Galatians 1:6-8
I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you, in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but some pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
Paul warns the churches in Galatia about false gospels. Here are three wrong teachings that seem to pervade today’s churches. Be careful of :
Salvation by works, not faith.
Paul warns the Galatians, “Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?” (Gal. 3:3) As you spend time with Him, he changes you by the power of the Holy Spirit. The changes come at His timing and His will. We believe first, repent of our sins and put our faith in Jesus, then He saves us, then His Spirit changes us, but we will never be perfect until we “see Him face to face” in Heaven. Our good deeds are a product of knowing Him. They do not save us because they are “as filthy rags to the Lord.” The Fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control) is not something you do, it is a by-product of who you are connected to, The Lord.
We can not save ourselves. Jesus does not provide a way for self-salvation. Do not ever believe this false teaching no matter who says it.
Teachings that demote Christ to the level of man.
I remember Kenneth Copeland saying that Jesus was “just a man full of the Holy Spirit” and that any man with enough faith could have died for the world’s sin. ( I know, Shock face!) This teaching is more prevalent than you realize. Jesus was not “just a man full of the Holy Spirit.” He is the Son of God, sinless and holy with no beginning and no end, fully God and fully man.
The gospel message should not promote man to the level of Christ.
Though we are grafted into the vine and joint-heirs with Christ Jesus through His death and resurrection, we are not the Godhead. We were created by Him and for Him. We are the clay and He is the potter. He gives us standing and a title that we have never earned. Any Biblical interpretations that speak of God as “replicating Himself throughout the world”, or Jesus “creating little Jesus’ through disciple-making” is heretical. He created a way for us to be reconciled back to Him and it is our job and honor to forever worship and serve Him.