Making An Apostle Marvel

Have you ever been astonished when you learned something?  Did you struggle with what to say?  Maybe it was due to joy because the news was so wonderful.  Perhaps the news was so sad that you were left deflated.  The apostle Paul had a similar occurrence during his lifetime.  After much good had been accomplished for the Lord in the area of Galatia, Paul learned that something terrible happened.  The brethren in Galatia had been infiltrated with teachers proclaiming false doctrine.  At the heart of the matter was the issue of whether a man had to be circumcised physically in order to be saved.  Paul wrote, “Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?  This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you” (Gal. 5:7-8).  His initial statement regarding this matter was “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.  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” (Gal. 1:6-9).  The mere fact that the brethren had been swayed by the false doctrine caused Paul to marvel.  He knew that what he had taught was truthful and God given.  He continued, “For do I now persuade men, or God?  or do I seek to please men?  for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.  But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.  For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Gal. 1:10-12).    Why then would the Christians in Galatia allow themselves to be convinced otherwise?

            While the issue of physical circumcision is not nearly as prominent as it once was, that does not mean that other false doctrines have not be espoused and taught over the years.  These attempts to “pervert the Gospel of Christ” are no less destructive than those that came before.  Today, there has been much damage done to the church due to “change agents,” as they have been called.  There intent has been to “change” the ways that brethren have been taught and believed for so many years.  Their work has led to entire congregations falling away from the Lord.  If Paul were to write a letter about these efforts today, these individuals would be marked as “accursed”.  It would no doubt cause Paul to “marvel” at what has been taught and believed.

            For some members of the church of Christ, there is no amount of false teaching that will cause them to leave their Lord.  However, there are many weak and immature brethren who are not as strong as others.  Some have been deceived into believing that it does not matter how we worship God.  In particular, there has been a push to ignore the need for authority in what we do.  Paul wrote, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Col. 3:17).  Paul did not say just do whatever you think is good enough.  He commanded the need for authority in whatsoever we say or do today.  We live under the New Testament, not the Old Testament (Col. 2:14).  We must search the New Testament to see what Christ has authorized.  There is authority for singing as worship (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16).  There is no authority for instrumental music as worship.  There is authority for partaking of the Lord’s Supper upon the first day of the week (Acts 20:7).  There is no authority for partaking of the Lord’s Supper semi-annually, on a day besides the first day of the week, or for changing the components that are used in the Lord’s Supper.  I can only imagine the degree of marveling that Paul would experience if he were to learn of what some brethren are doing today!

            In closing, much emphasis has been placed on the reaction and instruction of the apostle Paul.  He did not want any soul to be lost due to the efforts of false teachers preaching false doctrines.  He even told the brethren in Galatia, “But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:  And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:  To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you” (Gal. 2:3-5).  Those who pervert the Gospel of Christ today do not need to be heard.  We need to be strong so that we do not have to marvel later at the fall of our brethren.
~ Corey Barnette