Last week we read the first ten verses of Galatians 1, but we only worked through Paul’s introduction (1-5). Sunday we pick up with Paul stern and urgent warning in verses 6-10. Paul is amazed by the report that the Galatians are giving ear to false teachers so quickly. He can’t believe that they are turning to another gospel. As we learned last week, the false teachers in Galatia were commonly known as Judaizer. They claimed to be Jewish Christians. They preached that Jesus is the messiah, that he really died, and he really rose from the grave. But they said faith in Jesus and his work was not sufficient to save. They taught that to be accepted by God, one must believe in Jesus and be circumcised according to the customs of Moses. They were adding something to the gospel.

Paul doesn’t tell the Galatians that this "other" gospel is close enough. He doesn’t find points of agreement with them. He says that this is a distortion of the gospel and, in fact, it is not another gospel at all! Then, with some of the most harsh language in the New Testament, Paul declares that if anyone, even a heavenly angel, preaches a gospel different than the one the Galatians received, they are accursed. They are under the wrath of God. Paul doesn’t beat around the bush when it comes to the gospel. He is adamant that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone. Anything added to the gospel is to be considered under God’s curse. It doesn’t matter who preaches it. Whether it is Paul himself, an angel from heaven, or even our own hearts - we are to reject it. This is what the Galatians should have done. This is why Paul is so astonished to hear they have not. This is what we must do when teachers, friends, preachers, angels, or even our own hearts try to convince us that we must add to Jesus’ work. We have everything in Christ. That is the gospel by which we are saved - and that is the gospel we must walk in as we follow Jesus.

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