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. 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 1:6-9)

A Different Gospel

The gospel is the power of God unto salvation. Paul declared the message of the gospel in his letter to Rome. When the church began in Jerusalem, the twelve presented the story of Jesus Christ as revealed to them by the Holy Spirit. The church began to grow as more people heard the story of Jesus Christ and God’s saving grace. Thousands obeyed a simple message of hope and love in the story of Jesus. Men and women were baptized for the remission of their sins. The church was experiencing growth with people of God spreading the word of the Lord throughout the Roman world. Satan was taking notice.

One of the first books (letters) written in the New Testament was Paul’s epistle to the churches of Galatia. The region of Galatia was the central region of the peninsula of Asia Minor. Paul had visited this area on his first missionary journey, establishing churches as he went. It did not take long for Satan to seek harm against the church of Christ by false teachers preaching a false Christ. Many of those who brought trouble to the church were brethren who sought to force the Law of Moses upon the faithful in matters such as circumcision. They were perverting the gospel. Imposing the regulations of the old law with the new law was false teaching.

God has always condemned those who would trifle with His word. Satan’s first response to the human story was to question the word of God. The evil one asked Eve if God really meant what He said. Adam and Eve discovered the word of God does not change with the whims of human wisdom. God destroyed the world in the days of Noah because men turned away from His word. The nation of Israel was given a law written down in statutes, commandments, precepts, and testimonies, and the Jews failed on every point because they went beyond the word.

Apostasy is born from the seeds of human wisdom seeking to improve and change the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul notes that the heresies being taught were not another gospel because there was only one true gospel. Anything else is error. Teaching matters not found in the word of God is a troubling problem leading to the destruction of souls. Perverting the gospel of Christ distorts the story of God’s grace. When men change the gospel, they invoke the wrath of God. Paul even suggests that if an angel appeared to a man teaching a message different than what was revealed by the Holy Spirit, they would be accursed. This cursing is no mild threat. It is the eternal flames of a vengeful God upon those who change His word.

The religious world is filled with churches touting their claim to love Jesus and serve God. How can it be that Jesus built one church, and yet today, there are multitudes? The answer lies in the doctrines that are taught, which are not based upon the gospel of Christ. There is no doubting the authority of the Bible. When men teach matters not found in the Bible with the proper understanding of scripture, they are accursed and cursing those who follow them. So many religious people have little concern about the authority of scripture. They follow men, long-held traditions, family pedigrees with religious groups, and their desires.

A different gospel leads to a different end. Some have deceived themselves into believing that all roads lead to Heaven. Jesus died and opened one road to the Father. Many will travel the roads of a different gospel content to believe what a man (or angel) has taught. The great tragedy is their different gospels will lead to the same end. There will be no joy, peace, hope, or home in Heaven for travelers on a different road. If an angel is accursed for teaching a different gospel, what do you suppose will happen to men who follow the same pattern? The end is the same. It is a horrifying lake.