Called to Freedom

Called to Freedom - Galatians 5:2-15 November 5, 2023 Like most of you, I've applied for many jobs. Interviewed for many jobs, and even got turned down for many jobs. One of the most difficult parts in that process is waiting for that phone call. Sometimes that phone call is good news, other times it's bad news. Or how about those calls in the wee hours in the morning or late night. Those are scary calls, unsure what awaits on the other side. Or when you're dating, and your special someone calls you ... I just realized I'm dating myself now ... texting used to be expensive and difficult. Remember those days, though? "You hang up." "No, you hang up." "No, you hang up." I digress ... last week Pastor Pat closed with verse one of Galatians 5, which reads: FOR FREEDOM CHRIST HAS SET US FREE; STAND FIRM THEREFORE, AND DO NOT SUBMIT AGAIN TO A YOKE OF SLAVERY. This means if you are a follower of Jesus, you've been set free, and as we'll see today, we've been called to freedom. Follow along as I read Galatians 5:2-15: 2 LOOK: I, PAUL, SAY TO YOU THAT IF YOU ACCEPT CIRCUMCISION, CHRIST WILL BE OF NO ADVANTAGE TO YOU. 3 I TESTIFY AGAIN TO EVERY MAN WHO ACCEPTS CIRCUMCISION THAT HE IS OBLIGATED TO KEEP THE WHOLE LAW. 4 YOU ARE SEVERED FROM CHRIST, YOU WHO WOULD BE JUSTIFIED BY THE LAW; YOU HAVE FALLEN AWAY FROM GRACE. 5 FOR THROUGH THE SPIRIT, BY FAITH, WE OURSELVES EAGERLY WAIT FOR THE HOPE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 6 FOR IN CHRIST JESUS NEITHER CIRCUMCISION NOR UNCIRCUMCISION COUNTS FOR ANYTHING, BUT ONLY FAITH WORKING THROUGH LOVE. 7 YOU WERE RUNNING WELL. WHO HINDERED YOU FROM OBEYING THE TRUTH? 8 THIS PERSUASION IS NOT FROM HIM WHO CALLS YOU. 9 A LITTLE LEAVEN LEAVENS THE WHOLE LUMP. 10 I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE LORD THAT YOU WILL TAKE NO OTHER VIEW, AND THE ONE WHO IS TROUBLING YOU WILL BEAR THE PENALTY, WHOEVER HE IS. 11 BUT IF I, BROTHERS, STILL PREACH CIRCUMCISION, WHY AM I STILL BEING PERSECUTED? IN THAT CASE THE OFFENSE OF THE CROSS HAS BEEN REMOVED. 12 I WISH THOSE WHO UNSETTLE YOU WOULD EMASCULATE THEMSELVES! 13 FOR YOU WERE CALLED TO FREEDOM, BROTHERS. ONLY DO NOT USE YOUR FREEDOM AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FLESH, BUT THROUGH LOVE SERVE ONE ANOTHER. 14 FOR THE WHOLE LAW IS FULFILLED IN ONE WORD: "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." 15 BUT IF YOU BITE AND DEVOUR ONE ANOTHER, WATCH OUT THAT YOU ARE NOT CONSUMED BY ONE ANOTHER. Most agree that there are three major sections of the letter to the Galatians. * Chapters 1-2 details Paul's defense of his apostleship. * Chapters 3:1-5:12 detail Paul's defense of his gospel, * and Chapters 5:13-6:18 applies his viewpoint. As you can see, we're entering that third and final section in Galatians. If you've been with us at all, you'll know Paul the apostle wrote this letter to a group of Christians in Galatia. They were being tricked and dupped by a group called the Judaizers. These new believers were being taught by the Judaizers that they needed to believe in Jesus, plus follow the law of the Jewish people. Paul is arguing against this teaching with his gospel, namely preaching Christ alone as the primary actor in salvation and being justified before a holy God. So, since part of this section continues his defense, I want to summarize verses 2-12, then spend the rest of our time this morning in verses 13-15. I think the first thing to address is the apparent attack on circumcision. In context, Paul argues against what we can call "works based religion," and for this group, circumcision was one of those outward works that they were being taught that needed to be done to be justified before God. While specific in the case of the Galatian churches, we can also view circumcision as a symbol, because it was a sign of a covenant made between God and Abraham - the father of the Jews. One of the arguments Paul made back in chapter three was that the promise was made to Abraham well before the sign of the covenant, which is circumcision. That's why Paul brings it back to this issue. Evidently, the Judaizers were commanding these new Gentile Christians to get circumcised. Now, Paul isn't saying that if you are circumcised, or choose to be circumcised, that it is wrong, rather it's about why you choose to do so. It always comes down to the heart. In fact, Paul says here and in Romans 2 that the action of circumcision is effectively meaningless if it is used as a way to be right with God. Paul tells us in verse two that it is no advantage to them. We've talked a lot in this series about the law versus grace, so we won't spend too much time here on that topic. However, Paul does give a warning in verse four. He mentions two things: being severed from Christ and falling from grace. This is a challenging verse. First, this verse is not teaching that one can lose their salvation. As we've learned in this book, and others, our faith is a free gift from God - free in the sense that we did not do anything