Book of Galatians

Alive to Christ Jesus

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Dead to the World

Book of Galatians Chapter 6 Verse 11 through 18

We have spent this entire Winter quarter in the Book of Galatians. This book is one of the best in the New Testament and clearly explains that salvation is by God’s ” Grace.”

We know the letter’s purpose to the Galatians was to defend the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Gospel of Grace.

Some Judaizers had infiltrated the Church claiming to be Jewish Christians and were teaching a double error.

1) They taught that a person is saved partly by faith and partly by works.
2) They also taught that a person grew in Christ partly by faith and partly by his own effort.

Both of these things are wrong!

They taught that a person had to believe in Christ, but he also had to submit to the rituals of religion which was circumcision.

We could compare this today to what some require for church membership, baptism, and other requirements today.

No one has to observe all the ceremonies and rituals of religion to be saved!

Paul taught that we are saved by our faith in Christ and Christ alone, which is the absolute truth.

What Paul did not say.

Paul never says it is wrong for Jews to be circumcised because it is not.
Paul never said it was wrong for them to keep the Law or to observe special festivals because it is not.

What Paul said is that these things have nothing to do with salvation and they do not!

Customs and practices may differ, but salvation by faith never differs!

There is only one way to be saved, and it is by the “Grace” of God!

It is the Book of Galatians that stirred up Martin Luther and the Reformation.
It is the Book of Galatians that gave John Wesley peace of heart that he knew the truth of salvation.

The Book of Galatians has moved many great men of God to a better understanding of the Gospel, and it still works today in the Bible Believing Church.

The Churches in Galatia were at the point of deserting God, but Paul’s letter to these churches made them steadfast in the Grace of God.

*Gal 6:11 Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.

In most cases, the Apostle Paul would dictate his epistles to a scribe who would write down the words that Paul had said.

It is possible that Paul would dictate to someone who was more familiar with the Greek language than he was.

It seems here that Paul took the pen from the scribe and wrote it himself.

1) Paul wanted to boldly emphasize the points he was making. Many of us today use capital letters to do the same.
2) Some believe that Paul could not write very well, but Paul was a well-educated man and this is unlikely.
2) Many believe that Paul had some problem with his eyes some kind of blurred vision.

It could be one of these or none of these reasons Paul wrote this epistle himself.

We know that Paul wanted to emphasize this message of Grace and to verify that he was the Author of this letter.

Paul wanted those Judaizers to know it was he who called out their hypocrisy!

Why Paul wrote in large letters is unknown except we know he was led by the Holy Spirit.

We all need to pay attention to what is written in the Book of Galatians.

This is the first of the Epistles of the Apostle Paul to the Church.

If Paul wrote the Book of Hebrews which I believe he did, he would have written fourteen of the Books of the New Testament.

*Gal 6:12 As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.
Gal 6:13 For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.

If you see false teachers on the TV most of them are well dressed and they make a good impression.

It was no different for these Judaizers many of them were Pharisees.

We all want to make a good impression!

If we take a look at those who have a false message today, we will see that they seek worldly popularity, and they brag about the riches they say God has provided when in fact they have stolen from the poor and the vulnerable of this world.

The Apostle Paul unmasked those who taught a false message to Christians.

The Lord Jesus was really blunt at such people: Mat 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Mat 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Mat 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Mat 13:15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Any man of God who begins to seek worldly popularity will change the message of the truth of Jesus Christ and twist the Scriptures to gain a following.

They will not take a stand on the truth of God.

These false teachers were afraid to teach the truth because of persecution that would come from their fellow Jews.

As many found out during that time, persecution caused the Gospel to spread even more and it does the same today.

We should understand that these men were men of the Church and a great example for us today that we all must stand against the message of false teacher and false preachers and not be afraid.

The truth will always be the truth, and no false teacher can change that.

Many of the earliest preachers or priests were men who saw Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world. However, they accepted Him only as an addition to the Law and they were wrong.

Today many false teachers just say that God can make mistakes, and they are more wrong than these Judaizers were.

Even today it is unpopular in many places to proclaim that Christ alone is the way to God and God’s New Heaven.

These people need to realize that God will not be mocked, and His Word is the greatest truth in this world!

In the day of Paul, those who preached the Cross of Christ were said to be destroying established religion and this is God’s intention.

Religion cannot save anyone!

It took real courage for the Apostles and other great men of God to stand up for the truth of our Savior and most of them were murdered or locked in jails.

Remember Paul who was beheaded and John who was placed on a deserted island, but the truth of God just keeps moving along at God’s pace and God’s will.

How many today go along with false religion? Billions of unknowing people are shielded from the truth of Christ.

How many in the Church are afraid to preach the whole truth because it might affect their pocketbook and their bank account?

The Bible is specific there was only one person in the history of Judaism who morally fulfilled the Law and it was Jesus Christ!

Why? Since the time of Adam, we have inherited his fallen nature.

1Co_15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

These false teachers just like those of today wanted recognition through the appearance of a growing ministry.

I have said it before the truth of a growing ministry is not in numbers but is in growing closer to Christ Jesus.

Those who grow close to Christ will reach out into this lost world with the truth.

We are not to strive to be accepted by the people, we are to strive to get closer in our relationship with Jesus Christ.

False teachers do not impress God at all, in fact they will suffer the wrath of God!

*Gal 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

God forbid that we should boast of anything but the Cross of Jesus Christ.

There is no other approach to God accept by His Son Jesus!

God accepts us only, if we come by the Cross.

It is at Calvary’s Cross where my sin was washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ!

There is no other way to be acceptable to God!

1Co_1:23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

When people cannot see the truth, it does not mean it is not right in front of them.

It is the Cross of Jesus Christ that destroys all self-righteousness and boasting!

It is in deepest humiliation we have to admit that the Lord Jesus had to die in our place.

We have to reach that place in life when we realize we are guilty of death, but the Cross of Christ saved us by the Grace of God that we are so unworthy of.

Until you realize that Christ died in your place you will not meet our wonderful Savior!

Jesus Christ was crucified for our sins, and He was raised for our justification, and by this, we can have a changed life and be “Born Again” into a new life that has not death.

It is this truth that saves lives!

The Cross was an instrument of Christ’s crucifixion, and my flesh was crucified with Him.

We can now say that the world has lost all its worldly charm and attraction and we as Christians have lost our appetite for this world.

Nothing in this world will last very long and will soon fade away.

Something new is only new for a few days then it is old.

There is nothing upon this earth that is eternal!

We now know of a place that is full of the glory of God, and this is where our home is located.

Our Lord Jesus came to this earth to die in our place.

The Law offers nothing but death!

The Cross offers nothing but life everlasting.

What really is in this world?

1Jn_2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

We cannot brag about any of these things because they are worthless, and the Holy Spirit will remind us of this daily.

These are the diseases of this world that have no remedy, but that Jesus Christ came to heal!

Jesus Christ came to make us new creations!

*Gal 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

Paul has already taught us: Gal 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

So, faith worketh by love and this same faith and love makes us new creations of God by His Son.

Paul also wrote: 1Co 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

These commandments are not of the Law but the commandments of Jesus Christ.

Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

This new creation is the change produced in our soul by the operation of the Holy Spirit!

We leave the state of nature of this world and into a state of “Grace”.

Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Those not created in Jesus Christ cannot enter into God’s New Heaven.

Again, nothing makes a person acceptable to God except God’s very own Son!

How does using the name of Jesus make us live forever?

First God knows who is sincere and who is not. God cannot be deceived!

When we are sincere in our faith, God will give us a new Spirit.

God actually places His Divine Nature, the presence of His Own Spirit, into our life.

We are then “Born Again Spiritually”.

2Pe 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

*Gal 6:16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

This is how we receive the peace of God that no one else understands.

Php_4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

This is how we can walk in this life understanding the true mercy of God.

When we walk by the rule of the Cross we will seek to live as a New Creation of God because, we are a new Creation of God.

Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Now Paul says the true Church is the Israel of God.

It is through the Church that God will fulfill His promises.

Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Rom 9:6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
Rom 9:7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
Rom 9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

Hos 1:10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.
Hos 1:11 Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.

Over and over again we see it is those whose faith is in the promises of God who are the true Israel.

We should be steadfast in the Gospel because it is the truth of God!

*Gal 6:17 From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

Then Paul asserts that through the power given to him as a duly commissioned Apostle of Jesus Christ and a tried and tested servant of His Heavenly Master, he had fully discussed the matter of the Law and Grace that he had nothing else to say about it.

I know if you study this great writing of the Apostle Paul, you should be clear that we are saved by Grace through faith, and there is no law above this.

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Some things we know that the world ignores are:

1) The creation of the world is designed to reveal the glory of God.

Psa 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

2) The vastness of Heaven and the beauty of the earth reflect the glory of God.

3) God’s sovereign act whereby He predestined all believers to salvation is to the praise and the Glory of His Grace.

Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

God is glorified in the display of His unconditional “Grace”!

Rom 9:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

Rev 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

When the Lord Jesus said we must be “Born Again”, He was speaking of the creating power of our God.

In fact, the regenerated Christian is probably the only thing that God has created since Chapter 1 in the Book of Genesis.

Our Lord Jesus died and raised again on the third day because of the predetermined plan and the foreknowledge of God even though a wicked world was responsible for His death.

Act 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Act 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

Even though God has decreed these things, we are still responsible for all our sins, and it is by Grace through faith that we can be forgiven.

Grace is still the unmerited favor of God!

Psa 145:8 The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.
Psa 145:9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

*Gal 6:18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

In conclusion Paul said he will have no more attacks on his ministry nor the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

These churches in Galatia and their people needed to repent and get rid of those false teachers.

It is still the same for every church today.

We cannot ignore the Gospel of Jesus Christ and be saved.

We cannot ignore the Grace of God and be saved.

We cannot ignore our faith in the truth of God and be saved.

Amen

Are You Weary in Well Doing

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Do Not Give Up Doing Good

Book of Galatians Chapter 6 Verse 1 through 10

We should understand that there is a right way and a wrong way to help our brothers and sisters in Christ or in fact anyone else.

We must stress this point at all times!

We are all still sinners at least as long as we are in these bodies of flesh as Paul has pointed out.

We all suffer the same passions and at times someone of us is always overtaken by sin.

How we approach a fallen brother or sister is of great importance!

It is sometimes a very delicate matter!

That one who has fallen may be sensitive or even embarrassed and easily shamed for giving into their flesh.

It is these things that may not allow this brother or sister to return to the Church.

He or she may even feel like he or she is unwelcome, and we must never allow this to be our intensions.

Unless this person is approved in the right spirit they may never return to the Church.

We must understand that a ministry of restoration, is a ministry of God and should be a ministry of the Church!

This is a ministry that God has called us all to take part in, for any of us could fall at any moment.

*Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

A wise man said: “A word of Love is more potent than any argument”.

That word “brethren” reminds us that Paul is speaking to saved people.

If we see one of our brothers or sisters in violation of the Law of God, he or she is not immediately our enemy!

They are still our brother or sister in Christ.

We all know how hard it is to fight with this flesh and win every battle.

None of us will win every battle with our flesh!

There may have been some in the Churches of Galatia that had fallen from the “Grace” of God, none of us live perfect lives.

That word “overtaken” gives us the idea that someone had fallen back into sin.

It was not deliberate, it was not planned, it was a mistake they had made.

Paul was not speaking of faults in doctrine, but a mistake through weakness of the flesh.

Jesus said to His disciples: Mat_26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Sin is like an addiction, and it is hard to break free from any addiction!

We may not know the problems of our brothers and sisters, unless we show them love where they may trust us enough to speak with us.

Why did the Lord Jesus come to this earth?

Jesus came to restore God’s children back to a relationship with our Creator that had been lost by Adam.

Why would we ever refuse to attempt to restore one of our brothers and sisters in Christ, yet many in the Church would say good riddance.

This is not what the Lord Jesus Christ taught when He walked upon this earth.

We all brag about the Scriptures of the Apostle Paul has taught us and he taught a restoration ministry.

The job of restoration is often neglected in the Church.

We tend to pretend that the sin never happened or we tend to react too harshly towards that person.

Those who are Spiritual are those who show the fruit of the Holy Spirit in their lives and in the Church.

Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

It is those who show that Spirit of Gentleness that the Lord Jesus showed to all He met who have the best chance of reaching that backslider.

Then Paul says we need to understand there is a possibility that we could be drawn into that same trap of backsliding, and we need to be prepared.

One such thing would be that we could be so full of pride that we can manage every situation that we ourselves fall, but it includes the same temptation our brother or sister has fallen into.

The Bible says: 2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

*Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Remember the law of Jesus Christ is love!

Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

It is love that caused our Lord Jesus to hang on that cross and die for each of us!

Jesus Christ bore the sins of everyone who has ever lived!

Now we cannot bear the sins of anyone, but we can bear the burdens of our brothers and sisters!

We can first forgive each other! We must understand that sin that made this person fall from Grace was a sin that Christ died for.

Again, what did the Lord Jesus teach us?

1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

*Gal 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

We should understand to be Christian is to be like Jesus Christ. There is no other reason to be called a Christian or to say you are a Christian except you are trying your best to be like Jesus Christ.

It is Jesus Christ Himself who told us to bear one another’s burdens!

It is Jesus Christ Himself who told us to be forgiving!

It is Jesus Christ Himself who told us to love one another!

To neglect to do these things is to set ourselves above Christ our Savior.

God came down to earth in the flesh to humble Himself and die for our sins, so how can we say we will not humble ourselves to help a brother or sister in need.

No Christian is better than any other Christian.

None of us can stand before God unless we are wearing the “Righteousness of Jesus Christ”!

