ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN BECAUSE YOU ARE GOOD OR GOOD BECAUSE YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN?

STUDY IN THE BOOK OF GALATIANS FOR FACEBOOK

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

I. INTRODUCTION ***(Posted 10/30/11)

Imagine walking into a restaurant to meet a friend for lunch, and see them reading a letter with real intensity. As you sit down they hand you the letter with the words, “You've got to read this!” As you start reading you notice that the writer seems very upset and defensive because someone apparently offended them with slander and even questioned their faith in God. In their letter they give a very emotional response to their accuser. Wouldn’t your first questions be “Who wrote this letter? Who are they talking about? What’s going on? Why did they share it with you?”

Whenever I preached exegetically on a text from the Bible, I always wanted the audience to know from which book it was taken, who wrote it, to whom was it written, the intent of the author, the specific issue the writer dealt with in the text, and why it should make us curious to know. This gave listeners helpful information in understanding the value and purpose of what the writer said, and how my sermon will help them understand it more clearly. It also provided the “context” out of which the text was taken.

Too often Bible verses are quoted without giving any reference as to who said it, who they said it to, and the reason they said it. Is this important? Let me illustrate: If a teacher stated to their class, “The course of true love never did run smooth,” would you automatically accept it as a valid statement and that it applied to everyone? Let's look at the context from which the quote was taken.

A handsome young man from Athens, Greece named Lysander is in love with a beautiful girl called Hermia. She loves Lysander dearly, but her father, Egeus, wants her to marry some dork named Demetrius. If Hermia's refuses to follow her father's wishes, he threatens to put her to death or send her off to a nunnery. What to do? After some soul searching, she decides to run away. When she tells Lysander what her father threatened to do, he replies in exasperation, “The course of true love never did run smooth.” (William Shakespeare's “A Midsummer Night's Dream” Act I Scene 1). Now that you know the context, doesn't it help you understand why Lysander said what he said? And doesn’t that put the teacher on the spot to explain how that relates to everyone?

This is certainly true when trying to comprehend the message, purpose, and reason for St. Paul's very important letter to the churches in the province of Galatia. Let me share an additional illustration to advance the point I’m trying to make: It is better to comprehend what you're putting together before you start to assemble it. For instance, if you go to a friend's house and see a thousand piece jigsaw puzzle lying scattered on a table, it would be normal to ask your friend what the completed puzzle will look like. Then your friend shows you the picture on the front of the box and you exclaim, “Oh, that's what it is!” So before we look at individual verses, sentences, or words in Paul’s letter to the Galatians, let's look at the big picture of what he faced and then we’ll better understand what he is writing about.

1

The Writer:

The writer identifies himself immediately in the first verse as Paul the Apostle. Paul was no stranger to this area of the world. In Acts 21:39, Paul identifies himself as follows: “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia.” Now Cilicia was a province of Rome, and Tarsus a city on its Mediterranean coast. Although Paul's travels to this area are called missionary journeys, he was in fact going to his native land.

Paul claims the title “Apostle” for a very specific reason. He acknowledges that there were apostles before him (1:17), but he does not see himself as subordinate to those apostles, nor was he part of the original group. If the original apostles had commissioned him, then his claim that his authority came directly from Jesus Christ and God the Father would be in doubt. He wanted it known that the Lord Jesus commissioned him in person (See Acts 21:14-15). Therefore, those who challenged Paul's right to call himself an apostle, were unwittingly second guessing Christ’s decision to choose him and give him that title.

Because of his past as a Jewish leader and fanatic Pharisee, Paul knew all about Jewish Law and traditions which he religiously obeyed. But when Paul became a Christian, his life changed radically. So more than anyone in his day he understood the difference between salvation that came by faith in Jesus Christ, and salvation that was earned by trying to obey Mosaic Law. This serves as the crux of his letter: Paul's defense of his new found freedom through faith in Christ against those who would make it subordinate to human efforts under the Law and religious traditions of Moses. It's interesting that the apostle used his Greek name Paul in place of his Jewish name Saul. He did so in order to be accepted by the Gentiles—to whom he was sent, as well as the Christian Jews in Galatia.

The people who received this letter:

Galatia and its cities mentioned in Acts 14:21 were part of the country that we now call Turkey. Most of the people in Galatia were Gentiles, even though many Jews lived there as business entrepreneurs. During his visits there Paul preached the Gospel to Jewish people in their synagogues, and later to the Gentiles (Acts 13:42-48). Paul was physically weak when he arrived, but the people in Galatia were anxious to hear the message of this rising star in Christianity. Many became Christians when they heard him, especially Gentiles (4:13-16). Thus, Paul established congregations in Pisidia Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe.

This Epistle differs from most of those written by Paul in that it is not addressed to one church in some great city, but many churches throughout a district of the Roman Empire. The people were of the Gallic stock, the same as those who settled France. They learned the Greek language, but retained the traditional language and traits of their Gallic culture. Caesar describes the Gauls as restless and changeable; characteristics some still apply to French people today.

One early church father described them as follows: “The infirmity of the Gauls is that they are fickled in their resolves and fond of change, and not to be trusted. They are frank, impetuous, impressible, eminently intelligent, but at the same time extremely changeable, inconstant, fond of show, perpetually quarreling, which is the fruit of excessive vanity.” Is it any wonder that Paul encountered drastic mood changes and a back and forth attitude, which can complicate making up one's mind.

Meanwhile, the Jews living in this area were stubbornly committed to the laws and customs and statues of Judaism. They dressed the part, performed the part, and lived the part of a committed Jew in a hostile environment. Although they integrated into the Gentile business community, they shunned the Gentile religious culture because of its idolatry.

You talk about challenging congregations; consisting of Jews and Gentiles who claimed an identical faith in the Jewish Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, while at the same time dressing differently, eating

2

different foods, following different customs and speaking a different mother tongue. If we think we have bickering in our congregations today, it must have been really interesting back then.

Why he wrote this letter:

The Gentile Christians in Galatia believed the good news about Jesus, and the Jewish Christians accepted Him as the Messiah. But some radical Jewish teachers, who may have been Jews who identified themselves as Christians, came by for a visit. Even more, they were jealous of Paul and spoke openly against him. They claimed Paul was not a real apostle. Furthermore, they taught that both the Jew and Gentile Christians needed to obey Jewish religious rituals and regulations in order to make their salvation complete. They insisted that if the Gentile Christians wanted to obey God, that they be circumcised and do good deeds to comply with Mosaic Law. For them, faith in Jesus alone was not enough to keep them saved. They must add the “good deeds under Mosaic Law” to the “grace of God through Christ” to be fully saved.

This false teaching of the Judaizers threatened the true gospel of salvation by God's grace through faith in Christ alone. Paul wrote this letter to clarify and uphold the true gospel that we are justified by grace through faith without our own good deeds under Mosaic Law, and to prevent the Christians in Galatia from losing their faith in the Gospel's definition of salvation. These good work laws controlled people. So he wrote this letter to remind them of their freedom from these laws in Christ.What does it mean to us?

Let me offer a comparison that might help. Let's identify the “Jewish” Christians of Paul’s day with those today who believed in God but their faith rests on the fact that man is saved by his own efforts, the sacraments, and following church creeds, laws and traditions. Let's identify the “Gentile” Christians with people today who never were part of any Christian faith, they were unchurched, and came into the faith by way of evangelism. When Paul came through preaching the Gospel, “Jewish” Christians were enlightened like the Jewish intellectual named Nicodemus, and “Gentile” Christians were converted like the Roman Centurion.

In order not to offend any culture, let's re-designate “Jewish Christians” as “Churched,” and “Gentile Christians” as “Unchurched.” Now imagine “Churched” Christians and “Unchurched” Christians belonging to the same congregation. They sing together, pray together, take communion together, wash each other’s' feet. But behind closed doors, and sometimes in church hallways, they vigorously debate their points of view with traditions and dogmas; refusing to compromise.

Now let's set the scene involving a visitor who comes to church and answers the call to be born again. Before they hit the door on the way out some “Churched” members quickly advise them that they must read their Bible each day, pray morning, noon, and night, get baptized in water as soon as possible, give up playing cards, going to movies, dancing, wearing lipstick and jewelry, don't use any swear words worse than dagnabbit, not even doggonit, and shun their worldly friends, otherwise they'll backslide and have to start all over next Sunday.

On the way to their car, “Unchurched” members will shake their hand and tell them to keep the faith; be back next Sunday, invite them to a Bible study class; tell them to call if they have any questions, and stay strong in their new found faith. By the time the new convert gets into the car, with their hearts still warm with God's love and forgiveness that rolled their burden of sin away, their minds have already become burdened with all the religiosity that was dumped on them and they start wondering how long can I last.

As we go through the Book of Galatians we’ll see what advice and counsel Paul gave such believers and how it applies to us today. What do we have in common with those children of God back then? What can we learn from their experience and what the Apostle Paul taught them.

3

Assignment:

Read about Paul's journeys throughout this region in Acts 13:4–14:26. Make note of the people Paul meets, his sermons to them and their reactions to the Gospel, especially the instant division between the Jewish and Gentile converts.

Think back on your own experience and make note of those things that made you enjoy your faith in the teachings of Christ, and those things that made you wonder how long you could keep going without violating one of the teachings of your new church.

LESSON ONE - (Posted 11/06/11) ***

4

I am what I am. (Galatians 1:1-5)

Verses 1-2: This letter is from the apostle Paul, appointed directly by God the Father who raised Jesus Christ from the dead, and not by any one person or by any one group of men; and all the brothers who are with me send their greetings to the congregations throughout the province of Galatia.

In his greeting the apostle Paul teaches us a lesson on being real; never pretend to be something you're not. Don't put on airs as though you should be treated special because of who you are or what you have to offer. Even when you are among unbelievers, don't become stuck-up in your holiness, salvation or sanctification.

In this salutation Paul embodies several interesting points: Historically, only those disciples who actually saw the risen Savior, qualified to be called an Apostle. Yet Paul identifies himself as an Apostle, but with a qualifier. First, He didn't claim to have the backing of the original disciples, nor was He writing this letter “on their behalf.” Furthermore, he did not keep it a secret that he knew them, so in case the Galatians refused to accept him for who he was, he could proudly invoke the name of Peter, James or John to show them what a big shot he really was.

The original word “Apostle” identified someone who is sent out as a messenger to teach, in contrast to a “disciple” who is a student that learns from a “teacher.” In keeping with that definition for “apostle,” today’s missionaries come closest to fulfilling that ministry. Furthermore, what makes Paul's claim of being an Apostle so potent is that he not only heard the risen Savior speak but saw Him with his own eyes!

Second, Paul came with God-given authority and a Christ-centered message (See Acts 9:15-16). Here he makes the distinction between his calling and his credentials. No matter what organization or denomination or church you practice your ministry with, they do not define you. Your calling from God defines you as one of His ministers. I've actually met pastors who were not in complete harmony with their denomination's teachings, but were afraid to make it known for fear of losing their ministerial license and endorsement.

In addition, just in case the Judaizers weren't sure about accepting Jesus as the Christ, he wanted them to know that the God they did believe in actually raised this Jesus from the dead. In other words, say what you will about me not being an apostle, or what you will about Jesus not being the Messiah, but how will you explain that to your God who claims us both.

In the opening verse Paul sets the theme of the whole epistle: If the original apostles had commissioned him or been the agents Christ used to give him his commission (as the false teachers in the Galatian church were suggesting), then he would be subordinate to them, putting them above him. As such, the Judaizers would then have been able to convince the Galatians that Paul was only preaching what the original twelve disciples authorized him to say; therefore, he had no individual authority at all.

Paul's affirmation of his divine appointment should encourage us to confirm our own divine calling. We may not be considered apostles, or evangelists, or even teachers, but we are all given work to do by God's special assignment. If we view our work as just another position in the church instead of a calling, we will soon be discouraged. But if by faith we can see that God has given us work to do for Him, we can overcome even the most difficult obstacles. All work is sacred if it has been given to us by God. That’s why Paul was able to endure through all the hardships he faced.

Verse 3: We ask God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord to grant you grace and peace.

It's interesting to note that Paul identifies the recipients of this letter combining a Gentile greeting and a Jewish greeting. He uses chairo (grace) in Greek, which was the way Greeks said hello and goodbye, and shalom (peace) which the Jews used for the same purpose. But he adds a special note to his greeting. He wants the readers to know that he does not speak on his own behalf, but for the One who

5

called him, commissioned him, and anointed him to preach the Gospel. Let’s look at it this way: if you received a letter in the mail signed by someone named, “I. M. Nasty,” you might laugh. But at the top you see a letterhead marked: Internal Revenue Service, I'm sure you'd suddenly take agent I. M. Nasty a little more seriously. That's what the Apostle Paul attempted to do here. He made sure they understood that even though he signed the document, the divine letterhead read “Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”

Verses 4-5: I want to remind you, that in order for Jesus Christ to set us free from the imprisonment of this wicked world He had to freely offer Himself to die for our sins. So I say that all glory and honor belongs to God the Father both now and throughout eternity. Amen.

Paul makes a striking statement that would have more effect on the Jewish converts than the Gentile believers. These Judaizers were trying to add the value of all the Jewish “trying to being good” laws, ceremonies, feasts, customs and ideology to the work of Christ. They felt it made Christ's work more worthwhile and effective. But Paul declares in no uncertain terms, that Jesus “c hose to die on our behalf.” In the Jewish religion, all the lambs, sheep, goats, cattle, and birds that were sacrificed, did not do so voluntarily, there placed on the altar against their will.

Benjamin Jowett, English scholar and theologian, who translated the Dialogues of Plato and wrote an Introduction and Analysis on “Philebus,” made this observation on the dialogue between Socrates, Philebus, and Protarchus which included the subject of being willing to sacrifice: “For he who sacrifices himself for the good of others, does not sacrifice himself that they may be saved from the persecution which he endures for their sakes, but rather that they in their turn may be able to undergo similar sufferings, and like him stand fast in the truth.”

Furthermore, “It was God the Father's decision” for Jesus to die. So no matter how hard they tried to be good by their own efforts, and observe all the ceremonies, feasts and customs to be set free, they could not outdo what Jesus did in giving His life as a ransom for our freedom, nor improve on God's decision to provide salvation through the obedience of Christ. So if they were offended by Paul’s teaching that Christ’s sacrifice superseded all the animal sacrifices of the Jewish religion, they were in fact questioning God’s decision.

In these remarks, Paul helps us better understand the difference between being certain of who we are, as opposed to being proud of whom we think we are. In order to be certain of anything, we must know for a fact what we believe. I can't tell you how many times I've encountered believers who were not sure they were really saved. They found too many things in their lives that did not measure up to the expectations of others, or what standards their church taught them to attain and then maintain.

One way to help them understand was by asking if they had any doubts about their biological birth. Did they have a birth certificate? Did they have the witness of their doctor, their mother and father? Maybe they didn't turn out to be what their parents hoped for, and in some cases completely disappointed their family; but that does not cancel out the fact they were born into that family. Perhaps some don't feel they are what God wants them to be or that they've disappointed their heavenly Father, but that doesn't change the fact they are His children. Paul was certain about his conversion, his calling, and his commission, and so should we.

But the Judaizers accused him of being big-headed. That involves having an inordinately high opinion of oneself; being arrogant or haughty. However, they were not with Paul on the road to Damascus; they did not see the vision he saw and did not hear the voice he heard. Yes, they accepted that he went from a flaming persecutor to a fiery preacher, but dismissed his claim of being appointed by God. Paul doesn't spend time putting them down or calling them, liars. He offered them the evidence, gave them the facts, and left it up to them whether to accept it or not. As long as God and Jesus knew who he was; and that he was telling the truth, that was enough for Paul.

6

Had it been written in his day, he may have sung the words of one of my favorite songs by CeCe Winans, “The Alabaster Box:” “I can't forget the way life used to be, I was a prisoner to the sin that had me bound. And I spent my days, poured my life without measure into a little treasure box I'd thought I'd found; Until the day when Jesus came to me and healed my soul with the wonder of His touch. So now I'm giving back to Him all the praise He's worthy of, I've been forgiven and that's why I love Him so much. You weren't there the night Jesus found me, you did not feel what I felt when He wrapped his loving arms around me...” Listen to it here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9QZxS03FvY&feature=related

The apostle Paul having settled one argument, he is now ready to tackle another challenge presented to him by those who came behind him into Galatia and tried to poke holes in his teaching and downgrade the Gospel he preached. But you can be sure, after this presentation of his credentials, it might be hard for them to convince the Galatians he was not for real.

Assignment: One thing I learned in my training as a certified Grief Counselor is that many people live with the burden of “Undelivered communications.” In other words, things they wished they had said to the person who passed away; things they wished they had done for them but didn't take the time to do. Many believers live with the same burden of undelivered communications, because they've never told God how hurt and convicted they felt over something they did or said, thinking God would not be happy to hear it or be upset with them.

Why not sit down and write a letter to God, telling Him how much you love Him, and how thankful you are that He was willing to sacrifice His son for your salvation that allowed you to become His child. How grateful you are for the difference it made in your life and how proud you are to declare yourself a born again Christian. Then imagine God sitting in a chair across from you, and read the letter out loud to Him.

Then share with the class the feelings you had when you delivered your communication to the One you love. If you want, you can write letters to Jesus and the Holy Spirit. You will feel so fulfilled it's hard to describe.

LESSON TWO - (Posted 11/13/11) ***We can't have two Gospels, there's only one! (Galatians 1:6-10)

Verses 6-7a: But I’m shocked that you are so suddenly turning away from God, who out of His love and mercy decided to share with you everything He has given to Christ. I can’t believe that you are already following an imitation version of the “good news,” which in fact is really “bad news.”

7

Can you imagine the listeners throughout Galatia hearing their Bishop read the opening salutation of Paul's letter and thinking, “Oh my goodness,” he really wants us to know that he's the man of the hour and we are privileged to get a letter from such a highly regarded Apostle. But there's little reason to believe they weren't shocked by his sharp and sudden accusation of their backsliding and believing in heresy.

Whether or not Paul read all the Greek writings available in his day, there is a chance he heard some of them quoted or used in speeches. Thucydides, an orator who lived in Athens, and wrote the history of the famous Peloponnesian Wars, made this observation: a good citizen ought to triumph not by frightening his opponents but by beating them fairly in debate. Wise city leaders will give credit where credit is due to their best advisors, while not punishing advisors whose advice turns out not to be correct. This way, successful orators will not be tempted to sacrifice their convictions to gain popularity in hopes even higher honors, and unsuccessful speakers will not be lured into saying something they don’t mean to win over the multitude. This is not our way; and, besides, the moment that a man is suspected of giving advice, however well meant, from corrupt motives, we feel such a grudge against him for any gain he may or may not receive. Therefore, both good and bad advice has become suspect; because the person trying to perpetrate the most hideous deception will be no less tempted to do so in order to become popular than the best counselor will be to lie in order to be believed (Bk. III, Chap. IX, Fourth and Fifth Years of the War - Revolt of Mitylene).

Paul leaves no doubt that he's overwhelmed and appalled that after all he went through to preach them the gospel that so completely changed their lives, now he hears they are deserting it. What hurts even more, is that they were also turning their backs on him and becoming followers of an imitation gospel. In other words, Paul felt jilted and rejected; he was truly heartbroken. That’s why he wrote this epistle, he wanted a fair debate with the Judaizers who were using his absence to say whatever they needed to say to win back the Galatians to their point of view.

Before he came preaching this good news, these people knew nothing of God’s new plan of salvation through Jesus Christ, that replaced the old plan of covering their sins by way of animal sacrifice. Had he not come, they may have all died unrepentant in their sins. Could it be that he travel that far as a sick man to bring them the Gospel, and now they're about to throw it back in his face?

We can almost pick up a sense of panic in Paul's writing. It's like listening to a counselor trying to talk someone out of a suicidal jump. What's even more startling is that in doing such a thing they were also turning their backs on God. It would be one thing if Paul wrote this letter year’s after he last saw them, but it appears that Paul had just recently visited that area. No sooner did he depart and these false teachers arrived. Apparently, they were skillful at persuading people; these Christians were not yet mature; the situation was very serious.

Verse 7b: Someone is trying to make fools out of you with this nonsense. They have gotten the Gospel of Jesus Christ all mixed up.

It is interesting that in the Jewish Babylonian Talmud, (Tract Hagiga, Chapter I), a fool is compared to a deaf man and a child. Fools, like a deaf man, cannot hear and therefore obtain no knowledge; fools, like a minor, are incapable of understanding anything above the simplest of matters. Sounds like Paul agrees with the Rabbis, in that the Galatians were treated like responsible adults when he taught them, but now act as though they didn’t hear or understand a thing he said.

What rattled Paul so badly, besides being dumped for leaders of less stature and even less credibility, was their attempt to mix Law with Grace. This made their Gospel man-centered rather than Christ-centered. Forcing believers to religiously observe ceremonial rituals in order to reach spiritual perfection was an attempt to add value to the work of Christ on the cross. Either He paid the full price, or He didn't. What these false teachers preached is often referred to as “legalism.” This teaches that

8

although we are saved by grace, we can only remain saved through our own efforts. But it is useless to consider such nonsense. No one can live a perfect life on earth, only Jesus was capable of that.

Nonetheless, once a person does accept salvation by grace through Christ, they are responsible to seek and live by God's will and purpose for their lives. But Paul suspected there were those who would take the freedom they gained through grace too far one way or the other way. Since no one could have done what Christ did; and no one can add any value to it; they also cannot diminish what Jesus did on Calvary. Some therefore argued, once you are freed from sin through grace then you are eternally secure in your salvation. So, they reason, you may limp or crawl to heaven, but you have a guarantee you will still get in.

On the other hand, there were those that bound one's salvation to the faithful adherence to religious practices and conformity. As such, you are eternally insecure until you actually arrive in heaven and only then you can relax. This doctrine suggests that someone who accepted salvation, but then through a violation of man's holiness decrees they are declared a sinner; they must be saved all over again. That means, if their violation of church rules is considered the same as original sin for which Jesus died, this would require that Christ go back to the cross and die all over again.

In either case, it's man's vain attempt to add to or subtract from the work of Christ on the cross. It suggests that God's plan of salvation is lacking in some way or incomplete without man's amendments. No wonder Paul was all upset at this attempt to modify the Gospel of Christ.

Verses 8-9: Can you imagine me coming back to you with a gospel different from the one I preached while I was there? I’ll tell you point blank; even if someone claiming to be an angel from heaven were to come with a different gospel, I pray God will condemn them to everlasting punishment. There, I’ve said it! But let me repeat it: anyone who comes to you with a different gospel than the one through which you were saved, may God send them straight to hell.

Paul now raises the bar of proof for these Judaizers to show that the Good News he preached was not the Good News approved by God and taught by Jesus Christ. Paul refuses to allow the Good News he preached to be served alongside other so-called gospels like a buffet. There is only one true Gospel of Christ. For Paul, the true test of whether to accept a message from anyone who came preaching good news was how it matched up with God’s Word, even if that messenger claimed to come from heaven.

Unfortunately, some ministers want their authority to be based on their position in the organization. If they preach something that does not conform to the Gospel of Christ and are confronted by laity or ministers of lower rank, they point to their position of authority and feel insulted that anyone of lesser importance dare question their interpretation. Paul had no fear in declaring that even if one thought of themselves as being part of God’s angelic ranks, if they preached a gospel other than what Christ ordained, denounce them and get rid of them.

This Greek word anathema carries a strong factor of condemnation to something that is dedicated to evil. It actually refers to something that guarantees excommunication from the congregation of believers. For instance, imagine you are a sky diving instructor and you tell your students that under no circumstances are they to jump out of an airplane without a parachute. However, someone comes along and says that since man's arms are the evolutionary product of bird's wings and can therefore be used for flight, a parachute is simply an option. Needless to say, jumping out of the airplane without one would guarantee quick elimination from the club.

Verse 10: Do you think I’m saying this just to be a crowd pleaser? Absolutely not! More than anything I want God’s approval. If I was trying to be popular with people I would not qualify to be called a servant of God.

Paul concludes this portion of his plea for the Galatians to reconsider their choice by, as we say, putting their money where their mouth is. Since he was a Jew out to convert Gentiles, he faced the accusation

9

that he customized his gospel to please both sides. So he outright confronts his critics with a rhetorical question: “Was his mission in standing up for the Gospel an attempt on his part to win man's approval, or God's approval?” Before they could answer, he settles the question for them. If he were trying to become popular with men, he would automatically be out of God's will. Paul knew what he was talking about. When Paul was a Pharisee he attempted to serve God and please people at the same time, but no such thing was possible for a Christian apostle. It's all about integrity and motives.

Assignment: Write down a list of ceremonies, rituals, practical teachings and special occasions that your church expects you to participate in, so that you can be seen as a dedicated practicing Christian. Then look in the Scriptures to see if Jesus taught the same thing.

Then write down all of the commandments Jesus gave His followers, to see how many your church encourages you to follow in order to be a dedicated practicing Christian. I think you will be really surprised. Here's a list you might use:

http://www.wowzone.com/commandm.htm

II. PAUL TELLS HIS STORY AS AN EXAMPLE (Galatians 1:11-2:21) ***

LESSON THREE - (Posted 11/20/11)

10

I didn't make this stuff up! (Galatians 1:11-12)

Verse 11: Mark my words brothers and sisters the message of salvation that I preached to you was not invented by some human being.

Here we get a glimpse of the gossip being spread around the Galatian churches. Paul's critics suggested that whatever Gospel he received from the original apostles, he customized to fit his audiences; that it was all in his head; an hypnotic form of persuasion. But Paul did not stand back and let such garbage go unchallenged. The gospel he preached was not home-made, custom-made, or man-made, but God-made—divinely organic. In other words, he’s not making this stuff up.

When I taught in theological seminaries overseas in Europe and Asia, I often heard the term “Contextualize” when speaking of how to get the Gospel across to people not acquainted with Americanized forms of evangelism and church planting. The Judaizers accused Paul of contextualizing the good news of Christ that he preached to the Jews and then to the Gentiles; he modified it to fit the practices and customs of his listeners.

There was an element of truth in the Judaizers’ suspicion of Paul, which he later admitted in 1 Cor. 9:19-23. Yet, even though he was willing to make cultural concessions related to lifestyles and religious practices, he was adamantly against making any concessions with regard to the Gospel he preached that both Jews and Gentiles are saved by the same grace.

As I ministered around Europe and Asia I discovered there were certain no-no's that minister's needed to be aware of. In one country where I went to preach, I found out that the brethren there wore suits but without ties because they considered it worldly attire. So, out of respect I took off my tie and discovered that my messages were just as anointed without it as they were with it. Was I being a hypocrite? No! I had never taught that a preacher must wear a tie in order for his message to be anointed.

On another occasion, one well known evangelist I knew was preaching in India and spoke about “Standing on God’s Word” as our foundation. To illustrate the point he put his Bible down on the platform and stood on it. He then invited his interpreter to do the same but the interpreter was horrified and would not comply. I found out later that all the ministers felt insulted that this evangelist would do such a dishonorable thing to God's Holy Word.

Verse 12: No one just handed a manuscript to me, nor did I take notes while attending some teacher’s class. Instead, I received it directly from my teacher the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

To make his point even stronger Paul states emphatically that he did not sit under the tutelage of any man, not even the disciples. To the Corinthians he wrote, “Am I not an apostle; have I not seen Jesus our Lord” (1Cor. 9:1)? When speaking of the Resurrection and of the appearance of Christ to the disciples and others, he says, “Last of all....he appeared to me also” (1Cor. 15.8). In other words, Paul asks incredulously, do you think I'd be such an idiot as to change or alter the Gospel I received straight from Christ.

What Paul went through was not for him only. After all, several apostles experienced a revelation, such as Peter on the housetop with regard to Gentiles receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Would they be willing to question Peter’s integrity as to the validity of his revelation, and whether or not it came directly from God through the Holy Spirit?

In his travels around Galatia and Greece Paul often visited synagogues, and like on Mars Hill in Athens, challenged the local philosophers to debates over the true God. Perhaps he heard or even saw the inscription in the temple of Apollo at Delphi where the Lacedaemonians had place one of their most famous sayings that became part of everyone’s language, and considered as the first-fruits of their wisdom that went like this: “Know thyself.” (Dialogues of Plato—Protagoras). In The Suda, a tenth

11

century encyclopedia of Greek Knowledge, they explain this saying as follows: “the proverb is applied to those whose boasts exceed what they are, and serves as a warning to pay no attention to the opinion of the multitude. In other words, be sure of yourself; don’t have any doubts about who you are, what you are, and why you are who and what you are. If anything, Paul wanted the Galatians and Judaizers to know that he was absolutely, positively, unequivocally sure about what he received from Christ first hand, no matter what others may say.

It's time to recognize that every Christian is gifted by God for their special mission in life. Few, if any, claim to have received an extraordinary revelation similar to Paul's. But each Christian is uniquely gifted by the Spirit and called to serve God in some exceptional way. In my travels throughout Asia I often found it necessary to contextualize my good news message, while not diluting the gospel in the process. I tried my best to learn what Asians loved and hated; what made them happy and what demoralized them; what complemented them and what insulted them. The gospel can address all these issues if explained properly. But you do not need to rewrite the gospel because it speaks against something a particular culture accepts.

Let me illustrate this in another way: Consider the Bible as a map, and the Gospel a compass, given to us upon our encounter with Christ in our new birth. We are all headed in the same direction toward the same goal. But some may go by sea, some by land; some slosh through water, some through snow; some endure rain, some hail, some sleet, some fog; some climb mountains, some through valleys; some tolerate heat, some cold; but all are kept on course by the same identical source, the Gospel compass. We don't change the Gospel's direction; the Gospel changes our direction.

When Paul refers to his revelation from Jesus Christ, he is making a clear reference to his Damascus Road experience where he encountered the risen Christ, from whom he received his commission to go to the Gentiles. This revelation convinced Paul to accept the inescapable reality that the Crucified One was the Messiah. According to Acts of the Apostles: 9:17; 26:16, Jesus “appeared” to Paul for this very purpose. Paul didn't see a mere angel, but the Lord Jesus Himself. To describe his experience as a “revelation” tells the Galatians that he was having more than a dream, vision, or trance.

