Gleanings from Galatians 3

The Other Gospel in GalatiaThe Galatians began to turn away toward “other gospel”, which is no gospel, and is contradictory to what Paul had preached to them.  It is so serious that preaching the “other gospel” results in anathema.  

The Heresy

The heresy is best summarized in Acts 15:1, 5: 

“Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised according to the customs taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.”

“Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.”  

The teaching was that salvation cannot be realized unless by observing the law of Moses, particularly, being circumcised, along with believing in the gospel of Jesus Christ.   It is by “believing in the gospel plus fulfilling the commands and customs of Judaism.”  

The Implication of the Heresy:   

The implication of the heresy is explicitly venomous as it is viewed deep down in the skin.   Initiated by God alone, the salvation is culminated in the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, whose death and resurrection is final, complete and satisfactory to our salvation.  As Christ Jesus has completed the salvation once for all as the single event in the human history, it stands as completed to the infinite.  God’s action is prompted by His grace alone and no human work merits toward His favor.  To appropriate the salvation, the only human response is “faith” in the gospel.  The indwelling Holy Spirit, the gift of God, makes our salvation viable.  Christ’s grace alone (sola gratia) and justified by faith alone (sola fidei) are the bench marks of the Reformers. 

If a man is saved also by observing the law of Moses, particularly by circumcision, then Christ’s death and resurrection would be counted as incomplete, not final and unsatisfactory for our salvation.  In this sense, Christ’s vicarious suffering, substitutionary death on the cross, victorious resurrection, and free gift of the Holy Spirit would be mere waste.  In a nutshell, the salvific plan of God would stand invalid.             

That is why Paul says that Galatians have turned away from not merely the concept of salvation, but the author and source of salvation, God Himself.

The elements of the Heresy:

In the Early Churches, the other gospel was expressed in different forms.  They were from mainly two major sources, Judaism and Gnosticism, with verieties. 

Judaism:  Salvation requires also observing the law of Moses, particularly, circumcision, observing special days, ceremonial rites of cleaning, food regulations, particular place of worship, worshipping angels,ceremonial fasting,

Gnosticism:  There were two branches

Stoicism:  Salvation is attained by celibacy, strict physical controlling, fasting,    

Epicureanism: Salvation leads to licentious, moral laxity, glutton,

Roman Catholicism:  Indulgence, (selling of forgiveness), penance, purgatory, celibacy, 

The elements of Heresy Today:

Preaching of denominationalism, church doctrines and constitutions, For salvation needs of baptism, speaking in tongues, tithing, fasting, dress and ornament codes, celibacy, observance of Sabbath (Saturday) and Feasts, pilgrimage to holy land,  Following ceremonial and cultural laws of Moses, circumcision, ethical and moral teachings for salvation, medieval and western traditions of building, worship, music and songs, equating prayer books with the Scriptures, 

The list is not final. I request the readers to add more and make it contextual.