Paul’s warning in Galatians 1 cuts straight to the heart: there are those who would distort the gospel, turning it into something it was never meant to be. And that raises a haunting question—have I fallen into that trap?
My first instinct is to deflect.
“Yeah, but I’m not listening to those people. My sources are solid.”
Right. Whatever.
When I take an honest look at the voices shaping my thinking—podcasts, YouTube channels, influencers—the picture gets uncomfortable. Take Ed Mylett, for example. If I’m really honest, I don’t listen to him because he brings me closer to Jesus. I listen because he gets me closer to that billion-dollar dream.
Now, maybe Ed’s a bad example—he’s a Christian and talks openly about his faith—but even there, I feel the tension: God versus money. Kingdom versus platform.
Or Steven Bartlett. Despite his Jewish heritage, he calls himself a “devout and practicing agnostic”—believing God is unknowable.
Now, I love Steven’s podcast. He brings curiosity and wisdom in truckloads. But… should I trust it?
Is this what Paul is talking about when he says,
“You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all.”
— Galatians 1:6–7 (NLT)
Why Would We Distort the Gospel?
When I stop to think about it, the motivations become clearer.
Sometimes it’s about pleasing people—offering a message that’s more palatable, more powerful. A gospel that promotes me, where Jesus becomes a means to an end.
Other times, it’s just easier.
Going back to Bartlett—saying that “God is unknowable” is way easier than surrendering to the gospel. I can acknowledge God exists and still wash my hands of any responsibility to know Him. Engage Him. Surrender to Him.
I don’t think most teachers start out saying, “God’s word is wrong; let me rewrite it.”
They just… manage it. So it becomes more immediately rewarding.
That’s the danger: truth rebranded as something easier to swallow.
The Spiritual War We’re In
This is war. Lies, confusion, and temptation don’t just come from the outside—they build strongholds inside us.
And if I’m being real? Fighting them feels impossible most days.
So what’s the alternative? Sanctification.
Being set apart for Jesus.
But that road is costly. Holiness demands everything.
And if I’m not careful, I gravitate toward the blended message—a little Jesus, a little self-help, a little prosperity. The mix goes down easier.
But Paul’s warning in Galatians pulls no punches: there is no other gospel.
Anything we add to it, subtracts from it.
The uncomfortable truth is that I’m drawn to these half-truths because they offer transformation without the cross. Success without surrender.
But that’s not the gospel Paul lived and died for.
That’s not the message that changes everything.
That’s not Jesus.