The Gospel Seminar

"Luther Quotations": #6

"I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel..." (Galatians 1;6, 7)

How were the Galatian Christians in danger of "deserting" the gospel? Does this danger exist today?
Would this statement from Paul apply to you??
Hear Luther's explanation on how the Galatians were in danger of deserting the gospel in their day, and why we in our day can do likewise:

"Now the reason the apostle sets himself so sharply against them (THE FALSE TEACHERS) is that in addition to faith in Christ they taught that circumcism-that is, the keeping of the law (PERSONAL OBEDIENCE)-was necessary to receive salvation....the false apostles earnestly and obstinately argued that the law (PERSONAL OBEDIENCE) ought to be observed (FOR SALVATION/JUSTIFICATION)...Similarly, in Acts 15 we read that some people said it was not enough to believe in Christ (ALONE) or to be baptized; it was also necessary to be circumcised, for unless people were circumcised according to the law of Moses they could not be saved."  
(p.49, 50, 51)

Christian, are you among the many who believe in their hearts that to be found acceptable (justified) in the sight of God you need faith in Christ AND personal obedience to Gods commandments? Paul and Luther are tenacious in reminding us over and over again that justification in God's sight is ONLY on the basis of Christ's perfect efforts and having NOTHING to do with our own sinful or righteous efforts. To believe otherwise is to "desert" the gospel of Christ!

"It is the gospel of grace, of God's free and unmerited favor...Whenever teachers start exalting man, implying that he can contribute anything to his salvation by his own morality, religion, philosophy or respectability, the gospel is being corrupted...The true gospel magnifies the free grace of God."
                                                   (John Stott, Commentary on Galatians, p.27)


Like Paul, you and I need to contribute absolutely nothing to our justification. Add one single effort of your own in contribution to the work of Christ and you "desert" (1; 6) Christ and the gospel.