Where are the Protesters?
ou would have to be a hermit or have your head in the sand not to hear about or see the disorderly and disgraceful conduct of the anti-Semitic, pro-Palestinian protesters. They are fearless and undeterred about having their shrill voices heard even if it means destroying property and defying law and police.
What kind of a protester are you?
We as believers are Protestants because we agree with the Protestant Reformers of the 1500s who stood against the false gospel of the Roman Catholic Church. Yet in 2017, the 500th year of the Protestant Reformation, Pew Research discovered that the majority (52%) of Protestants shockingly believed that good deeds and faith in God are needed to get into heaven, and 52% of Protestants also believe that Christians should look for guidance from church teachings and traditions as well as from the Bible. This is a blatant denial of sola fide (faith alone) and sola scriptura (Scripture alone) of which only 30% of U.S. Protestants affirmed both. Read about it here.
This is an outrage. Does this stir you up? Sadden your heart? Do you understand what this says about someone’s eternal destiny holding this kind of belief?
This is why Paul wrote the book of Galatians. He was outraged that the false teachers (Judaizers) were bewitching the saints (Gal. 3:1), and Paul responds passionately and pointedly with righteous indignation to say that works play no role in salvation whatsoever! None! Zero! Nada!
Listen to his opening salvo to the church: “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!" (Gal. 1:6–9)
Two times Paul assigns the word “accursed” to anyone who would preach or believe a “different gospel” (false) even if an angel appeared and announced it. There are only two religions in the world: (1) true religion of divine accomplishment…it’s by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone apart from any good works and (2) every other religion that is some form of human achievement.
How does Paul address his volatile protest? He strongly exposes the false teaching and condemns the false teachers in Galatians 5:1–12.
The false teaching of faith plus works equals salvation does four things:
It cancels Christ (v. 2). The work of Christ is of no benefit to anyone at all who holds that any work saves. There is no merit to the physical sign of circumcision. It’s not circumcision plus Christ or any other external command. No hybrids. Add anything to Christ, you lose Christ.
It obligates you to the law (v. 3). But no one can keep the whole law, and it cannot save anyone but only exposes and condemns everyone as a guilty rebel (Gal. 3:10–11; James 3:10).
It severs you from Christ and shipwrecks grace (v. 4). Cutting of your skin (circumcision) for the purpose of salvation cuts you off from Christ and shipwrecks (“fallen”) God’s saving grace in your life. You trust in your works and you destroy grace.
It provides no hope for ultimate righteousness (v. 5). Paul changes the pronouns from “you” (works oriented) to “we” (saints) and says we don’t work for righteousness (can’t do it), but believers “wait” for future and final righteousness. We have hope in what Christ did for us, but no hope in works.
The false teachers of faith plus works equals salvation reveal six things about their character:
They hinder the truth (v. 7). They don’t lead to saving faith, but move you away from obedience to the truth of the gospel.
They rebel against God (v. 8). They are not of God themselves. Their theology (grace and faith plus works) doesn’t come from God. It is impossible to forsake the gospel and not forsake the God who sovereignly calls you into salvation by His grace.
They contaminate the church (v. 9). As yeast permeates the dough, so do false teachers (Jude 11; 2 Peter 2:12–14). They are poisonous and deadly and need to be unmasked.
They are headed for judgment (v. 10). True believers are kept by the Lord and overcome any deception, but the false teachers will “bear His judgment.”
They persecute true teachers (v. 11). Paul was persecuted and the message of “the stumbling block of the cross is abolished.” False teachers defend themselves by discrediting and misrepresenting true teachers.
They should be castrated (v. 12). This is stunning. The cross is so offensive because it leaves no room for works. Anyone who preaches a false gospel of faith plus works should be like the Phrygian priests who castrated themselves as godless eunuchs. Paul is not wishing on them a painful injury, but if you believe circumcision is necessary for salvation (or any other work), he says you might as well go all the way and become a pagan priest!
If there is anything worth getting worked up about and protesting, it is the message of a false gospel and false prophets who peddle it. They are everywhere, whether in the Roman Catholic system, Mormonism, Jehovah Witnesses, TV evangelists, mainline ministers, and even in the evangelical community.
When you are talking about someone’s eternal destiny and the message and messenger are undermining the only gospel that saves, you and I better speak up and warn people of this deceptive and eternal destruction. The earthly disagreements between nations, governments, communities, and families are not on the same level as the gift of eternal life, the gospel of saving faith. Be a good, loving, passionate Protestant like Paul.
Pastor Jeff
“A God who is all love, all grace, all mercy, no sovereignty, no justice, no holiness, and no wrath is an idol.”