Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / Galatians: A Grace-full Life

God's Amazing Grace!

Sermon Series: Galatians: A Grace-full Life

Title: : Law or Grace... Which one will it be?  Text: Galatians 1:6-10

Introduction: Pastor Chris Gowen tells the following true story. I was working at the prison and saw an inmate who was being set free. He had been back to prison seven times. He was the best tractor driver at the prison. He kept the grass in the fields around the prison cut. He told prison officers to leave the light on. He probably anticipated on coming back. He also requested a new tractor before he came back. Some people just enjoy being "locked-up".

Why, because it’s familiar? Yes. But there’s something else. A pull much stronger. For some, being locked up in prison is easier than freely living their own life. I worked as a psychiatric social worker for the Philadelphia Prison System, so I know first hand. In prison, you are told

·       when to get up,

·       what to wear,

·       when to eat,

·       when to go outside to exercise,

·       when to work,

·       when to have visitors

·       when to shower

·       and when to sleep.

Decision making by inmates is very limited...and many like it that way.

It’s not much different in the Church. Some Christians prefer to live in a spiritual prison where they are told what to do and what  not to do...usually by the church. For them it’s easier to just sit back and be told how to live. All the while you think you’re pleasing God.

But this thinking, this living (if you can call it that) is bondage, and the Apostle Paul has something to say about it.

Transition: Open your Bibles to Galatians 1:6 (pg 886 in the Bibles under the chair in front of you.) For it’s there we’ll find Paul ask the question ‘Law or Grace...which one will it be?’

I. Galatians 1:6-7a               Another Gospel

Read: Galatians 1:6-7a

Paul’s pleasantries are over. What has happened in the churches of Galatia is serious and demands a serious and immediate response.

Paul begins by saying  ‘I am astonished’ Another way to put it would be: I am bewildered, flabbergasted, surprised, shocked, amazed, stunned...

Why? Because you have ‘...so quickly deserted the one who called you by His grace.’ Let’s not be quick to move on, we need to understand the importance of what is happening in the churches in Galatia...because it is happening in the churches in Monmouth County and all over the America. Paul is saying:

You are not just turning from a doctrine or teaching. You are turning away from Jesus Christ, the very One who

·       forgave your sins, saved you,

·       changed your life,

·       and promised you a place in heaven for all eternity.

Serious enough? Don’t get the idea that doctrine isn’t personal or important. The Gospel, is the Good News...of Jesus Christ...that makes is personal, and Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sin...that makes it important. Make no mistake, if you turn to another gospel, you are

turning away from Jesus Christ.

And that’s just what some were doing...turning away from the Gospel of Jesus Christ to another gospel...which Paul says ‘...is really no gospel at all.’ Remember gospel means what?  ‘Good News’. So, anything that differs in any way from the Gospel of Jesus Christ...Paul is warning, is not good news.

I need to take a little time on this ‘other gospel’ Paul is talking about because it was not just a problem in his day, it is a serious problem in our day as well.

As we will read later, the other gospel that was running rampant in the Galatian churches was one of faith plus works. The false teachers who came to the Galatian churches taught faith in Jesus and they even agreed with most everything the church was teaching...except, they added the requirement to obey the Law of Moses in order to be truly saved and to please God.

·       By doing this they made light of God’s grace.

·       By doing this Christians were no longer dependant upon God’s grace to live...but on their works too.

And this made their pursuit of God no different than every other religion...of Paul’s day or ours. Let me give you a few examples of another gospel in our own day: found, taught and followed in many Christian churches. And these other gospels often come down to a single addition to the truth.

Other Gospels

Those who teach another gospel don’t deny most anything about the Good News, in fact their doctrinal statements would look very much like ours...but...they always add something.

·       The Church of Christ teaches that to be saved you must be baptized by water. While I believe in baptism and think every Christian should be baptized, the moment I say you must be baptized to be saved, I have added to the Gospel of Jesus Christ which says salvation is by grace alone through faith in Jesus.

·       The Roman Catholic Church teaches that to be forgiven and go to heaven (they don’t use the word saved) you must have faith in Jesus and do good works: such as: take communion, confess your sins to the priest, give to the church...and other good works of charity. Communion, confession of sin, tithes and offerings and other good works of charity and service are wonderful. But the moment I say they are necessary for salvation, I have added to the Gospel of Jesus Christ which says salvation is by grace alone through faith in Jesus.

·       The Signs and Wonders Movement teaches that the Gospel of Jesus Christ alone is no longer sufficient to bring people to faith in this generation...they need to see miracles. I think It’s obvious they have added to the Gospel of Jesus Christ which says salvation is by grace alone through faith in Jesus.

