Enjoying our Freedom in Christ - Bible Survey Part 7

Today I have God on a wagon full of hay dump on you in the book of Galatians will just pay attention and will have the CD for you next week we gone Romans we've done first and second Corinthians were ready to do Galatians, which I think actually is probably one of the most significant books for Christian living and all the New Testament, so I'm very excited to share with you the book of Galatians little bit of background. If you remember the apostle Paul in acts chapter 13 the Holy Spirit called him to begin his first missionary journey and the bulk of this journey was in southeastern Turkey in a region we call Galatia and he went to the cities of Pergamum city in Antioch I chromium list brought in Derby, like in a little fish book shape, and then he doubled back through those cities and went back to Antioch on the Iran says, which was his home city, his home church. The established churches in all these different cities.

When he got back to Antioch. He began hearing about theological error that was being taught in these new churches and so he writes a letter to them to counteract to confront this theological error and that's the book that we know of as the book of Galatians. I got it on so let's dig in chronologically the apostle Paul's letter to the Galatians was a very first of his New Testament letters written 48 A.D. in order to understand the book we have to first understand the theological error that he was writing to correct and we talked about it a little bit last week we said that the guys propagating this error were called Judaizers and the error was in their plan of salvation and their plan of the Christian life. They were preaching a different plan of salvation and a different approach to the Christian life than Paul and the rest of the apostles were preaching the Judaizers plan was Jesus's blog plus human works for salvation and they told the young Gentile Christians there and Galatia. Yes, trusting Jesus's work on the cross is a good thing but is not enough in order to get into heaven in order to get eternal life. You've got to also become Jewish and keep the Old Testament law and this false teaching.

Incensed the apostle Paul because it put people back into a plan of salvation that was based on human works and as you know, because we said this here every plan of salvation in the world except the biblical plan of salvation is based on human works of one kind or another. So I suppose this is a good moment for us to stop and ask the question what is the problem with the plan of salvation that space on human works with are really three problems and Paul tells us about them in the Bible. Problem number one is that because were all sinners. None of us can make this kind of plan of salvation were Paul says in Romans seven he says for God's law is spiritual, but I am fleshly a slave to sin, for I agree that the law is good. Paul says in my heart and I have the desire to do what is good and obey the law, but I cannot carry it out because I'm a sinner and this is true for every human being alive because of our intrinsic sin nature that we all inherit from Adam. We can all endorse God's law in our heart. Like Paul did, but none of us can carry God's law out because were slaves to see everybody with me on that leads to problem number two with a plan of salvation based on human works and that is that because of this a human works plan of salvation curses and condemn every body who tries it makes the stairway to get to heaven. Look what Paul says.

Galatians 310. All those who rely on observing the law that is a human works plan of salvation are under a what occurs, for it is written curses is everyone who does not obey say the next two words, all things written in the law to perform them.

James says in chapter 2 for whoever keeps the whole law yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking it all folks, we must understand that in human works approach to salvation is an all or nothing deal in God's holy site. The first time we break a single rule where cobalt now who can make a plan like this were no sinner can I mean just take the 10 Commandments. For example, thou shalt not murder, thou shalt not steal or live, or you must honor your parents. You need to love the Lord your God with all of your hard 365 days a year you every moment of every day. I mean who can do all of that friends, we are cooked by the time we are two years old right and this is why the Bible says that wanderer occurs.

This is why Paul says, Romans 320 that by trying to observe the law and no one shall ever be justified in God's sight. The laws good.

We just can't do it. And that leads to our third problem with a human works approach to salvation, and that is it holds people in a hopeless bondage.

I mean if you're trying to work your way to heaven, and eternal life. How do you know when you've ever worked enough. I mean if you go to one mass the day. How do you know that you don't need to go to masses the day if you pray to Mecca five times a day. How do you know that you shouldn't afraid to Mecca six times a day if you're Jewish and you keep kosher in your fast for Yom Kippur and you observe the Sabbath.

Is that enough do you have to do more and what happens if you mess up you live in mortal fear that you're going to do something wrong and mess it all up.

This is bondage. I remember when we were in Israel last fall we were staying in Jerusalem in a hotel and it was the Sabbath and many ultra-Orthodox Jewish people move into the hotels there in Jerusalem on the Sabbath, because you know they're not allowed to work of any kind, and so by living in the hotel. Somebody else fixes their meal. Somebody else you know cleans there room you understand they want to do it and so while we were there.

One of the ladies in our group had an Orthodox woman approach her in the lobby and say, could you help me and the lady on our tour said sure.

What can I do.

She said, would you come to my room with me and so they went up and they came to this Orthodox woman's room and the woman on our tour group. So what can I do to help you and she said, would you kindly flick on the light switch.

This woman was not allowed on the Sabbath to turn on the light switch without endangering her salvation and she forgot to turn it on before the Sabbath started and wasn't allowed to turn it on folks, this is bondage. You understand that you can't turn on the light switch.

