The Unchanging Gospel

1. Read: Galatians 1:6-10

2. About the Text:

1) Why do we want to talk about authentic Christianity?

a. How do we restore what is broken?

b. Go back to the plan, the Bible.

2) The book of Galatians is about authentic Christianity.

3) The churches of Galatia were being troubled by some Pharisees.

4) They were commanding them to keep the Law of Moses (Acts 15:5).

5) Paul wrote Galatians to instruct the churches not to change the gospel.

6) The gospel, however, does not change.

7) Let’s talk about the unchanging gospel.

3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:6-7).

2. Who wants to change the gospel?

1) Satan/The Devil

a. “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44).

b. The devil is a liar who speaks from his own resources, not God’s.

2) Prideful People

a. “If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings] of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself” (1 Timothy 6:3-5).

b. Proud men will change the gospel into what they want it to be to satisfy their own pride, arrogance, and desires.

3) Disbelieving People

a. “For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: ‘That You may be justified in Your words, ??And may overcome when You are judged’” (Romans 3:3-4).

b. Disbelief does not change the gospel.

3. Attempts to change the gospel one way or another is an attempt to establish human righteousness and move away from the righteousness of Christ.

1) “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20).

2) “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:3).

3) “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:16-17).

1. “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8-9).

2. Changing the gospel undermines the goals of the gospel.

1) “The seed is the word of God” (Luke 8:11).

2) What happens if you use a different seed? You get a different plant.

3) What happens if we change the word of God? You get different results.

4) We do not want results other than what God wants.

3. It undermines…

1) Salvation – “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21).

2) The New Birth – “Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever” (1 Peter 1:23).

3) Spiritual Growth – “As newborn babes, desire the pure (sincere/unadulterated) milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2).

a. The word for “pure” means “without deceit.”

b. Milk that isn’t pure does not contribute to growth.

4. Jesus Christ does not change.

1) “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines” (Hebrews 13:8-9a).

2) “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:35).

1. “For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).

1) We persuade men to change, not God!

2) We seek to please God, not men!

2. You cannot please men!

1) People are fickle – James 1:6 – like the waves of the sea.

2) They judge based on appearances only – John 7:24.

3) They are self-righteous – Luke 18:9 – trusted in themselves and despised others.

3. Can we please God?

1) “But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts” (1 Thessalonians 2:4).

2) “Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God” (1 Thessalonians 4:1).

3) “that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10).

4) “And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight” (1 John 3:22).

4. Changing the gospel seeks to please men, not God.

1. Let us uphold the unchanging gospel!

1) Some Want to Change the Gospel

2) The Gospel Must Not Be Changed

3) We Must Please God, not Men

2. Invitation