The Priority of the True Gospel

Today we are starting a new book of the Bible, the book of Galatians. In many ways this book is written as a defense of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Galatians is a treatise for the true gospel of Jesus Christ, the gospel of grace and not works. In Galatians 1 Paul begins this defense of the gospel. In case you wondered if it mattered to Paul that the true gospel was preached, as compared to a false gospel, read these words: 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 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 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.

Do you think there is any doubt in Paul’s mind as to the importance of the gospel? The Galatians, like many today, had begun to turn away from the true gospel to a gospel of works. But the gospel of Jesus is not a gospel of works, unless you are talking about the “work” that Jesus did on the cross. The gospel of Jesus, the good news of Jesus, is that Jesus died on the cross for your sin and was resurrected. If we receive Jesus as our Savior then we can be forgiven and be given eternal life. This is the true gospel. Please don’t fall for a substitute. It does matter that we believe and teach the true gospel. Any other is not really good news at all.