The Vindication of Paul's Gospel

In Galatians, Paul provides meaty doctrine about the true Gospel of salvation by faith in Christ's finished work at Calvary. Paul also explains the doctrinal error of adding works to the Gospel, and the futility of lawkeeping to attain righteousness.

But focusing on the doctrine, we might miss the personal and rhetorical imagery Paul uses to press his point. Paul is concerned that the Galatians have abandoned the Gospel, and he uses many personal appeals and ridicule of the Gospel's foes to persuade the reader to remain faithful to Christ.

Paul trumps whatever pretend authority the Judaizers claim by pointing out that he as appointed an apostle by Jesus Christ himself.

He is careful to insist that all glory goes to Christ, not to Moses, the law, or Israel. He points out that any change to the Gospel makes it bad news, and not "another Gospel."

He declares God's curse on anybody who preaches anything different from the true Gospel. He insists that false teachers not be accommodated or tolerated by the church.

Paul makes it clear that those who preach false gospels are seeking to please men, rather than serve Christ. He asserts that Christ, and not the apostles, personally revealed the true Gospel to him.

Paul describes how he used to promote law-works when he persecuted the church. He was more zealous for the false gospel than the Judaizers, but Christ changed him completely.

Paul describes how the true Gospel he now preaches was accepted by the very people he once persecuted. What are Believers to think about false teachers who preach what Paul preached when he persecuted the church?

Those who preach false Gospels have never met the Savior.