Here we read verses 1 through
4, 2 Corinthians 11. Would to God ye could bear with
me a little in my folly, and indeed bear with me. For I am
jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I have espoused
you to one husband, that I may present you a chaste virgin to
Christ. But I fear, lest by any means,
as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your mind should
be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he
that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or
if you receive another spirit, which you have not received,
or another gospel which we have not accepted, ye might well bear
with him." All right, Galatians chapter 1, verses 6 through 9,
in this particular place. Galatians 1, 6 through 9. I marvel
that you are so soon removed from him that calls you into
the grace of Christ unto another gospel, which is not another,
but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel
of Christ. But though we are an angel from
heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we preached
unto you. let him be anathema accursed. As we said before, so say I now
again. If any man preach any other gospel
unto you than that you have received, let him be accursed. Now, we have read a portion of
scripture from two different epistles two different churches. The church is at Corinth and
the church is at Galatia. And from one and the same apostle
who labored among the both of them. In Corinth, Paul was there
in Acts chapter 18 on a missionary journey and also he was in Galatia
in Acts 16 and verse 6 on a second missionary journey that he made
preaching the gospel. So now he writes back to both
of those assemblies that he had preached the gospel among them,
expressing a fear and a concern that there might be in progress
a defection from the gospel that he had delivered them. We notice
to the Galatians he writes, I fear your mind being corrupted from
the simplicity that is in Christ. Or literally, as Thomas Goodwin
expressed it, that they would be, that they would un-Christ
him. but they would take away the
Lord Jesus altogether and put another Jesus in His place which
is really not the Christ. To the Galatians Paul writes,
I marvel that you are so soon removed from Him that called
you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel. Now, this evening we want to
especially emphasize, also to notice, the various expressions
that the Apostle uses in writing unto them. 2 Corinthians, for
example, 11 and verse 4, another Jesus, another gospel, and another
spirit, mentioning all three. In Galatians 1 and verse 6 and
verse 7, another gospel, he said, which is not another, another
but not. another is the way that Paul
expresses it. Now before we look especially
at our subject of the evening, let's concede something, and
that is that fallen man has a history of corrupting the things of God,
and that very quickly. It does not take long for someone
to corrupt everything, every revelation that God has made
or has given. No sooner than God makes a revelation,
or establishes His worship, or gives His glorious law, or inspires
His blessed written word, or sends forth the gospel into the
world, But depraved men corrupt the things of God, and that very
swiftly. Here are some examples of that,
very clear in the Scripture. God revealed His power in the
creation of the world. But men cast that aside, and
soon they began to worship that which God had made, worshiping
the creature rather than the Creator. And God gave His law. And it was not long until the
Jews turned it into a second covenant of works, if we might
express it like that. God inspired His Word to lead
and to guide us. Then men began to pronounce himself
to be critics, and to question, and to change, and delete, and
finally, even to renounce the infallibility of the Scripture. God sent His Son into the world
by a great virgin birth. Soon there were those making
Him no more than an ordinary or a common man. God sent forth
a glorious gospel. among the people, and soon the
corruptors set about to destroy it, corrupt it, and pervert it. God raised up churches, and some
men made them synagogues of Satan, playhouses, social clubs and
social meeting places, pleasure centers where people come and
they play. So in this study, we will focus
our mind on the words of Paul concerning what he calls another
gospel in these two passages that we have read. This is not
a minor matter. This is not something that we
can let pass. The apostle was very serious
about it, and it was not a minor matter with him. And seemingly,
there was not a willingness on the part of Paul to accept the
abominable changes in the gospel, and he was willing to call down
fire from heaven on the head of any that preached a different
or a rogue gospel. And this holds good whether it
be Galatians 1, 8, we are an angel from heaven or in Galatians
1, 9, any twice he writes there in Galatians chapter 1 in verse
8 and in verse 9, let him or them be accursed. Or back in
verse 7, He had warned of some who trouble you and would pervert
