To preach another gospel is to preach anything other than the gospel Paul proclaimed — that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day.
Paul's gospel, spelled out in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, is the standard. A message becomes "another gospel" when it is perverted — twisted, added to, or subtracted from — so that it misleads people (Galatians 1:6-7). Paul warns that anyone who preaches such a perversion, even an angel from heaven, is accursed (Galatians 1:8-9). Les Feldick shows that in the Galatian churches the perversion was the demand that believers also keep the Mosaic Law.
Galatians 1:6-9 — This is the passage where Paul directly warns that anyone who preaches "another gospel" is accursed.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 — This passage defines the gospel Paul preached, the standard against which "another gospel" is measured.
The Bible defines the gospel Paul preached in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4: "Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures." Paul calls this "the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand" and says it is the gospel "by which also ye are saved" (1 Corinthians 15:1-2). In Galatians 1:6-7, Paul marvels that believers were "so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel," which he immediately qualifies: "Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ." The so-called "another gospel" is not a genuine second gospel — it is a perversion of the one true gospel. Paul then gives the warning in Galatians 1:8-9: "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." He repeats it for emphasis, showing the seriousness of altering the message.
Les Feldick teaches that the gospel Paul preached — the standard set in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 — is that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried to prove He was truly dead, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. Paul calls that message "my gospel." Les notes that John 3:16 is good, but it does not contain this full gospel; it must be used in conjunction with Paul's gospel to make sense today [Clip 0]. Paul also refers to this message as the Gospel of the grace of God, the Gospel of Christ, and the Gospel of God [Clips 5, 6]. Les explains that "another gospel" is not necessarily something completely different or obviously false. It can use the same basic truths and still be perverted. A perversion, in Paul's sense, is anything that twists the truth off-center enough to mislead people — and people do this by adding to the gospel and taking away from it [Clips 1, 2]. In Galatia, the false teachers were perverting the gospel by telling believers they also had to keep the Mosaic Law [Clip 2]. The warning is severe. Even if Paul himself, or an angel from heaven, preached a gospel different from the one already preached and received, that preacher would be accursed — "awfully strong language," Les says, and he shudders to think of the end of such a person [Clips 1, 3]. Paul repeats the curse in verse 9, and Les notes that every word Paul writes is just as inspired as any other Scripture [Clips 1, 4]. Les also points out the difference between the Gospel of the Kingdom, proclaimed by Christ and the Twelve, and the Gospel of the Grace of God, revealed through Paul, which differ "as much as night and day" [Clip 5]. For today, there is only one gospel by which we are saved — Paul calls it "the gospel," not "a gospel" [Clips 6, 7].
Paul's gospel is spelled out in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4: Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. Les emphasizes that the burial proves Jesus was truly dead — the three days left no life in Him — and that the death and resurrection were according to the Scriptures because God had planned redemption from eternity [Clip 0]. Paul calls this message "my gospel," and he also calls it the Gospel of the grace of God, the Gospel of Christ, and the Gospel of God [Clips 5, 6].
A message becomes "another gospel" when it is perverted. Les explains that a perversion is not necessarily something "way down in the gutter" — it is any distortion of the truth that is twisted far enough off-center to mislead people [Clip 2]. Paul writes that the troublemakers "would pervert the gospel of Christ" (Galatians 1:7), and Les notes that in our day people pervert the gospel both by adding to it and by taking away from it [Clip 1].
Les teaches that the Galatian churches were being perverted by teachers who insisted that believers must also keep the Mosaic Law. That addition to the gospel was a perversion of the message of grace [Clip 2]. Paul marvels that the Galatians were "so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel" — a message that, he says, "is not another," because it was simply the true gospel being twisted (Galatians 1:6-7).
Paul uses the strongest language: even if he himself, or an angel from heaven, were to preach a gospel other than the one he had delivered, "let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:8). Les calls this "awfully strong language" and says he shudders to think of the end of someone who takes the gospel and perverts it [Clips 1, 3]. Paul immediately repeats the warning in verse 9, and Les notes that every word Paul writes is as inspired by the Holy Spirit as any other portion of Scripture [Clips 1, 4].
Paul's Gospel Defined in 1 Corinthians 15
Les defines the gospel Paul preached — Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried to prove He was truly dead, and rose again the third day — and notes even John 3:16 must be used in conjunction with this fuller message.
Perversion Is Adding To or Taking Away
Les explains that those troubling the Galatians were twisting and perverting the gospel by adding to it, and he shows that in our day people both add to it and take away from it.
The Galatian Perversion — Adding the Law
Les teaches that a perversion is anything twisted off-center that misleads people, and that in Galatia the perversion was teaching believers they must also keep the Mosaic Law.
The Curse on Those Who Pervert the Gospel
Les emphasizes the power of Paul's language — "let him be accursed" — and says he shudders to think of the end of anyone who takes the gospel and perverts it.
The Warning Repeated; Paul's Gospel in Romans 16
Les notes that Galatians 1:9 repeats the curse, and he connects Paul's gospel back to Romans 16:25, the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery.
Gospel of the Kingdom vs. Gospel of Grace
Les teaches that the Gospel of the Kingdom belonged to Christ's earthly ministry and the Twelve, while the Gospel of Grace came from Paul — two messages as different as night and day — and Paul's gospel is that Christ died, shed His blood, was buried, and rose again.
Paul's Gospel Throughout His Epistles
Les shows that the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ is the only gospel Paul knows, and he calls it my gospel, the Gospel of the grace of God, the Gospel of Christ, and the Gospel of God.
'The Gospel' — Not 'a Gospel'
Les highlights Paul's wording — "the gospel," not "a gospel" — and teaches that there is only one plan of salvation for today: believing the gospel Paul preached.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4: Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
This is the passage that defines Paul's gospel — the standard against which any other message is measured.
Galatians 1:6-9: I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 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. 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.
This is the central warning against preaching another gospel — those who do are accursed.
Romans 16:25: Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
Paul calls his message "my gospel" — the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery.
1 Corinthians 1:18: For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
This shows how the world treats the gospel Paul proclaimed — as foolishness to those who perish.
"Another gospel" is not a second, legitimate gospel — it is a perversion of the one true gospel (Galatians 1:6-7). Les Feldick teaches that a perversion is the truth twisted off-center so that it misleads people, whether by adding to the gospel or taking away from it. In Galatia, the false teachers were adding the requirement to keep the Mosaic Law.
Because the gospel is the message by which people are saved — Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Paul says even he himself, or an angel from heaven, would be accursed for preaching a different message (Galatians 1:8-9). Les calls this "awfully strong language" and says he shudders to think of the end of someone who takes the gospel and perverts it.
Yes. Les teaches that in the Galatian churches, teachers came in telling believers they had to keep the Mosaic Law in addition to the gospel of grace, and that was a perversion. It twisted the truth off-center so that it would mislead people, making it "another gospel" in Paul's sense.
Watch the Teaching: What Is Paul's Gospel? 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Explained Verse by Verse