While few, if any, will ever experience their “revelation” of who Christ really is in a similar manner such as Paul, we all have had our own revelation. It came through the Gospel; and it is just as real, and just as dynamic as that of Paul. It changed our lives. When we tell people how we came out of darkness into His marvelous light and how we became a new creation in Christ Jesus they may try and convince us that it's all a fantasy; something we’ve been duped into believing. However, we know better. We know it is real because we were there; we felt the burden of sin lift off of our shoulders; we experienced the dramatic change.

Assignment: Think back to when you were born again and became a new creation in Christ Jesus. Do you require everyone to be saved in the same manner? For instance, if you received Christ on a Sunday night, does everyone have to be converted on Sunday night in order for it to be genuine? If you became a Christian by responding to an altar call, does everyone have to do the same in order to be truly born again? If you were led to Christ by repeating the “Sinner's Prayer,” must everyone else do the same, even the exact same wording?

If anyone tells you they are a born again believer, what would you need to hear from them to convince you that it was real, and that their testimony is true?

LESSON FOUR - (Posted 11/27/11) ***

12

I'm not what I use to be. (Galatians 1:13-14)

Verse 13: I’m sure you’ve heard about my past, when I was a Jewish religious fanatic. How I viciously attacked God’s church and did everything I could to destroy it.

Now Paul begins his personal biography of how things were at one point in his life. Apparently this came as no secret to the good folks in Galatia, most likely because Paul’s family had already spread the word. He had no interest in hiding anything about his past. The gospel Paul preached to them was the same message by which he was saved. So, he not only talked the talk, but walked the walk. If the Judaizers thought they were pious champions of the Jewish faith, Paul outdid them all as one of the most devout defenders of Judaism. That's why he hated this new cult that followed Jesus of Nazareth. He went after them like a bounty hunter. His fellow Pharisees looked on him as a hero, while Christians saw him as a religious hoodlum.

In case the Galatians weren’t sure Paul had converted, he confesses to his guilt. He thought he was standing up for God's chosen people and their faith, without realizing he was persecuting God's Son and His Gospel. So, now that he's on their side; he refers to this new company of believers as God's Church. Had he used the term Christ's Church, the Judaizers would immediately be on his case for ignoring all that God taught His people through Moses and the Prophets. But Paul wanted both Jew and Gentile believers to know that just as God the Father and God the Son were one, therefore everyone who believes in Jesus, be they Jew and Gentile, are automatically one with God and His Church.

Those who’ve studied the Greek writings available in Paul’s day have noted that the way most men dealt with traditional teachings, even teachings of their own country, was to receive them all exactly as they were delivered, without applying any critical test whatever (see: Introduction to History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides). Jewish scholars, like Paul, did the same thing. We can even say, that in some fundamental protestant and Pentecostal denominations many ministers followed the same pattern of preaching what they heard from the previous generation without finding out through study what they were preaching.

Verse 14: I was far ahead of anyone else my age in studying the ancient traditions of the Jewish religion. I was totally committed to following these teachings with all my heart and soul.

Paul is not finished letting them know where he came from on his path to believing in Christ and His Gospel. The same thing emerges almost as clearly in Phil 3:4-6 where Paul argues that he has greater reason for confidence in the flesh than others do (v. 4). After mentioning his circumcision on the 8th day, he enumerates in v. 5 significant bragging points which are his by virtue of birth, i.e., “being of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews.” Then in vv. 5-6 he lists three reasons for confidence in the flesh which are his own achievement: “as to the Law a Pharisee,” i.e., a member of a prestigious group of Jews; “as to zeal a persecutor of the church,” i.e., so ardent that he actively persecuted those he opposed; and “as to following religious laws, he was law blameless,” i.e., a perfect follower of Jewish religious rituals and regulations.

By listing the religious pedigree he once cherished but now counts as insignificant, Paul gives us a chance to look at the history of Judaism and the Law. The Jewish faith, based on what God revealed to Moses and passed on through the Prophets, had increased by an incredibly large volume of traditions and customs as added by Israel's religious hierarchy. In his case, Paul was very familiar with the amendments and teachings that the Rabbis, Pharisees and Sadducees added to God's Law. As such, it became a form of psychological and religious reinforcement from a select group who focused on flesh, not faith. Therefore, the Galatians needed to be aware that Paul was not some obscure religious hermit, but had attained a higher level of respect among his peers than any of them would ever reach.

13

But now he sees the same thing happening to the Gospel given to believers by Christ Himself. These Judaizers wanted to add some of these same old traditions and customs to improve the teachings of Jesus. This upset Paul, because he believed that Christ’s sacrifice, as well as his own personal sufferings, should have given the Galatians a new perspective on the spiritual reinforcement of Love. Here the focus was on others and being significant in their lives. Paul is basically saying: if by following what Christ said is not good enough to get us to heaven, then we might as well throw the whole thing away and start over.

As a preacher of the Gospel I cherish the cross of Christ as much as anyone and made it one of the central points of my preaching, but I wonder sometimes if we haven't taken away it's real appeal by covering the cross with silver, gold, and precious stones to make it look like an artifact or souvenir rather than the gross object of torture it really was.

I remember going into a military chapel in Munich, Germany for worship, and just seconds before the service began the Chaplain's assistant ran down the aisle; up on the platform, grabbing the crucifix on the altar and spinning it around. Afterward I asked him what prompted him to do such a thing. He explained that when Catholic believers worship he is to turn the cross showing the crucifix, but when Protestant believers come to worship he is supposed to turn it to the reverse side showing the cross being bare.

I thought to myself, what's the difference! We need to let His presence on the cross remind us of His sacrifice so we can celebrate His victory over sin; while at the same time, let His absence from the cross remind us of His resurrection so we can commemorate His victory over death. Why not turn the cross sideways so we can see both sides! Unfortunately, today we still act very much like the Judaizers by insisting that small increments of legalism are followed to make us look more perfect. To them the Gospel was not enough; they wanted to add qualifications so that believers who follow these teachings can be superior, or “more holy” than those who don't.

As a hospital chaplain I remember being called to the room of a patient with cancer in stage 3. She explained that just before being hospitalized she was born again but had not yet been baptized in water. She didn’t want the Lord to take her before she was baptized. She asked if I could baptize her. Being the good old fashion dunk 'um in the river Pentecostal; I wondered how I would be able to detach her from all the tubes connected to her body and get her to a baptismal pool since she was too weak to walk. But the Holy Spirit quickly spoke to me, so I followed His instructions.

I got a towel and wrapped it around her neck like a bib, picked up the water pitcher on the night stand, filled it with fresh water, said a prayer, then asked her in the presence of others in the room if she had repented of her sins and accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. When she said “Yes!” with all the enthusiasm she could muster, I began pouring the water on her head while saying, “By the authority vested in me as an ordained chaplain I hereby baptize you in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!”

You had to be there to feel the rush of wind from the Holy Spirit that flowed into that room as she began to praise God and thank Him for her salvation. The next day when I came back for my rounds, all the nurses came running up to me and asked, “What in the world did you do to that lady!” I asked in astonishment, “Why?” They told me that not long after I left her room, she grabbed her IV pole and went running down the hallway shouting praises to God saying, “I've been baptized! I've been baptized! The Chaplain baptized me in water!”

I learned later that she was discharged, and sent home because her cancer went into remission and she was very active in her local church telling everyone what God had done. Did God refuse to honor her baptism because she was not immersed? Did Jesus withdraw His salvation because she didn't get soaking wet all over? Did the Holy Spirit remove His anointing because she wasn't dipped in the

14

baptismal pool? No! No! No! Jesus said to do it in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit which I did, but He did not specify that it had to be done in compliance with some ritual.

I remember after accepting the call to preach, I was encouraged by my bishop to be re-baptized in water because since my first baptism I had wandered away from God’s will for my life before returning to serve Him. So I was baptized in a large pit used to test water-tight military tanks in a U.S. Army motor pool in Munich, Germany, and I wasn't wearing a gown but military fatigues. In some cases Churches have added rules and regulations to the Gospel to create more perfect believers, when simply loving the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with our entire mind, with all our strength, and love our neighbor as ourselves is required. Jesus said that following these two commandments will meet all the requirements of Mosaic Law and the prophets (Mk. 12:30-31).

Assignment: Take time to think about all the traditional sacraments and ordinances and ceremonies practiced by churches today. Then ask yourself if fulfilling the intent of the ordinance or commandment of Christ is the most important, or if the method used to fulfill the intent of church ordinances or commandments of Christ takes precedence? In other words, is the spirit of the Law just as valid as the letter of the Law?

To help you with this, contemplate the following situation: You are stranded on an island after a shipwreck. You are able to determine that Easter Sunday has arrived and with the other survivors you want to partake of communion. But there are no wafers or wine or grape juice. You see a coconut tree and climb up to get one. You crack open the coconut, keeping the juice in one half, and with a stone cut small slices of the young coconut in the other half. Then you pass the coconut slices around while repeating the words of Christ, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Then, the coconut juice, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

Now ask yourself, do you think Jesus will honor your intent to do this in remembrance of Him, or will He reject it because you didn't use real communion wafers or wine? Keep this in mind, the communion wafers, grape juice or wine used today is quite different from what Jesus actually gave His disciples during the last supper. Does that disqualify our communion because we don’t have the original products? Can it be that we often attempt to make God small enough to fit into our own idea box, instead of acknowledging that He is big enough to turn our water into wine?

15

LESSON FIVE - (Posted 12/04/11) ***

See What I Am Now! (Galatians 1:15-17)

Verse 15: But little did I know that by the mercy of God I was chosen for this ministry before I was born.

Paul outlines his autobiography in Acts 22:3, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, and I was brought up and educated here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. As his student, I was carefully trained in our Jewish Law and customs. Back then I was just as zealous to honor God in everything I did as all of you are today.” With the calling he received from Christ Himself, no wonder Paul felt that he was destined for this ministry from the day he was born. When we look into the method of learning and teaching Paul was exposed to in his youth, it may help shine light on the way Paul approaches his debate with the Judaizers and the questions he poses to the Galatian believers, expecting both groups to know the answers.

Based on Jewish tradition of his day, at the age of 5 Paul began to memorize scripture and study the Pentateuch, along with writing and arithmetic. Then at age 10 he listened to a teacher recite a compilation of all the teachings of great rabbis down through the ages, called the Mishnah, which means “to repeat.” All of this while growing up in the city of Tarsus until he reached age 13, when he qualified to be a Bar Mitzvah, which means, “son of commandment.” Then at age 15, his parents sent him to Jerusalem to study all the cultural, laws and traditions of Judaism, called the Talmud, which means “to learn or to teach.” The Talmud was made up of two parts: the Mishnah, which he already heard read to him, and the Gemara, which means “to complete.” This section of discussions, debates, interpretations, and commentary on the Mishnah, was composed over 300 years, and written in a question and answer style, so the students could memorize them.

Nevertheless, some of his critics questioned why Paul thought he was so special that Jesus had to confront him personally to explain the truth. In their minds, it wasn’t because he was exceptional, but that Paul was such a stubborn and hardheaded person that if anyone possessed the persuasive powers to convinced him he needed to change his ways, it would take the Messiah to do it. Paul did not argue, he openly admitted that he did not deserve God’s mercy and kindness; he knew God had a special job for him to do. But just in case any of these Judaizers or Gentiles felt that Paul might become big-headed, he assures them it was all by God's grace. So it wasn't that he felt he earned it, but that God deserved all the credit for being so loving and kind to such an undeserving person.

Perhaps the Galatians, and even those who read this passage today, may wonder if Paul is introducing the doctrine of predestination by believing he was picked out for this ministry before he was born, and therefore had little if anything to do with how it came to be. In exploring this, let’s first ask these questions: was Abraham just lucky to be in the right place at the right time, or was he called because God had a plan for his life (Isa. 49:1, 5)? Was Moses simply fortunate to be discovered by Pharaoh's daughter or was it part of God's grand design? Or was Jeremiah picked by some divine lottery to be “the prophet of the hour” to the Israelites, or had God already factored him in as part of Israel’s future (Jer. 1:5)?

Needless to say, we can go on and on with Joshua, Daniel, Jeremiah, David, the disciples, etc. Most Christians accept that God has the authority, power and intellect to do such things without anyone’s permission. But how does it fit into His plan of Divine Will and human will?

Predestination, as it is understood by some, indicates that neither man’s will nor obedience to God’s will plays any role in how they live out their lives. It is preset, and will happen as planned no matter

16

what. But for others, predestination actually refers to predetermination. It's all part of God's plan, purpose and will, but whether or not we participate depends on our willingness and obedience, as Jonah learned the hard way.

But now we need to ask further, even if it is part of God's plan from the beginning, does it mean that all these people were called and then forced to do what God wanted them to do unwillingly? Moses found out the cost of disobedience when he struck the rock instead of speaking to it as God directed. What if he had done what God asked him to do? He would have no doubt entered the Promised Land with everyone else. Judas was certainly called, but he gave up his position in the ranks of the disciples because he took things into his own hands.

Verse 16a: Then, at a pre-designated point in time God revealed His Son to me so I could go out and tell all the Gentiles the good news about Jesus.

“So,” Paul is telling the Galatians, “you know God had to be involved by picking a mean-spirited man like me who thought that Jews, and especially Pharisees, were the elite in God's world, and send him out to preach to Gentiles, something no self-respecting Jew would do.” Was Paul telling them this in order to win their approval on how he was carrying out God's commission to the Gentiles? No! Had Paul entertained any doubts about his calling, or questioned if this was God's predetermined plan for his life; he certainly would have been outraged when he ended up in jail for most of his ministry.

We know that Paul added to his library of Jewish writings the popular Greek writers of his day. Whether or not he read the writings of Plato we don't know, but perhaps he was aware of the two valuable principles Socrates ascribed to: (1) that true knowledge is knowledge of causes; and (2) that the process of learning consists not in what is brought to the learner, but in what is drawn out of him. One main point of contention between Paul and the Judaizers involved their question of how much was he taught, or was he taught at all. Paul's testimony on the revelation he received from Christ proves that it’s what flowed out of him to others that counted most.

Paul’s treatment by the Judaizers after he converted to Christianity makes one think of how the Catholic Church handled Martin Luther and John Calvin, who, after their conversion, went out to preach the gospel without going to Rome for approval.

There’s an old Puritan saying that goes, “God does not break all hearts in the same way.” In other words, we all may have our hearts set on what we think God should do for us, but it doesn’t always work out that way. Because of that, it is necessary that anyone chosen by God for a special ministry like Paul’s should be willing to include their joys and disappointments in their story, and do so honestly. For Paul, his story occurred during the period when God chose to unveil of Jesus of Nazareth as the true Messiah; it paralleled the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of our LORD and Savior. As a result, his life, his vocation, his whole identity was impacted by the original gospel message being carried out in his lifetime. Therefore, since he already had God's approval and direction, he did not need to get his critic’s stamp of approval.

While serving the U.S. military in Europe, I knelt by my bunk one night for prayer. I had been dealing with this feeling of being called to preach for some time, but resisted for several reasons. First, I saw what my dad went through and did not want to be the object of criticism by disgruntled church members, or be forced to live off of their inconsistent charitable giving. Second, I only had a high school education at the time, and did not feel qualified to stand up and interpret what I thought the Bible was saying, when I had never read it through one time.

As I was kneeling by my bed I prayed the following prayer, “Lord, if you really want me to preach the Gospel, then you will have to give me what I need most. You gave Solomon a choice and he asked for wisdom. So if you gave that to him, all I ask is that You give me a hunger for Your Word and the

17

wisdom to understand it, otherwise I won't be able to accept Your call.” I said “Amen” and went to bed, thinking that after God thought it over He'd realize there were better candidates than me.

I woke up the next morning with such a desire to read the Bible that I couldn't wait to set down and start. What came as a surprise was that since I loved reading philosophy and psychology, before I left for Europe I packed a bunch of books in my duffel bag. It was so heavy I could hardly lift it. When I arrived in Dachau, Germany I put them all away in my wall locker and did not touched them for over a year. Now all of a sudden I wanted to read them. When I pulled them out, they weren't all about philosophy or psychology; most of them were about theology.

Before the week was out I was reading my Bible and portions out of eight to ten other books for five to six hours a day, and more than that on weekends. My appetite for God's Word was insatiable. This became my daily regimen for the next 10 years. Later, when God opened the door for me to get my formal education I didn't proudly say, “No thanks, I know enough!” Absolutely not, I hungered for more and more enlightenment.

As a matter of fact, after I returned to the States to pastor I knelt in my study shortly after arriving and prayed. “Lord, if you want me to finish my university studies, here's the sign I need. I will get in my car and drive to the nearest university or college. If my odometer reads 10.0 miles or less I will go in and register. If it reads 10.1 miles or more, I'll turn around and go home. So I left the parsonage and drove to the nearest university. As I pulled into the parking lot and parked I looked at the odometer and it read “1.0” miles.

When I went in to register they told me registration was closed. I told them I was on a mission from God and needed to get registered. So they had me see the Registrar. I told her my story of how God called me and the promise I made to Him to find a college or university within 10.0 miles of where I lived, and the University of North Dakota turned out to be 1.0 miles. Believe it or not, she told the staff to get out the class cards and let me register. With God's help, in two and a half years I was able to graduate with a B.A. degree.

So if anyone questioned later if I should have become a minister it didn't rattle me. When I first started out, a fellow believer indicated to me I might never be an accomplished preacher because of my lack of education, it didn't get me down. When somebody complained about how long I preached I didn't feel embarrassed. When I went to preach and only a few people showed up, it didn't destroy my confidence. No, I was certain beyond any shadow of doubt that God called me, and the Holy Spirit gave me insight and inspiration to preach the Gospel. So after preaching a sermon the best I knew how, I didn't wait for compliments or pats on the back to keep me going.

I learned the value of this calling when a fellow minister of mine, who was a church leader in Europe, went back to the States and before long I heard he had left the ministry. A few years later I was able to be with him and he told me that he never really felt any call to the ministry. It was his teachers in Bible College, family and friends who all thought he should enter the ministry; telling him he was cut out to be a preacher. Finally, his disappointments and dissatisfaction with the ministry led him to face reality. He went back to school and became a much admired and highly skilled professor in another discipline.

Then I learned something from my mother I never knew before. A few days after I was born she brought me to church to be dedicated. A much respected elder and devout man of God in the church came to my mother, reached out and put his hand on me and said, “Miss Hilda, this boy is going to be a great preacher.” I'm glad my Mom never told me that until after I was called so that it didn't force me to try and make it on my own. But once she revealed it to me, it was as though God spoke to my heart and said, “You are mine; preach the Gospel; I have chosen you.” Perhaps that's why I feel such an affinity with the Apostle Paul.

18

Verses 16b-17: But I didn’t rush off right away to get approval from anyone. I didn’t even go up to Jerusalem to visit with those who were apostles before I became one. Instead, I took a trip into the Arabian Desert for a while. After that I returned to Damascus.

Paul wanted to emphasize again that nobody had taught him about Jesus. Instead, he went away into the Arabian Desert east of Israel. Paul knew the Old Testament, but not in the light of the Gospel. Jesus had to show Paul the truth. Paul shares a somewhat hazy account of his experience in the Arabian Desert in 2Cor. 12:1-6. He starts out by telling the Corinthian believers: “Let me teach you a few things about visions and revelations. I hope you won’t think I’m bragging, because I have absolutely nothing to gain by doing so. I personally know a Christian believer, who fourteen years ago was literally raptured into the third heaven. I cannot tell you whether he went there bodily, or whether it was an out-of-body experience, only God knows. Let me repeat, I know for certain that this man was raptured up into paradise, but as I said, whether it was an in-body or out-of-body experience, only God knows for sure. While he was there he heard things said that are impossible to put into words; things that the human tongue is forbidden to repeat.”

Paul does not say how long he stayed in Arabia before he returned to Damascus, but scholars reckoned it to be about three years based on the 1:18. The one thing he wanted to impress on the Corinthians was that while he spoke so highly of this man’s spiritual encounter with God, he refused to use that as adding any value to himself as a person. Rather, the only thing he would say about himself would be how human he was.

Should Paul have kept this experience a secret and thereby avoid any criticism of wanting to appear in the company of Enoch or Elijah? He doesn’t think so, because he’s only telling the truth of what happened. The bottom line was that he did not want anyone to think he would use such a heavenly experience to make them feel they needed to treat him as somebody special. He only wanted them to think of him as an ordinary person they heard and saw.

When Paul returned to Damascus and begin preaching Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah in the very city he was headed for to hunt down Christians for execution, some people were astonished, some were outraged, and some tried to kill him (cf. Acts 9:19b-25). “So,” exclaims Paul to the Jews and Gentiles in Galatia, “how about that as evidence that I am one of God's chosen instruments; how do you feel about treating one of God's anointed the way you do?” And can you imagine how the good old boys back in Jerusalem felt about this upstart not coming to explain himself and get their blessing right after his conversion? Why did he wait so long? Who did he learn from? Who gave him their blessing? If these Judaizers thought Paul could be scared if they raised objections to his call as an Apostle to the Gentiles; or that the higher-ups in the church might object to his style of preaching and teaching, they were in for a big shock.

Assignment: Read the following article and give your feedback.

There is a critical difference between God’s foreknowledge and God’s power to predetermine an event. Predestination determines the outcome, whereas foreknowledge already knows the outcome before it happens. Here's an illustration to demonstrate the critical difference between foreknowledge and predestination: A pilot looks down from 10,000 feet and sees the twists and turns of a long river. He spots a boat full of people on that river and can see with a quick glance where the river is leading them. But the pilot will play no role in whether the travelers reach their destination or not.

The captain and people on the boat only see the bend in the river that’s just ahead of them. They can't see where the river goes or what lies downstream. If they could talk to the pilot he could inform them of what he sees, but they would have to trust him because they can't see it for themselves. For the pilot, knowing where the boat is going describes foreknowledge. On the other hand, knowing where the boat will end up if it stays on course, defines predestination. So, if the boat and passengers stay on course, they will reach their predestination even without having the foreknowledge the pilot possesses.

19

Everything is this universe was designed and planned by God from beginning to end, and He will not change it one iota. To do so would show Him to be fallible and error-prone. So we can trust Him to leave our future unchanged. When it comes to those things over which man's will has no power, the outcome is already known to God before it happens. But those things where God has given man the will and power to change direction, then the outcome will depend on where man takes himself.

The story of Lucifer and sin proves that intelligent creatures have the power of choice. Is God love? Yes, the death of Jesus proves His love for mankind. But the rebellion by one-third of His angels, the fall of Lucifer and the dire consequences of Adam and Eve’s sin prove that God will not interfere with the inalienable right of all intelligent beings to exercise their power of choice. This is why, although the future as far as God is concerned is unchangeable, He allows it to unfold according to the choices of His subjects and His omniscience already fathoms the outcome before it happens.

In short, God predestines events to happen. He also predestines people for service, but He does not force His destiny on people. Because He has foreknowledge, God knows what people are going to do ahead of time. Nevertheless, He grants them the power of choice. The death of Christ on the cross was predestined, but He prayed in the garden, “Father, not My will but Thy will be done.” But did His doing the will of the Father predestine everyone to be saved? The Word says that “Whosoever believes in Him” will reach their predestination (John 3:16). It doesn't say you will reach that predestination whether or not you like it or agree to it. But stay in His will and you will reach your predestination no matter what circumstances, events, or the devil may try to do to stop you.

20

LESSON SIX - (Posted 12/11/11) ***

My first visit with The Rock & Sir James (Galatians 1:18-20)

Verses 18-19: It wasn’t until three years later I made a trip to Jerusalem. I went up there to get acquainted with Peter, and I stayed with him for fifteen days. The only other apostle I visited with during this time was James, our Lord’s brother.

Paul now puts to rest another possible gossip tidbit that he was so aloof and so self-absorbed that he was unwilling to submit to the supervision of apostolic leaders. He makes it clear that he voluntarily went to Jerusalem, a place he had been to many, many times before, just to get acquainted with Peter. He admits, he did not go there to get Peter’s blessing or be instructed, but to get to know the apostolic Rock better. Paul does not tell us what they discussed, but you can be assured that spending fifteen days with someone will provide plenty of opportunities for sharing notes and ideas.

What could they have talked about? Since Peter was part of the inner circle and spent a lot of personal time with Jesus, I’m sure Paul wanted to get a firsthand account of what it was like to walk and talk with the Lord. Peter may have shared about his walking on water, or his experience on the Mountain of Transfiguration, or his three denials, or cutting off Malchus' ear in the garden, or even his encounter with the risen Lord in the upper room. But one thing for sure, Paul did not go there to get Peter’s approval of his ministry. If anything, he went to share with Peter what happened on the road to Damascus, then in Damascus, while out in the Arabian Desert, and after his return to Damascus.

So, was Paul being stuck-up or high-minded? Did he want to make a big deal out of the fact that Peter was not much more than an uneducated fisherman fortunate enough to be chosen by Jesus, while he was a noted scholar and high ranking Jewish official? No, I'm ready to believe that as he and Peter visited and ate together they laughed and shared a lot of good stories. No doubt they were curious about each other’s experiences and asked some very personal questions. Paul did not see himself as a disciple or subordinate to Peter; rather, they were equals in God's sight. It's just that Peter seemed more comfortable preaching to the Jews, while Paul was specifically sent to the Gentiles.I wonder if Paul was familiar with Plato's work, “Gorgios” in which we find Socrates asking Callicles if he believed that having knowledge implies one must also have courage and Callicles agreed. Socrates then asks Callicles if he thought knowledge and courage were two separate virtues, and Callicles said, “Certainly.”

Paul knew that his willingness to stand up to the accusations and false charges against him required both knowledge and courage. The reason is simple: without knowing what you believe makes it hard to courageously defend it. By the same token, without courage, whatever you believe in does not stand a chance of surviving against those who oppose you. To put it another way: it can be risky if you try to stand up for something you know in your mind but do not believe in your heart. Likewise, if you know something to be true in both heart and mind but fail to stand up for what you believe, it can be fatal. Paul was convinced both in heart and mind that what he received to preach to the Gentiles came straight from Jesus Christ, and his critics could not shake his confidence.

21

There's a difference between being certain and being conceited. I remember being asked to address a Minister's meeting outside the United States where about 100 pastors gathered. The Lord laid it on my heart to speak on the subject of Salvation and Sanctification being simultaneous works of the same grace; which I knew a great number of ministers anguished over but felt the need to stick with the denomination’s view because they didn't want to be criticized or questioned about their theology. When the meeting was over many of them came up to me and said: “For the first time I understand that doctrine, why don't some of our church leaders preach it the same way?” Afterward, as we were riding back to the hotel, the lead bishop of that area said to me, “I'm in full agreement with what you said, but I don't have the guts to preach it.”

Paul was not the least bit intimidated by Peter; he willingly told Peter what the Lord Jesus revealed to him. Perhaps Peter was able to confirm what he heard by saying, “Yes, that's the same thing our Lord Jesus taught us.” At the same time, I’m sure there were plenty of reasons why Paul wanted to meet Jesus' brother James. Possibly he wanted a firsthand account of how Jesus grew up and for James to tell him of the miracles he saw his brother, Jesus, perform. Whatever they talked about, James had the opportunity to better understand Paul's commitment and dedication in carrying out the message he received from Christ on that Damascus Road, followed by his baptism by Ananias. I’m confident that since James knew his brother Jesus better than anyone else, he would have been able to tell if Paul was talking about the same Jesus he knew. It also gave Paul even more assurance that they were all preaching the same Gospel.

Verse 20: Believe it or not, what I’m telling you is the truth, and God knows that I’m not lying.

Now Paul really gets to the heart of the issue. It appears that the Judaizers and other critics were passing the word around Galatia that Paul was a maverick who claimed to be accepted and respected by the original apostles, when in fact he wasn't. They inferred that all Paul wanted to do was drop names in order to gain their trust and open doors for him; that Paul wanted all the credit for starting this new Jesus Movement. In fact, they charged that he was just short of being a heretic and could not be believed or depended on to tell the truth, even though he knew what the truth was.Perhaps the Judaizers were taking a cue from Plato's work called Lesser Hippias. Socrates and Hippias are discussing the difference between lying on purpose and getting things wrong out of ignorance. So the question is asked: If someone unschooled and uneducated makes a guess at answering a question and gets it wrong are they guilty of lying? On the other hand if someone schooled and educated also guesses at an answer, are they also lying? Socrates and Hippias concluded that neither one should make a guess, but admit that they don’t know the answer; otherwise they are lying when they pretend to know, whatever their answer.

Socrates then asks Hippias to answer another question: Since you are known for being such an honest and fair-minded person, tell me, if a person were to ask you what 700 times 3 equals; and you have the intellectual capacity to give the correct answer; and you know that the person asking the question will believe your answer no matter what you say, doesn’t this put you in the enviable position of being able to decide whether or not to give a truthful answer or knowingly tell a lie?

By the same token, if a man who does not know how to multiply decides to make a guess, when he has no idea if it is true or not, is he also not considered a liar? I admit, by sheer luck his answer may turn out to be right after all. However in your case, since you know the answer and are capable of giving a correct or incorrect answer, then you can knowingly lying on purpose anytime you want.

Paul now invokes an oath that no one would dare use unless they were absolutely, positively, and unquestionably certain that what they claimed to be true, was true. Today you might hear someone say, “I swear to God, I'm telling the truth.” I've even heard some say, “I swear on my mother's grave.” But Paul gave a more dramatic assurance to the Galatians and the Judaizers that can be expressed today as something like this: “God will kill me if I'm not telling you the truth.” What Paul faced should not

22

surprise us, we see a similar phenomenon today in our church world of competing views over the Gospel of Christ, similar to what Paul encountered in Galatia.

While growing up I knew only that Christians were represented by two large entities: Catholics and Protestants, and that according to the Gospel of Christ neither one thought the other to be truly Christian. As I learned more and more from the preachers I heard, they told me about Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Episcopalians, and Pentecostals; all of whom had suspicions about the other concerning their being true to the Christian faith. Later I discovered that among Pentecostals there were internal divisions that caused them to be competitors; each claiming that they alone had the real truth about the Bible, Sanctification, Baptism in the Holy Spirit, Speaking in Tongues, the Rapture and the Millennium.

