“Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins…I MARVEL THAT YOU ARE TURNING AWAY SO SOON FROM HIM WHO CALLED YOU in the grace of Christ, TO A DIFFERENT GOSPEL…there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even IF WE, OR AN ANGEL FROM HEAVEN, PREACH ANY OTHER GOSPEL TO YOU THAN WHAT WE HAVE PREACHED TO YOU, LET HIM BE ACCURSED.” (Gal. 1:3-8) After Paul left the church in Galatia, a group of Jewish Christians entered the region and began denouncing the gospel of salvation Paul had preached. These Jewish Christians were often referred to as “Judaizers” because they claimed that followers of Jesus must continue to fulfill all the regulations of the Old Testament law
“…I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me IS NOT ACCORDING TO MAN. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but IT CAME THROUGH THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.” (Gal. 1:11-12) Paul was completely against the message of the Judaizers. He rightly understood that they were attempting to TWIST THE GOSPEL into a process of SALVATION BY WORKS. Indeed, the Judaizers were attempting to hijack the early Christian movement and return it to a legalistic form of Judaism.
“NOW I SAY AGAIN, IF ANYONE PREACHES ANY OTHER GOSPEL TO YOU THAN WHAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED, LET HIM BE ACCURSED…” (Gal. 1:9)
-Bill Stockham