The True Gospel
Romans 1:16 - "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."
The gospel of Jesus Christ is, by far, the most relevant; the most accurate; and the most tried, tested, and proven plan ever executed. It works every time it has been tried. It produces life-changing results. It removes the guilt of sin that tramples upon mankind. Upon receiving it, a man can stand and say, "That filthy, ungodly wretch is who I was; but now, I am a new creature!"
Paul begins the above verse by proclaiming, "I am not ashamed of the gospel." I will note here the definition of the word, "gospel." I will let the Bible define it for us. Note the following:
Luke 4:18 - "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor..."
In this verse, Jesus is quoting from the Old Testament, namely
Isaiah 61:1 - "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek..."
In Luke 4:18, the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew text, Isaiah 61:1, shows that Christ would be anointed to preach the gospel, or "good tidings," to the poor. The gospel is "good tidings." The word, "tidings" means literally, "news." Luke 2:10 refers to the gospel as "good tidings of great joy." Luke 8:1, Acts 13:32, and Romans 10:15 refer to "glad tidings." The word, "glad" literally means, "happy or joyful." The gospel is good news! It is the clear, concise answer that God Almighty has provided in Jesus Christ for man's problem of sin and separation from God. It is medicine to the sick, administered by the Great Physician Himself. It is the remedy for the downcast. It is hope for those who have fallen into deep, incurable despair. It is the act of the Saviour taking our lives, equivalent to LESS THAN the two fishes and five loaves given to Jesus, and distributing our lives in a far greater dimension than we ever thought possible. It is life given to the dead, to those who were dead in trespasses and sins. It is the work of God in us. Understanding the definition of the gospel, all I can say is, "No wonder we call it the Gospel!"
Paul's wording in our text is, "I am not ashamed of the gospel." And really, WHY WOULD HE BE? It is the absolute only hope for this world. It will work for any man who obeys it by believing it. The only person who can be disqualified from receiving the gospel is the man who is not a sinner, for Jesus said in Matthew 9:13, Mark 2:17, and Luke 5:32, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." If you are a sinner, plagued with "big sins" or "little sins," you are a perfect candidate for the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a gift from the Father, wrapped by Joseph of Arimathaea, with your name on it!
Paul states, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION." The gospel is power. I gave you the definition of the gospel; but now I give you the demonstration of the gospel. Jesus, in His earthly ministry, defined the gospel as good news, but upon the old, rugged cross, He demonstrated the gospel. Notice the following:
I Corinthians 15:1 - "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;"
Here, Paul begins to declare the gospel. In the verses following, he declares the gospel, the good news.
I Corinthians 15:3, 4 - "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures."
Yes, the gospel is glad tidings of great joy. It is good news for fallen man. Christ did not merely declare the gospel; He demonstrated it to us!
Romans 5:8 - "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
What a gospel! Jesus took up a cross and died for those of us who deserved it the least, along with the rest! The scriptures call on us to "obey the gospel" in II Thessalonians 1:8 and I Peter 4:17. But how do you "obey the gospel?" If the gospel is defined as good news and was demonstrated by Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, how do we "obey the gospel?" There's only one way to obey the gospel. We find the answer in Mark 1:15, spoken by Jesus Christ Himself. "And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." There must be a repentance from our trusting of any works other than Christ's; and we must solely believe, trust, rest, rely, and depend on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ! This is the only way to obey the gospel - The gospel must be believed!
No wonder we call it the Gospel!
The Perverted Gospel
Galatians 1:6-9 – “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”
Paul writes to the Galatians in a very frank, clear, and candid manner concerning teachers who had come to them preaching another gospel. Paul states, that in reality, there is no other gospel than the gospel of Christ, presented and received by grace. This new gospel that the Galatians were witnessing was simply a perversion of the true gospel.
The perverted gospel contains elements of the true gospel within it; but it is not the true gospel. The perverted gospel even has Christ in it somewhere; but Christ is not the center of the perverted gospel.