This is bondage and this is why Galatians 24 Paul writes and says these falls. Teachers want to bring us back into what bondage so let me summarize what's wrong with up a plan of salvation based on human works will number one as sinners, we can't make it work number two because of that. This kind of salvation system curses and condemns everyone who tries it. And number three this kind of plan of salvation holds people in bondage.

Now this is why Paul said in second Corinthians 11 four that these men, these Judaizers preach another Jesus, whom we have not preached and another gospel.

The understand now what he say this is not the gospel of the Bible. So having said all of that. Let's go now to the book of Galatians and let's actually see what Paul says to the Galatians, in response of this error being taught to them for quick things.

I want you to see number one, Paul says, first of all to the Galatians, my gospel, which is faith in Jesus's blood. Plus no human works. That's how you get to heaven is the right gospel. Paul says, Galatians 111 for I would have you know, brethren there in Galatia that the gospel I preached among you was not according to man.

For I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.

For when God was pleased to reveal his son in me when was that on the road to Damascus acts chapter 9 right that I might preach his son among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went into Arabia for three years and in Arabia. Paul spent three years alone with the Lord Jesus Christ. Just like Moses spent 40 days and 40 nights alone with the Lord upon Mount Sinai and it was here Paul says that the Lord Jesus himself explained to me the true and the right gospel then later Paul says I went to Jerusalem with Barnabas taking Titus, a Gentile believer along with us also and I submitted to them.

That is, to Peter and the apostles the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles and what is that gospel.

It said salvation is through faith in Jesus's blood loss, no human works and watch but not even Titus this Gentile believer who was with me, even though it was a Gentile was compelled by the apostles in Jerusalem to be circumcised. Now why is that important.

What's Paul's point is point is that I told Titus that he would be saved up simply by trusting the blood of Jesus. Plus no human works and when I told the apostles that in they saw Titus. They obviously agreed with me or else they would've made the man go get circumcised, but they didn't. You with me understand Paul saying they didn't and so Paul says the gospel message that I preached to you. Galatians is the right one because it was given to me personally by the Lord Jesus Christ and it was certified by the rest of the apostles and therefore if so factual the gospel that these Judaizers are preaching to you is the wrong gospel. Yeah okay number two. The second thing Paul says in his letter is that the gospel I preach right gospel redeems people from the curse of the law redeems people from the curse of human performance and their relationship with God look. Galatians 310 we read it. A moment ago for all who are under the law are under a curse, for its written, cursed is everyone who does not obey all things written in the law to perform them and what that means is every single one of us is cursed that none of us have been able to keep all things in the law have way have we all right blocked. Next verse, but gosh I love this work but hallelujah hardly knew you would. Great word but Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us on the cross watch so that we might be saved. The by human works. Now of course not.

That's what God is cursed to begin with, that we might be saved by faith in Christ. Plus no human works. Praise God for that. A man yeah and that leads to the third point that Paul makes in the book of Galatians, which is since Jesus redeemed us God can now adopt us see friends. God couldn't adopt us into his family when we were cursed when we were under his judgment.

When we were condemned up. We couldn't be his family members, but once Jesus redeems us from all of that God is free then to adopt this look.

Galatians 44 but when the time it fully come, God sent his son, born of a woman in order that he might redeem those under the law. Watch now that we might receive the adoption as sons and daughters for through faith in Jesus cries you are all sons and daughters of God. Do you understand my friend that when you come to Christ you join a brand-new family.

You are no longer in the family battle with all of the bad stuff that that brings you and I switch families and now become part of the family of God, as in the adopted child through Christ, you got that yeah and that leads to our fourth and final thing he tells the Galatians, which is as God's adopted children and cries. We are now free. We are now free. We are now what free from the bondage of human performance in our relationship with God. Galatians 51. It is for. What's the next word freedom that Christ set us free. Therefore keep standing firm against these Judaizers and do not let your self be subjected again to a yoke of bondage and what Paul means by a yoke of bondage is do not let yourself be pulled back in to a relationship with God that is based on human performance that is bondage. God saved you from that don't go back there. Look. Galatians 454 in Christ, we have received the adoption as sons and daughters which means Romans 614 that we are no longer under law, we are no longer under a performance system with God. But we are under grace. You know I have four children and I need to tell you that my children are not on a performance system with me.

Is there there. My children don't have to perform any certain way they don't have to keep any certain rules. They don't have to keep any certain laws in order for me to love them and in order for me to favor them in order for me to accept them because my love for them is not based on their performance.

They have my love. They have my favor because they are family right got that now friends once we've come to faith in Christ we become family with God, which means that God's love for us isn't based on our performance anymore as God's adopted children in Christ we have God's love. We have God's favor.

