Sound Doctrine

Guest (Male): Do you have the discernment necessary to tell good doctrine from bad? Consider this from Pastor Jeff.

Jeff Johnson: The Lord said, I'm going to give you the gifts of the Holy Spirit. One of the gifts is discerning of spirits, whether it's from God or not. That is an important gift that God has given to the latter-day church, that's us, to not get caught up in this perverted another gospel.

Discerning of spirits. Something's wrong with what they're saying or there's something wrong in what they're doing. God, help that Holy Spirit alarm to go off completely.

Guest (Male): It's time once again for Sound Doctrine with Pastor Jeff Johnson and another study in our new series in Galatians. Do you remember getting talked to sternly by your parents? As we continue in Galatians chapter one, we're going to continue to see Paul's reaction to his beloved friends in Galatia turning to a false gospel. It might resemble a good old-fashioned dressing down, but Paul had their best interest at heart and what you're about to hear is his response to them. Here's Pastor Jeff in Galatians chapter one, verses six through ten.

Jeff Johnson: This is a real doctrinal book, but it's very simple, as you will see as we continue on. We're in Galatians chapter one, after Paul's strong and assertive greeting, that's what we got last week. God's my authority, he said. God is my anointing. Because others were saying he has no authority. Who is he anointed by? And Paul just says, my orders are from God, they're from headquarters. I get it from him. That's headquarters. He alone has the words of eternal life. Grace and peace come only through Jesus, who loves us and died for us, remember, we looked at it, and also delivered us from this present evil world.

There's some pretty heavy doctrinal issues there. He alone saves. He alone delivers. So this is great news to a world that was under incredible bondage, just by sin alone. Sin and death hovering over man, let alone the Roman taxation and just the world and the darkness that was in it at that time, as well as today. So this is great news. And that's why Paul said in Romans chapter one, verse sixteen, I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the power of God unto salvation.

But then comes this. Oh, did you hear that knock? Go get the door. You open the door and there they are. You go, what do you got? What's this? And they go, hey, we've got good news for you. What's that? Well, we're here to give you our magazine first of all. And we just want to share with you good news that Jesus is just another archangel and he's really not the way and so there's other ways and Jehovah has told us and shown us the way. And if you just continue to read our magazine and get into our books, we have great little literature and we'll lead you to that life, that eternal life which is in God.

There are many voices, but there is only one true gospel, one true good news. Jesus said, I am the only way to the Father, the only way to heaven. There is no other way. Paul's fear, as he writes, just jot this down, Second Corinthians chapter eleven, verse three. Paul said, But I fear, in Second Corinthians 11:3, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled, deceived Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which you have not received, or here it is, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might well bear with him.

You need to listen. He had a great fear here, swayed from the simplicity that is in Christ. The region that Paul is writing to is the region of Turkey that we know today. And in that region, they weren't getting it. They were losing discernment in the churches. They were inviting other things into their teachings. They were confused between truth and lies. And they couldn't really put their finger on what it was as they were gathering together. These individuals that are bringing in these other gospels will be revealed.

In fact, in Second Corinthians chapter eleven, verse thirteen, jot that down, Second Corinthians 11:13, For such, Paul says, are false apostles who are bringing this, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. We believe in Jesus. That's what they'll tell you. And you've got to go, well, which Jesus though? There's only one. No, no, no, the Bible says there's other Jesuses. Which good news are you giving to us? Because the Bible says there are other gospels or good newses.

So they transform themselves into apostles of Christ. No marvel, for Satan himself transformed into an angel of light. Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers, Satan's ministers, also be transformed as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works. They're going to get what they deserve. They're deceiving. So after explaining his authority, Paul comes on the scene to those in Galatia. He expresses now his anxiety, great anxiety, and he begins to expose the enemy in what they're trying to do.

We need this today more than ever. The enemy's just as alive here in this region than back then in that region and he's doing the same thing. What do you stand on? Where is your foundation of your faith? It should be on the Word and what the Bible says. Let's look at it. Galatians chapter one, verse six. He starts out by saying, I marvel, I am blown away, that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.

Paul was totally amazed at how quickly that they had been deceived and taken away from that simplicity that is in Christ. All of a sudden, what happened to you guys? They were departing from grace. This is dangerous. And then you go back over there into Second Corinthians eleven in verse two. He says, listen, Paul says, I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

One husband, no looking around. Grass is not greener, guys. What are you doing? Departing from grace? The honeymoon is what, over? And you're leaving? And it was exciting at first and you thought you'd really got the answer, but then what are you doing? Another gospel of law and grace? And that's really what was being preached. Grace is our victory. We're to live by grace. Undeserved, unmerited, unearned favor. That's the definition of grace. They've fallen from grace.

Notice, cheat a little bit, we'll get to it and we'll talk about it more, but Galatians chapter five, verse four. Galatians 5:4. He says, Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; you are fallen from grace. What happened? You got away from unearned, unmerited, undeserved favor and you're going by rules and regulations? Jesus asked his disciples, are you guys going to leave me also? As he looked at them. Can you imagine that time and what was going on at that time?

Everybody was forsaking the Lord. Everybody was turning their backs and he said, are you also going to leave me? I love their response. Oh no, no Lord, for you alone have the words of eternal life. There's no way we're going to seek you. To leave the grace of Christ, to turn away from Jesus and from all that he has done, all that he means, to turn from liberty to legalism. Paul had given them the truth, the way, the life.

