1. The Meaning of Christmas and the Gospel
As Christmas approaches, we naturally revisit the question, “What is the significance of Jesus coming into this world?” This is not merely about the festive year-end atmosphere, decorative lights, or the carols heard worldwide. For Christians, Christmas is one of the most important seasons of the year. That is because we are confronted with a fundamental question: “Why did God send His Son to this earth? Why did Jesus Christ have to come into this world?” In light of Pastor David Jang’s teaching, we are reminded once again of John 3:16, a passage often cited at Christmas: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This verse most directly reveals the true meaning of Christmas, namely, that God sent Jesus because He loves us, and through the redemptive grace found in Christ, we can have eternal life.
According to Pastor David Jang, it seems that the meaning of Christmas is gradually fading in today’s society. Many people regard it merely as “year-end festivities” or a “holiday.” Yet, for those who believe in Jesus Christ, Christmas is not just the season to wrap up the year, but a solemn day on which the core of the gospel is proclaimed: “The Lord humbled Himself and came to this earth to accomplish salvation for the whole world.” On this sacred day, we must be prepared to answer biblically the question, “Why do we need Jesus on this earth?” This is not merely a doctrinal issue; it is closely linked to our actual life of faith.
Typically, reflecting on the birth narratives in Matthew or Luke leads us to recall stories of the baby Jesus, the angels’ praise, the shepherds’ worship, and the gifts of the Magi. But beyond that story, the Book of Romans provides a richer explanation of “why Jesus had to come.” Pastor David Jang once delivered a continuous expository series on Romans in San Francisco and, during Christmas, preached from Romans 8. He taught that Romans, especially chapters 1, 5, and 8, offers the most systematic theological framework explaining “why the Lord had to come.” Romans 5, often referred to as “the new Adam discourse,” declares that while all humanity fell into sin and was destined for death through the first Adam, Jesus came to solve this problem and opened a new humanity in Himself. It shows clearly “why only Jesus” is the answer.
Pastor David Jang stresses that church leaders and believers must thoroughly understand the teachings of Scripture in terms of doctrine and systematic theology, and they must continually strive so that the meaning of the gospel does not become blurred. As 1 Peter 3:15 exhorts us to “always be prepared to give an answer to anyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have,” we should be ready to explain what the gospel is and why Jesus’ coming is necessary. In this sense, Pastor David Jang emphasizes that “even if the whole world is immersed in cultural or secular aspects of Christmas, true believers must reflect deeply on the day’s significance and proclaim it to others.” Preaching the gospel from Romans during the Christmas season can reawaken people to the profound truth that “the Lord’s coming is our salvation.”
Furthermore, Pastor David Jang notes that when the church properly teaches this core of the gospel to every believer, the reason for the church’s very existence becomes clear. Our commission is to make disciples of all nations, to teach and proclaim God’s Word. That calling is not limited to external church growth; rather, it depends on our readiness to answer, “Why do we need Jesus?” In many places around the world today, there are people who do not know the gospel of Jesus Christ. Moreover, as Christmas tilts toward commercialism and becomes merely another festive season at the turn of the year, carols stripped of their true message can leave people’s hearts feeling empty. For that reason, Pastor David Jang emphasizes anew the church’s responsibility to “convey the living, life-giving Word.”
Traditionally, the church observes the season of Advent to prepare for the Lord’s coming, meditating on its meaning and awaiting Him. Yet Pastor David Jang recalls that around 2021, he determined to preach from the Book of Galatians. Galatians shows why the Lord’s coming and the gospel cannot be mixed with anything else, underscoring the church’s duty to preserve the essence of the gospel. The situation faced by the Galatian church in the first century is not so different from what the 21st-century church experiences now.
Even so, in the midst of this joy, Pastor David Jang poses a probing question: “Why do we need the Lord?” This question goes beyond the individual level and extends to, “Why did we found our church? Given that so many churches already exist, why must our church also exist? What differentiates us from other churches?” Churches abound worldwide, yet we see few tangible signs that society is truly changing. As historians use the analogy of the sea and salt, the presence of a few “true salt” churches could prevent the world from decay, but despite having countless churches, darkness still seems to grow. Ultimately, if the church fails to experience the power of the cross and the gospel of salvation, it lacks the ability to transform the world.
