In
his preface Aleck quotes Galatians 1:8,9, which refers to ‘
preaching
another gospel,’ and asks, ‘
Does the Bible teach the same first
principles of the gospel as that which Christadelphians teach?’
Lets see Gal 1:8-9 in it’s context.
‘Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and
God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) And all the brethren which are
with me, unto the churches of Galatia: Grace be to you and peace from God the
Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he
might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and
our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 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.’
Its important to know the original from which the ‘other’ gospel deviated.
According to the context it is the gospel (Good News) of ‘
grace and peace
from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ who gave himself for our
sins …’
This is confirmed in chapter 2:20 and 6:14 where the apostle shares his
response to the gospel: ‘
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live;
yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh
I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.’
2:20
‘
God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world.’
6:14
Please note these vital words: ‘
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from
him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.’
For the apostle, ‘
the grace of Christ’ is the ‘Good
News.’ Elsewhere the apostle says, ‘
For by grace are ye saved.’
Ephesians 2:1-8.
Aleck asks: ‘
Does the Bible teach the same first principles of the gospel as
that which Christadelphians teach?’ The context of Galations 1
indicates that the original gospel of the Bible is very different to that which
Christadelphians teach.
Three points need to stressed about ‘preaching another gospel’:
1.
There isn’t another gospel. The apostle states: ‘
Which is not
another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of
Christ.’ Any thing other than the ‘grace of Christ’ is
not ‘a gospel.’
2.
The gospel is ‘the gospel of Christ.’ Its all about
Christ. It is ‘
the grace of Christ’ as stated by the apostle.
3.
The ‘other gospel’ is condemned. Those who promote it are under the
‘anathema’ of God.
‘
Let him be accursed’ is the apostolic denouncement. God is
insulted and angered when anything other than ‘
the grace of Christ’
is presented.
Where does that leave Aleck?
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