Sermon Tone Analysis

We Live in a Day when Authority is important.

Every news agency in the Western world seeks some "official" and "authoritative" pundit to bolster their claims and confessions - whether they speak as mouthpieces of the political right or political left.

In Courts of Law, we often see that each side of the case will go to great lengths to seek "expert" testimony - sometimes spending more time in attempts to prove the validity of their expert witness than in arguments surrounding the main case - because the more “legitimate” their expert witness, the more persuasive they believe their argument will be to Judge and or Jury.

When it comes to the question of whether the modern disciple of Jesus should be living lock-step under imposed standards of worship-style, dress, hair length, food choices, service attendance, Bible memorization and more, we quickly find ourselves stuck in the mud of discussion of how a True Follower of Jesus Lives.

I want to emphatically go on the record to say, God expects all New Testament believers to live IN THE GRACE OF JESUS CHRIST and to **never** attempt to be righteous, live righteously or make others righteous by any method, law or system built on PRIDE, GUILT and or CONTROL - The ONLY Acceptable Method for Right-Living is TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST and DEPENDENCE UPON HIS HOLY SPIRIT.

I also want to emphatically be on the record that the follower of Jesus Christ cannot ignore the importance of the precepts, laws, demands and expectations that God has laid down for the Faithful.

Often, Living under the law in the New Testament is living under a system whereby Man which seeks to enhance or replace the Grace of God delivered through the Sacrifice of Jesus with man-made rules, regulations and expectations.

you do not have the right to become ANTI-NOMIAN - “without law” in God’s New Testament Economy.

Even Galatians speaks of the Law of Christ in 6:2; and James speaks of the Perfect Law of Liberty in James 1:25

The Paradox, The real question is this, What Makes a Person Righteous, the way they live or someone or something else?

The answer is this:

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.

Let’s turn to Galatians for a quick lesson GRACE vs. LAW (Legalism imposed by another…)

The EXPERT WITNESS in our Case: Paul the Apostle of Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:1-6)

Galatians 1:1 - Paul's Authority given by Jesus Christ and God the Father

Message: GRACE and PEACE -

How and Why: v. 4 Jesus gave his life for our sins as the Father planned in order to RESCUE us from this evil world

The Admonition (v. 6) - I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel...

Galatians 1:11-2:14 - Paul gives his testimony and the Result of His conversion from Self-Imposed LIFE OF LEGALISM to LIVING IN THE GRACE OF JESUS

The TESTIMONY - ONLY JESUS MAKES US RIGHT (Galatians 2:16, 20-21)

Reversing Course, Repackaging Self-Righteousness = EPIC FAILURE (Galatians 3:1-5)

Any time that PRIDE, GUILT and CONTROL become the motivating factors to “becoming righteous and holy” You have turned aside from being empowered, led and controlled by the Spirit and instead have returned to some form of self-correction theology which according to both Galatians and Romans 7 always ends with a death spiral.

You are locked in a conflict between your sinful nature (led by pride, guilt and control) and the Spirit of God who wants to replace your death-focused sinful nature with the selfless, guilt-free love of Jesus Christ.

Our PRIDE Must be Replaced with the HUMILITY OF JESUS

Our GUILT Must be Replaced with the KNOWLEDGE THAT OUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN IN and BY JESUS

Our Life of COERCION and CONTROL Must be Replaced by the Selfless Love of Jesus - Both that we are ACCEPTED Because of His Love and that HIS PERFECT LOVE CASTS OUT FEAR (why we seek control…) and MOTIVATES US TO SERVE OTHERS

Conclusion: