Dangers of Defection (1)

Introduction

@ I was born in Germany

up to age 18 – dual citizenship

age 18 a choice to make

Keep German citizenship – move back to Germany and serve in military for 2 years!

Problem:

Hadn’t been to Germany for 13 years

Knew no one in Germany

I didn’t speak German

Would have to serve in the army with language handicap

Also:

Give up my USA plans for 2 years: Training for ministry

No family for that time

No Spiritual encouragement

My dad talked with me about it:

Laid it all out for me – my decision

Frankly, a no-brainer!

Let my German citizenship lapse

Although I had spent 1st five years of life there – I had a new identity!

I chose to stay with the new ID rather than go back to old one

To this point in Galatians, discussion about:

Is our walk with God dependent on keeping rules – or based on faith in Christ’s work

Spiritually – works don’t save / works don’t bring God’s acceptance

But now things get personal… (vv8-20 – 2 weeks to cover)

Paul pouring out his soul to the Galatians.

“I plead with you, brothers … I fear for you … I am again in the pains of childbirth for you … I am perplexed about you!”

Until now, Paul’s approach – confrontational and impersonal.

Writing as a scholar, debater, determined lawyer in court – important!!!

Teaching truth of the gospel: salvation/sanctification by God’s grace alone

But the apostle’s approach changes dramatically.

Anger at the Judaisers subsides, moves from doctrinal to more personal

(20) Perplexed = to be at one’s wits’ end.

He could not understand how they could have been taught the gospel so well, believed it so genuinely, and then appeared to have forsaken it so quickly

He says, in effect, “I care about you more than I can say. I love you dearly just as you have loved me dearly. Please listen to what I’m saying, because it’s so vitally essential.”

Paul beginning to attach biblical truth (head) to practical living (heart)

Application for Today

1. “Doctrine is boring!”

It can be…but only if you don’t attach it to every day life!

What we’ve been studying since May is eternally important

But if all we do is know the truth – then it has no effect

@ Mission statement – making disciples of Jesus for the glory of God through the faithful teaching AND APPLICATION of the Word of God

More of that in Chapters 5-6 – but there is a major point here

If we simply learn this information but don’t live it out, we in essence go back to living in a pre-salvation way

2. Every day we have the choice of which identify we will live by

We all started as unsaved – living by our own rules

Seeking in some way to be approved by behaviour

@ The most popular false teaching you will hear when sharing the Gospel – “If my good works outweigh my bad works, then I’ll get into heaven”

IOW – I’m trying to get God’s approval by my behaviour

We’ve seen over and over that is not God’s teaching!

But at salvation – a new identity!

We are accepted by Christ’s actions – dying on cross – raising from dead

We place our faith in that work – makes us right with God – new ID

Now walking with God through faith

Changes how we live (chapters 5-6)

But those changes are a result of walking with God through faith

They are not the means to walking with God

As Christians, we cannot lose salvation!

But we can live in a way that looks like the way we lived before salvation

“I’m in charge!”

Either – “I’ll live any way I want”

Or - “I’ll decide how I need to live – what rules I keep”

“If I do the right things – God has to accept me!”

That kind of thinking means we are trying to be the authority

Has a dramatic effect on our lives – not just spiritually, but practically

This is NO way to live!!!

Why?

Look at what happens when we replace living by faith with living by works

We Return to Pre-Salvation Slavery (8-11)

3:23-4:7 – illustrations of slavery and childishness with no freedom to explain living under a works understanding

Freedom comes through accepting God’s grace through faith

Paul’s deep concern - exchanging spiritual heritage for a mess of pottage.

Worshipping anything other than God is slavery (8)

Worshipping anything other than God is slavery (8)

Before Galatians saved, they were slaves to various man-made gods

various mystery religions of South Galatia.

Roman Imperial cult

pagan deities of ancient Greece

astrological lore and worship of the star gods

We may be more sophisticated today – but we still worship something

If not God – then gods (materialism, popularity, power, acceptance, etc.)

These all fall way short of meeting our real needs

Become enslaved to them – always promising but never delivering!

@ god of materialism – when do you have enough? When will you be satisfied? There is always more to get!

If we chase some sort of conduct code – slavery!

Worshipping God Meets All Our Real Needs (9a)

Galatians now had a “knowing” relationship with God

Experiential intensity – intimate knowledge – being fully known

Came to know God (salvation from man’s perspective)

Came to be known by God (salvation from God’s perspective)

One of our greatest needs is to be completely known and still accepted

Only God can promise that! Only God can give that!

