Galatians - "Jesus Is Enough" - Galatians 1:1-10 - Mike Maglish

Jesus Is Enough

Galatians 1:1-10
Mike Maglish

Part of Galatians

September 7, 2025

“The Judaizers’ heresy was not that they denied Christ, but that they insisted that you cannot be saved by Christ alone. You must add your works of the law to His work of the cross.” 
-John Stott (On Galatians) 

“The gospel is not advice to be followed; it is good news to be believed. The Judaizers had turned it back into advice - something we do - rather than something Christ has done.” 
-Tim Keller (Galatians For You) 

1 Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2 and all the brothers who are with me, 
To the churches of Galatia: 
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. —Galatians 1:1-5 

Waste NO TIME contending for the GOSPEL 

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel —Galatians 1:6 

“So Quickly” 
-Acts 13-14 - Paul first preached in Galatia 47-48 AD. (Churches planted) 
-The writing of Galatians - Maybe 49 AD (1-2 years of planting those churches) 

 —Galatians 1:6 

Military word: The Greek verb metatithesthe was used for soldiers deserting their post or politicians switching allegiance. It carries the sting of betrayal, treason, or defection. It’s as if Paul is saying “You’re not just adjusting a doctrine. You’re defecting from your Commander.” 

We do not desert an IDEA. We desert the COMMANDER. 

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel —Galatians 1:6 

“Grace means God moving heaven and earth to save sinners who could not lift a finger to save themselves.” 
-J.I. Packer (Knowing God) 

“The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.” 
-Tim Keller 

7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. —Galatians 1:7-9 

Greek word behind “accursed” 
• The word is ἀνάθεμα (anathema). 
• Originally it meant something devoted to God (set apart). 
• Over time, it came to mean something devoted to destruction because it was opposed to God. 
Think: in the Old Testament when something was “devoted to destruction” (like Jericho in Joshua 6) — it was under God’s judgment. 

It is DANGEROUS to CHANGE the Gospel of Grace 

Modern Day Parallels to Judaizing 

1) Legalism in the Church (Jesus + Church attendance + personal holiness) 
2) Cultural Christianity (Jesus + my culture + my political view + my worship style) 
3) Spiritual Scorekeeping (I read my Bible more, I homeschool, I give more) 
4) Adding Rules for Belonging (Dress like us, act like us, know our lingo, clean up your life) 
5) The Inner Judaizer (We KNOW the Gospel, but we still feel like we have to EARN it.) 

 —Colossians 2:9-14 

Takeaway 
God’s COVENANT is COMPLETE in CHRIST