“I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ. Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed. Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.”
Galatians 1:6-10 NLT
Paul is a theologian at heart who is trained in the ways of the Pharisees. They were law keeping zealots whose emphasis on the law helped blind them to the very presence of God amongst them. Their view point was so myopic that they missed the forest for the trees. This is what led Paul to persecuting and murdering Christians and is the reason that he considered himself the worst sinner of all. It is, therefore no surprise, that upon seeing the church of Galatia return to a pharisaical philosophy and attachment to the law, Paul has a visceral and violent reaction. This isn’t a demonic doctrine, like another religion. But it is a dangerous and false doctrine that led him to be the worst sinner of all. Yet many believers, even to this day, continue to import this byproduct of the fall into their relationship with God. We should be thankful for Paul’s willingness to show his faults and fears regarding this misstep of faith. Discipline is only good in the footsteps of grace. Without grace, our faith always tries to be the one in control and our discipline before God easily turns to patricide.
JOSH McGARY. COM 