The Mass Verses the Gospel

This past weekend I read through the Epistle to the Galatians. So much of Paul's Gospel was setting men free from man's religious systems. Paul says in chapter 4:

Gal 4:1 Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, 4:2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. 4:3 So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. 4:4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 4:5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

I have come to believe that Paul's teaching is parallel to Jesus' teaching on the Temple Tax in Matthew 17

Mat 17:25 He *said, "Yes." And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect customs or poll-tax, from their sons or from strangers?" 17:26 When Peter said, "From strangers," Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are exempt. 17:27 "However, so that we do not offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for you and Me."

From both of these texts, it is clear that the Gospel is about setting men free from the law, freedom from the earthly rituals (even though God commanded them under the Old Covenant), freedom from slavery. Yet wherever the Gospel is preached, false teachers will always follow adding something to God's sufficient Grace.

Whether you are a first century convert being tempted to go back to Judaism by becoming circumcised or a 21st century Protestant going back to Romish additions (Baptismal regeneration, the Mass over and over again, penance, or even saying the "sinner's prayer" or going forward to the Altar at a Billy Graham crusade), the New Testament speaks to the freedom of Christ. Believers are now the adopted children of God by faith alone. The fullness of time has come to be free from being enslaved under the law's condemnation to the Glorious Gospel of Grace.

AOMin has put this video clip up their Blog. So if you are wondering why I believe the Reformed view of soteriology as opposed to Rome's or even much of Protestantism's departure from the Gospel, watch this clip.