The Gospel Seminar

"Luther Quotations": #7A

"But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned...Now I say again, .....let him be eternally condemned." (Galatians 1; 8, 9)

The consequences of altering Paul's/Gods gospel?
1) "Condemned": meaning rejected by God and set apart for judgement and destruction
2) "Eternally": the receiving of this judgement/condemnation from God forever

Also, notice that Paul makes this drastic pronouncement TWICE, meant to emphasize to all that our acceptance (righteousness) in the sight of God has virtually nothing to do with our efforts or merit, but by Christ (and his efforts and merits) alone.

This pronouncement by Paul surely is some of the strongest mentioned in all the new testament! Most people today (see "Luther Quotation": #7) would argue with Paul not only over the exclusiveness of his message (righteousness with God through Christ's efforts alone) but also with the severity of judgement ("eternally condemned") for those who get it mistaken.
Hear John Stott on this matter:

"Yet someone may ask,'Why did Paul feel so strongly and use such drastic language?' Two reasons are plain. The first is that the glory of Christ was at stake. To make men's works necessary to salvation, even as a supplement to the work of Christ, is derogatory to His finished work. It is to imply that Christ's work was in some way unsatisfactory, and that men need to add to it and improve on it...The second reason why Paul felt this matter so keenly is that the good of men's souls was also at stake. ..He knew that the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation. Therefore to corrupt the gospel was to destroy the way of salvation and so send to ruin souls who might have been saved by it..."  (John Stott, The Message of Galatians, p. 25, 26)