THURSDAY, MARCH 16
Galatians 1:1-7
1 Corinthians 3:11

"For other foundation can no man lay
than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."

BEWARE OF FALSE GOSPELS!

Paul marvelled at the things that happened in the churches of Galatia. The word "marvel" (Gal 1:6) is defined as being extraordinarily impressed and disturbed by something, or being astonished. In other words, Paul was very surprised that the Galatian Christians changed so quickly. It was a transfer or change of sides like moving from one place to another or to a different location.

The Galatian Christians were being changed from believing the One who called them into the grace of Christ to another gospel. Paul was amazed. He did not expect them to turn aside from his gospel, and from Christ. It was not that they entirely rejected Christ but that their doctrines were corrupted such as to leave them nothing more than believing in an imaginary Christ.

Paul presumed that someone was troubling and distorting the gospel of Christ (Gal 1:7). Paul’s usage of "some" refers to the certainty of the presence of false teachers. These were the Judaizers who introduced the false gospel of works. They included circumcision as part of a requirement for salvation. For the Galatian Christians, Paul showed them that this "another gospel" would change their state from being free back to bondage again. Paul’s major purpose was to persuade them to cleave to him and his gospel and to reject his opponents and their gospel.

This false gospel of works is mainly taught by the Roman Catholic Church. This is now subtly introduced into the evangelical protestant churches through the unholy union in Evangelical and Catholics Together (ECT). Beware of this false gospel!

THOUGHT: Am I accommodating the false gospel of works?
PRAYER: "Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully" (Ps 24:3-4).