“Preserving the truth of the Gospel”

“Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.” Galatians 2:3-5 (ESV)

Certain Jewish teachers from Jerusalem, had been secretly brought into the church at Antioch and were teaching that circumcision was essential for salvation. Paul and his companions refused to submit to these false brethren that the truth of the Gospel might continue with them. Paul’s concern regarding the truth of the Gospel remaining, indicates that one may be influenced by false teaching to such a degree that they may depart from the truth of the Gospel. There was evidence of this happening in the churches of Galatia. Paul was astonished that the Galatians had quickly deserted the one who called them by the grace of Christ and began following a different gospel. Not that another gospel actually existed, but there were some who had altered the Gospel of Christ. Galatians 1:6-7 The response to many within the churches of Galatia to this distortion of the Gospel, confirmed the danger Paul speaks of in Galatians 2:4-5 and the seriousness of not giving free reign to one who would teach a perverted Gospel. Our freedom in Christ may be at stake.