Last year it was exciting to see Bible believing churches celebrate with great enthusiasm 500 years of rediscovering the gospel. But the reformation itself has not ceased because Satan and men’s hearts love to twist either the law or the gospel.

Legalism, which seeks to add good works and faith for a right standing before God is deadly. In many churches, the gospel is being compromised in various ways and depriving people of their freedom in Christ.

As believers we might be tempted to bring an extra 15-minute devotion or extra ministry as an offering for a right standing with God when we have sinned. We need to uncover the masked enemy of legalism in our midst because it can take away many fruitful years of growing in Christ.

In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he calls them back on track to the safety of the true gospel. It’s in the gospel of grace that God fulfilled His promise made to Abraham long ago; that the Messiah would one day bear the curse of the Law and give us the blessings of righteousness and the Spirit (Galatians 3).

The good news is that in Christ we are justified. This means there are no works required to have and maintain a right standing before God. It is the gospel which says, “for freedom Christ has set you free” (Gal 5:1). Paul was so sure of this divine gospel and the implications of departing from it that he pursued with all his heart to win the Galatians back.

In Galatians 5:7-11, Paul unmasks the dangers of legalism. He compares the Christian life to a race. He describes legalism like somebody entering the arena, pushing the runners off course and hindering them (v. 7). Legalism comes in and hinders our race.

Paul clearly tells the Galatians, “this persuasion is not from the one who calls you” (v. 8). The source of legalism can never be the God of the gospel, because He does not change His promises. The God of the gospel has already decided that He will get the glory through the preaching of the cross. Paul compares legalism to yeast that spreads its influence far and wide in a church and says that those misleading the Galatians “will bear the judgment of God” (v. 9-10).

Paul goes on to clear up what the Judaizers falsely claimed. They most likely told the Galatians that, Paul too preached circumcision. However, Paul never identified with this claim. Paul counted everything as rubbish compared to knowing Christ. Paul says “if I preach circumcision why am I still persecuted? Why do I suffer at the hands of the Jews?” (v. 11). The Jews would have gladly embraced faith and ceremonies.

The world is always welcoming of such synergistic teachings. Adding faith and good works is contrasted to “the offense of the Cross” in v. 11. The Jews loved signs and wonders, and their history was full of extraordinary deliverances. Whereas, the gospel is that Jesus accomplished the greatest deliverance by becoming a curse on the Cross.

What a picture of weakness that would have been for them.

There is another sense in which the cross is an offense. Paul preached that, “there is none righteous, not even one.” He preached that Christ alone lived the righteous life God demanded, He alone died and paid our ransom, He alone rose from the dead and has become the only way of salvation.

This is an offense and a stumbling block to the world around us even today. But Paul boasted in this very gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation. Is this Gospel our glory and boast?

Not only when everyone agrees and appreciates it, but when its an offense to the majority of people around us. May God help us to battle gospel compromise and boast in the glorious Cross.