Heaven Can’t Be Brought

Surely we are all to seek food and clothing by working, as God has ordained. That is true, of course, which means that it is not the point Jesus is making. Jesus is adding two further dimensions, the spiritual and the moral, to the quest for food and clothing, which is normally undertaken through our work. It is perhaps easiest understood when we think of it in the context of our motivation for doing that work.

One common motivation is simply to work in order to get money to live. On the other hand, Jesus says that the believer should “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” in the process of gaining the wherewithal to live. The things necessary for living will be added as well, and here is the point—they are no longer the main motive for doing the work. For the believer, the main motive is to experience God’s kingdom, that is, his rule in our everyday lives. In practical terms that will mean seeking his righteousness. Every job, every kind of work, whether paid or not, whether in a hospital, a factory, or a church, gives rise to moral problems, issues of personal and corporate probity.

Think of it this way: There are two aspects to work for a believer, not just one. First, the goal of work (as just mentioned): seeking God’s rule; and then the by-products of work: food, clothing, housing, etc. The sad tragedy is that many people confuse the goal of work with the by-product of work. For them the main goal of work is food, clothing, housing, and all the rest of an inexhaustible list of private possessions, up to private aircraft, yachts, palaces, and even football clubs. Their prime motivation is to get these things. The danger is that their desire to possess them may overrule moral qualms, and they may give in to the temptation to acquire them by dishonesty, cheating, corruption, theft, and a thousand other different ways of manipulating the system.

Some believe that their hard work and giving will get them into the Kingdom of God. But I am here t tell you that you cannot, let me say tat again, you cannot buy your way into Heaven.

Title:

Our Title for today is “Heaven Can’t Be Brought”

Scripture:

Galatians 2:17–21 NKJV

17 “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

Galatians 2:17–21 (NLT)

17 But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not!

18 Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down.

19 For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God.

20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.

Main Text:

There are some things that don't mix.

Oil and water

drinking and driving

taxes and our wallets

Frugality and government

Honesty and politicians

gas and fire

Republicans and Democrats

peace and war

in Christianity, there are two other things that don't mix: justification by works and justification by faith.

Catching Up: (2:11-16)

For context, let's look at the incident when Paul confronted Peter in Galatians 2: 11 - 14. The incident highlights two different claims, justification by works (keeping the law) and justification by faith in Christ alone (2:15-16).

Justification by faith is the instantaneous act of God whereby he legally declares the Sinner, who solely believes in Christ, as forgiven and righteous in His sight.

The Jewish Leaders say that it is a combination of faith and works. But Paul makes it clear that it is an either-or situation.

So the questions is why don’t the two mix?

The Jewish leaders tried to blend the two together. That is what people do today. It is called syncretism. Syncretism Is the reconciliation or fusion of differing belief systems. so you pick a little of this and a little of that infuse them together and you have a new religion.

People still try to mix law and grace together. People and evangelical churches will profess their faith in Christ while still believing that there is something they have to do in addition to having faith in order to go to heaven.

His answer to religious syncretism is that the law and grace don't mix. He further explained why the two don't mix in verses 17 through 21.

First you can't mix the law and grace because it is hypocritical and revolting (2:17). it is hypercritical because you are saying one thing and doing another. Peter professed justification by faith in Christ, but by his action said that we are justified by faith plus our works.

Combining the two is revolting because, by combining them, you are saying that Christ is a sin promoter. Who was the one that told Peter to go and eat with Cornelius and the gentiles? Jesus in Acts 10 verses 9 through 23.

Now follow this. if the Jewish leaders are right in that you have to keep the law to be right with God, and thus, in this case, or not eat with the gentiles, then Jesus told Peter to do something that was sinful, and this Jesus is a sin-promoter

Jesus taught that we are justified by faith so, if we are really justified by the law, then Christ promoted sin by teaching the wrong way.

Secondly, You can't mix the two because, in doing so, you become a law breaker (2:18). Paul had spent his Christian life tearing down the system of justification by works. The Greek word translated destroy – Kataluo - is a strong word meaning to demolish or totally raze to the ground.

