Sermon Tone Analysis

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Galatians 5:1–6 (ESV)

1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.

6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

Opening Prayer

A Call to Sober Attention

It’s easy to pass over this first word in v.2...

As a casual “look”

It’s not casual at all.

Paul is calling for their sober, focused attention...

When he says Look: (it’s like--behold, pay attention, look me in the eyes, teacher clapping)

Galatians 5:2 (ESV)

2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.

He is saying to them...

You will either trust in circumcision or Christ.

You will either rely on your works...

Or you will trust in Christ alone.

There is no middle ground.

If they choose circumcision, then they have no hold on Christ.

Christ will not benefit the one who does not solely and exclusively trust in Him.

This truth is so important for them to understand...

And, so, he states it again, in a slightly different way in v.3...

Galatians 5:3 (ESV)

3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law.

If you take on circumcision as a means for being right with God...

You are taking on the demand for the keeping of the Law to perfection...

That the Law of God demands.

You are saying your trust is in yourself.

Your ability to keep the Law perfectly.

You are saying, through behavior, that you do not need Christ...

That you do not need the finished work of Christ imputed to your account.

Paul is saying think about the gravity of such a thing...

Think of the burden of such a way of life.

Think of your inability to do it.

The Law doesn’t give do overs, no mulligans…

Once you break it, you’re guilty of the Law.

I don’t know about you, but my hope is not...

Should not… Cannot be...

In my keeping of the Law to satisfy the Justice of God...

Here is my hope, our only hope...

Hebrews 4:15–16 (ESV)

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Christ kept the law of God perfectly.

He never flinched and gave into sin.

His life was completely lived for the glory of God...

His life was motivated out of love for God...

And, expressed in worship through obedience.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

And, because of this great exchange...

We can, as Hebrews just told us...

Enter the throne room of God with confidence...

Based on the merits of Christ being imputed to our account.

But, if you take on circumcision…

If you take the step into religious ceremony...

In the hopes that you’re keeping the ceremonies and laws...

Makes you righteous before God...

Then you cut yourself off from the grace of God.

Galatians 5:4 (ESV)

4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.

Some try to use this verse to say you can lose your salvation...

Or you can break covenant with Christ...

But that is not what Paul means here.

What Paul means here is that if you hope in your Law keeping...

Then you manifest you never believed the gospel...

And, that you are rejecting the only means of salvific grace that God extends to mankind.

It’s like that game we used to play when we were kids.

You hide something and the person looking for it gets prompts like...

You’re getting warmer, you’re getting colder.

Hotter meaning closer...

Colder meaning farther away.

Paul is saying if you choose circumcision you are walking away from your only hope...

Which is salvation by the grace of God.

Now, look how Paul states the stark contrast between v.4 and v.5.

Galatians 5:4–5 (ESV)

4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.

[Why?] 5 For [Because] through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.

Law vs. Spirit

IOW, those who trust in the Law manifest that they do not have the Spirit of God.

They show that they’ve turned from the grace of God presented to them in the gospel.

Why?

Because the true children of God have the Spirit of God living in them...

And, the work of the Spirit is expressed through abandoning hope in Law-keeping...

And, the work of the Spirit is expressed by faith in Christ...

And, a hope of righteousness that is granted to us in Christ...

Not in our own merit.

Our hope for a righteous standing before God at judgment...

Is not in a list of what we’ve done...

But, of what Christ has done for us.

This is exactly why Paul in Philippians 3 stated how great his resume was...

In relation to the Judaizers mindset.

His resume was Valedictorian...

But, he wadded it up and threw it away so that he might gain Christ...

And, by gaining Christ...

We inherit the promises of God.

And, Christ is gained by faith in Him.

Now, I want to zero in on something that could be easy to pass over.

Galatians 5:5 (ESV)