July 17, 2025

THERE IS ONLY ONE GOOD NEWS

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ. Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed.”

Galatians 1:6-9 NLT

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TODAY’S THOUGHT

Right at the beginning of his letter, we see what deeply stirs Paul’s heart: he is outraged by anyone who distorts the true gospel. What someone loves — and what they hate — shows you what they really value. For Paul, nothing mattered more than the pure gospel of Jesus Christ.

Paul had shared the good news of God’s grace — that Jesus’ finished work on the cross is enough to save us, forgive us, and free us from the penalty of sin. But now, false teachers called Judaizers were twisting this message. They didn’t deny Christ’s death and resurrection, but they added extra requirements — teaching that believers must also obey the Old Testament law to keep their salvation.

This may not sound dangerous at first, but Paul says it is. He declares that anyone preaching a different gospel — even an angel from heaven — should be “accursed” (anathema). This word means “eternally condemned” — a strong warning because adding law to grace destroys the gospel’s power.

Paul’s intensity reminds us of Achan in the Old Testament. God commanded that everything in Jericho belonged to Him alone. But Achan secretly kept some treasure for himself — holding on to what belonged to God — and it brought a curse and death to his family (Joshua 7). In the same way, the gospel belongs to God. We have no right to tamper with it, add to it, or water it down. To do so brings spiritual ruin.

This conflict is just as real today. There are still people who preach a gospel of rules — do’s and don’ts — that can make us feel like our salvation depends on human effort, religious rituals, or church traditions. But true-life change flows from God’s grace, not from legalistic demands. When we add our own “law” to the gospel, we shift our trust from what Jesus did to what we do — and that always leads to pride, fear, or failure.

Yes, God’s grace transforms our lives. The Holy Spirit will convict us and change our attitudes, words, clothes, and behavior. But it’s His work in us — not our striving to meet someone else’s standard.

When we live under grace, we depend on what God has done. When we live under law, we depend on what we can do. And you can’t cling to both.

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TODAY’S PRAYER

Holy Spirit, help me rest in Your grace. Teach me to trust Jesus’ finished work, not my own efforts. Help me extend grace to myself and to others, and to live in the freedom You paid for. Amen.

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