Notice that in verse 17 Paul changes from the plural we to the singular I in verse 18. If he builds up what he tore down, it means that he, the apostle Paul, is a law breaker. The Greek word translated lawbreaker or transgressor – parabates - means to transgress or violate the law.

For example if a police chief takes down the Crime Mob in town but then personally rebuilds it, he is nothing more than a lawbreaker like the people he took down. The same thing happens when a person professes justification by faith in Christ alone, but then rebuilds the false notion of justification by the law through his actions.

Furthermore, you can't mix the two because the Christian is dead to the law and alive to God (2:19) Christ liberated us from the condemnations of the law (2:19a) the law does not save us, but it does condemn. It does declare that we are guilty, but it does not absolve the guilt. It does show us God's standards, but it can't empower us to live it perfectly. it tells us since penalty, but it can't do anything about our penalty.

The law has no authority over the Christian because Christ fulfilled completely the demands of the law through his death on the cross. The law can't condemn us or judge us. Doctor Grant C Richardson in his book Verse by Verse Commentary, illustrates it this way:

“The law has no remedy for sin. It has a double power: one it declares us sinners and secondly it states our penalty for being sinners. suppose a person committed a terrible crime of murder. He deserves the death penalty or life in prison.

The authorities arrest him, bring him before a judge, and arraign him for murder. They called the witnesses 1 by 1. They all testify with one accord to the man's guilt. There seems to be no defense for him at all. The jury finds him guilty. He is guilty according to the law and the law requires he be put to death.”

“Now, before the judge pronounces the sentence, something suddenly happens to the accused. While he is on the stand, the man suddenly slumps down and dies.

A physician pronounces him dead. What does a judge do now? Does he continue with the penalty? He cannot carry out any penalty period the law cannot try convict or carry out a penalty on a dead man. He is beyond the reach of the law. All that the judge can do is rap his gravel and solemnly dismiss the case and adjourned the court. The man is dead in the eyes of the law.”

in the case of this illustration, the man cheated the law. The law had the right to put him to death but could not do so because he was already dead. In our case as believers Christ will fill all the requirements of the law

You see Romans 8: 2 through 4 reads.

Romans 8:2–4 “2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (NKJV)

Christ died for us. Through his death, we died to the law’s condemnation. However, Christ made us alive to God (2:19b).

If we look at Ephesians 2:4–5 (NKJV)

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

You see you can't mix the two because they make the law, not Christ, the basis of your relationship with God. Look at verse (2:20)

Galatians 2:20

20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

The point is that you can't mix the two because you render the death of Christ useless or shall I say pointless (2:21). if a person can get right with God by keeping the law, then again I say Christ death was pointless.

If Christ death wasn't sufficient, it was useless. Hebrews 10: 29 - 31 tells us, that any human merit invalidates the cross of Christ and his purpose.

Hebrews 10:29-31 (NLT) reading from the New Living Translation of the Holy Scroll:

Hebrews 10:29-31 “29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us. For we know the one who said,

“I will take revenge.

I will pay them back.”

He also said,

“The Lord will judge his own people.”

It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Conclusion

As I was prepare this message, I found this story in Our Daily Bread, dated January 1, 1994

On his deathbed, British preacher Charles Simeon smiled brightly and asked the people gathered in his room, "What do you think especially gives me comfort at this time?" When they all remained silent, he exclaimed, "The creation! I ask myself, 'Did Jehovah create the world or did I?' He did! Now if He made the world and all the rolling spheres of the universe, He certainly can take care of me. Into Jesus' hands I can safely commit my spirit!"

Hudson Taylor, founder of China Inland Mission, in the closing months of his life said to a friend, "I am so weak. I can't read my Bible. I can't even pray. I can only lie still in God's arms like a little child and trust."

If you remember nothing else from this message, remember this, Mixing pepper Jack cheese in your meatloaf works well but you can’t mix legalism or grace or flesh and works because they are mutually exclusive!

And you definitely cannot buy your way into heaven.

Christ is our one and only savior, I know this because John 14:6 (NLT) states this fact:

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.