I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different “good news”, Galatians 1:6 WEB

Paul begins his letter to the Galatians with a greeting. In it, he extends the peace and grace of God to his readers. Also, Paul mentions the resurrected Christ and the sacrifice he made on behalf of repentant sinners. In Galatians 1:4, Paul wrote of Christ, “who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father. WEB”

After briefly mentioning the core message of the gospel, Paul transitions to the reason for his letter. Apparently, after Paul and his associates left the area, false teachers began to preach a different gospel to the Galatians. Instead of teaching the grace of Christ, these men taught that sinners could earn salvation through acts of religious devotion. 

The Gift of God

This verse reveals Paul’s astonishment at how quickly some Galatians departed from the simple truth of salvation by the grace of God. They did so in order to follow false teachers who preached a different “good news” focused on earning salvation. Addressing this issue, Paul wrote in Galatians 1:7, “but there isn’t another “good news.” Only there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the Good News of Christ. WEB”

Whenever Paul encountered false teaching, he took pains to correct it. Salvation comes through the grace of Christ. God loved sinful mankind so much that he paid the price for our sins in the person of Jesus Christ. Salvation is not earned by deeds. It is a gift from God. As Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8-9, “for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast. WEB”

Yesterday’s Devotional: The Lord