to deserve it, which we call grace. So, they are seeking to be justified by the law, instead of faith. They are choosing law over grace. If that isn't enough, Paul even reminds them that they cannot pick and choose which laws they were going to follow. All of this really is to remind the Galatians, and even us today, that Christ is the only way to the Father. Jesus Himself testified to this. In John 14:6: JESUS SAID TO HIM, "I AM THE WAY, AND THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME. The Apostles testified to this as well. In Acts 4:12, Peter proclaims: AND THERE IS SALVATION IN NO ONE ELSE, FOR THERE IS NO OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN GIVEN AMONG MEN BY WHICH WE MUST BE SAVED." Paul told the Romans in Romans 10:9: BECAUSE, IF YOU CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH THAT JESUS IS LORD AND BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART THAT GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, YOU WILL BE SAVED. He also reminded the Ephesians in Ephesians 2:8-9: 8 FOR BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED THROUGH FAITH. AND THIS IS NOT YOUR OWN DOING; IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD, 9 NOT A RESULT OF WORKS, SO THAT NO ONE MAY BOAST. I know I'm jumping around a little - Paul does it too - but here he also reveals the folly in their logic. Not only would they be liable for the rest of the law, but he also warns them of the judgement that awaits those who lead people astray. In verses ten and twelve we see this clearly. In verse ten, Paul calls for this justice, and in verse twelve, he gets a little snarky - I'll admit, I kinda like it - and wishes for judgement. I'll let you read that verse again if you'd like. Finally, Paul warns about the source in verse eight. Not all spiritual people are godly people. Not all experts have your best interest in mind. Not all religious people are following Jesus. He also warns us in verse nine that a little false teaching ruins the whole bunch. This idea of leaven was often a picture of sin, which the reader would have understood clearly. From this section, I think there are a couple of things we can learn. We'll pull this learning from verses 5-6. In verse five, Paul reminds us to ... * Eagerly await the hope of righteousness. o As Christians, we've been declared righteous, but we also understand that we still live in our humanly bodies that are prone to sin. So, this describes a progression to righteousness which will see its final fulfillment when we are with Christ for eternity. o This reminds us that even though we enjoy the God-given joys that this world give us - family, friends, etc. - we must always have our eyes focused on the kingdom, where our true home is. o Then, in verse six, we learn: * Only faith working through love matters. o In other words, our salvation is through faith because of the work of Christ, not through our work. o Paul is saying that circumcision or not, it doesn't matter in Christ, only faith working through love. Paul reminds us later that the whole law is summarized with love. God's love. That sacrificial love. That selfless love. o In other words, the true mark of the Christian is love. This is illustrated elsewhere by Paul, namely 1 Corinthians 13, and possibly even in our next section, where some take the "fruit of the Spirit" as love, manifested through joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. But more than anything else, Paul cannot stress enough the importance of remembering a key principle: we cannot add to something that Jesus has already completed. Now, let's get to our main idea and spend the rest of our time in verses 13-15: A call to freedom is a call to love and serve one another. Let's go ahead and read those verses again, to refresh our memory. 13 FOR YOU WERE CALLED TO FREEDOM, BROTHERS. ONLY DO NOT USE YOUR FREEDOM AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FLESH, BUT THROUGH LOVE SERVE ONE ANOTHER. 14 FOR THE WHOLE LAW IS FULFILLED IN ONE WORD: "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." 15 BUT IF YOU BITE AND DEVOUR ONE ANOTHER, WATCH OUT THAT YOU ARE NOT CONSUMED BY ONE ANOTHER. Now, let's finish our time by discussing ... WHAT TO DO WITH OUR FREEDOM * Do not take advantage of your freedom. o This is a warning against a concept German Theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer dubbed "cheap grace." It's the same thing that Paul warns about in Romans 6. o Cheap grace means to take advantage of grace. Being okay with sin because we know God will forgive us. o Cheap grace means grace without Christ. o We can avoid cheap grace in Christ, and Christ alone. Remembering what He did for us. Being transformed by the Word, instead of simply informed by it. By remembering that He has done all the work, and we are not worthy of the benefits. o To avoid cheap grace, we need to ... * Watch our thoughts, they become words ... * Watch our words, they become actions ... * Watch our actions, they become