"Fallen from Grace"
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Galatians 5:2-12
Our passage this morning begins the third section of the letter.
After defending his apostleship (1-2) and his message (3-4), Paul now applies that doctrine to practical Christian living (5-6)!
Right doctrine should result in right living!
His SUBJECT is the sanctification that should result from justification!
For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm, then, and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.
The freedom for which Christ sets us free (v.1) is the freedom to LIVE A LIFE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS in the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!
Galatians 5:5
For we eagerly await through the Spirit, by faith, the hope of righteousness.
I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh.
For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want.
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
The final two chapters of Galatians are a portrait of the Spirit-filled life--if the believer's life of faith under the control and energy of the Holy Spirit of God!!
In making his appeal for living the Spirit-filled life of freedom, Paul begins with the NEGATIVE:
I. THE CONSEQUENCES OF TRYING TO BE SAVED THROUGH CIRCUMCISION! – (5:2-6)
I. THE CONSEQUENCES OF TRYING TO BE SAVED THROUGH CIRCUMCISION! – (5:2-6)
There are at least FOUR CONSEQUENCES of trusting in circumcision for salvation:
A. Christ is no benefit! – (v.2)
A. Christ is no benefit! – (v.2)
To be circumcised for the purpose of gaining merit before God, “…Christ will not benefit you at all!”
For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are sanctified.
If a person is “perfected forever,” how can you improve upon that?
Part of trusting in Christ for salvation is to confess that you cannot save yourself!
B. You are obligated to keep the whole law! – (v.3)
B. You are obligated to keep the whole law! – (v.3)
For whoever keeps the entire law, and yet stumbles at one point, is guilty of breaking it all.
For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written, Everyone who does not do everything written in the book of the law is cursed.
C. You have FALLEN FROM GRACE! – (v.4)
C. You have FALLEN FROM GRACE! – (v.4)
A person cannot live by Law and grace!
To attempt to be justified by law is to be “alienated from Christ” and to have "fallen from grace."
D. You are excluded from RIGHTEOUSNESS! – (vv.5-6)
D. You are excluded from RIGHTEOUSNESS! – (vv.5-6)
(vv.5-6) BOTH start with, “For…” which is are GROUNDS—statements supporting or explaining the reasons why (v.4) is true!
GROUND #1 – (v.5) – We don’t EARN righteousness, we “eagerly await through the Spirit (the MEANS/WAY), by faith (the WAY/MEANS), the hope of righteousness (the END)!”
(Romans 9: 30-33; 10:1-13)
GROUND #2 – (v.6) – Circumcision DOES NOT MATTER! – (v.6a)
What does matter is a FAITH that WORKS! – (v.6b)
We recall, in the presence of our God and Father, your work produced by faith, your labor motivated by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
II. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF FALSE TEACHERS! – (5:7-12)
II. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF FALSE TEACHERS! – (5:7-12)
Paul has much to say about and to these Judaizers (and it’s not nice):
A. They HINDER the TRUTH! – (v.7)
A. They HINDER the TRUTH! – (v.7)
(2 Peter 2:1-3)
B. They ARE NOT from GOD! – (v.8)
B. They ARE NOT from GOD! – (v.8)
(Galatians 1:8-9)
C. They CONTAMINATE the CHURCH! – (v.9)
C. They CONTAMINATE the CHURCH! – (v.9)
(Matthew 16:6-12)
Pharisees: trusted in their own righteousness; Sadducees: didn't believe in anything at all! NEITHER TRUSTED IN GOD!!
D. They WILL be JUDGED! – (v.10)
D. They WILL be JUDGED! – (v.10)
(2 Peter 2:9-17) – They are not well-meaning people! They stand condemned!
E. They PERSECUTE TRUE TEACHERS! – (v.11)
E. They PERSECUTE TRUE TEACHERS! – (v.11)
The cross still offends fallen men for the same basic reason. Whether Jew or Gentile, all men are prone to trust in what they can do for themselves and are offended when they are told they can do nothing to make themselves right before God!
F. They SHOULD be CUT OFF ENTIRELY! – (v.12)
F. They SHOULD be CUT OFF ENTIRELY! – (v.12)
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
John Stott - "Ours is an age of tolerance. Men love to have the best of both worlds and hate to be forced to choose. It is commonly said that it does not matter what people believe so long as they are sincere, ant that is unwise to clarify issues too plainly or to focus them too sharply.
But the religion of the New Testament is vastly different from this mental outlook. Christianity will not allow us to sit on the fence or live in a haze; it urges us to be definite and decisive, and in particular to choose between Christ and circumcision.
'Circumcision' stands for a religion of human achievement, of what man can do by his own good works; 'Christ' stands for a religion of divine achievement, of what God has done through the finished work of Christ.
'Circumcision' means law, works and bondage; 'Christ' means grace, faith and freedom. Every man must choose. The one impossibility is what the Galatians were attempting, namely, to add circumcision to Christ and have both. No.'Circumcision' and 'Christ' are mutually exclusive!
Mr. Stott goes on to finish: "And behind our choice lurks our motive. It is when we are bent on flattering ourselves and others that we choose circumcision. Before the cross we have to humble ourselves!"