There is no place in the Church for feeling superior or spiritually better than others.

Mat 23:12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

We need to do a self-examination to see for ourselves if we possess the right qualities to help a brother or sister in their time of need or we could make things worse.

*Gal 6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

We need to do a self-examination of our own selves comparing ourselves to Jesus Christ and not to some other member of the Church.

We need to understand our own conduct and our own understanding.

We are to examine and judge our own lives, not the life of that fallen brother or sister.

Again, Jesus says: Mat 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

If we are to deal with a backslider, we need to make sure we are not hypocrites!

Criticizing and judging others is a sin!

We cannot help anyone unless we have a pure conscience ourselves.

It is a great joy knowing that we are pleasing God by the way we walk in this life.

2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

*Gal 6:5 For every man shall bear his own burden.

None of us can escape from our own moral responsibility!

We are personally responsible to the Lord for our own behavior and we shall be judged for what we have done.

We know when we meet the Lord in the air it is a judgment for rewards, and it will be to our own shame if we do not receive any rewards for the things we have done in this life.

If we do not periodically examine ourselves, we can never overcome any faults that we have!

If we spend our time observing the failures of others and not the burdens of our own failures, we will never be able to help anyone in their time of need.

Rom 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

We must understand that every child of God is a student who sits at the feet of the Master learning how to be like Him.

*Gal 6:6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.

We can go up and down the hallways of our education building and we will find good teachers, but I do not claim to be one of them.

I know if I listen to the Holy Spirit, I can try to get His message across in this classroom and this is what I try to do.

Between myself and my class we should aways be able to discuss the things that I teach.

Here in this Scripture, we see the Holy Spirit speaking directly to the learner who is also a believer.

This passage speaks more to the Pastor than it does to the classroom teacher.

These same things apply to both.

If you want to be good to the teacher:

1) Be present when the teacher teaches.
2) Be attentive and learn what the teacher teaches.
3) Share in discussion of what the teacher teaches.
4) Pass on what the teacher teaches.
5) Participate in the ministry of that teacher.
6) Support the teacher.
7) Encourage others to learn.

Again, this passage is referring to the Pastor of the Church who must also be a good teacher.

Thank goodness for our own Pastor here at Gethsemane.

Teaching is a vital part of the New Testament Church.

Members of the early Church devoted themselves to the teaching of the Aposltes.

Act 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

The Apostles taught the doctrine of our resurrected Christ.

Act 4:2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

They taught as they had opportunity.

Act 5:21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

Act 5:25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.

Notice being locked up in prison did not stop the Apostles.

At that time the city of Jerusalem was saturated with the teaching of Jesus Christ and His atonement.

Act 5:27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
Act 5:28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.
Act 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Act 5:30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
Act 5:31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
Act 5:32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

The heart of the message of the Apostles was that our Lord Jesus was indeed the Messiah.

Act 17:2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
Act 17:3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

It is teaching the truth of Jesus Christ that will bring the Church to maturity.

Act 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

The goal of the Gospel is to make us all look more like Jesus Christ.

Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

This teaching is to be taught until the Lord returns.

2Ti 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

We are not to forget the Scripture but continuously teach the Gospel.

Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

This the purpose of our classrooms to teach Jesus!

God knows the truth of every Pastor and every teacher.

In fact, God knows the truth of us all!

*Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

In the secular world few people are as important as the teacher.

Its the same for the Church.

We should understand that every Pastor should also be a good teacher but few teachers will ever be Pastors.

Teachers in the Church are also very important, especially those who teach the children.

The truth of the Gospel is the most important message in this world!

The Pastor has responsibilities because he is called of God.
The Teacher has responsibilities because he or she is to follow the pastor’s lead in teaching the truth of the Scriptures.
The student also has responsibilities to the teacher and to the Church.

In the Bible believing church the true Pastor, is one who accepts the truth of the Gospel and the Apostle’s Doctrine which is the Doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The teachers in that church are to follow his lead and teach the truth of the Scriptures.

The student then honors the teacher and the Pastor when they share the ministry of the teacher.

In the churches of Galatia many of the members were being deceived about facing the judgment of God.

They were being led astray by teachers with a false message.

They were failing to share in the ministry of the Apostle Paul and shared the false message of Judaism.

Judaism is a religion; Christianity is based upon a personal relationship with Jesus Christ they cannot be intermingled.

These false teachers were turning their nose up at God who had told them of this New Covenant, but they were rejecting it.

These teachers were rejecting the teaching of the Apostle Paul, so they were not teachers at all.

They were church terrorists plotting the downfall of the Church of Jesus Christ.

When we attack the true Pastor, we are mocking God who called that Pastor into service.

The lesson these men learned at their death is that God is not mocked for whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap.

God is very clear those that reject the message of God will be rejected by God.

When our Pastor preaches the truth of the Scriptures, and that message is rejected by those who hear it then they will stand before God and answer for that rejection.

If we do not listen to the warnings of the lust of the flesh, then we will reap the lusts of the flesh.

Those who reject the message of the true Pastor will worship as they desire.

They will seek some form of the truth somewhere else.

They will refuse to pray.

They will live as they please.

They will strive against the true Church.

They will reject all the Law of God.

They will seek the things of this world.

When we allow our flesh to lead us rather than the Holy Spirit we will see the wrath of God.

The flesh ages, dies, and then it decays.

If we sow to the flesh then we will age, then die, then face the judgment of God which he spells out so vividly in the Scriptures.

It does not matter what the world says, it only matters what God says!

True teachers teach the Word of God just it is written, and these lessons must be learned by us all.

God will not be mocked and there is no escape from His truths!

Rom 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Job 4:8 Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.

If we sow to the Holy Spirit who lives in every believer, we shall reap life everlasting!

if we listen to God’s saving message, the Gospel, the Holy Spirit will implant the Divine nature of God within the heart of each believer.

This is how we know and accept the fruit of the Spirit.

This is how we will live forever with God in the New Heaven and the New Earth.

Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

We know it has been close to two thousand years since the beginning of the Church Age, and we must be patient until the Church Age reaches its fulfillment.

Jas 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
Jas 5:8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

It may seem like an endless task sowing faith and hope, but we must not lose heart!

God is going to reward all those who have such patience!

There is just too much truth in the Scriptures for it all to end in nothingness.

The timing of all these things in is God’s hands but the season of sowing is in our hands.

*Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

God has given us this opportunity to earn rewards.

We should not be waiting for opportunities to develop but making them happen.

We should not be waiting on an opportunity to do good, and we should show kindness to all our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Someone in the Church always has a need!

We must stay alert and not be weary if we want to receive a full reward.

We are responsible for our own family first.
We are responsible to our Church family next.
We are responsible for the lost next.

Heb 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Amen

Liberty in Christ Jesus

/ Bobby Mayfield / 2 Comments

The Liberty of Jesus Christ

Book of Galatians Chapter 5 verses 1 through 18

The Book of Galatians can be called God’s message of liberty, but the entire Bible can be called God’s message of liberty.

Liberty is best described as the opposite of servitude or bondage and applies to those who are set free from this oppression.

Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Some people just enjoy being in bondage to this world!

Some people think of nothing else but sin!

As Christians, we do not have to worry if we are good enough because we will never be good enough, no matter how badly we try to impress God.

We simply cannot impress God; we have no righteousness in ourselves.

Jesus Christ secured the ideal righteousness for us!

The Lord Jesus Christ bore our judgment and our punishment for having broken the Laws of God, which is death.

This is the message of the Gospel!

The Churches of Galatia thought they understood this until they began to listen to the false teaching of some Judaizers from Jerusalem.

The message today is that we must stand fast in the liberty that our personal relationship with Jesus Christ has given to us!

*Gal 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

To stand fast is to stand our ground.

It simply means to keep the position we have taken with the Gospel and never give ground to falseness.

We are able to stand fast in our argument of the Gospel because it is the truth of the Scriptures and the truth of Jesus Christ!

The truth is always the truth!

Rom 15:12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.
Rom 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Spiritual liberty cannot be affected by outward circumstances unless we allow it!

A great man of God said: our liberty has no emperor, nor a prophet, nor an angel from Heaven, but Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son has obtained it for us.

This is the thing the Devil will try to take away from us to place us back in bondage to this world.

It is sin that is a burden to carry, and it is not a burden to carry the liberty of Christ.

Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Jesus Christ has freed us from the bondage of the law, so we must stand fast in the liberty that He has provided for us.

Anything else is turning our backs on Christ and our Heavenly Father!

We can only approach God through the work that Jesus Christ has done for our salvation!

It is a complete waste of time to try any other way, and we jeopardize our chance to get to Heaven.

Gen_6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man.

Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

The Law is not God’s way for us to be justified!

*Gal 5:2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
Gal 5:3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
Gal 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

The Apostle Paul is speaking in the power of an Apostle of Christ here.

It is not the fact of circumcision!

Paul was circumcised and every Jew in the Church of Galatia was circumcised.

Circumcision happens every day in some hospitals because it helps to keep certain diseases from spreading, but not everyone is circumcised for one reason or another.

Paul had been talking to the Jews in these churches but now he is talking to the Gentiles who had it in their mind that they would have to first become Jews before they could become Christians.

For these Gentiles to become proselytes of Judaism would imply that they were seeking salvation by the Law which is sealed by circumcision.

There is no advantage for a man to be circumcised or not circumcised in seeking a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

A wise man said” ‘He who submits to circumcision does so because he stands in fear of the law, and he who so stands in fear of the law distrusts the power of grace, and he who distrusts “Grace” gains no advantage from that which is so distrusted’.

When we start trusting in rituals, then we will find no profit in Jesus Christ and our relationship with Him will end!

It is the job of the true preacher to warn us when we go against the Grace of God!

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Col 1:29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

It is a fact if you trust in the Laws of Moses to get you to Heaven, you will not get there.

It is a sad fact that all those who fall into the trap of legalism to impress God will fall from Grace.
It is a sad fact that all those who depend upon rituals to gain forgiveness of sin will fall from God’s Grace.
It is a sad fact that all those who invest their lives in religion will fall from God’s Grace.

GRACE still means God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense!

Remember Hagar and her son Ishmael were banished from God’s Grace and cast out into the world.

False teachers are just that false teachers with a false message looking to derail your relationship with Jesus Christ.

Every so-called denomination has been infiltrated with such people who serve the Devil.

When we deny the Lord Jesus Christ, who was sent from Heaven with a mission to provide “Justification”, then we have lost any opportunity to reach the true Promised Land, the New Jerusalem.

We cannot add to or take away from the message of the Gospel!

To deny Jesus Christ is to deny His righteousness, His death for our sins, and His resurrection to show His power!

We should remember our Lord Jesus took all the sins from the beginning of our world to the end for every soul and took them down to Hell for them to remain there throughout eternity, why would anyone want to live in that place?

What will be the story of every false teacher who mixes a little bit of Grace with a whole lot of falseness when they face Jesus, the God they say they worship?

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

That woman who confronted our New President should think about these things before it is too late for her!

What in the world does the world do with the teachings of the Apostles especially the Apostle Paul when they study the Word of God except to ignore them?

The Word of God has to be rejected in many denominations today for them to do as they are doing. God have mercy on them.

What is the truth, they will be accursed!

In the first Book of Galatians, we read:

Gal 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

Who do we owe our life eternally to?

*Gal 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
Gal 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

Over and over again we see that it is “our faith” in the work the Lord Jesus Christ has done for our salvation sharing with us “His Righteousness” that we can please God.

There is no other way to please Him!

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

If we do not have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ we will burn in Hell throughout eternity!

Any hope for righteousness comes by the Spirit of Christ who so many in terror call the Holy Ghost.

The Holy Spirit is our Divine source of “faith” and “spiritual life”!

It is a fact that no false teacher has ever felt the Holy Spirit, and never will they unless they repent and claim Jesus Christ!

Php 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
Php 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

We can also say that those who preach a false message have never felt the love of God or His Son!

*Gal 5:7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

We must understand that the truth will always be the truth!

We live in a world where our government and our corporations think it is best to hide the truth.

Paul tells these Galatians that they began their Christian life, but someone hindered them and we must realize that this is a favorite tactic of the Devil to immediately attack baby Christians and any Christians.

He still does this today and he frightens some so much that they never return to their race with the Christian Life, and that race will be over.

Jesus said:

Mat 13:20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
Mat 13:21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

We see this happening at these churches in Galatia and it happens in every church today.

When we stop living for Christ, we put our lives in jeopardy.

When we run for Jesus Christ, we must run well and stand on the truth of God!

Php 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

*Gal 5:8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.

We must have a clear understanding that we are called by the Holy Spirit and He will never lead us to error but He will lead us only to the Lord Jesus Christ!

Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Any teacher that teaches otherwise is teaching a false doctrine.

All those out there today who throw out the Scriptures of the Apostle Paul and teach some other doctrines are also teaching a false doctrine.

All sinners who come to the Lord Jesus must then repent of their past life and walk like Jesus walked and taught!

There are no exceptions, and the Holy Spirit does not make mistakes!

Just a little false doctrine can ruin any church!

*Gal 5:9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

“Leaven” stands for evil and corruption, fermentation, and infection.

It takes only a small amount of “leaven” to influence a whole lump of dough.

So, it is with false teachers!

They only have to twist and change a few Scriptures to change the meaning of what God intended.

We live in a world where you have to be careful when you pick out a new Bible because so many are changed to reflect the beliefs of certain people rather than the truth of God.

The KJV is the English Bible that most closely reflects the meaning of the Textus Receptus, the original Scriptures before they were changed by the Catholic Church after the revolt of Luther.

Most of those Bibles that are printed for English-speaking people today, who say they just want to make them easier to read, and also change the meaning of certain Scriptures.

