Run from perverted Gospels
Studies from the book of Galatians
Gal 1:6 NIV
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.
Our generation is a light weight, worse still feather weight! Nothing weighs seriously on our hearts anymore. We are not shocked or surprised by perversions. It is a common phenomenon. Without speaking about the perversions in the world, which is to be expected (vs 4- the reason Christ came to deliver us: this present evil world), because the world lies under the power of the evil one, the Church has her own share of perversions- shocking ones at that! Crafty and perverted men have spread and risen through our ranks unnoticed and have entrenched evil teachings which have made them popular. The painful part is that many believers are blinded to this falsehoods because they have neglected their personal responsibilities of feeding on the sincere milk of the Word. It is for this reason the Lord is raising this cry- ‘Run from perverted Gospels.’
Paul marveled and was disturbed by the rate at which the Galatian Christians were turning away from the simple Gospel, the gospel of Grace that they received at first with joy and without cost. They embraced the message of Christ’s death for the sin of the world, his burial and resurrection and the salvation that accompanies believing in it without any price tag. Although it seemed foolish that God had done so much for sinful man only to offer it with all its attendant benefits free of charge, they excitedly received the good news of being reconciled to and making peace with God without pay except to ONLY BELIEVE. But now a new ‘gospel’ has appeared in town- and many among them have quickly embraced it.
By embracing this new gospel, a perverted gospel, another way of getting to Heaven, one actually is deserting God. When a man, yeah a believer in Christ, turns away from ‘sola gratia’ through faith, he certainly also rejects God who offers it. We cannot have a perverted Gospel and still go on with God. This is where great danger and deception is; to suggest that we can have a perverted gospel and be on God’s side. This is what the enemies of the faith want us to think. The propagators of this ideas know that if God is removed from the equation, many will not buy, so they present the message assuring that it will make us more on friendly terms with God. This is the bait that many have bitten. This preachers would say, “Unless we do this or that we cannot enter Heaven or won’t be blessed.’ Many who really desire to be blessed but do not understand what the finished work of Christ has accomplished for us will quickly bite the bait. By these, many have become followers of perverted gospels.
Let us highlight the danger of this perverted gospel a little further. Twice (vs 8,9) Paul by the Spirit placed a curse- eternal damnation, condemnation to hell on any preacher who seeks to lead the brethren in a different gospel other than the gospel of Grace. In the book of Jude, the Word says,
For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation… 1:4 KJV. In other words, the propagators of this message will find their lots in the lake that burns with Sulphur and fire. This is so because they have despised the grace of God; they have belittle the work of Christ and have made it of little significance by elevating human efforts above Christ and him crucified. Whereas Paul here dealt with addition to grace in terms of human works, Jude emphasized the carelessness of those who have received grace. The preachers in Galatians preached greater strictness but the preacher in Jude’s day encouraged pleasure of any kind. Both have their condemnation predicted long ago.
Now, if these preachers will be condemned, what will befall those who obey their teachings? If the Holy Spirit has prophesied their condemnation, what will be the lot of their followers? It is obvious again that the aim of this gospel perverts is to lure believers into rebellion against God and thus become condemned with Satan. The enemy of our souls has not relented in his bid to have many more people populate the other side of paradise. Although, many have received the gospel of grace, he comes to discredit it. As if to say, the grace of God is too simple and easy to accomplish what it promises. The grace of God promises so much to the believer. If it promises nothing else, grace assures of the salvation of one’s soul and this is what this perverted gospel seeks to destroy at the root. The Devil came through his subtle agents to spoil the power of grace in our hands by insinuating that it is not able to save us without taking up some stricter measures on top of grace.
The enemy has interpreted the ‘narrow’ way to mean that we must do some strict things in order for Heaven to open to us. The deeper life which ought to be graceful and joyful is full of the efforts of men at personal holiness such that many have lost the sweetness of Christ that oozes from those who depend on the grace of God alone. Yet, the Bible strictly warns, “You who are trying to be declared righteous by God through legalism have severed yourselves from the Messiah! You have fallen away from God’s grace!” Gal 5:4 CJB.
Church traditions and rules of men that impose greater strictness on believers as a means of reaching God and getting to Heaven all fall under ‘legalism’ but are the same reasons people are cut away from Christ and His eternal inheritance. Once we hold to these as the basis of assurance of salvation, it only means we have no business with Christ. This is the danger we are pointing out. The will of the Father that guarantees entry into the Kingdom of Heaven (Mt 7:21) is to look with hope for salvation in Christ because we have trusted in His grace alone. This is what we must hold from the beginning to the end otherwise we will find ourselves disqualified. If we begin with confidence in Christ based on His grace and at some point begin to trust in our own works, then the gates of heaven will be shut when we knock upon it at death.
While you have your breath, can you check to ensure that what you are holding is not a perverted gospel? Will you labour to set yourself free from the gospel that is centered on men and what Christ has done? Some have been so deceived by the size or status of the man of God who is preaching this perverted gospel. Yes, the man began well but now has turned aside. Paul said, if I or another or an angel preach another gospel to you, let him be accursed. The credentials or reputation of the ‘man of God’ is not the basis for accepting his message. A message that is not totally in agreement with the truth of Scripture is false and is to be rejected.
The worth of our souls is much more than the status of any man, to subject our eternal destiny to the whims of perverted and condemned men. Christ has set us free, it is time for you to deliver yourself from false doctrines. You will have to make a radical decision based on the truth that you have received to break loose from this Satanic agenda to cheat you of your birth right and blessing.