the gospel. Now in order to treat this subject
to our edification, we raise two questions and answer them
honestly, seeking to use the Scripture in both instances. Number one, we raise the question,
what exactly does Paul consider to be the gospel? How would Paul
define or determine the gospel? And number two, how can Paul
be so dogmatic, absolutely set and dogmatic about the gospel
that he preached, even to the point of anathematizing such
as preach a different gospel from what Paul had preached unto
them. Now first of all, the question,
what exactly does Paul mean by the gospel? What is the essence
of what he calls the gospel or considers to be the gospel? Now we know that the word Gospel
means good news. It is a glad message, a glad
message that is sent, as it were, from afar. It is a good message,
one that is delightful unto the ear. It is a good report, as
often times from a far country as in Isaiah 52 and verse 7. As in Ruth chapter 1 and verse
6 when news came from the far country that there was bread
again in Bethlehem. Now the good news was the Lord
had ended the famine that was in Bethlehem, and there was a
harvest, there was food, there was sustenance for them. But what is the essence then
of the gospel? If one preaches the gospel, what
will he preach? What subjects will come within
that range? What is the good news of the
Lord Jesus Christ or of the gospel? It is defined as well in Galatians
1-4 as any place we might find, who gave himself for our sin,
that he might deliver us from this present evil world according
to the will of God and our Father. Of course, you're familiar with
that passage in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verse 3 and verse
4. that Christ died for our sins according to the Scripture, was
buried according to the Scripture, rose again according unto the
Scripture. Thus Paul considers the Gospel
to be the death of Christ as a sin-bearer sent from God, his
resurrection, his substitutionary atonement by which he bore the
sin of his people in his own body on the tree. But then the
other question, how is Paul so dogmatic as to say his gospel
is the true gospel and is the only true gospel? Many have,
many still make the claim. You ever hear, for example, about
a movement called the Full Gospel Movement, in which they claim
to have the same gospel as Paul and as the Apostle. But his gospel
is the true gospel and others are not the gospel. But why is
this so? The answer is laid out in Galatians
1 verse 11, down through Galatians chapter 2 and verse 10. For example, verse 11 said, I
certify you. That is, I make known unto you. I give you to understand. I declare
as to the gospel preached by me that it is not of men, that
it is not after man's style. It does not have the marks of
a man. It is not man-made or man-originated. John Eady said in Galatians 1.11,
is not speaking of origin, for that is in the next verse of
the text. And as J. B. Lightfoot said on
the words, not after man. It is not after any human fashion
or standard. The gospel that I preach is not
after any human fashion or standard. What's more, in the 12th verse,
I received it not through men, nor was I taught it by men, but
I received it by a direct revelation from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. verses 13-17, my being a gospel
preacher, he said, was not my doing. It was literally a sovereign
work of the Almighty God who chose me, separated me from my
mother's womb, called me by His grace that He might reveal His
Son in me. Now, another gospel, but says
Paul, which is not He quickly emphasizes that. And here a little
word study can prove very interesting and is in order. Because here
in our English, the two words another might appear to be exactly
the same. But Paul uses two different Greek
words here in that passage. Another, which is not another. Heteros, which is not another,
that is, alos. Heteros is another of a different
kind or a different sort. Alos is another of one and the
same kind as in heterosexual and homosexual. These are the
same words that are used in Romans chapter 7. And verse 23, when
Paul said, I see another law in my members, a heteros, a different
law than that one in verse 22, the law of God. In John 14 and
six, we see it again. I will send you another comforter
and allos, another of the same kind, another like unto the Lord
Jesus himself. Thus Paul is saying, in receiving
or removing from the one who called you, you are espousing
another gospel. You are espousing a heteros gospel,
one of a different kind, which is not really one at all. It is not another allos. It is not one of the same kind
but a different kind. It is a gospel of another kind
altogether, not one of the same kind. Some say here that heteros
expresses a quantitative difference of sort and of kind, and allos,
a numerical difference between one and the other, that is, one
of two. Now what the new lighters, as
I call them in Paul's day, were preaching and calling it gospel
was different in kind to what Paul had preached. It was not
