Gal 1:6,7 A Different Gospel

bcbsr said:

A Different Gospel

Gal 1:6,7 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ

This is primarily what Galatians is about - defending the true gospel from false imitations.There are many who through denominational allegiance and indoctrination have been trained to gullibly accept whatever they hear rather than subjecting the ideas to scrutiny, as John instructed, "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." 1John 4:1 In fact one of the tests of right doctrine is to compare it against the standard set by the apostles, as John also said, "We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us." 1John 4:6 Thus we'll find in Galatians the apostle Paul contrasting his gospel with that of the false teachers.

I bet that many of the Galatians hadn't realized that they were turning away to a different gospel. That's the way it often is. Of those Christians who believe a false gospel even today, most think that they are believing the gospel testified to by the apostles. Most don't realize they've been led astray. Paul uses words here like "I am astonished" and "quickly deserting" to wake them up.

The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources

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How does a person know if they've turned from the true gospel and followed off after some other gospel?

bcbsr said:

By beingsaveerean - comparing what is alleged to be scripture to what has been established as scripture.

"Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." Acts 17:11

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Well if we examine the scriptures, not only those available to the Bereans, but also the new testament, we find:

Mar 16:16 - “He who believes and is baptized will be saved..."

So we must believe and be baptized. Then:

Act 2:38 - Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

So we believe and are baptized, then we receive the Holy Spirit. Also:

Jhn 6:53 - Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.

So we then eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ to have life in us. Also:

Mat 25:42 - ‘for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink...

Mat 25:46 - “And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

So the righteous are those who do those things Christ commanded. I'm sure the original Bereans did all those things.

bcbsr said:

How do you know whether you haven't misinterpreted scripture? For I notice that you fail to interpret scripture in light of scripture. For you make salvation out to be a matter of works, even religious ceremonial works. Yet Paul writes, "Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.." Rom 4:4,5 and Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." John 5;24 Likewise it says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith— and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." Eph 2:8

Interpretation involves, among other things, resolving the paradox between such verses and those you point out, which you haven't done. The way to resolve these is to conclude that works are the result rather than the cause of being saved. And in particular concerning Acts 2:38 “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins", you assume incorrectly what the word "for" means. If I said Jesse James was wanted "for" murder, do I mean he was wanted in order to commit murder, or do I mean that he was wanted because he committed murder. The saved get baptized because they are saved. This as opposed to the soteriology of the Neo-Circumcision salvation by works Christians who claim that people get baptized in order to be saved.

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." John 10:27 That's the behavior of those who have already been saved. Not in order to be saved. Likewise it's written, "No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God." 1John 3:9 It doesn't say, "In order to be born of God", but rather "because he has been born of God." That's the nature of those born of God.

You say, "So we believe and are baptized, then we receive the Holy Spirit." No. Acts 11 proves that wrong, as Cornelius received the Spirit prior to being water baptized.

Rom 10:9 If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

No mention of water baptism there. You could just as well say that he how believes and eats a tuna fish sandwich will be saved. Because the fact is, he who believes will be saved. Rom 4:6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

But you preach a different gospel.

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There is no paradox. The confusion is created when someone forms some extrabiblical idea and then when scripture contradicts that idea they set out to disprove that part they don't agree with.

Ephesians 2:8 is a prime example. No one could read 2:1-7 and reach the conclusion you have reached. It is obvious that Paul is telling the Ephesians that they had not been saved because of any "works" they had done previously. Their salvation was not a reward for anything they had done prior. He goes to great lengths to describe all the sins they were wrapped up in but God saved them anyway.

Some misguided people want to lift 2:8 literally out of context and use it to prove something that simply isn't true. "You don't have to do anything". But Jesus said directly that those who don't are condemned.

The bible is consistent throughout. It is only when someone does not draw their conclusions from what it says rather than what they've been told it says that confusion is created.

HTacianas said:

How does a person know if they've turned from the true gospel and followed off after some other gospel

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bcbsr said:

being a Berean - comparing what is alleged to be scripture to what has been established as scripture

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If talking with someone you will discover that they have left the church their family and friends attend and are now at ' this marvelous church, with an amazing preacher etc etc'
They will admit to having arguments with family and friends about what this 'church' teaches it's practises etc.
Not always though, sometimes it is a 'new' preacher with personality that captivates people who don't realize he is leading them astray.