Pastor David Jang calls our congregation a “young, new church” and repeatedly underscores that we are a Reformed Church. “Re-formed” implies being “made anew,” referring to the historical Protestant Reformation. Church history shows two major theological controversies: one concerning Christology (“Who is Jesus?”), which, in the early church, led to the Chalcedonian Creed affirming that Jesus is “truly God and truly man,” and then the soteriological controversies (“How are we saved?”) that culminated in the Protestant Reformation.
The Reformation occurred because the truth of the gospel, which the church was meant to preserve, had become corrupted. Using the image from Isaiah 1:22—“Your silver has become dross, your choice wine is diluted with water”—the Reformers declared that “the gospel, which should be pure, has been polluted by added human traditions, deeds, and regulations.” They cried out for the church to return solely to “the written Word of God.” In the same vein, Pastor David Jang insists that we must continue to study Galatians and Romans to rightly understand Paul’s doctrine of salvation, ensuring that the church does not deteriorate. He recalls that there was a time he had already preached through Galatians, but at that point, the church was not yet mature enough to fully realize and embrace that truth. Now, faced with an “urgent spiritual crisis”—both in global missions and in contexts like Latin American culture—Galatians is more desperately needed than ever.
In the Orthodox tradition, salvation doctrine (soteriology) is anchored in Romans and Galatians. One pivotal verse is “The righteous will live by faith,” which can be summarized as “by faith alone (Sola Fide).” Romans 10:10 states that one believes in the heart unto righteousness and confesses with the mouth unto salvation. Faith arises from the heart, and in our hearts we find love. Put differently, when we understand, believe in, and confess Christ’s love, we receive salvation. Therefore, when the gospel is said to have become blurred, it also means that the love of Christ has become blurred. When love dims in the church, its power diminishes, and it loses the ability to transform the world.
Why then does personal evangelism falter and yield little fruit at times? Pastor David Jang points out that it is because “the sword of the Word has become dull.” Unless we are continually sharpened by the sword of the Spirit through the Scriptures, we cannot proclaim the gospel keenly before others. Those of us working in secular professions—regularly engaging with the world—need to ground our witness firmly in Scripture. Citing Stephen from Acts 6–7 as an example, Pastor David Jang notes that Stephen was not merely serving in church; he also had deep knowledge of the Old Testament and Israel’s history, which enabled him to preach tirelessly and become the church’s first martyr. This perspective illuminates the reason Galatians was written. From the earliest days of the church, Paul issued a strong warning to prevent the gospel from being adulterated. According to Pastor David Jang, our current context precisely mirrors the Galatian era.
Specifically, our church’s growing mission in Latin America provides an opportunity to practically apply Galatians. Churches in Latin America have traditionally been dominated by Roman Catholic influence. Historically, as the Catholic Church added many traditions and ceremonies alongside Scripture, the gospel’s core gradually dimmed. It became “tradition plus gospel,” leading to doctrines like indulgences and purgatory—additional teachings that put a burden on believers. This contradicted Paul’s teaching that salvation comes “by faith alone, by grace alone.” The Reformers cried out “Sola Scriptura (by Scripture alone), Sola Fide (by faith alone), Sola Gratia (by grace alone),” calling the church back to the pure message of Scripture. By “evangelical,” Pastor David Jang refers to those who cling to this very confession of faith. Even today, the same issue arises within Latin American churches, prompting renewed attention to Galatians.
Pastor David Jang emphasizes that we are called to fulfill this mission. Various paths to Latin America—via California, Texas, Florida, and more—are open, presenting countless opportunities for the gospel. However, if the church preaches “the gospel plus something else,” it will eventually lose its power. We must teach that salvation by faith in Jesus alone is sufficient—“by grace alone, by faith alone.” If the gospel becomes diluted, love grows cold. Despite God’s eternal love, a church that loses the power to bear fruit must trace the cause to the intrusion of extra elements that pollute the gospel. As Paul warned in Galatians, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you” (Gal. 1:6). This warning holds true today, Pastor David Jang affirms.