another like his, it was not He is said in some different
way. So we cannot excuse the perversions
of the gospel by thinking or by saying, they were preaching
the same gospel as Paul, only in a different way, or with a
different emphasis, or with a different kind of a spirit, or from a different
point or perspective. So some might conclude falsely,
I add, they're preaching the gospel even though they are off
on a point or two. Nor is it an admission from Paul
that they preach the true gospel. This he denied. It is not a gospel
of the same sort, but of another sort, and since there is but
one true gospel, it is therefore no gospel at all. Even if it
have the name gospel, even if it be called gospel, even if
it be embraced by many, and even if it have mighty orators that
go about to publish it. And even if it be high in the
affection and the esteem of many, and even if it win the acclaim
of the world, yet it is not the gospel of Christ or the true
gospel. Paul says to them, There is only
one gospel, and you are in danger of abandoning it. And what you
are embracing is in no wise the gospel at all. Thus, in consequence,
you are without the gospel. You have no good news. You have
not the gospel at all. And so the question comes, can
we know the identity? of those who, in verse 7 and
the last part, some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel
of Christ, Galatians 1.7, who are they? This is a further confirmation
that thus gospel was not the same as that that Paul had delivered
unto them. In fact, he said, some, one,
trouble you. They disturb you. They unsettle
you. They fill you with all manner
of doubt that they might alarm you as to the safety of your
soul in trusting only in Jesus Christ. not claiming any help
from any other source such as the Mosaic Law, not circumcision,
not nationality, not church affiliation, and thus you are set one against
another. Secondly, and wish to pervert
the gospel, that is, they wish to twist it or turn it about,
make something else out of it, modify it into another form,
thus completely change it whether they acknowledge it or not. Now, without a doubt, these troublers
and perverters that came all over the churches where Paul
had been, were the Judaizers. That is, they were the unbelieving
Jews. They were determined to make
the Mosaic Law and even the ceremonial law a part of the saving of a
soul. They were the ones who insisted
in Acts 15 and verse 1, except you be circumcised after the
manner of Moses, you cannot be saved. This is a modification
of the gospel and Paul would not tolerate it at all. You can see that in Galatians
2 verses 3 through 5. but which is tolerated throughout
most of Christendom even today. In such things, now we don't
hear people insisting upon circumcision as a part of the saving work
of God, but we do hear them say some, except you belong to our
denomination, you're not in a good right or a large church, and
therefore cannot be saved. Some have said in the past, except
you speak in tongue as evidence of the Holy Spirit, you are not
saved. Some said, except you be baptized,
baptized in water. Others have said, except you
keep the law. except you maintain a certain
level of sanctification, you can in no wise be in the kingdom
of God." Now these all pervert the gospel as surely as the Jews
did when they said, except you go under the knife of Abraham,
you cannot be saved. But look how Paul follows up
in verse 6 and verse 7. Some trouble you and would pervert
the gospel. That is, they preach a gospel
that is different from the gospel in verse 8 and 9. Lindsay calls
this word adversity, that is, expressing opposition, and refers
back to those in verse 7. There are some that are certain
that trouble you with a perverted gospel and would draw you away
from the gospel. But Paul said, though, even if
is concessive, meaning even if, supposing it should be, supposing
that it were to come to pass, what come to be? Well, this,
even if we, myself, preach any other gospel, Even if I, Paul,
come with a gospel different from that which I preached unto
you, yea, even if an angel from heaven, even if an angel out
of heaven, Even so, a creature as an angel from heaven being
or bringing a different gospel unto you. Now these two things
are highly unlikely and impossible, but even if It should occur so
that from either you should hear a different gospel than that
one that I delivered unto you. And the answer, the question
is, what should your response then be? What if I come preaching
another gospel? What if another man comes? What
if an angel from heaven comes doing the same thing? Should
you exchange the first gospel for the second, based upon the
messenger, based upon the dignity of the bearer, even an angel,
should you bear with them because it is an angel from heaven. Nay,
if such come we, an angel from heaven, any, no matter who brings
a different gospel, let him be accursed. Twice in Galatians
1 verse 8 and verse 9, a curse let him be. It's the same word
used in 1 Corinthians 16 and verse 22. If any man love not
