Galatians 1:6-12 New King James Version
Only One Gospel
6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert[a] the gospel of Christ. 8 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 [b]accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
Call to Apostleship
11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Scroll through your host of social media feeds, and you will undoubtedly be bombarded by myriads and myriads of different voices, opinions, conclusions.
Some of those messages safely grounded in legitimately proven theories, are sourced from verifiable resources. Still, some of those messages are downright dangerous laced by half truth’s or no truth at all but they are written so cleverly that they are easily believed and in turn is accepted and then become the norm.
But a lie is still a lie no matter how it sounds, no matter how often it is granted the status of truth, no matter how clever, smart, intuitive, educated the teacher.
Now that we have the internet, the World Wide Net, the Dark Internet, the sheer volume of messages is far greater now than during the time of the early church, the consequence of listening, adhering, not verifying truth, remains the same.
With such a burden of weight of information, what are those authentic truths?
Sourced from the Word of God or sourced in the glib clever words of charlatans?
Paul doesn’t beat around the bush about this in his Galatian letter. Immediately following his greeting (vv. 1–5), he gives the main reason for this letter: it is his concern about the impending apostasy of these precious young churches (v. 6).
This is perhaps Paul’s most passionate and zealous letter. Since it was possibly also his first epistle, he may have still been learning to temper his emotions.
His shock and outrage almost leap off the page!
It was unfathomable to him these followers of Christ—with whom he had shared the true grace of God—were now being so easily drawn away by a “different gospel,” which was actually “no gospel at all” (v. 6).
Paul then points a finger at the source of the problem.
Some unnamed influencers had come to the region and were creating confusion by “perverting” the gospel (v. 6). While the English verb “pervert” means to alter the course or distort what was intended, the Greek verb is even stronger.
https://www.blueletterbible.org/nkjv/gal/1/7/t_conc_1092007
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3344/nkjv/tr/0-1/
It describes the act of turning the subject into something completely different.
These meddlers were twisting, turning the gospel into something utterly false.
To underscore the severity of the situation, Paul even pronounces (twice!) a divine curse on anyone— himself and angels included—who would proclaim a different gospel (vv. 8–9).
The only true, authentic gospel was the good news of Jesus Christ, which Paul had preached to the Galatians from the beginning, and the only appropriate motivation for this gospel ministry was centered solely to please God alone.
Going Deeper
2 Timothy 2:14-19New King James Version
Approved and Disapproved Workers
14 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to [a]strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane and [b]idle babblings, for they will [c]increase to more ungodliness. 17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, 18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of [d]Christ depart from iniquity.”
Paul says here to study to show thyself approved unto God; we are to not just read God’s Word but we are to fellowship with it, study it, ponder it, asking the Lord to reveal the deeper truths, reveal the real living meaning into, unto, us.
I find myself to many times just reading and not mediating on the Word. If we are not careful we can unknowingly be put in a situation where someone asks us about something in God’s Word and we are unable to answer because we have not yet been studious enough, prayerful, and grasped the meaning in our heart.
This can put us to shame as a Christian. One of our greatest gifts to others is to be able show ourselves able to rightly divide God’s Word and pass it on to them.
Matthew 6:19-21 New King James Version
Lay Up Treasures in Heaven
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
What we put our time into is what we will be knowledgeable about. For example I know people who are very knowledge about classic and collectible cars and movies especially old western and crime and detective (Perry Mason etcetera.)
They can tell you who starred as most of the characters of those movies.
They have invested their time into them and became knowledgeable in them.
Me, on the other hand know very little about them because even though I enjoy watching them I have not invested the same quantity of my own time in them.
On the other hand I can tell you things about writing these biblical devotions as I have written, best guess is well over 1600 of them, shared them over the globe.
As Christian we need to invest time in God’s Word as much as possible, study and mediate upon it so we are able to answer any person’s question about the Lord and Salvation through Him.
Don’t get me wrong; it is alright to love other things and be knowledgeable about them but our first priority should be to know God personally in our heart and to be knowledge in His Word. When we do this we will never be ashamed of the Word of God and God will always be able to use us to bring others to Him.
Proverbs 4:20-24 New King James Version
20 My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;
22 For they are life to those who find them,
And health to all their flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.
24 Put away from you a [a]deceitful mouth,
And put perverse lips far from you.
What “perverse lips,” “deceitful mouths” or “false gospels” vie for your attention and loyalty, contribute to your confusion, muddle up God’s Word?
How can we, with all diligence guard our heart and mind from those influences?
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 19 New King James Version
The Perfect Revelation of the Lord
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
19 The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament[a] shows [b]His handiwork.
2 Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard.
4 Their [c]line has gone out through all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.
In them He has set a [d]tabernacle for the sun,
5 Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
6 Its rising is from one end of heaven,
And its circuit to the other end;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect, [e]converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the [f]honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can understand his errors?
Cleanse me from secret faults.
13 Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins;
Let them not have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
And I shall be innocent of [g]great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my [h]strength and my Redeemer.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 