SUNDAY January 10, 2021
The Only Gospel
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.
Galatians 1:8
Under inspiration, Paul stated that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only Gospel that can save a person. These legalists professed to be Christians, yet they would tell Gentile believers, they needed to be circumcised to become a Christian. That is law! Legalism!
These false teachers tried to bring anyone living according to the grace of God back into bondage to the Law. In doing so, they violated the simplicity of free grace as taught in the preaching of the Gospel. Instead, they insisted on obedience to the Mosaic Law, insisting that this was what God recommended to become a Christian. That is not true! In Galatians 2:16, Paul declared his argument to those in Galatia:
…knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
Understand, no one who lived according to the Ten Commandments or any legalistic ordinances, such as circumcision, will receive salvation. These false teachers preached a Gospel of works. Religious traditions did not give a person salvation; it actually condemned them because they became entangled in legalism.
I have found that legalism continues to be an issue in South America, Europe, some parts of Asia and even here in America. Understand, any person who comes to Jesus by faith becomes a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ—period. A Christian is set free from the bondage of legalism, and by faith they rest in the finished work of Christ (John 17:4).
Legalism is looking to something besides Jesus Christ in order to be acceptable and clean before God.
~Timothy Keller~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!