But also remember hearing about ministers and ministries on the periphery labeled: “Independent.” They did not owe allegiance to any of the big denominations. Yet strangely enough, they seemed to be more successful and better known than traditional churches. Ministers from mainline denominations would debate over whether or not these people were genuine, while reluctantly admiring them for their success. Paul found himself in the same situation. He was “Independent” of Peter, James, and John as a minister of the gospel. No wonder the Galatians were leery of him and the Judaizers were distrustful as well. But Paul was adamant in demanding that they acknowledge his personal acquaintance with Jesus Christ, rather than whether or not he had connections with the original disciples.

In other words, the Judaizers were telling the Galatians: Paul knows the truth but he just won't admit it. And since he's an educated man and has no excuse to tell anything other than the truth, then he is knowingly telling you a falsehood, and that makes him a liar. So don't believe him, listen to us! In his letter Paul shares how he coped with this, and it should give us great admiration for his willingness to be persecuted for defending his calling and the Gospel he preached.

As believers there are times when we are asked why we believe what we believe. If we don't know, then say so, and apologize because you haven't made more of an effort to find out. This doesn't make you a doubter of your faith or doctrine. And since you don’t know, then don’t pretend you do and give some answer that is more of a guess than solid truth. However, if you do know, then share it with confidence. But whatever you do, don’t purposely mislead them because you’re afraid your answer may offend them. Once you tell them the truth, and then they attack you anyhow, let them know that's something they will need to settle with God, because you are at peace with your belief.

While pastoring in South Dakota I answered the knock on the door of my pastor's office one day, and when I opened it I saw a well-dressed young man standing there with several magazines in his hand. A quick glance told me told me he was a Jehovah's Witness. I welcomed him and told him how glad I was to see him. He seemed surprised by my cordial invitation to come in and have a seat. After he introduced himself and asked if I was interested in reading his magazine. I took a couple of them and told him I would read them because I was very interested in what they had to say. He sat there for a moment looking like a deer staring into the headlights of a fast approaching car. “As a matter of fact,” I said jumping up and reaching for two books in my library, “I have the New World Bible and the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures put out by your organization. And I'm curious about one scripture, and I hope you can clarify it for me. Everywhere else in your Greek New Testament the word “kyrios” is translated as “Jehovah,” but here in Philippians 2:1 the word “Lord” is used instead. So it really should read: “And every tongue should openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Jehovah to the glory of God the Father.” He wiggled in his chair, and then picking up his material said he had to go, but that he would send his superior to talk with me. I told him that would be fantastic, because I want to learn more about their Bible. His superior never came.

I did not go after this young man with a vengeance or hostility. I was truly interested in knowing what he had to say about this discrepancy. I don't treat Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons or Moonies with

23

disrespect or a feeling of superiority. God loves them too. If God can use me to shed some light on their pathway that always brings me joy. But eventually, it's up to God and the Holy Spirit to lead them to where He wants them to be in order for them to know and worship Him in spirit and in truth.

Assignment: Ask yourself this question: “When a minister comes to speak at your church, or you go to hear a minister speak, what criteria do you use to determine whether or not what you hear them say is the truth?” Is it their reputation, their position in the church, their popularity, their education, their public relations material, their looks, their message, what someone told you about them, that they are on television, or that they pastor a mega-church? Be honest, whatever your conclusion is.

Once you have written down your response, then look it over and ask yourself why you chose that option. Then think of other ways you could determine whether or not what you heard is in line with the Gospel. You want to make sure you are getting the truth, not just someone’s guess or opinion.

24

LESSON SEVEN - (Posted 12/18/11) ***

Some actually believe I'm for real! (Galatians 1:21-24)

Verses 21: After that, I went north to visit cities in Syria and Cilicia.

Paul continues his itinerary of where his travels led him; after visiting Peter and James, the only two apostles he saw during his visit to Jerusalem, he apparently did not hang around to visit or preach in any of the churches in Judea. This is so interesting because Acts, Chapter 9 tell us there were plenty of churches in Judea, Galilee, and Samaria. And if Peter, who was well acquainted with churches in Lydda and Joppa, wanted to introduce Paul to these brethren he had plenty of opportunity. Nonetheless, the word about his conversion spread like wild fire. After all, this former arch enemy of Christianity who tried to kill them had now become a champion ready to defend them. Why is Paul so intent on telling this story? Again, it was the pressure he felt from the doubters in Galatia on whether or not he could be trusted, and the Gospel he preached could be accepted.

Imagine if today some atheist who openly and viciously opposed anything to do with Christianity; went around the country filing lawsuits resulting in clergy being jailed and recommending the death penalty for members accused of crimes; goes on a trip to persecute more Christians in foreign countries. Suddenly news reports come back that while on his way he had a vision of Christ, and claimed that Jesus gave him a revelation to preach the Gospel, what would you think? Not only that, but he stayed overseas in some Muslim country and did not come back until three years later claiming he did not need to submit to the authority of any denomination. If asked where he went to Bible School or Seminary, he responded that he graduated from the School of Hard Knocks and did not need any further training because God gave him all he needed to know in order to preach the Gospel.

More or less those were the conditions Paul faced when he went to Galatia, and now some opposition members were bringing it up all over again. No wonder he sounded disappointed and disgusted. Why did he have to prove to them he could be trusted? That would be enough to drive anyone to their wits end. But Paul had a purpose for writing this letter, and by the time the Galatian believers read the whole thing they would be glad he did. Paul mentions that after his visits in Jerusalem, he went back to Damascus in Syria and then across the mountains to Cilicia. Since that wasn't too far from his home town of Tarsus, it would be a surprise if he didn't drop in to see his family and relatives.

Socrates and Crito were having a discussion on principles, and remaining true to one's convictions. “So,” Socrates asks Crito, “Should we be intimidated into following the opinion of the majority; or can we accept the belief of one man who knows what he’s talking about; shouldn’t we give him respect for

25

being right, rather than consenting to the world’s ideas? Not only that, but if we abandon him are we not likewise forsaking the principle of integrity?”

Paul knew the benefit of having majority support and having the church leadership bestowing their favor on him. That would open many doors and put his picture on the wall as “Evangelist of the Year.” But he refused to go against the one Man from whom he received his revelation; the one Man who knew the truth and taught him all he knew about the Gospel. So, for better or for worse; for richer or for poorer; in sickness and in health, Paul was committed to remain true and faithful to One who loved him and saved him and gave him his calling.

Verses 22-24: Now the believers in the churches in Judea didn't know me personally, all they knew was what other people were saying, “The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very faith he tried to wipe out!” In spite of that, they still praised God for what He was doing through me.

I'm certain you've heard the familiar saying, “I'm not what I want to be; and I'm not what I'm going to be; but thank God I'm not what I use to be.” Can you imagine the believers in Syria and Cilicia when the announcement was made that this maverick from Tarsus known to his Jewish friends by his Hebrew name, “Sha’ul,” (which means: “above others”) and to his Gentile friends by his Latin name, “Paulus,” (which means: “humble”) was coming back to preach this new Message of the Messiah? No doubt some wondered why he changed his name. You only chose an alias when you earn a bad reputation, or you're trying to evade the law. In reality, he didn't change his name; it is simply that since he was called to preach the gospel to the Gentiles he wanted to be known by his Latin name.

But Paul is gracious and tells the Galatians what the folks in Syria and Cilicia heard about his early life—now that is not something that any guest speaker may want the audience to know. I can hear Paul telling the Christians in Galatia, “Let me introduce myself. I use to hate people like you! As a matter of fact, I hated you so much I tried my best to kill as many of you as possible! But now I'm one of you! I would be willing to die for you! At this very moment I preach the same Gospel I once tried my best to destroy and wipe off the face of the earth!” Wow, that ought to fill up the seats! What was Paul trying to convey at this point to the Galatians.

Martin Luther a German Roman Catholic priest and theology professor, and John Calvin a French Roman Catholic trained as a lawyer, who both went from their belief in God, according to the teachings prevalent in the Roman Catholic Church at that time, to another faith considered diametrically opposed to what they use to believe, express their appreciation for what Paul went through.

Martin Luther put it this way: “God did not call Paul out of darkness into His marvelous light because of his being a Pharisee, or on account of his prayers, fasting, ceremonial cleansing, ritualism’s and creeds, or because of his persecutions, oppressions and zealousness, No! He called Paul by His grace.” Something Luther knew all too well. And John Calvin points out that God did not call Paul because of his accomplishments and his years of preparation dedicated to Judaism. No! He called Paul by predetermination as part of His purpose and will for Paul's life.

Here's a somewhat satirical factor in Paul's persecution of Christians. In order to oppress them he had to know what they believed and how it differed from the truth that he believed. He needed that knowledge and evidence to prosecute them in front of the Jewish Councils. In other words, Paul already knew a lot about the Gospel and the Christian faith before he became a convert. So can it be that God used Paul's education in learning about these Jesus People called “The Way” to make him an even better defender of the very faith he once tried to eliminate. Isn't God fabulous!

I can remember attending a Pentecostal Servicemen's Retreat in Bertesgarten, Germany back in the 1960's and hearing a guest minister speak about neo-Pentecostals, a term I had never heard before. He explained that clergy and members of main-line churches such as Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans, etc., were receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues. They referred to themselves as

26

“Charismatics.” Believe it or not, some very strict Pentecostals took this as a betrayal by the Holy Spirit, making them now look insignificant since the “big boys” had the same baptism in the Spirit. Yet others saw it as a phase that would soon die down and these denominations would go back to what they always were. And still others acknowledged the outpouring, but made sure they would only accept those neo-Pentecostals who fell in line with traditional Pentecostal/Evangelical beliefs and practices. They insisted on this so they could continue to be seen as the true authority on what a Pentecostal was, and how they were supposed to live and worship.

Paul’s experience in going from Judaism to Christianity gives us a better understanding of the difference between Religion and Spirituality. The word “religion” comes from a Latin word that means “to bind” – and it seems to have maintained that definition by keeping people tied to specific creeds for centuries. It relates mostly to the physical and material world around us. All religions have evolved from someone or some group claiming a unique revelation from God, then passing that revelation along with accompanying rules and regulations. That's how Judaism came into being. Moses had a revelation on Mt. Sinai and brought down his new knowledge and passed it on to the people of Israel. Such religious philosophies have developed and been refined for centuries and is almost exclusively designed to keep people from stepping out of line and prevent them from “erring” from the truth. Because of that, and the many variations of Biblical interpretation, multiple denominations and church groups have been spawned over the centuries since the Day of Pentecost.

“Spirituality” comes from the root word “Spirit” with the suffix “-uality” which means “belonging to.” Therefore, it speaks of that pertaining to the world of the spirit. It refers to the acceptance of something or someone outside ourselves that affect the way we live, the way we think, and the way we behave. It also agrees that “good” and “evil” exist. These are things that cannot be directly perceived by our five physical senses, but something we accept by faith as existing such as love, peace, joy, kindness, goodness, patience, etc. So we could say that spirituality is the term we use when referring to those things we cannot see firsthand with our eyes, perceive directly with our senses, or know for sure by use of human logic or reasoning.

When it comes to Christian spirituality, we can say the fundamental difference between spirituality and religion is that religion is based on impersonally LEARNING God through intellect, while spirituality is based on personally KNOWING God through faith. This was the main argument Paul had with the Galatians. The Judaizers insisted that they establish an indirect relationship with God by following religious rituals and regulations. Paul wanted them to throw these things away and establish a direct relationship with God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Assignment: Now ask yourself, how much of your Christian faith is based on religious teachings, and how much is based on your personal spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ? Second, ask yourself how much credit do you give your religious faith for your salvation, and how much do you give to your faith in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross? Thirdly, ask yourself this question: if the church I grew up in closed down and the only churches available were of other denominations, do I believe I could still worship and serve God the same way in those churches as I did in the church I belonged to before?

27

LESSON EIGHT - (Posted 12/25/11) ***

Greetings, you wolves dressed up like sheep! (Galatians 2:1-5)

Verse 1: It took another fourteen years before I returned to Jerusalem; and this time I took Barnabas and Titus along with me.

Paul continues his story of why he has the right, as well as the blessing of the original apostles, to teach and preach the Gospel as it was revealed to him by Christ. Since his conversion to Christianity was the starting point for all his time references; the fourteen years he speaks of here are from that point. What did he do during those fourteen years? A quick review of his journeys listed in the Book of Acts tells us. But his main point here to the Galatians was that he did stay in contact with the leaders in Jerusalem and was very mindful and respectful of the Council there.

The reason he emphasized this visit was to show his critics that if the leaders in Jerusalem had found any reason to oppose his ministry, they would have made it known as soon as possible to everyone. But just the opposite happened; they agreed that Christ had chosen Paul specifically to preach the Gospel among the Gentiles. So little by little Paul is tearing down the Judaizers’ arguments against his authority; he refutes their claim that he's an independent maverick organizer of a new Jesus Movement and was never given the right hand of fellowship by the original disciples.

Verse 2a: I went there because God told me to go. While I was there I met privately with those considered to be prominent leaders of the church.

Now Paul makes a very interesting remark about what prompted his visit to Jerusalem. He said it came after “God told him to go.” This means, either he had a dream, like Peter; or a vision, like John; or received an unexpected invitation from the leaders, or the Holy Spirit spoke to his spirit and impressed him to go. Whatever the case may have been, he was convinced beyond any doubt that it was time to make a visit to Jerusalem.

I remember while pastoring in Zweibrücken, Germany, I conducted a revival at another church several kilometers away. A young mother who attended one the services shared with me that she was struggling with some critical issues and it would be nice if she could talk to me about it, because it involved an American serviceman. She told me that she lived outside of town, off the main highway, in

28

a house sitting back off the road on the right side with the color red on it. Sometime later I was driving into the same city and passed the road she mentioned, suddenly the Holy Spirit impressed my spirit to go talk with her. But I wasn't sure if I could find the right house.

I drove on a little further until that same voice impressed me again to turn around and go back to the small road I just passed. So, without hesitating I returned to the where the small road intersected with the highway, turned, and started up the hill on a winding road through the trees. As I emerged at the top of the hill into a very open landscape, there were a number of houses sitting back off the road on both sides, many of them with red tile roofs. After a short distance I saw a house on my right, and that same voice said to me, that's it.

Even so, with some apprehension I turned into the driveway, parked my car, and walked up the steps to the side door and knocked. To my great surprise and joy this young mother opened the door. When she saw me she burst into tears and started sobbing, “Brother Seyda I was just on my knees this morning praying and asking God to send you here today so I could tell you what I'm struggling with. Oh praise God, you're here! He answered my prayer!” It might be that Paul had a similar leading that compelled him to go to Jerusalem.

Verse 2b: I did so because I wanted to make sure that all the work I had done did not end up being a waste of time.

Either way, Paul did not want to make his visit a big deal. So he contacted several of the leaders and requested a private meeting with them. If Paul had a need to feed his ego and do something to show everyone he was God's choice and Jesus' pet student, he would have staged his visit for maximum publicity. No, Paul was sending a subliminal message to the Galatians that showed his great respect for the leaders of the Church in Jerusalem, and their great respect for him.Again, we do not know how many of the Greek classics Paul read, but had he been familiar with the opening of Plato's “Apology” where Plato laments that those he thought supported him had been persuaded to turn against him, Paul may have felt empathy with the great Orator of Athens: Begins Plato, “O Athenians, I don’t know if you have changed your mind about me because of my accusers; but one thing I know, their persuasiveness almost made me doubt myself; even though nothing they said about me was true. But out of all the lies they told about me, the one that really amazed me, was when they told you to be careful and not allow yourselves to be deceived by the force of my eloquence. They already knew that as soon as I opened my mouth their lie would be exposed since I am anything but an eloquent speaker. This falsehood struck me as being brazen—unless, of course, they were implying that the power of the truth I speak is my real eloquence.”

Paul himself admitted that he was anything but a great speaker (2Cor. 11:6), but more talented as a teacher. Yet it appeared that the Judaizers were just as smitten by how the truth of the Gospel Paul taught changed the hearts and minds of the Galatians in an amazing way. So like the accusers of Plato, the accusers of Paul cautioned the Galatians to be careful what Paul said and not be misled by his supposed eloquence and claims that it was inspired by God Himself.

Then Paul gives his readers another private peek inside his purpose for going to Jerusalem. The last time he was there only Peter and James were privy to his visit, but now there were others who wanted to hear firsthand his account of how God called him and Jesus ordained him to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles; and all the good that had come out of that missionary ministry. It was so important that they personally hear how he had acted according to God's will in every respect, and had been blessed in his obedience to the call.

One main underlying factor that compelled him to go was to insure that all of these new Gentile converts would be accepted as part of God's one true Church as fellow brothers and sisters to the believers throughout Judea and elsewhere. Paul mentions a fourteen year time period here, and that's a

29

lot of sermons, a lot of conversions, and a lot of new believers in Jesus Christ the Son of God. It was Paul's prayer that all of his preparation and all of his travels and hard work would not prove to have been in vain.

How many times have any of you stayed up late praying and working on a sermon, then gotten into your car and driven several hours to a meeting; stood behind the pulpit in front of a small congregation; and after delivering an inspired message, no one came forward for salvation; no one was moved to rededicate themselves to the Lord, and you asked yourself later, “Was it worth it?” Truth is, we may not know until the books are open in heaven. Paul wanted to make sure everyone understood that he was carrying out the mission given to him by Christ. But more importantly, he wanted to make sure that those brought into the Kingdom of God benefited from the long hours he spent, by having their conversion accepted as valid by the whole church.

I was preaching a revival in Colmar, France and the pastor asked me if I wanted to drive over to a town on the other side of the hill and preach a Sunday afternoon service. So I took some Bible School students who were with me and we went. The service was held in a small store front in a quiet village. The room was only about 15 feet by 10 feet and had only eight chairs. When the service started there were four of us visitors and only three local people in attendance. After the praise and worship, I got up to speak and preached as though three thousand people were facing me. After I finished, I gave an altar call and an old man stood up and came forward. He had tears in his eyes and he said to me, “I've been praying for years that the Holy Spirit would one day send a man of God to preach a sermon that would stir my soul and let me know that my salvation was genuine. Today that prayer has been answered. Now I can be at peace and am ready for Him to take me home because I know it's real.”

I don't need to tell you how I felt; I had goose bumps on my arms and a tingle running up and down my spine because I knew I had been faithful to my calling. Never let the lack of visual success or the absence of encouragement keep you from doing what God called you to do. The Apostle Paul didn't, and you can see the affect it had on the world.

Verses 3-5: As a result, they decided to support my efforts. In fact, even though Titus the Gentile came with me, they did not insist that he undergo circumcision. To be honest, that issue only came up because there were some so-called Christians who slipped into the meeting unnoticed in order to protest that we were preaching release from such rituals under the pretense that Christ Jesus had set us free. They were determined to force us to become slaves again to Jewish religious rituals and regulations.

As if the doubters in Galatia didn't have enough proof already that Paul's preaching of the Gospel was in harmony with what the original Apostles taught and preached, he blasts another hole into their sinking ship. Some of these Judaizing brethren apparently came around to hear Paul preach his liberation theology. They wanted proof to take back to Jerusalem so they might return with a real strong memorandum from the Apostles, telling the Galatians to oppose Paul and his fellow workers in their preaching and teaching Christ to the Gentiles; and not to allow them into the Church without obliging them to observe the conservative teachings on circumcision and keeping the Jewish feasts and ordinances.

The importance of this tug-of-war between Paul and the Judaizers was vital. Apparently his opponents gave the impression that they were there by the authority of the Apostle James, and perhaps mentioned the Apostle Peter as well. Paul wanted to pull the rug out from under them by stating categorically that James and Peter were in harmony with what he was doing. Therefore, the Judaizers’ claims were false, which now made them subject to questioning as to their validity and authority.

Some psychologist find an inconsistency here between Paul's earlier confession that the grace and mercy of God is what made him who he was and helped him accomplish all that he was able to do, and

30

yet being so adamant about proving that he received both a blessing and an approval from Peter and James in order to protect himself from being branded as a religious rebel without a cause.

Paul certainly does not hide the fact that he touts his educational achievements, his Roman citizenship, his familiarity with Greek writers, and his outstanding success as a rising star in the ranks of the Pharisees. What Paul is really trying to do, however, is distinguish between what he is as a person, and what he has been made as a minister of the Gospel. In the flesh Paul takes ownership of his attainments and standing as a result of his long hours of study and hard work. But as a servant of Jesus Christ he is what he is by the grace of God. There is no doubt that from time to time Paul unconsciously relies on his own strength to be competitive in the ministry, while consciously declaring that we should not take sides or form groups in competition with one another. It's all part of the ongoing conflict between the flesh and the spirit in all of us (cf. 1Cor.15:9-10).

Years ago I remember talking with some fellow ministers about another highly successful pastor in America whose church was growing by leaps and bounds as he rose in respectability among both his own denominational leaders and other evangelical leaders as well. These ministers were upset because this pastor allowed women to become members of his church without forcing them to remove their earrings, wedding rings and make-up. They felt this minister should be censored in order to make them look like loyal warriors for sticking to their preaching against worldliness.

I soon discovered that what they were really jealous about was how he achieved such success without utilizing the same traditional methods they built their ministry on. In their minds, these old fashion methods were sanctioned by God and had their denomination's Seal of Approval. So why would he be allowed to flourish like this when it went against what they stood for? It appears that Paul went through the same thing 2000 years ago.

But Paul did not let this distraction get in the way of following the commission of Christ to preach the Gospel of salvation in Christ through faith. I often told my colleagues in seminary and ecumenical gatherings that I learned more about sin, worldliness, immoral living, debauchery and how to get to hell fast from what I heard in church rather than in the world. It's proper to preach against sin, but not at the expense of being silent on the tremendous work of God through Christ on the cross to bring us salvation. Believe me, when a person is truly born again, the Holy Spirit is quick to convict them of any act or deed or word that does not please their Father in heaven. They don’t need to be beat over the head each Sunday to get the point.

These Judaizers were looking to provoke a fight and Paul refused to give it to them. According to Paul's theology, if it's not necessary to get saved by your own efforts then why should it be necessary to stay you saved through spiritual hard labor? That was one of his main themes, as we will see. As he would write later to the Corinthian believers, anyone who is in Christ is already a new creature, the old has passed away and everything has become new. You may be surprised to find out how many ministers today put down other ministers because they only serve communion on Good Friday or Easter Sunday, or hold baptismal services only twice a year. Yes, these things are important but should never become a noose around a minister's neck, threatening to end his ministry if he doesn’t comply with what others think is correct biblical interpretation.

Now, in order to show the Judaizers that his method worked, he shares with them that when he went to Jerusalem to meet privately with the leaders there he took a new Gentile convert along named Titus. If you read Paul's personal letter to Titus you'll see that Paul already had a reason for involving this young man in the controversy that was going on about being obedient to Mosaic Law and traditions in order to enhance one's standing in Christ. Although Titus was a Greek Gentile, after his conversion Paul did not insist on him being circumcised according to Jewish tradition. If you want to read the whole story on this confrontation, you'll find it in Acts 15:1-11.

31

On one of my visits to Jakarta, Indonesia I was privileged to spend quite a bit of time with a highly distinguished visiting church leader from the USA who had always been a role model for me. As a matter of fact, when I was a young minister I went out and bought a pair of glasses that looked just like his. We were talking about the compassion Christians are asked to have for sinners, but the total lack of mercy they have for fellow believers. He told me the story of a very talented young evangelist who was rising in the ranks. He was engaged, so he and his fiancée scheduled their wedding for the fall season. But suddenly they rescheduled it for the spring. When asked by family and friends why, they simply said that they loved each other; they believed that God meant them to be together, so why wait. Everyone rejoiced at their wedding, they became a great evangelistic couple, and then went into pastoring.

After some time, the husband called his bishop and said he and his wife needed to talk with him. The couple confessed that the reason they moved their wedding date up was because on one occasion they let their passions get the best of them and became intimate. They never did it again and prayed for God's forgiveness. Even so, they continued to struggle with their denomination's strict rules on holiness and purity. As a result, they felt somewhat tainted, and wanted to get this stain removed so they could continue on in the ministry. The young pastor didn't want to feel like a hypocrite standing in the pulpit; always fearing what people would think if the truth ever came out.

His bishop, however, was not sure he wanted to accept responsibility for offering his blessing on their contrite spirit and God’s forgiveness for fear he may be criticized if it became known. So he decided to pass it on to his State bishop. After a short debate the State bishop and his council did not feel comfortable in resolving the couple, and passed the matter on to one of the executive bishops at their national headquarters. This executive bishop also did not want to be seen as not enforcing the holiness teachings of the church, so he brought it to the national executive council. My friend, who was present at the national executive council meeting, told me, “Each member tried to 'out-holy' one another.”

As a result, the young man minister’s license was suspended and forbidden to preach or pastor for two years. This left the young couple heartbroken and without income. So they each got a job. After two years of good moral living they were given the clearance to return to the ministry. But by that time they were successful in business and decided not to deal with such rules and restrictions again. My friend and I both wondered how many souls God intended this couple to reach with the Gospel, and how many never heard the message of salvation because the emphasis was not on saving this couple but scouring them; not preserving them but punishing them.

I mentioned to my good friend the paradox I saw in what happened. For instance, if another couple had attended one of these national councilman’s services and were born again; then confessed that as sinners they were intimate before getting married, it’s possible they would be told, “That's alright God has forgiven you and covered it with Jesus' blood.” Later on, had this couple felt called to the ministry, they would have been welcomed with open arms. In other words, these bishops and councils were saying: if you commit any kind of horrible sin before you’re saved, the blood of Jesus can make you as pure as snow. But if you sin after you are saved, then the blood of Jesus is unable to cleanse you from unrighteousness. Makes you scratch you head, doesn't it.

With this in mind, are we to encourage premarital intimacy? No! Are we to tell young people it's alright to practice premarital sex just to make sure you've found the right partner? No! But when an engaged couple has openly expressed their love for one another and told everyone of their plans for a formal wedding, then consummate that love into marriage before signing any civil papers – not papers required by God, and they confess what they see as an error on their part to a spiritual leader, if he can say to a sinner who just said the sinner's prayer, “You are forgiven; you are now a child of God,” why couldn't that bishop have said to this couple after having prayer with them, “You are forgiven, you are still a child of God?

32

Possibly, that's what Paul feared would happen to the Galatians. If some were called to preach like Titus and Timothy and served the Lord for years, they would eventually might be rejected from fellowship in the family of God and driven from the ministry just because they were not circumcised before they went into the ministry.

Assignment: Had you been sitting on any one of these councils and heard the above mentioned young couple's story, what would have been your decision? Had you been the first bishop they saw, what would you have recommended this couple do?

Remember the story of Jesus and the woman caught in the act of adultery? Did Jesus do the right thing? If so, why do you agree with His decision?

Jesus also forgave Peter of his three denials; He forgave Thomas of his doubt; He surely would have forgiven Judas of his betrayal. Why then can we not follow His example? Jesus never intended to condone faults, failures and bad behavior. Instead, He wanted to show the power of love and forgiveness. Can we not do the same? Someone said, “We can love the sinner without loving the sin.”

But God loves the sinner so much He's willing to love the sin right out of him.

Read these two scriptures, and then try to find as many others that express the same sentiment.

Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs. (Pro 10:12)

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (1Pe 4:8)

LESSON NINE - (Posted 01/01/12) ***Hugs and kisses. (Galatians 2:6-10)

Verses 6-7: In addition, some of those present at the meeting who appeared to be very prominent leaders in the Church, offered no suggestions on what I should preach. That was fine because it’s not what men think of leaders, but what God thinks of them that count with me. As a matter of fact, they were just as impressed with the ministry God gave me to preach the gospel to the Gentiles as they were with the ministry God gave Peter to preach the gospel to the Jews.

Some psychologists feel that Paul shows disrespect for the original disciples by using the questionable term “prominent” in vv. 2, 6 & 9 to describe them. They say that after Paul presents himself as a model of Christian leadership, he shows disdain for his peers in Jerusalem with the Greek phrase “hoi kokountes” which in today's English might be taken as “big shots.” Certainly this term can be used positively, negatively, or ironically. It seems Paul uses this phrase ironically here when he says that their being big shots make no difference to him because God's isn’t impressed with big shots either.

Paul does not deny the importance of these Apostles or their positions. Therefore it appears that he uses the term big shot to help the Galatians understand the difference between appearance and reality: the leaders of the Jerusalem church seem to be prominent people, and should be recognized as such. But in reality their worth depends not on their looking like big shots but on what they are in God's eyes. Claims of Paul's emphatic disdain for the apparent importance of these leaders can be better understood when we realize Paul was merely attempting to show that the original apostles were his peers in calling, commission, and position in God's church.

This turns out to be a straightforward jab by Paul against those who sought to gain importance because of who they claimed to know, or the influence they supposedly had with them. Paul says that during his visit to Jerusalem with the most respected leaders of the church they found no differences between the Gospel they preached and the Gospel he preached. Can you hear Paul now, “Listen you critics, you

33

must learn that God does not make judgment of importance based on a person's position, or the suits they wear, or the name tags they carry, or the titles behind their names, or where they sit on the platform. After we talked and discussed the things I shared with them, they found no reason to correct my views or give me a different understanding of the Gospel. Furthermore, they found no need for me to report to them or follow any particular evangelistic outreach program they sponsored. They agreed that since God appointed me to do the work I was in, that if I needed any advice He'd give it to me.”

Wow, you talk about taking the wind out of their sails or the air out of their balloons! If you want to read the whole findings of that meeting you can read it in Acts 15:12-35. Not only did the council rejoice and support what Paul was doing, but the church's leading statesman, Peter, who spent most of his time converting Jews, had no objections either.

As the regional administrator for Asia with the world mission organization who appointed me, it was not uncommon to get letters from ministers in different countries complaining that their leader or leaders were treating them improperly. I could not dismiss these brethren simply because they were pastors of small churches, neither could I use their complaint without corroborating evidence against their leaders. So instead of making a decision for one side or the other, I instructed them as brethren in the Lord to try and settle this between them; not attacking one another to prove who was right and who was wrong, but assisting each other in finding a solution to the issues that divided them.

I wanted the leader to hear the complaint of the pastor first hand to see what was fact and what was assumption based on a copy of the pastor’s letter. I also wanted the pastor to listen to the leader’s explanation face to face so he could ask for any explanation or additional information. Once they did this, I asked them to inform me of the outcome so I could mark the case settled or take further action. More often than not, things were settled without a fight and my having to get involved as a mediator. To some degree that's why Paul wrote this Epistle so the Galatians could hear his side of the story and then decide if the Judaizers were out to help or out to harm.