We can never lose it, and we are no longer in bondage to how many masses we go to to how many times we fast on Yom Kippur war, or to how many light switches. We do or don't turn off yeah can I get a man or something were not in bondage to any kind human perform praise Lord, praise Lord and praise the Lord. Yeah. So let's summarize for things Paul says to the Galatians. First, my gospel is the right gospel. Second, my gospel redeems people from the curse of the law. Third, Jesus redeemed us so that God could adopt us and forth as God's adopted children in Christ, we are free from the bondage of human performance in our relationship with Almighty God. That's what he says to these Galatians and man. How important is that the no in our Christian experience nice along while I got one question though is why in the world. God give us the law. If the law so bad. Friends law is not bad the law is spiritual, the law is good. The law is perfect.

The problem is not with the law. The problems with you and mean we can't keep it. Nothing wrong with the law.

In fact, Paul answers this question. He says why the law then it was edited for the sake of defining sin, for I would never have realized what my sin was except for the law. For I would not have known about coveting Paul says if the law had not said, thou shall not covet. You see, the purpose of the law was to give us God's perfect standard of righteousness, so that we could compare ourselves with it so that we could understand how far short, we fall so that we could be convinced that we are utterly unable to earn our salvation by keeping God's law so that we would look for another way and turn to Christ and what he did for us on the cross my friends. The purpose of the law was to help us realize our need for Christ. Paul says, Galatians 324. Therefore, the law was our true tour to lead us to cries that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. If you are a believer in Jesus the law has done its job with you and you are free from it. God, it a man are now we have one question asked before were done so let's ask you quickly. Everybody on our campuses ready. Here we go Juan to cure yeah salon.

So what whatever is as old as me who makes a huge difference. Galatians 51. Paul says it was for freedom that Christ set us free. Therefore stand firm in that freedom. As followers of Christ. I came here this morning to call you to freedom to the freedom that belongs to you as an adopted child of God. The freedom to know that you can leave here today and you can go slick on and off as many light switches as you want, you can go mow your grass on Sunday if you want you can have a glass of wine at dinner. You can smoke a cigar to welcome your new baby into the world. You can go to the movies. You can play bridge you can take your wife dancing friends. You can go to red hot and blue and eat all the pork barbecue sandwiches you want. Praise God, you are free from the law. Praise God and doing this won't make one bit of difference in how God feels about not want listen to me carefully. He won't love you one bit less if you do all these things and he won't love you one bit more if you don't do these.

You got that now. It took me two decades of my Christian life for me to believe that because I come from a Jewish background where we were told growing up that it was all about what you do and what you don't and earning your way into heaven, and it took me decades to get over that and really believe a that God doesn't love me more or less based on what I do and some of you who are from spiritual backgrounds with a bunch of dues and a bunch adults. I mean this is a hard thing for us to wrap our heads around. And many of us struggle to really believe this, but you make no mistake about it, my friend in Jesus cries you are free, and God wants you to believe that. And God wants you to enjoy being free in your relationship with Almighty God. But I knew there was a but in there somewhere limited, but there is some balance here that we need and it's our memory verse. Remember memory verse I memory verse says, for you were called to freedom, brethren, only.

Do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh in this world are going to talk about next week. There are sometimes and there are some places that God tells us about in the Bible where he says we are to limit our freedom because of reasons we understand and because we do it voluntarily, out of our love for and our devotion to cries were willing to limit our freedom because the Lord asks us to in certain areas and that's the balance to all of this, our freedom in Christ is real but it is not without requested the limits by Almighty God. So next week you want to visit because you don't have the whole truth, yet you only got half of it. It's a good half. But there's another piece of this. We gotta put together to get balanced biblical teaching you with me to talk about that next week when we talk about those places where God asks us to limit our freedom in Christ for the sake of the gospel for the sake of other people and in some cases for our own sake. He asked us to do that so I hope you will be here and we'll talk about that none of that changes the fact God wants you to enjoy being free in Christ when you mess up when you do something wrong when you don't get it right. Hey folks, it does make a bit of difference in God's love and favor for you. You are no longer on a performance system with God, you are family and you are favored and love just like you favor, love your children because their family got it. Hey just beautiful to be in this regatta relationship with God is. This is great not something you still don't believe I'm telling you understand why, but believe it because this is what the word of God teaches spray heavenly father, thank you for teaching is true today. And we realize that a lot of people a lot of churches won't teach this because they're afraid to teach this truth, afraid of what people might do with so they skipped the book of Galatians like it's not in the Bible galore. That's not how we do it here McLean Bible church we teach truth we teach balanced truth, which is why we have next week's message. We teach truth because we cannot grow to be mature followers of Christ. Unless we do so, God encourage our hearts today that you love us and favor us, regardless of our performance. What an amazing thing. We are not in bondage to our performance anymore. And may we revel in that it is a beautiful thing to have freedom in Christ Jesus gave his life so we could have more thanks for teaching us today encourage our hearts and make us more mature in our walks with Christ and we pray these things in Jesus name. What is God's people say come on, what'd you say