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What Kind Of Gospel Did Paul Preach?

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The Apostle Paul says God had chosen the Thessalonians (2 Thessalonians 2:13) and “called you by our gospel for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 2:14). The letter to the Galations reveals to us the kind of  gospel Paul preached:

It is an exclusive gospel — “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” (Gal. 1:8-9 – NKJV).

It is a revealed gospel (Gal. 1:11-12) —  The gospel Paul preached was not a social gospel, nor the product of man’s wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:4; 2 Peter 1:16).  Its essence had been sent from heaven, by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 3:1-5)

It is an uncompromising gospel — When its principle (one truth for all) was at stake, “we did not yield submission even for an hour” (Gal. 2:3-5).  When the apostle Peter, through human weakness, “was not straightforward about the truth of the gospel,” Paul “withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed” (Gal. 2:11-14).

It is a gospel based on a system of faith — As opposed to justification by the law of Moses. In Gal. 3:10, Paul explains what is meant by “justification by law” by saying:

Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them” (cf. Deuteronomy 27:26).

The law could justify only when its demands were perfectly complied with, but no mortal man ever lived so perfectly, thus justification by the law placed man under a curse.

It is a gospel of Spirit versus flesh — It calls on us to put to death the fleshly desires that war against the Spirit (Gal. 5:16-17; cf. Colossians.3:1-10).  It names specific works of the flesh, and says, “those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:21). It encourages us to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-26).

Dear reader, if we haven’t already, let us seriously consider obeying the kind of gospel that Paul preached.

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