2025-07-20 Sermon Notes - Daniel Lyons' Notes

type:
  - "[[Sermon Notes|Sermon Notes]]"
speaker: "[[Archibald Allison]]"
date: 2025-07-20
location: "[[Emmaus Orthodox Presbyterian Church]]"
passage: Galatians 1:6-9
sermon series: "[[Allison on Galatians]]"
sermon link:
subjects:
  - "[[Good News|Gospel]]"
  - "[[God's wrath]]"
title: Christ is the Only Gospel
takeaways:
publish: true

Series	Location	Subjects	Takeaways	Sermon Link
Allison on Galatians	Emmaus Orthodox Presbyterian Church	Gospel God's wrath	-	-

💡Big Idea

Takeaways and Next Steps

📖Bible Passage

Galatians 1:6-9

I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different "good news", but there isn't another "good news." Only there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the Good News of Christ. But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any "good news" other than that which we preached to you, let him be cursed. As we have said before, so I now say again: if any man preaches to you any "good news" other than that which you received, let him be cursed.

Points

I. Why the world is full of trouble and confusion

The whole world is in trouble and has been in confusion since the fall of man.
- Romans 1:21-28
Only the Bible gives us hope and yet the world still will not consider the Bible.

A. Men will not consider the Bible

Why won't people consider the Bible? There are many reasons but they are all based on fallacies:
- The idea that The Bible is outdated is false
- The idea that The Bible has been tried and found wanting is false because it has not really been tried.
Man must acknowledge his inability to solve these problems. Man must acknowledge that he has tried and failed and needs the Word of God.

B. There are so many different ideas that people ask, How can I know what the true message of Christianity is?

There is great confusion in the Christian church today. All kinds of things are proclaimed in the name of Christ today, but so many of these teachings are simply wrong.
- Christians are saying from the pulpit that they do not believe that the Bible is the Word of God. They do not believe that God is our sovereign Lord. They do not believe that God works in miracles. They do not believe in Jesus' physical resurrect, nor that He brings us forgiveness for our sins, nor even that we need forgiveness in the first place.
❓: What am I to believe? How can I know what true Christianity is?
- There is nothing new about this confusion. Paul himself experienced such confusion in his day and had to correct it.

II. Paul denounces any other gospel in strong language

How did Paul deal with this confusion? He denounced it. He anathematized it.
- Galatians 1:8-9 But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any "good news" other than that which we preached to you, let him be cursed. As we have said before, so I now say again: if any man preaches to you any "good news" other than that which you received, let him be cursed.
- Some will say "This is just being arrogant. Saying I alone am right."

A. There is only one gospel

All other gospels are false. They are not truly good news. They do not bring lasting hope. They are fickle.

B. Anyone who preaches any other gospel is accursed

if any man preaches to you any "good news" other than that which you received, let him be ἀνάθεμα.

III. Why Paul anathematizes (curses) any other gospel but Christ

A. It is based on no authority at all

They base it on human authority which truly is no authority at all. It is simply their own opinion.
- They say You cannot reconcile love and truth and so because they cannot see how to reconcile it, they exclude God's wrath.
- They say that they do not believe that God has wrath. But in so doing they are saying that they disagree with Jesus, who did in fact teach that God has wrath on unrighteousness.
Why should they be cursed (anathema)?
- It is because to deny the Gospel is blasphemy.
- There is only one treatment for blasphemy and it is to be cursed.
Objection: Isn't Paul just setting himself up as an authority? Who is he to tell us what is and is not accursed?
- Paul responds that he is not the authority. That only God is the authority.
- Galatians 1:10-12 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? For if I were still pleasing men, I wouldn't be a servant of Christ. But I make known to you, brothers, concerning the Good News which was preached by me, that it is not according to man. For I didn't receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ.
- Paul did not create or the Gospel, nor did he find it. Paul received it. Paul is not arguing based on his understanding of God's Word. Paul is basing his argument upon the authority of God who gave him this Good News.
  - Paul received this message miraculously on the road to Damascus.
- Furthermore, this is the same Gospel that was given to the rest of the apostles, and they confirmed it:
  - Galatians 2:6-10 But from those who were reputed to be important--whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God doesn't show partiality to man--they, I say, who were respected imparted nothing to me, but to the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the Good News for the uncircumcised, even as Peter with the Good News for the circumcised-- for he who worked through Peter in the apostleship with the circumcised also worked through me with the Gentiles-- and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, those who were reputed to be pillars, gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision. They only asked us to remember the poor--which very thing I was also zealous to do.
❓: What is the message that you believe? Is it the same message that was directly given to the apostles from God? Or is it some other message given by mere man?

B. It is not a gospel (good news)

Without the Gospel, it is all up to us. This may sound good until you realize that we are walking failures. We are incapable of living a righteous life.

C. It denies or ignores the most glorious aspects of the true gospel

What is the glorious aspect of the true Gospel?
- That salvation is entirely from God not man. It is Christ alone who delivers.

Application

Further Study

💬Discussion Questions

2025-07-20 Sermon Notes

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