Here’s the text in the Epistle to the Galatians: even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed (v. 8). And in the very next verse he said it again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed (v. 9, emphasis added)
The Greek word “accursed”
is anathema - delivered
over to divine wrath. Anyone who distorts the gospel of Christ is under a curse. From
whom? From Almighty God.
But maybe an illustration would help.
But maybe an illustration would help.
In 2004 13 babies
died of malnutrition in a city in Eastern China. They were all fed a baby
formula that had been deliberately watered down. Authorities in China reported that
the wholesalers who faked the baby formula were prosecuted and severely
punished.
But four years
later 16 babies in the Gansu Province of China were diagnosed with kidney
stones. Investigators found that all of the infants were fed a baby formula that was
protein deficient. The company producing the formula added a chemical that gave
false readings on the protein testing.
Eventually six
infants died, 54,000 babies were hospitalized, and 300,000 people world-wide
were victimized by the doctored baby formula. At least 11 countries around the
world stopped importing Chinese dairy products.
Criminal
prosecutions by the Chinese government resulted in the execution of two people,
a suspended death penalty for another. Three received life in prison, and two were
given 15-year jail terms. A number of government officials were fired.
Can we possibly imagine the outrage and pain of parents whose babies died or became gravely ill? What was intended to nourish, to give life, became the instrument of suffering and death at the hands of evil men.
The message of God's grace is that He freely forgives based solely upon the merits of Jesus' death. Plus nothing. No one can earn God's favor or contribute to the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice.
The Bible says this message of free grace, of Jesus plus nothing, is the sinner's only hope. Imagine the outrage of God toward anyone who would deliberately dilute or distort, pollute or poison, this life-giving message. Anyone who does this is anathema.
So is there any way to be freed from this terrible curse? Of course - the same way anyone is freed. At the cross. Say yes to Jesus plus nothing. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36
Can we possibly imagine the outrage and pain of parents whose babies died or became gravely ill? What was intended to nourish, to give life, became the instrument of suffering and death at the hands of evil men.
The message of God's grace is that He freely forgives based solely upon the merits of Jesus' death. Plus nothing. No one can earn God's favor or contribute to the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice.
The Bible says this message of free grace, of Jesus plus nothing, is the sinner's only hope. Imagine the outrage of God toward anyone who would deliberately dilute or distort, pollute or poison, this life-giving message. Anyone who does this is anathema.
So is there any way to be freed from this terrible curse? Of course - the same way anyone is freed. At the cross. Say yes to Jesus plus nothing. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36
