” (Mt.24:12).
2. The believers were turning to another gospel, that is, to a false
gospel. The word “another” means a different kind of gospel, not
just a difference in emphasis or spirit. (A.T. Robertson. Word
Pictures in the New Testament, Vol.4., Nashville, TN: Broadman
Press, 1931, p.276.)
It means a different kind of gospel that presents...
a different Jesus
a different grace
a different way to be saved
a different God
a different picture of God’s love
But note what Scripture declares: the gospel to which the Galatians
were turning was not another gospel. There is no other gospel; there is
only one true gospel by which men can become acceptable to God,
and that is the gospel of God Himself revealed in the death of His
Son, even “the grace of Christ” (v.6).
“Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall
we go? thou hast the words of eternal life” (Jn.6:68).
3. The believers were following those who twisted the gospel of
Christ. They were following false teachers. Note what it was that
made the teachers false teachers: a perverting of the gospel. The
word “pervert” means to turn about, to change completely, to
distort. They were taking the gospel of God’s love and grace as
demonstrated in His Son, Jesus Christ, and changing it. The false
teachers claimed to be Christians, followers of Christ. They even
believed with Paul…
that God did love the world and send His Son into the
world.
that Jesus Christ was the Son of God who did actually come
to earth.
that Jesus Christ did die and arise from the dead.
However, the false teachers were adding to and taking away from
the gospel, twisting its meaning and making it say something entirely
different from the Scripture Paul preached. They distorted the gospel
by saying that…
a. God did show His love for the world by sending His Son,
but He sent His Son in particular for the religious person
(the Jew and the religionist). They were saying that God
loves the world, but He especially loves the people who live
religious lives. (Note how this makes God show favoritism
and partiality and opens the door for caste systems and prej-
udice.)
b. Jesus Christ did come to earth; however, it was not to se-
cure a perfect righteousness for men, but to show men how
to live a good life that pleases God and merits God’s ap-
proval.
c. Jesus Christ did die for man; however, He did not die for
man’s sin, but to show man how he should be so committed
to God that he would die for God’s cause.
d. The death of Jesus Christ is not sufficient by itself; it cannot
stand alone; it is not enough to make man acceptable to
God. More is needed than the raw love of God and the pure
grace of Christ.
e. A person must undergo the ritual that had been the main
ritual of believers down through the centuries: circumcision
(church membership, baptism, etc.).
f. A person must work to keep the law of God as well as cer-
tain church ceremonies, rituals, rules, and regulations.
Note how devastating the false teaching was: believers were trou-
bled, that is, disturbed, bewildered, perplexed, confused. As pointed
out above, they were not only turning away from the gospel but from
God Himself and from the glorious grace of Christ (v.6).
APPLICATION:
Note a shocking fact: how close false teaching within the church is
to the truth! How a little addition here and a little subtraction there
distorts the purity of the gospel! How diligently we must guard
against adding our own ideas to the gospel of God.
“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s
clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (Mt.7:15).
“Be not carried about with divers and strange doc-
trines” (He.13:9).
ILLUSTRATION:
Have you ever thought about the things that pierce God’s heart?
One of the major things is idolatry, when a person whom He has
called turns to a false religion or a false god.
Years ago, a photographer captured on film four men who were
struggling to carry a statue of Buddha during the blast of a violent
typhoon. As water was rushing up to their knees, their faces grimaced
as they attempted to save their god.
Isaiah the prophet framed this tragic irony—a god who cannot
save and has to have the help of people.
“They lift it upon the shoulder and carry it; they set it in its
place and it stands there. It does not move from its place. Though
one may cry to it, it cannot answer; it cannot deliver him from his
distress” (Is.46:7, NASB).
Are you ever tempted to serve this kind of god? Christian believer,
let go and let it drown. And then reach out to the one who says…