habits. And, we must ... * Watch our habits, they become character. * Recall the words from verse 9, a little leaven is all it takes. o We are forgiven, but let's not take advantage of God's mercy and His grace. o Next, our forgiveness, our freedom should cause us to ... * Serve one another. o Service literally puts our faith into action. We receive God's love, then we use that love for others. o I can't help think of the early church. After Pentecost, we see the early church living in community. One of the aspects of that community was their sacrificial service to one another. What was mine is yours was the attitude they had. o The result of this, was extended and constant fellowship, but more importantly is seen in Acts 2:46-47: 46 AND DAY BY DAY, ATTENDING THE TEMPLE TOGETHER AND BREAKING BREAD IN THEIR HOMES, THEY RECEIVED THEIR FOOD WITH GLAD AND GENEROUS HEARTS, 47 PRAISING GOD AND HAVING FAVOR WITH ALL THE PEOPLE. AND THE LORD ADDED TO THEIR NUMBER DAY BY DAY THOSE WHO WERE BEING SAVED. o So, when we say, everything we do is an act of worship, this is what we mean. o I'm sure you've heard it before, "everyone worships something." o Here, Paul reminds us that even our service to God and our service to God's people is an act of worship. o But let's back up a moment. What does this passage say about the source of this act of service? o Love. That's right. o Even if we go back to verse six, we see that faith and service are both motivated by love. o This is that God given agape love. Sacrificial love. The same love that drove Jesus to the cross to take the sins of world upon Himself, to give us an opportunity to have faith in Him. o Listen, there's always a place to serve in God's kingdom. It doesn't always have to be here at Thornydale, although there are opportunities here too. Where can you be used by God? o Next, and all of us can do this ... * Love your neighbor. o Back in Luke 10, Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan, and now certain places even have a law called the Good Samaritan Law that offer[s] legal protection to people who give reasonable assistance to those who are, or whom they believe to be injured, ill, in peril, or otherwise incapacitated, contrary to how Seinfeld's series finale portrayed. o Anyway ... this parable was in response to the question "who is my neighbor?" o The bible is clear that the Samaritans were mortal enemies of the Jews, so Jesus made it clear that we are to love all people regardless of what they believe, where they are from, or how they act. o Paul here states that the law is fulfilled in that command to love your neighbor. o Most of us remember Jesus speaking these words, but He actually quoted them from Leviticus, however Jesus identified it as the commandment that summarized all the rest, the greatest. o Of course, what's missing from that is the "love your God" part, but Paul is using this to complement a key principle in Christian living. Serving. And more specifically, serving with love. o If you spend anytime outside of the church and with non-Christians, you know how hard could be. o So, what are some practical ways you can show love to your neighbor, especially those you disagree with? o Finally, and seemingly related ... * Watch how you treat one another. o Evidently, the work of the Judaizers were causing some additional issues within the churches, where they began to "bite and devour" one another. This phrase is used to describe a deadly struggle between wild animals. Paul, as we've well established, is concerned for the Spiritual health of the church, as when chaos comes in, as that leaven comes in, it builds and builds into conflict and warring against one another. o The solution, Paul says, is love. Not any type of love that you and I can produce, but the love of God, manifested through us, by His Spirit. Listen, I don't have all the answers, and neither does Pat or the other elders. And you know what? I'm okay with that. Because everything we've learned in this book, so far, reminds us to stand back and rely on Christ's finished work. Period. You know what hinders many people from coming to faith in Christ? Control. And, ironically, freedom. To come to Christ, one must surrender control. And at the same time, a shift in the understanding of freedom must happen. Eighteenth Century English priest Charles Kingsley reminds us: "There are two freedoms - the false, where a man is free to do what he likes; the true, where a man is free to do what he ought." That's why we said earlier: A call to freedom is a call to love and serve one another. We've been called to freedom. Freedom to love, like Jesus loved. Freedom to serve, like Jesus served. Not because of anything we did, but because of a transformed heart through the work of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Have you accepted Christ as savior? As the source of your love? As the source of your service? Have you been truly set free? If not, today is that day. If so, share that love with someone. Let's pray. 2