In Galatians, we see how Judaizers infiltrated the early church, distorting the gospel by insisting that Gentiles must be circumcised first to be saved, making circumcision a prerequisite. Paul vehemently maintains that salvation is possible only through Christ’s cross and grace, appropriated by faith, and nothing else. This is the same truth that applies whenever additional conditions—like church traditions or rituals—are taught as necessary for salvation. Pastor David Jang contends that, if in the present day churches in Latin America (or elsewhere) confuse believers by adding to the gospel, we must reinstate Paul’s warning in Galatians.
He then refers to Romans 9–11, which portrays Paul’s “unbreakable love” for his own people, the Jews. This exemplifies the stance we should also adopt: “desiring the salvation of all in Christ.” Rather than condemning or criticizing Catholic or other denominations, our aim should be “to reintroduce the true gospel to those whose message has become blurred, so they may be restored.” That was Paul’s earnest longing, and the same desire should guide us now. Therefore, Pastor David Jang also cites Revelation 11’s exhortation to “measure the temple,” meaning we must soberly examine the distortions and errors that have already arisen, yet ultimately the church must come back to the essence of the gospel to achieve restoration. This is precisely the spirit of the Reformation, which called for “a return to Scripture.”
In that context, he recalls when the church marked its 21st anniversary and how he preached “Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Sola Scriptura.” That very year, God gave us “the mission to transform the land of tears into the land of joy,” and a historic event unfolded, establishing an Evangelical Center in that region. “Evangelical” means “those determined to preserve the purity of the gospel,” standing firm on the scriptural teaching that we are justified “by faith alone.”
Thus, the message of Galatians has been relevant since the early church. It was central during the Reformation, and the essential issue remains the same: “Once something is added to the gospel, the church loses its purity.” That is why Galatians 1:8 pronounces a curse even on an angel from heaven if that angel preaches a gospel other than the one Paul proclaimed. Pastor David Jang reminds us that Galatians, along with Romans, has always been important to Christian doctrine, and the same uncompromising stance is needed on today’s mission fields—including Latin America.
Recently, many churches report a sense of revival on the horizon. Against this backdrop, the exhortation to “never dilute the essence of the gospel” grows all the more urgent. Whether a new church is being established or an existing one is entering a new building, there must be a clear principle: “We are not a legalistic or purely formal church; we are governed by the pure gospel.” If we hold to this principle, the church will not lose the warmth of Christ’s love; rather, it will be ignited with passionate zeal to move powerfully in the world. Ministers who do not grow weary, and believers who persevere, spring forth from “communities where the gospel remains uncorrupted.”
Pastor David Jang frequently alludes to the path our church has walked since its founding, asking, “Why do you think our church is preserved globally as if it were the apple of God’s eye?” It is likely for no other reason than our commitment to the pure gospel. The same gospel must be preached in Latin America, the United States, Asia—everywhere. Our calling is “to awaken diverse regions of the world with the gospel, so that the church may become the ark of salvation that transforms and saves this world.”
Turning briefly to Galatians 1, Paul introduces himself as “an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead.” This declaration asserts that the authority of the gospel does not originate from humans. Just as Jesus came into this world not by human commission but by the will of God, so Paul became an apostle through God’s calling. The basis of the church and the gospel rests on this same foundation. It is not a human construct but a message from heaven.
From Galatians 1:6 onward, Paul reprimands the Galatians for “so quickly deserting the one who called them by the grace of Christ” to follow a different gospel. He sharply criticizes the idea that anything beyond Jesus Christ must be added to achieve salvation. Then in verses 8–9, he intensifies his admonition: “If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!” This underscores the non-negotiable nature of the gospel as God’s perfect gift, immune to supplementation or compromise.
