“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” (Galatians 1:6-7)

There is “another gospel” “which is not another?” Is this a contradiction? Can this be resolved?

If you read through the whole book of Galatians. You can’t help but note that the Holy Spirit led the Apostle Paul to hastily pen that epistle himself (Galatians 6:11) because of the spiritual deception that had so rapidly gripped the grace churches of Galatia (central modern Turkey).

Just a short time earlier, Paul had visited these pagan people lost in idolatry. He had preached to them the Gospel of God’s Grace. Once they had heard that good news, they abandoned their vain works-religion. By faith, they came to rely exclusively on Jesus Christ as their personal Savior—His death, burial, and resurrection as sufficient payment for their sins (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). They were so joyful to have a relationship with the one true God, and a home waiting for them in heaven. However, as the opening verses of Galatians show us, Satan got involved and greatly damaged these precious saints.

“I Marvel That Ye Are So Soon Removed From Him That Called You Into The Grace Of Christ…”

Paul “marveled” at just how quickly the Galatians had forsaken Pauline doctrine of grace that he had taught them in person just a short time earlier. Before he left them, they had been progressing so well in spiritual maturity. Now, at the time of him writing to them, he was so amazed that they had already abandoned the grace doctrines that the Holy Spirit had given them through him. They were “so soon removed from him [Paul] that called you [them] into the grace of Christ.”

If the Galatians abandoned the “grace of Christ,” then what did they embrace instead?

This is quite easy to answer if you are familiar with the book of Galatians. Paul asks “Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?” (Gal 4:21) The Galatians “desire to be under the Law.” They prefer works-based religion to the grace of God. After all, the two great contrasting systems in the Bible are, Law and Grace—you cannot have both. For us in today’s “Dispensation of the Grace of God” (Eph 3:2) we read: “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14). We are not under the Law but under Grace. God does not deal with us on the basis of our good or bad works; He deals with us on the basis of His righteousness and goodness. Paul had preached this grace Gospel to the Galatians, but religion had subsequently caused them to forget it; just so many believers are just as misled today. “I Marvel That Ye Are So Soon Removed… Unto Another Gospel”

As a soldier would abandon his commander’s marching orders, the Galatians had embraced “another gospel.” They had left God’s grace (Paul’s Gospel and ministry) and returned to works-religion (the Mosaic Law), a system that was “weak and beggarly” (Galatians 4:9) because it was “weak through [their] flesh” (Romans 8:3). However, the false teachers who had misled them were very sneaky. The preachers of this false gospel sounded very much like the Apostle Paul. Satan did not approach the Galatians with a message that was 100 percent lies. There were seeds of truth in this false gospel. They had taken a pure Gospel message and “perverted” it, still calling it by the same name, a “Gospel,” so it still appeared genuine. Again, notice: “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” (Galatians 1:6-7).

Paul had to deal with people mixing Law and Grace in his ministry, and this is ongoing even today.

“And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the [Gentile] brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. ² When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. ³ And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. ⁴ And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. ⁵ But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” (Acts 15:1-5)

You can read the rest of Acts 15 (and Gal. 2) to learn that the confusion was finally settled. No believing Law-keeping Jews from the Messianic Kingdom Program had any right to come to Paul’s grace assemblies and teach Law (whether for salvation unto heaven, or for daily Christian living). There came an agreement that Paul and Barnabas were to continue with their Gentile converts under Grace, while Peter and the 11 Jerusalem apostles were to stay with Israel’s “Little Flock” under Law (Gal. 2:7-9). No one would interfere with Paul’s assemblies anymore. Yet, an unbelieving element of Jews had come into Galatia after-Acts-15 to deliberately destroy Paul’s work. Paul, in Galatians, mentions the Acts chapter 15 council in an effort to strengthen his claim that the Gentiles in Galatia were not to be under Law but under Grace. Please read Galatians 2.

“ANOTHER GOSPEL: WHICH IS NOT ANOTHER” - In fact, that false gospel had such an enticing outward form that it looked just like God’s Word. I am quite sure they talked about “Jesus” and “God”— but never used the terms “Satan” or “evil.” That false gospel was not another form of Paul’s Gospel, not Paul’s Gospel at all. The Galatians had embraced “another gospel” in the sense that it was a “perverted,” corrupted, gospel. Because it was perverted, it really was “not another gospel.” It was not something that the God of the Bible wanted preached. You can study Paul’s epistles of Romans through Philemon, and you will see that works based religion’s message is not what God wants preached during this day’s “Dispensation of the Grace of God” (Eph 3:2). Yes, He commanded Israel to keep the Mosaic Law. But, that ‘Dispensation of Law’ is completely separate and unique from our
“Dispensation of Grace.” God never commanded Gentiles in “the Body of Christ” to keep the outward Mosaic Law. In fact, He teaches quite the opposite as seen when you read Paul’s epistles.

