“LET HIM BE ACCURSED!”

 Galatians 1:6-10                                  (ESV)

“6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of CHRIST and are turning to a different gospel-

7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST.

8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the ONE we preached to you, let him be accursed.

9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the ONE you received, “LET HIM BE ACCURSED”.

10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of GOD? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of CHRIST.”

It is becoming more and more clear that “the enemy” has a field day with “easy believism”, which is anything and everything EXCEPT THE TRUTH!  If our EYES are off of the MASTER, then we are following a distortion of THE TRUTH and are on the wrong path!  Admitting that one has been deceived is a humbling experience that takes maturity by the person who has been led incorrectly.  However, JESUS tells the Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:9 “But HE said to me, "MY grace is sufficient for you, for MY power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I WILL BOAST ALL THE MORE GLADLY OF MY WEAKNESSES, so that the power of CHRIST may rest upon me.”

Cephas, maybe better known by Peter, was one of the first disciples CALLED by JESUS, and yet he had become so comfortable and content with his surroundings that Paul had to call him out, beginning in Galatians 2:11.  One commentary says it like this, “He (Cephas) believed in salvation by grace, but by withdrawing from the Gentile Christians, he was showing with his actions that he believed Jewish traditions were superior. In (Gal 2:14), Paul says Peter was trying to “compel the Gentiles to live like Jews.” In doing this, Peter was creating a divide between Jewish and Gentile Christians, thus breaking the unity of the church. He was “nullifying the grace of God” (Gal 2:21).”  

Believing EVEN what a pastor or evangelist says without confirming it in Scripture is a dangerous thing for anyone to be guilty of.  Paul writes “if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the ONE we preached to you, let him be accursed.” What he is saying is that we MUST confirm teachings with Scripture.  The Berean church had this practice down.  In Acts 17:10-11 Scripture records “The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue.  Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the Word with all eagerness, EXAMINING THE SCRIPTURES DAILY TO SEE IF THESE THINGS WERE SO.”  The Believers in Berea were THAT committed to hearing TRUTH!

People who are either too busy to hear from GOD, or not inclined to listen to HIM, or whatever else you choose to put in the blank are ultimately saying “LET HIM BE ACCURSED”, but the problem is the HIM is THEM!  Yes, Paul had weaknesses, but I too am weak! Neither of f us have a desire to have people follow us though, only follow HIS WORD!  Those who are attempting to change what Scripture says to accommodate their followers, “LET HIM BE ACCURSED”!!!