Grace and gospel are two words we use a lot as Christians, especially in the church. They are, however, two words that we don’t get used a lot in secular conversation. That can cause a problem for us as we seek to communicate these two very important parts of God’s attitude and message for us. What is even more problematic is when we use these words thoughtlessly, not understanding the full impact of what they communicate to us.
In the letter to the Galatians, Paul is writing to some people who had received God’s grace through hearing the gospel of Jesus’ death and resurrection, but had gotten confused about the message and were trying to be right with God through their good works. Paul wants to make it clear: the gospel he proclaimed has little to do with what we do, and everything to do with what God has done for us.
Galatians 1:6 says, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel . . .” the original language starting verse 7 is explicit, “which is not another,” gospel. There is no other gospel. In other words, there is a message, a word of good news (because that is literally what gospel means, “good news”) that comes to us from God. This good news/gospel is the message that - out of His grace – God’s attitude of love and mercy toward us – God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to save us from our sins. We can go into great deal about that gospel message, talking of how God became one of us in Jesus’ birth. We could speak of healing, forgiveness, restoration and other images of salvation. Ultimately, though, when we speak of the gospel we are talking about the great exchange that Jesus made on the cross when He bore our sins to pay for them, and He gives us His righteousness through faith in Him. And this is something that we cannot speak of without remembering Jesus’ resurrection by which He gives us a new life in which to live righteously.
Paul was clear, when he had visited the region of Galatia, what is now central Turkey, he had proclaimed that gospel to the people, and they believed it. But now someone else had come in and was declaring what they said was the gospel – but it didn’t match up. Paul is calling the Galatians (and us) back to a full and proper understanding of what God has done for us in Christ! He is also very blunt in saying that anyone who teaches a different message is anathema, accursed, and condemned.
Why is Paul so insistent on this one message? Why does he make such a big deal that his understanding of God’s love and God’s Word is the right understanding? Isn’t that a little intolerant and even arrogant of him?
Paul knew that he had received the good news he proclaimed from Jesus Himself. He was not inventing, or tweaking God’s Word, he was simply proclaiming what he had received from Jesus.
That is what we desire to do, too. We want to receive the message God Himself is proclaiming in the Word and hold on to it for dear life! We see there are those who would twist it, and we do not want to fall under their curse. Instead we want to share what God has given us.
Father, help me to know your grace and gospel fully and rightly. Help me to receive it directly from You and share it with others exactly as you have given it to me, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
In the letter to the Galatians, Paul is writing to some people who had received God’s grace through hearing the gospel of Jesus’ death and resurrection, but had gotten confused about the message and were trying to be right with God through their good works. Paul wants to make it clear: the gospel he proclaimed has little to do with what we do, and everything to do with what God has done for us.
Galatians 1:6 says, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel . . .” the original language starting verse 7 is explicit, “which is not another,” gospel. There is no other gospel. In other words, there is a message, a word of good news (because that is literally what gospel means, “good news”) that comes to us from God. This good news/gospel is the message that - out of His grace – God’s attitude of love and mercy toward us – God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to save us from our sins. We can go into great deal about that gospel message, talking of how God became one of us in Jesus’ birth. We could speak of healing, forgiveness, restoration and other images of salvation. Ultimately, though, when we speak of the gospel we are talking about the great exchange that Jesus made on the cross when He bore our sins to pay for them, and He gives us His righteousness through faith in Him. And this is something that we cannot speak of without remembering Jesus’ resurrection by which He gives us a new life in which to live righteously.
Paul was clear, when he had visited the region of Galatia, what is now central Turkey, he had proclaimed that gospel to the people, and they believed it. But now someone else had come in and was declaring what they said was the gospel – but it didn’t match up. Paul is calling the Galatians (and us) back to a full and proper understanding of what God has done for us in Christ! He is also very blunt in saying that anyone who teaches a different message is anathema, accursed, and condemned.
Why is Paul so insistent on this one message? Why does he make such a big deal that his understanding of God’s love and God’s Word is the right understanding? Isn’t that a little intolerant and even arrogant of him?
Paul knew that he had received the good news he proclaimed from Jesus Himself. He was not inventing, or tweaking God’s Word, he was simply proclaiming what he had received from Jesus.
That is what we desire to do, too. We want to receive the message God Himself is proclaiming in the Word and hold on to it for dear life! We see there are those who would twist it, and we do not want to fall under their curse. Instead we want to share what God has given us.
Father, help me to know your grace and gospel fully and rightly. Help me to receive it directly from You and share it with others exactly as you have given it to me, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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