Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Mar/65

Contributor - Will Kroon

Title - Meditation

Topic - Meditation

"... IF ANY ONE IS PREACHING TO YOU A GOSPEL CONTRARY TO THAT YOU RECEIVED, LET HIM BE ACCURSED." Galatians 1 : 6

The Apostle Paul is angry when he writes these words. He is filled with holy indignation. He is Ming some cutting language as he writes to the people of his former congregations. He is upset, because he has heard that the people in Galatia have accepted a "different gospel" than he had preached to them.

In this text we see how sensitive the Apostle is to the misuse of the Word of God. He does not want people to abuse or to alter it. To him the gospel was the good news of Christ. It was the story of salvation revealed in Jesus Christ and in Him alone. It was this message which he had received from God. Therefore, he did not want anyone to add to it or take from it.

Years ago Paul had preached Christ to the Galatians. He had explained to them that they could be saved through a faith in and obedience to Jesus Christ. Circumcision and strict adherence to the Jewish laws were no longer a must to the Gentile Christians. ]It was this gospel which the Galatians had heard Paul preach and they had accepted it with gladness.

However, in the absence of Paul, some Judaizers, Jewish Christians from Jerusalem, had come to Galatia. These people preached that circumcision was a must in order to belong to the covenant of God. They undermined Paul's authority as a preacher and they let it be known that they considered him a "second class" Apostle. To them Paul did not stand equally with Peter and John. In backing up their argument they may have pointed out that the Twelve had been with Jesus during His earthly ministry. They had heard Him preach and seen His miracles, while the Apostle Paul was a newcomer. He was not one of the twelve and was converted after Christ's return to the Father. It seems to have been relatively easy for these Judaizers to win the Galatians over to their point of view. In other words the Galatians had accepted a different gospel from them then which Paul had preached to them.

As we see the problem involved, it is not difficult to see why Paul is forced to defend himself, and the gospel he had preached. He begins his defense by saying that he is "an apostle, not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father." Then he states that the gospel he has been preaching is the very Word of God. "I did not receive it from man," he said, "nor was 11 taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ." What he is saying is that he received his message from the highest authority and that he is an Apostle second to none.

In Gal. 2 : 11 he gives another proof that he is not inferior to the other Apostles. Here he points out that at one time he publicly rebuked Peter for his ambiguous attitude. Most likely Paul has these Judaizers, and perhaps others, in mind when he says: "If anyone preaching o you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed.

A few days ago I attended a preparatory meeting of the Barry Moore Crusade. A minister of Calvinistic persuasion was in charge of the meditation that evening. For some twenty minutes he preached on these same words of Paul. His message was well delivered, but the heart of the message was lacking. The gospel which Paul preached was missing. He devoted almost his whole message on the condemnation of "the other gospel". Must we not first of all know what Paul preached? Is it not only after we understand Paul's gospel that we can see the wrong in "the other gospel?"

I went home dissatisfied, for another preacher had fallen for the temptation to use the Bible to attack the Christians who differed from him. In this tirade he failed to preach the gospel which Paul preached and in his attack he assumed that Paul was on his side.

As Christians we must be slow in using the words "accursed" in our dealing with fellow Christians. It may have its place from time to time, but we must first of all make sure that we ourselves don't believe and act in the same way as the enemies of Paul did. The fact that one belongs to the church of Jerusalem, as some of Paul's enemies did, does not guaranty that one brings the right gospel. If we claim to be an Paul's side we must be very sure that we preach the gospel he preached, and base our message on the same authority as he based it on.

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