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The Law of Christ

The Law of Christ

Orientation

birthday sing for Milton Thorman announcement time 88th bd on March 7th

2nd reading

This church is a moving church Vote Christina and Phil Balisciano transfer out to NY

is there a vote to accept the membership transfer for Christina and Phil.

Prayer

The Set Up

Before we jump into today’s message allow me to create the backdrop of the message.

And also I am going to be throwing a lot of information to you in the first part of this message. But I know you can take it. so here we go.

The book of Galatians is considered to be pragmatic, practical. And most scholars believe and has accepted that Paul is the author of Galatians. For other books that Paul wrote you will find the tone of his voice to be soft.

But if you should take the time to read through Galatians you will find a different kind of Paul. This time he you will find a Paul that is speaking aggressively.

Take for example, Galatians 1:9 “as we said to you before, so I say again, if anyone is proclaiming a gospel to you contrary to what you have received let him be accursed.”

There is however a reason behind Paul’s aggressive approach. Paul had spent years, growing churches in Galatia, but soon a false doctrine was creeping into the church from a new group of people. And the churches in Galatian was accepting the false doctrine.

Truth was now being replaced by heresy

Truth was now being replaced by sensualism and it was rapidly gaining grounds within the church of Galatia.

Now on one hand we got take the time to understand why this theology was being promoted.

So if you could put this imagery in your mind. The churches in Galatia had two groups of people Jews and Christianity.

The Jews, lived their lives according to the Law of Moses.

The Christians we’re made up of converted Gentiles. they believed a new doctrine. they were not tainted by the law of Moses.

The Laws of Moses

Now the laws of Moses was not bad because after all God was the one that Gave it to them. But the laws of Moses were designed to reveal their need of a savior.

But instead, the (Jews) were making the laws of Moses as evidence that they were saved.

In other words as long as you are keeping the law you are saved. In order to be saved you must keep the law.

And by the way there were about 613 of those laws they needed to keep in order to be saved.

It included:

Ceremonial cleanliness

Festivals,

Diet

Levitical priesthood

and Circumcision .

And so now Paul is coming on the scene, and makes a scandalous and a controversial statement when he says no, no, no, no, guys you are missing the point.

Scripture

Galatians 6:1-3 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. To Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. (ESV)

Explore: Vs1: in the first verse of Galatians 6 Paul points out that “if a man is overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual should restore such a one in the spirit of meekness”

I like that he uses the word “if”. Meaning had he used the word when “a man is overtaken in a fault” it would almost sound like he is giving an invitation to sin.

But instead he uses the word if, which means that under no circumstance should you be sinning, but if it happens, this is what you need to do.

Within the same verse he turns his attention to those who are “spiritual”. Now this word was not used lightly. You see he has already described in Chapter 5:22,23. Those that are spiritual. And those that are spiritual are, filled with “love, joy, peace, patience kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control against such there is no law”

Now if you are of the mindset of the judiazers, who are also the people creating the problem in the Galatians churches, what Paul said would not have made sense. The law makes sense. and the law of Moses says, And when you break the law, you must suffer the consequences, no question asked.

So you can also understand why Jesus had such a hard time with the Pharisees. They were good at keeping the law, but they were terrible human beings. They had no compassion, or mercy. And Jesus pointed out to them that they were terrible human beings.

They said, But Jesus we keep all the laws of Moses we are the best human beings you could ever find anywhere. We fast, we pray, we tithe. What is your problem.

And now Paul has inherited the problem that Jesus was dealing with.

But the problem with living according to these laws, is that it leads to legalism.

Legalism:

I like how Kimi Harris puts it, “legalism exist when people attempt to secure righteousness in God’s sight by good works. Legalists believe that they can earn or merit Gods approval by performing the requirements of the law.”

Thomas Schreiner said, “a legalist believes that their good works and obedience to God affects their salvation. Legalism focuses on Gods laws more than a relationship with God.”

Another problem with living according to the law of Moses is that you begin to worry about the wrong things like;

What Other people thought about you

One of the things that these judiazers did was to ensure that people knew and saw that they were law abiding citizens. That they were keeping the law of Moses. Now you may say preacher what is wrong with that.

Well you see the problem is that their actions were dictated by the perception of others.

They were worried about what people thought about them. That is why they ensured that;

when the tithed that everyone would see them tithing,

that is why when they prayed they ensured that everybody saw them praying

that is why when they were fasting they ensure that everybody knew that they were starving themselves.

And can I tell you today if you are busy worrying about what people think about your Christianity, you have no time to be a genuine Christian.

Illustration: Still Film

A young man who we will call David shared a story of a time he was a missionary student.

He was attending a church with Scandinavia roots

He was also described as being forward looking and creative. One day he decided to show a black and white religious movie, simple and safe.

after About half an hour some of the church leadership team filed i to the church and asked,

. "Did you show the young people a film?" In all honesty he responded, "Well, yeah, I did." They responded, "We don't like that," they replied.

Without trying to be argumentative, David the youth worker reasoned, "Well, I remember that at the last missionary conference, our church showed slides--"

One of the church officers put his hand up signaling him to cease talking. Then, in these words, he emphatically explained the conflict: "If it's a STILL picture , then it is fine. If it moves, sin!" You can show slides, but when they start movin', you're gettin' into sin.

A follow up story to that

Story: Class mates story of legalism…

One of my class mates shared a story, while she was growing up her parents were quite adamant that going to the movie theater was a sin. They told her that her angel will not go inside of the theater with her. Especially at night.