our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. Anathema, meaning
a person or a thing devoted by God to destruction. J. B. Lightfoot said the word spiritually
means the state of one alienated from God by sin, such as those
that are under the law or under its curse. It does not mean that
we should take those out today and burn them at the stake or
stone them to death or impose any kind of a civil penalty upon
them, or how could we do this if an angel came and brought
a different gospel or message? But on the other hand, it does
require of us a diligence that we might prevent any addition
or subtraction to the blessed gospel of Christ, given to and
through Paul. John Brown put it, quote, no
greater curse can befall a church than for them to have a teacher
which perverts the gospel, must be retained in its original purity
to retain the name and the rite. of gospel of Christ must not
be enlarged and it must not be reduced. Any addition is a perversion
of it. And then it is no longer the
pure and unadulterated gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. That
even the appearance of an angel preaching is not sufficient reason
to embrace a different gospel. Even if a man comes saying, an
angel or Jesus himself came to me in a dream and told me to
preach this and that and the other. Let him be anathema. For another gospel is one that
teaches another means of obtaining the favor of God other than that
one revealed to and declared by Paul, by Christ, and by the
Apostle. The main feature of the gospel,
the good news is that guilty sinners are accepted into the
favor of God. They are reconciled unto God. They are forgiven their sin. They are restored with fellowship
only, only on account of the vicarious death of the God-man. It all rests upon His death and
the perfect sacrifice that He made upon the tree. What's more,
the only means of apprehending or of understanding and believing
this gospel is by the faith of God's elect, Titus chapter 1,
verses 1 and 2. Furthermore, the gospel is not
an offer of salvation. It is a proclamation of the good
news that Christ has suffered and has died for sin. He is risen
forever. He is risen. having conquered
death and defeated Satan. The gospel is not an offer of
Christ, but is a declaration of Christ, of His finished work. Nor is the gospel contingent
upon the many, many ifs. that are attached to it in our
day. If you will do such and such,
God will do such and such. If you will do your part, God
will do His part. If you will do this, then God
will save you. If you accept, if you repent,
if you believe, only the Holy Spirit of God is able to give
us hearing ears to hear Christ's blessed message in the gospel
and give us eyes to see Him in the glorious gospel. Nor does
it follow that the first gospel you hear, the gospel quote unquote,
was the truth. For some hear the false gospel
first and believe it and follow it. Some first espoused what
we might refer to as the Arminian gospel. Some followed the Romanist
gospel. Some the works gospel, quotes
around all of those. Some the legal gospel in their
former life. which is not a real gospel. Some follow the Mormon gospel. Some follow the Christian science
message. Some have been in church all
of their lives, and yet have they not yet heard the gospel
of Christ, either upon to account. Number one, because it is not
preached where they attend, so what they hear is not the gospel.
Or number two, they do not have hearing ear. They cannot hear,
comprehend, or perceive the gospel. Now, the gospel is the church's
greatest legacy. It is the great gift that God
has given. For it was Paul, an outcast,
beaten, persecuted, imprisoned for the sake of the gospel, but
he defended it against the libertine and against the legalist even
with his life and his blood if necessary. So there is another
gospel. There is another Jesus that's
preached all over under another spirit. And Paul said, I fear
they come and do that, that you might bear with them. Our conclusion is, other gospels
are not a gospel, only that which God has given. and revealed it
to Paul and he preached it in his day is the gospel of our
Lord and of our Savior. Any element of works, any elements
of legality put within it and the gospel is no longer the pure
gospel. I like to illustrate it by if
we had a bucket of the purest white paint imaginable And we
poured a little dab of black and dropped it in it, stirred
it about. It would off-color it. It would
no longer be absolutely pure and white as white can be because
it has been spoiled by the addition of the black to it. And so the
gospel remains the gospel when Christ is the sinner, salvation
is the sinner, and when God is glorified And Christ is exalted
as the only, only Savior. So thank God for the gospel. May we take that seriously, that
we not push it off and say, well, it doesn't matter if he's off
on this point or that point or whatever. Not that we would nitpick. everything somebody said, but
that we would see that all is centered around and about Christ. Christ is the core of the gospel.