I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are following a different gospel – not that there really is another gospel, but there are some who are disturbing you and wanting to distort the gospel of Christ. - Gal. 1:6, 7
Friend, if you had asked me several months ago what "a different gospel" looks like, I might have mentioned Mormonism, Catholicism, or something like that. But today, I must speak out against a distortion that has personally impacted my family: the very false gospel Paul was writing about.
Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, although he was a Greek. Now this matter arose because of the false brothers with false pretenses who slipped in unnoticed to spy on our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, to make us slaves. But we did not surrender to them even for a moment, in order that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. - Gal. 2:3-5
Apparently, while Paul was working with Titus, an uncircumcised Greek, some "false brothers" slipped into their midst and began to claim that a man must be circumcised. The pro-circumcision folks were trying to distort the gospel. The issue before us today is not circumcision, but it is one and the same. There are false brothers preaching that you must believe the gospel of Jesus Christ and then this one other little thing.
From the experience I alluded to earlier, the "one other little thing" that false brothers are preaching today is the translation of the Bible... in particular, the King James Version (KJV), or as many prefer to say, the
Authorized Version.
Note: Let me first say that there are more accurate English translations of the Bible and some not so great translations or even "paraphrases." I would encourage any Christian to seek out the best translation they can find. I also want to mention that I have no intention of telling you that the KJV is bad.
Now I must get to the heart of the matter. There are churches all across this country that say that the Authorized KJV Bible is the only real Bible. If these churches take
this lie and lay it over the gospel of Christ, these churches are in dangerous territory. Chances are, this conviction will distort the true gospel just like circumcision.
The false brothers of Paul's day were dividing the church. According to Paul, they sought to enslave the believers (
Gal. 2:4).
I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to agree together, to end your divisions, and to be united by the same mind and purpose. For members of Chloe’s household have made it clear to me, my brothers and sisters, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each of you is saying, “I am with Paul,” or “I am with Apollos,” or “I am with Cephas,” or “I am with Christ.” Is Christ divided? - 1 Cor. 1:10-13a
Friend, I am not with King James. I am with Christ. Any "church" that divides Christ (by anathematizing those who are not with King James, for example) is at best an exclusive country club and at worst a cult. And these false brothers are trying to put you or keep you in bondage.