Verses 8-9: For, the same God who worked through Peter as the apostle to the Jews also worked through me as the apostle to the Gentiles. In fact, James, Peter, and John, who were known as prominent leaders of the church, recognized the gift God had given me; they even shook hands with Barnabas and me in accepting us as co-workers. They encouraged us to keep preaching to the Gentiles, while they continued their work with the Jews.

At this point Paul wants to summarize the outcome of his going to Jerusalem. And who does he focus on. Peter? No! James? No! John? No! He focuses on God. Says Paul, the same God who worked through Peter in his ministry to the Jews was the same God who worked through my ministry to the Gentiles. This made it clear that the Judaizers' were not really registering a complaint against Paul, but against God.

Look at what God did through Peter: his walking on water; curing the beggar that was lame from his birth; people cured when his shadow passed over them; bringing Tabitha back to life; and striking Ananias and Sapphira dead for telling lies. Not only that but his message with the help of the Spirit, brought about the conversion of three thousand in one sermon. And look at what this same God did through Paul: striking Elymas the sorcerer blind, healing the cripple at Lystra, raising Eutychus from the dead, with many other signs and wonders among the Gentiles, through the power of the Spirit of God. Could they not see that the same Spirit that inspired Peter also inspired Paul to preach the Gospel, so that multitudes were converted, including Jews and Gentiles and the establishment of many famous churches throughout Asia?

So powerful was the agreement between Paul and the pillars of the church that they extended to Paul and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship in ministry. They all agreed that the mission work among the Gentiles belonged to Paul, and the mission work among the Jews belong to Peter, James and John. And what was the main point of their agreement? Was it Paul's style of preaching; or Paul's use of the

34

Greek language; or maybe Paul's attire, shiny sandals, toupee to cover his bald head? No! No! They concluded that he was preaching the same Gospel under the anointing of the same Holy Spirit that they were. So why mess with it, leave it alone, let the Holy Spirit do the work and reach the lost.

What would you say if you heard that a group of Christians went abroad to see mission work being done by their denomination, and came back with a negative report because the people in these other countries were not singing the same hymns they sang back home; did not have the American flag and Christian flag on either side of the platform; did not have a board on the church wall giving the Sunday School attendance and offerings for that day; did not have an organ or piano playing as people came into church; did not have a choir that sang southern gospel songs; and when they attended a pot luck dinner on the grounds they couldn't find any meatloaf or red beans. Believe me folks, it happened. No wonder Paul was about to have a hissy fit over the complaints of the Judaizers.

Verse 10: The only suggestion they made was that we continue helping the poor, which, I informed them, is something I have always done with enthusiasm.

But hold on! Paul wasn't finished yet. He needed to make a confession. There was one vital rule that the council asked him to follow; one very important addition to his ministry that they insisted he carry out: “Continue to help the poor.” I wish I could have seen St. Paul's face when they recommended this to him. He must have looked shocked and bewildered. Were they suggesting that a brilliant, talented, orator like him must be told to remember the poor? What were they thinking, if they were thinking? But Paul admits, he didn't let it didn't bother him; he accepted the advice with grace.

This was nothing new to Paul, he was aware of the instructions given by God to Moses: “When you go out to harvest your crops, don’t cut down the grain along the edges of your fields, and don’t pick up what the harvesters drop. It is the same with your vineyard—don’t strip every last bunch of grapes from the vines, and don’t pick up the grapes that fall to the ground. Leave them there for the poor and the foreigners living among you to gather up. Listen to the LORD your God.” So even before he was converted, Paul was taught the value of giving to the needy and what it meant to God.

I remember hearing about one Pastor who was getting very upset because his Sunday School Superintendent had not arrived at church on time, and Sunday school was about to start. He called the Superintendent's home, but no answer (this was before cell phones and beepers). He asked other members if they had seen the Superintendent's car, but no one had. So in a rather curt manner the Pastor sent everybody off their classes. When Sunday school was over, the Superintendent still wasn't there. By this time the Pastor's displeasure turned to concern.

Just then the Superintendent walked in with a big smile on his face, beaming from ear to ear. He told the pastor how on the way to church they spotted a homeless man sitting on the side of the street and decided to invite him to Sunday school. The man was penniless, tired, hungry and dirty. Their kind invitation so overwhelmed him that he agreed to go but only after he cleaned up; he didn't want to cause a stir with his dirty clothes and unshaven face.

The Superintendent turned around and went back home. While the homeless man bathed, his wife made breakfast and the Superintendent found a suit for the man to wear. While eating they told him about Jesus and God's love. The man had been away from God for many years, but believed this was God's way of calling him back. So he reconciled with the Father and asked the Son if He would love him again and his burden of guilt and shame rolled away.

The pastor was awestruck as the Superintendent turned around and introduced the man standing right behind him. Later in the service the pastor invited the restored believer to give his testimony. As a result, many rededicated their lives to God's service. It was one of the best services they'd had in a long time. This was something the apostle Paul would have gladly endorsed.

In Paul's day the poor were not just those down on their luck or without a job, but when a Jew 35

converted to Christianity or a Gentile gave up his gods, they were often shunned and became outcasts from their segment in society. Not only that, but in many places Christians were persecuted and their countrymen plundered their goods and burned down their houses. As such, they needed the love of their brothers and sisters to help them make it through until God gave them their own source of income.

So the Council's suggestion that Paul and his co-workers continue to remember these hurting people was more than just offering them financial assistance, but keeping them in their prayers and passing on the news to other churches to stir up compassion so they might also contribute to their needs.

When people refer to their “Church” it can mean: their building, their denomination, their congregation, or their faith. However, in reality it is the body of Christ. Years ago I wrote an article for the Church of God Evangel entitled “Where's the Church on Monday Morning?” So often when people walk out the sanctuary door they leave the Church behind. To them, the Church is a building in which the congregation gathers together several times a week. Because of this attitude the “Church” has become more of a museum of pious saints touting their status, open every Sunday for all to visit and admire; rather than a mission filled with wounded sinners who need the healing power of a forgiving God.

Assignment: One of the best definitions of Church is found in 1 Corinthians 12. Read this and then decided if you think it describes people only when gathered in a building on Sunday, or people out in the community 24/7; does this describe the church you attend, or one you'd like to find?

LESSON TEN - (Posted 01/08/12) ***

The Hammer verses The Rock. (Galatians 2:11-13)

Verses 11-13: However, later on when Peter came to Antioch I was forced to openly oppose him to his face. What he did after he arrived there was totally wrong. He had been eating with uncircumcised Gentile Christians, but when some friends of James came Peter wouldn't eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was scared to death that these friends of James, who insisted on the necessity of circumcision, might reprimand him. As a result, the Jewish Christians broke away to follow Peter in being two-faced, and even Barnabas was led astray by this act of hypocrisy.

Well, well, so much for the buddy-buddy friendship that Paul and Peter formed in Jerusalem. Of all the shortcomings that Paul observed in his fellow believers and most vocal critics, was hypocrisy. It made his blood boil. I'm willing to guess that even for dedicated Christians today; Peter's shortcoming in this instance makes them grit their teeth as well. However, contrary to some psychologist’s diagnosis, Paul was not directing his sharp rebuke at Peter as an original disciple or respected Apostle, but to a fellow believer’s willingness to depart from the very gospel he preached. In other words, He saw Peter's actions as saying; don't do as I do, just do as I say.

What some psychologists are reacting to is what they see as Paul exploiting an opportunity just to prove his equality with Peter by publicly embarrassing him with an accusation of discriminating against the Gentile Christians. In so doing, Paul demonstrates absolutely no respect for this elder apostle. They contrast this occasion with Paul's bragging to the Corinthians when he wrote them: “I don't consider myself inferior in any way to the 'super apostles'... I may be unskilled as a speaker, but I'm not lacking in knowledge” (2 Cor.11:5-6).

On another occasion Paul confessed, “You have made me act like a fool—boasting about myself like this. You ought to be the ones writing commendations for me, for I am not at all inferior to these "super apostles," even though I am nothing at all. When I was with you I certainly gave you proof that I am an apostle; I never quit doing my best so that many signs and wonders and miracles would be performed among you” (2Cor. 12:11-12). Some psychologists claim that Paul is being very ironic in pointing out how unimpressed he was with Peter, James and John who allowed themselves to be thought of as

36

“super apostles.” They suggest this is Paul's attempt to show that he is equal to them in every way, if not better.

I stood in the lobby of a hotel in downtown Fort Worth, Texas where I was attending an international convention. I observed high level delegates sitting and chatting while I visited with a friend. All of a sudden I heard shouting. I looked over toward a couch about twenty feet away where I saw a high ranking leader from the international offices yelling at a black valet who was cleaning up empty glasses and trash from the coffee tables and side-tables. This neatly dressed African-American looked puzzled as he heard the minister bark out, “You touched my wife's leg and I want you to say you're sorry! You hear me! I said; say you're sorry for hitting my wife's leg, and don’t ever do it again!”

I instantly felt the urge to do one of three things: either turn away in disgust; go up to the black gentleman and tell him I was sorry for such an outburst; or go over to the high ranking minister and tell him what a fake Christian he was. Before I could do anything the kind valet stopped what he was doing and with a calm voice apologized to the minister's wife, telling her he didn't mean any harm. He then continued cleaning up, making sure he did not come close to this minister or his wife. By that time I recovered from my shock and went directly to the valet and expressed my own apology for the treatment he received, and let him know not everyone in the lobby felt the same way this high level official did.

I know what you are thinking, why didn’t I challenge this official like Paul confronted Peter. For one thing, there were other high-level officials there who could have spoken out, and maybe later they did so in private. Another thing was, I didn’t want to appear as some nobody taking an opportunity to make myself look important so that I would be patted on the back. The apostle Paul had a different personality than I do; he was certainly an Alpha male, a sort of in-your-face type of guy. He did what came natural to him.

But to Paul’s credit, it was never on personal issues, but only in defense of the Gospel. Here we have Peter traveling from Jerusalem to the city of Antioch to see how Paul and Barnabas and the first Christian church congregation outside Judea were doing. At first Peter made himself at home by sitting down with Paul and the new Gentile converts to eat the agape banquet with them. Paul, the educated Pharisee that he was, knew that no self-respecting Jew would ever do such a thing unless he was persuaded by a higher power. So he was proud of his buddy, the Rock. I can imagine that he told the Gentile believers what a great man of God Peter proved himself to be for such humility and genuine Christ-like attitude.

But then an ill wind blew into the gathering. Some additional delegates sent by James from Jerusalem arrived (Maybe it was some of the guys mentioned in Acts. 15:5). That's when Paul saw something that made his hypertension skyrocket. When it came time for dinner these Jewish delegates went off into another room away from the Gentiles to eat. To Paul's amazement, Peter excused himself from the where the Gentiles were eating and went over and joined the delegates who separated themselves. On top of that, then Paul’s friend Barnabas, along with the Jewish members of the Antioch church, broke off and went over and joined the Jewish group as well, leaving Paul and the Gentiles to eat alone.

Paul uses a very insightful word here in Greek for “broke off,” 'synypokrinomai.' It means to dissemble, to take apart, like disassembling a chair or jigsaw puzzle, especially with group participation. It is a perfect word to describe the actions of Peter's hypocritical attitude. Furthermore, it helps understand how the word Hupokrites (hypocrisy) was used here by Paul. It refers to an overly nitpicking, hair-splitting, critical, and religiously legalistic type of person.While hypocrisy was considered a despised moral failure in Jewish literature and teachings, there is the possibility that Paul was aware of how it was viewed in the Greek writings of his day. During Plato’s era, being looked up to stood as one of the chief incentives for displaying moral virtues, and to most men, when your fellowman has a high opinion of you that is the main motivation for such virtues to be

37

seen. Unfortunately, this often led to the exposure of a certain element of character in which men developed the desire to appear better than they really were in order to win the esteem and admiration of others. Therefore, the Greeks warned that any man could use his ability to easily pretend he was good just by using the language of piety or virtue.

They also taught that there was such a thing as unconscious, as well as, conscious hypocrisy. According to Socrates, conscious hypocrisy is the worst of the two. In other words, one knows it’s wrong, but does it anyhow. Paul knew Peter was not making an unconscious error. His breaking away from the Gentiles to eat with the Jewish delegates in order to appear pious to them was a deliberate act of discrimination, not one that happened accidentally. No wonder Paul was furious.

When Paul inquired as to what was going on, instead of hearing that Peter and Barnabas were actually trying to teach these Jewish delegates that they could no longer discriminate against Gentile believers; that we are all part of God's Church and brothers in Christ, he discovered instead that Peter was actually afraid that these delegates might go back to Jerusalem and tell James that they saw him eating with Gentiles and that would really cause trouble for him when he returned. You talk about an abrupt turnaround! Today we refer to this as being two-faced. Even though Paul wasn't there when Peter denied our Lord three times, perhaps he now understood how it could have happened. In the Spirit Peter was a man of granite, but in the flesh he was baked mud!

The great reformer Martin Luther was under great stress for his stance against the legalism of the Catholic Church. He spoke of his circumstances this way: “For defending the truth in our day, we are called proud and obstinate hypocrites. We are not ashamed of these titles. The cause we are called to defend is not Peter's cause, or the cause of our parents, or that of the government, or that of the world, but the cause of God. In defense of that cause we must be firm and unyielding.”

Certainly, it is easy to criticize Peter here, but think about the times we've been weak in the knees. We all know what it feels like to do something we know is not in keeping with what we profess to believe. Everyone can relate to the conviction they feel when they end up doing something even unbelievers are asked not to do. I can't tell you how many times I've wadded up a wrapper or piece of paper and shoved it into my pocket because I knew it was not right to litter. However, I do confess to throwing an apple core out the car window because I knew it was biodegradable. Like Peter, we all know what it feels like when social pressure or lack of discipline pushes us to compromise in some way.

But the real sticking point is when we do things or say things not expected of a dedicated believer, and do them in front of other believers or unbelievers. For instance: when a pastor speaks sharply and critically to his members in front of others; when church members openly criticize their pastor or other church members to neighbors or members of other churches; when unbelievers are shocked to see a reputed Christian park their car in a handicapped zone when the sticker actually belongs to another family member; or, when a believer brags at work because the grocery clerk forgot to scan one of the items, so they were not going to take it back because it was the clerk's mistake. I'm sure you can add many more instances.

Recently my wife and I ate at in the food court at a Whole Foods Supermarket. I put the receipt in my shirt pocket but forgot to put it on the counter when we checked out so I could pay for our meal. I did not realize the receipt was still in my pocket until I got home. I immediately called the Supermarket, and gave the name of the waitress at the Asian food counter to the woman who answered the phone. I wanted her to inform the waitress I was planning to drive right back to pay. I had to repeat myself because the lady wasn't sure she understood, and then she complemented me on my honesty. She told me I could pay the bill over the phone, so I gave her the number on the receipt and paid my bill. As she hung up, the lady told me again how impressed she was because of my honesty. I was not ashamed to let her know that as a Christian, especially a Chaplain, I could do nothing less.

38

Assignment: Most church members have either heard about or seen a fellow member criticized because they went against one of the church's practical teachings. Different denominations approach this disciplinary action in various ways: Some believe it should be done in private by the pastor and the erring member; others feel that they should be called before the church council to give an account of their failure; and yet others think they should be call out and made to stand in front of the congregation to either admit their shortcoming or deny it.

First of all: do you feel that church members should be disciplined at all? If “Yes,” what method would you be in favor of? Second: if “No,” why should we not hold church members accountable for their failure to abide by church teachings?

LESSON ELEVEN - (Posted 01/15/12) ***

You think I’m talking nonsense, don’t you? (Galatians 2:14-16)

Verse 14: When I saw what they were doing was not in harmony with what the gospel teaches, without hesitation I asked Peter in front of all the others, “How can you as a Jew, who has been living like a Gentile and not like a Jew, now suddenly turn around and urge Gentiles to start living like Jews?”

Oh boy! You talk about flip-flop, here we go! Paul uses a very interesting way of explaining what he saw. If you've ever seen a video of a politician trying to explain why he says that now he is for something that before he was against; when shown his own words he explains that he really wasn’t against it, just against the way it was being implemented. So now, he wants everyone to know he’s really for it, if it’s done the way he thinks it should be done in the first place. Sound confusing?In one of Plato's dialogues Protagoras and Socrates were debating the attributes of man and how man uses them to keep from getting worn out making decisions. Socrates asks Protagoras to be honest and tell him whether virtue is a trait made up of honesty, discipline, and transparency; or whether they were only synonyms for virtue. After discussing it for a long time, they agreed that much like our eyes, nose, ears, mouth all make up what we call our “face,” so honesty, discipline, and transparency are what make up what we call “virtue.”

This was typical thinking in Paul's day, and he saw a similarity in the way Peter lost control over his sense of virtue by being inconsistent and hypocritical with Jewish and Gentile believers. So Paul confronts him and asks how he expected to be accepted as a spiritual leader and model of Christian ethics in the church, which consists of both Jews and Gentiles, if he discriminates against the Gentiles by making them, conform to Jewish traditions in order to be accepted. Paul is telling Peter, either you follow the Gospel you preach, or you are a hypocrite; how can you say you worship Christ when you do not copy His virtues and grow in His likeness?

I imagine when Paul walked over from where he and the Gentile Christians were eating and confronted Peter face to face, he didn't do it in lecture style with everyone looking on, but looked straight into Peter's eyes and spoke in measured tones, knowing that only those close-by would be able to hear what he was saying. According to Biblical scholars, Peter was about nine years older than Paul. It is also

39

known that Peter was not as educated or intellectually sharp as Paul. At the time of this encounter Peter may have been around 52 years of age. During his era that was already considered old. So what did it look like when a younger man, considered a rebel by many outside Jerusalem, got into the face of an older man who was a personal friend of Jesus, and told him off? Whatever it may have looked like, it didn't slow Paul down.

What act was it Paul wanted Peter to give an explanation for why he did what he did? The translation we have may be somewhat unclear, but basically Paul wanted to know why Peter, who seemed to be completely free from any bias or racial discrimination against Gentiles, now acts as though they are unsuitable to eat with because they had not undergone the religious rite of circumcision. In the eyes of a pious Jew, this made them unqualified to sit with at the same table.

It is not in the text here, but a study of Jewish Law shows that only certain foods could be consumed, and certain acts of hand washing and using certain utensils were required. But even more important, they were not to touch anything considered unclean as this would make the person themselves unclean and then they would need to undergo certain cleansing rituals to be consider clean again. And guess what, Gentiles were considered unclean!

So Paul concludes, after seeing Peter's actions, if the Gentiles want to eat with him or him with them they must first be circumcised, go through the washing rituals, and eat only kosher foods. But what about the fact that they were just as saved and redeemed as Peter? Were they not fellow citizens of God's kingdom and fellow members of God's Church? Peter may feel comfortable in following those rituals and laws when in the company of fellow Jews, but not when fellowshipping with the body of Christ.

I can hear Paul saying, “So Peter does this mean that you and your cohorts are the 'real' Christians here, and I and my Gentile brethren are not? You mean to tell me that even though you were born and raised a Jew but threw off Jewish customs as meaningless under Christ, you now turn around and forcefully impose those very same Jewish customs on these Gentile believers?” I can imagine Peter's hair standing up on the back of his neck as his red face turns pale making his black beard look even darker.

When I served in the military back in the 1950's, one of my best friends was an African-American from New York. We were sent for training from our base in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to a base in Fort Bliss, Texas. Along the way the bus stopped for lunch in Oklahoma. The diner in the bus station was small and we only had 30 minutes to eat, and since everyone got ahead of us because we were seated toward the rear of the vehicle, I suggested we walk up the street to get something to eat. We entered a nice looking cafe, sat down in a booth and picked up the menu. The waitress kept walking by, and since we were in a hurry I finally called her over. She looked scared to death when we began to order. Finally she said in a quivering voice to me, “I'm sorry, but I cannot serve him out here, pointing to my black friend; he would have to eat in the back.” I was livid! I told her we were both soldiers in the same army and if sent to war would fight together for her freedom. As she backed away with teary eyes, she apologized and said it wasn't her idea, it was the manager's.

My friend told me that he understood and he'd go to the back. But I told him either we both ate together out front or both ate together in the back. So we got up and walked back to the kitchen. Never in my life had I felt so embarrassed to be a member of the white race. After we finished and went up to pay I let the cashier know how disgusted I felt when white people act this way. I totally disapproved of someone being best friends with a black man on the military base but not when out in public. Today, we are still best friends.

Verses 15-16: Both you and I know we were born into believing Jewish families, not unbelieving Gentile families; we also know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the religious rituals and regulations given by Moses. That’s why we both put our faith in

40

Christ Jesus to make us right with God, not by obeying these religious rituals and regulations given by Moses. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying such religious requirements.

Alright, the confrontation is over, Paul said what was on his mind and apparently Peter didn't get upset enough to argue back. Besides, Paul wrote this letter almost 5 years after his showdown with Peter in Antioch and they both had learned a lot since then. Now it's time for Paul to take the readers of his letter into the inner chamber of his revelation from Christ Jesus. Whether or not the next few paragraphs were part of his face-to-face with Peter doesn't make them less powerful and important. Paul simply wanted Peter know he was being a hypocrite, and this monologue was mere icing on the cake.

To help us get a better look at an essential ingredient in Paul’s disgust with the Judaizers’ teaching, let’s examine the difference between misbelief, disbelief and unbelief. Misbelief is when a person accepts certain core beliefs, which with careful examination can be proven either false or unreliable. Therefore, their faith is in error. Most of the cults that exist in our world are guilty of this. Disbelief is when someone finds it hard to accept something that does not fit into their understanding of how things should be. Therefore, their faith is weak. I'm willing to believe that the disciples experienced this when they first saw Jesus walk on water and calm the storm. Unbelief is when someone makes no effort to change their mind and dismisses anything that differs from their accepted way of thinking. Therefore, they are devoid of faith. It appears that the Judaizers needed to be convinced that faith in Jesus was the only way, the only truth, and they only way to live, but their disbelief kept them from accepting the truth.We know from Paul's visit to Athens that he was aware of all the altars to the gods that dotted the countryside. So there's a good possibility, that while visiting in Corinth, he saw the altar in the grove of Poseidon of the hero Greek god Bellerophron. This young son of a king found himself in the same situation that Joseph encountered when Potiphar's wife tried to seduce him but Joseph resisted. In Bellerophron's case it was the wife of King Proteus where Bellerophron fled for safety. He too resisted Queen Antea's attempt at seduction. After passing many tests to prove his courage and loyalty, Bellerophron was given the hand of a princess and promoted to a high government position.

However, he became so intoxicated with pride and vanity over his accomplishments, that in order to gratify his curiosity he tried to mount into heaven on his winged horse Pegasus. As a result, Zeus sent a pesky gadfly to sting the regal Pegasus, who then began to buck and kick until he threw Bellerophron back down to earth. The battered warrior was so full of remorse that he had displeased Zeus, that he wandered in melancholy the rest of his life in earths most lonely and desolate places.

Paul did not want these Jewish Christians to suffer the same fate of being so enamored by their godliness and righteousness that they would try reaching heaven based on all their good deeds and test of religiosity. He did not want God to send any plague on them like the serpents in the wilderness, as He did to the children of Israel who disobeyed Him. Paul no doubt saw the danger of this attitude when he internalized his own experience of trying to make it to heaven based on his accomplishments and zeal as a Pharisee. However, after God knocked him to the ground, He was gracious to him and picked him up off the ground and sent him out as an Apostle of the Gospel.

At this point we get to see what really made Paul a champion of salvation by grace. Since he was speaking to the Jews in the congregations, as well as the Judaizers, he made no apology for his opposition to their wanting to improve on Christ's work on the cross. If we were to look for a similar situation today, it might go something like this: There are those who have been in the church most of their lives; they cut their teeth on the bench in front of them, so to speak. Then there are those who recently came into the church through evangelism or outreach. They know little of the history or traditions of a denomination that's been around for a long time. So instead of accepting these new

41

converts on the basis of their salvation, they are made to conform to the practical teachings, rituals and traditions that those who grew up in the church believe are part of being a Christian.

Paul is saying to these Judaizers, “Look, you and I and Peter and Barnabas were all born into Judaism, we did not come into it by way of conversion. So, even though we were Jews, it didn't mean we were saved, nor did observing the rituals and traditions of our Jewish faith mean we stayed saved. We too had to be born again, just like the Gentiles. That means that just as the Gentiles, who did not keep any Jewish Law or traditions, needed to accept Christ as their Savior in order to be saved, so we Jews, who did keep the Jewish Law and traditions, needed to accept Christ as our Savior in order to be saved. We are not better Christians just because we were born as Jews.”

We could add the same provision to believers today. There are some who were born into Christian homes and have known church all their lives, but they needed to accept Christ as their personal Savior in order to be saved. Therefore, they are no better a Christian than the person who grew up in a home where church was never part of their lives, but who came to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior as well.

For the casual reader there is a subliminal message in this text not easily perceived. The word Paul uses here for “faith” can also be translated as “faithfulness.” Paul points out to the Jews that their faithfulness in keeping all God's Law, cannot substitute for Jesus' faithfulness in fulfilling all God's Law. So in other words, either God may accept your efforts as fulfilling Mosaic Law, or He accepts the work of Christ as satisfying Mosaic Law. So what is it, your efforts or Christ's work? If you insist on God accepting your acts for piety, they you are claiming to be saved by your own efforts. If, however, you accept the work of Christ, they you are saved by faith in what Christ did for you.

What upset Paul so much, were these born again Jewish brethren saying to their born again Gentile brethren: look, if you want to stay saved and really be counted as a part of God's church then you need to wear this, pray like this, stop doing that, start doing this, don't play that game, and don't watch this. Does this sound familiar to any of you? If all of those things could qualify as keeping our salvation alive, then there would be no need for continued faith in Christ as Lord and Savior. Let's face it, says Paul, you cannot keep the whole Mosaic Law by just keeping one law, or nine out of ten, or even ninety nine out of a hundred. To be perfect you must keep them all. Now who can do that? Yet, Christ did that. He was perfect in everything. There was no fault found in Him.

No wonder why so many who were raised in the Church when they started to “stray from the church's ways,” not only felt like they were no longer a part of the faith they grew up in, but also that they were no longer saved and could call themselves Christians. On top of that, how many in Church knew that some of those who strutted their holiness in dress, prayer, Bible reading, church attendance, singing, shouting, speaking in tongues, dancing in the Spirit, were the same ones who criticized, gossiped, cheated, told little white lies, and would not associate with people of less stature in society.

In one Church I pastored, the piano player informed me that he was quitting and going to another Church. When I asked why, so I could inform the congregation, he stated that we didn't sing out of the camp meeting song book any more. All we sang were choruses. I told him that while I certainly believed he should go where he's more comfortable and feels fulfilled, that as Pastor my main aim in the song service wasn't so much what song we sang, but who we sang it to, for what reason we sang it, and what the song said. We weren't singing to the congregation; we weren't singing just to sound good. But any song that praised, glorified, magnified, thanked and worshiped God our King and Redeemer, Jesus our Lord and Savior, and the Holy Spirit our Comforter and Guide were the ones I desired.

There are some people who read the Bible every morning and say a prayer before going to bed each night, because they believe that's what's expected of a good Christian. However, they are at a lost to explain what reading their Bible and saying their prayers is intended to accomplish for their spiritual life. By the same token, how many believers do you know who are deeply into the Word and attend

42

each worship service and Bible Study, and listen intently to every speaker, but when it comes to applying what they read and hear and study to their everyday life they don't know where to start?

Assignment: Meditate on all that you've witnessed among fellow believers that convinced you of the following: (1) some people do what they do to be a good Christian and a good church member, but don't have a clue as to what it means to God and how it affects their salvation. Then (2) some people feel they are pleasing God and maintaining their salvation by what they do, but are clueless as to why this makes them a good Christian and a good church member.

Now examine yourself. Identify where in your Christian life you need to gain greater understanding of what you are doing to prove yourself a good Christian, and what it means to you and God. Then list those things you understand are spiritual virtues and practices, but are not sure how that affects your relationship with other believers, including your neighbor.

LESSON TWELVE - (Posted 01/22/12) ***

Do you really think I believe I'm better than everyone else? (Galatians 2:17-21)

Verses 17-18: Do you suppose that after we get right with God through faith in Christ we still end up sinners just because we didn’t perform every religious ritual and obey every regulation? Is it possible that following Christ makes sinners out of us? Absolutely not! Just the opposite, we only remain sinners if we keep using the old outdated system of religious rituals and regulations instead of following Christ.

I can imagine the Judaizers thinking, “Is Paul finished yet?” Oh no! Since Peter is known as “The Rock,” I’ve given Paul the nickname “The Hammer.” I remember at the University when I studied Symbolic Logic we were taught to watch our “p’s” and “q's,” since the “q” looks like the “p” written backwards. We used these symbols to identify parts of a statement that were either true or false. Depending on the number of p’s and q's you ended up with, determined whether or not the statement was true, flawed, or false.

At this point in Paul's letter, he gives the Judaizers and Galatians something to really think about that sounds a lot like an exercise in logic. Paul asks them, when you came to Christ, was it because you were a sinner? Yes! So as a sinner you needed to be saved? Yes! So when you are saved, you are saved as a sinner. Yes! However, if after Christ saves you and someone tells you that you are still a sinner because you don’t measure up to the standards of Mosaic Law, does that mean that Christ really didn’t save you? No! The only way you can still be a sinner is if you let yourself be judged by what Mosaic Law demands, instead of being judged by what Christ did for you.Maybe Paul’s questioning was inspired by one of Plato's dialogues entitled; “Euthydemus” in which a young boy is asked if when he and his classmates were in school learning grammar, did they consider themselves “students?” The young lad said, “of course.” Then Euthydemus continued by asking the young man, “As a student, do you admit that you did not know the things you were about to learn?”

43

“Of course,” he replied. “So then,” continued Euthydemus, “did that make you “educated”? “Of course not,” the student replied. “In other words,” said Euthydemus, you were not a ‘student’ who was already ‘educated’ but an ‘uninformed student’?” “For sure,” responded the lad. Euthydemus went on, “Let ask again, since you were learning something you did not know, you considered yourself an ‘uninformed student,’ right?” The youth nodded assent. “So we can conclude then,” mused Euthydemus, “it is the uninformed who learn, not those already educated?”