I avoid all of them and stick to the KJV.

All Scripture must focus on the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Redeemer, or it is false Scripture.

The Scriptures are not about our goodness or our own works.
The Scriptures are not about rituals, ceremonies, or good works instead of our Lord Jesus.

The absolute necessity of the Lord’s righteousness and death and being born of a Virgin and His resurrection cannot be diminished or downplayed.

The false teacher will always downplay these things.

*Gal 5:10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
Gal 5:11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
Gal 5:12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you.

If we stand by the written Word of God the true pastor will stand with us!

Paul had confidence that these churches in Galatia would do the same because the Lord would remain on their side.

Because the Holy Spirit lives within us, He will awaken us to false teaching if we listen to Him!

Paul believed that these churches would read and understand this great letter he had sent to them.

Paul always sent someone with the letters he wrote or caused them to be written, with someone he trusted to read those letters to the church.

All letters to the church were read in all churches.

We can be sure that every false teacher or preacher will stand before God and God will send them to the hottest part of Hell and to even a hotter part of the Burning Lake of Fire.

Jud 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
Jud 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

False teachers only tell lies!

God will hold up His true Pastors!

Rom 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

Jas 4:12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

Salvation can only come through the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Only Begotten Son. through Him only!

Paul’s sermons had never veered from these facts!

What Paul had done before his conversion was irrelevant!

Paul was now a “Born Again” child of God just as any other saved soul!

We must understand that there is no punishment too good for a false teacher!

1Pe 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
1Pe 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
1Pe 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

*Gal 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

We must not forget that we are free from laws, religion, and rituals.

We do not have to work to secure God’s approval and acceptance.

We are acceptable to God because He loves us as His own Son Jesus.

We cannot ever become perfect, no matter how good we do!

Many people question “Christian Liberty” but our liberty does not ever give the freedom to sin just because we are under the “Grace” of God.

Our faith will always be the key to our relationship with God!

We are free in Christ, free from the law, free from restraints, and free from works.

We live in Christ, move in Christ, and our being is in Christ.

When God looks down from Heaven, He should be able to see His Son dwelling inside us!

If we are slaves, we are slaves to our brothers and sisters in Christ and free to call on the lost world with the truth of God.

Joh 13:4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
Joh 13:5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

Joh 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
Joh 13:15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

*Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Every law that has been ever written can be satisfied with love!

Love does not take advantage of any people.
Love will not be used by people to fulfill their own purpose.
Love will not hurt someone else any more than we would hurt ourselves.
Love endures everything without weakening.

Rom 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Rom 13:9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Rom 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

*Gal 5:15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

To bite and devour is to act like a wild beast and this is a picture of Satan.

1Pe_5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

When we act like Satan, we are certainly not being Christian (like Christ)!

*Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Gal 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

If we go against the Holy Spirit, we will only cause harm to ourselves.

The answer to conquering the lust of the flesh is the Holy Spirit!

Our flesh will always fight for dominance over our being and this is why God gave us a new Spirit, the Holy Spirit.

The flesh is very strong and difficult to control but it is not as strong as the Holy Spirit.

Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

The flesh is contrary to the Spirit!

The longer we listen to the Holy Spirit the stronger we will be, but we will be vulnerable to our flesh as long as we are in these bodies of flesh!

The Holy Spirit will always give us the power to walk away from the lust of our flesh!

Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It is our love for one another here in this church and any other church that keeps us focused on the things the Lord has given us to do after our salvation and discipleship.

Amen

The Family of God

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Schoolmaster Is No Longer Needed

Book of Galatians Chapter 3 Verse 19 through 29

As we read these Epistles to the Galatians, we can ask why the Laws of Moses were then given.

We know there were teachers in the Galatians church who taught that a person must be justified, and we must.

1) They taught that if that person did the very best he could and honestly tried to obey the Law of God and do much good then he could be justified.

2) if that person practiced religion, by keeping all the rituals, keeping all the ceremonies, keeping all the rules of the church, then he could be justified.

3) If he submitted to the basic ritual of the church, circumcision, church membership, baptism, and whatever else they thought of, they could be justified.

None of these things are bad things, but keeping these things will not justify anyone in the eyes of God!

Only the Lord Jesus Christ can justify any individual!

The Lord Jesus said you could wrap up all the 613 laws of the Jews into two laws:

Mar 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
Mar 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Mar 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Then Jesus said:

Jhn_14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Jhn_15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

It is only by love that we can show our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!

It is only by love that we can show we truly believe in the Son of God!

When we truly love someone, we would never do anything to harm them in any way, and we would listen to what they say.

It is in our believing, truly believing, in the work God’s Son has done for our salvation, that we can be justified!

When everything in this world goes sour, our faith must remain in the Lord Jesus Christ who died, so that we can live.

If we cannot believe that God has everything under His control, we will never trust Him.

This is where our faith kicks in.

The fundamental act that saves anyone is “faith” in the Lord Jesus Christ.

What is the will of God for every individual on this earth? It is the will of God that all mankind be saved.

1Ti_2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

This is why the Devil tries to keep us at odds with one another.

God the Father accepts our faith for righteousness just as He did Abraham.

1) The law was given to make us aware of sin.
2) The law was only temporary.
3) The law was not given by God, but through a mediator, therefore it is inferior.
4) The Law has no power to give life.
5) The law declares that the whole world is a prisoner to sin.

The law is usually a designation of the law God gave to Moses.

1) There is civil law which is given for the responsibility of neighbors.
2) There is the ceremonial law which legislated Israel’s worship life.
3) There is the moral law which we call the Ten Commandments.

It is the Ten Commandments which God identified as God’s timeless standards of right and wrong.

In all the Jews had 619 laws covering everything in their life.

We must understand that it is by “Sound Doctrine” that we will see life-changing behavior that is based upon love.

1Jn 2:10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
1Jn 2:11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

1Jn 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

We know that love has just about left our world, and this world has become a place where lust dominates people’s behavior.

Eph_2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

This is easy to see, and abortion is the result of lust.
Lust is the power behind all immorality!

We need to take these things seriously for without love we see nothing, but compromise and we just cannot compromise the truth of God with the ways of this world as we see going on today.

Just how do we know that by the Law no one can be seen as righteous?

*Gal 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

1) The law condemns so it cannot give life.
2) The law was temporary commencing with national life of the Jewish people.
3) The law was not given immediately, like the promises to Abraham, but by mediator, Moses, in the presence of angels.
4) The law was a contract between God and man, with life depending on the total fulfillment of its terms and not like a promise.

The law was added but not to interfere with God’s Promise to Abraham.

Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
Rom 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

The law was only the knowledge of sin!

Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

That sin could appear as sin! Most people know what sin looks like even if they will not admit it.

Rom 7:13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

The strength of sin is the law!

1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

The law was not given to restrain or to punish sin, nor to show us how evil this world has become.

The laws are given to show us that evil is already in this world and is very active in this world.

If our politicians would only understand this, they would go back to the Ten Commandments to make us aware of just how wicked and evil our world is today.

We already know that “seed” which was to come, is in fact, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Promised Messiah.

Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

The seed of Abraham is the same seed of the woman! It was no accident that both of these passages use the same singular form of the word seed.

We can also say that the seed of the snake, who was taken over by Satan, will show up one day as the Antichrist which may not be far off.

In fact, he may already be on the scene. We should also understand that Satan has had a wicked individual ready from day one because he does not know what day the Lord will return.

We could name off all sorts of wicked and evil men, but we all know this is true.

1Jn_2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

1Jn_2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
1Jn_4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
2Jn_1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

The law was ordained by angels:

Deu 33:1 And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.
Deu 33:2 And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.
Deu 33:3 Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words.
Deu 33:4 Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.

This was the teaching given to all the Jews:

Act 7:51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
Act 7:52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
Act 7:53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

Of course, we know that this was Stephen, and these Jews picked up stones and murdered a great man of the early church.

The Apostle Paul was aware of what happened to Stephen because he was an eyewitness though he never threw one stone.

Paul did not know for sure if this same thing might happen to him.

Gal 2:2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.

The leaders of the Church in Jerusalem were solid in their convictions, as was the Apostle Paul and we must be the same.

The law was added because of transgressions, till the “seed”, the Messiah, should come.

Once the Messiah came the law was to be set aside!

Now the perfect life that Jesus led is our model on how we are to live because only the Lord Jesus had the willpower to keep all those laws in what was referred to as “The Law”.

We know that the Law is still in place for all the unbelieving world!

*Gal 3:20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.

The fact that the “giving of the law” a mediator was needed marks the nature of that transaction as a compact entered into between two parties.

The law came from God, but it was given by angels and then from angels to mankind.

Deu 33:2 And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.

Act 7:38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:

A Mediator implies that there were two parties God and man.

Then Moses became that mediator between God and man.

The law was given secondhanded, but not the promise of God.

When mankind broke the covenant of the law, then the law had no meaning other than good words to live by!

The God of promises is One and only One. Grace came as a gift to whosoever has the faith to reach out and receive it.

The Giver is everything and the receiver is nothing.

God the Father is the Bestower of the free gift to this entire world, and because He worked His Grace through His Son, is all we need to know.

Is the Law then against the promises of God?

*Gal 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

If God was the author of both the law and the promises, how can they be an opposition.

The Apostle answers: If the law had given life, then there would be no need for the promises.

Life was forfeited by sin, by breaking the law came death!

The law was only words and rules!

The law only injected the idea of behavior into the mind of man!

As the descendants of Adam and Eve all we know is to rebel against the laws of God.

The law demands obedience, but it leaves us on our own to comply or not to comply.

The Lord Jesus Christ was the only person who fulfilled the covenant of the law between God and mankind.

Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

God had to poor Himself into the flesh of a man and then die to accomplish this for us.

Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

It is the life of Jesus, that is now our standard for living, and not any law!

*Gal 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

If we have a Bible written according to “Received Text” then that Bible will teach us that we are all sinners.

That word concluded means: “leaves no means to escape”.

God says if we search all the Scriptures, we will find no other way to please God beyond ‘Grace”.

This verse shows us all, that there is no other way to get to Heaven except by the “Grace of God”!

Rom 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

From the time we are born till the time we die, we are all lawbreakers and all under the penalty of sin!

In fact, we are all as prisoners under solitary confinement as in a dungeon with no hope for life outside that cell.

The one purpose the law had was, to encourage all mankind to seek Jesus Christ, that is, righteousness by “Faith”.

When we believe the work that Jesus did for our salvation, then Jesus will judge us righteous and each believer becomes a “partaker of the Divine nature of God!

Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Before the Lord Jesus paid the price required for our sin, His blood, we had no means to become righteous in the eyes of God.

We can see it took the Apostle Paul some time to straighten this church out after they had received some False teachings in their midst.

Faith in Christ frees us from the penalties of the law.
Faith in Christ makes us the children of God.
Faith in Christ makes us one with God.
Faith in Christ makes us heirs to the promises of God.

*Gal 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
Gal 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Gal 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

In a real sense, the law is a prison for all mankind!

We can all understand the full “Gospel” revelation of salvation by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!

The law is nothing more than a prison that binds us.

1) The law shows us exactly where we fail.
The law shows us exactly where we come short in our relationship with our Heavenly Father.

The laws tell us to do this and we in rebellion do that.

It is like a speed limit sign. When we pass that set speed we are breaking the law. It is really very simple to understand, and we only have to do it one time.

2) The law accuses and condemns us.

Just as soon as we break the law, we are charged for it.

The law is in black and white and there are no gray areas.

We cannot say we did not break the law because that just drives us deeper into sin.

Breaking the law leads to a life of conviction.

There is no way we can know how many are running from the law today because they know they are guilty.

3) The law has no life and no power to deliver anyone from the punishment due him.

The law cannot deliver anyone from their sin.

The bond to the law is perpetual. That person is guilty until the day they die, and the punishment is established.

The only hope for man is for someone to appear with the power to release him before he faces that judgment.

That someone has appeared, and His name is Jesus.

We who need to be set free must accept His deliverance.

The choice is ours! We can accept Him, or we can reject Him.

if we do not believe that Jesus has the power to free us from our bondage then He will not!

It is only “faith” that can give us the answer!

The law was nothing more than a Schoolmaster, or a Guardian, to lead us to know that we need Christ.

In the day of Paul, the Guardian was a trusted slave who had one job and that was to deliver the child they cared for to the Schoolmaster, then at the end of the day he would bring that child back to safety.

This is what the law was supposed to do but the law had no power to do this.

The law shows us that we cannot obtain righteousness by ourselves.

We need to look to Jesus Christ, and we can be justified by our faith.

Only, ONLY Jesus Christ can bring us face to face with God on good terms, the terms of Grace.

The law can only take us to bondage!

The law only points to us as the children of the Devil.

Joh 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Joh 8:45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

*Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

How do we know that we are justified by faith, and not by the law, and not by doing the best we can?

Because faith makes us the children of God!

Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Joh 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

God is stirred to adopt us because of the work of His Son.

Faith causes us to focus on the Son of God the Lord Jesus Christ.

God will accept everyone who focuses on His Son Jesus.

God will not accept those who reject His Son Jesus.

This is exactly what the Scriptures say, so why are so many in this world confused? False Teaching and False Preaching.

When we honor the Son of God, God is well pleased!

When we say the word righteousness then, we are talking about the Lord Jesus Christ.

By believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, we become the children of God, and our Baptism was the sign of this relationship, though Baptism is not a requirement for our salvation.

Baptism would be one of the first works we would do after our salvation.

Once the Schoolmaster is no longer needed it is the life of Jesus Christ that becomes our Schoolmaster.