Pastor David Jang stresses that “this passage is precisely the warning the contemporary church must heed.” While we applaud churches expanding and reaching across the globe, if a church presents a watered-down gospel, it will inevitably repeat the same problems the early church faced. Under legalism or mere formalism, even if church numbers swell, society remains unchanged. Only an evangelical, reformed church that preserves the pure gospel can truly be the salt and light of the earth.
During the Christmas season, all believers should contemplate, “What is the gospel, and why is Jesus our only means of salvation?” Pastor David Jang asserts that Romans and Galatians provide ample answers to these questions. As Romans 8 explains, “the law of the Spirit of life set us free from the law of sin and death,” possible only because Jesus Christ came. As Romans 5 outlines, “through Adam, sin entered the world, but in Jesus, the new Adam, we receive new life.” This is the gospel, and it is sufficient in itself. When the church holds firmly to this, the meaning of Christmas grows clearer, and the holy love of God never cools.
Pastor David Jang maintains that this is the church’s fundamental mission and the inexhaustible energy of our lives. The church must always operate in love and in the gospel, modeling the humility and service shown by the Lord. In so doing, Christmas will not simply become another season of commercial carols and ornate displays but rather a powerful testimony of God’s great love revealed in the world.
2. Reformed Faith and the Church’s Direction through the Book of Galatians
The warnings and challenges Galatians presents to the church applied fully during the medieval Reformation era and continue unchanged for our time. The issue of “adding something to the gospel” arises whenever the church fails to fully acknowledge the infinite worth of Christ’s atoning work and attempts to supplement it with human tradition or merit. However, Paul’s letters and the Reformation confessions consistently stress that “the gospel—by faith alone, by grace alone, by Scripture alone—is entirely sufficient.”
The Reformation was not merely an organizational overhaul of the church. It was a fundamental inquiry into soteriology: “How can sinners be justified before God?” The Catholic Church increasingly burdened believers with layers of human tradition and doctrines (indulgences, purgatory), making it appear as though the church alone controlled “the pathway to salvation.” This distorted Paul’s teaching that salvation is granted entirely by faith in Christ’s grace. Martin Luther, John Calvin, Huldrych Zwingli, and other Reformers rose up, exclaiming, “Sola Scriptura—back to the Bible!” thus launching the evangelical movement.
Pastor David Jang revisits the term “Re-formed,” emphasizing why our church identifies not just as a new church but specifically as a Reformed Church, calling us to “return to the gospel.” Church history shows how easily a church can become corrupted. Even from the early days, there were Gnostics, Judaizers, and others who tried to add or twist the gospel. In each letter, Paul strongly refuted these attempts, and nowhere is his language more direct and forceful than in Galatians, where he warns them against “deserting the true gospel.”
Pastor David Jang encourages a careful reading of Galatians 1, 2, and 3, observing particularly how the gospel transforms lives. We do not dismiss the law itself; rather, we emphasize that Christ fulfilled the law and opened a new and living way. Galatians 2:20—“I have been crucified with Christ…”—becomes the core confession. We rely not on adding our own works but on becoming a new creation entirely in Jesus. This is the essence of Reformed faith and remains the fundamental principle evangelical churches must protect following the Reformation.
In many Latin American congregations today, one still finds the belief that one must observe certain religious obligations to “maintain” salvation, or that venerating tradition and participating in ceremonies constitute vital aspects of salvation. Traditions and sacraments themselves are not necessarily harmful; church traditions hold a rich heritage, and worship rituals can be meaningful expressions of reverence. The problem arises when these become “the gospel plus extra requirements” as though they were essential to salvation. As Paul insists, it cannot be “circumcision plus the gospel”; it must be “the gospel alone.” It cannot be “God’s grace plus human tradition” but solely God’s grace.
Modern churches must heed this lesson. Whether through unique rules, structures, or cultural practices, if a church inadvertently blocks people from approaching God, it risks polluting the gospel’s purity. Church traditions and organization are valuable for order and service, but they must never become conditions for salvation. Therefore, Reformed faith requires continual reemphasis on “Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Sola Scriptura,” ensuring that the gospel remains untainted by worldly changes.