Are you shaking your head trying to understand this form of logic? Let's look at it again. These philosophers were taking advantage of a young student in order to show how complicated their arguments could be. If you are a student and submit yourself to be taught, that is certainly a wise decision, even though you may not be educated in the subject you are being taught. Therefore you cannot yet be considered educated until you have learned as a student. The Judaizers were like the boy in the story. Paul was telling them they needed to learn more about Jesus in order to be more submissive to the Gospel and the will of God through Christ. The Judaizers were telling Paul and the Galatians they were already educated because they had mastered Mosaic Law and had nothing more to learn.

Remember, Paul was talking to believers, and in today’s world people are often judged to have sinned because they did not meet their church’s demands order to maintain salvation. However, since we are in Christ such laws have no jurisdiction over our salvation. Being in Christ means it’s what He says that determines if we are following His will or not. Since Christ reigns in our hearts and lives in our spirits we seek to be obedient to Him first, not the religious rituals and regulations of the church. Therefore, if we become disobedient we are disobedient to Christ not the church, even if the church supports what Jesus taught. That's why, if we confess our sin to Him, not the church, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and cleanse us from all wrong doing.

This should help us understand that no church can save you; no denomination can guarantee your salvation. Church is where the redeemed gather in one mind and of one accord to follow the teachings of Christ. They support each other as they mature in the Word and in the Spirit. The stronger and more mature among them become pastors and teachers, apostles and evangelists. Those whom the Holy Spirit anoints with gifts are used to guide the believers and become a resource of the gifts of the Spirit in the body of Christ. Their goal is to proclaim the kingdom of God and His righteousness so that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.

Let's go through it again. Paul is answering a criticism by the Judaizers that if we forsake Mosaic Law to follow Jesus, then by following Jesus He leads us further into sin since obeying Mosaic Law is a requirement from God. Paul answers this way: if we say that we are going to accept forgiveness for our sins by faith in the atonement of Christ on the cross, which does away with Mosaic Law, then turn around and demand that believers observe the old religious rituals and regulations required under Mosaic Law aren’t we making Christ’s death on the cross meaningless? Yes! But at the same time, if we accept Christ’s atonement on the cross to be forgiven of our sins but then ignore His teachings and continue the life we were living, will that qualify us for heaven? No! We aren't saved in sin, we are saved from sin.

Henry David Thoreau in his work Walden said that if a man has faith in God he will apply that faith to everything he does. If, however, he has no faith in God he might continue living like he always has while imitating those with faith. We would call this a case of pretending; playing “make believe” you have something you don’t really have. The Judaizers seem to be asking the Galatians to pretend. In other words, obey all the religious rituals and regulations under Mosaic Law, but make believe that you are a Christian by professing faith in Christ, it can’t hurt anything.

It’s clear they had no respect for Paul or his message; they did not want to change what they were already accustomed to. They insisted that the only way to be forgiven and stand before God pure and

44

holy was by complying with the Law given to Moses. However, they refused to accept the fact that the Mosaic Law was written to prove the existence of sin. Didn’t they realize that through Christ God wanted to provide a way out of sin into His forgiveness.

Paul arrived in Galatia preaching that you don't have to follow the Law of Moses anymore because the work of Christ completely fulfilled and answered all of God's requirements, thereby becoming the new way to salvation. But the Judaizers respond by claiming that even though you believe in Christ, by not following Mosaic Law anymore you remain a sinner. They insinuated that Paul’s teaching of salvation through faith in Christ without Mosaic Law promoted sinful living. “Absolutely untrue!” declares Paul. The Hammer was trying everything he could to help these nincompoops to understand the truth.

For the sake of using an illustration more relevant to our day, let me share this with you: My younger brother Danny, who is now at rest in the arms of the Lord, and I use to get saved almost every time my father had an evangelist come to hold a revival in our church. At first we'd go down on the first or second night to get it over with so we could relax the rest of the time. But then we learned that if we waited until the end of the revival, especially on the last night, it provided a more dramatic finish.

What Danny and I didn't realize was that each time we went forward to the altar we were saying that whatever Jesus did for us the last time didn't work. We felt we were sinners again because between revivals we'd use to cuss by saying, “doggone it” and “dagnabbit” when we got upset; or swipe bubble gum from the grocery store; or get called to the front of the church because we were talking on the back pew. I remember one time I was disciplined because I kept handing this girl in front of me a hymn book. The first time I had it open to the song, “Just a Closer Walk with Thee;” and the next time I had it open to “I'll Meet You by the River.” You can imagine how I felt when she handed it back opened to the song, “No, Never Alone.”

We may have been taught but we didn’t understand that once you are made clean through the blood of Jesus and born again, those sins do not need to be forgiven a second or third time. Do Christians still have trouble with sin? Yes! But it is not the original sin which has already been forgiven and under the blood of Jesus. When the Holy Spirit convicts us of something that is not pleasing to God, we are promised that if we confess our sins, He is fair-minded enough to forgive us of our sins each and every time. Does that mean we go on a sinning-streak because we know He'll for give us? No! Who would want to do that to the one who saved us from certain damnation and gave us eternal life?

Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” But religionists come along and say, “Yes He's The Way, but we have improved The Way with center lines, street lights, stop signs, yield signs, traffic lights, drive only on the right side, and how to use the passing lane. But if you violate any of the restrictions we’ve put in place you'll be ticketed and taken back to start all over, or end up in prison if you can’t pay the fine.

Yes He’s The Truth! But let us explain The Truth more clearly. Yes He did save you but you have to do a lot more to keep yourself on the right way. There are toll booths you must pass through, special insurance only the church can issue, and you must have a driver's licenses issued by us, not just anybody.

Yes He is The Life! But we have to determine what is allowed in The Life. So by the time you get to the pearly gates, instead of telling St. Peter that you got there because Jesus prepared the way, you have to credit all these other things we required of you in order to get you in.

Verses 19-20: When it comes to these religious rituals and regulations, as far as I’m concerned they are obsolete. In fact, these religious rituals and regulations don’t apply to me anymore. In other words, I stopped trying to meet all their requirements in an attempt to live for God. To put it another way, when Christ died on the cross the old Saul died with Him. Therefore, the old Saul is no longer

45

alive; it’s the new Paul made alive in Christ who lives in me. Consequently, I now live in this earthly body by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Here we go! Paul is zeroing in on his main target and shows no sign of slowing down. Paul states emphatically that our salvation, through the faithfulness of Christ, supersedes anything man can do in achieving salvation by obeying religious rituals and regulations. As far as he’s concerned, Christ annulled those religious rituals and regulations; they no longer pertain to His followers; therefore it no longer applies to believers. Christ did not nullify Mosaic Law; He continued to recognize its value in being a guide to live right, but Christ invalidated it as being a means to obtain salvation.

Since the new birth is so much a part of salvation in Christ, it allows an illustration to help us understand Paul's somewhat complex thinking. From the moment of conception the fetus depends on the umbilical cord and the mother's intake of nutrition to stay alive. But the day comes when the baby leaves the womb in order to live in the outside world. So the child can then say, “By leaving the womb, I’m rejecting the womb as my permanent home in order for me to exist in the environment outside.”

Yes, the womb gave the baby an environment in which to be conceived and grow, but its destiny was not to remain there into adulthood. And what child would ever wish to go back to the womb and live in a bag of water again, especially after their first Christmas? That's not possible anymore. Now that the child breaths air, they would be unable to survive by returning to the womb. No wonder Nicodemus was somewhat taken aback when Jesus told him that in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven he needed to be born again, and he thought that meant he needed to return to the womb.

That's the point Paul was trying to get across to the Galatians. He said, when I gave up following those religious rituals and regulations they became invalid for me; therefore I cannot return to following those religious rituals and regulations, they are of no benefit to me. Remember, the baby did not leave the womb voluntarily; it was ejected from the womb. It was the womb itself that expelled the baby and therefore put an end to its relationship with the child.

That's what Paul tried to explain. These religious rituals and regulations were like the womb; but it was impossible to attain spiritual life until they left the womb through faith in Christ. Jesus made it possible to live outside the womb of Mosaic Law by providing the spiritual environment of salvation through grace. So by becoming one with Christ, man receives the kind of spiritual life that all these religious rituals and regulations combined could not provide. No wonder Jesus said He had come that we might not only have life, but have a full life.

Why did the Judaizers claim that Paul became a sinner by giving up these religious rituals and regulations? Fact is, he left because as long as he tried to gain salvation by obeying them he actually remained a sinner. How then could these Judaizers ever think that just because Jesus led us away from these religious rituals and regulations, He ended up at the head of a long line of sinners headed for hell? Fact is, had Jesus left us where He found us, we would all be sinners, still trying to get saved by being obeying religious rituals and regulations that could not save us.

But to make matters worse these Judaizers wanted to put everybody back into the womb where it would be impossible to live, because they thought everyone can only be kept spiritually alive by being tied to the umbilical cord of these religious rituals and regulations. Everyone knows what happens to the umbilical cord after the birth of the child. When the baby is born, most hospitals will immediately clamp and cut the cord. Other options include a “lotus birth” in which the cord is never cut, but the placenta is placed in a bag and carried with the baby until the cord dries up and falls off. Regardless, after several hours the cord begins to gel internally, cutting off the blood supply to and from the placenta, because the baby doesn’t need it anymore.

What the Judaizers were doing to the Galatian believers broke Paul's heart; how could they completely dishonored the work of Christ; what were they thinking in attempting to label all Jesus did on the cross

46

as a useless, invalid act of love? Did they really believe that the feeble works of their own hands and their futile attempt at trying to comply with all the religious rituals and regulations was so much better? No wonder it almost drove Paul to tears.

I can hear Paul yelling, “Don't you get it you misled Galatian believers? The outcome of staying with the old system is certain death; no matter how hard I tried to keep it, I fell short. But Christ said, let me pay the price and have you die with Me so I can bring you back to life as a new creation. Then you can live for Me and My Father without trying to fulfill all the religious rituals and regulations that don’t apply to you anymore. I'm not talking about the laws of right and wrong, good and bad, proper and improper, but those religious rituals and regulations that supposedly brought you salvation if you kept them without ever making a mistake. Those are gone!”

Verse 21: So don’t ask me to treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping all the religious rituals and regulations could make us right with God, there would have been no need for Christ to die.

The only way we can live by faith in Christ, says Paul, is when we are dead to the old system, just as the only way a baby can live and grow older is outside the womb. The grace of God cannot be considered just one of many options for getting saved. It is the only option, the only way, the only truth, the only life. If you insist on requiring observance of the old rituals, ceremonies, and customs practiced under Mosaic Law for it to work, then you are implying that Christ's death on the cross was not much more than a suicidal act of a misguided Zealot.

You would think that with such a compelling argument establishing the grace of God through Christ for our complete salvation, that churches who profess to be the shining light for the Gospel of salvation in the world would simply let that grace do its work. But hold on! Did your grandparents or parents or did you yourself ever see or hear of someone who fell at the altar and confessed their sins and received salvation by way of God's grace in Christ, being told later that if they want to come back and join that church and worship with the other believers then they must change the way they dress; take off the jewelry they are wearing; remove their make-up; and change their hair style? Did you ever try to persuade someone like that to come back but you were told you it was too hard; they didn't think they could measure up or are holy enough to make it, so why even try if they were only going to fail again?

When this happens that person equates keeping the church's laws and customs with keeping their salvation. So not only did they lose their membership in the church, but figured that they also lost their place in Christ. Every church should encourage their members to be examples of right living, telling the truth, being fair and honest, helping one another, lifting up Christ and living their lives in honor of Him. But why tell a believer that because they didn't measure up to man’s standard of external holiness, they lost all their inward holiness? Does this sound harsh and straightforward to you? Doesn't Paul really confront that type of mindset? Wonder how the Galatians and Judaizers were feeling now?

For most of us, it is so hard to shake off the addiction of getting applause and compliments by being good, doing what's right, and pleasing those in authority in order to be favored, treated special, and loved. Truth is, many of us were raised that way. From infancy we were told by our parents, “Mommy will love you if you drink your milk from a glass; daddy will love you if you sit there nice and quiet and let him watch TV; mommy will love you if you keep your room clean; daddy will love you if you get good grades in school.” The list is almost endless. Without being conscious of it, we were trained to “earn love.”

Marriages are often built on this same platform. And not least, some churches have also adopted this same scale for rewarding those who are faithful and hard working. That's why it's seems so hard to accept the love of God as a “gift.” Truth is, we can't earn it, merit it, beg for it, bargain for it, or receive it as an award. This seemed to be one of the sticking points among the Jewish believers. They worked

47

their whole lives to merit God's love; how could they now be convinced they didn’t need to keep earning it anymore.

God wants to free us from doing all we do—such as reading the Bible, praying, going to church, worshiping, serving in the church, and volunteering for church ministries just to make Him love us more and bless us more. He wants us to do it because we love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Whom the Son sets free is free in deed! Those who worship Him will worship Him in spirit and in truth! God loves us because of who we are in Christ, we don’t need to earn it.

Assignment: Ask yourself honestly, how much of your Christian life and activities are performed because you believe that God will love you more because you are being so good? Would you accept this instead: “Everything you do for God is intended to honor Him and glorify Him, not to please Him?” Paul said in Romans 8:2: “Since He did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won't He also give us everything else?”

III. PAUL CHALLENGES THOSE WHO WOULD DISAGREE (Galatians 3:1-4:31) ****

LESSON THIRTEEN - (Posted 01/29/12)

What happened? Did you suddenly go blind? (Galatians 3:1-5)

Verse 1: My dear brothers and sisters in Galatia, are you that naïve? Has someone messed with your thought process? I made the meaning of Jesus Christ's death as clear to you as if you had been there to see him dying on the cross.

Paul uses the Greek adjective anoetos to describe the Galatians dealings with the Judaizers. It actually means “without understanding” and refers to someone who didn't get the point. We would say today, “They didn’t have a clue!” I remember attending a health seminar in Miami, Florida and the teacher had us all stand, and then she turned to her right and said to us, “Turn to your right” and we all did. Then she turned to her left and said, “Turn to you left” and we all complied. Then she faced us and said, “Raise your right hand,” as she raised her left hand. Well, some in the class followed her voice command, “right hand” and did so. But some saw she was raising her left hand and did as she did, ignoring her words “right hand.” We laughed, but we all got the point. Paul was saying to the Galatians, “You were listening to them, you weren’t watching them!”

Then Paul uses another fascinating word to describe what happened to the Galatians. The word translated “bewitched” in the KJV and NIV can be used several ways. It can be employed to define how one's mind is changed by defaming another person’s reputation, even someone you once admired and respected. It can also be used to gain favor with someone by flattery and false praise. Then, it can be utilized to charm or spellbind someone into doing or believing something they normally would not do or believe. It appears that the Judaizers did all three to the Galatians in fooling them to accepting their point of view instead of Paul’s.

48

Apparently Paul shared with the Galatians what must have been a very graphic illustration of how Christ died on the cross for their sins. It almost makes you wonder if Paul had in fact been in the crowd to watch Jesus die in order to make the crucifixion so detailed. Not only was Jesus Christ the center of Paul's revelation on the road to Damascus, but Christ and the cross became the main theme of all Paul's sermons. Since Paul never minced words, it appears he spoke of Christ's suffering and death with His beatings, hanging, bleeding, crying out, and dying on a cross made of splinter filled logs, which left little to the imagination.

I remember when the “Passion of the Christ” movie first came out. Christian pastors were cautioning people not to go because it was too violent; Jewish Rabbis were panning it because it made the Jewish leaders back in those days seem like callous brutes. Even Italians were protesting because it made the Romans appear to be heartless barbarians. As I watched the movie, when the scene came showing Jesus being beaten before Pontius Pilate, I realized that the director may have taken some liberties in order to portray the lashing as graphically as he could. Nonetheless, I had tears in my eyes when I grasped that a real man, not an actor, actually took such a beating for me, and hung on the cross for me, and died for me. If Paul were alive today, that might be one of his favorite movies. As crude and as insensitive as it may sound, Jesus was not simply slapped on the wrist to pay for our sins, he was brutally, viciously, savagely, beaten and tortured to pay the price needed for saving our souls.

After Paul left, it appears the Galatians no longer heard his kind of teaching. I remember getting a letter from a former General Overseer of the Church of God asking me if he could have one of my sermons on “The Cross.” He said that he had received word from several people that it was one of the most powerful sermons they had ever heard on Calvary. That was no compliment to me, but praise to the impact and effect the story of the cross of Jesus has on people who hear it preached without sugar coating and padded phrases.

As Paul himself stated on occasions, he was familiar with the classical writings of the Greek philosophers. Whether or not he took the time to read the Dialogues of Plato we don't know, but living in a society influenced by these works, we can rightly assume he was aware of their message.

In Plato's “Euthyphro,” there is a dialogue between Euthyphro and Socrates in which they are discussing the good old days when people were honored for their righteous living, and were thereby loved and favored by the gods. Socrates reminds Euthyphro: Remember when we talked about how people who are holy or dedicated are the ones loved by the gods, or have you forgotten? Oh no, replied Euthyphro, I still remember. And do you agree, Socrates continues, that the gods love and hold dear that which is holy? That’s true, said Euthyphro. Even to the Greeks, people who dedicated themselves to that which was holy were seen as desired role models and inspired great admiration.

Paul struggled with the fact that the Galatians had forgotten so quickly the very thing that made them new creatures in Christ; it was not their piety or efforts that filled their hearts with joy but their love and faith in Christ? Given the same phenomenon in today's churches, when comparing them to congregations as far back as 100 years ago, what do we see that has been lost over time? Certainly we don't recommend going back to wearing the same clothes, singing the same songs, following the same formats for worship services, enforcing the same strict codes of outward holiness to please church authorities instead of God, or holding the same biases and expressing the same animosity toward other denominations; but what about the fire, the revivals, the mighty move of the Holy Spirit turning villages, towns and even cities upside-down? Where did that go?

Was it the same thing that made Paul's heart ache? Is it the same that makes those who remember the church they belong to and the church they heard about from their parents cringe with pain as they sit through today's services? If anything, it may be that the saints of days gone by were seen as totally, entirely, completely, and wholeheartedly sold out to God. The Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and the Word of God were number one priorities in their lives. Everything else took second place. Each time they

49

attended church it was with the expectation that something miraculous was going to happen. They were laughed at and ridiculed as Holy Rollers, but held their heads high. Not out of pride, but with courage and virtue; to honor God Who reigned supreme in their hearts and minds, regardless of the consequences. To use a current phrase, they “Tebowed” without shame in the face of intimidation. Their first words were also, “I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Verses 2-3: So let me ask you this one question: Was it by obeying the religious rituals and regulations given by Moses that brought God’s Spirit into your life, or by hearing the gospel preached? How irrational have you become; after being saved through the Spirit’s help you are now trying to stay saved by way of your own effort?

Paul now asks a real question, not a rhetorical question as he did in verse one. He wanted them to explain what happened and how it happened. He gives an “either/or” proposition: Either you were saved through the power of Christ and then pursued religious rituals and regulations to perfect what He did; or, your religious rituals and regulations saved you and then you decided to add the work of Christ just to make sure. Paul has a purpose behind this inquiry, and he will reveal it very soon. He knew that through the preaching of the Gospel they were delivered from the slavery of sin and the bondage of those religious rituals and regulations. So it's important for them to confess what brought the Spirit of freedom into their lives. Was it their continued obedience to religious rituals and regulations, or was it their faith in the Gospel Paul taught them?

We all should ask ourselves, which was it for me? Did I get saved after hearing a message on Christ's love, suffering, crucifixion, death, resurrection and salvation; then confessing my sins and receiving Him as my Lord and Savior; or did I get saved through christening in infant baptism, going through catechism, confirmation, and following all the practical teachings of my church? Whichever way you answer will indicate which one you will depend on to assure your salvation?

Verses 4-5: And let me ask you something else, has everything you’ve suffered because of the gospel up until now been meaningless? Have you gone through all this for nothing? Are you going to throw it away as worthless? Let me ask another question, does God work miracles in your midst through the power of the Holy Spirit because you keep all the religious rituals and regulations, or, by believing the message you heard from me?

Paul sheds some light on another side of the Galatians' experience. Apparently, when he arrived there as a teacher of the Gospel bringing many Jewish and Gentiles into the fold, those who responded were harassed both by their own cultures and opposing cultures. If you read the 14th Chapter in the Book of Acts you get a glimpse of what occurred. Not only did Paul and his fellow ministers face persecution, but also those who joined them. Now Paul wants to know if they realize what they are doing. They were not mistreated before while following the Jewish Law; they were not made fun of because of the way they washed their hands. Instead, they suffered because of their faith in Jesus Christ as the Messiah, their Lord and Savior.

So, are they now giving up all they gained through their suffering, because they’ve been convinced it has no benefit? How ridiculous is that! Were all the gifts given to them by the Spirit and all their victories over sin and evil of no value? So rather than letting these things promote their growth in the Spirit and solidify their faith in Christ, are they now opting to replace these things God did for them, for something they themselves will try to do? Paul says, give me a break!

Just in case the Galatians and the Judaizers were still unable to focus, Paul throws them another question that proved too hot to handle. While perhaps shaking his head, Paul says, “Listen, does God the Father work miracles in your midst by healing the sick, opening the eyes of the blind; making the lame to walk; and saving many from their wretched lives in sin all because you Jews are still abiding by your laws and rituals, or you Gentiles still worshiping your Greek and Roman gods?” “Tell me,” says Paul, “If God use to do it for those reasons, then why, after you heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ,

50

did you fall on your knees in repentance and give your heart to God; be filled with the Spirit and started living for Him and sharing His Word? Think about it!”

When I taught Church History at the European Seminary in Switzerland, the students often expressed amazement at all the miracles and signs and wonders that accompanied revivals that gave birth to many movements and denominations down through the centuries. But their amazement turned to astonishment as they saw how the maneuvering and political ideas of men often turned these movements inwardly, becoming dead and fruitless vines in God's vineyard.

I was in Birmingham, England a number of years ago, and as the pastor drove me in from the airport we passed a stately church with a tall spire, but over the front doors hung a sign that identified it as an auto repair garage. I was shocked! The country that produced John Wesley, Charles Spurgeon, Matthew Henry, Adam Clark and other great men of faith, now had their church building being turned into auto repair centers! The pastor shook his head and said that wasn't all. There were many that had become movie theaters, dance halls and grocery stores. When I asked what happened, he told me that these churches that once had sinners kneeling at the altar for salvation after hearing a message anointed by the Holy Spirit, began to evolve into shrines dedicated to rituals, ceremonies, observances, special functions and ornate rites. Gone were the stirring messages and the powerful presence of the Spirit.

In England they call them “Redundant Churches.” That means, in a country of over 58 million people there are not enough members to keep them going. One former Anglican Church in Wythall now houses the offices of an electric company. Most frightening, are the number of churches that have become Islamic Mosques. From a high of 14,000 Methodist chapels in England, there are now less than 6,000. Let's hope and pray it doesn't happen in our country.

Paul was dealing with the same kind of emotions. He and Barnabas, along with other ministers, traveled throughout Galatia bringing revival to the people there. And God honored their labor with miracles and powerful works to wake up that part of the world to the reality of the Gospel and saving work of Jesus Christ. But now it looked like they were turning inward and concentrating on following the rituals and practical teachings of the past.

There are even Christian churches today that have taken to celebrating the Jewish Feasts because they think it will please God and make their Christianity more authentic. When I taught on Jewish Feasts in seminary, I was able to show my students how Jesus fulfilled the intent and purpose of all the feasts. So when we celebrate Jesus, we celebrate the real Passover Lamb; the real Yeast Free Bread; the real First Fruit of the resurrection; the real Day of Pentecost; and await the real sound of the Trumpets; the real Day of Atonement; and the real return of the Tabernacle.

Assignment: Depending on how long you've been a born again Christian; take an inventory of your walk with Christ. If you are still attending the same church you grew up in and through which you became a believer, have there been many changes over the years? If so, have they been good or bad? Have they increased the power and influence of your church in the community or lessened it? Have they helped make you a stronger Christian or left you dependent on your own strength?

If you came out of a another church into the one you now attend, what's better about the one you are in now as compared to the one you left behind? Is whatever attracted you to go to your new church still alive and well? Are you as inspired to stay as you were to join? Have you grown as a believer and are you still growing in Christ and in His Word?

51

LESSON FOURTEEN - (Posted 02/04/12) ****

Even Abraham got it right! (Galatians 3:6-9)

Verses 6-7: That’s how it worked for Abraham. The scriptures say, “He believed God, and because of his faith God credited him with doing things right. So then, the real children of Abraham are those who put their faith in God.

No doubt the Judaizers and misled Galatian believers were hoping Paul would run out of subjects. But just when they thought he was through, here he comes with the most revered and honored ancestor in Jewish history, Abraham. He was every Jews' ancestral father. How dare Paul bring this Patriarch into the discussion? If anything, Abraham represented what Judaism became, God's chosen people to whom He gave Mosaic Law. They were sure that Abraham was on their side and would bless them for being so devoted to the religious rituals and regulations given to them by the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

However, Paul reminds them that Abraham did not have the Law later given to Moses; not even the Ten Commandments; nor was circumcision required before God did credit him with righteousness. Saul of Tarsus--who was to become known to the world a Paul, the leading ideologist of early Christianity--made considerable use of the model of Abraham to support his own belief that the observance of laws is not conducive to spiritual salvation.

One modern Jewish writer questions Paul’s argument that Abraham did live before the Torah was given? If he did, then he could not have observed its laws. Even so, God still deemed him righteous. In what the Jewish writer calls typical, “midrashic” (the way Jewish scholars comment on Hebrew Scriptures) exposition, Paul notes that the verse in question took place before the account of Abraham's circumcision. The writer believes that Paul did so in order to emphasize that circumcision (which for Paul represents the totality of ritual observance) is not a requirement for righteousness or salvation, which are earned through belief and trust in God. The writer goes on to say, that in view of such claims made by early Church Fathers about Abraham, it is perfectly understandable that the rabbis would feel it essential to assert that Abraham was truly a Jewish figure who found a way to observe the precepts of the Torah even before they were made mandatory by the revelation at Mount Sinai.

52

There's no record of Abraham being a devotee of certain rituals and customs meant to please God, except animal sacrifice (See Gen. 15:9ff). So what made Abraham follow the voice of God and do what God asked him to do? Paul hammers home the deciding factor, it was faith. Abraham acted by faith; faith in who God was and faithful to what God said.

We know from Acts 8:1 that Paul witnessed the martyrdom of Stephen by stoning, therefore it must also be accepted that he heard Stephen’s final message to his persecutors as found in Acts 7:51-53. “You stubborn people who have shut tight your hearts and ears just like your forefathers. You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And even though you received Mosaic Law through the compassion of angels, you have disobeyed it by betraying and murdering Him.”

Can the possibility be that this stirring message from Stephen was on Paul’s mind as he struggled with the Judaizers to recognize that they were just as stubborn as those who stoned Stephen, and had their ears and hearts boarded shut against who Jesus really was, the Righteous One; the One who came to pay the price for sin, thereby satisfying God the Father who in turn approved the payment for everyone?

In describing Abraham's act of faith, Paul quotes Genesis 15:6. He points out that God credited Abraham’s faith and obedience to him as “righteousness.” The word in the Greek for which we have our English “credited,” refers to something real; not just hoped for or a supposition. It's more than God just saying, “You know what Abraham, because you’re such nice guy, let me think about it. I’m going to lay down some laws in about 430 years on how to do things right and see if you qualify under those.” No! No! Abraham did do it right, and got it right, for all the right reasons; therefore God said, “Abraham, everything you did is right with Me, you have My guaranteed approval.”

Righteousness is also a word often used by ministers and teachers of the Bible, but few people in the pew know its full meaning. Some think that a righteous person is someone who's perfect in their Christian walk, and that gives them the right to judge others. Some even equate righteousness as being on a higher level in one's relationship with God because they always outdo everyone else in pleasing God and getting His applause. In its broadest sense, righteousness means knowing the difference between right and wrong and always choosing what is right in order for God to be pleased with you.

In the O.T., the Hebrew word had a lot to do with what we call ethics. You can see this illustrated in Isaiah 33:15. In other words, living and acting and treating others like God would do. Today we might label this as being fair and balanced in our perceptions and decisions as it relates to other people so that justice is done. As an example: the just way in which a judge either acquits or punishes; also the manner in which people are justly denied or rewarded.

In the N.T., the Greek word expresses some of the same qualities: integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking feeling, and acting, especially when passing judgment on others. The German word for this: Gerechtigkeit. In German the emphasis is on being “just and fair.” Simply put, it means “Doing the right thing for the right reasons.” So in other words, it's the believer’s intent and purpose; not how he does it so much as why he does it that receives God's approval.

Being what God wants us to be reflects our attitude and actions that satisfy Him. A quick look at what God expects of His children tells us that He desires all of us to be truthful, live by the highest moral standards, always doing the right thing, not being biased or discriminatory in our feelings and actions toward others. We are to be just and fair in our thinking, respect others for who they are, not what they are. We can clearly see that faith by itself is not righteousness, nor does righteousness bring salvation; but acting on one's faith brought by salvation in obedience to God's Word, is righteousness. If you attempt to do those things out of obligation or a feeling of duty in order to obtain God's favor, it will be a waste of your time and God’s time.

53

So it is obvious that we are not righteous simply because we were born again or even filled with the Spirit. But when we become obedient to God’s Word and His instructions, then we are acting in faith to produce righteousness. In other words, doing what God tells us to do so we are in His will, fulfilling His purpose for our lives in a way that's in line with His Word—that's living righteously.

So we see that Paul connects two things: faith and righteousness. Paul repeats this concept in his letter to the Roman believers (cf. Rom. 4:18-25). Paul reminds the Galatians, I came to you teaching and preaching about the righteousness of Jesus Christ, doing what His Father asked Him to do in order to completely fulfill the requirements for salvation. Therefore, if Abraham was considered righteous in that same way; and if you claim to be Abraham's children then you must follow his example. Accept God's Word by faith and become obedient to that Word.

And I'm telling you, that the Word of God I brought to you is this: God sent His Son into the world so that through His obedience and doing His Father's will, anyone who believes in Him and becomes His disciple will also be counted as righteous and pleasing to God. So why in the world are you throwing this away and trying to please God some other way? “Many of you,” says Paul, “claim to be descendants of Abraham, but I'm telling you that's only in the flesh. If, however, you want to be the spiritual descendants of Abraham then accept Jesus Christ as the basis for your faith.”

