Paul’s Warnings In Force: Every Message Outside His Gospel Stands Accursed

Introduction

Paul did not leave the truth of the gospel to private guesses or church traditions. He wrote it down by inspiration so that every teacher and every religion could be measured by a clear plumb line. “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.” See 1 Corinthians 14 verse 37. Scripture is sufficient to make the man of God perfect and throughly furnished unto all good works. See 2 Timothy 3 verses 16 and 17. On this written standard Paul issues a double warning. “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” See Galatians 1 verses 8 and 9.

The Gospel That Saves Today

The saving message God uses in this present dispensation is plain. “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” See 1 Corinthians 15 verses 1 through 4. This is the gospel of the grace of God that Paul testified everywhere. See Acts 20 verse 24. By this finished work God justifies the ungodly by faith without works. “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood.” See Romans 3 verses 24 through 26. In Christ “we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.” See Ephesians 1 verse 7.

Why Paul Pronounces a Curse

Paul’s anathema guards the purity of the cross. If a message adds, subtracts, or replaces the content or the terms of Paul’s gospel, it is not another form of the same truth. It is another gospel. Paul repeats the warning because the danger is real and continual. “I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, or another gospel, ye might well bear with him.” See 2 Corinthians 11 verses 3 and 4.

What Counts As “Another Gospel” Today

Use Paul’s epistles to test every pulpit, every creed, and every catechism.

1. Adding works to receive or keep salvation. If salvation depends on law keeping, sacraments, human merit, perseverance, or promised obedience, the message denies grace. “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly.” See Romans 4 verses 4 and 5. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done.” See Titus 3 verse 5. “By grace are ye saved through faith, not of works.” See Ephesians 2 verses 8 and 9.

2. Replacing the cross with ordinances as channels of saving grace. Water baptism, altars, repeated offerings, confessions to men, and ritual absolutions cannot add one ounce to the blood of Christ. “Ye are complete in him.” See Colossians 2 verse 10. God has “blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us” and “took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.” See Colossians 2 verses 13 and 14.

3. Putting believers under covenants and promises given to Israel. The Body of Christ is saved apart from Israel’s covenants and kingdom conditions. Our standing is by the revelation of the mystery given to Paul. See Ephesians 3 verses 1 through 9. Mixing Israel’s law, signs, and earthly hopes into the gospel for today corrupts the message of grace.

4. Making men mediators of grace. There is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. See 1 Timothy 2 verse 5. Any system that assigns priestly powers to dispense salvation or forgiveness makes another gospel by shifting trust from Christ’s blood to human offices.

5. Turning repentance into a work. Repentance in Scripture is a change of mind that is inseparable from believing the gospel. It is not turning from sin to be saved and it is not an added condition that competes with faith. The saving issue is faith in the death of Christ for our sins, his burial, and his resurrection. See Acts 20 verse 21 and 1 Corinthians 15 verses 1 through 4.

6. Making confession with the mouth or other performances a condition for salvation today. Paul’s gospel saves the moment one believes. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” See Romans 5 verse 1. The object is Christ’s finished work, not our performance.

The Binding Authority Is Written, Not Traditional

Some will claim that church tradition carries apostolic authority. Paul answers that claim by pointing every teacher back to his written gospel. The curse in Galatians falls on any man or any angel who preaches otherwise. The things Paul wrote are the commandments of the Lord. See 1 Corinthians 14 verse 37. Scripture is enough and does not need a human magisterium to complete it. See 2 Timothy 3 verses 16 and 17. The test is not whether a message is ancient or popular. The test is whether it matches the gospel Paul preached.

How To Test Any Religion Or Assembly In Three Questions

Ask these questions and let the verses decide.

1. What is the saving work. If the answer is anything other than the once for all blood of Christ in death for our sins, burial, and resurrection, it is another gospel. See 1 Corinthians 15 verses 1 through 4 and Ephesians 1 verse 7.

2. What are the saving terms. If the answer includes works, rites, law, covenant conditions, promises to serve, or perseverance to keep life, it is another gospel. See Romans 4 verses 4 and 5 and Ephesians 2 verses 8 and 9.

3. Who holds the saving office. If the answer gives saving or forgiving power to priests, pastors, or churches, it is another gospel. “One mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” See 1 Timothy 2 verse 5. “Ye are complete in him.” See Colossians 2 verse 10.