Galatians 1:6-7: I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel- which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.
I'm afraid this warning to the church in Galatia is all too relevant for the church of the 21st Century. We live in an age of so many different "gospels." There are so many who are watering down the gospel, those who are interpreting the Bible and telling us what doesn't belong in the Bible any longer, those who are molding a new gospel to fit into their particular life style. Some of these people are in our churches, some of them are in positions of power in government, and some of them are well-loved people in the entertainment industry. Where do we turn? Who should we listen to?
As I have been reading Scripture over the last month the Lord has been impressing upon my heart...there can be no compromise with the Truth of the Word of God. Over and over again, the Bible tells us to expect persecution, to expect rejection....yet we still seem surprised when it happens. If we just look over the last 2000 years, we see that this is true. The apostle Paul is a great example of no compromise no matter what the consequences.
Just about 2 weeks after being severely beaten with rods and thrown in jail in Phillipi, Paul and Silas arrived in Thessalonica. And the first thing Paul did was go straight to the synagogue and preach the gospel with all his black and blue marks and all his scabbed over wounds...he didn't water the gospel down, leave out the controversial stuff, or even change it so it wouldn't be so offensive to some. Just imagine what Paul and Silas must have looked like! All Paul's beatings just made him bolder and the gospel message stronger, causing it to spread further and further.
1 Thessalonians 2:2-4, 13: We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition. For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts...when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.
What about you? What about me? Will we fall for some "new gospel" being preached by some Johnny-come-lately? Or when we share the gospel message with family, friends, and co-workers will we water it down, leave out the controversial stuff so we won't be ridiculed or worse? As believers in Jesus Christ, as soldiers of the cross, you and I must stand firm on Truth just like Paul and never compromise.
When we stand up for the Truth, there will be consequences for believers...are we ready?
MaryAnn
MaryAnn and John Kiernan have been married for 35 years, have 2 grown/married sons and are the proud grandparents of two grandsons. She serves at America's KESWICK as the Intake Coordinator for the Colony of Mercy. Her life verse is Romans 8:28.
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