My, oh my, how that differs from the accepted idea of so many on what it means to be righteous! To the Galatians and Judaizers it meant being circumcised, wearing certain clothes, eating certain foods, following particular rituals, ceremonies and customs in order to become one of God's pet believers. The genes of those Judaizers must be quite robust because they're still producing followers to this day.

God help us if we attempt to help believers grow on the basis of how many verses of Scripture they read each week, whether they pray standing up or sitting down; pray in unison or are led in prayer; whether they participate in foot washing, or how they conduct themselves in church rather than how they act on the outside in order to win points with God. Do God's commandments and laws promote righteous living? Yes! Should they be followed? Yes, but not when we use them just to impress others; without knowing what God really said and His reasons for asking us to do them.

Verses 8-9: Not only that, but the Scriptures prophesied that God would accept the Gentiles as being right with Him because of their faith in Christ. God shared this with Abraham a long time ago when He said, “Because of you, I will include every nation in my blessing.” That’s the way it is, everyone who puts their faith in Christ will share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith in God.

Now Paul really gets brave in his illustration with Abraham. He takes a passage from Genesis where God spoke to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3 (cf. Gen 18:17-19)) about this. So, states Paul, God said “all” families. That means Gentiles as well as Jews. Therefore, says Paul, Gentiles do not need to become Jews first in order to receive this blessing of salvation. Paul repeats this same truth to the believers in Rome (Rom. 4:16). Again he emphasizes that the most important virtue God saw in Abraham in order to make the promise of blessing everyone who came to believe in Him, was Abraham's faithful obedience to what God deemed to be right.

Hello, you Galatians! Don't you see what an error you are making listening to these Judaizers? Abraham was a forerunner in faithfulness, setting a pattern the Messiah would follow. God gave Abraham this promise before he was even circumcised; before he was willing to offer up his son Isaac in obedience to God's request. Mosaic Law was only given as a teaching tool until the Son of God, Abraham's Seed, could come and fulfill God's perfect plan of salvation. So, anyone who has the faith, not beliefs or personal efforts, to believe in what God said and what God wanted done can join Abraham as a person of faith in faithfulness.

54

I wonder what the Galatian believers were thinking by the time they reached this part of Paul's letter. Here was a highly educated Jew, a fanatical Pharisee, who once persecuted Christians in scorching campaigns, now coming to them as a committed convert, preaching the very Gospel he once despised with such conviction that they became believers in the Christ he preached. If anybody knew how to obtain a good standing with God through their own efforts it was Paul. He observed every ritual, every custom, and every tradition. But it was all wiped away when he met Jesus. Jesus told him, I did all that work for you, just accept my work in place of yours and my Father in heaven will be pleased with you. By accepting Me, My Father accepts you. And to show your love and appreciation for My Father's grace and mercy, do what He asks you to do. Be faithful in your commitment to carrying out His will for your life by following My teachings and My example.

Assignment: Take a piece of paper and list all the things you do that a good Christian should do. Include everything from church attendance, to Bible reading, to prayer, to tithing and giving; to not using profanity, going to or watching movies that contain material a Christian should not tolerate, to helping people in need, to being kind, to the way you dress, to activities you are involved in, to turning the other cheek, to going the extra mile, etc., etc.

Here's your righteousness test:

(1) Put an X next to each item you feel, as a Christian, you should do; because it's your duty; it's what Christians ought to do and be, in order to prove themselves dedicated and committed believers; a role model for other Christians to follow.

(2) Put a Y next to each item you do because they’re an ingrained part of your spiritual oneness with Christ; things you do spontaneously as the occasion arises; it's an option your spiritual oneness with Christ automatically employs, not a duty; not to please God or impress Him, but because His love inside you sparks these kinds of actions.

Don't think of X or Y as one being bad and the other good; one being right and the other being wrong. It's simply an inventory of your Christian life and behavior so you can see what motivates you. Paul was telling the Galatians, they had an opportunity to go from doing things for God out of obligation in an attempt to improve on their standing with Him, to doing things because it's part of their born-again nature to be faithful in following God’s will. It's something you do without having to think about it; a spontaneous expression of love and joy and peace and kindness. You may be surprised how many believers live most of their Christian lives inside the church walls, not outside. One thing to you need to be cautious about, is when the X’s outnumber the Y’s by a great margin.

55

LESSON FIFTEEN - (Posted 02/11/12) ****

Are you going to live for Christ by faith or by force? (Galatians 3:10-14)

Verses 10-11: However, those who continue trying to make things right with God by depending on the religious rituals and regulations that Moses gave them, won’t even matter. The Scriptures make this very clear: “Everyone who does not observe and obey every single one of the commands that are written in God's Book of the Law, are bound for extinction.” So it is clear that no one can succeed in being made right with God by trying to keep all the religious rituals and regulations. For the Scriptures also say, “The only way a person can spiritually come alive is to get right with God through faith.”

I must believe that the Jewish members of the Galatian churches understood Paul's way of thinking better than we do today. You would need to be immersed in their ancient customs and ways, to pick up on the nuances of Paul's words. What in the world did he mean by telling them they could rendered powerless by faithfully observing the Law given by God to Moses? Most translations use the English word “curse or cursed,” which is hard to define. Some think it may mean to put a hex on, or place under a spell. But the Hebrew gives more emphasis on rendering someone powerless, even annihilation—made extinct. In other words, treat them as though they don’t even matter or exist.

A contextual examination of the source for Paul's quote takes us to Deuteronomy 27. Beginning in verse 14, the Levites were to declare to all people that their lives would be made worse and not have God's approval if they made molten images; removed their neighbors’ landmarks; let the blind wander around without help, etc. At the end in verse 26 we have this final statement: “Anyone who does not agree to and obey all the terms of these instructions will not matter at all. And all the people will reply, 'Amen’.’'

The Gentiles may not have caught the subtlety in Paul’s words, but the educated Jews certainly did. Paul was not referring to those specific laws written there in Deuteronomy 27, but to the enforcement of any law, especially those given by God. Here's the little secret behind what Paul calls “being bound

56

for extinction:” Anyone who decides to achieve a righteous standing with God by obeying religious rituals and regulations must obey each and every one of them to perfection. You can't keep 9 out of 10, or 99 out of a 100 and pass the test. You are obligated to obey and successfully comply with them all in order to gain your goal.

It would be like telling a Christian today: if you want to make it to heaven based on obeying God’s Word, then you must read the whole Bible, all 31,103 numbered verses; you must obey to perfection every rule or command you find in those 31,103 verses, otherwise you can never fulfill the Bible’s demands. And since you are trying to gain everlasting life that way, just failing to correctly perform one ritual or obey one regulation—yes, just one, will send you straight to hell.

Now Paul knew, and the Galatians were aware, and the Judaizers agreed, that Abraham was not perfect. He conceived a son with Hagar when God told him to have one with Sarah; he lied about his wife being his sister in Egypt. So if Abraham could not make it that way, how can they imagine they will? Who do they think they are? Besides that, if God knew man was capable of obeying every dot and title of Mosaic Law, then why did He authorize offerings and sacrifices to obtain forgiveness for failing to do so? How many sacrifices were performed in the Old Testament? Whatever the number, it coincided with an equal number of sins and failures. Come on, you guys, says Paul, don't you get it yet!

Now with this being true for the Jewish believers, how much more for the Gentile converts? Good grief, when Paul told the Gentiles all they needed to do was accept Jesus Christ as the perfect sacrifice for sin under the new covenant, and to obey His Gospel by being faithful in their calling, what in the world did they think when the Jewish members came to them and said, “I'm sorry, but in order for you to really be a first class citizen of heaven, you must join us in keeping all the laws of the old covenant.” No wonder Paul's head was spinning around in unbelief because of what was going on up in Galatia.

I remember when I first went to the Philippines, I discovered that most of the converts came from the predominate Roman Catholic Church. Their new freedom in worship and expression was so exciting it gave birth to a revival that continues to this day. But in speaking to several of them, they told me that even after being born again they continued to attend mass, say the rosary, go to confession, and do penance, because it was so ingrained in them from birth. They were afraid to trust their salvation to a personal relationship with Christ, when all along it had been guaranteed by the Church if they followed the rules and partook of the sacraments to receive grace. The Jewish converts in Paul's day seemed to have suffered from the same misgivings, and found it hard to let go of something they thought secured their salvation out of obedience to Mosaic Law, for something that offered salvation out of faith in the work of Christ.

So how do we make this applicable to us? Here’s a simple concept that I believe makes Paul’s message to the Galatians relevant for real Christian living today. There are two basic processes of grace when one becomes a born again Christian and a child of God. Firstly, there is salvation by faith in the work of Christ. Think of grace as a coin, with the icon of salvation one side; let’s imagine it to be a cross. Secondly, there is our sanctification in being set apart to live for God and do His will in our lives. So sanctification is the icon on the other side of the coin; let’s imagine it to be a vial of oil. So just like a single coin, grace has two sides, and each side represents a work of grace, which tells us its value.

We can also look at it another way. Imagine that over the one gate that leads to salvation are the words “Come unto me.” The Holy Spirit guides us to that gate but we must make the decision to go through. However, once we pass through and turn around, we see words over the gate on the other side that reads, “You have not chosen me, I have chosen you.” There’s only one salvation gate, but our lives receive a double transformation by passing through. We go from being what we once were—a child of the devil, to what we are now—a child of God. As we grow in grace, the light of our salvation grows brighter as we mature in sanctification, becoming what we want to be, a faithful child of God.

57

Too often, once a believer passes through salvation’s gate and gets on the sanctification side, they tend to start depending on their own efforts to qualify them for God’s service. They want to be holy and do everything they are taught to maintain their holiness. But the object is not self-sanctification, rather, to seek and learn and do the will of Him who called you out of darkness into the marvelous light of sanctification.

If you go to church faithfully, read your Bible regularly, participate in ministry with dedication, and pray with consistency, you should not expect to get applause. That’s the normal life of a new creature in Christ. You are not doing it to get recognized or rewarded; you are doing it out of the natural impulse of the new spirit within you. It doesn’t add to the value of Christ’s work that led to your being born again. At the end of our Christian journey we will lay down our cross and accept a crown for being faithful. Not being greater than anyone else; nor more spectacular than others; but faithful in our calling. You certainly are permitted to accept an award from your church for perfect Sunday School attendance, but refuse any offer to be named, “Christian of the Year.”

Paul adds one more solid point to his argument by quoting the Prophet Habakkuk who said, “Look at the proud! They trust in themselves and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God” (Hab. 2:4). Even in Habakkuk's day people were trying to make it on their own by keeping all the moral laws and ceremonial laws, but were failing badly. I can imagine, as Paul penned these words he may have muttered to himself, “Lord help them understand, because if You don't, nothing I can say will open their eyes.”

Verse 12: You see, living by faith is so different than living under Mosaic Law, which says, “If you want to find eternal life through Mosaic Law, you must obey every one of its religious rituals and regulations.”

Again Paul shows his expertise in Jewish Law by quoting Leviticus 18:5. This was part of a prelude to the Law God gave Moses to give to His people. Paul says it was very clearly, very simple, and very emphatic. If you follow Mosaic Law it does not take faith, it takes effort. Furthermore, the only way you can succeed is by making your salvation dependent on keeping every one of those laws. Mosaic Law does not allow for nor encourage faith.

It’s a good thing Paul did not use the logic of the nine philosophers in Plato’s “Parmenides,” to define perfection as required by Mosaic Law. Here we have Parmenides talking to Zeno: “Then the one which is not, if it is to maintain itself, must have the being of not-being as the bond of not-being, just as being must have as a bond the not-being of not-being in order to perfect its own being; for the truest assertion of the being of being and of the not-being of not-being is when being partakes of the being of being, and not of the being of not-being—that is, the perfection of being; and when not-being does not partake of the not-being of not-being but of the being of not-being—that is the perfection of not-being.” Did you get that? Now you know why I had so much fun reading The Dialogues of Plato!

If you've ever seen a tight rope act you know that when the person starts walking on the rope, merely hoping they'll get to the other side won't count as success. Saying, “I believe I can make it,” won't matter to the onlookers. And once you're out on the rope, if you slip and fall, it's all over. You don't pick yourself up off the concrete 10 stories below, or off the rocks on Niagara Falls and say, “Oh well, I tried.” Either you make it by staying on the rope the whole way or you don't. It's that simple. The same is true when trying to reach heaven by the tightrope of Mosaic Law.

God did not unintentionally mislead His people in laying down the principles by which a person could find life by keeping Mosaic Law. “If you want My approval,” says the LORD, “then you must abide by and fulfill the whole Mosaic Law.” If you want to take a chance and live by Mosaic Law, you must master it; not try to do it, not intend to do it, and not even want to do it. Only the person who succeeds in keeping them all will stay alive by virtue of perfection. No wonder Paul was tempted to bang his head against a wall when he learned that because of the Judaizers the Galatian Christians were

58

throwing away their faith in Christ's work and replacing it with the stringent requirements of man's own efforts to obtain the same thing, eternal life; something totally unnecessary and impossible. You talk about backsliding, that's more like belly-flopping in an empty swimming pool.

Paul may have had tears in his eyes knowing that if the Galatians tied themselves to Mosaic Law there was no forgiveness for failure at the end, it required perfect obedience. The church you go to may have come a long way since the early days of the evangelical and Pentecostal movements. But those old enough can remember when church laws took precedent over God's grace. Even the slightest error could result in public humiliation. It was almost as though a believer was on probation their whole life. One mistake and back to sin's jail you go, lost and undone, away from God and hope, a miserable sinner who was given no choice but to start all over again. It pains me deeply, but I wonder sometimes if members of my own family were cast in that light and never enjoyed the spiritual freedom they might have savored if only they would have been judged by their faith, not their obedience to church law.

Verses 13-14: That’s why Christ rescued us from certain extinction by following religious rituals and regulations. When they hung Him on the cross, He willingly accepted the condemnation meant for us because of our wrongdoing. For the Scriptures clearly state, “Everyone who is hung on a tree is doomed.” Therefore, God is able to bless the Gentiles with the same blessing He promised to Abraham because of the work of Jesus Christ, allowing us to come alive in the Spirit through faith.

Now Paul pulls out his theological artillery. If the Judaizers and wayward Galatians entertained any idea that they should get some credit for their attempt to increase the value of their salvation by adding their own efforts to Christ's faithfulness, they proved sorely and embarrassingly wrong. How can you add worth to something for which the highest price was paid? Paul states emphatically, Christ redeemed us, meaning: “Paid the ransom, or paid the price of recovery” so we were no longer held hostage under the curse of Mosaic Law. Did He do it with money? Did He do it with good deeds? Did He do it by bargaining with God? No! He traded places with us; then suffered the consequences of the death sentence meant for us. He paid with His life. There is no higher price.

In making his point Paul again quotes from Scripture citing Deuteronomy 21:22-23: "If someone has committed a crime worthy of death and is executed and hung on a tree, the body must not remain hanging from the tree overnight. You must bury the body that same day, for anyone who is hung is under condemnation from God.” I can hear the Apostle Paul saying under his breath as he writes, “Don't you realize that God already planned the death of His Son on the cross when He inspired Moses to write these words?” Did not Jesus' body come down off the cross before the day was over and buried? What crimes did Jesus commit? None! They all belonged to you and me! How in the world do you expect to add anything to make that better? Good LORD, if you Galatians don't get it now, you never will. What Jesus did for us is priceless!

I'm sure the Jews picked up on the hidden truth existing in Paul's use of the word “redeemed.” This word owes its origin to the practices of ancient warfare. After a battle the victors took captives from the defeated foe. From among the defeated, they sold the poorer ones to their own people as slaves, but those privileged members of society who were captured; those who mattered most to their home country, they held for ransom. After people in their homeland raised the required price, they paid it to the victors and freed the captives. They called the process “redemption” and called the price “ransom.”

But just in case the misled Gentiles didn't get it, Paul points out that God included them in His redemption, so the blessing of Abraham extended to Gentiles as well. So both the poor (Gentiles) and privileged (Jews) received identical treatment. That's why in Paul's later letter to the believers in Colossae he said: “In this new life, it doesn't matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters and He lives in all of us” (Col. 3:11.)

59

But that's not all, you hardheaded Galatians, while there exists no way to improve on nor add value to Christ's ransom for our redemption—something no other heavenly or earthly being was qualified to pay, it opened the door for an added promise. Paul describes it as something God promised to Abraham, which is only available through the Spirit.

This portion of verse 14 gave rise to many different interpretations by translators and theologians. But to save time and a lot of head scratching, putting it in context and tuning in to Paul's streaming thought up to this point, it appears that Paul repeats the same concept he shared in Gal. 3:2-3. Mosaic Law offered them nothing but slavery and an impossible task trying to avoid the inevitable sentence of death. But through Jesus Christ alone, the Spirit brings them everything God promised to Abraham and all those who follow his example of faithful obedience to God’s Word.

Since we cannot add anything to the price Christ paid for our salvation—it is paid in full; and since we cannot improve on the work of salvation to make ourselves more presentable and of higher value to God; and since everything we are, and everything we do, and everything we accomplish, and everything we bring to Him He receives through Christ, what motivates us then to live for Him? Why should we let our light shine for Him? What good does it do to be the salt of the earth for Him? And what do we accomplish by glorifying Him before men to give Him honor?

Assignment: Read Jesus’ story in Matthew 25 about the ten virgins who were chosen to welcome the bridegroom and lead him back to the bride’s house; this should shed some light on what Paul was trying to say here.

How hard would it be for you to think of all you do for Christ, and all you do to show your love and loyalty to God, and all you do to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, as keeping your oil lamp lit and making sure you have enough oil to wait as long as it takes, instead of seeing it as some obligation and required service as a Christian; an effort to somehow pay God back for all He's done for you or an attempt to make Him love you more?

Does this help you better understand why the five wise virgins rejoiced when the bridegroom arrived and took them inside to the wedding, while the five foolish stood out in the darkness agonizing in painful remorse that they were not faithful to their calling?

60

LESSON SIXTEEN – (Posted 02/18/12) ****

Let me illustrate God’s way for you. (Galatians 3:15-18)

Verses 15-16: My dear brothers and sisters let me share an example from everyday life. Once someone signs a binding contract with another person, they cannot individually amend it or void it. The same is true in this case. God made a promise to Abraham and to his child. Now notice, the Scripture does not say “To his children,” implying all of his children and their children. Rather, it says “to his child”—and that, of course, can only mean Christ.

I thank God for Paul’s insistence in trying to get these Judaizers and misguided Gentile believers to see the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Once again he brings Abraham in as the focal point so they can see that Gentile and Jewish believers have equal spiritual rights in God's family. The main issue Paul kept addressing over and over involved the totally mistaken view of the Judaizers that Gentiles can only obtain such equality by keeping the religious rituals and regulations of Judaism passed on by Moses, and passed down by their Jewish Patriarchs. The truth is, however, that God gave them these rights through Abraham, before Moses and the Patriarchs ever existed, in response to Abraham’s obedience to His Word; which the Gentiles now receive by their faith and obedience to Jesus Christ.

Underlying Paul’s basic argument here is another aspect of man’s relationship with God and what the Almighty hopes everyone will know in order to understand their place in His kingdom. Through His promise to Abraham, God initiated a method for people who were not His children by way of the flesh (the Gentiles), to become His people by way of the spirit (Christians), without becoming Jews. It addresses the problem between Paul and the Jewish community on how to treat Gentile believers.

Paul knew that nowhere in the Torah does it say that a man is justified by his own good deeds under Mosaic Law, rather, he is considered righteous. So all of the religious rituals and regulations that the Judaizers were wanting to impose on the Gentile believers was their version of sanctification; a way to

61

make oneself holy and acceptable to God. What really got Paul’s riled up was the fact these Judaizers also tried to make this mandatory as a way of validating the Gentile’s salvation through Christ.

Paul initiates his presentation by making a legal point from civil law on how one person enters an agreement with another person: that once a contract is signed, sealed and delivered, the person who sent it cannot change their copy on their own, and the person who received it cannot one-sidedly alter their copy either. But Paul raises it to a higher level with his illustration of Abraham, because the Greek word Paul uses for “contract,” is the same word used for “Last Will and Testament.”

Can you imagine the impact on the Christianity if the apostles insisted after John wrote his Gospel, that he rewrite 3:16 this way: “For God so loved the world that all those who show faith in His only begotten Son by observing all the Jewish religious rituals and regulations can avoid sure condemnation by earning everlasting life.” That would have clearly violated the accepted principle that after the author of a last will and testament dies, the beneficiaries cannot change it to suit their expectations or wants. But that’s what the Judaizers were trying to do with God’s promise to Abraham.

Paul continues in verse sixteen by narrowing his focus on one word. On this one word, says Paul, hang all the benefits of all the promises God made with Abraham, and intended for his spiritual heirs. Paul recalls God's words in Gen 22:17 and emphasized the singular noun “seed.” In other words, all of God's promises to Abraham were not given to his descendants en-mass for them to claim and interpret as they wished, but to one descendent, and only one, and that One is Jesus the Messiah.

If you are a Bible scholar and read various commentaries you'll know that Paul's argument is subject to many tests of interpretation and clarification. But, keep this thought in mind. Abraham had two sons, but the promise only went through Isaac, not Ishmael. Isaac had two sons, but the promise only went through Jacob, not Esau. Jacob had twelve sons, but Judah was chosen as the tribe to produce the promised Seed. Paul wanted to make the point that in the past God has focused on individuals to insure His promise to Abraham stayed alive. Therefore when you read the genealogy listed in Matthew, Chapter 1 you can see how out of many, the spiritual Seed of Abraham, through whom the promise would be fulfilled, was Jesus Christ. And now, Jesus’ spiritual brothers and sisters are being sent out as spiritual light and sanctified salt into the world; so that through them the faithfulness of Abraham and the faithfulness of Christ, all the nations of the earth are blessed?

Paul might want this question asked today of any Christian: did you save yourself? Did you die on the cross for your own salvation? Was it your blood that was shed for the cleansing of your own sin? Did God appoint you as your own savior? No! No! No! No! God said I will send you a Savior, and you must believe that He fulfilled all My requirements in Mosaic Law. So by accepting His work on your behalf I will save you from certain annihilation. And since Christ is the Seed spoken of by God to Abraham, then how can the Judaizers claim the promises for themselves only, or those Gentiles who become like them. Does this still sound complicated? It appears the Apostle Paul thought so himself, so he will try once again.

We don’t know how much influence Greek thinking had on Jewish thought, but we find a similar topic being discussed in one of Plato’s Dialogues entitled “Euthyphro.” Socrates and Euthyphro are having an argument over the virtue of being devoted. In the dialogue, we find this exchange: “SOCRATES: I want you to tell me what part living right or dedication play in justice, so I can tell Meletus not to do me an injustice, or indict me for not being a good enough person. In the past you have given me such great instruction on the nature of living right and dedication, and their opposites. EUTHYPHRO: Living right or dedication…hum? Socrates, the way I see it, there is a part of justice which applies to what the gods require, as there is the other part of justice that applies to what men require.”

How acquainted Paul was of these writings can only be judged by the fact that he grew up and was educated in an area of the world where Greek writings were often debated and discussed. Paul finds himself in a similar argument with the Judaizers. They felt that dedication was the good deeds on

62

man’s part that pleased God, which He then equated to them as righteousness and thereby justified their salvation. But Paul tries to get them to see that the good work Christ did on the cross pleased God, which God then equated to Him as righteousness and thereby would justify salvation to any who believed in Him.

So, Paul wonders, why are you willing to take what God accepts as the only thing worthy of salvation and amend it with something that only leads to extinction and force it on the Gentiles? If you really want to please God then accept those He chose through Abraham to be equal to you in His sight. Don’t make them feel inferior by telling them to add these acts of dedication in religious rituals and regulations so they will be on your level.

Verses 17-18: Here is what I am trying to say: The contract God made with Abraham could not be arbitrarily canceled 430 years later when God gave Moses the Law. Had God done so, He would have broken His promise. That’s why if anyone thinks they can earn their spiritual inheritance by obeying all the religious rituals and regulations of Mosaic Law will not get what God gave Abraham; for the thing God so graciously gave to Abraham is called, a promise.

Whenever a professor or lecturer begins with the words “This is what I'm trying to say:” then you know he or she is not sure the students got it on the first go-around. That's how Paul, after a deep breath, begins this portion of his letter. Was he trying to impress them as a mathematician? No! He’s simply referring to Exodus 12:40 to make a strategic point. Therefore God’s promise to Abraham would still be binding based on its original intention. Consequently, Mosaic Law must have been given for some purpose entirely different from that of the promise to Abraham.

So again, how could these Judaizers ever convince anyone that God would annul His last will and testament with Abraham, by requiring a new set of laws that had nothing to do with the promise in the first place, nor anything to do with it in the future? That's ridiculous! Who would believe that? No wonder he calls the Galatians who believed such nonsense, bewitched fools.

Paul sees some light at the end of the tunnel, however, and summarizes what he was attempting to say all along. His comparison of our inheritance coming by way of a promise instead of via Mosaic Law reaches its conclusion. How can you make someone a promise and then tell them to earn it? After all, God's plan of salvation through Christ is received by grace, not by one’s own efforts; therefore these two can never be made to reconcile and coexist together. If by grace God made a promise of eternal life, then those under Mosaic Law cannot demand it.

On the other hand, if it can be acquired by following Mosaic Law, then it is no longer a promise given by grace. The bottom line here is either you trust God to keep His promise that He has taken out and paid for an eternal life insurance policy on you, or you don’t! If you don’t, then try to buy it by making daily payments keeping all the rituals and regulations under Mosaic Law. But Paul has bad news for you that company went out of business some 2,000 years ago.

Wake up, you dunderhead Galatians, says Paul, nothing is more certain than this, salvation is a gift; God gave it freely, how can you now say we must earn it? How can you make an altar call inviting sinners to come forward to receive the free gift of salvation through God's generosity called “grace,” and then tell them they have to prove themselves worthy of keeping such a gift by working for it? Believe it or not, just like the Judaizers in Paul's day who demanded that the Gentile believers adopt the Jewish ceremonial laws and observe their religious rituals in order to qualify as members God's spiritual family, there are cults and denominations today that require membership and obedience in order for them to guarantee God's promise of eternal life. Go figure!

I remember reading this illustration some years ago in a book by Stephen Covey: “A wife found out that her husband was seeing another woman and confronted him. He confessed his unfaithfulness and asked her forgiveness. She wrote down a list of things she wanted him to do, and promised that after

63

he finished all of them she would forgive him. The husband took the list and worked diligently to complete every task to perfection. When he finished the last required chore, he took the list to his wife and asked her to check everything out. She went over the list and inspected the evidence and handed the list back to him and said, 'Okay, you're forgiven.' The husband immediately tore up the list, and as he walked toward the door said, 'I don't need you to give me your forgiveness, I earned it'!”

God created man in His image, but man became unfaithful. God did not say to man when he came to ask forgiveness, here's a list of things I want you to do to prove yourself worthy of my forgiveness. Go do this and then come back and maybe I'll forgive you. No, God loved the world so much that He gave His Son in order to freely offer forgiveness. When the woman caught in adultery was brought to Jesus He did not give her a list of things to do in order to be forgiven. No, He told her she was already forgiven; now go with that assurance and don't do this anymore.

So it perplexes Paul as to why the Judaizers insist on earned forgiveness. If the Judaizers quote Moses; Paul quotes Abraham. If they quote Mosaic Law; he quotes God’s promise to Abraham. If they appeal to centuries of tradition and the proud history of Mosaic Law, he will appeal to the greater covenant with Abraham that's centuries older. Mosaic Law appeals to human righteousness, the covenant appeals to God's righteousness. Mosaic Law thunders “Do this! Do this!” The promises pleads, “Receive this! Receive this!”

I’ve sat in church services, minister’s meetings, evangelism seminars, conferences and other gatherings and often heard these phrases repeated: “Go out this week and witness to at least five people and try to evangelize them.” Also, “Read your Bible through this year; get a study guide so you can cover all 66 books.” Or, “If you don’t pray at least one hour a day, you are not where God wants you to be so He can guide you and lead you.” Even this: “Grab a hand full of evangelism tracts and go downtown or into the park and start passing them out. You have to be a witness so God can anoint you and bless your life.” Boy, you talk about piling up points by way of dedication and good living!

Rather than feeling inspired I felt tested, even made to think I wasn’t what I ought to be; that somehow I was failing God in my Christian life. I ended up joining others and we did all these things but not with a great amount of joy knowing, since we didn’t think them up ourselves somebody had to tell us to do it. We felt obliged in order to live up to the expectations of our instructors or be judged as worthy of being saved or staying saved.

Assignment: Ask yourself, how many times you have signed up for a program in order to show your dedication to God and love for Christ, but dreaded each day you were required to perform such tasks. When done, if you were able to complete it, did it make you feel more holy? Did you have a heightened sense of sanctification? Did you sense any pride in being able to tell others you finished that project or requirement. Or were you glad just to get it behind you?

Reading your Bible is something every Christian should love doing; the same with prayer and witnessing and growing in the Word, as well as seeking the gifts and fruit of the Spirit. Share with the class what you have done to turn these things into enjoyable activities instead of a dreaded obligation. What causes you to look forward to these things instead of dreading them?

64

LESSON SEVENTEEN - (Posted 02/25/12) ***

Why have laws in the first place? (Galatians 3:19-20)

Verses 19-20: So I ask you then, why was Mosaic Law given at all? I’ll tell you, it was given to help people learn what sin was. However, it was only destined to last until the child was born for whom the promise was given. Meanwhile, since Moses was the appointed mediator between God and His people, God arranged for angels to deliver His Law to Moses. That’s because a mediator is only needed when two people must reach an agreement. In Abraham’s case, God acted on His own behalf when He gave His promise to him.

“Okay, Okay!” I can hear Paul say in his mind as he dictates this letter, “I know what you're thinking.” Does accepting God’s promise to Abraham eliminate any need for the Law given to Moses? In other words, are believers in Christ now lawless Christians? And, once you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, do you never need to worry about doing anything wrong because there are no laws to break; does that mean that once you're saved you're always saved; once in grace, always in grace; do you go from eternal insecurity under Mosaic Law, to eternal security under grace?

