The First Recorded Cult

The First Recorded Cult – Galatians 1:1-9 1 ¶ Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) /2 And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia: 3 be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 6 ¶ I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. Paul wastes no time! In 5 short verses (as divided up by later translators) but in one “run-on” sentence, which would drive our modern English teachers to frustration), he identifies himself as a commissioned Apostle, and gives the glory to God. APOSTLES WILL COME UP IN THIS SERIES LATER. Then he jumps right into the subject. The Judaizers had followed Paul into Galatia and taught that the Gentiles needed to be circumcised. Paul had to fight with the Judaizers in most of the churches, especially Galatia, but seems to have pretty well eradicated circumcision as an issue, at least as far as Christianity spreading north west through Asia (Asia Minor/Turkey) and western Europe. We have no biblical record of Christianity spreading north eastward or east although we understand that Thomas took the gospel to India. We have the record of the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts chapter 8) as the only hint of the gospel spreading into Africa but history shows that if the eunuch had been a missionary of sorts he did not make an impact. There is no record of any of the early church teachers following up on Philip’s one-time message or the eunuch’s initial conversion. (Lesson learned: do not leave a “first-time” convert to just fend for himself. He is an open invitation to the cults.) There is some evidence that what, if any lingering semblance of Christianity prior to David Livingstone and contemporaries carried some form of circumcision. We have to remember, too, that the eunuch was a Jewish proselyte and, without the Apostles’ teaching, undoubtedly took with him many of the legalistic laws and practices of Judaism. Even after 3 missionary trips into south east Europe, preaching grace and deliverance from the law, Acts 18:18: “And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow” seems to indicate that even he had a hard time shedding his old Jewish ways. Lesson learned: If you do not make a clean break from your “pre-conversion” rituals and laws your followers won’t either, and it will get you into trouble, as shown in Acts chapters 22 and following, although as it did in Paul’s case, it may often turn into a good opening for a gospel witness. The Galatian believers were quick to grab up the gospel message, and so loved Paul that they would have gladly taken out their own eyes, if they could have, and given them to Paul. (Galatians 4:15) But they were equally quick to grab up the false teaching of the Judaizers. All through the years of Church history some “branch of Judaizers” have preyed on new or unlearned believers, introducing some sort of legalistic practice - not taught in the Bible - that would supposedly ensure your salvation, and make you a step above the others in spirituality. In this case it was circumcision. But circumcision had now lost its spiritual significance, and was now become to those who rested on it as any ground of justification, a senseless mutilation. That’s what Paul calls it in Philippians 3:2: “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.” We won’t exegete this verse, but the term “concision” is katatome (kat-at-om-ay’) - to cut up, mutilation. Circumcision had its place in Jewish history but when the veil was rent all those symbolic rites and rituals became just symbols of the past because Jesus Christ had fulfilled the ceremonial law. To make "cuttings in the flesh" was expressly prohibited by the law (#Le 21:5): it was a Gentile-heathenish practice (#1Ki :28);” You should be able, with Philippians 3:2, quoted above, to see that even with Paul’s strict legal Jewish upbringing, of which in his place he rightfully proud, he now calls circumstances needless mutilation. Galatians 2:3-4: But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised: And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: 5:2-3: “Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.” 8-11: “But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.” So why do you circumcise your sons? You are being dragged back under the old pagan laws and practices from which you have supposedly been saved, complete with the unnecessary pain and mutilations. I think of the old “Sun Dance” of the Sioux, which was their mark and ignition into manhood. I still get a little bit sick to my stomach just talking about it. If I were required that ritual as a “rite of manhood” I’m not sure I could have made it. Oh, come to grace my beloved! John 8:36: “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” Don’t drag old unnecessary, forbidden, cultic, and pagan rituals into your faith. Those who seek you to practice rituals not taught in the Scripture, or are forbidden in Scripture are those of whom Paul speaks in Galatians 6:12: “As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.” They want you as a trophy of their power and authority. Pastor Ray 12 As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. 13 For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.