Paul came on the scene and he traveled throughout the Galatia region. And he gave them the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. These Judaizers, and that's what they're called, kind of mixed up individuals with another doctrine. They said, did Paul give you and did he tell you? I know that he gave you Jesus, right? And they'd go, yeah, we have Jesus. But did he tell you the second part? Oh, there's a second part? Oh yeah. Yeah, you mean you didn't get the second part?

Yes, we need Jesus, okay? They would say to them. But you need the Mosaic law also, because it's the most important thing or you won't be saved. Jesus, yeah, but you need to be under the law. That is what it really is about. You talk about taking the bait and going for it. They went for it. Christ plus works. All the cults, when you really look into them, all the isms preach this other gospel. And that's what it is. It's another gospel.

And what is heresy? Heresy is you've gotten away from that which is truth. You've gotten away from the simplicity in Christ. Jot these two scriptures down. Acts chapter sixteen, verse thirty-one. Acts 16:31, where they said, and they made it very clear here in Acts 16:31, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. And your house has got can be saved also. I mean, as you believe, so you are a witness in your home and your house has the opportunity to be saved.

But it's in Christ. It's believing in Christ, period. Then you go to Acts chapter four, jot it down, verse twelve. Acts 4:12. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name, no other way under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved, at the name of Jesus. Makes it very clear. The gospel is salvation by grace alone with nothing added. That's it. Remember what Ephesians 2:8 and 9 says? It's a free gift from God. It's not of works lest any man should boast.

It's a gift of God that God gives you, not because you're good, not because you deserve it, not because you work for it, he just going to give it to you as you trust in him and him alone. Trusting in what Christ has done. Okay, let's get back to our text. He says I'm blown away that you quickly have left and gone over to another gospel. Verse seven now, which is not another, but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

Three things about this other gospel. Number one, it was illegitimate. It never was endorsed by God. God never put a stamp of approval on it. It's a man thing, okay? Number two, it wasn't good news at all. It was trouble. The word pervert there also means trouble. Why was it troubling? Well, you've got to go under the law. You've got to get circumcised, guys. Come on, put a smile on your face. It'll be all right. You can handle the pain. You know, just you've got to do some things for him, man.

You've got to meditate. You've got to get away. Get in the Himalayas, get in the lotus position, turn upside down and look through your third eye. Then you'll be saved. You know all these weird things that people get into. It's almost this trouble's like a little kid getting into a stranger's car. Oh God. Number three, it was a counterfeit, it was a distortion of the true gospel. It brought perversion, a different gospel.

Over in Acts chapter fifteen, there was a big uprising and we could have Christianity could have ended right here in Acts 15:1. That's how serious a matter this was, what was being dealt with here in this chapter of Acts. We could have ended up being a Jewish sect, that's it. Instead of the church of Jesus Christ, the bride of Christ. Listen to this. Acts 15:1. Certain men which came down from Judea they taught the brethren and they said, listen, except you be circumcised, come on, after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved.

And it got down to the point where James just said, come on, you know, yeah we can give some little rules, don't eat things strangled, you know, that are not bled and and don't don't, you know, fornicate. And he gave them a few things and he said, you know as long as you do these things, you know that that's a good thing, but it has nothing to do with salvation. And these guys are saying, no, you've got to be circumcised if you're going to be saved.

There's a crossroads there. To abandon God's grace, it's a dangerous thing. The word is going to be perverted. And it's a very strong word pervert there. It means like the sun turned to darkness. That's an illustration of perverting. Or as James says, let your laughter be turned to what, mourning? It's radical, okay? It changes everything. These Judaizers were deceivers. They were good at what they were doing.

This group of pervertedness speaks Christianese. Do you know what Christianese is? It just knows all the lingo. Praise the Lord. God is good, you know, and yeah, Jesus, you know, and and it's got that's Christianese to these guys because they used it very wisely. Going back to Second Corinthians 11:14. Second Corinthians 11:14. He says no marvel, I just read this before, no marvel for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Look at this perversion. Satan as an angel of light?

It's beautiful. It looks great. And you take it in, you know. Sounds good. And you just got big time deceived and ripped off. And remember what Paul said, Second Corinthians 11:3, I fear lest by any means as a serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety so your minds would be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. The gospel is so simplistic a child can understand it. But then something happens when adults get it and they go off with it. And it gets perverted. Oh, it gets ugly.

We only need to handle the real. The real is this. Stay close to the real so you don't get into the counterfeit. Tellers at a bank only deal with the real hundred-dollar bills. And as soon as they come over one that's not legitimate, that's counterfeit, they feel it, they smell it, they bust it because they've handled the real. We need to stay, keep our hearts in the book. We need to be aware of what the enemy's trying to do with the church today and what with your own heart to rip us off.

To be able to discern the counterfeit. This is what the Lord said, I'm going to give you the gifts of the Holy Spirit. And one of the gifts is discerning of spirits, whether it's from God or not. That is an important gift that God has given to the latter-day church, that's us, to not get caught up in this perverted another gospel. Discerning of spirits. Something's wrong with what they're saying or there's something wrong in what they're doing. God, help that Holy Spirit alarm to go off completely.

The real gospel is Jesus, period. The power of God unto salvation. Turn with me to First Corinthians and hold there at Galatians, First Corinthians chapter fifteen, verse one. First Corinthians 15:1. And let's look at the true gospel. Paul is so good at describing it, defining it. This is First Corinthians fifteen, verse one. Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you which also you have received and wherein you stand. In other words, you're not going anywhere. You've taken your stand on the true gospel. By which also you are saved, and then there's that if, you keep in memory what I preach unto you unless you have believed in vain. So just stay in the real.