Authentic Faith
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Open up to Gal 6.11.
Tonight we come to the end of Paul’s letter to the Galatians.
No Other Gospel
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— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
We have heard Paul’s defense of his apostleship
And we have heard Pauls assault against the Judaizers who were pushing for the Galatians to get circumcised.
And here at the end of his letter, Paul takes pen to demonstrate one last time why the Galatians are to reject the false gospel of these Judaizers and believe in the one true gospel that Paul had worked to defend.
11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. 12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16 And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.
As we come to the end of our time in Galatians, I want us to consider what the point is of all this for us.
Most of us should be familiar with the purpose of this letter by now
We know about the particular problems that Paul was addressing.
We know about the false teachers and what they were pushing for
We should know that the true gospel is the one that points to the fished work of Jesus that is for all who place their faith in Jesus.
So what.... why is it so important for us to spend the last six months going through this letter?
You might know what a Judaizer is, and you can know what the dander of false teachers, and you can know that we are justified by faith and not by circumcision… and on and on.
But if you don’t know what this has to do with you, then I’m afraid your time in Galatians will have been useless.
So in Paul’s text — he is comparing and contrasting himself with the false teachers yet again. He is trying to show the Galatians why they should trust him and the gospel that he preaches. But then he says this;
16 And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
This conclusion isn’t just about Paul and the Judaizers. Tonight’s text shows us the difference between those who’s faith in genuine, vs those who’s faith is nothing more than a show — a fake religion, following a false gospel, which is no gospel at all.
Paul offers himself as an authentic model of faith for us to follow, as he follows Christ.
So before we look at the authentic model of faith — lets consider the inauthentic example of the Judaizers.
13 For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.
Paul shows us, that these false teachers who wish to put the Galatians under the law are hypocrites. They tell us to be under the law, while they don’t even keep the law for themselves.
But what’s important to recognize about this isn’t simply what they say… and it’s not even what they do. What’s most telling about these false teachers, is what motivates there teaching and their doing…
“They desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh”
They do the very thing that Paul warned the Galatians of earlier—
Galatians 6:3–4 (ESV)
3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.
Galatians 6:13 (ESV)
13 For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.
Galatians 6:14 (ESV)
14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
If you believe in the true gospel, then you will…
1. Do you boast in the death of Christ
1. Do you boast in the death of Christ
Here is the main thing that sets Paul apart from these false teachers. And this is the main thing that will set a Christian apart from a Pharisaic, legalistic, religious, zealot who calls themself a Christian.
Their boasting is not in their works —
Or the good works that they have done
Or the sins that they have avoided
Or the sins that they have defeated
Their boast won’t be in the mighty works that they have done… but instead, their boasting will be in the mighty work of Christ on the cross.
The Judaizers bragged about all the converts they had made — Paul had nothing to brag about, except the power of the cross.
This is what the gospel is — it is the work of God to save sinners
And we need to understand the kind of saving that we were in need of…
We don’t need saving — as if we simply need a life preserver thrown our way to save us from drowning
We need saving — because we are dead and at the bottom of the ocean
Salvation is all of God, and not of man, so that no one may boast
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.
This is why Paul says
15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
Notice the balance in Paul’s statement
Circumcision does not save you
Nor does it condemn you — as if the Gentiles have become superior to the Jews
What matters is that you are made new — that is, to be born again — not through works, like the circumcision of the flesh, but by faith
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
Faith circumcises the heart — cuts away at the heart of stone so that we can love one another
Salvation is not dependent on our working
Salvation doesn’t even belong to the preacher
3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
So you should ask yourself — where is your boasting found?
Where there is pride/self confidence — there is a lack of understanding of the gospel
And furthermore — Paul is boasting in the cross
This is more than mere head knowledge
This is a kind of excitement about what God has done — that he simply cannot keep it to himself
We all know how to boast in ourself — in our own accomplishments
Where is your boasting found? — this will reveal what gospel you are placing your confidence in
But Paul continues…
Galatians 6:14 (ESV)
14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Boasting in the cross is the first sign that a person has genuine faith
But it doesn’t stop there.
Jesus death leads to a second death — namely, the crucifixion of the world and all its acceptance/pleasures to the new believer
When your boasting is in Christ, all of the sudden, all that the world has to offer you is meaningless
2. The world is dead to you
2. The world is dead to you
You ought to examine yourself on this… for it’s one thing to say that you boasting is in the cross of Christ — but if you go on desiring the approval of man, you show that you are still full of pride — you are still of the world
The false teachers demonstrated themselves to be of the world — desiring the approval of man.
Galatians 6:12 (ESV)
12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.
Religious actions, for the approval of man reveals that your faith is inauthentic
1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
Do you want fame from man?
10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Do you want fortune?
You cannot not serve God and money
If the world is not dead to you, it is owing to the fact that you have yet make the death of Christ your only confidence.
And more so, it is owing to the fact that you don’t know of God’s love
Illustrate: What is better: To be loved by many in a shallow way and insignificant way… or to be deeply loved by a few or even just one person?
When you see the surpassing worth of the love of God, the love of the world becomes rubbish
So what are the marks of authentic faith?
You boast in the death of Christ
the world is dead to you
Galatians 6:14 (ESV)
14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
3. You are dead to the world
3. You are dead to the world
There are three deaths in this passage
The death of Christ
The death of the world to the Christian
And the death of the Christian to the world
If the world has been crucified to Paul… that means, that he does not love the things of the world
And if Paul is dead to the world, it is because the world does not love Paul, but instead hates him.
When I was your age… persecution of the church was the thing that happened in other parts of the world, like in China…
But this is more real today in America than it has been in some time.
Do you fear being hated by the world?
Being dead to the world is the fear of those who’s faith in insincere
Galatians 6:12 (ESV)
12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.
They don’t boast in the cross, because they fear needing to bear the cross of Christ… but our Lord has said
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
The world is dead to Paul, and Paul is dead to the world… but what does that matter to him who has been made alive through Christ....
What does it matter when he who dies in Christ will be raised again with Christ?
What does it matter if the world hates you, when you are found in the love of Christ?
28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
So while the Judders fear Persecution — and so they tell others to get circumcised — Paul shows us what the true mark of the Christian is.
Galatians 6:17 (ESV)
17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.
What are the marks of Jesus?
Circumcision?
No
But the marks on his body from his countless beatings…
23 Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. 24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.
Why should anyone follow Jesus then? If it means being dead to the world, and needing to also hate the things of the world?
16 And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
Oh it’d be far better to be hated by the world, and to have peace with God, than to be at peace with the world, and hated by God.
And it’s far better to face the wrath of the world, and in the mercy of God, than to receive mercy from men, and need to face the wrath of God.
So may we all the more boast in the cross of Christ whatever may come our way…
May the world be dead to us, and may we be dead to the world… Amen?
So in a book all about salvation by grace alone — let us rest in his grace.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.