Carnival Churches

Read Galatians 3:1-9

Oh, foolish Galatians! What magician has cast an evil spell on you? For you used to see the meaning of Jesus Christ's death as clearly as though I had shown you a signboard with a picture of Christ dying on the cross. Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by keeping the law? Of course not, for the Holy Spirit came upon you only after you believed the message you heard about Christ. Have you lost your senses? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? (Gal. 3:1-3 NLT)

In this section of scripture, Paul tells the Galatians that they had been duped, tricked or deceived by someone who proclaimed something other than the Gospel of grace. For them in Galatia, they were being lead back into bondage to the Law. Judizers (Jews who had become Christians, yet remained tied into the tradition and ceremony of Judaism) were telling them that they had to fulfill the requirements of Judaism before they could really become a Christian. They were being lead from grace into law, with all of its short comings and failure to be able to control the hearts of man. Today we have a different problem, yet with just as deadly results. It’s not the Gospel message; it’s not preaching the Law; it’s some sort of warm fuzzy feeling wrapped around the pretense of truth.

It is interesting to me to hear that there are so many churches who continue to preach a “feel good” message, watered down by homespun half-truths and slight scriptural reference (often taken out of context to make the point). Their “gospel message” never speaks of sin, therefore there is no need for a Savior. They never speak of repentence, because "man is basically good". Their messages speak of all those things in life that make us feel better about ourselves when the Word of God declares that within me there dwells no good thing (Romans 7:18).

The message pulls Scripture from the context, therefore watering down the power of the Word of God to change lives. They reach a little from here and there to help make a point that many times the Scripture does not even remotely pertain to.

Oh Beloved, don’t be duped or deceived by the trickery of man. The message of the Word of God many times causes discomfort – until there is repentance. It sometimes causes doubt – until we come to the One who is Truth. It many times calls, even demands that we look beyond ourselves and our comfort in order that Christ might be glorified, even in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Paul, in dealing with the early church (and it remains true today), went about “strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith, "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," as Paul declared to them (Acts 14:22).

As we enter into these last days, how much truer that is for us today. This may not be a “warm, fuzzy” gospel, but it is the true message of the Gospel. "You shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall set you free."