We have to go to Paul’s ministry if we are to read the instructions in “the Dispensation of the Grace of God” (Eph. 3:2). One of the main themes of Paul’s ministry is, “… for ye (the members of “the body of Christ”) are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14).

To the Galatians and to us today Paul writes; “BUT THERE BE SOME THAT TROUBLE YOU”

Medicine will help your physical body, provided you use that medicine as your physician or pharmacist intended. Likewise, the Bible will benefit you spiritually, provided you use God’s Book as He intended! False teaching, especially the non-rightly-divided Word of God—that confuses grace with Law will “trouble” Christians. It will disrupt their edification (spiritual growth) and disturb them (2 Thes. 2:2). Their souls (hearts) and minds will be poisoned. Doubt will enter and “the Adversary (Satan)” will greatly use that to his advantage. Just look at the spiritual impotency of the professing “church” today!

Satan will use perverted Bibles and Bible verses to attack and weaken Christians. After all, he used verses from Moses’ Bible books to confuse the grace churches in Galatia. Moses’ books were Scripture, but not Scripture to or about them or us today. Moses spoke and wrote to Israel, NOT to the Church “the Body of Christ.” Contrariwise, Paul spoke and wrote to “the Church, which is His Body” (Eph 1:22b-23a). Paul alone was God’s “apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13). Jesus Christ had sent Paul, not Moses, to the Gentiles. Jesus Christ had sent Paul, not Moses, to the Galatians. Jesus Christ has sent Paul, not Moses, to all of us in this age of the pure grace of God.

We must heed the instructions in 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV): “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

If we don’t use God’s Word, God’s way, we will pollute ourselves and those who hear us teach and preach.

We must separate: the words of “Prophecy” and promise that concern Israel alone, from “the Mystery” that “was hid in Christ” concerning “the body of Christ.” That means to separate all that concerns Israel from “the Body of Christ”;

• “Law” from “Grace” (Rom 6:14)
• Peter from Paul (Gal 2:7)
• Earth from Heaven (Gen 12:3, Rev 5:10, 20:6; from Philippians 3:20-21)

If we do not recognize the need for paying attention to dispensational Bible study, we will harm ourselves beyond comprehension. If you do not believe me, look at the Galatians, and at today’s so-called Christian church that “WOULD PERVERT THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST”

The Gospel of Christ is defined by comparing two verses.

• First, Romans 1:16: “For I (Paul) 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.”
• Second, 1 Corinthians 1:18: “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”

The Gospel of Christ is that Israel’s rejected “Messiah” (‘Christ’ in Greek) is now being offered as Savior to all people. Whether Jew or Gentile, all who “believe in (trust in) Jesus” (Romans 3:26) are justified—made righteous—in God’s sight.

This Gospel then has absolutely nothing to do with works-based religion. Those who say that it does, they are “perverting” (adulterating) the “Gospel of Christ.” They are pushing Jesus’ cross-work aside and trying to substitute their own “good” works.

Their “good” works seem so good, but they are nothing compared to the perfect sacrifice of Christ Jesus.

“LET HIM BE ACCURSED” WHO “PERVERTS THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST”

The Holy Spirit through Paul issued a very stern warning in the verses following. We reproduce them here for your benefit:

“⁶ I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: ⁷ Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. [8] 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. ⁹ 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. ¹⁰ For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” (Gal 1:6-7)

Paul advised the Galatians to cut off all contact with the false teachers who had misled them. (NOTE—Paul also told them to not associate with him if he ever corrupted “the Gospel of Christ”! He also said that we are not to associate with angelic beings who do not preach “the Gospel of Christ”! Those charlatans had come in the name of the “Gospel” and appeared godly, but they were preaching “another Gospel,” one the Apostle Paul had not preached (cf. 2 Cor 11:3-4). Actually they were Satan’s ministers (2 Cor. 11:13-15), and they were to be avoided! We would do well today to heed Paul’s advice even today. There are more false teachers today than in Galatia 20 centuries ago, so we should be even more cautious!

Galatians chapter 5, in closing: “Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? ⁸ This persuasion cometh not of him (Paul) that calleth you. ⁹A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. ¹⁰I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be. ¹¹And I, brethren, if I (Paul) yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. ¹² I would they were even cut off which trouble you.”

The Bible says we are to have nothing to do with those who “trouble” us with a (Law-keeping) “gospel” that the Apostle Paul did not preach!

by Shawn Brasseaux as adapted by Arthur J Licursi