Jesus is the pattern of what every person should be!

When we give our faith to the Lord Jesus Christ, God clothes us in the righteousness of His Son until the day we receive our glorified bodies.

When God looks down on us from Heaven, He only sees the righteousness of His Son, and He accepts us as His own children.

If we belong to Jesus Christ, if we are a part of Him, who is the promised Seed, then we are the seed of Abraham. We are heirs according to the promise given to Abraham.

We can call this adoption because we are placed as sons and daughters. After all, Jesus is the Son of God.

We should understand that our Heavenly Father has complete power over His children as long as He lives, and He can never die.

Adoption is a serious thing!

Adoption is a permanent thing!

Those who are adopted have all the rights of Jesus Christ the only Son of God.

Those who are adopted have lost all rights in their old family and therefore a “new person”, so new that old debts and obligations connected with their former family are canceled out and abolished as if they never existed.

This is the meaning of being adopted into the family of God.

We have a new relationship with God.

Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

We have a new Father!

Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

We have a special relationship with all our other brothers and sisters.

Eph 4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
Eph 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Eph 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Eph 4:7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

We just become a new person.

Eph 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
Eph 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
Eph 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

We are ready to meet the One who gave us all these things when He died on Mount Calvary and then arose from that death.

1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

*Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Our faith in Jesus Christ makes us brothers and sisters in Christ. We are one in Christ.

We are all together the Bride of Christ.

We all stand on equal footing at the feet of Christ!

The Lord Jesus Christ reaches out and embraces every believer, and it does not matter that we are so different from Him.

He treats us as His equal though we can never be His equal!

When we look at other believers, we know to treat them as our equals, and we all are equal.

When we look at other believers, we should be able to see the righteousness of Christ in them as God the Father sees in us.

We pay no attention to the color of their skin, their nationality, their sex, their social status, or any other difference.

Psa 119:63 I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.

*Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

To be justified by faith we become heirs of the promises to Abraham!

Abraham was to receive God’s blessings which include God’s acceptance, God’s righteousness, and eternal life in the New Heaven and the New Earth as a child of God.

Amen

The Curse of the Law

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Curse of the Law and Redemption in Christ

Book of Galatians Chapter 3 verses 10 through 18

We must understand that to be righteous, we must live by faith!

As we continue in this Chapter, we will see that Paul continues with the example of faith by Abraham.

We cannot live in this world without faith and certainly will not have eternal life without faith in the Word of God.

Today, it takes a lot of faith just to step outside the safety of our homes and go to work or anywhere.

We must first have faith that the automobile will take us where we need to go.

When we lose faith in that car then most of us will trade it or at least get another one.

Most of us who have a weapon have one because of the lawlessness we see in this world.

Our own nation is not as safe as it used to be, and we have more laws than we ever had.

As a child, we could walk to meet our friends or walk to town and not worry about harm.

We would walk to school without worry.

Our children and grandchildren do not have this same safety, and protection becomes necessary even in the safety of our homes.

Laws are useless to those who will not obey them.

The Liberals in our nation do not understand this, yet they shield themselves from this lawlessness with walls, guards, and all sorts of weaponry that they want to deny us, the average taxpayer.

Lawlessness is increasing in our nation, and we see no end to it!

We left last week’s lesson seeing that God’s blessing comes to those who have “faith” in the Word of God.

Abraham’s righteousness came from his faith in what God had told him!

If God’s blessings come by obedience, then we can see that God’s curse will come by disobedience!

Therefore, the Laws of man put mankind under a curse just as the Laws of Moses did to the Jews.

We cannot say that these laws are all bad, it is the lawbreakers who are bad!

The word curse means; to be condemned and doomed to punishment by the righteous judgment of God.

Let’s put God’s curse into His words.

2Pe 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
2Pe 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
2Pe 2:11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
2Pe 2:12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
2Pe 2:13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
2Pe 2:14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

When does this judgment take place? At our death and it is immediate even though the final judgment will come till the end of the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

All those who deny the Lord Jesus as our Savior will wait in Hell until the end of the Millennial Reign of Christ, then they will face Him in judgment.

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

The thing about death is we never know when our death will come.

We live in fragile bodies of flesh, and we had better know that God the Father has both life and death in His hands.

So, why does the Law put a curse on mankind? Disobedience.

*Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

Why does the Law have such a curse?

It is really simple! No one wants to keep the Law!

Many people believe they are to live as they see fit and some do.

As we have seen recently, there is a hierarchy in our Nation and our government who believe that the laws are made for the little people and not for them, they are so special.

The curse is the “mark of death”, the “mark of condemnation”, or guilt: alienation from God both in this life and throughout all eternity.

There is a righteousness that comes by the Law! This righteousness promises life to any person who can obey the Law perfectly.

If there is someone who can meet every requirement of the Law during his or her lifetime and never once falls below God’s standard, then that person can escape the penalty of sin, which is death.

Rom 10:5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.

If you choose to live by the Law rather than faith, then there is no place for error!

The only person we know for certain who has done this is the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, our perfect Savior!

Jesus secured righteousness for each of us because He lived in righteousness!

The Gospel message is that instead of claiming this right for Himself, He offered to give His perfection and His righteousness to the people of earth because He took our sins upon Himself.

Jesus Christ accomplishes the same purpose that God the Father had for the Law!

Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

This verse in Ephesians 1 verse 7 is where we get that phrase, “God’s Riches At Christ Expense”.

The law is filled with cold letters with no power to give life!

We should know that the Law was only a temporary arrangement between God and man.

The law was to extend only from Moses to Jesus Christ.

Gen 49:10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

God never intended the Law to be the way to salvation!

The Law was given to show us our guilt, our sin, and our awfulness.

We realize this once we walk in the Grace of God!

We can look back and see how awful we really were.

The law was given to show us our guilt.

Rom 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

The Law has never had the power to give life!

The Law is in fact, much inferior to God’s “Grace”.

*Gal 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, “The just shall live by faith”.

In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit said the same thing.

Hab 2:2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
Hab 2:3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
Hab 2:4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but “the just shall live by his faith”.

There is only one answer, and it is the Lord Jesus Christ!

1Jn 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
1Jn 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1Jn 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

None of this is confusing so, those who hate Jesus have chosen to defy God!

No one is justified by doing the best they can because God will not excuse sin.

God does not excuse sin, but God will forgive sin under the right condition and that condition is recognizing the work that Jesus has done for us for our salvation.

Once we have truly trusted God, we can be justified because the just shall live by “faith”.

We can only have life by the principle of faith, not the principle of works!

Heb 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
Heb 10:39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

When we believe in God and believe the promises God has made to us, and we do what God says, then the power of faith energizes us to live a justified life.

*Gal 3:12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

The Law is all about performance.

Rev 18:5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

The Apostle Paul explains this to all the Christian Church.

The life element of the Law is not of faith, it is of work, and we simply cannot work our way to Heaven.

By “faith” we will receive the gift of God, which is salvation and eternal life in God’s House and it is a free gift.

By our work means we are trying to pay for salvation which dishonors God who has offered us His free gift to us.

The Lord Jesus Christ has “redeemed” us from the work of the Law!

*Gal 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

The word “redeemed” means ransomed; delivered from bondage, delivered from distress, delivered from liability, delivered from penalty, or from the possession of another, by payment of an equivalent.

In the Scriptures the Greek word used for ransomed (exagorazo) meant, to buy up that is ransom, to rescue from loss, redeem.

In reality, the work that the Lord Jesus did on that cross freed every believer from the dominion of the Mosaic Law and that price was His death!
We must also realize that the Lord Jesus died for all the sins of this world by all people!

1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Rom 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
1Jn 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Our Lord Jesus Christ substituted Himself, His perfect life, for our sinful life.

What did God tell Abraham?

Gen 22:8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide “himself” a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

When we stand before God, we will stand in the righteousness of our Savior, perfect because Jesus was perfect!

When we see that word cursed, it does not mean that a man is cursed because he is executed upon a tree.

It means that man was cursed because he was judged as a lawbreaker.

This is the curse that Jesus Christ took in our place.

We were lawbreakers but Jesus led a perfect life according to all those 613 Jewish laws.

Rom_10:5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.

It is because He did this that He opened the door to the blessings of God to all mankind, but we must believe.

Heb 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

This is how God the Father kept His promise to Abraham for God will never break a promise.

This is where the Muslim break rank with the Jews, but still try to cling to Abraham and it does not work that way.

All those who believe in Jesus Christ, the true Messiah, will receive the promise of God’s Holy Spirit which is the answer to the promise of a “divine nature”.

2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

This is the answer to God’s Promise of a “new birth”!

Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

This is the promise of being made a new creature. (a new creation of God).

2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

This is the answer to the promise of being made into a new man.

Eph 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Without being a home to the Holy Spirit none of these things can take place!

So, when we hear people say, just be the best you can be and God will accept you, we know that this could never be true.
So, when we hear people say, there is more than one way to get to Heaven, we know that this could never be true.
So, when we hear people say that God will never break His promises, we can know that this is the greatest truth of the Bible.

*Gal 3:15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.

Promises, Promises, Promises.

God has given us a permanent covenant, that is lasting.

A covenant is an agreement between two parties, a special relationship.

We should understand that once a covenant has been made and executed, it stands, it stands forever.

It cannot be annulled or added to!

God seals His covenant with us with promises, so He cannot ever break His promises!

God and Abraham’s seed are bound to keep their word to one another.

We can now see the meat of this covenant.

*Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

God made this covenant with Himself!

What the Apostle Paul was teaching these Galatians was that trying to get saved according to the Law would only end in death and eternal separation from God.

That seed of Abraham to which the promises were made is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ.

Gen 17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
Gen 17:8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

We see the word “seed” is singular and not plural and that seed is Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is the descendant who was to inherit the land promised to Abraham.

We see the land of Canaan belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ. And he will settle with israel for one thousand years.

Canaan of course is a type of the New Heavens and New Earth. Which will be the home where the Bride of Christ will be located.

Rom 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Jesus Christ and His descendants will receive the Promised Land which are the New Heaven and New Jerusalem.

Heb 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
Heb 11:9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
Heb 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Those who do not think Abraham was looking for the same things that all believers are looking for today are wrong and there are many others who also believed the Gospel before Christ came.

Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Heb 11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
Heb 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

*Gal 3:17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

How do we know that we are justified by faith alone?

God gave His covenant of “faith” four hundred and thirty years before He gave Moses the law for the Jews.

1) When the Law was given the Promise of Faith to Abraham had not yet been fulfilled so the Law could not make the promise to Abraham void.

The promise to Abraham and his descendant Jesus Christ still stood.

Joh 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

2) The covenant made with Abraham told mankind how he was to follow God to receive the promises of God, “that is by faith”.

The Law was given for a different purpose entirely!

The command to follow God had already been given and established by the covenant of faith to Abraham.

By the Law no man can be justified, but only “by faith” in the Promises of God!

God’s Covenant of Faith by the Grace of God is sure!

It cannot be revoked or changed!

As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and the work that He has done for our salvation, we shall inherit the promises made to Abraham and the Lord Jesus Christ.

These things are not that complicated if you accept the Bible for what it says and the promises God has made, still knowing that God can never break a promise and still be God.

Luk 21:33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

*Gal 3:18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

How do we know that a person is justified by faith alone?

Because God gave His covenant and His inheritance by Promise and not by the Law!

All through the writings of the Apostle Paul he came back to make this same point in every church and every group of believers because it is the truth.

The inheritance given to Abraham by Promise is that of “righteousness” which is being accepted by God and given the privilege of living with Him forever.

God does not accept righteousness in any other fashion than the Word he has given to us.

Who would not want that?

Who would not give all they have for such a promise, but God offers it for free just for “Faith”?

God would not break a promise because it would go against His nature and His character.

It is a great privilege to be offered a chance to live with the Almighty God forever throughout eternity.

Jesus said:

Joh 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Joh 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; “that where I am, there ye may be also”.

Jesus would not have said this if it were not true!

Amen

Christianity

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Paul’s Participation in the Jerusalem Council

Book Galatians Chapter 2 Verses 1 through 10

From Chapter 1 we learned that the Apostle Paul’s preaching of Salvation by the “Grace of God” had met much criticism, but this criticism was mainly from the Jewish religion.

This criticism had reached a point where it was determined that the Church leaders would come together to make a final decision on this matter.

It had been the Jews known as Judaizers, who had called for this council hoping the leaders of the Church in Jerusalem would side with them.

Though there were many Church councils over the years, the first Jerusalem Council was the most important.

What we find is that our old friends the Pharisees are stirring up trouble again.

In reality, there was a large number of Pharisees who accepted Jesus as the true Messiah after His death and resurrection.

In fact, this would be a natural result for an honest-thinking Pharisee.

Most of the Pharisees were looking for the Messiah to come.

The Pharisees knew the Scriptures better than the average Jew.

When the Apostles proved that Jesus was the Messiah from the Scriptures, the Pharisee was bound to see the evidence.

If a Pharisee had an honest and open heart he would be convicted by the Holy Spirit as much as any other Lost Soul.

However, the Pharisees would tend to see Jesus as the fulfillment of Judaism, not a replacement of it.
The Pharisees would see Jesus as an addition to the Law of Moses, not replacing it.
The Pharisees would see Jesus as adding belief to their rituals, not replacing them.
The Pharisee would see Jesus adding Baptism to the ordinances, not replacing the ordinance.

Because the Pharisees had extensive training and had made a lifetime commitment to the keeping of the Law, oral and traditional, they would be very slow to give up the Law.

They would be very slow to rely on the Righteousness of Jesus the Messiah and not the righteousness of the Law.

But we do see where some of them made a complete break with Judaism.