From Pastor David Jang’s viewpoint, Galatians addresses the same issues the church has battled for 2,000 years. Anyone engaged in global mission work should study and meditate on this epistle. Particularly as our OC (global ministry network) expands, new believers forming churches in Latin America will benefit immensely by grounding their faith in Galatians, giving them a solid foundation from the outset. This prevents legalism and formalism from creeping in, fostering a community brimming with the freedom, joy, and zeal found in the gospel. Such a church will maintain an open, outward focus, propelled continually by love and mission. Pastor David Jang envisions a church blossoming in the power of the Holy Spirit, flowing like a river of life into every corner of the globe.
Another important element is Pastor David Jang’s concept of the “Evangelical Center.” We as Evangelicals are people who stake our lives on preserving the core of the biblical gospel. Broadly, within church history, there is Catholicism (the old church) and Protestantism (the new church), and within Protestantism, a distinction often appears between liberal and evangelical (or conservative) streams. “Evangelical” literally means “those who uphold and spread the gospel,” so our identity goes beyond merely rejecting Catholic or liberal viewpoints. Positively, it is a bold commitment: “We are a community that lives solely under the authority of Scripture and the pure gospel.” Spread across the world, these Evangelical Centers must fulfill concrete ministries of evangelism, biblical teaching, and discipleship, bringing souls to Christ.
Pastor David Jang notes that in many churches recently, during confirmation or baptism services, dozens of new believers publicly profess their faith. He observes that “there are brilliant minds, youth as fresh as the morning dew, and many who yearn for grace.” When the genuine gospel is proclaimed, young hearts open, and they readily confess Jesus as Lord. Hosea 14:5 says, “I will be like the dew to Israel,” and likewise, this dew-like grace revives souls that were withering and refreshes parched land. For this to happen, we need places where people can truly receive the Holy Spirit. These are Evangelical Centers, embodying Paul’s vision for the church.
When a church consistently proclaims “Christ alone, the gospel alone,” remarkable change follows. For instance, in a Latin church that dedicated a new building, 24 people participated in confirmation, launching a fresh chapter of ministry. This is undoubtedly moving, but Pastor David Jang cautions us not to focus solely on “the visible church building” or “the numerical increase.” He insists that “the bigger issue is the church’s confession of faith and how it proclaims the gospel of Christ.” As warned in Galatians 1:8, “Even if an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse.” If the gospel is compromised even slightly, the church inevitably loses its power. But if it preserves the gospel’s purity, it wields “the power to transform the entire world.”
Pastor David Jang used to quote Psalm 133—“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”—emphasizing the joy of a congregation dwelling together in grace. Such a fellowship is “the church the Lord loves,” overflowing with the fruit of the Spirit. There, love will not grow cold, and no worker will burn out, because the flame of the gospel never dies. As Galatians teaches, when the church firmly rejects those who attempt to “add” to the gospel, clinging only to Jesus and His cross, the power of that love radiates outward.
Once the gospel’s essence is certain, the church becomes a potent light to the world. The darkness we see today is not due to a shortage of churches; there are already many. But when believers lose the love of Christ or get sidetracked by peripheral matters, the church cannot unleash its original transformative power. Thus, Pastor David Jang continually urges us to ask, “Is this truly a Re-formed church?” The Reformation is not a single historical event; it is a process of the church consistently returning to the gospel—“Semper Reformanda,” always reforming.
Reading Galatians alongside Romans, we grasp how great and expansive salvation is, how it nullifies all human merit, and how it is rooted in Christ’s redemptive work. Romans 5’s “new Adam” teaching shows that humanity’s fall into sin and death began with Adam, yet God’s remedy is in Jesus Christ, the second Adam, who creates a new humanity. No human effort can extricate us from sin; thus neither the law nor tradition can guarantee salvation. Salvation comes solely by the power of the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Galatians likewise portrays a path to salvation not through circumcision or adherence to the law but by living “crucified with Christ.” It is Christ who has paid the penalty for sin, and we are justified by faith in His grace alone. The issues that brought about the Reformation— and those we see in modern churches—stem from deviating from this central truth. When a church gains worldly influence and authority, it can devolve into controlling people via religious systems, financial gain (like indulgences), or other extraneous add-ons that weigh believers down. Galatians 5:1, however, declares, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free,” revealing the liberating power of the gospel.
