Scripture Daily

Context No. 3066 of 4322 · Galatians

Context · Reflection

Galatians 1:6-10: in context

6I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different “good news”, 7but there isn’t another “good news.” Only there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the Good News of Christ. 8But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any “good news” other than that which we preached to you, let him be cursed. 9As we have said before, so I now say again: if any man preaches to you any “good news” other than that which you received, let him be cursed. 10For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? For if I were still pleasing men, I wouldn’t be a servant of Christ.

Paul is astonished that the Galatians are so quickly deserting the God who called them in grace, for a different gospel, which is no gospel at all but a distortion by those who would trouble them. And he says something startling: even if he himself, or an angel from heaven, should preach a gospel other than the one they received, let him be accursed.

Paul's alarm shows how much is at stake. There is one true gospel, God's grace in Christ, and any gospel that adds to it or twists it, however plausible it sounds, is not merely different but dangerous, a desertion of Christ himself. Paul will not soften this even for an angel, even for himself. And the reason he can be so uncompromising is that he serves God, not human approval. If I were still trying to please people, he says, I would not be a servant of Christ. Faithfulness to the true gospel sometimes means refusing to please the crowd.

Am I holding fast to the one true gospel of grace, unwilling to trade it for a more comfortable version, even when that costs me people's approval?

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