These examples have to do with Salvation. But I want you to notice that Paul is writing to Christians in the Galatian churches who have already been saved. That’s because the gospel of Jesus, the Gospel of Grace, is not limited to our salvation, it extends and covers all of our life, our entire journey of faith. We’re saved by grace and we live the Christian life, everyday, by that very

same grace. Not grace plus...like

·       The Health, Wealth and Prosperity Gospel who teaches another gospel in order to fit Christianity into a materialistic society. It teaches that God only wants to bless you, only wants to make your wealthy and successful, only wants you to be healthy. This makes us believe we deserve good things from God and it defies the Gospel of Grace as unmerited favor from God. The problem is that Jesus has said, ‘I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.’ John 16:33

·       The Full Gospel Church says to be a complete Christian and to please God you must be baptized by the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues. By saying that they have added to the Gospel of Jesus Christ which says salvation is by grace alone through faith in Jesus.

·       Legalism. This is perhaps the most pervasive heresy in the church today. Because in many ways, at various times, we all can be guilty. Legalism come in two forms:

1.    Personally believing that you need to do or not do things to please God and be holy. (Even though these things are not in Scripture)

2.    Making standards for Christian living that go beyond what is found in Scripture, then telling others they need to follow the rules and looking down on others when they do not follow them as you do.

Let me give you just a couple of examples:

-A missionary was home from the field to visit some churches that supported him. When he arrived at one church the Pastor helped him take his stuff in from his car. When the pastor saw golf clubs in his trunk he asked what they were for. The missionary said that while on the mission field for the last 3 yrs he had not had the chance to play golf, something he enjoyed. The pastor got a disgusted look on his face and said ‘Our church believes that worldly amusements are a waste of time and you should know better.’ The missionary was asked to pack up and leave.

-Many of you are aware or have lived through ‘standards of Christian living’ set by a church. Such as...what?

No smoking, no drinking, no playing cards, no pants for women in church, no playing or watching sports on Sunday, no mixed sex swimming, skirt length for girls and hair length for boys, no going to the movies...some today extend it to all TV, radio, recreational activities, even hobbies...I could go on but you know what I am talking about.

In Jesus’ day the Scribes and Pharisees added 613 rules for living that were in addition to the Law of Moses fond in Scripture and they forced the people to follow them or risk not being a faithful Jew.  And you know what Jesus had to say about that? He condemned them.

The Scribes and Pharisees thought whatever Moses said, we can improve upon. And so it is with modern legalists. If God says, don’t do this...then I won’t do that...and I won’t do this and this and this too...That will really make God pleased with me.

Read: John 13:6-10

Peter went beyond what Jesus required and Jesus told him it wasn’t necessary. We can learn so much about the Christian life from that text alone.

Here’s another text that speaks to the Law/Grace issue, particularly when legalism comes in.

Read: Romans 14:1-4

Wow...The issue in the text was food, today it is: pants/dresses, drinking, dancing, movies, TV, hobbies recreation...all the things the legalists say we can do or can’t do that scripture doesn’t actually comment on. And notice what Paul says...don’t look down on others when they don’t follow your rules or mimic your lifestyle...you are not their Master...Jesus is.

The point to legalism is that like the Galatians, when we follow it, we have gone back to bondage, we have gone back to a spiritual prison. The church, and the Gospel of Jesus, can not tolerate one drop of legalism intermingled with grace or grace, is no longer grace.

ILL: Martin Luther, writing on this text said ‘There is something about man that he is even more afraid of grace, than he is of law. He is wary, lest receiving the goodness of God should result in careless, sinful living!” Though God’s Word says we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works and reveals that Jesus is the author, and finisher of our faith, we somehow think that the salvation God began in us can only be continued by our striving to keep the law!’

I couldn’t have said it better.

·       If you are striving to maintain your salvation,

·       if you are working to keep hold of God’s love,

·       if you are going beyond what Scripture says to please God by your works

·       If you refuse to enjoy the many blessings God has give to you because you feel it will lead you to sin

...you have denied the offer of God’s grace.

Transition: Well, that was long 1^st point, and there are two more to go. But it was necessary, because adding to the Gospel is everywhere...in God’s church.

II. Galatians 1:7b-9              Another Messenger

Read: Galatians 1:7b-9

‘Some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the Gospel of Christ.’ It was true in Paul’s time and in ours. We need to recognize that there will always be those who will make assaults on the Gospel and stay away from them...No matter who they are or how spiritual they may seem.

No doubt the people who came to the churches in Galatia were claiming to be Christians, and they had credentials to authenticate their message. So do many today who pervert the Gospel of Christ.

·       They have huge churches

·       They have a TV or Radio ministry...or both!

