Galatians 1:6
I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,
Truth to Learn
There is only one true gospel message and it is about salvation by grace alone.
Behind the Words
It is interesting to note the tenderness with which Paul deals with this legalistic false teaching that had crept into the church. He starts off this verse with “I marvel.” This is a translation of the Greek word, thaumadzo which means “to wonder.” This is a very mild term which could easily have been replaced with a more forceful and condemning word. Instead, Paul speaks gently to these believers.
The word translated “turning away” is from the Greek metatithesthe which means “to put something in a different place’ or ‘to switch party affiliation.”
There are two different Greek words each of which is translated “another” in the New Testament; allos, meaning “another of the same kind” and heteros, meaning “another of a different kind.” The word used here is heteros, another of a different kind.
Meaning Explained
The basic problem that had occurred in the Galatian churches is that the devout Jewish converts among the churches, perhaps former Pharisees, had been teaching them that the Galatian believers had to obey the Mosaic Law in order to secure their salvation. Paul, on the other hand, had taught them that their salvation and their continuing position in and relationship with God are wholly dependent on God’s grace, apart from the law. Paul will expound further on this as the letter unfolds.
What he is saying, is that these Galatian Christians had left off following the pure gospel message of salvation and righteousness by faith through God’s grace. Iinstead, they were now following a legalistic observance of righteousness.
There has been much discussion through the centuries as to what Paul means by “Him who called you.” Some think it refers to Paul, himself. Others think it refers to Christ. Still others believe that it is a reference to God’s calling of individuals to salvation. This third interpretation seems to make the most sense. Paul claims elsewhere that he is only the messenger and Christ is the satisfaction of our sins whereas God the Father is the one who calls us.
Paul says that the thing to which these Galatian believers had switched their allegiance is “a different gospel.” That is, Paul is claiming that the “gospel” that they are now following, the legalistic rules and regulations that had been added to salvation by grace, was not simply a different interpretation of the true gospel, but it was a different kind of gospel, not following truth at all.
Application
Have you been caught up in church rules and regulations or church traditions that have taken on more importance that the plain truth of the Word? Do you believe what you do about your Christianity because it is what the church has taught you to believe? Or is your faith and relationship with God based solely of what the Bible teaches?
In God’s service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2007 Will Krause. All rights reserved.
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