Why would you want to go back into slavery? (9b)

Besides the fact that false worship is slavery

Besides the fact that God worship is freedom to be known and accepted

False worship is:

weak – unable to do what we want it to do (Meet our needs while giving us control)

worthless - of no value!

Summary - False Worship Binds You (10)

Refers to part of the Jewish System of Law (calendar celebrations)

Days - weekly Sabbath

Months - the new moon rituals

Seasons - annual feasts such as Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles

Years - the Year of Jubilee, the Sabbatical Year, and New Year

Cover all kinds of ritual celebrations and calendar dates the Jews observed at that time.

Just the beginning!

Once they persuaded Galatians to submit themselves to calendar rituals, then more decisive steps could be imposed easily

Today

@ Seventh Day Adventists

This passage forces you to think about this group

Heavy presence on TV

Most well-known for Saturday worship

Sabbath Day – THE day for worship along with laws surrounding it

Is there anything wrong with worshiping on Saturday?

- Passage on “Grey issues” Neither right nor wrong – focus is on the effect those activities have on other Christians

- One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.

Problem – once you give in to Adventists on this, then you are open to their other expressions of law-living

Expressed by following teachings of Ellen White

Considered by SDA to be a prophet – her writings are held in importance alongside the Bible

Some of her teachings

Some of her teachings

It is a sin to be sick; for all sickness is the result of transgression. Health Reformer, Aug. 1, 1866

Those who accept the Saviour, however sincere their conversion, should never be taught to say or feel that they are saved. Christ's Object Lessons, p. 155

Those who accept the Saviour, however sincere their conversion, should never be taught to say or feel that they are saved. Christ's Object Lessons, p. 155

Vegetarianism – not just about healthy lifestyle

“Let not any of our ministers set an evil example in the eating of flesh-meat. Let them and their families live up to the light of health reform. Spalding and Magan, p. 211

The light has come to me for many years that meat eating is not good for health or morals. Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 413

The Lord loves those little children who try to do right, and he has promised that they shall be in his kingdom. But wicked children God does not love. Appeal to Youth, p. 61

God loves honest-hearted, truthful children, but cannot love those who are dishonest. Ibid., p. 41

"To obey the commandments of God is the only way to obtain (earn) His favor" Testimonies, vol. 4, p. 28.

"Man, who has defaced the image of God in his soul by a corrupt life, cannot, by mere human effort, effect a radical change in himself. He must accept the provisions of the gospel; he must be reconciled to God through obedience to his law and faith in Jesus Christ" Testimonies, vol. 4, p. 294.

Just because they have nice music and well-presented programmes…

Just because you know some really nice Adventists…

Just because you agree and or like their teachings…

Doesn’t mean that they are good to follow

Their surface teachings lead to more bondage!

Not just the Seventh Day Adventists

We are in more danger from ourselves!!

@ That whole dialogue we’ve referred to at times

“I sin – God must be angry – I’ll show Him how serious I am so He’ll accept me again”

How serious do we have to be?

How much do we have to do?

In answering these questions, who gives the answers?

In a sense, we set ourselves up to bondage from others who might answer (churches, other Christians, etc.) or from ourselves (I have to…)

Anything we do to obtain or maintain a favourable standing with God will never lead to freedom, but will always lead back to slavery!

CONC:

Paul ends this first section by a very personal statement (11)

They had not fully gone astray, but they were certainly heading that way

This is what can be scary for us today:

All manner of Christians teach rule-following in some way (more next week)

It is SO easy for us to fall into this trap

We reject the idea of this, but ask yourself:

Does God withhold blessing from you if you skip a day of Bible reading and prayer?

When something bad happens in your day, do you ask, “What did I do wrong that God is punishing me for?”

Do you feel you are more spiritual than others because you have higher personal standards?

If you answered “yes” to these questions, then you are facing the same direction as these Galatians.

Why it is so important to have others in your life to help show you where you have this slavery mindset going on.

Every day you how two options for worship

Only two!

Will you worship self?

IOW – I will meet my own needs (even if that need is expressed as “the need for God’s approval”)

Will you worship God?

IOW – depend on Him, look to Him, follow Him, believe Him

Thankfully, you and I can’t gain God’s approval by our own actions

That approval would then be a competition between each other!

That approval would be based on OUR understandings, abilities, character, etc.

Then the focus (and worship) would be on ourselves

And if you in any way felt you didn’t measure up – you then have to try harder – SLAVERY!

Once again – Freedom comes through faith, not works!