What does “turning to a different gospel” mean in Galatians 1:6?

In Galatians 1:6, the apostle Paul expresses shock that the Galatians had departed from the true gospel: “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel.” Truthfully, there is only one gospel; namely, the gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Paul makes this clear in the next verse when he says the different gospel “is really no gospel at all” (Galatians 1:7).

The “different gospel” that the Galatians had turned to was a perversion of the true gospel. The Galatians were embracing false teachers who required circumcision and obedience to the law to be justified before God (cf. Galatians 4:17; 6:12–13).

The Galatians’ fast embrace of “a different gospel” shows how quickly we can be corrupted by false teachings. Paul had preached to them the true gospel, and we can be sure he had made the message as plain as day. The Galatians’ rapid shift away from their faith and commitment to the Lord Jesus indicates how vulnerable we can be to the persuasiveness of false teachers.

Paul expresses disappointment that the Galatians readily listened to “people [who] are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:7). The Galatians’ faith had been shaken by false teachers who taught that circumcision and adherence to the Mosaic Law were necessary for salvation. This teaching directly contradicts the doctrine of justification by faith alone that Paul preached. He reminds them that “by the works of the law no one will be justified” (Galatians 2:16). We are saved by faith in Christ alone, not some mixture of faith and good works. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9, ESV; cf. Romans 3:28).

In Galatians 1:8–9, Paul uses strong language to condemn these false teachers who were promoting a different gospel: “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” (ESV). Here, “accursed” is a translation of the Greek word anathema, which means “consigned to damnation or destruction.” The NET Bible translates the word as “condemned to hell.” Twisting the gospel is a serious offense. Believers must be careful to maintain the purity of the gospel message, for “a little leaven leavens the whole lump” (Galatians 5:9, ESV).

Paul articulates the motive and method of the false teachers in Galatians 4:17: “Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them.” Preaching a different gospel was a means of driving a wedge between the church and the apostle Paul. The result would be that the church would be alienated from the truth.

In Galatians 6:12–13, Paul points to the selfishness and cowardice of the false teachers: “Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh.” The preachers of a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all—do not have the church’s best interest at heart. The true gospel frees sinners from bondage and brings them into the grace and freedom found in Christ alone.