Beyond Snobbery

But 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.

Galatians 1:8-9

And for this cause we must not only receive God's word as good and holy: but also bear such honor to it, as to hate whatsoever is against it, yea or which agrees not fully with it. For when as Saint Paul speaks here of another gospel: his meaning is, that if men disguise the pure simplicity which they have learned of him, there remains nothing else but untruth and corruption. Wherefore let us learn to set such store by God's doctrine, that we may not only esteem it in itself, but also reject as devilish things, whatsoever shall be brought contrary or repugnant unto it. And truly Saint Paul thinks it not enough to speak of men, but mounts even unto the angels of heaven, and says that we must rather hold them accursed, than alter any whit of the faith which we have of the gospel.

Calvin's Sermons on Galatians, 70-71

Sometimes I cannot help but marvel at Paul. In worldly terms, it seems like a tremendous conceit to hold his doctrine up as divine, infallible truth. Even in reformed circles, where we imagine ourselves to be guardians of the true and pure doctrines of grace, we cannot help but bow our heads in modesty in acknowledgement of our fallibility. But here Paul says that they are cursed who present a doctrine contrary to his. But there's a crucial point to be understood, which is implied when he says "even if I or an angel...": and that is that it's not his gospel, but the very gospel of the living God. By placing himself first under this judgment, he shows that his is not some megalomaniacal campaign focused on bringing support to him as a person, but rather shows that he, too, is in submission to God.

Another point to be understood is the primacy of the gospel, that we should disdain all counsels conceived against the word of God. That, indeed, no matter the celebrity, anyone who preaches another gospel or distorts the true gospel is cursed. But I really like the way Calvin says it here, because it seems to me that Christians in America are well practised at hating all sorts of things, without ever really having anything good to say.

We should "honor" and "esteem" the word. This may sound obvious, but it really is not. As sinners, it is not natural for us to love the things of God. True, he transforms us by his Spirit; however, the renewal of our minds means that we go beyond thinking Jesus is pretty cool for saving us to imbibing his word so that we learn to love his power, wisdom, goodness, justice, mercy and truth in difficult as well as pleasant circumstances. This is not easy. It is an everyday and lifelong journey which faces constant opposition from the devil and world without, and our own flesh within.

Any true and pure hatred of error can only arise from love for God and his word. Anything else is just snobbery.