Pastor David Jang explains that to maintain such a gospel-centered community, each believer must remain vigilant under the preaching of the Word and also encourage one another in the gospel. Over time, one can become numb to the radical love of Christ, slipping into routine and tradition. But if we reaffirm “the reason the Lord came” during Christmas, our faith stays fervent. Each time we read John 3:16—“God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son”—we marvel anew at God’s immense love, recognizing we can neither add nor subtract anything from it. This keeps the church humble, yet simultaneously bold in its vision for the world.
Consequently, Christmas can serve as a clarion call for the church to “return to its first love.” Matthew 24:12 warns that “the love of many will grow cold” as the end times approach, and regrettably, this can happen inside the church as well. But when love wanes, it signifies the gospel has grown dim. If the church returns to the gospel, each Christmas offers an opportunity for our love to burn brighter. Genuine gospel truth never deteriorates, like fine wine that becomes more precious over time. It is only when adulterated by other substances that the church grows dull and cold.
Pastor David Jang highlights Galatians 1’s introduction: “not from men, nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father.” Jesus’ advent, Paul’s apostleship, and the existence of the church all derive from God’s initiative, not human tradition or perspective. This is “Reformed faith,” the hallmark of the evangelical church.
When the church follows this path, God enacts wonders “that our eyes can scarcely believe.” Pastor David Jang refers to the establishment of the Evangelical Center as a truly marvelous act of God, confirming His immense calling. Indeed, if the church keeps the gospel pure, cultural and geographic barriers in mission work become far less daunting. Because love flows from the gospel itself, believers are freed from human-imposed traditions and laws. Thus, whether in Latin America, Asia, or Africa, the gospel bears the same fruit, inspiring confidence in its universal power.
Studying Galatians during the Christmas season is about reaffirming these gospel foundations. Far from a sentimental tale of the “baby Jesus,” Christmas is about “the Christ who humbled Himself, the path of the cross and resurrection, and God’s boundless promise of love for us.” It is also a time to guard against any distortion of grace by human inventions that burden and exhaust believers. When we truly honor Christ at Christmas, it does not devolve into an annual ritual; it triggers a mighty force that reforms the church and changes the world.
As Pastor David Jang reiterates, “Where the gospel is proclaimed in its purity, joy and passion abound.” When the church is founded on God’s Word, each Christmas it grows deeper and more mature. Proper doctrine, united with tangible life transformation, ensues. Therefore, sound doctrine, biblical study, and ongoing discipleship are indispensable, and the church must continually raise up “soldiers of the gospel.” Such prepared individuals bear bold witness to Jesus Christ in the world and stand ready to explain “why we need Jesus” to those who inquire.
Galatians and Romans, set against the backdrop of Christmas, richly answer “why the church must cling to Jesus alone and why only Jesus is the way of salvation.” That is Pastor David Jang’s central message. When the church holds firmly to this truth, among all the Christmas carols, there remains a song of real life; even in outwardly formal worship, an unquenchable zeal persists. Galatians, in particular, reminds us that “the church’s vitality and power spring solely from the gospel of Jesus.” No matter how much time passes, if the gospel lives, the church never grows old. Instead, it exudes an even more profound and precious fragrance. Christmas reminds us of this, shining a spotlight on how amazing God’s love is, which arrived in this world through Jesus.
We pray that with the spirit of Galatians 1:8, we resolutely reject any temptation to “add” to the gospel and cling to Jesus’ love alone. If so, regardless of cultural or linguistic boundaries, that church will guide countless souls to salvation. As we celebrate Christmas, may we deeply remember “God’s wondrous love,” use it as a sacred moment to conclude the year and prepare for the next, and witness how “the power of the gospel” can overturn the world. May our church—and every faith community reading these words—experience that promised gospel power in our generation.