Galatians 1:6-9
The Bible is a big book. There is room for opinion. In part, this is why we have so many denominations (more than 60 Baptist groups alone). There are things that we can agree on, and things that we can agree to disagree on (without being disagreeable). However, there are some things that the American Church has to take another look at.
In recent years by we have found ourselves fascinated by the emergence of so called hidden (repressed) "Gospels" purporting to give us the "real story" of the life of Christ and the Early Church. The Gospel of Thomas, and of Judas caused great media fervor a few years ago. Most orthodox Christians rightfully reject such texts as spurious fabrications and dismiss them as nonsense. Perhaps there is a level at which we should engage these texts, if for no other reason, to be aware of divergent traditions that emerged along side the Orthodox Church (by this I mean doctrinally sound) at any given historical juncture, but that is not what we are here to discuss today.
The Da Vinci Code caused a great stir and has now been all but forgotten. The fear with which many Christians seemed to grasp their pews was quite disturbing. It was as if they expected a mass apostasy from the result of a work fiction. Someone presenting the "real truth" about the Gospel is no new thing. As far back as the Garden in Eden we have found the serpent whispering in our ear that God is holding out on us, keeping something important back from us; and time and time again the consequences have demonstrated otherwise. But Americans love a good conspiracy theory; an underdog story. We are always ready to believe that someone out there might have something that survived a cover up.
In Paul's case the problem was obvious. Luke tells us in Acts 15:36-18:22 that Paul journeyed to the region of Galatia on his second missionary journey. Lasting about four years; he spent half founding churches in Galatia, Philippi, and Thessalonica and the other half in Corinth. Galatians 4:13-16 tells us that Paul first shared the Gospel with the Galatians because of an illness. They received the message with great eagerness; forming a deep bond with Paul. But by the time Paul writes to them, the situation is clearly different.
I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ for another Gospel, which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the Gospel of Christ.
We do not immediately know what this gospel is, although later we are told that it is a Gospel of Jesus + Adherence to the Law =Salvation. For Jewish Christians, this means returning to ancient practices such as feast days and Sabbaths, simply retrofitting their new found Christianity to their spiritual upbringing. For Gentiles (non-Jews) who came into the Kingdom, this means fulfilling all the requirements of the Abrahamic covenant and then obeying the Mosaic Law as well; all 613 commandments. It seems that these teachings came from folks who trailed Paul in his journey, at least at Galatia, and that the problem is widespread (hence the letter is written to churches, plural).
It is hard to know if "quickly" means that they took leave of their senses soon after Paul left, or if they received the other Gospel as readily as that which Paul preached, but either way it is clear that they have left behind what Paul received from Jesus and what they in turn received from Paul. They had turned away from the truth to a counterfeit Gospel. To a gospel that was distorted.
I believe that the question must be asked: have we done the same in America today?Have we abandoned the truth that was so graciously "gospeled" to us, in favor of another? Have we become unfaithful to the Jesus that saved our souls? The answer may well be "yes".
But even if we or an angel from Heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!
If even an angel from Heaven should bring another Gospel to you... I remember the first time this came up in conversation. I was talking with a friend of mine about the Book of Mormon because I was seriously distressed about the possibility that I might somehow be missing out on something big. What if, what the nice young men who had visited my house had spoken the truth? What if God had wiped his hands clean of all denominations that existed at the time of Joseph Smith (a believable suggestion to be sure)? What if an angel had "hot lined" him the whereabouts of the most spiritually significant documents since the canon of scripture. I did not want to miss out! "JP" he said, "remember what Paul said in Galatians..." and at that moment it clicked. I have never doubted the completeness of the Bible since; nor have I pondered the veracity of the ecclesiastical tabloids Smith and his block headed minions have promulgated.
Even if an angel! Why angels? Because, in the Bible, angels bring the messages of God to his people. Paul later states in Galatians that the Law was mediated by angels. But it doesn't take an angel to convince us! Just a few nice young men in neckties, or one nice young man in a very nice suit if he can get a TV ministry up and running. I am not usually one to name names, but I have to say that I take serious issues with the prosperity Gospel served up by TBN, CBN, and their cronies. Not to say that the whole is bad; it's like a block of cheese which you might be able to cut the corners off of and get some use out of it, but friends, I'm afraid that by the time you finish with them there isn't much left! The Paul Crouches and Joel Osteens of this world want us to think that the Kingdom of God revolves around us. That it is some massive group hug where we can all reach for the stars together. But I am here to tell you, the message that is projected from those pulpits is so self centered that you can hardly squeeze Jesus in at the end of the message.
There is no place for the Cross in the American church today. Sure, it might hang on our wall, or around our neck, but it is not in our hearts. The meaty transcendence and holiness of God, the grace of God has been set aside for a weekly serving of pablum that won't hurt our tummies. We come for inspiration, but I'm telling you what we need people is transformation. I love you enough to tell you things that you might not want to hear, and I refuse to patronize you with a plastic smile and a pat on the back because you deserve more. You were meant for more. For greater things. But unless you and Jesus are marching to the same beat you aren't going to do yourself or Him any good and he says that his road is narrow.
Paul tells them, let those who have peddled this garbage be accursed, "anathema". Cut them off, don't listen to them. Run like Joseph from Potiphar's wife, like a dog in a bull pen, cut them off!
Folks, we've been duped. Fooled into believing somehow that life is about us. That God is preoccupied with our creature comforts and copiousness of our carcasses. There could be nothing further from the truth. Sure, following God brings blessing! I'm living proof. God has brought me from being a useless selfish wretch to a life that I still can't believe. But that was never the goal. That came from following Jesus, and was not without its share of trouble.
Consider the descriptions of the purifying process of the righteous life that are given in scripture. It is likened to being smelted and cast, burned, mashed and reshaped. In short,it is not always a pleasant process, but to get the product you have to go through the process.
Haven't you ever wondered if there was more to life than this? More to church than this? Stand up, shake a hand, sit down, bow your heads, and hit the buffet... isn't there more? Absolutely! We should beg God that we could no longer go about business as usual, but that God would interrupt our lives and change us forever. Today can be a new day folks.
Just in case we missed it, or more truthfully to intensify his curse, Paul says it again. And he means it. This is no empty epithet, but it is a warning. If one is preaching a lie, they will be counted with the Father of Lies.
Now I don't mean to say that Joel Osteen and Paul Crouch are going to Hell, that is between them and Jesus. I know that there will be Baptists in Hell and Mormons in Heaven (although they'll both get there by ignorance). But folks, this is serious business. There is truth and there is falsehood, and much of our packaged and mass produced spiritual food is really just junk food. There are more Christian books, Bible translations, radio stations, websites, stores, ministries, and publications than ever before, and you know what? I'm not sure that much of it is doing any good.
So then, what does the real gospel look like. Well, I was hoping you would ask, so let's let Jesus preach to us.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and all your strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. (Mk 12:30-31)
If we can get that down, then we are half way there.
From glory to glory folks. We can't sit in one place forever. That's not what we were meant to do.
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