Podcast Summary: Renewing Your Mind
Episode Title: Threats to the Gospel
Host: Ligonier Ministries
Guest Teacher: Dr. Derek Thomas
Date: December 27, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the major threats facing the Gospel, both during the first century and in the modern church, as explained by Dr. Derek Thomas through the lens of Galatians 2:1–10. Dr. Thomas outlines the historical and theological context behind Paul's stern defense of the Gospel against the so-called “Judaizers”—those who insisted that Gentile believers must adopt Jewish practices to be truly saved. The episode explores scriptural passages, the dangers of adding requirements to salvation by grace, and draws practical, contemporary parallels.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Historical Background: Paul Defends the Gospel

(01:29–04:00)

• Paul’s authority was questioned by Judaizers in Galatia, who viewed him as a charlatan for preaching a Gospel not rooted in Jewish tradition.
• Paul’s narrative—including visits to Arabia and Jerusalem—emphasized that his Gospel was revealed directly from Christ, not man.
• “The Judaizers were saying that it's not enough to believe in Jesus. You've also got to...adhere to the boundary markers of Judaism...For Paul, that was anathema. That was the Gospel plus.” (Dr. Thomas, 02:13–02:35)

2. The Judaizers' Influence and the Test Case of Titus

(04:00–10:30)

• Judaizers insisted on circumcision, food laws, and observing the Jewish calendar as necessary for salvation—a fundamental distortion of the Gospel.
• Paul recounts two pivotal incidents in Jerusalem and Antioch to underline similar challenges faced in the early church.
• Titus, an uncircumcised Greek believer, becomes a critical test case: “Titus is the perfect test case. But Paul isn't trying to convince Jews, he's trying to convince Jewish Christians...For Paul, the Gospel is at stake.” (Dr. Thomas, 10:00–13:30)

3. Freedom in the Gospel and Justification by Faith

(07:50–13:10)

• Galatians emphasizes Christian freedom and the doctrine that justification is through faith alone, not by law-keeping.
• The issue with Titus is explicitly linked to justification, not sanctification: “Paul is saying, in Christ we've been set free from the burden of the law.” (Dr. Thomas, 08:35)

4. Illustrative Anecdote: Elizabeth Keckley’s Emancipation

(08:40–10:08)

• Dr. Thomas uses the story of Elizabeth Keckley, a freed slave who ultimately fell back into economic bondage, to warn against Christians returning to spiritual slavery by adding requirements to the Gospel:
  • “She was a slave, she was emancipated. But in a sense she ended her life back in slavery...because of poor decisions that she made, she lost sight of what it is that had made her free. And in a sense that's exactly what Paul thinks is going on in the Church in Galatia.” (09:05–10:00)

5. Modern Parallels: Adding Requirements to the Gospel

(13:45–17:13)

• Dr. Thomas warns that contemporary Christians are prone to adding extra-biblical standards (Bible versions, homeschooling, political affiliations, lifestyle choices) as tests for true salvation:
  • “It might not be circumcision, it's the King James Version, or...getting up before 5 and making sure that you've had your quiet time. And if you don't do that, there's a skepticism: I don't think you're truly saved...that become subtly, and sometimes not so subtly, the damnable plus.” (15:15–16:43)

6. The Issue of Race and Gospel Unity

(17:15–19:50)

• The controversy over Titus also comprised a racial element—Jewish suspicion and exclusion of Gentiles.
• Dr. Thomas relates this to present-day issues of race and exclusion: “Titus was a Gentile and this was a racial matter. It wasn't anti-Semitism. It’s the reverse. It's anti-gentilism...This is a racial thing. And this is, well, it's a very contemporary 21st-century issue...” (17:45–18:30)
• Paul pursued private reconciliation with key leaders (James, Cephas/Peter, John), emphasizing discretion and unity over public disputes.

7. Outcome: Gospel Preservation and Practical Ministry

(20:10–23:30)

• Ultimately, Titus is accepted without circumcision, affirming justification by faith for Gentiles.
• Paul and Barnabas are charged to remember the poor—a practical demonstration of Gospel implications.
• “James and John and Peter agree that God is asking them to be missionaries...And there is agreement. The issue of race...almost tore the church apart. And the only thing they required was that they remember the poor.” (Dr. Thomas, 22:10–22:50)
• Dr. Thomas explains the prevalence of poverty in Jerusalem among Christian converts, who faced social and economic ostracism.

8. Key Takeaways: The Gospel vs. Social Issues

(23:30–24:23)

• Social justice and race issues, while important, are not the Gospel but the outworking of the Gospel. The episode ends with a preview of a dramatic confrontation between apostles, which will be discussed in the following episode.

Notable Quotes

• “Any man-made requirement added to grace alone by faith alone turns the gospel into something other than the good news, a false gospel.”
  — Nathan W. Bingham (00:23)

• “There are false brothers, secretly brought in...they are people who are advocating something which isn’t the Gospel.”
  — Dr. Derek Thomas (21:35)

• “Are you willing to take the lesser road, the one that isn’t in the limelight...because you are doing it in obedience to the Lord?”
  — Dr. Derek Thomas (20:14)

Important Timestamps

• 01:29 — Paul’s origin story and defense of his apostolic authority
• 04:00 — Introduction of the Judaizers’ requirements
• 08:40 — Illustration: Elizabeth Keckley and spiritual freedom
• 13:45 — Contemporary parallels to adding to the Gospel
• 17:15 — The racial aspect of the Gentile inclusion controversy
• 20:10 — Paul's private meeting with Jerusalem leaders
• 22:10 — Outcome: Fellowship, unity, and care for the poor

Conclusion

This episode of Renewing Your Mind with Dr. Derek Thomas powerfully explores the nature, history, and ever-present danger of compromising the Gospel by adding human requirements, whether ritual, cultural, or social. The discussion of Paul's steadfast defense of Gospel purity remains deeply relevant for modern listeners wrestling with similar issues. The session closes by previewing an upcoming episode focused on the dramatic confrontation between Peter and Paul—another momentous threat to Gospel unity in the early church.