Devotion Galatians 1:6-10 Can’t Add To Or Steal From It

Galatians 1:6-10 – I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who calledyou to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!  10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

We like the verses that express that God is love (1 John 4:8).  We all, rightly, hold tight to them.  But God is more than love, He is also righteous and holy (Isaiah 6:3, Revelation 4:8).  We must remember and cherish the whole Truth of God.  Just as true is that is that God says what He means and means what He says.  He, and His Word, do not change and real Truth does not change (Malachi 3:6, Numbers 23:19, Hebrews 13:8, James 1:17).  With the above in mind, including the verses from Galatians, we know that the Gospel does not change in even the minutest way.  It is pure, and it is unchanging.  It, itself, does not change, but it changes the destiny of men.  It plucks souls from their destiny of eternal pain and anguish to a new destiny of peace, joy, and wholeness with God.  Jesus is the answer for all of mankind.  There is no other Truth, no other answer for the dilemma of an eternal stain on every human born (Hebrews 8:6, 1 Timothy 2:5, John 14:6).

Yesterday I posted a video (https://youtu.be/tY1KcLgA01I) in which renowned Christian Pastor and Scholar John MacArthur has a conversation with a young Jewish man growing in renown, Ben Shapiro.  Ben initiates the conversation about the “differences between Judaism and Christianity.”  In my initial statement of the post I wrote “Here is the art of discussing a disagreement with civility, respect and even love! These men are brilliant! John MacArthur is masterful in getting at the crux of Christianity and presenting it to a wonderful and brilliant Jew. As a Christian, and as a man, I admire Ben Shapiro. Ben Shapiro, a young man listening and responding to an older man. The depth of John MacArthur is daunting, and the same with Ben Shapiro. At the end, these two men walked away not changing faith, but having a deep regard for each other. As a Christian I pray for Ben, and all Jews. I love Jews. More important than that is that God loves Jews. Christians must recognize that God loves the Jew, or they just don’t understand. The center of the difference between Jew and Christian is what we do with Jesus. In fact what matters to every person of the world, of any faith, is what we do with Jesus. It is the single most important question. What do we do with Jesus. God gave us a free will to decide. Use your free will wisely.”

I was first impressed with the civility of the two men and the depth of their conversation.  I thought John MacArthur did a wonderful job of responding to Ben’s topic of discussion.  Ben, a very intelligent man, gave the responses the responses to Jesus as Messiah that Jews have given for over two millennia.  In my response I also mentioned that Jesus loves the Jewish people.  That is as much part of the Gospel as any other part of it.  A true understanding of Romans 9 clearly reveals God’s love for Israel.  In Revelation 7 and 14, and in Zechariah 12:10, there are clear statements by God that Israel will find their Messiah and find that He is Jesus.  To deny this part of the Bible, is to deny all the Bible.   For us to have a true faith in Jesus, we must unwaveringly hold to all of the Bible.  Otherwise, we have none of it.

Today my Brother Steve, whom I love and admire, posted “I find myself returning to your post early this morning awaking from a dream. Without going into great detail I’ll summarize. 2 men had come to a friend of mine with a piece of gold. It was given to my friend to put into a crucible. Yet, I had a suspicion about them. Turns out they were trying to deceive & switch what was real to fake. Catching them in the act I offered 3 options none were pleasant. There was a fourth which was grace but went unspoken.  They had to want it themselves. Anyways, 2 days ago I had 2 young men come to my door wanting to share Jesus, their love for Jesus their servants for Jesus, after a great deal of conversation (actually me evangelizing them) it called down to me asking then again, did you come here to share the gospel of who Jesus actually is or your church and who you are? As Jesus once said Bob what you and I know, “many will say Lord, Lord” yet he answers back, I never knew you. There are many fooling themselves believing what they are doing with Jesus is knowing Jesus. My dream had to do with a counterfeit, replacing what was real, the crucible was the test. Grace was still there but what awaited was also a possibility.”

This morning I responded to the above post “Wow! What a powerful dream! I understand and that is powerful. Galatians 1:6-10 speaks to the theme of your dream. Verses 6-7 directly states “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.”

Even back in the first generation people were trying to pervert the gospel. The Gospel is a pure white linen. To add to the linen does not add to it but defiles the pureness. To take from it leaves an ugly hole, a scar. So to add or take away from the Gospel is to mean it is not the Gospel at all. People attempt to change or counterfeit the Gospel, which is the same thing the Anti-Christ will do. When anyone tries to add or subtract from it, then what they have is not the Gospel. It becomes a horrid ugly thing that has the stench of the devil’s breath on it. There is only one Gospel, it remains forever unchangeable.

All this, I know you know. Thank you Brother for being the keen warrior who loves the Lord and His Word and who will not stomach those who attempt to change it. I know the young men. Men who are deceived. They all have different faces but all offer a “poisoned apple” from which the Grace of God is the only saving elixir. I appreciate you Brother! I know that you do not disdain these two men, but love their souls. Your disdain is for what they peddle. I see you Brother!”

I know my Brother Steve’s heart, and the strength He has to diligently guard the Word.  I feel likewise.  I stand at his side and we in unison praise the Lord!

What those who claim that “in the times we live in we need the Gospel to change for these times.”  The answer to that is no!  Never, not ever!  A changed Gospel is no Gospel, but just another lie from hell itself.  Family, let us love the Word, exactly as it is, and never give in to the constant assault from the enemy to change the Word. His assault is a blistering wind that can peel the skin and yet still, will never win.  The devil is already defeated.  The Word of God stands without room to change anything about it.  This is the unchangeable truth that God Himself states about His Word.  To our perfect and unchanging God be all glory and honor!  Praise God!