How does one deal with it?
The later by talking to the preacher, clarifying just what he believes and is teaching and challenging him on areas that are doubtful. Also by talking to the elders of the church.

The person attending a dodgy church.
Again find out just what that church believes. Easy nowa days most church's have aninternet site with a statement of faith/belief on it.
Talk to the person, what do they think the church believes and what are they teaching?
Are they willing to do a Bible study to show you this church is teaching true Christianity?
Take it from there, with lots of prayer.

Tolworth John said:

If talking with someone you will discover that they have left the church their family and friends attend and are now at ' this marvelous church, with an amazing preacher etc etc'
They will admit to having arguments with family and friends about what this 'church' teaches it's practises etc.
Not always though, sometimes it is a 'new' preacher with personality that captivates people who don't realize he is leading them astray.

How does one deal with it?
The later by talking to the preacher, clarifying just what he believes and is teaching and challenging him on areas that are doubtful. Also by talking to the elders of the church.

The person attending a dodgy church.
Again find out just what that church believes. Easy nowa days most church's have aninternet site with a statement of faith/belief on it.
Talk to the person, what do they think the church believes and what are they teaching?
Are they willing to do a Bible study to show you this church is teaching true Christianity?
Take it from there, with lots of prayer.

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My Church teaches that we enter into salvation by grace through faith and that our conduct afterwards determines whether we receive salvation in the end. Just like the bible teaches.

bcbsr said:

Obviously a contradiction. They are saved, and yet not saved? Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." John 5:24

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There is no contradiction. Believing is the first step. He said also:

Mat 24:13 - “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

Matthew 25 spells out harsh condemnation for those who believe and do not do.

bcbsr said:

Interesting to note that despite, "the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." Acts 17:11 you had failed to even quote Paul. When asked, "What must I do to be saved?" Paul responded, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved." Act 16:30,31 Apparently you preach a different gospel.

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Immediately after the jailer was told to believe, he was baptized. Just like Paul and everyone else.

bcbsr said:

You yourself don't believe Jesus when he indicated that a person's fate is finalized upon coming to faith in Christ as he said, "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." John 5:24 Nor do you believe John regarding what he said of those who fall away, "They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us." 1John 2:19 For the saved endure to the end. That's the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. And given that John also said, "We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us." 1John 4:6, we know what can be said of those who reject what the apostles said. Nor, as was pointed out, do you agree with Paul as he said, "Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness." Rom 4:4,5 Rather you advocate much the same as the Circumcision - salvation by works.

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You are, once again, lifting verses out of context and giving a meaning they do not have. And it leads to an absurdity. You quote Romans 4 as meaning any and all "works" but beginning at 3:20 it is clear that the writer is addressing the "works" of the old law, including circumcision. You yourself quoted above:

Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.

If I were to accept your "interpretation" of that, Paul would never encourage any kind of "works" at all. It would only lead to debt. But he says quite the opposite:

Eph 2:10 - For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Why would God plan for us to do something leading only to debt? Jesus himself said would "repay each according to his works", not "I am coming to collect on some debt you owe for doing what I told you to do".

Your ideas are a series of inconsistencies atop inconsistencies. Do we do what Jesus said to do and be rewarded for it or not do what he said and be condemned? Or is it entirely the opposite?

bcbsr said:

Typical of salvation-by-works Christians to append verses talking about the works of the saved with "in order to be saved". We note the context of Eph 2:10 is Paul saying that a person is not saved by works. The salvation by works Christians go on to read verse 10 as saying salvation by works.

Salvation by works Christians despite and spurn the gospel of grace. They insist we earn salvation by paying off our debts by doing good works, as you can see from the rhetoric of this salvation by works Christian.

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Why then would Jesus condemn a person based on what they neglect to do?

bcbsr said:

The unregenerate look at the gospel of grace, which they spurn, and ask, "Why not sin?"
The regenerate look at the gospel of grace, which they accept by faith, and ask "Why sin?"

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Where does it say that?