Today’s reading: Galatians 1:6-12
In today’s reading from Galatians, Paul talks about what we today call modernism. It already happened during the time of Paul, and is happening still now. Modernism promotes the anti-gospel. It is a work of the evil one that seeks to draw people away from the authentic truths proclaimed by Jesus. It is “forsaking the one who called you by the grace of Christ for a different gospel” (v.6). Rejection of the truths of the gospel is rejection of God. Modernism is a work “to pervert the Gospel of Christ.” (v.7).
Modernism is about “currying favor with human beings (and not) God” (v.10a). It looks to the well-being of man at the sacrifice of the righteousness of God. It is about “seeking to please people” (v.10b). Thus you have something like political correctness, whereby the sinner is accepted, accompanied, embraced, but is not called out for his sin. It is promoting the city of man and not the city of God. One who tries “to please people …. would not be a slave of Christ.” (v.10c). In fact, he would be an enemy of Christ, since the sinner who is not led to repentance will feel good about human acceptance but will lose his soul, contrary to the atoning aim of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.
Paul insists “that the Gospel preached by (him) is not of human origin” (v.11) but “came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.” (v.12). Modernist teachings, on the other hand, overturn the revelation of Jesus and become based only upon the mind and opinion of humans. They are perversions of the truth, promoted by the father of lies in order to lead people away from authentic faith.
Thus Paul strongly condemns modernism, which is especially perverse, since it perverts the very words and teachings of Jesus and the apostles. “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel other than the one that we preached to you, let that one be accursed.” (v.8). The only authentic gospel is the one preached by Jesus and the apostles after him. No one, not even the Pope, should preach a different gospel. Otherwise, “let that one be accursed!” (v.9).