It is these things that caused the First Council of the Church.

Act 15:5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
Act 15:6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.

We will immediately be able to see that the question at the Council in Jerusalem had grown much greater than circumcision from the Church at Antioch.

The question at Jerusalem became “does a man have to keep the whole law to be saved” and accepted into the Church?

We would be wrong to believe these questions have disappeared today!

1) Can a person earn favor with God? Or do they receive the favor of God?
2) Are they acceptable to God because they keep the Law? Or are they saved by confessing that they have broken the law and are dependent entirely upon the Lord Jesus Christ?
3) Do we work to make ourselves righteous or do we cast ourselves upon the righteousness of Jesus?
4) Do we pray to the Lord saying Lord I come on my own righteousness, or I come on your righteousness?
5) Do we pray Lord I come with my own package of works, or I come seeking your mercy and grace?
6) Do we pray to the Lord I came to be praised for my own works, or do we praise the Lord because He did all the work?
7) Are we to receive glory because we have done good, or is the glory to be lifted to Jesus for who He is and what He has done?
8) Is the Lord Jesus God, who came down from Heaven to save us or not?

Martin Luther broke with Catholic Doctrine on some of these same issues!

Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Do we believe what the Bible says or not?

Luther came to realize that works have no part in our salvation.

It is a fact that there are no works to do to receive the Grace of God but there are some works that should happen after salvation.

Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

We need to study every question that is asked about salvation in order to properly lead someone to the Lord!

*Gal 2:1 Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.

At the end of last week’s lesson, Paul had returned to his hometown of Tarsus and then to Antioch Syria where the first Church outside of Jerusalem had been established.

Now in the first verse of Chapter Two, Paul is returning to Jerusalem for the first council of the Church and fourteen years have passed.

This first council at Jerusalem could easily have stopped the Church before it ever got started.

The Apostle Paul was faithful to give a full account of the Gospel he had preached among the Gentiles, who were still known as Heathen to the Jews, indicating a lower class of people.

Paul preached that Christianity must be free from all mixture of Judaism.

This would have seemed ungrateful to some because even the Lord Jesus was a Jew.

Joh 4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
Joh 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: “we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews”.

Notice Jesus claims to be a Jew just like the disciples who were with Him.

We should understand that Christianity is the New Testament, the New Covenant, God has made with all the people of Earth.

We should also notice that Paul was very careful and going to extra pains, to list his contacts with the Church in Jerusalem.

It had to be understood that the Doctrine of Salvation that Paul preached had come from Jesus Christ and not from the leaders of the Church of Jerusalem.

It was for the benefit of the Jews that these precautions were made and not so much for the benefit of the Gentiles.

Paul was not going to change the way he preached so easily.

Likewise, the Jews were not going to accept the Gentiles so easily.

We must also understand the other Apostles had to recognize that the calling of the Apostle Paul had met the basic qualifications for being an Apostle being called by Christ Himself.

Paul’s calling and his service had now proven itself for fourteen years.

Paul did not enter Jerusalem to answer his critics.
Nothing that happened in Jerusalem would change the calling of Paul, because Paul was God-called and not man-called.

1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1Co 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
1Co 15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
1Co 15:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
1Co 15:7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
1Co 15:8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

*Gal 2:2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.

Paul’s intent was for him to defend his work in the Gospel.

If the other Apostles disagreed with Paul, it would not have changed Paul’s calling.
God intended for the Church to survive at all costs.

What had Jesus told to Peter?

Mat_16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

I think it is almost every message that our Pastor says he will not back down, and we had better be prepared to stand with him.

No preacher is to run in vain!

Every evangelist, Pastor, preacher, and missionary, must preach the “Gospel” and only the “Gospel” and he must build upon that ministry as the truth and it is.

We are not to allow ritual, rule, ceremony, or law to be added to the Gospel!

People are saved and people grow only by the Gospel, the “Good News” of God’s love for the world, His creation!

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

*Gal 2:3 But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:
Gal 2:4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
Gal 2:5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

We must never be intimidated into giving up the truth of the Gospel as our own government has been trying to do lately!

There are as many so-called preachers who have only enough truth to be called a man of God when they are lost as Job’s Turkey and causing damage to the Church and they don’t care, they just buy themselves another Jet plane or they write another book but we can be sure they will answer to God.

There is only one Gospel and there will never be a modern version because God never changes!

The Lord Jesus Christ will never come back to this Earth, (His Creation) to face another cross!

The Apostle Paul’s version of the Gospel is still the Gospel that saves!

There is only one “Gospel” and there will never be another “Gospel” that is the “Good News” for mankind!

The ‘Gospel” of the “Grace” of God and “Grace Alone” that Paul preached did arouse many of the Jews.

Every practicing Jew was circumcised when they were eight days old and they leaned heavily on the Law of Moses all the days of their lives.

When they accepted the truth of Jesus Christ, they still refused to reject Judaism.

In their minds the Lord Jesus only changed a few things and Judaism was still the key to life with Jehovah.

They proclaimed that every Christian would first have to become a practicing Jew.

Only after becoming a Jew could, they then accept the teachings of Christ and be baptized.

Paul rejected this and Paul was right even though Paul was a practicing Jew.

The Church would have failed before it got started if this had been true.

The Jews were shocked that Paul taught such a thing.

These Jews were called Judaizers.

It was determined by these Judaizers that Paul could not have gotten his message from Jehovah, and they were wrong.

If anything is added to the Gospel, then it is no longer the Gospel.

If anything is taken away from the Gospel, then it is no longer the Gospel.

Jehovah was very serious about this!

Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Paul took with him Barnabas and Titus who were fellow workers with him in the Gospel.

Barnabas was a Jew who had been converted in Jerusalem.

Titus was a Heathen Gentile, and he was not about to become a Jew.

Titus had never been inside the Jewish Temple, and he had no desire to enter into it.

Titus had not been circumcised!

Titus had not committed himself to the Law of Moses nor the rituals of Judaism.

Titus was a perfect example of salvation by “Grace Alone”.

Titus had answered the calling of Christ to become a Preacher.

Judaizers are just “Legalists”.

Legalists are those people who add to the salvation plan of God.

Christianity is not now and never will be a blend of Judaism and the teachings of Christ.

Christianity is not now and never will be a blend of the Muslim and the Koran, and the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Christianity is not now and never will be a blend of Hinduism and the teachings of Jesus Christ.

In fact, Christianity can only be the “Good News” of Jesus Christ and nothing but salvation by the free gift, of the “GRACE” of God.

Though many Jews even today are impressed with Jesus Christ, they will not give up their religion for Him and therefore they cannot be saved.

This was the first great battle for the existence of the Church!

This is the message of Christianity!

Legalism still exists today along with many of the teachings of a false Gospel, which is not the Gospel.

*Gal 2:6 But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
Gal 2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
Gal 2:8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)

The Christian Preacher and teacher must defend the “Gospel” before any and all persons or they are not who they say they are.

We as Christians must ask ourselves:

1) Are we seeking the approval of church leaders over the approval of God?
2) Are we seeking the call of the Church or the call of God?
3) Are we seeking favor of the church or answering the call of God?
4) Are we seeking to build a reputation or seeking to serve God who called us?

How many of us add our own ideas, our own rituals, our own rules instead of the Pure Gospel?

God treats all of us alike!

God has no favorites, He loves you as much as He loved the Apostle Paul!

Everyone in Heaven are there because they are saved by the same Gospel that Paul preached!

Every true Preacher, Pastor, Evangelists, or Missionary are called by the same Lord!

*Gal 2:9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
Gal 2:10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

If we take notice, we will see that the leaders of the Church in Jerusalem did not agree with those Judaizers nor could they, as the Judaizers had hoped they would.

On the contrary they stood with the Apostle Paul!

They saw firsthand that Paul had indeed been called of Christ Jesus to preach the Gospel.

They saw that Paul had been called to preach the truth just like every other man called of God.

They saw that Paul had been called to preach to the Gentiles.

This means that everyone called of God, are called with a specific purpose in mind.

Every person called of God is called to preach to the poor just they are called to preach to the rich still having the same message.

Paul promised to try to help the Church in Jerusalem because every Christian who felt the same as Paul would be excommunicated.

James the step-brother of the Lord Jesus was the lead Pastor at the Church at Jerusalem.

James and Jude both the step-brothers of our Lord did also write a book of the New Testament being lead by the Spirit of Jesus their step-brother.

Are we going to have faith in God or are we going to trust what man can do for us?

Amen

The Gospel Truth

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Origin of the Gospel
 
Book of Galatians Chapter 1 verses 11 through 24
 
 
The Word “Gospel” is the English word used to translate the Greek word for “good news”.
 
The Greek word for the English word “Gospel” is “evangelical”, so the writers of this “good news” are best known as Evangelists.
 
In reality, the word Gospel means the proclamation of pardon, mercy, and peace in and through the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
If the word “Gospel” is used in any other way, it is a false gospel.
 
All those men who are partakers of its saving Grace, who are commissioned to preach it, are to be considered beautiful.
 
Isa 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
 
In the New Testament “Gospel” has two shades of meaning.
 
1) The actual message of Jesus Christ.
 
Mar 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
Mar 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
 
2) It is the story told about Jesus after His death and His resurrection, in the Scripture we are studying today.
 
Gal 1:11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
Gal 1:12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
 
It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is the embodiment of the Gospel!
 
Without the Lord Jesus Christ, there can be no Gospel, period.
 
To certify is to declare that the Gospel is the truth of God’s Son and, therefore the truth of God!
 
The Gospel is not in agreement with the ways of man, nor the values of man!
 
The Gospel is on a much higher plane!
 
In verse 10 from last week, Paul proclaimed: “Am I seeking the favor of men or God”. “Do I seek to please men or to please God” being “God the Son Jesus Christ”, “God’s Messiah”.
 
Verse eleven continues, with people saying that Paul did not follow the Lord Jesus when He was alive on this earth, so how could he possibly know any Gospel?
 
They say Paul was teaching a man-made Gospel taught by a misguided man, speaking of Paul.
 
Paul the Apostle Preached what was given to him by Jesus Christ Himself!
 
The word “revelation” means a truth that is shared by God with man, a truth that man never knew.
 
The “Gospel” Paul preached was given to him by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.
 
The Gospel is God’s wisdom not the wisdom of this world and we can include the time we live in today.
 
The world’s wisdom includes many approaches to finding the truth and the meaning of life and the many approaches to finding the problems of evil and death, but these things have eluded the world and are unable to be found.
 
The world’s wisdom is full of lies and theories.
 
The wisdom of the world says there is no God. He does not exist.
 
Way back in time, as far back as the mind can go, something, some element, some molecule, some atom, some gas has brought forth all the things we see today.
 
To some, the wisdom of the world says God may exist, but after creating all the things we see, has moved on to do other things having no concern for the things He made.
 
The wisdom of this world says that God may exist, but He used evolution to create all the things we see which is still a fantasy.
 
These are just some of the things we go up against as Christians, when we reach out to those who are lost!
 
1Co 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
1Co 3:20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
 
The Gospel is not a human thing, it did not originate with man as many say.
The Gospel is not the “good news” from some men as they say.
The Gospel is not to be preached as a message handed down from one generation to the next.
 
The Gospel is to be preached as the single fact that Jesus Christ did reveal Himself with the truth of His life, the truth of His death, and the truth of His resurrection.
 
These Galatians had asked themselves: did Paul preach the truth of Jesus Christ or not?
 
1Co 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
1Co 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
 
1Th 2:4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.
 
There are not as many who believe that all the things of this world happened by accident as the world confesses and it is time they stood up and listened to the truth before it is too late.
 
Paul did not ever try to hide his past life!
 
Our past life is not remembered in Heaven, but we will be reminded of it by our enemies, and it would not hurt for us to look back and see how far the Gospel has removed us from our past life. We are new creatures because of the Gospel.
 
Gal 1:13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
Gal 1:14 And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
 
If we look at Paul’s life before He met the Lord Jesus upon the Damascus Road, we will see the terrible things he did to the Church.
 
We could say it was nothing short of a miracle that could account for the change that had taken place in the life of Paul.
 
Paul wrote: Php 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
 
The Apostle Paul had a radical change of life!
 
When we read the Scriptures, this is clearly seen!
 
Paul had launched his attack on the Church at the death of Stephen.
 
Paul had been a supreme example of self-righteousness.
 
Paul became an example of the true Christian.
 
Paul had blazed a path for Christian persecution.
 
Paul now blazed a path for the salvation of the Lost.
 
The Lord Jesus set Paul apart and called him by His “Grace”.
 
Paul began to believe that God had called him even before his birth.
 
Gal 1:15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,
Gal 1:16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
 
Paul began to believe that he was now doing what God had intended for him to do from his birth forward and he was.
 
Every Christian should realize that we are now in the will God had for us from the beginning of our lives, just as He did the prophet Jeremiah.
 
Jeremiah became a prophet of God, and we become witnesses for the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
All those who have been called to separation from this evil world understand what Paul is saying here.
 
God has a plan for all of us and that plan began at our birth, but most of us were like Paul, we did not realize it until we met Jesus.
 
Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
 
Paul reminded others of the same.
 
2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
2Ti 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
 
The source of our change was the purpose of God!
The means of our change was His calling by the Holy Spirit.
The result of that change is that we might teach Jesus Christ to the Lost.
 
For Paul, his job was to reach the Gentile world that God had included and not just the Jews!
 
Thank you, Lord God for I was once a heathen, but now one of your children.
 
I was never worthy of your “Grace”!
 
The job of the Apostle Paul was to be a vessel to reveal Jesus Christ!
 