What is this perverted gospel? The perverted gospel, against which Paul warns, is the teaching that salvation is by grace at the altar, and works when you get up. Let me say it another way. The false teachers who had come to Galatia were saying things like, “Now, if you want to be saved, Christ will save you by trusting in Him. But, if you’re going to ‘stay saved,’ you have to…be circumcised…keep the law of Moses…do this…do that…hold your mouth a certain way…do everything I do…” and on, and on, and on. Paul spends, not a verse; not a chapter; but an entire epistle correcting this false doctrine.
Sad to say, this is a teaching of salvation by works that is still prevalent today; and it is just as wrong. Paul the apostle would correct it today as he did then. If you believe that salvation is a gift from God, but that it must be kept by the recipient obeying commandments, keeping standards, dressing a certain way, or any other work of any kind, Paul wrote the epistle of Galatians to you; and this blog post is written to you as well.
Paul’s Candid Question
Galatians 3:2, 3 – “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”
Paul’s question is to them who had started the race by the hearing of faith, but they were attempting to finish the race by works of the law. If the reader has started his Christian experience trusting Jesus by faith, but is trying to finish his Christian experience by keeping works of the law, this reader is demanded by Paul the apostle to answer this question. “ARE YE SO FOOLISH? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” Paul is asking you, in my words, “Are you so stupid, that you began in the Spirit, by the hearing of faith, and now, you’re made perfect by the flesh, by works of the law?” Paul is asking, “You mean to tell me that keeping the law of Moses wasn’t good enough to get you saved, but it’s good enough to keep you saved?” Paul is demanding an answer from you. He is asking, “Are you telling me that Jesus Christ is all you needed to get saved, but He is not all you need to stay saved?” By now, Paul is red in the face. He is beside himself in dealing with these Galatians.
We are not saved by keeping the law, and certainly, we cannot be kept that way. Assuming that the reader is still trying to maintain his salvation by keeping laws and commandments, let us look at some perfectly clear and extremely strong statements made by Paul regarding this subject.
If You’re under the Law, You’re Under it All!
Galatians 3:10 – “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in ALL things which are written in the book of the law to do them.”
Galatians 5:3 – “For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the WHOLE LAW.”
Here are the Galatians, who received salvation by simply trusting Jesus, now attempting to maintain their salvation by keeping “parts” of the law of Moses. This teaching is still prevalent today, and it is not Biblical. Paul is reminding the Galatians that if you are going to place yourself under ANY of the law of Moses, you place yourself under ALL OF IT! I will not elaborate here, because I have elaborated on this point extensively in my posts, “I Am Not Under the Law!” and “Why I Don’t Need the Law.”
I will say that James 2:10 bears out the same thought – “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of ALL.”
If you are putting yourself under any the law of Moses, Paul is reminding you that you are UNDER ALL OF IT. If you trust Jesus who fulfilled the law, you are trusting Him for the completion of ALL OF IT. With the law, it is all or nothing! Paul’s points get stronger. Let’s look at some more.
By the Works of the Law Shall No Flesh Be Justified
This truth is hammered in the book of Galatians. Paul is obstinate in his view that we are not justified (saved) as a result of any work of any kind. Paul’s passion on this subject is made so obvious by his extremely strong statements regarding this subject. Let us look at these statements.
I AM DEAD TO THE LAW!
Galatians 2:19 – “For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.”
Paul stated here, that he is dead to the law. How did that happen? Paul had been executed. Who executed him? THE LAW DID! Paul states clearly that he is not under the law, and CANNOT be under the law. It is impossible for Paul to be under the law, because the law has already killed him! Where did this execution take place? It took place at Calvary. Jesus died with Paul’s sins upon Him. Paul died with Him. That’s why the next verse, Galatians 2:20, says, “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live: yet not I, but Christ liveth in me!” Through the law, Paul died to the law, that he might live unto God! Friend, when we get saved, we are dead to the law through the cross of Christ. It is our execution that the law promised. The law killed us at the cross, and the resurrected Saviour gives us life! He lives in us! Law-keeping never saves anyone to start with; it only legislates, accuses, arrests, and executes; it is Jesus Christ that gives life!
