So I Say it Again

Saying things two times vs. one time usually means that it is something that is very important. If a professor talks brings up an assignment twice it is probably more important that something that would be brought up once right? Think about sitting in church listening to a sermon, when a preacher has a main point the preacher usually says the same thing over and over again right? Now, think about those things that your parents say to you over and over. If your mom tells you to make your bed when you wake up in the morning than you should probably make your bed in the morning. If you have been told once in your life to make your bed, then you probably don't make your bed.

I hope that you get my point here in what I am trying to say.

I just started reading the book of Galatians and I am super excited about it. I am going to give you a little intro about the book of Galatians just so things make a little more sense to you. Galatia was a Roman province in central Asia Minor. Paul traveled there on each of the three journeys he made to spread the message about Jesus. The Galatians received both Paul and his gospel announcement warmly. But later some people Paul calls agitators came and challenged Paul's leadership as well as the foundation of his teaching. So Paul wrote to answer the threat to his status as an apostle and to reaffirm the core message that faith in the Messiah is the basis of membership in God's new community. Paul insists that the gospel that was preached was not of human origin...rather, received by revelation from Jesus Christ. Paul was very compelled to share this revelation that he has. The main argument that Paul had was that the Gentiles did not need to be circumcised. Paul closes by emphasizing the main theme of his letter once more: Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation.

I hope that background on the book of Galatians really helps you understand some of the things that I share, not only in this post, but in future posts involving the book of Galatians.

In Galatia there were some people who becoming quick to desert the one who called them to live in the grace of Christ. Paul was astonished by this. He couldn't believe that people were turning to other ways rather than the gospel of Christ. I picture this being much like things are today. We can read the truth right in the bible but there are still so many people out there who don't believe it. It's sad to think about. There are hundreds of millions of copies of the bible and there are still so many who don't believe, or they choose to believe in other things.

I believe that sometimes, people base their beliefs on pleasing people. If you come from a family who isn't rooted in Christ, or you have friends who aren't rooted either, you might do what they do to please them since they're your family and your friends. Don't get me wrong you can be in that situation and be rooted in Christ. That is totally possible.

We just get in the habit of pleasing people. Whatever it takes to make others happy, we have a tendency to do. That can be both good or bad. We get caught up in seeking the approval of humans rather than the approval of God. I am guilty of that for sure. It's definitely easier said than done. Before God became number 1 in my life, I wasn't good with this at all. For me, what others thought about me or fitting in was more important. I knew God was always going to be there, I just didn't have him at the top of the list.

So what is being said again?

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God's curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God's curse! Am I trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:6-10) 

I underlined what Paul said twice: "If anyone is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God's curse!" There is a lot of importance in this since he said it twice. If we are preaching ant other gospel other than the gospel of Christ, we all be under God's curse! I don't know about you, but I don't want to be under God's curse.

I really liked what Paul says when he finishes that passage.  "If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ." Have you ever thought about that before? If we live our whole lives trying to please people, that is not being a servant of Christ. Being a servant of Christ is sharing the gospel and loving people like Jesus. Are we doing those things? It sounds like there are two options. Preach another gospel and be cursed? Or preach the gospel and be a servant of Christ. Sounds like a no brainier to me.

I hope this passage encouraged whoever read it tonight. I hope that it was clear and made sense as well. If you can take away one thing, take away that when something is said more than once, it is most likely very important. There is only one gospel, and one Jesus Christ. Don't get caught up in Satan's schemes of thinking that getting the approval of humans is what's most important.

So I say it again!