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Articles
Defense of the Gospel
The apostle Paul faced many trials throughout his life and ministry. Paul had been beaten three times with rods, five times received thirty-nine lashes, and once was stoned and left for dead, but he continued to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ with boldness. He was shipwrecked a total of four times and spent an entire day and night in the deep. Paul experienced success in the preaching of the gospel and establishing congregations throughout Galatia, Philippi, Thessalonica, Corinth, and Ephesus. It was not always physical persecutions that caused Paul mental strain and concern, but rather it was also his concern for the brethren and their spiritual strength.
The apostle Paul prayed continually for all of the congregations where he was personally involved and even others who he had not been to personally – Rome and Colossae. Paul wrote concerning this pressure in his second epistle to the Corinthians -
28 Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern? (2 Corinthians 11:28-29)
One cannot deny that Paul had an intensity to his work and ministry. This intensity is found in both his writings and in the book of Acts. Paul seriously took the charge he had been given as an apostle of Jesus Christ who was set apart for the gospel of God. Paul desired to serve his Master blamelessly and this desire manifested itself in his concern for both the salvation of the lost and strengthening of the saved.
The apostle Paul’s concern for others is especially manifested in his letter to the churches of Galatia. When Paul was in Galatia, he had suffered persecution and dealt with some form of a physical ailment (cf. Galatians 4:14; 6:11). We will never know the exact cause of this condition, but it did not keep Paul from preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. The congregations established on Paul’s first missionary journey validated the effectiveness of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the boldness of Paul’s preaching. Paul and Barnabas had given everything to these new brothers/sisters in Christ to succeed and flourish, but seemingly upon their exit from the area – the gospel was corrupted by false teachers.
The influence of these false teachers prompted Paul to write from Antioch his letter to the churches of Galatia. The churches of Galatia swift departure from the gospel amazed Paul (Galatians 1:6-9). This did not keep him from defending the gospel that these brethren had been taught, believed, and obeyed. The gospel taught by Paul had been verified through a variety of indisputable evidences. Paul did not receive the gospel from man, nor was he taught it, but he received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:12). Paul was also vested by the pillars of the Jerusalem church who concluded that he had been chosen to preach the gospel to the Gentiles (Galatians 2:7-9). Paul’s defense of the gospel was specifically manifested when he withstood Peter to his face regarding his hypocrisy and mistreatment of the Gentile brethren upon the arrival of the party of the circumcision (Galatians 2:11-14).
Paul did not back down or dilute the gospel, but rather he stood courageously toe-to-toe against the growing tide of false teachers. The apostle did all he could do through his letter to the church of Galatia to maintain the purity of the gospel. Paul spoke with boldness and clarity to these erring brethren. The love that Paul manifested for the churches of Galatia was similar to a mother’s love for her newborn child (Galatians 4:19). Paul continually warned the Galatians that continuing along the path of the false teachers would sever them from Christ and ultimately they would fall from grace (Galatians 5:4). These words were not lightly spoken, but rather they were spoken with the understanding that eternity hung in the balance. Paul called for the brethren to recognize that he bore on his body the brand-marks of Jesus (Galatians 6:17). If Paul’s gospel was manmade and not given by God, as the false teachers apparently proclaimed, then why was Paul willing to suffer so much for the cause of Christ? Paul found glory in one thing – “14 But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14).
The epistles of Paul should convict us to become more like our brother. Paul’s defense of the gospel in his letter to the Galatians is inspiring. He did not backdown or change the gospel because of the fear of persecution, but rather he remained faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Will the same be said concerning us in the 21st century? The gospel does not evolve or change over time, but rather it will always remain the same. May God bless us with the courage to teach the gospel without fear of harm and persecution, and to always be ready to give a defense for the hope that is within us!
