In writing the Corinthian church, Paul alludes to a pseudo-Gospel exerting considerable appeal to some. While bearing surface resemblance to the authentic, further examination gave evidence, however, of "another Jesus, another spirit, and another gospel than that which you accepted." Furthermore, its source lay in "false apostles and deceitful workers" (II Cor. 11:4,13).
In writing the Galatian churches a short time prior, Paul had likewise raised the issue of deserting the true for the counterfeit (again, "another gospel," Gal. 1:6). Yet, on second thought, he tended to view these converts more in terms of having been victimized by "some who are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ" (vs. 7). As with the heretically false, however, the consequences could prove ruinous (Gal. 5:2-6).
To their credit, the Galatian churches had not endorsed a libertine "doctrine of Balaam" (Rev. 2:6,14,15,20) or adopted the errors of a Gnostic, even if Christian oriented, mysticism (Epistle to the Colossians) - deviations that had, or would in time, arise in other churches. Difficulty existed rather in their loss of perspective, at this point involving the role of divine grace as contrasted to "works of the law." The result was a fatally flawed "spirituality."
Are we ever similarly vulnerable? While much engaged in "contending for the faith" and maintaining doctrinal orthodoxy, does the reality of grace in our relationship to God ever give way to legalism; do spiritual concerns become diverted to interests of personal cause and agenda; does compassion degenerate into hardness of spirit; servanthood and sectarian identity evolve into attitudes of superiority; commitment to a hurting world transmute into self-righteous withdrawal from the world; congregational "fellowship" become characterized more by strife and contention than those qualities concerning which Scripture pointedly counsels, "He who loves not knows not God" (I John 4:8)? Simply stated, is divine purpose and spiritual progress in our lives ever stymied - much like that of the Galatians - by loss of focus and perspective?
Scriptural antidote is found in Paul's exhortation to adopt "the mind [i.e., outlook, attitude, sense of cause and values] of Christ" (Phil. 2:5). In so coming to see ourselves, surrounding world, fellow believers and call to mission from his perspective, resource is provided for addressing many such religiously related, albeit spiritually debilitating, distortions of the Gospel.
Burl Ratzsch