We must understand that we are not called just to come to know Jesus Christ, we are also called to make Christ known to others.
 
We must bear witness to what Jesus Christ has done in our lives.
 
God has given us all the Gospel to study and to preach.
 
The world needs to hear the message of Jesus Christ not the message of wicked men.
 
It is every day now that we can still hear the crying and the moaning because a wicked president has been defeated.
 
America should be ready to hear the message of Jesus Christ.
 
Mar 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
 
2Co 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
 
Only Jesus Christ has the message that the world is seeking the answer to!
 
How to live forever!
 
Far too many people wake up in Hell who spent their lives and their finances, searching for the means of eternal life having rejected the Gospel, the “Good News” of our Savior.
 
Joh 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
 
Paul was called by the Lord Jesus and then taught by the Lord Jesus Christ how to teach the world about Him.
 
Gal 1:17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
Gal 1:18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
Gal 1:19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.
 
The spread of the Gospel was beginning to produce real fruit and much of the world did not like it.

Just like today, Satan cannot stand to see the Truth of God, the Gospel, to take fruit in our world and he will do everything he can to stop it.

I have never heard so many lies as they are told today about the true Church.

If those who hinder the spread of the truth of God did not have our biased news sources under their wings, they could not cause the havoc that they do.

I cannot understand why this world is so afraid of Jesus Christ!

Now I am nothing compared to the Apostle Paul, but what was he guilty of?

Paul was attacked from every side and the only thing he had done was to tell the truth to a world that cannot stand the truth about a man named Jesus who spent just a few years going about doing good.

Paul’s real guilt was that he had become a Christian and had forsaken Judaism though Paul still kept the Laws of Moses.

What were they afraid of?

The Lord Jesus did not just declare to be God, He was and is God in a world where many have multiple gods and the most evil have riches which is their god.

How can the world be mad about Jesus when the entire world has their gods whom they worship?

I tell you why, it is because the world is afraid of the truth and those who get richer every day. After all, there are great riches in wickedness and immorality.

They went after Paul because Paul proclaimed the power of the Gospel and was a living example of a Christian.

God said: (Isa_55:11) So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

The world is afraid that there might be a real God!

You see the Bible from the true Received Text, is filled with the actual words of God!

Paul was not lying because Jehovah God cannot lie!

Heb_6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

In fact, the only thing that is impossible for Jehovah God to do is to tell a lie!

Paul knew this and every child of God had better know this and the lost world will find out that the Word of God is all truth.

Now if this frightens you, then all you need to do is to have a personal conversation with Jesus.

Some call Him God, but I call Him Savior, and I call Him Friend, and I call Him Father just as the Apostle Paul did!

Paul continues:

Gal 1:21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;
Gal 1:22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:
 
We look at and hear of all the things that are going on in Syria today and we can say that for a period of time, there was some great churches in Syria.
 
I might not should say it, but Syria went to pots since the Muslims have maintained rule.
 
Paul had to leave because there were so many who threatened Paul’s life.
 
They brought Paul down to Caesarea and then to Tarsus which was Paul’s home town and he had many friends and family there.
 
It is this Tarsus where Barnabas had found Paul to get Him back into the functions of the Church at Antioch, Syria.
 
Act 11:25 Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul:
Act 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
 
It is around this time that a great famine came to the world, the parts ruled by the Romans, during the time of Claudius Caesar.
 
This is exactly what happens when there is war!
 
The militaries of Rome caused great destruction in the fields and those who fought against them could not tend to their fields to raise crops.
 
Those men who cause war are foolish!
 
Only those who build the armaments and make the bullets and war machinery get rich.
 
Those who hold great riches usually finance both sides the, enemy, and those who fight by necessity, and their riches grow immensely.
 
Paul took advantage of his time in Tarsus and the surrounding areas.
 
This is what Jesus told all of us to do: Luk 8:39 Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.
 
Paul was treated with respect in his hometown, and they listened to what great things the Lord had done in Paul’s life.
 
Gal 1:23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
Gal 1:24 And they glorified God in me.
 
There will always be those who will see the change that a relationship with Jesus Christ can bring.
 
Those who know the best are usually our family and some of them will listen to our testimony.
 
Maybe some of our childhood friends will listen to our testimony.
 
We can be certain that those in and around Jerusalem had heard of the changes in the life of Paul, who was still Saul to them, until they heard his story.
 
In most cases, those who love us will glorify God who can make such great changes in people.
 
The Lord Jesus commanded every Christian to do this; Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
 
We will do this if we show the love God has shown to us through His Son Jesus!
 
Amen

The Power of God’s Grace

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Danger of a Different Gospel

Book of Galatians Chapter 1

The people native to Galatia were emotional, impulsive, and changeable people.

They were fickle, impetuous, arguing, loud, boastful, and immoral people.

They had a love for the strange, the curiosities, and the unknown.

They were attached to a false religion that was a worship of nature, and these types of people are all over the world today, nature lovers.

Galatia was an area that had a heavy population of Jews who were staunch in the religion of Judaism.

There were also many Greeks who had a strong Hellenistic influence.

Hellenists were normal people who spoke the Greek language.

Some Jews were also called Hellenists because they had settled in foreign countries and had adopted the prevalent form of Greek civilization.

Act 6:1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

Another verse says.

Act 9:29 And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.

These were Jews who had become Greeks in their beliefs.

We can also find them at the first Church in Antioch.

Act 11:20 And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus.

Some of these were also true Greeks who had become proselytes of Judaism.

We can see that Paul knew beforehand that planting a Church in Galatia would be no easy task.

It is only the Gospel that has such power of conversion because it is the truth!

The message of the Book of Galatians will pierce the heart of any generation.

The message of the Book of Galatians will also stir Christians to action if we understand its message.

*Gal 1:1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

Notice Paul immediately establishes that he is an Apostle of Jesus Christ and God the Father who had raised the Lord Jesus from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul introduces Galatia to the triune God.

What was Paul’s commission?

John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

What is the Great Commission?

Mar 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Mar 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

The phrase “and is baptized” simply means “making a public profession of faith”.

We can add this commission as Paul saw it.

2Ti 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2Ti 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
2Ti 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
And Paul continued.
2Ti 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

This message of Paul extends to every man called by God to preach.

Next Paul tells us who gave him his commission:

(not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

Paul states that no man gave him this commission but the Lord Jesus Christ Himself after God the Father had raised Him from the dead.

There would have been no need to preach a Gospel if God the Father had not raised Jesus from the dead!

We serve a living Savior!
Our God is alive because He is the Almighty Living God.

What did God tell Moses?

Exo 34:5 And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.
Exo 34:6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,
Exo 34:7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

This is the God who we serve!

But notice if ignore this God that Moses saw, then we more than likely send our children, our grandchildren, and our great-grandchildren to Hell also.

If that man standing behind the pulpit of any church does not have the same calling as the Apostle Paul, then he does not deserve to be called pastor, preacher, evangelist, or any name associated with the calling of Jesus Christ!

These Galatians needed to understand this as well as those who were once Jews.

Some are called by the Holy Spirit to be Preachers, Pastors, Evangelists, and Missionaries for sure, but every child of God also has a commission given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Mar 5:19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Col 1:29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

There should not be any doubt that we are all called to be witnesses for the Lord our Savior, Jesus Christ, God’s Messiah.

It was a painful moment when Paul first became aware that some counterfeit preachers, who were Judaizers, questioned the validity of his calling, but Paul was strong in the Lord and full of the Holy Spirit.

How can a counterfeit preacher judge anybody’s calling, but they do because they belong to the true counterfeit Satan?

It was they who had no calling at all except for Satan’s calling.

*Gal 1:2 And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:

The Preacher of God must be recognized as the Lord’s man by all Christian believers!

Paul was not alone; he had some Christian believers with him who agreed with everything Paul preached.

Timothy and Titus were probably part of those with Paul and there were others.

Paul knew that there was safety in numbers.

Paul never forgot that He was a member of the Church.

Paul spoke out to the Churches of Galatia with not a word of praise or privilege.

All the other Churches, even the Corinthians received a kinder salutation because they had not “erred concerning the faith” as had these Galatians.

The word Church was used for:

1) A body of believers, “the entire congregation of Christian people dispersed throughout the world”.

Paul was not the only one who was spreading the Gospel at this time, Paul was the one who was writing the Bible as the Holy Spirit led Him.

Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon “this rock” I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

2) The word Church could also mean a particular congregation under the same ministry of God’s Word.

1Co 16:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.

3) The word Church is also used for those who assemble in one Church to worship the Lord Jesus Christ.

1Co 14:28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

It should also be very clear that all around the world some gather together to worship some god, but not the Lord Jesus Christ, they are not part of the Church, and neither should they be called a Church.

The news sources have a field day when every building they see where people gather is called a church when this is not true.

If we are not the brothers and sisters of the Lord Jesus Christ, then we are not part of the Church!

If we are not in unity with the Word of God, we are not part of the Church!

True brothers and sisters in Christ have a deep rich bond and relationship when that bond is with Jesus Christ.

We should be clear when we attack the preacher who preaches the truth of Jesus Christ, and then we have given up our privileges in the Church.

It is the Word of God, the entire Word of God, from a legitimate translation of the original Scriptures, that the Church is based upon and there are no additions, and it cannot be modernized because if God gave a new Word today it would be a replica of the Word, He has already given to us.

There are no errors in the true Word of God!

The Word of God is true in every generation and the Word of God will be here when most all the world is gone.

The Word of God is alive.

1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
1Pe 2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

A true Christian will defend every other Christian and come to the aid of brothers and sisters when they are attacked when they are declaring the truth of God.

And then came Grace.

*Gal 1:3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

To be sure there would be no Church and no believers without there being first the Grace of God!

Act_20:24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

2Co_13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

This verse perfectly describes the true Christian!

It is Grace that is the gift of God!

Eph_2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Tit_2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is the person who came by Grace, He is the living picture of God’s grace!

It is because of the Grace of God that we can find peace in this world!

Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Act 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

There should be no doubt that we are saved by the “Grace of God”!

That grace comes to us in the form of the Lord Jesus Christ!

*Gal 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
Gal 1:5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Here is another place where we can see the will of God!

It is the Will of God that we be delivered from this present evil world.

It is the will of God that we are delivered from sin, and this was done by the sacrifice of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus, God’s Messiah.

We cannot talk about being pardoned without mentioning the atoning death of Jesus Christ.
We cannot talk about justification without mentioning the atoning death of Jesus Christ.
We cannot talk about the acceptance of God without mentioning the atoning death of Jesus Christ.
We cannot talk about eternal life without mentioning the atoning death of Jesus Christ.
We cannot talk about salvation without mentioning the atoning death of Jesus Christ.
We cannot talk about God’s “Grace” without mentioning the atoning death of Jesus Christ!

Our salvation depends upon the voluntary act of Jesus, our blessed Lord, to “reconcile” His Heavenly Father to us and to be a sacrifice, not only for our guilt but also for all the actual sins of all mankind.

Oh, What a Savior!

The Father gave a Son. The Son gave Himself!

The Lord Jesus did not merely denounce our sins, this would have been a mockery, Moses and all the Prophets had already done this.

His death was for our sins!

This was the Job of Paul and every preacher since Paul, to explain the difference!

Many have failed to make this clear.

The Lord Jesus had the power to die for our sins and He had the power to resurrect from that death.

The Lord Jesus gave Himself for us because we needed to be washed in his blood!

Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Rom 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

To God be the Glory forever and ever. Amen

When the world looks up to that glorious nighttime sky, most of them take no notice of it because they believe it happened by accident, but if you really look, you have to see the Glory of God.

God the Father does little things all the time and He always has, but they go unnoticed, but when God the Father does something big, He wants all the world to take notice.

God wanted all the world to see the truth of His Son Jesus!

Our Heavenly Father did these things that He might deliver us from sin and this present evil world!

The world was evil in the days of Jesus, and it has gotten very much worse today, but for those who believe in the truth of God, our sins have been paid for we are sin-free.

Paul said all these things to cause these churches at Galatia to remember that they were saved by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that there is no other gospel, period.

*Gal 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Gal 1:7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

When we need to be praising God, we see America going against the Word of God because people have forgotten the truth of God which says we are to “love one another”.

What is wrong with America?

2Ti 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
2Ti 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Before we get to verse six, we see that Paul has presented the truth of the Gospel in the previous verses.

We just cannot afford to allow false teachers into the Church!

There is no other Gospel than the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!

When any church departs from the faith, they are no longer a church, they are just a group of people gathering together for no means except to fall into Satan’s trap!

After learning the truth of the gospel by the grace of God, Judaizers had come and given them a false gospel which was not the Gospel.

God loves us so much that He has provided a way for us to become righteous and acceptable to Him and this is the only way.

There will never be another way to get to Heaven than going through the Lord Jesus Christ and there are still thousands of people who think there is another way.

This is the only way God has shown His love to us where it is meaningful.

We cannot be justified in any other way than by the grace of God than comes by the Lord Jesus Christ

God will still love us when He sends us to Hell, but He has to judge sin!

Martin Luther said, “From Christ who called you in grace”.

Grace is the Lord’s free and unmerited favor and goodness, as opposed to all notions of salvation by moral or ceremonial righteousness.

The person who turns away from the Gospel is not turning away from a set of beliefs or principles, nor a church.

That person has turned away from God who sent His love to that person.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

We cannot throw away this scripture and then say we are saved!

*Gal 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Sometimes that false teacher only has to add a little addition or leave out a little truth and it becomes a false Gospel.

It is the same as some teacher intentionally subtracting a truth of the Gospel.

Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

I think this is the teaching that is going on in many so-called churches today.

It is evident what God feels about these teachers, they will be accursed.