CHRIST IS DEAD IN VAIN!
Galatians 2:21 – “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”
Wow! This verse needs no explanation (unless, of course, you believe righteousness is come by keeping laws). Paul says clearly that if righteousness is come by the law, Jesus Christ bore the crown of thorns; suffered under deathly blows; carried a heavy, wooden cross; was tried as criminal; was nailed to a tree; and hung between two thieves – ALL FOR NOTHING. Dear reader, if you are saved or kept by doing things, don’t you ever take communion again – Jesus’ body was broken and His blood was poured out – FOR NOTHING. He poured His blood; but you are not trusting in it. He suffered His body to be broken, but you are being kept some other way.
Think about it. If being saved or staying saved is a result of keeping laws, what need was there for Christ to die? Why didn’t the Father just send us His Spirit, giving us a Holy Ghost baptism, and tell us, “I’ve given you my Spirit so you can fulfil the law?” It sure seems like the Father required too much out of Jesus, if keeping laws is what saves or keeps us. I’ll tell you why the Father didn’t just give us His Spirit to help us fulfil the laws and be saved – RIGHTEOUSNESS DOES NOT COME BY THE LAW. I didn’t say it; it was Paul who said plainly and strongly, “If righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain!”
CHRIST SHALL PROFIT YOU NOTHING
Galatians 5:2 – “Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.”
If you believe that you are kept saved by keeping laws, do not sing, “Christ is All I Need,” because you do not believe it. If you saved or kept by keeping laws, Christ is of no profit or benefit to you. You would be just as saved if there were no Christ. Let me say that again. If you are KEPT SAVED by doing things, you would be just as saved if there were no such man as Jesus Christ. Your salvation has NOTHING TO DO with Jesus Christ. It has to do with how well you keep commandments. No wonder Paul hated this false doctrine of justification by works. This stupid doctrine really is a perverted gospel.
CHRIST IS BECOME OF NO EFFECT TO YOU
Galatians 5:4a – “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law.”
No effect! The phrase “of no effect” literally means “entirely useless!” If you are justified by keeping laws of any kind, Christ is useless to you! It is a statement similar to the above – Christ shall profit you nothing.
YE ARE FALLEN FROM GRACE!
Galatians 5:4 – “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.”
The ironic thing about this phrase, "fallen from grace," is that it does not refer to people forsaking Christ and falling into EVIL WORKS. It refers, rather, to people forsaking Christ, returning to the law, and trusting in GOOD WORKS. Paul plainly said, “If you are justified by the law, you are fallen from grace!” When a preacher gets up and preaches, “If you don’t do this…do that…keep this law…keep that law…you’re going to fall from grace,” it is really he who has fallen from grace. He has left the true gospel is now preaching the perverted gospel.
Now, these are some very strong statements regarding the false doctrine of justification by law-keeping of any kind. Paul makes it very clear, that if you are kept by works, you cannot be attached to the promise of being dead to the law and alive to God; Christ is dead in vain; Christ profits you nothing; Christ is of no effect, or useless to you; and you are fallen from grace! If you understand these clear, strong statements, there is no way that you can believe that anyone’s salvation is maintained by works of any kind. The above-mentioned verses are not the only ones in Galatians that prove that we are not justified by works of the law. Note:
Galatians 2:16 – “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”
Galatians 3:10, 11 – “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.”
The contrast between the true gospel and the perverted gospel is simple: the true gospel is demonstrated in Jesus Christ saving man; the perverted gospel is demonstrated in man saving himself.
Again, Romans 1:16 states it this way - "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation."