As we know, Luke the physician, who wrote his Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles, spent quite a bit of time with Paul. It would be reasonable to believe that Luke shared these words Jesus spoke after His resurrection with Paul: “While I was with you before my death, I told you that everything written about Me in the Torah, and the Prophets, and in the Psalms, must be fulfilled.”

Paul begins by noting that Mosaic Law does provide a vital service. First he wants the reader to know that the Law God gave through Moses were not connected to the covenant made to Abraham. Therefore the carrying out of the promises in the covenant was not contingent upon carrying out Mosaic Law. God did not want His children living and acting like the godless heathens in the world. He wanted them to be noticed because of their higher level of morality, honesty and justice. But most of all, He wanted them to be His face and voice and arms and legs in the world, to carry out His goodness and kindness and love. He wanted all they did to honor and glorify Him as the God above all gods. God knew His children still had a corrupt nature inherited from Adam's fall. So He needed an external solution until He could provide an internal remedy.

So, God authorized the implementation of Mosaic Law to show mankind his sinfulness and his need for salvation; for man to know that the only thing that stood between him and certain death was the mercy of God. But Mosaic Law was only a temporary fix until a permanent solution came through the

65

Messiah. Once that happened, then the Mosaic Law would no longer be needed because their faith in the Messiah and following Him would make Mosaic Law unnecessary.

The keeping of Mosaic Law was not designed to make man comfortable in his sin, but give him a yearning for the Messiah to come and set him free from the slavery of sin. Mosaic Law served the purpose of helping train man to serve God through his flesh until he could serve God through his spirit. For when the Messiah came man had nothing to lose no matter how long he followed Mosaic Law, but would in fact profit more because the Messiah would replace all those sacrifices, and serving Him would do away with the necessity of all the ceremonial laws and rituals.

Paul is not attempting to do away with the need and necessity for guidance, instruction, motivation, teaching, commitment, dedication, and surrender to the will of God and His Word, in order to be a more useful and efficient believer; how would man know what sin was unless God showed him. Why would man fear the punishment for sin unless God told him? But Paul wants the Judaizers and Galatian converts to know that none of these things are to be construed as necessary for obtaining or sustaining the free gift of salvation by faith in Christ to fulfill God's promise to Abraham. I wonder if Jesus' words, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Mt. 11:29) crossed Paul's mind? A yoke tied two oxen together. Jesus didn't say take my “harness,” indicating we are to do it alone. To Paul that would be indicative of trying to please God tied to Mosaic Law (harness) instead of joined with Christ (yoke).

Needless to say, Paul's comparison of Mosaic Law and the promise now gets somewhat more complicated to understand, but he feels it's necessary in order for the Judaizers and Gentiles to comprehend why one cannot be mistaken for the other. We don't know if the message Stephen delivered before the Sanhedrin prior to his stoning came into Paul's possession, but the quote here of how Mosaic Law was given through angels sounds very close (cf. Acts 7:53). Jewish tradition accepted the deliverance of Mosaic Law as being accompanied by angels (as noted in De. 33:2).

Paul also wanted to show the difference between the promise given to Abraham, and the Law given to Moses. In Moses’ case, he served as a mediator between God and the people; so God delivered the Law to Moses and told him to enforced it by passing it on to the people. In Abraham’s case, God did not need a mediator because it only involved the two of them. It sounds a lot like how a married couple delivers their vows to each other. They don’t send their vows to each other through a mediator. No! They exchange their vows directly with each other.

Paul is far from condoning any elimination of Mosaic Law with respect to its use in giving guidance, direction, instruction, conviction, understanding sin and its effects. However, he was upset that the Judaizers were misleading the Gentile believers, making them believe that the keeping of the ceremonial laws and rituals were part of God's promise given to Abraham. Can you imagine the pressure this put on the new converts to Christianity throughout the Galatian churches, especially the Gentiles? What joy was there in being rescued from slavery to the rituals and regulations of heathenism, only to be tied again to the rituals and regulations of Judaism? It must have given Paul many sleepless nights wondering why they were so willing to throw away the freedom they received through Christ for such nonsense.

While serving as a regional mission’s superintendent in Asia, I remember getting a call from Southern India telling me that a group of ministers there were unhappy because they felt that since they represented smaller churches, they were being discriminated against by minister’s representing larger churches in the same organization. I went to India to try and resolve the issue and was almost arrested for greeting the convention of over 20,000 believers because the minority group informed the police that I did not have the proper visa allowing me to preach. The minority group refused to accept me as a mediator because they believed I would rule in favor of the majority group.

66

Eventually the two groups wound up in court, each claiming to be the authorized representatives of the organization. The Hindu judge finally called both groups in and said this to them: “I'm a Hindu, you are Christians. I have been told that Christians are supposed to be loving and caring and kind to each other. But here you are in court suing each other over who has the right to be in leadership. How do you expect me, a Hindu, to be convinced to become a Christian, when I see you treating each other this way?” The two sides were so embarrassed they settled the matter out of court.

In 1970 Bill Gaither wrote a song that remains popular to this day. The lyrics are as follows: “I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God; I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His Blood; joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod, for I'm part of the family, the Family of God… From the door of an orphanage to the house of the King, No longer an outcast, a new song I sing; from rags unto riches, from the weak to the strong, I'm not worthy to be here, but PRAISE GOD! I belong! I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God; I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His Blood; joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod, for I'm part of the family, The Family of God.” That's the kind of song Paul wanted the Gentiles and Jewish believers in Galatia to sing.

Sometimes disagreements and discord inside a congregation can spill out into the open and the whole town ends up knowing about the conflict. Also, families that profess and are known to be good church-going, Bible-believing, people, sometimes show their carnal nature in disputes and feuds that gets the whole neighborhood to talking. And even though divorce is not popular among evangelical or Pentecostal believers, it does happen. But the harsh language and hateful attitude expressed sometimes makes even unbelievers who divorce, look like saints. Then again, whole denominations and churches have been known to split because they couldn’t agree on some doctrine or required way of living the holy life. Ask yourself, “What does this say to the world? Does this enforce or hinder our witness to the world as recipients of the love of God? Would this make them wonder, why do you want me to become like you?”

Assignment: To further illustrate Paul’s contention with the Galatians and Judaizers, I have taken the liberty of using J. B. Phillips translation of Matthew, Chapter 7, and revising it in places. I invite you to read it; let these stirring words of Jesus sink in and meditate on them in prayer.

“Don't be critical of fellow believers, and they won’t be critical of you. For whatever standards you use to judge them will be the same standards used to judge you, and whatever sentence you pronounce on them will be the sentence pronounced on you.

Why would you look for a speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and fail to notice the 2x4 in your own; how can you say to your brother, 'Here, let me get that speck out of your eye,’ when there is a 2x4 blinding you? You are being a hypocrite! First get the 2x4 out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly enough to remove the speck of dust from your brother's eye.”

“You must never try to impose Christian values on unrepentant sinners, or expect unbelievers to live by Christian principles; they will throw what you give them in the trash, and then attack you for being an idiot for believing what you do.”

“If you need good advice, keep asking for it and you’ll get it. If you keep looking for someone qualified to help you, you’ll find them. If you remain assertive in your quest, then doors will open. You’ve got to start asking first if you expect to receive any help; you’ve got to go looking if you expect to find someone to help, and once you get there, the door won’t open to those who just stand without knock-ing.”

“Another thing, if your son came to you and asked for a piece of bread would you give him a slab of stone, or if he asked you for a fish would you give him an eel? If you then, even with all your faults and failures, have it in your nature to give good things to your children, how much more likely is your

67

Heavenly Father inclined to give good things to those who ask Him? Remember, treat other people ex-actly as you would like to be treated by them; this sums up everything Moses and the Prophets wrote about.”

“Remember, the road to disaster is wide and the entrance ramp is broad and there are many people going that way. But the narrow door leading to the path of success is not easy to find, and only a few really search for it.”

“Also be on guard against religious teachers claiming to have new revelations, they will come dressed up like a true blue believer but are really greedy scoundrels. Find out what they are really teaching and you’ll discover their real character. After all, who goes looking for a bunch of grapes in a thorn-bush, or ripe figs in a clump of thistles? A good tree produces edible fruit, but a bad tree produces inedible fruit, because a good tree is incapable of producing bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. That’s why the tree that fails to produce good fruit is cut down and burned. Let these scoundrels’ fruit speak for itself.”

“Just because someone claims I am their Lord, over and over again, it does not guarantee them en-trance into the kingdom of Heaven; it’s only those who actually do the will of my Heavenly Father. On judgment day some will come and say to me 'didn’t we go out in Your name to preach; didn't we cast out devils using Your name; and didn’t we perform miracles by claiming You as our Lord?’ Then I will tell them straight to their face, 'I didn’t do that for you, those were illusions. Now get out of my sight’!”

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a sensible man who builds his house on a solid foundation. Down comes the rain and up comes the flood, while the winds blow and roar over that house, but the house does not fall because its foundation is on solid rock. However, everyone who hears these words of mine and does not follow them can be compared with a foolish man who builds his house on a beach. Down comes the rain and up comes the flood, while the winds blow and batter that house till it collapses, and it will be a total loss.

When Jesus finished these words the crowd was astonished at the power behind his teaching. For His words had the ring of authority, quite unlike those of the scribes.”

68

LESSON EIGHTEEN – (Posted 03/03/12) ***

You think you're special just because you live right? (Galatians 3:21-22)

Verse 21: So I ask you, does that mean that religious rituals and regulations can replace God's promise? Absolutely not! If these religious rituals and regulations could give us new life, we could have gotten right with God’s simply by obeying them.

Perhaps the Galatians thought Paul was being too dismissive of Mosaic Law and its proper place in the believer's life. So he wants to clarify the relationship between what the believer is and what the believer does. They want to know if being a Christian puts someone above Mosaic Law. Is it proper for believers to think they don't need any guidance? We might even ask if Mosaic Law was only for Old Testament saints, and New Testament saints are allowed to be free to live as they wish, as long as they worship God. No! No! No!

In fact when it comes to making God our heavenly Father and Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior Mosaic Law plays no role nor has any influence. That's not what God promised and ordained. Nonetheless, while salvation is a gift, becoming an effective and faithful servant is earned. Jesus was so right when He said; I am the way, the truth, and the life—when it comes to spiritual life. He was also right when He said, I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you abide in me and I abide in you, you will bear much fruit—when it comes to spiritual living.

Here Paul is trying his best to point out to the Judaizers and the Galatian church the impossibility of Mosaic Law making anyone completely righteous; not because the Law is so flawed but because of the weakness and frailty of human flesh. The centuries leading up to the coming of Christ provide ample evidence that mankind is helpless in saving himself. Alone, man cannot fully measure up to God's perfect and holy standard. But thanks to God, Jesus Christ did it for all people who will receive it by faith and obey him. Christ fulfilled all of the Laws God gave Moses, to perfection. This allowed Him to then invite anyone who believed in His perfect work to become part of Him; to be in the “body of Christ.” Thereby they become, in a true sense, “Part of Christ;” and therefore by “being in Him,” they benefit from the saving righteousness they were incapable of reaching on their own.

It is so important to understand that the righteousness of Christ is not imputed to the believer. Rather, when the believer is born again in Christ, they are then as righteous before God as Christ is. Therefore, when God looks around to find those who measure up to His perfect will and those who fulfill His perfect Law He doesn't see you and me; He sees Christ and accepts Christ as the perfect sacrifice. And,

69

by being in Christ, we are simultaneously accepted too. Anyone who thinks they can please and honor and obey God's perfect will outside of Christ is horribly misled and terribly wrong. It can only be done in Christ and through Christ. So no matter how holy a person thinks they are by what they do or say or think, it can never exceed the holiness of Christ. We are holy, because He is holy.

I can imagine Paul getting all excited in his mind as he contemplates the Galatian believers reading this portion of his letter. I choose to believe, he's also hoping that they will confront the Judaizers with this truth to see what their answer will be. I can envision one of the Gentile believers quoting Paul's letter to a snooty Judaizer and saying, “I've just learned that one needs extra strength to abide by Mosaic Law, but the problem with Mosaic Law is its inability to give me enough strength to keep on going once I start. Therefore, even if I could find new life through Mosaic Law, it would be incapable of helping me maintain my new life. But Mosaic Law brings no life; it simply states the command, tells me to keep it, and gives me the consequences if I break it. However, not only does Jesus give me life, but gives me the strength to live it His way. So there, keep your salvation through Mosaic Law and take a long walk on a short pier!”

Verse 22: Doesn’t the Scripture teach that we are all prisoners of sin? Therefore, the only way to become an heir to God's promise of freedom is by having faith in Jesus Christ to set us free.

Paul shows clearly that the promise given to Abraham and the Law given to Moses is not opposed or in conflict with one another, but simply that they are mutually exclusive because they were meant to accomplish two different things. He now proceeds to explain how the promise to Abraham alone does what Mosaic Law cannot do. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God's command they led all humanity from the Garden of Eden to the Garrison of Evil. But God already possessed a plan to set mankind free and He chose Abraham to be the one through whom the Deliverer would come.

Since that time both Jews existed in a state of spiritual imprisonment, unable to attain to their freedom by having their sentence annulled by the same Mosaic Law that put them there. They were found guilty and remained guilty with all the evidence clearly against them. Even though Mosaic Law was sympathetic by revealing what they did wrong and convicting them of their sinful ways, it could not offer them a reprieve.

Mosaic Law provided ways for mankind to be remorseful and to show how sorry they were through appointed sacrifices and purifications; but it was only trying to help the sinner make up for their sin and give them some sense of personal pride, knowing they had obeyed God. But it could not wash the sin away and cleanse the sinner white as snow so they could begin life anew in freedom. Model prisoners are still prisoners; they are not free with a clean record.

It took a Deliverer, a Savior to make a radical change; but not through jailbreak or introducing new evidence that might bring an acquittal, but by that Savior trading places with the prisoner, then serving out the whole sentence by accepting the death penalty. But God in His mercy brought Him back to life again so the prisoner for whom He died for could start all over on the outside with a clean slate; furthermore, not just a new life here on earth, but a new life that will go on into eternity. How wonderful is that!

So, says Paul, the fulfillment of the promise did not come through any work on sinful man’s part, but through the work of a sinless Christ. By having faith in Christ, the believer also has faith that the faithfulness of Christ met all of God's demands. Whenever I prayed with sinners who came forward for salvation I always made sure I included the phrase, “I now accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.” Too often the sinner's prayer leads converts to believe that by simply praying that prayer, salvation is automatically granted them. Being sorry for one's sins is not enough. The new believer must never walk away from the altar thinking, “I just got saved!” It's too easy then to lose it, to fall short, to backslide. Rather, to walk away from the altar believing “Jesus Christ just saved me;” and it's impossible for Him to fail, to fall short, thereby annulling my salvation.

70

The Apostle Paul knew from his own experience that if the Israelites really knew that Mosaic Law was incapable of saving them unless it was kept to perfection, their souls would have cried out for a permanent redemption from sin. Consequently, they would have had a far different attitude when the true Messiah came. But by thinking they were given the sacrifices and ceremonies in order to make them holy by going through the motions, they missed the whole purpose of Mosaic Law in preparing them for Christ. Paul's message in Galatia brought believers freedom through Christ, but now these Judaizers wanted to take them back to the old way of doing things. No wonder Paul felt all out of whack with these people.

There used to be what was called a “foxhole confession.” Soldiers in battle would pray, “Oh God, save my soul; and if You get me out of this, when I get back home I’ll serve you the rest of my life.” If God did save them it wasn’t because of their vow, but because of His vow that whosoever calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved. He stands ready to keep His promise; all they had to do was believe that He wouldn’t fail and put their full faith in Him.

Believers must realize that church rituals and regulations are only there to guide, not to save. To depend on them for salvation is to throw away the suffering and death Jesus went through on our behalf. If we decide to throw anything away, let it be our dependence on religious rituals and regulations designed to govern our lives, which may end up driving us away from God.

Assignment: Take time to think of someone you know who use to be fully involved in church and serving the Lord but dropped out, and the last time you saw them or heard about them they were no longer living the Christian life; they had become a prodigal son or daughter and backslid into a sinful way of life.

Call them, write them, or meet them and tell them you are in a Bible study and doing a survey that deals with why people give up on going to church and living up to the standards expected by the church. Ask them if they would kindly help you understand what made them quit. Let them know you will keep all they tell you in strict confidence, and will not use the information they give you to judge them or even change their minds, but to help you comprehend what happened so you’ll have a better understanding if it happens to you.

If they cooperate, finish your inquiry with this question: “When you were born again, did you feel like you had just gotten saved, or did you feel like Jesus had just saved them?” Whatever their answer let them know that you are being taught that salvation depends on the promise Christ makes to you, not on any promise you make to Him. That’s why we don’t get saved through any effort we make; we are saved by the effort Christ makes on our behalf.

Then put it in the hands of the Holy Spirit to water the seed you planted.

71

LESSON NINETEEN – (Posted 03/10/12) ***

Why would you appeal for parole when you’ve been given a pardon? (Galatians 3:23-25)

Verses 23: Now before we found out anything about getting right with God through faith, Mosaic Law put us into protective custody. It kept us under guard until the day Christ would set us free because of our faith in Him.

Apparently Paul cannot overemphasize the idea of Mosaic Law being somewhat akin to a warden and every potential believer was locked up in this garrison until they were miraculously freed. However, just like Joseph in the Egyptian jail, God used that time to speak to the prisoners about the coming Messiah. Fellow inmates like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and so on also spoke of a coming day of deliverance. During their era, faith in God was expressed through the sacrifices, offerings, and ceremonial laws. But these only foreshadowed what was to take place. The writer of the Book of Hebrews explores this very well. He says that God honored that faith and credited it to them as accrued righteousness that would be validated when the Messiah they believed in would arrive. It was, as we would say today, made retroactive.

Those imprisoned under Mosaic Law were not necessarily considered criminals, but were sentenced by the Law because they were unable to produce the proper identification that showed them to be free citizens of God’s kingdom. They were, in fact, in protective custody. Yet God in His mercy turned the confinement into home schooling so that the coming full and glorious revelation of salvation by faith in the Messiah could be taught. Mosaic Law was doing mankind a favor by keeping him shut up in protective custody until he was redeemed and his ransom paid. Look at the heathen world and the mess they got into without the Laws of God. Mosaic Law also condemned every other attempt to be justified in any other way by any other god. But the LORD had a real purpose and reason for keeping man from finding any other possible way to get free. You see, God was planning to give man a pardon, not let him out on parole.

It reminds me of how potential astronauts are taught to cope with weightlessness. They are put in containment and the effect of weightlessness is artificially produced. Some of their training is in water tanks that give the feel of being weightless. Other training is done in simulators that reproduce one sixth the pull of gravity. There is also the Microgravity Wall and Five Degrees of Freedom trainer. The one that qualifies as the closest emulator to weightlessness is the KC-135 Stratotanker that flies in a pattern similar to a car going over a small hill, and produces 20 to 25 seconds of zero-gravity conditions. It is called the “trajectory maneuver.” Astronauts are not simply taken into space and turned loose. They must learn to cope with the sensation of floating free without the effects of gravity.

So it was that God knew one day true believers would be free from the gravity of sin. But they needed training and learning how to cope without becoming disoriented and someone constantly having to rescue them. Don't you think God is pleased more when we show Him how much we love Him of our own volition and by our free will, then finishing some demanding exercise or completing some difficult task to Him smile and make us proud?

72

No wonder when the Messiah came and spoke to a woman in Samaria, who told how some worshiped God in the mountains and some in Jerusalem, He told her emphatically that the day was not far away when true worshipers would not need the old methods of sacrifice and offerings on altars, either up in the mountains or down in the cities, but they will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. That's the type of believer the Father is looking for (Jn. 4:19-24).

It's amazing that others were not listening as closely. To the Romans, who had little knowledge, experience, or involvement in the Jewish religion, Jesus was a zealot in a Jewish cult called “The Way.” To the Jewish leadership Jesus was a rebel who spoke of doing away with their method of salvation and holy living, and they were not going to stand by and let that happen without a fight. And now the believers in Galatia were having doubts about what constitutes true salvation. No wonder Paul was so adamant about getting the truth out.

Verse 24: As a result, Mosaic Law served as our custodian until our Messiah came to set us free. That’s why we are now right with God because of our faith in Him.

At this point Paul summarizes his lesson on the role of Mosaic Law by providing instructions and offering illustrations on how the Messiah would complete salvation's plan. By using the Greek term paidagōgos Paul refers to Mosaic Law as an instructor or mentor. Among the Greeks they were known as guardians for boys. The Romans applied the same name to trustworthy slaves who were charged with the duty of supervising the life and ethics of boys belonging to the better class. Before arriving at the age of manhood these boys were not even allowed step out of the house without these guardians as chaperons. Jewish literature uses the same term in reference to Moses.

Paul thereby indicates that those under such a custodian were there only for a specific period of time during childhood, until they reached a proper age and took on the greater responsibilities of adulthood. So Paul was not introducing some new expression unfamiliar to his readers. What he attempted to do was show the Judaizers and Gentile believers that Mosaic Law's existence was not its end purpose. It had a greater mission and that was to get everyone ready for graduation, or as used earlier of prisoners, to prepare those in confinement for their day of freedom.

I don't know how many of you reading this lesson served in the military service of your country. I was given that privilege and am proud of it to this day. But when I enlisted I was sent to “boot camp.” There we spent thirteen weeks learning to fire a rifle, throw a grenade, discipline, and most crucial: learning to react to danger on a moment's notice; to be obedient to a command, often a one word command like, “Drop!” or “Fire.” It was only temporary in preparing us for combat. Once we faced enemy fire and the whistle of incoming mortar shells; wanting to cheat a bullet from taking our lives, there would be no time for practice or asking for explanations.

Had there been no Moses, no Law, and no righteous way of living before the Messiah came, it would have all been in vain. God knew what He was doing. Obedience to Mosaic Law in order to earn temporary forgiveness was just a forerunner of justification by Christ in order to receive salvation and everlasting life.

Verse 25: Consequently, now that we have been set free through our faith in Christ, we are no longer in custody under Mosaic Law.

Here comes the critical point Paul has been trying to make for most of this letter. I'm sure he's hoping that this will finally help the Galatian believers see how wrong the Judaizers have been in trying to put them back under Mosaic Law custodianship. Wasn't the work of Christ on the cross enough? If the Son sets you free aren't you completely free? When you pick up your cross to follow Jesus, do you still need to pull a stone altar and a long line of animals behind you for sacrifice? No! No! No! Now that you are free in Christ to live the kind of life He wants you to live, Mosaic Law no longer has any authority over your spiritual life.

73

So, true believers are no longer trying to atone for their sins by performing good deeds in the flesh in order to gain God's favor. They are now living by faith and no longer under Mosaic Law as their schoolmaster; not needing its instructions or its discipline. Christ came as a prophet to teach and instruct; as a priest to make atonement for sin, and make intercession for transgressors; and as a King to rule and govern. We are now in Christ's hands, not in the hands of Moses. And instead of giving us a lifeless stone tablet to guide us in everyday conduct, He gave us the living Holy Spirit as a Guide for everyday positive living.

For Paul, the statutes of Mosaic Law have been replaced by the teachings of Christ. Sacrifices are no longer needed because He is the supreme sacrifice for all sin. A lamb’s blood no longer needs to be spilled because the Lamb’s blood cleanses every stain. The Holy of Holies is no longer functioning; the veil has been torn in two; the mercy seat on top of the Ark of the Covenant is no longer sprinkled with animal blood. It all has been replaced by Christ’s cross on Calvary and God’s throne room of grace is our Holy of Holies. There we receive His mercy and find grace to help us when we need it most (Heb. 4:16). We don't need priests interceding for us because our Jesus stands at the right hand of the Father and is therefore able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf (Heb. 7:25). I can hear Paul now moaning over his parchment as though agonizing for the Galatian believers to finally see the truth and the light.”

Assignment: Ask yourself how many times during your Christian life you felt like you were on probation, having to prove your worthiness in order to retain your salvation? How you were afraid of making a mistake or about taking a wrong step because of the consequences that would cause you to doubt whether you were really born again? Did that bring you joy or cause you stress? Were you somewhat uncomfortable in church, and when at home or out in the world you felt like you were living on the edge?

If this describes your Christian living then you have every right to reject and destroy this custodial mentality. You are not out on parole, you are free! Free to love God, free to serve God, and free to live for God out of gratitude for what He gave you, not out of any obligation to pay Him back for what He did for you, because that is impossible.

74

LESSON TWENTY – (Posted 03/17/12) ***

Doesn’t matter what you look like or where you come from. (Galatians 3:26-29)

Verses 26-27: So, as a result of putting your faith in Christ you are all now children of God; and, since your immersion into Christ can be compared to water baptism. Then when you got dressed, you put on Christ as clean clothes so you look just like Him.

By their human nature the believers in Galatia were Jews and Gentiles. But now Paul excitedly tells them that by their spiritual oneness with Christ they are all children of God because of their new birth through Jesus Christ. He uses three metaphors to describe their transition from sinners to saints. First he tells them that their becoming children of God came about through faith in Christ Jesus. The Greek word for “faith” as used here, means “to be convicted of the truth of something.” So in other words, their being convinced that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, the Messiah; that He was who He said He was; that He was who God said He was; and that He was who the Gospels said He was; opened the door for them to receive eternal salvation, thereby being freed from condemnation under Mosaic Law, and setting them free to serve God as His children in the way He wants them to.

For the Gentiles in Galatia who were hardly considered human by Jewish standards, and for the Jewish believers who believed that their standing before God depended on their complete obedience to Mosaic Law, now being told they were both children of the Most High was incomprehensible. Jews were at best only children of Israel and descendants of their father Abraham. But to be called “God’s children,” even though they no longer needed to be circumcised or observe religious rituals and regulations devoutly, was unthinkable. This implied that they had a special relationship with God directly, not as a grandchild or great grandchild, but His immediate family. And it all came about because of their complete faith in Jesus Christ and His obedience to God rather than their perfect obedience to Mosaic Law.

As such, God no longer existed as a deep, thunderous voice in the sky that looked for people to judge and condemn because they failed to meet His standards, but as a loving, caring, forgiving Father who carried them in His arms, close to His heart. In the words of John: “To all those who accepted Him, He gave the right for them to be declared children of God; a guarantee to all who truly believed that He was who He said He was” (John 1:12.)

Secondly, Paul tells the Galatian believers that they were baptized into Christ. There's little reason to suspect that any of these believers were not baptized in water in obedience to Christ's mandate. After all, as His disciples went out into the world they were to preach the Gospel to everyone, and then baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But Paul adds that their baptism into water symbolized their baptism into Christ. Water baptism typifies two main aspects of a believer’s experience in becoming a new creation in Christ Jesus. Going down into the water and coming back up illustrates their cleansing from sin. “Go down dirty, come up clean.” Also, going down into the water and coming back up exemplifies their new birth. “Go down dead, come up alive.”

Since Paul did not emphasize “water” in his reference to baptism, many theologians believe that Paul saw an additional embodiment of the believer's position in Christ. It not only signifies their union with Christ, but their communion with Him. When Jesus commissioned His disciples to baptize in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Matthew used a Greek word for “name” that encompasses everything that name stands for; every thought or feeling aroused in the mind when that name is

75

mentioned, heard, or remembered; involving the rank, authority, interests, pleasure, command, character, and accomplishments that name represents.

Therefore, when the Galatians were baptized into Christ they received everything His name represents. It was a testimony that they had received the fullness of His grace and the benefits of His sufferings, of His death, and resurrection from the dead; by faith they accepted the reality of their soul's cleansing and the remission of their sins by His blood, and their justification by His righteousness; how He was delivered for their offenses, died for their sins, was buried in the grave taking their wrongdoings with Him and rose again for their justification; all of which baptism, performed primarily by immersion, is a powerful emblem of His redemption. For the Jews, circumcision served as God's mark of ownership to set them apart from the heathen; now Paul tells them that baptism is the new mark God wants all His children to wear as a sign of His ownership.

After you study this letter to the Galatians and then read Paul's letter to the Romans, you'll find many of these same points reiterated, only with more depth. For instance, on being baptized into Christ Paul said to the Roman believers “Have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined Him in His death?   For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism; and just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with Him in His death, we will also be raised to life as He was” (Rom. 6:4).

Since Paul received his teaching from Jesus directly we can assume that on this subject Christ reiterated what He said before to Nicodemus: “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water as a human and again of the Spirit as a believer. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life” (Jn. 3:5-6). Here we see an interesting metaphor. Man’s first birth as a human occurs as he emerges out of water in the womb, but he is only human. However, to signify being born again, man is returned to water—representing the womb, but when he comes up out of the water this time, it represents his emergence as a new creature in Christ; born again in the spirit by way of the Spirit.

It also serves as a public declaration that the believer is now a committed follower of Jesus Christ. It served notice that His interests are their interests; that His manners are their manners; that His teachings are their teachings; that His will is their will; that His purpose is their purpose; that His goals are their goals; that His worldview is their worldview, and that His future is their future.

Thirdly, Paul tells the Galatians that all this becomes the same as putting on Christ. In other words, we wear Him daily as we go into the world. There's a strong possibility that Paul was alluding to the necessity of changing out of wet clothes and putting on dry clothes after baptism; changing the dirty garb of the old creature for the pure robe of the new creature. To put on clothes that bear a strong identity with someone or something, is to assume the person and character of that someone or something; and they who do so are bound to act the part, and sustain the character which they have taken on.

I am proud to have a cousin and a nephew who were both in law enforcement at one time. Seeing them in their everyday clothes they looked like average citizens. But when they put on the uniform of a police officer and state trooper it radically changed their appearance. The same transformation takes place when a sinner is cleansed and then dons the garment of Christ’s righteousness that marks them as dedicated followers of Christ. People will notice the difference right away. If you have ever been to Thailand, like I’ve had the privilege of visiting, you will recognize the Buddhist monks immediately by their dress. Paul was talking about our being identified just as easily as we go throughout the world, only he was referring to inner, not outer attire.