Accursed means separated from the will of God who they are separated from, and suffering even more than the Lost on “Judgment Day”!

You have to ask yourself why anyone would do such a thing, and the only answer is the Devil.

2Co_11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

Anyone preaching a false Gospel is one of Satan’s demons or Satan himself.

We must understand that the “Gospel” is more important than the Apostle Paul even though the Apostle Paul was probably the greatest Christian who has ever lived.

The “Gospel” is greater than all the angels in Heaven. Even if an angel came from Heaven and preached another Gospel, we would have to reject him.

The “Gospel” is greater than any man who has walked upon this earth and any man who does so in the future.
The truth of the “Gospel” is settled and cannot be changed here or in Heaven!

The preachers of any false gospel are doubly cursed. This means they will be sent to the hottest part of Hell!

*Gal 1:10 For do I now persuade men or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

The Judaizers came into the churches of Galatia suggesting that Paul preached only one side of the Gospel and there was room for their false preaching, which was the Laws of Moses.

This is the same thing going on today where the false church is told that there is more than one way to get to Heaven.

Paul taught that there is no Gospel other than what they had heard from him, which is the truth.

There can only be one truth!

These are the same questions we ask ourselves today!

We should ask ourselves; “What has been the effect of the Gospel on my life”?

“Have I been redeemed” out of this world, a world that will pass away, into a place that is supposed to be the grandest of all places?

Do I live according to the will of my Heavenly Father?

Paul asked himself if he was to satisfy men or to satisfy God.

Paul came to the conclusion that if he indeed pleased men who had not heard the Gospel then he would not be a servant of Jesus Christ.

We can learn so much from the actions of the Apostle Paul!

John and Peter came to the same conclusion.

Act 4:19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
Act 4:20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

1Th 2:4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

It is the same with our own Pastor Preacher Sam.

It is His job to preach the truth of the Gospel even if we do not like the message!

We must understand that the Gospel has some hard truths.

The Lord Jesus asks us to put our faith in a man we have never seen who claims to be God when the world at that time killed because they said He was a fake.

Jesus asks us to believe in a place that we cannot even imagine the glory of.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians;

1Co 13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
1Co 13:10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
1Co 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
1Co 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Which is a love greater than just being affectionate, it is closer God’s love

I do not believe Paul was a self-made man of God,
I do not believe that Paul used the Gospel as a way for an income.

I do believe Paul sought to please God and not man.
I do believe Paul proclaimed the true Gospel.
I do believe that Paul had a radical change of life.

Our goal must be to be more like Jesus, and this begins just as soon as we accept Him as our Savior.

Php_3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

What is the Gospel truth?

1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
1Pe 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
1Pe 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

So, it boils down to faith!

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Paul admitted that once he was a man-pleaser, a time when he sought the approval of man for his actions.

Paul now said because the Gospel had changed him, he no longer sought the approval of man but the approval of God.

Paul said honor, position, and wealth were no longer important to him.

Paul now wanted one thing and one thing only: the favor and the approval of God!

2Co_5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Amen

Glory In The Cross

/ Bobby Mayfield / 4 Comments

Glory In The Cross

Galatians 6:11-18

Crucifixion was the most painful and the most degrading form of capital punishment to have ever been used.

It is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on Calvary’s Cross, that is governing principle of all our salvation!

It was the Cross by which Jesus became the atoning sacrifice for the sins of all mankind!

It is the Cross that is also become the symbol of the sacrifice of each of us in the service to Our Lord Jesus.

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Just as the Lord Jesus was a living sacrifice we must also become living sacrifices for our Lord!

It is the Cross that is the symbol of denying our own flesh and walking in God’s Holy Spirit!

Mar 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Mar 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
Mar 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

It is the Cross that is the symbol of our own salvation, so if we are to have any glory then let our own glory be in the Cross by which our Saviour caused the death of all our sin!

It was the Cross that broke down the partition between our sinful selves and our Holy God so our prayers can reach into Heaven!

Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

It is the Cross that represents our complete surrender to God!

Luk 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

SO, as we come to the end of this great book of the Bible and the foundation of the early Church, let us glory in the cross that Jesus bore in our names!

*****Gal 6:11 Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.

We should not forget, men whose intent was to destroy the Church had made their rounds through all the churches in Galatia.

They had taught a false version of Judaism rather than the truth of Christianity.

The Apostle Paul under the guidance of the Holy Spirit had written this great book of the New Testament.

Understanding the Book of Galatians means we must have a clear understanding of the message of the “Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ”!

The “Gospel” is the “Good News” of salvation.

The “Gospel” is not preached for us to consider if it is true because it’s truth cannot be denied.

The “Gospel” is preached so that we can immediately accept it’s message and be saved from “all” our sins!

Evidence teaches us that Paul dictated his epistles to a scribe on most occasions, one reason is that Paul was in prison when many of his epistles were written.

Another reason may have been that Paul’s eyesight was failing him.

This was probably not the case in this letter at least in these last few scriptures.

These final words of Scripture to the Galatians were so important that Paul took the pen and wrote in his own hands.

Some 15 times the Lord Jesus used the phrase “He that hath ears let him hear”.

In a sense this is exactly what the Apostle Paul is doing here.

By using large letters Paul wanted these Galatians to know without a doubt that it was Paul who had written to them and not someone impersonating him, as some had!

By using large letters Paul wanted to emphasize the importance of this great Book of the Bible!

The lesson we can learn from Paul is, that we need to give the utmost attention to what is said in these Scriptures!

Paul said it’s all about the Cross!

*****Gal 6:12 As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

To the Jew, his sign of faith was in his circumcision.

To the Christian it is something entirely different!

Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

These false teachers hated the “Gospel” and they hated the Apostle Paul.

These false teachers were all about religion and not about the truth.

These false teachers made legalism necessary for salvation, a lie from Hell.

These false teachers saw a means to fill their pockets and avoid the persecution of the Jews.

Those like Paul who preached the truth were ridiculed, mocked, abused, and rejected by society and beaten or killed.

Those that preached salvation as the free gift of God, through the cross of Jesus, were thought to be destroying religion by destroying the Laws of Moses.

It was easy to say you preached the truth and avoid persecution by just adding legalism to the truth of God.

These false teachers sought to make a good showing by boasting how many of these Galatians had been circumcised.

Remember the Jew were circumcised on the 8th day after their birth.

These men of Galatia were grown men. This was a mockery in itself!

It took real courage to stand for the truth of God and preach the truth and it still does today!

Something these false teachers did not have was courage, they were only full of deceit.

These false teachers sought recognition by the growth of their false ministry.

As we can see there are many of these false teachers still around today, who do not glory in the cross but only in their own false doctrine.

How do they get away with it?

People are easily impressed with numbers added to congregations.

People are easily impressed with magnificent worship centers.

SO, What is the truth?

Being impressed will not get you saved!

Paul told the Philippians, who struggled with this same false doctrine, let me impress you:

Php 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
Php 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
Php 3:4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
Php 3:5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
Php 3:6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
Php 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

Paul said these false teachers only glory in your flesh, or in your pocketbooks!

Paul said, I have spent my life doing these things of legalism and they did not get me one step closer to God!

Paul all these things that are counted as gain to the Jew are just losses in serving Jesus Christ!

*****Gal 6:13 For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.

It was a big deal to go back to Jerusalem and boast how many Christians had converted to Judaism.

And today it is a big deal today for ISIS to brag about how many Christians were murdered or how many Christians were converted to Islam.

Just in the past few days, it was also a big deal in the American networks to boast about how many so-called Christians are departing from the ‘Faith”.

What is the truth?

There are more Christians murdered in our world everyday simply because they glory in the cross of Jesus Christ!

Christians are to be Baptized after accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Church attendance is important.

Bible study, Church programs, Church activities are important!

BUT, if we cannot glory in the cross, and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation, we have missed the most important point in becoming a Christian!

*****Gal 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

What does the false preacher glory in?

He glories in the size of the church!

He glories the number of converts to his own agenda!

He glories in himself!

He glories in the flesh!

Though the world be blind to the truth of Jesus Christ, as believers we must glory in the cross of Jesus Christ!

It is only by the cross on which Jesus Christ bore all our sins that we can be saved.

If there is one main thing the modern day church has gotten away from. it is glorying in the cross!

It is not the cross that is to be worshiped, it is the Lord, but it was by the cross that be are washed in the blood of Jesus!

The work that Jesus Christ did to get us saved is the work that we could never have done for ourselves.

Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Rom 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Rom 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Propitiation means that it was the work of Jesus Christ on the cross that was the only acceptable means of paying my sin debt and your sin debt!

The propitiatory is the same as the “Mercy Seat” which was the blood sprinkled lid on the Ark of the Covenant!

It was the “Mercy Seat” where God met with Moses and it is “Mercy Seat”, the Cross that Jesus bore, where God will meet with every believer!

It is only at the Mercy Seat, the Cross, where mercy and truth come together!

It is only in Jesus Christ, that God rests His lawful case against us!

Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Remember what God said to Moses:

Exo 12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and “when I see the blood, I will pass over you”, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

God said for it is the blood that maketh atonement for each soul!

Lev 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: “for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul”.

At the time of Christ, the cross was the worst of deaths.

It is by the worst of deaths that Jesus Christ has destroyed all kinds of death for all those that believe!

Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Since there is no other approach to God, God will only accept those that come by the way of the cross and every individual from all walks of life stand on level ground at the Cross!

Nothing else in this world is as important as the salvation work of the Lord Jesus Christ!

*****Gal 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

What is the truth?

Circumcision or uncircumcision are nothing because these are things that a man can do, but only God make make a new creation!

It is at the foot of the cross where God creates the new man!

There is absolutely nothing that can make any human being acceptable to God beyond Jesus Christ and the work He did on the cross!

In fact we would not have any contact with God at all without Jesus Christ paving the way!

Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Joh 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Why is the world going to Hell? The world refuses to approach God through Jesus Christ!

And you cannot just mention His name as many others believe.

Jesus Christ is so much more than just a good prophet as many say He is!

Just using words, or just using a false profession of faith in the name of Jesus will get you nowhere with God!

God cannot be deceived!

And God will not be mocked!

Jesus Christ did not come to this earth “to preserve life”!

Jesus Christ came to this earth to “give life” beginning with His own!

When any of us are sincere in our belief, God will then and only then, give that person a new spirit, which is a newly created spirit!

That person is spiritually “Born Again”!

2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2Co 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2Co 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

This is the truth of the “Gospel”!

Anything else is as nothing and will not get you one step closer to the Almighty Living God!

This is the one rule and the ONLY MEANS to approach God!

*****Gal 6:16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

So who can experience the “Peace” and the “Mercy” of God? Only those that walk by the “rule of the cross”!

We must first have “peace with God” before we can have the “peace of God”!

Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”:

Php 4:7 And “the peace of God”, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds “through Christ Jesus”.

They both come by the cross of Jesus Christ!

These are not hard words and they are easily understood but this is still the stumbling block of our world.

The “Mercy” of God comes only by the cross!

That new creation of God will experience the forgiveness of all sins before and after salvation!

That new creation of God will be given perfect assurance of eternal life in the New Heaven!

That new creation of God will be forever under God’s care!

The sign that began the nation of Israel was circumcision first performed by Abraham.

Gen 17:10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.

This was a fleshly sign and Israel will still inherit the promises of God to David.

The Jews of the Nation of Israel still expect the fulfillment of these promises because they take God at His Word!

Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isa 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

This is therefore the Israel after the flesh!

Who are the Israel of God?

Not the Israel of the flesh but the Israel of Faith! The spiritual children of Abraham by “Faith”!

Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

The Israel of God are the ones in whom God will fulfill all His promises!

It is not the Israel of the flesh that bear the scars of Jesus Christ, it is the Church that bears the scars of Jesus Christ and is the Israel of God!

*****Gal 6:17 From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

Just as Jesus Christ suffered for us all, we must be just as willing to suffer for Him!

In the time of Jesus Christ, certain branding marks were placed on slaves to designate their owner.

We as the Church are the blood bought slaves of Jesus Christ!

As tribulation leaves it’s many marks on us, these are the marks that prove our slavery to Jesus Christ!

If we pick up our own cross daily and die to ourselves daily, we will also bear the marks of the cross.

What is the truth?

You will be made fun of by those in this world, just because you claim to be a Christian!

Your job will always be in jeopardy in this world, just because you claim Jesus Christ as your Savior!

You will be talked about behind your back and be the topic of jokes, if you claim to follow in the ways of Jesus Christ!

And if you are willing to turn the other cheek to avoid confrontation, you will certainly be struck on that other cheek, if you claim that Jesus Christ is the one and only way to get to Heaven.

It is even in all these things that prove that God is right and the world is wrong!

Scars are just the marks on the outside because we choose to carry the truth of God on the inside!

2Co 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
2Co 4:11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

But to deny Jesus Christ will certainly bring eternal death!

Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Who are the blessed?

Mat 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Mat 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

And all the rewards for serving the Lord Jesus come only by the “Grace of God”!

*****Gal 6:18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

“To the Galatians written from Rome”.

The Apostle Paul was in Rome when He wrote this Epistle to these Galatians.

Through all of this letter to these Galatians, Paul never forgot that these were his brothers and sisters in Christ.

It is a fact that we will make mistakes while walking in the Holy Spirit!

It is also a fact that we cannot lose our salvation because of that mistake!

We are saved by Grace!

We are being saved daily by “Grace”!

And in the end it is “Grace” that will lead us home!

We are still a foolish people if we allow false teachers to come into the Church.

If we take the time to read and study the Scriptures ourselves, we will not be fooled when we hear someone speak lies and try to lead God’s people away from the truth.

