Houston Chinese Church - English Houston Chinese Church

The main point Paul has been driving home in Galatians is that the gospel is good news for all. New spiritual life and right standing before God was made available to Gentiles through fain in Christ – without expecting them to adopt Jewish law and customs. But that message prompted accusations of playing fast and loose with Scripture, ignoring commands plainly in the text. And it raised important questions about the Law’s continued relevance and role in our lives.

Don’t be deceived by lies. Hold onto the truth. There are many excellent arguments that show that we are not justified or declared righteous by the Law, but we are justified by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Paul argues that to supplement the work of Christ is to supplant it. There is only one way to be saved and that is by faith in Christ alone.

An embrace of legalism causes us to walk out of step with the gospel. We feel tempted to embrace legalism sometimes, so that we can fit in with the crowd. Legalism can be both spiritual and secular. We memorize Scripture because everyone else does it, but not because it will help me grow in my relationship with God. We purchase certain brands so that we can fit into our friend group though it stretches our budget. What should we do when we feel tempted to embrace legalism?

People have certain ideas about the gospel. Some believe that good works will result in a relationship with God. Others think that Jesus is a moral exemplar to be imitated rather than our savior. These erroneous ideas reveal a deficient understanding of the gospel. If one believes in such error, it results in an impure gospel. What should we do then when we encounter erroneous ideas about the gospel that we have trouble refuting?

The most powerful stories ever told are often testimonies of God's grace in converting people. The Apostle Paul's conversion on the Damascus Road is one of the best known. His retelling of it in Galatians 1 has its own polemic purpose in the course of the letter, but his testimony also demonstrates important realities regarding the Christian gospel.

The Christian gospel is not a pliable message that can be molded into something new to fit changing times. It has a fixed content that the Church is called to proclaim, protect, and pass down to future generations. But there will always be pressure to amend or adjust the gospel. Either by subtraction or addition. By denying/downplaying central truths of the gospel. Or by requiring certain beliefs/ practices to supplement one’s faith in Christ. Either way, the gospel is lost. This is why Christians of every generation must be clear in their grasp of the gospel and courageous in their defense of it.