However it was ok to watch movies at home. While she was watching her TV at home she saw that The movie “Coming to America” was going to be in theater.

And she thought this is like one of the first major black movies that will be in theater. So I have go to see it.

And so without telling her parents she came up with a devious skeem. She would go to see this movie in the middle of the day. She recalls standing outside of the theater looking up into he sky to make sure that the sun was in the middle of the sky.

Then now onto her next strategic move. She walks into the theater, but she was not going to sit at the front of the theater. No no, instead she sat at the back of the theater just so she can be close to her angel who is waiting for her on the outside.

Herod

You see if the focus of our Christian walk is in following the law, meaning, that that is what determines we are good Christians, then we end up becoming Legalistic Christian, worrying about the wrong things.

Which leads one to draw foolish conclusions, like thinking that in order to be save one must be circumcised. But guess what Herod killed his wife, children, and mother but he was considered to be a good Roman because he was circumcised

Law of Christ

And Paul is saying guys I am astonished that you would think this way.

And then he in verse 2 he says, “Bear one another’s burden and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

Hold on so he is not saying do not keep the law.

There is a law to be kept but it is the law of Christ. And in order to fulfill this law we must first bear one another’s burden. What does it mean to bear one another’s burden?

The Lexham English Bible says, carry one another’s burden. The answer to this is not very complicated. It simply means if you are struggling, I am going to come over and I am going to take the weight that is on your shoulder, and I am going to carry it for you.

In other words, when

I am going to listen without condemning

I am going to pray until you are delivered

I am going to walk beside you so that you don’t have to walk alone

I am going to cry with you so that you don’t have to cry alone.

Thus fulfilling the law of Christ.

The law of Moses condemns you but the law of Christ gives you hope

You see the law of Moses points out your sin, but the law of Christ, delivers you from your sin.

The law of Moses shows you what you are doing wrong, but the law of Christ shows you how to get right with God.

War in Ukraine

Illustration: Slavick

In one of my classes there is a student who is the Pastor of a Ukrainian church here in the US. Nearly half of his congregations is also made up of Russian.

He shares that, the Russians are carrying the burdens of the Ukrainian church members. Praying with them, crying with them and doing what they can to ease each other’s burden.

And if the Ukrainian members were operating according to the law of Moses, which is an eye for an eye, then there church would be in chaos right now.

And so what they are doing is fulfilling the law of Christ.

As a result of the law of Christ we begin to look at people differently. For we realize that we are all children of God. That is why there is neither Jew nor Greek, male or female, rich or poor. These are all accidental facts. We are all children of God.

and Paul is saying bear one another’s burden

I am the Don

In the final point for reflection, Paul says, “for if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.”

I had to wrestle with this one a bit. You see the answer seem obvious, but I had to dig a little deeper to hear what Paul was saying.

So Paul is saying to both Jews and Christians that if you think you are something when you are nothing, then you will not bear the burden of those that have fallen into sin.

There is a great example of this in the bible where we see this centurion comes up to Jesus and ask Jesus to heal his servant. Now all the Jews standing around Jesus, were disgusted and surprise that this centurion would ask Jesus for help.

You see the centurions were known for desecrating the temple, kidnapping jews and forcing them into slavery. Centurions were known for being the masters of pain.

They were known for being the worst kind of executioners. They would whip their owns soldiers, sometimes execute them.

You may even remember that the disciples were surprised when Peter took the gospel to Cornelius who was a centurion soldier

This centurion had blood on his hands. And this centurion standing before Jesus, asking him for help.

Now some standing around Jesus are probably saying to themselves this centurion is out of his mind. Look at all the evil he has done to us and now he is wanting help from a Jew.

What about you have ever been in that situation,

Where you brother or sister spilled water on the floor he walks away, and leaves it for you to come and clean up. And now he is coming to you to ask you for a favor

Your neighbor keeps playing loud music causing you to lose sleep and now she is asking for a favor

Your employee keeps on showing up late for work, and one day they say to you, I need an advancement on my pay.

Are you kidding me right now?

Jesus could have said No! and send him away, an eye for an eye. But Jesus responds to the request of the centurion and heals his servant.

Notice that Jesus does not treat this centurion like he deserves. And is there anybody here who wants to say thank you Jesus for not treating me like I deserve.

Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners Christ died for us”

You see those who operate according to the law of Christ, will do good to those who do evil to them

Those who operate according to the law of Christ, will exercise the fruits of the spirit

Those who operate according to the law of Christ will be kind to those who don’t even like you or us.

Those who operate according to the law of Christ will not reduce their faith to a label.

Calling yourself a Christian does make us a Christian, you see the reality it is easier to be a Christian than to live according to the law of Christ.

It is easier to do good for someone who

think like me,

look like me

live like me,

believe the same way I do, and

who agree with me,

You see a Christian

believe’s that all men are created equal

believe’s in the ten commandments

believe’s that Jesus christ is the son of God.

But Paul is saying for if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing he deceives himself.

You can believe all these things but if you are not living according to the law of Christ then we are deceiving ourselves.

If we do not live according to the law of Christ, then we will not act. Why, because it is going to cost us we will not react when we see people being treated unjustly

Friends of mine Let us not be content with just being a Christian, when the centurions in our lives show up when those that have fallen into sin show up

Just remember,

Roman 5:8 But God demonstrated his own love toward us that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.

Which means

we can belong before we ever behave,

which means we are loved before we ever performed,

we are delivered before we are ever born

Closing

Is there anybody here who want to say I don’t want to just be a Christian; I want to operate according to the Law of Christ.