What is the truth? We can trust the Word of God!

What are our choices?

We can either choose a life that is bound up in laws and legalism or we can choose Christian Liberty, bound up in the truth of the “Grace of God”!

Amen!

Amen still means, let God’s Word be established in your heart.

Questions?

Let’s Pray!

Living In Christian Fellowship

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Live In Fellowship

Galatians 6:1-10

We know that the Apostle Paul was correcting Christians by teaching the pure results of God’s Grace.

Paul was teaching Christian fellowship.

In Hebrew the word “haber” was used to describe a companion of fellowship.

Ecc 4:9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
Ecc 4:10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

The word “haber” was often used to describe the Pharisees as they banded together in the study of the Scriptures and fellowship around the table.

In the Greek, Paul’s favorite word was “koinonia” to describe the Christians relationship with the Lord Jesus.

1Co 1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

The true meaning of “koinonia” is best realized in our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Once we know the Lord Jesus Christ on a personal level then that fellowship with the Lord is to be shared with all other believers!

Php 2:1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
Php 2:2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
Php 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
Php 2:4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

In fact when we partake of the Lord’s Supper, which only Christians are to do, we are showing our ultimate fellowship not only with the Lord but with each other!

1Co 10:17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

Our fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ will also show in our fellowship with each other!

If we partake of the Lord’s Supper and then ignore the fellowship and the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ then we are not what we say we are!

When we share in the fellowship with each other, we will also share in the suffering of each other and the suffering of all Christians.

Jesus Christ freely gave Himself completely to each believer and Jesus is our example of our own giving of ourselves to His people.

We cannot say we are in close fellowship with the Lord and then not be in fellowship with all other believers!

1Jn 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

We are all in this thing together!

Rom 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

If the Church would only gather “as one in fellowship”, then we could make this world a better place for all God’s people to live in!

Let’s see how Paul describes Christian fellowship:

*****Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

It is a sad fact that God’s Christian army is the only army on this earth that shoots its own wounded!

Christians are notorious for putting down other Christians when they fail or fall.

We seem to forget that our righteousness is as filthy rags and God only sees us through the righteousness of His Son!

Far to often we become judges when we are to be witnesses.

There is not one of us that has not failed the Lord on more than one occasion.

Jesus says when we do these things we are hypocrites and no better than that one who has fallen!

Mat 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

To be honest it is a shame to have to go to the Lord in prayer asking forgiveness for the same things over and over again but if we do not we will carry the burden of that sin!

We are also not to judge a fallen brother or sister who has been overtaken in a fault!

We are see what it will take to get them restored to Christian fellowship and more important, fellowship with the Lord.

It is our job to witness for the Lord and show His love for us all and it is also our job to share responsibility in the restoring of fallen saints of God!

We may not be able to restore that fallen soul but we are to at least show the love of God to all our brothers and sisters, fallen or not!

If we are faithful Christians then we will also be faithful in this thing!

Our main concern should only be that we not fall into the same temptation that brought our brother or sister down!

The Bible describes the Church as the actual body of Christ, with Christ Jesus being the Head of the Church.

1Co 12:18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

We know that when a part of our own body suffers then our whole body suffers.

This is exactly the same for the Body of Christ!

1Co 12:26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
1Co 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

The Greek word used in our scripture for the word “restore” is refers to a dislocated limb of the body and that limb needs to reset in its place or repaired so the whole body can function as one unit!

Therefore:

*****Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

When a Christian falls into temptation, immediately other Christians are to seek the ways and the means of restoring that brother or that sister back into the fellowship!

A Christian community must remain a close knit group in Jesus Christ and we already know that Jesus will never leave us or forsake us! This is His promise and we are to follow in His ways!

What is the law of Christ that is to be fulfilled?

If we just look at the 10 commandments the very first one says we must love God with all our heart, all our mind, and all our soul.

The first 4 commandments can be avoided by obeying that first commandment!

Jesus said if we loved our neighbor as ourselves then we could avoid the remaining 6 commandments.

Love is the law of Christ!

Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Obedience to these two laws of Jesus Christ make obedience to those laws of Moses obsolete!

Since these Galatians wanted to obey some laws then they needed to obey these two “Laws of Christ” first and foremost, as we all do!

Jesus Christ never met anyone who was His equal in the obedience to the Word of God, He therefore bore all our burdens and we are to do the same for each other!

Rom 15:3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

Jesus Christ had to endure severe pain and anguish but it was with great joy that He bore all our burdens!

Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame”, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

When we think of ourselves as being too good or too full of the Spirit, to come to the aid of our brothers and sisters in Christ, then we are not walking as Jesus walked and Jesus is still our example of how to walk in this world!

Mat 20:27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
Mat 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

*****Gal 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

It is very easy for a Christian to think of himself more highly than he is!

This in fact the greatest downfall of the believer!

Jas 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.

When we think of that one that has fallen by the wayside as being unfit, or being weak in the Spirit, or too tarnished to retrieve, then we have forgotten why the Lord Jesus came to this earth to die for our sins.

Jesus Christ came to save the “nothings” of this world and make them into “somethings”!

We are all sinners and we cannot rate one sin greater than another as far as our relationship with the Lord!

There is no place in this life for any of us to think we are better than any other child of God!

When we think of ourselves as no longer sinners as some do, then we are deceiving ourselves!

1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

We must all approach God “by Jesus Christ” because there are no exceptions in the Word of God!

1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

When we proclaim our own goodness, and forget that we are saved by “Faith” and “Faith Alone”we then become fools!

Pro 20:6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?

We must all examine our own works before we can be of any help to others!

*****Gal 6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

That word “prove” means to “test”.

That word “work” can best be understood “as our own conduct”.

We are to test our own conduct before we are able to help others!

There are no Christians who are to be the official testers of other Christians!

Each Christian is to concentrate on his own works rather than on the works of other Christians!

We are to judge our own lives, using the Lord Jesus Christ as our example, and not some other Christian and certainly not by some fallen Christian which will only cause us to believe that we are not capable of falling ourselves!

If we do not clearly understand that there is an increasing amount of evil in this world and our flesh is so weak, that it is very difficult to remain unsoiled by this world we live in!

Many of our own desires can be beneficial until we step over the boundaries of what God forbids!

God has set the boundaries of our behaviour!

Our own senses will get us into trouble if we allow them to!

For instance, tasting food is good for nourishment, but too much tasting of food is bad and unhealthy.

Wanting to be recognized for an achievement is not sin, but loving recognition and seeking recognition is sinful.

The temptations of this world surround us every moment we are alive and if we spend our time judging others and not guarding our own lives, we will fall into temptation ourselves.

Criticizing and judging others is a great sin in the eyes of God!

Our attitude toward all others is to be that of love and caring!

Our attitude toward our brothers and sisters in Christ, must include ministering to them in their time of need and attempting to restore them back into Christian fellowship!

We can have a certain amount of joy in restoring a fellow child of God but our greatest joy is the knowledge that we ourselves, are pleasing God in our own daily walk!

1Pe 1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

God did not save us to be judges, God saved us to be witnesses and examples of God’s love!

*****Gal 6:5 For every man shall bear his own burden.

Now we see God’s warning.

We are personally responsible to the Lord for all our actions after we have surrendered our selves to Him!

We will all be judged for what we have done after becoming a child of God!

We all have our own burdens.

We all have our own personal weights to carry.

BUT, It is a fact that we do not have the ability to be perfect in our own selves!

AND, We will all stand before God and answer for our own actions!

2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

There may be a time when we may be asked to judge but it is not in this lifetime!

1Co 4:5 Therefore judge nothing “before the time”, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

So what else are we to be doing, instead of looking upon the faults of our brothers and sisters?

*****Gal 6:6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.

We are to bear our own burdens but we must still think of others to help them in any way we can, especially those that are called of God to be His ministers!

As students of the Word of God, we all have the responsibility to respond to what God says!

That word “communicate” as used in this verse means “to share with”.

Those “good things” can be many different things but they must also include carnal things.

It is the responsibility of all Christians to provided financial support to those that devote full time to preaching and teaching the Word of God and who are called of God to do so!

This is according to the written Word of God.

Their part:

1Co 9:14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

Our part:

Rom 15:27 It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, “their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things”.

We may think we know some important people in this world we live in but the people most important to our society are the true God called preachers of the truth of God!

By sitting at the feet of God called preacher or teacher, we are all students sitting at the feet of God Himself!

There is also other great ways to communicate with or share with our pastor, we are also to share in his ministry!

This is much more than financial support.

We can be present when our pastor teaches. We are not to forsake the House of God!

We can be attentive to his message because if he is God called than his message is from God!

We can share his message with others. We are to witness using the Word of God!

We can participate in his ministry at any level that he allows and that can be a benefit to his ministry!

We can invite others to come an learn from him.

We must surely support him financially!

1Ti 5:17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
1Ti 5:18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.

Why should we do these things? To not do these things is to mock God!

What is wrong with this world we live in?

*****Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

The world is deceived about facing the judgment of God!

To be “deceived” is to be led astray.

Many of these of the churches in Galatia were being led astray and were not taking the judgment of God serious.

What happens to the Church when this happens?

The Church will get lax in sharing the Gospel with the lost.

The Church will become judges instead of witnesses.

The Church will attack God’s true preachers, therefore mocking God!

That word “mocked” actually means to flare the nostrils, as in contempt, to sneer, as in turning up your nose at the Word of God!

What is the truth?

God will not suffer Himself to be imposed on by empty words!

God will judge according to the works, after salvation, of each individual Christian!

The lost He has already judged and they are condemned unless they repent and turn to Jesus Christ!

God will never accept excuses from His children and certainly no excuses from unbelievers!

2Ch 36:16 But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, “till there was no remedy”.

We must not forget our God does not ever change!

We may mock God’s messengers, we may despise God’s Words, we may misuse God’s preachers, but God will only allow this to go so far before He takes serious action!

As the farmer knows, it is where he sows his seed where the crop will actually grow!

*****Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

When we sow contempt for the Word of God, we will reap the judgment of God!

When we sow to our flesh, we are only trying to fulfill the desires of our flesh!

We already know our flesh is only devoted to selfishness!

When we are all about self, we can no longer serve God!

When we are all about self, we will only reap destruction!

Corruption always leads to destruction!

Php 3:18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
Php 3:19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.

This destruction does not come from God. This destruction is the natural fruit of corrupt flesh!

Our flesh only ages, then dies, and then decays to the elements from which is was made.

Ecc 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

When the spirit of that lost soul returns to the Lord, then that spirit will suffer the wrath of God.

2Th 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

Sowing our seed to the Holy Spirit is an entirely different thing with entirely different results!

Mat 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: “but the righteous into life eternal”.

The decisions we make about where to sow God’s Seed, the Word of God, are final, irreversible, and everlasting!

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

When we embed God’s seed, the Lord Jesus Christ, into a Holy Ghost filled body of flesh, then we will reap a spiritual harvest that brings eternal life as opposed to a natural harvest that can only bring eternal death!

What is the truth of the Gospel?

Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Those that so to the flesh cannot please God!

What else is God’s truth?

*****Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

One of the greatest downfalls of the Christian is that we expect instant results when we sow the Word of God but this in reality is a very rare thing.

Every farmer knows that once the seed has been sown then there will be some period of time before there can be a harvest!

Sowing the Word of God is not so much different!

The fruit that is reaped occurs in a later season from the sowing!

What else is the truth of sowing God’s Word?

First, the fruit must resemble the seed that is sown.

When a farmer plants corn, he is not looking for beans to sprout!

Jas 3:12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

When we sow the Word of God the results should be a changed life!

What else is the truth of sowing God’s Word?

Second, the fruit will be in proportion to the seed that is sown.

2Co 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
2Co 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

We cannot sow the Word of God just once, we must continue daily.

What else is the truth of sowing God’s Word?

Third, the fruit must be a new life that did not exist before.

Joh 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

That old man must become a new man!

The problem is we become weary in well doing.

To “faint” is to become “relaxed” in serving God!

We as Christians must not become relaxed in this ministry the Lord has given us to do!

We must continue to sow the seed until the Lord takes us home by our own death or by the Rapture of all God’s people, whichever comes first!

Thank goodness our Lord has much more patience than we do!

Jas 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
Jas 5:8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

And the results of the harvest always lies in the hands of God!

1Co 3:7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; “but God that giveth the increase”.

Just as God gives the increase to that farmer, God gives the increase in the sowing of the “Gospel Seed”!

What else is the truth of God’s sowing principles?

Our own reward can come only from our own labor!

1Co 3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

It may be easy to become discouraged, but God says just enjoy life, keep busy in the work of the Lord, and just trust God for the results and then witness as God provides the opportunity to do so.

*****Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

When do we share the love of Jesus? As we have opportunity!

We can be sure God will provided many opportunities!

God leaves us here on this earth after salvation to give us the opportunity to be a part of the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ!

If we are to make an impact on this world, it can only happen after we have surrendered ourselves to the work of the Lord Jesus Christ!

SO, let us do good to all men!

BUT, let’s us especially do good to all those throughout this world that have answered the call of God.

Satan will do his best to hinder the work of the Lord now, but after the Church has been removed, Satan will prance around on this earth for a short period of time thinking we has won, just as he did at the Cross, but he soon find out that it is he that has only a short time left.

Rev 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, “because he knoweth that he hath but a short time”.

Because we know we are on the winning side, now is our time!

Now is our time to sow the seed of the Lord.

Now is our time to take advantage of the opportunities given to us by the Father.

Now is our time to sow to the Holy Spirit and not sow to our own flesh!

Lets us live in the fellowship of each other while we remain in the fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Questions?

Let’s Pray!