·       They sound spiritual

·       They have written books

·       They have a great worship team

·       They have a dynamic preacher

But they are eternally condemned....wait...not my words!

Read: Galatians 1:8 ‘But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned.’

Wait...verse 9 ‘As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted let him be eternally condemned.’

When you reject grace and set up rules in the place of grace...our text says you are under divine curse. Paul is not sugar coating the Gospel here. It is not ‘to each his own.’ It is a matter of eternity.

Do you get the idea that God does not want His Word twisted? Or His Gospel added to?

Transition: Serious enough?

III. Galatians 1:10                Another Purpose

Read: Galatians 1:10

Bottom line...Paul is saying everything I have done, everything I have said, is for your good, for your eternal good, because God has called me and I am faithfully serving only Him. Not so with the false teachers who have come your way...and I would add today too.

You want to know how to recognize someone who is adding to the gospel? Most of the time they speak, they are a one trick pony...they focus on one thing...their thing. It’s usually not salvation by faith in the cross of Christ, it’s some false teaching they’ve gotten wrapped up in. Like: ‘sow a seed reap a harvest’ or  ‘the more you give the more you’ll be blessed’ or ‘Signs, wonders and miracles are God’s way of authenticating His message today.’

They often believe it’s a special revelation from God and they need to tell others. But in reality what’s happening is their pride is driving them to show others how insightful they think they are. Even if it didn’t start as heresy, it begins to crowd out the truth of the gospel, until it becomes heresy.
 

Please...please beware.

Conclusion

I know I’ve been here a while this morning and I want to close with a rather long reading. Thank you for your patience. This is important.

ILL: In 1521, everyone was talking about Martin Luther. The talk was centered around Luther’s stance against the religious authorities of his day. Four years earlier, Luther had nailed his now famous 95 theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg. The act had brought him attention that he had never sought. Luther was challenging the theology of the religious leader’s of his day – something nobody in their right mind would have ever dreamed of doing.

Luther debated different religious leaders on two ideas that he had drawn from his studies of Scripture. For Luther there were some things in Scripture that were nonessentials and open to interpretation, but there were also non-negotiables in Scripture that left no room for error. The two ideas were: people are saved by faith (not by human effort), and Scripture (not the church) is the test of truth.

From the perspective of the Church leadership of Martin Luther’s day, Luther was undermining their authority and they would not stand for it. As a result, Luther was “churched” by the Pope. The Pope did not stop with showing Luther the door; he declared to everyone that Luther was bound for hell. As if this were not enough, the Emperor ordered Luther, “the heretic,” to appear before his throne.

Luther jumped at the opportunity to appear before Charles V with the hopes that the Emperor would see the light and experience a conversion. Luther kept his appointment and appeared at Worms, Germany, in April 1521. As Luther walked into the room, Charles V sat with his advisers on each side of him and Spanish troops dressed in their military uniforms. Many dignitaries filled the hall that day when Martin Luther walked into the room and saw the table before him filled with books, books written by Luther.

When the stir settled, an official motioned towards Luther’s books and demanded that Luther answer two questions. He was not allowed to teach, not allowed to argue his point, not allowed to address the Emperor – only answer the questions: “Had he written the books?” Secondly, “If so, was there a part of them he would now choose to recant?”

Luther had been duped, tricked, and deceived. He thought he was going to have a chance to share what he had learned from God’s Word, but he found out that he had already been judged before he ever entered the room.

 

Luther’s normally booming voice was quiet as he answered, "The books are all mine, and I have written more." Luther paused for a moment before he answered the second question. Luther finally spoke up: "This touches God and his Word. This affects the salvation of souls. I beg you, give me time." Charles gave him one day.

The next evening, Luther entered the room that was packed with power brokers. Once again he was only allowed to answer the questions that were presented to him. "Will you defend these books all together, or do you wish to recant some of what you have said?" "You must give a simple, clear, proper answer to the question: Will you recant or not?"

In response to the attack, Luther spoke softly, but with no equivocation, no hesitation. Luther said, "Unless I can be instructed with evidence from the Holy Scriptures…. I cannot and will not recant." Luther knew the weight of the words he had spoken, he knew the consequences he could suffer, and yet he spoke one final time -- "Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen."  (Mike Hayes)

And the reformation was underway... we are here today because of the Reformation...all because one man understood the importance of God’s grace and stood up for the purity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ...the Gospel of grace.

How about you? Will you stand with Martin Luther and say to all those who would add to the Gospel of Grace...

"Unless I can be instructed with evidence from the Holy Scriptures…. I cannot and will not recant Here I stand. I can do no other." 

Law or Grace...which one will it be...for you?