“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.” Galatians 1:6
Paul here is shocked, amazed, blown away by the reality that anyone who has tasted of the glory of God in the gospel would turn away from it. The Galatians had succumbed to false teaching that said they needed Jesus plus secret knowledge to grow in Christ. What we need is Jesus and Jesus alone. We don’t need to add anything to the grace that has been given to us. Yet we do this every day, multiple times a day. Our hearts are constantly distracted away from the power, vitality, and reality of the gospel. We are always trying to add something to the gospel.
Jesus Is the Gospel
To believe the gospel is to have a relationship with the God-man Jesus Christ. When we are connected to and in a relationship with Jesus we don’t need to add things to him to make him more lovely or glorious. If Jesus is just a philosopher, good teacher, or good example, it makes sense to need something more. If he really is our savior, lord, master, and friend, all we need is him. Growing in our relationship with Christ means that we need to spend time with Jesus, abiding in his love and mercy.
No Additions
It’s not enough to know the facts of the gospel. The good news that Jesus has died on the cross in our place for our sins and has risen again defeating Satan, sin, and death requires a specific response. It requires a conversation with a person: Jesus Christ. When the good news is disconnected from the person, it becomes easy to add things to make the news better. When the gospel is believed in the heart and a relationship with Jesus is restored, there is no need to change the good news.
Run to the Savior
The Galatians had turned the gospel into a set of facts to be believed instead of a relationship to be experienced. Paul is saying to us and the Galatians to return to our first love. He is exhorting us to run back to Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith. Run to the Savior today, abide in his love, and know that he is enough to heal you, save you, and redeem you. Jesus is enough.
