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THE KING’S BUSINESS
In verses 6 and 7 we have the word “another” twice in the Authorized Version, but in the Greek the two words translated “another” are entirely different, and this is brought out in the Revised Version by translating the first, “a different,” and the ■second “another.” Paul’s thought is that the gospel to which they had turned was a gospel o f an utterly different sort. It was not another o f the same kind, but some thing totally different. Strictly speaking, it was not a “gospel” at all for gospel means “good news,” and what these Juda- izers were teaching was not good news, so their turning to the teaching o f these Judaizers was not turning to another gos pel, but rather it was a being troubled by some who “ would pervert the gospel of Christ.” Legalism (which was what these Judaizers taught, and what the Seventh Day Adventists ape teaching today, and what many others are teaching too, in substance) is not a “gospel,” for a gospel produces gladness. Instead o f being a “gospel” it was a bondage, which causes unrest and disturbance o f heart. There was but one true gospel, the one which was revealed directly to Paul by God Himself (vs. 11, 12 ), so if even he himself, or even “an angel from heaven” should preach to them any gospel aside from the gospel which he had already preached unto them, thè one who preached this entirely different gospel would deserve the curse o f God (v. 8 ). There are many in “ Christian pulpits” today who are bringing this anathema upon themselves; for they are preaching a gos pel utterly aside from that which Paul preached. For example, they deny the gospel, the good news, o f “an atonement o f blood and recompense,” which was the very center o f Paul’s teaching (ch. 3:10- 13; 2 Cor. 5:21; Rom. 5:9, 10; Col. 1:20). Wednesday, April p. Gal. t : 9 , io. In verse 9 Paul repeats his statement that any one who preached “any gospel other than that which we preached unto you” was under the curse o f God. He repeats the statement for the sake of
special emphasis, and this solemn utterance o f Paul is deserving o f careful reflection on the part o f every preacher and teacher today. Are we preaching the gospel Paul preached, or are we preaching some entirely different gospel? some gospel o f our own get-up, in place o f the true gospel that was revealed to Paul? If we are, we shall bring anathema upon our own head. It appears from verse 10 that Paul had been accused o f seeking to please men. After the strong words which he had written in verses 8 and 9 -Paul asks in verse 10: “Am I now persuading men or God? or am I seeking to please men?” After asking the question he says something we all need to bear in mind: “If I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant o f Christ.” This world is so at variance with God (John 15:19) that we cannot please men and God at the same time (James 4:4; Luke 6:26; 1 Thess. 2 :4 ). Our whole aim should be to please God and not be con cerned as to whether we please men or not: When we please God, then, and then only are we servants o f Christ. If we are seeking to please men we are not servants, of Christ. 'Wednesday, April io. Gal. i :i i , 12 . In verses 11 and 12 Paul gives his reason why he is so positive about this gospel which he preached, and about the guilt o f those who preach any other gospel. The reason was, that the gospel which he preached was not a gospel which he had himself invented,i neither was it a gospel that other men had taught him, neither was the gospel in any sense “after (according to) map.” The gospel that Paul preached was of purely Divine origin. It came to Paul directly “through revelation o f Jesus Christ.” That is to say, Jesus Christ had directly revealed this gospel to Paul. This gospel therefore that Paul preached was inerrantly true and o f absolute authority. There are those today like some in Gala tia, who would draw a contrast between the gospel of Paul and the gospel of Jesus Christ. No such contrast exists, for the
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