Not Another Gospel: Paul’s Defense of the New Covenant in Galatia

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We are continuing our New Testament study on the New Covenant as revealed in the writings of the Apostle Paul.

We explored Paul’s letter to the Galatians, diving into how early believers were drifting from the true gospel. Paul’s message wasn’t a new invention, but a fulfillment of existing prophecies about Jesus. He warned against a “different gospel” that adds extra requirements and misses the point of faith and grace.

The key is trusting God’s transformative plan, even when it seems confusing. It’s about a new heart, not just new rules – understanding God’s ongoing work of renewal through Jesus.

Paul’s Message of Fulfillment, Not Abandonment

Passages: Gal. 1:1-9; Acts 13:14-52

“As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!”

(Galatians 1:9 NAS95)

This “gospel contrary to what you received” that was swaying the Galatians away from Paul’s original message was not truly another gospel, but a distortion that risks leading people away from the core message of faith, trust, and transformation through Jesus Christ. Paul’s primary concern is that they are quickly turning away from the grace of Christ to something that appears similar but fundamentally changes the message of salvation.

The “different gospel” contradicts the Messiah’s teachings by undermining the core message of salvation through Jesus. It potentially challenges the New Covenant’s promise of transformation, reverting to legalistic practices and failing to recognize the new heart God offers. By adding requirements beyond faith and becoming prideful like the Pharisees, these congregations risk missing the fundamental message of God’s grace. The gospel they are following appears to reject the idea of salvation through faith, instead emphasizing strict religious adherence that contradicts Jesus’ fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and the promised spiritual renewal.

The historical context of the Galatian congregations

The Galatian congregations were located in central modern-day Turkey, populated by Gauls (Celtic people) who were settled in the region by Romans. Paul visited these congregations during at least three of his missionary journeys, first documented in Acts chapters 12-14. He traveled through cities like Iconium and Derbe, preaching in synagogues and presenting the gospel as a fulfillment of existing Jewish prophecies.

The congregations were likely experiencing challenges from people following Paul and attempting to “clean up” or modify his original message. These followers were introducing teachings that subtly distorted the original gospel, potentially adding legal requirements or traditional practices that contradicted the core message of faith and grace through Jesus Christ.

Paul’s original message, as presented in Acts 13, emphasized that the gospel was:
– Rooted in existing prophecies
– Focused on Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s promises
– Offering salvation and forgiveness
– Requiring trust in God’s plan

The historical context suggests these congregations were new believers struggling to understand the radical transformation of the New Covenant amid existing religious traditions.

Is the New Covenant a Pauline Invention

The New Covenant is not about discarding the “old” scriptures, but about God transforming hearts and minds, writing His laws internally rather than through external regulations.

1. The new covenant is not an invention of Paul, but a fulfillment of existing prophecies. The new covenant is rooted in Old Testament prophecies, particularly from prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel

2. It is not a “Plan B” or a sudden invention, but something God had planned all along

3. Paul consistently showed that his message was grounded in existing scriptures, not something he created “out of whole cloth”
In his sermons, Paul repeatedly referenced prophecies to demonstrate that the gospel was a continuation and fulfillment of God’s existing promises

4. The new covenant represents God’s plan to:

• Write His laws on people’s hearts
• Provide a spiritual transformation
• Create a “new heart and new spirit”

Jesus himself (in Matthew 5) emphasized that he was not rewriting the “Old Testament” but fulfilling it.

The new covenant is a deliberate, prophesied progression of God’s relationship with His people, not a sudden or arbitrary invention by Paul or the apostles.

Does Paul’s quotation of Habbakuk twist its original meaning?

““Therefore take heed, so that the thing spoken of in the Prophets may not come upon you:
‘BEHOLD, YOU SCOFFERS, AND MARVEL, AND PERISH; FOR I AM ACCOMPLISHING A WORK IN YOUR DAYS, A WORK WHICH YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE, THOUGH SOMEONE SHOULD DESCRIBE IT TO YOU.’””
(Acts 13:40-41 NAS95)

Paul’s use of Scripture, including his quotation of Habakkuk 1:5, is never careless or decorative. Paul’s citation serves as a purposeful “memory jogger,” drawing his audience’s attention to the broader prophetic context of Habakkuk.

This particular passage was not chosen at random; it is directly relevant to the warning Paul was issuing. Habakkuk’s message warns against pride (Habakkuk 2:4), emphasizes that “the righteous shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11), and speaks to God’s pattern of acting in surprising and even perplexing ways (Habakkuk 1:5).

By invoking this verse, Paul calls his listeners to trust in God’s unfolding plan—even when it is difficult to understand—and to remain spiritually vigilant. His use of Scripture reflects a larger prophetic pattern: God often works in ways that challenge human expectations, and His people must respond with faith, not complacency.

The famous quote of the Protestant Reformation from Habakkuk 2:4—“the just shall live by faith”—is not merely a statement about personal belief but part of a larger prophetic warning. In its original context, the verse contrasts the proud, self-reliant person with the righteous one who remains spiritually grounded through faith.

It was delivered during a troubling time when God was using the Chaldeans (Babylonians) to bring judgment on Judah (Habakkuk 1:6), a plan that seemed confusing and harsh to the prophet. The Hebrew terms deepen this meaning: “nephesh” (soul) recalls the breath of life God gave Adam (Genesis 2:7), and “tzaddik” (righteous) lives by “emunah”, meaning steadfastness or faithfulness—not mere intellectual assent.

True righteousness, then, involves deep trust in God’s plan, a willingness to be corrected, and the patience to wait even when His actions are difficult to understand. Paul is calling on his readers to move towards spiritual maturity: continuing in faith not just when things make sense, but especially when they don’t (Hebrews 10:38; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11).

Living by faith when not understanding God’s actions involves:

1. Spiritual Attitude:
   • Waiting patiently
   • Being willing to be corrected
   • Maintaining trust even when circumstances are perplexing
   • Staying steadfast despite not comprehending God’s plan
2. Practical Approaches:
   • Know God’s Word thoroughly
   • Ground your understanding in existing scriptural prophecies
   • Be careful not to attribute God’s work to human or demonic sources
   • Recognize that God’s actions might be unexpected
3. Fundamental Principles:
   • Understand that God’s work is often not immediately comprehensible
   • Recognize that transformation is part of God’s ongoing plan
   • Trust that God is working, even when the method is unclear
   • Remain humble and open to learning
4. Prophetic Example:
   • Like Habakkuk, who was confused by God’s actions but chose to wait and trust
   • Like Daniel, who didn’t fully understand but remained faithful
     Avoid being “proud” or “swollen” with personal knowledge

The key is maintaining a posture of humble trust, deep scriptural knowledge, and openness to God’s transformative work, even when it doesn’t make immediate sense.

The community’s role is to collectively support individual transformation through shared study, accountability, and spiritual guidance.

Action Items

• Explore the idea of the “new self” and “old self” in relation to the New Covenant, as discussed in passages like Ephesians, Colossians, and Romans.
• Investigate the connection between Deuteronomy 13 and the warning about false prophets in Galatians 1:9.
• Examine the parallels between the issues in Galatia and the messages to the churches in Revelation.

Speaker: Jeff. Summary: Tammy.