“We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified (Galatians 2:15-16)."

When Paul penned his epistle to the Galatians, this small, newly formed church was under spiritual attack from within. A certain group of false teachers known as Judaizers had crept into the body and were leading people astray. They looked and sounded like true believers. They affirmed that Jesus was the Christ, they believed that He died for their sins and that He was resurrected from the grave. They claimed to have trusted Him for their salvation. But they insisted that the Jewish practice of circumcision was still required in order to receive eternal life. Yes, Jesus did his part by dying on the cross, but there was still more to be done.

Now Paul doesn’t waste any time addressing this heresy. He declares that there is only one Gospel, and the only way a person can be made right in God’s sight is through faith alone. He asks, were you saved by performing some external act, or are you saved simply through your faith in what Christ has done for you? In other words, how were you justified in God’s sight? The doctrine of Justification provides the answer to mankind’s most basic theological question. How can sinners have a right relationship with the holy God of the universe? And Paul’s answer is simple. Faith!  To be justified means to be declared innocent in the presence of God; to be washed of our sins and made new. And Paul says, you are declared innocent in God’s courtroom the moment you hear the Gospel and you believe. Just as he also states in Romans 10: “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17). Those who trust their lives to Jesus Christ, He purifies by the washing of the water of the Word of God (Ephesians 5:26). Beloved, we are saved solely by the work of Jesus Christ!

Now, tragically, this doctrinal heresy of Jesus plus something is still alive and well today, and there are many who have fallen prey. You could replace the word circumcision here in Galatians 2 with baptism, and Paul’s argument would remain the same.  For we know that a person is not justified by “baptism” but through faith in Jesus Christ. Understand, there is nothing you or I can do to be made right in God’s sight apart from faith. Just as Paul declares: “by the works of the law, no one will be justified” (Galatians 2:16).  And make no mistake, any Gospel that adds to the finished work of Christ is a counterfeit. Any teaching that says that salvation requires something more than trust in Christ alone is blasphemous. It is no Gospel at all. Just as Paul proclaims in Galatians 1: “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). Paul says, follow my gospel, for my Gospel is God’s Gospel. Understand, nowhere will you ever find Paul making baptism part of the Gospel message. Just the opposite, he declares in his letter to the Corinthian Church, “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel” (1 Corinthians 1:17).

Now, it is true that believer’s baptism is an ordinance that every Christian is called to perform. In His Great Commission to the church, the Lord Jesus commanded us to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them” (Matthew 28:19). But according to Jesus, who are the ones who are baptized? They are disciples. What is a disciple? According to Scripture, it is one who has heard the good news of the Gospel and believed (Acts 16:31). A disciple has recognized his or her need for the Savior, turned from their sins and held tightly to Christ’s righteousness to save them. They have had their hearts regenerated through faith alone, by grace alone, and in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). Simply put, a disciple is a born-again believer, a Christian.

So according to Jesus, after a disciple is made, what is the next step? A new believer is commanded to be baptized as an outward declaration of what Christ has done in and through them (Acts 2:37-38). You see, baptism is a celebration of the inward transformation that has occurred in the believers life. It is a proclamation of how we have been united with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4). How we have died to ourselves and now live in the newness of life in Christ (Galatians 2:20). It is a believer’s profession that he or she is not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe (Romans 1:16)!

Baptism is a beautiful picture what has taken place in the life of a believer. But don’t miss this, anyone who is placing their faith in this outward act to save them has believed a false gospel and are accursed. Paul could not be any clearer, anyone who trust in Jesus plus something has nothing! Again, how are we justified? How are we made right in God’s sight? Faith alone! Beloved, don’t be deceived by an imitation. There is a lot being peddled as Gospel in our day, and there are many who twist the Word of God to their own destruction (2 Peter 3:16). Beloved, make sure you are standing on the rock of Christ, all other ground is sinking sand. He is enough!