FRIDAY, MARCH 17
Galatians 1:6-10
1 Corinthians 16:22

"If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ,
let him be Anathema Maranatha."

FALSE GOSPEL IS ACCURSED

The introduction of the false gospel into the churches of Galatia resulted in the undermining of the gospel that Paul preached. He boldly proclaimed to them that even if he or an angel out of heaven were to bring good news to them other than that which he had already preached, he should be accursed (Gal 1:8). Paul alluded to those brethren identified with him or anyone who claimed that he was from heaven but was bringing another gospel. If the preaching was contrary to that which he had preached, he pronounced a curse on them: "let him be accursed (anathema)." This means to deliver someone over to divine wrath. He openly declared that the gospel of the Judaizers was not just a false gospel, but also a disturbance to the church of Christ.

Paul continued to say, "as we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed" (Gal 1:9). He charged them with the additional crime of doing injury to Christ by endeavouring to subvert the gospel. Subversion is an enormous crime. It is worse than corruption. Indeed, worthy to be accursed.

They should not have entertained another gospel, besides the one they had received from Paul. They should have taken to themselves, like a spiritual legacy of doctrines and traditions, what they had learned from Paul. It was something for them to hold on to. Paul argued, "For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ" (Gal 1:10). He wanted to convince them to believe and act on the basis of what he had taught them. Paul told them that his desire was not to make men happy, but to warn them for the Lord’s cause. He did not seek favour to win over Christians to his side but to God’s side.

THOUGHT: Am I holding on to the biblical truth of the gospel?
PRAYER: "In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me. Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue. What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue?" (Ps 120:1-3).