But it's more profound than just appearance. When one wears a police uniform or armed forces uniform or fireman's uniform, they display the attitude, characteristics, traits and conduct identified

76

with that uniform. But it goes even deeper. They have the heart and soul and spirit and nature of the uniform they wear. They are what they are not just on the outside, but through and through. The same is said of those who put on Christ. You don't just look like a Christian, you ARE a Christian. You don't merely talk, act, think, perform or live like a Christian; you ARE a Christian who talks acts, thinks, performs and lives like Christ.

We all know what it feels like to dress up for an occasion, and how it makes us feel when we're all decked out in our finery. Life also teaches us to dress appropriately for each occasion. Paul is telling the Galatians that they need to dress appropriately when they go out into the world so people will recognize them as followers of Jesus. He was not referring to external clothing, but inner clothing, even though outer wear will be affected by our spiritual fashion consciousness. That way, people can recognize your spiritual culture without asking. Oh yes, some may wonder if this may be nothing more than “dressing-up” or “putting on airs,” as some say, especially when you are trying to act holy.

Paul certainly did not suggest that Galatian believers try to create an illusion by the way they talked and acted; in other words, to imitate Christ. No! He was speaking about the reality of being so dedicated to Christ and everything He stood for and taught that it proved itself real and genuine. As the old saying goes: you can fool some of the people all the time and all the people some of the time, but you can't fool all the people all the time. Sinners can spot hypocrisy and false Christianity sooner than some Christians can.

People do more than simply associate us with Jesus; they look for our Christian characteristics to identity us as being true children of God. That is not something one can fake. For when you pray He answers; when you speak the truth He anoints it; when you lay on hands He heals; when you tell the devil to get behind you he flees. And for certain, when we die we will be raised to life again to meet Jesus in the air.

Verses 28-29: Furthermore, we no longer identify each other as Jews or non-Jews, slaves or free, male or female. We all have one origin as members of the one body of Christ; and now that we are one with Christ that makes us the real spiritual children and true heirs of Abraham. Yes, all the promises God made to Abraham now belong to us.

Now Paul erases all trace of identity other than being Christ-like. Of course there are Christian women, and Christian men, and Christians from nations all over the earth, from every category: wealthy, poor, educated, uneducated, strong, weak, and so on. Being a Christian does not change our race, color, gender or ethnicity. Those will not change. But when it comes to being cleansed by Christ's blood and receiving the gift of eternal life with God's favor being passed around, there is no discrimination. He does not bless men more than women or the educated more than the uneducated. The Holy Spirit does not do any less for one than the other. No matter what a person's station in life or claim to fame, when they sit down on the pew or kneel at the altar they are no more or any less than the person sitting or kneeling beside them.

But the Apostle Paul had a specific reason for making this statement of equal rights for all in Christ. In his work, “The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers,” Greek writer Diogenes Laërtius states that Hermippus of Smyrna, in his work called Bioi (Lives), quotes the philosopher Thales from Miletus as saying—what some believe actually came from Socrates; that he used to say he thanked fortune for three things: - “first of all, that he had been born a (hu)man and not a beast; secondly, that he was a man and not a woman; and thirdly, that he was a Greek and not a barbarian.” 1

Later in Jewish history Jewish men gave benedictions to end each Morning Prayer. According to the Talmud, it was taught that Rabbi Judah said, “A man is bound to say the following three blessings daily: ‘Blessed art Thou, O Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who hast made me an Israelite and 1 The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers by Diogenes Laërtius, translated by C. D. Yong, London, George Bell & Sons, 1901, p. 18.

77

not a heathen; who hast made me a man and not a woman; and who hast made me an Israelite and not a slave’.” Legend has it that Rabbi Aha ben Jacob once overhead his son saying, “Blessed art Thou, O Lord, our God, King of the Universe...who hast made me an Israelite and not a brutish man.” The Rabbi quickly objected and told his son to say, “Who hast not made me a slave.” The son replied, “Isn’t that on the same level as a woman?” The Rabbi quickly retorted, “No, a slave is more contemptible” (See: Jewish Talmudic Quotes – Facts Are Facts).

Often when our great Church father Augustine would find himself involved in controversy over differing points of theological view, he would remark to his friends: “Remember, we are washed in the same blood.” It would be very easy to add that we are all saved at the same cross; we are all redeemed by the same Savior; our names are all written in the same Book of Life; and we will all rise up on the same resurrection day.

So, says the Apostle Paul, if you belong to Christ, then you're a spiritual descendant of Abraham. And since you are a spiritual descendant of Abraham then you are included in God's last will and testament as an heir. Paul would write to the Romans later: “For His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children. And since we are His children we are His heirs. In fact, joined together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory...” (Rom. 8:16-17a).

We do not belong to God because of our race, color, ethnicity, gender, wealth or education; we were all purchased by the same blood of Jesus Christ. We are not children of God because we bargained with Him or proved worthy by completing some difficult challenge or proved ourselves to be part of a higher class in society. We were granted that privilege by His amazing grace. We did not become His because we courted Him or got His attention with our talents and abilities, or caught His eye because we demonstrated our uniqueness. While we were yet sinners Christ died for us.

So here's the word to the Judaizers who want the Gentile believers to vacate their position obtained by grace in Christ, and try to achieve the same through Mosaic Law with all its complexities: it can't be done; it is a lose-lose situation. What would you think of someone who by the generosity of a wealthy benefactor received an inheritance that set them free to pursue their life's dream of becoming an inspiration to all people drowning in misery and unable to help themselves, who refused to accept that gift because they wanted to earn the same amount of money needed, by going from door to door begging for donations, all because they wanted to get the credit for the money raised. “My LORD!,” I can hear the Apostle Paul say as he exhales in frustration, “Will the Galatians ever get the point! This is God's plan, and God doesn't make mistakes.”

Assignment: Have you ever observed in your church that someone was appointed by the pastor or elected to the church counsel because of their professional status outside the church? Have you ever seen where someone was not given much time by the pastor or other members of the congregation because they were considered low on the totem pole in their everyday occupation, or perhaps were somewhat mentally or physically challenged? Have you ever found yourself prone to do the same even though such people are equal in all respects to you when it comes to the price Christ paid for their salvation?

While we respect their accomplishments or have compassion for their needs, in God’s eyes we are all worth the same to Him, so we must start thinking of them as “family.” Why not make it a point of befriending such people and let them know that you admire them and love them for who they are and what they are, and are proud to have them as fellow members of God’s family.

78

LESSON TWENTY-ONE – (Posted 03/24/12) **

If you do His will, you'll be in His Will. (Galatians 4:1-7)

Verses 1-2: Look at it this way. If a father dies and leaves an inheritance to a child who’s a minor, that child is in no better position to receive that inheritance than one of the servants. Because he too must obey those appointed as guardians and caretakers until he reaches whatever age his father designated.

Now Brother Paul sees an opportunity to expand on his illustration in Gal. 3:24-25 to teach the Galatians how their status under Mosaic Law changed when Christ came into the world to fulfill and complete the promise made by God to Abraham. For those of us in this modern world some of Paul's wording may not strike a bell, because plantation slavery is no longer part of our society, praise the LORD, and even the role of household servants, common in the 1800's and 1900's in our country is no longer widespread. However, since many of you are acquainted with it through reading and even watching films, it does not lose its impact.

Paul is pointing to the status the Jews and Gentiles had under Mosaic Law. The Jews, who Paul refers to as “children,” and the Gentiles whom he identifies as “slaves,” were in the same position when it came to Mosaic Law. The mortal descendants of Abraham, who spent their time trying to keep all the religious rituals and regulations issued through Moses, had not yet received the promise God made to Abraham. They too were subject to God's timetable of when the last will and testament would be put into effect. The heir may have a right to it, but is not yet in possession of it; therefore, the heir cannot demand or take control of what the will contains until the appointed time.

So while the heir is growing up the head of the household entrusts oversight to others and depends on them to carry out the instructions given concerning eligibility to the will. The NIV calls them “guardians, and “trustees.” In relationship to God's estate, we might view these as the Law given by God to Moses and carried out by the priesthood of Aaron. The guardians were those in charge of the child, and the trustees were those responsible for the property. Paul wanted the Galatian believers to realize that they were still in the position of being under-aged children of God until Jesus came to elevate them to the status of qualified heirs. So why did they want to give up their son-ship through Christ, and go back to being unqualified children under guardians?

Verse 3: The same was true of us before. Under Mosaic Law we were minors subject to all the rules and basic principles our culture applies to minors.

Having used an illustration from secular life, Paul now transitions to how it affected the Galatians' spiritual life. God's relationship with people throughout the whole Old Testament period, says Paul, was like a Father to children not yet of age. No wonder He got upset with them so often, especially when they had their temper tantrums with Moses. Just as in our own culture, children under a certain age cannot vote, cannot procure a driver's license, cannot join the military, and cannot buy alcohol or cigarettes—thank God! However, Paul did not apply this to their physical age but their spiritual age. So the Jewish people, subject to the restrictions of religious rituals and regulations, were underage children. Even though God put certain benefits in His promise to Abraham, He declared that His children must first come of age in order to enjoy them.

Paul uses an interesting term to describe how children are treated differently than adults, which he says is based on the values of the cosmos. This word “principle” refers to the building blocks which make up a composite form. So, says Paul, just like we know that rules and cultural norms are principles that form societies' expectations of rights and behavior for minors, so God's spiritual rules and laws that classify us as under-aged children applies to God's spiritual society. The Jews had no direct relation with the Father or His thoughts, it all came through servants who received them, interpreted them, and propagated them. They lived according to God's system, but could not go beyond it. They were wards of a system involving rudimentary religious teaching by rabbis.

79

I cannot imagine how the Apostle Paul would act if he could see the bondage to religious rituals and regulations the church developed within a few hundred years after his letter to the Galatians. Even in our lifetime we've witnessed how believers were put under bondage to church rules and teachings that require their obedience in order to accept them as being saved and children of God. Even though I stand and put my hand over my heart when saying the Pledge of Allegiance, and take off my hat when singing the National Anthem, and have the greatest respect for the Flag of my country, I would be very upset if our federal government passed a law saying we MUST do all of these things in order to remain a citizen. We do them because we are proud patriots, not to keep or justify our citizenship.

Church laws and practical teachings may assist in controlling our carnal nature but they do not deliver us from sin. These laws and restrictions do not justify; nor do they guarantee a person going to heaven. We do not obtain eternal life by refraining from murder, adultery, stealing, lying, etc. Such outward decency does not constitute real Christianity. The heathen may observe the same disciplines to avoid punishment or to secure the advantages of a good reputation. In the last analysis: using such constraints to assure salvation serve only to promote hypocrisy. Just being morally good is not a substitute for being born again.

Verses 4-5: Likewise, when the time appointed by God arrived He sent His Son. He was born of a woman through natural child birth, and He became subject to all the religious and cultural laws in effect at the time in order for Him to qualify as our redeemer, and to set us free from the legal guardianship of Mosaic Law in becoming His rightful heirs as grown up sons and daughters.

Now Paul brings out the motivating factor behind his wanting the Galatian believers to know why God kept mankind in such an elementary state of faith. It all pointed toward a day of deliverance; a day of regeneration; a day of spiritual freedom from the slavery of Mosaic Law. Paul specifically states that it didn't happen until God's appointed time. It couldn't be brought on early by the Jews pious dedication of keeping every religious ritual and regulation. Furthermore, it couldn't be prevented by the Gentiles turning further and further away from the one true God into heathenism and idolatry. It was God's plan and God's promise, and He intended to keep it on His schedule.

Paul uses the phrase, “Fullness of time.” The coming of the Messiah was no accident, no happenstance, and no coincidence. This suggests something being filled like a glass of water. It also carries with it the concept of completeness. In the words of a Christian song popular a number of years ago that goes: “In His time, in His time, He makes all things beautiful, in His time. Lord, please show me every day, as You're teaching me Your way, that You do just what You say, in Your time.”

So what was completed; what needed to be filled; what appointed time are we talking about? It was that point in time all the prophets pointed to; a time when it would be revealed that He was a son of David; from the tribe of Judah; born in the city of Bethlehem; before the destruction of the second temple, and the completion of the seventy weeks spoken of by Daniel. Again, Paul wants the Galatian believers to know this was God's design; a plan made in advance. Furthermore, since God made such arrangements for the coming of the Messiah long before it occurred, then how much more should we believe that He included in those plans what would happen after the Messiah came and on into eternity.

When we look back over human history, some may ask why He didn't come sooner; why not right after Adam's fall in order to save mankind all the pain and suffering they went through including Noah's flood and the tower of Babel that tore the human race apart with different languages? Did God need four thousand years to get His plan figured out? The only way to come up with an answer to these questions would be to have the mind of God; to see what He saw; know what He knew; understand what He understood. After all, how long did it take mankind to invent printing; to discover vaccines, and to come up with radio and television? God is never behind time or ahead of time; He's always right on time. If Paul were writing today he might use the phrase, “at the right moment.”

80

But He didn't come as an angel, exempt from the laws that govern mankind, nor immune from the requirements of the religious rituals and regulations practiced by the Jews. He did not tread the earth as a celestial being unaffected by human needs or tendencies. Rather, He was born subject to Mosaic Law as a Jew and made subject to Mosaic Law by His Father's appointment. He was to keep all the ceremonial and moral requirements perfectly for us as our Representative, and to suffer and absorb the full penalty of our violation of it as the human race. This constitutes the significance of His circumcision, His being presented in the temple for dedication; and His baptism by John, after which Jesus said, “It's the right thing to do so that all the requirements of righteousness are fulfilled” (Mt. 4:15). And He did it all so that He, the only Son of God, might make it possible for the Father to adopt all of us as His full-fledged children.

It is very interesting that Paul uses the concept of adoption when discussing the new relationship between the Galatian believers and God. Adoption was already a well know practice even in Paul's day. If one brother died it was common for another brother to adopt his brother's children. Even estate owners were known to adopt the children of beloved slaves to give them a better chance at becoming free and successful. Paul spent quite a bit of time telling the Galatians about how they grew up as children under the tutelage and custody of Mosaic Law; but through Jesus Christ God adopted those who believed in Him as true sons and daughters, fully invested in the promise He made to Abraham. They could not acquire this any other way or by any other means; it was all because of Christ.

Verses 6-7: And now that we are His children, God has sent the Spirit of Christ, His Son, into our hearts. That’s why we now address Him as Father, because He really is our Father. As a result, we are no longer under guardianship but free; no longer slaves but children, God's own children. And since we are now His children we stand to inherit everything that belongs to Him.

Paul closes this part of his discourse by emphasizing the benefit believers have because of their elevated relationship with God the Father. It was more than just a judicial act or a legal matter that changed their status; it was a very important and critical change that took place in the heart. Under Mosaic Law, the vital principle of cooperation with Mosaic Law came from the persons own carnal spirit. That's why many of the original religious rituals and regulations became more and more complex as the human spirit tried to improve on their effectiveness and guaranteed outcome. You could become a more pious and holy believer through Mosaic Law by carrying out even the smallest detail with precision.

Even today some Christians attempt the same thing. Some have been known to crawl on their knees from the church door to the altar, some even shattered glass to show more devotion, or taking communion every day, or using their prayer beads and prayer book to earn God’s grace. How would the apostle Paul respond today to this salvation-by-one’s-own-efforts approach to God?

But God effected a critical change; He replaced the carnal spirit with the Spirit of His Son. Since Paul mentions Father, Son and Spirit, He spoke to the Gentiles concerning the Trinity. Since the Jews only accepted the Father and Spirit, Paul made sure they understood that the Spirit of the Father is also one with the Son, so they are three in One. Paul also clearly implies that the Spirit cannot be received from the Father until and unless one is already one with the Son.

So you Judaizers, do you get it! Since God gave you the same Spirit the Son has which allows you to approach God as his children, and use the reverent, and tender, and affectionate language of a child addressing a father, why would you trade that for communicating with the Father through animal sacrifices, religious rituals and regulations?

What a joy to use the title “Father” that clearly identifies one as a child of God; a term that expresses warmth and togetherness; allowing us to confidently approach our God and address Him as a divine parent. When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, He used the same term, “Our Father.”

81

Again Paul’s inspiration speaks volumes when he indicates that we use this affectionate title when “calling out” to God.

In Paul's day slaves were never permitted to refer to their master with this term. It was given only to the children. Not only that, but when a child calls out, “Father,” or “Daddy” as we say today, the father knows immediately whether the call is for his attention or they need help. There existed no place under ceremonial law where such permission was given. After all, only priest were allowed near the altars, and only the High Priest was allowed behind the veil. No wonder it tore in two when Jesus cried “It is finished!” Once more, what were these Galatian believers thinking? As Paul saw it, they weren't thinking at all. I can almost hear Paul take a deep breath, dip his quill in ink and begin to write, “You're not slaves anymore; you are God's children! And since you are now His children, you're in His last will as joint heirs to His kingdom!”

Let me illustrate: “Okay,” says the father of a large successful billion dollar company to his youngest son, “Your older brother died in combat but he left word that he wants you to take his place as the next owner and President of our company.” “But Dad,” says the younger son, I want to start at the bottom and work my way to the top like he did.” “Your brother did all that for you, and everything he learned he wrote down for you to read and study, so you'll know what he knew,” says the father. “But Dad, I want to do it on my own; I want to get credit for climbing to the top.” “Well, son, anyone could try that. But I have to tell you, even if they went as high as they could go, they wouldn't be allowed into this office or sit in this chair or inherit this company as owner and CEO when I retire unless they were there under the conditions offered by my first son.” I can hear Paul hollering now, “You Galatians, you can't earn this; you can't merit this; you can't compete for this; you can't buy this! It's a gift! If you don't accept it on God's terms, you can't receive it any other way!”

So, now all of God’s children can say to their old guardian under Mosaic Law, “You're through! You've forfeited your position and power to the Messiah. He's on the throne of my heart as LORD and Savior. I'm free now, a son of God. You can't imprison me anymore; you can't 'make me do it'. I can now serve God as He wills, and do not need your permission or approval. Yes, I submit myself to those over me in the LORD for guidance, instruction and discipline. But they do not possess any power nor did God give them any latitude to deny me my inheritance just because I fail one of their tests or do not measure up to one of their guidelines. Let them rebuke me if they want, just as long as it corresponds with God's Word and not one of their pet peeves. We are all on the same level and same footing as children of God. Therefore let us respect each other, love each other, prefer one another, and rejoice over each other’s gifts and talents; all meant to glorify and praise our Father in heaven.”

Assignment: I learned during my training as a certified grief counselor that when people write things out on paper it gains power and prominence in their hearts and minds, allowing them to make decisions earlier than they thought they would be ready to do. So why not write a letter to your former guardians under Mosaic Law, and let them know that everything you do now for the Father and His Son you do of your own free will; that they no longer can threaten your status as a believer if you don’t do things their way, or comply with their man-made rules, or get their permission before you act. Then read it out loud, and after doing so wad it up and throw it on the floor and walk away because you are free.

LESSON TWENTY-TWO -- (Posted 03/31/12) **

Don't bite the hand that feeds you. (Galatians 4:8-11)

Verse 8: Remember, before you became God’s children you were enslaved to a religion full of false gods.

It appears that Paul has said all he can to the Jewish believers and Judaizers and how their religious rituals and regulations fall short of God's promise in Christ. So now he focuses on the Gentile

82

believers. He reminds them of their heathen worship to gods made of wood, stone and other materials; how they ignorantly venerated the power behind creation such as the sun, moon, and stars without knowing who this God was or His real name. They also made images that they believed represented this unknown God. These idols were not divine, nor did they possess any powers other than the ones the worshipers gave them credit for having. All of this habitually enslaved them to religious rituals and regulations that often required human sacrifice.

The possibility that these Gentiles first converted to Judaism prior to becoming Christians seems clear by what Paul says later on. So in effect, they traded one form of religious slavery for another. Now looking back, didn't they see that even this exchange would not improve on their knowing God any better than the way they came to know Him after being born again in Christ? Couldn't they see that the bondage that enslaved them before they were set free in Christ was now being demanded of them again only under a new name?

Consider this: once upon a time a Canaanite named Reprobus, who lived from 249-313 AD, converted to Christianity and chose the name Christopher. One day he went to wade across river and saw a little child who wanted to get to the other side but the water was too deep. So Christopher put the child on his shoulders and took him across. As word of his act of kindness spread, it made him very popular as a man of compassion. Later on Christopher died as a martyr under the rule of Emperor Decius of Rome. As his legend grew, he canonized as the patron saint of travelers. His feast day was held on July 25th and his medal hung from car mirrors and other transportation vehicles for centuries.

But in 1969 the Roman Catholic Church announced that Christopher was no longer considered a saint because his story was too hard to prove. This news came to both Catholic and Protestant believers as a shock. I heard someone vow, they didn't care what the Catholic Church had to say; they were going to pray to St. Christopher and display his medal no matter what. In addition, the church would no longer give them credit for praying to St. Christopher so they could earn an early exit out of purgatory. In a way, this is what Paul was trying to point out to the Gentile believers in Galatia. Instead of Christ being the only one they now trusted and believed in for every aspect of their lives, they had gone back to focusing their faith on meaningless figurines, medals, statues and icons for safety and security.

I saw something similar while living in Manila, Philippines. I heard quite a bit about a church in the district of Quiapo where an image called the “Black Nazarene” lay enshrined, brought to the Philippines from Spain in 1606 by Augustinian Friars. One day I decided to visit this church so I could speak about it with firsthand knowledge. The church doors were all open as vendors of religious products and trinkets surrounded the cathedral. People flowed in and out of the sanctuary on a continuous basis. The “Black Nazarene” lay on an elevated pedestal looking like a mannequin painted black, covered with a white cloth. As people streamed by they reached out and touched the brow with their hands or cloths. I was told they believed there was healing in the Black Nazarene's figure so they wiped the cloths on themselves or took them home to sick family members. I also saw people crawling down the aisles toward the altar area on their knees as they prayed using the Rosary. I left wondering if the Apostle Paul had been with me, might he ask that since this was a Christian church, did they know the living Nazarene was standing at the right hand of God on high ready to make intercession for them, and by His stripes they were healed. I also pondered, would he think that these brothers and sisters of the Galatians had become like-minded in depending on such rituals to meet their spiritual needs.

Verses 9-10: But now that you know the true God and He knows you, why would you want to go back again to those weak and miserable religious elements of this world? Why would you want to idolize them again? Are you trying to impress God by observing special holidays, holy months, sacred seasons, and anniversaries?

No wonder Paul seemed puzzled by the Galatians' turnabout. How could they go from something so alive to something so dead? How could they turn around after becoming personally acquainted with

83

the living God who called them and accepted them, and return to their old ineffective attempts to accomplish on their own what Christ did for them? Didn’t they go from stumbling around in darkness into living in His Light? Were they not saved from certain death under condemnation of Mosaic Law and given eternal life through the grace of God in Christ? Didn't the Psalmist say that those who worship idols took on the personality of those idols? Maybe this explains why some people are considered perfect church members because they strictly adhere to every ecclesiastical law, but when it comes to sharing the gospel and the love of Christ to a fallen world, they are just as inexpressive, inarticulate, and inanimate as their idols.

Paul's major concern involved his fear that once the Galatian believers returned to their religious rituals and regulations they were returning to an addiction. Paul uses two Greek words that may register with more impact on today's society than even in his day. The NIV translates them as “miserable” and “enslaved.” The first word ptōchos (miserable, destitute) means to solicit; being so in need of something that one is willing to beg for anything; the second word douleuō (enslaved, yielding) means to become so addicted to some low based element that you can’t live without it.

Today we might automatically think of alcohol or drugs that provide a momentary escape from everyday stress but leads to long lasting misery. In Paul's mind he saw a similar addiction in the Galatians' desire and need to feel saved and justified before God by their own efforts. Did you know that even today there are believers who will accept any church discipline for failure to keep an ecclesiastical rule in order to have the church ensure their salvation? But in so doing they've completely lost sight of what Christ did for them to bring freedom. Thus they have become enslaved to their religion.

Paul doesn't leave the Galatians in the dark about what he means by becoming enslaved to things that cannot increase or improve on their salvation. He mentions their observance of special days and months and seasons and years. He is obviously not only speaking of pagan holidays, but of Jewish feasts and festivals as well. Paul does not have anything against such observances done out of respect or honor for what that day or month or season or year represents, but he opposed their mistaken idea that obedience in observing such ceremonies will enhance their standing with God and guarantee their salvation.

Perhaps Paul recalled Peter or James telling him what Jesus said to the critical Pharisees who complained about His disciples not observing the Sabbath: “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath” (Mk. 2:27). Should believers gather together for worship? Yes, of course, but not with the understanding that this will add gold filigree to their salvation and make them better than anybody else! In fact, if a person goes to church on Sunday just because it's Sunday and they want to impress God and their fellow Christians as being super holy, rather than going with joy because it's another opportunity to worship and magnify the LORD, they are no better than the Galatians.

Verse 11: I’m very worried about you, that somehow all my hard work for you will turn out to be a complete waste of time.

Why trade the freedom found in Christ for religious legalism? Why throw away the riches of the King of kings, and become a beggar once again, pleading with God for mercy based on one's own merits. That's the question that haunts the Apostle Paul. He finally shows his exasperation and disappointment by wondering whether or not he wasted his time going to Galatia while he was so physically ill, telling them about Jesus so they might find the joy of true salvation in Christ, all of which left him tired, weary and exhausted.

What would you men think if you bought an old car and spent months and months in junk yards looking for parts to restore it; putting in a new motor, new rims and tires, repainting it, then polishing it

84

until it shined like a classic roadster in a showroom; then giving it to one of your sons only to find out he was planning to drive it in a demolition derby?

What would you ladies think if you bought expensive silk material and spend months and months making a beautiful evening gown with lace and painstaking hand-embroidery, and after presenting it to your daughter you find out she was planning to wear it to go mud wrestling? Paul must have experienced similar heartbreak over what the Galatians did with the months and months of teaching and preaching he gave them, while tired and worn out with some debilitating impairment he referred to as a thorn in the flesh (cf. 2Cor. 12:7-9).

Assignment: Have you ever felt a similar disappointment with friends, family, or even children who did not appreciate all the time and effort and trouble you went through trying to help them grow in their walk with Christ? Did you often ask yourself what you did wrong? Did it puzzle you why they did not see the light of serving God with the same joy you did? Then you are not alone. You can truly empathize with the apostle Paul.

How did you or are you handling it? Did you throw up your hands in disgust and say, “I’m tired of wasting my time?” Did you start feeling guilty because you believed there was something you should have done you didn’t do, or something you should not have done that you did do? Or did you decide to pray harder and longer, seeking God’s guidance more urgently, letting them know of your concern as often as possible? Or perhaps you told God you would patiently wait until it was His time to turn them around and bring them back, and to call on you when He was ready?

Whatever your decision, get ready for more of Paul’s saga on how he dealt with his frustration with the Galatians that continues in next week’s lesson. Let’s see how he handled it.

LESSON TWENTY-THREE – (Posted 04/07/12) **

We're more than a mutual admiration society. (Galatians 4:12-20)

Verse 12: My dear brothers and sisters, try to view things as a Jew would see them for my sake because I tried to view things as a Gentile would see them for your sake when I first came to you, and you didn’t get upset and turn me away.

Some psychologists feel that Paul, by offering himself as a prototype to be imitated, is guilty of asking believers to mimic him. In 1Thess 1:6 Paul writes that the Thessalonians had become imitators of him; and in 1Cor. 4:16 he urges the Corinthians to imitate him; while in 1Cor. 7:7 he said, “I wish you were all just like me;” then he asked the Philippians 4:9 to “watch what I do and then you do the same.”

85

These psychologists suggest that Paul's presentation of himself as a model seems to proceed from and reflect his sense of being a person who had achieved great things. It also presupposes that his achievements will, or should, be recognized by others. If Paul was in fact doing this consciously, he was only emphasizing the fact that he copied the characteristics of Christ. Thus in 1Thess 1:6 he says “You started copying the Lord and me;” and in 1Cor. 2:1 he says “Copy what I’m doing like I’m copying what Christ did.” In other words, since they didn’t know Christ as Paul did, what better way of being Christ-like than to duplicate what Paul was doing.

While on the surface that may seem a logical conclusion, Paul was certainly not conceited. Just from his own writings we do not see a profile that rivals some ancient Narcissus. What Paul referred to was his new found freedom in Christ that liberated him from the tedious and worthless adherence to the old religious rituals and regulations that supposedly earn a person their own salvation. Thus Paul appeals to the Galatians based on their spiritual relationship with God. He pleads with them to live their lives for Christ as he was doing, in freedom from the bondage of Mosaic Law. After all, says Paul, you Gentiles had nothing to do with the ceremonial laws before you were saved, and I as a Jew moved over to your side by having nothing to do with these ceremonial laws either. That's why when I first came to you preaching the Gospel; you took me in like I was one of your own.

I remember the first time I went to Pakistan, I saw everyone eating with their hands. I had not done that since I was a one year old, so I wasn't surprised it came back to me so easily. When the brethren saw I was willing to become one with them, they embraced me very quickly, and listened to me as a friend and brother in Christ, not as a stranger.

Here Paul reminds the Jews that at one time he was a zealot addicted to the religious rituals and regulations of Judaism just like they were, but gave it all up like they did to embrace the freedom that Christ gives from such bondage. Paul went through the same struggle the Jewish believers' went through in trying to give up these things. Paul was not encouraging the Jews to do something he had not done himself. So how could they doubt him and the message of freedom that he brought to them?

While teaching at the European Bible Seminary in Switzerland I took a group of students to Pirmasens, Germany for a weekend revival. We sang on street corners to invite people to the church. As we walked down the street I noticed a Gasthaus (Tavern) and asked the students if they'd like to go in and sing. At first they thought I had eaten too much sauerkraut, but finally all agreed so inside we went. I told the bartender that I had a singing group with me and asked if he would like to hear them sing. He nodded yes and unplugged the jukebox.

The students began to sing in beautiful harmony as the patrons sat with their beers and listened. After about fifteen minutes, the last song they sang was about the cross. When they finished I noticed a man sitting by himself at a table with his head bowed weeping. I went over and sat down next to him. He told me that at one time he was a believer but had strayed away and now didn't know how to get back. I told him I went through the same experience, but when Jesus saw I needed help He sent someone to help me. So I said to him, our being here is Jesus' way of telling you He wants you back. We bowed our heads and we prayed together for God to take him back.

Paul's message to the Galatians should serve as an example for all Christians who go or who are sent to speak to a wayward believer. In some churches congregations are harder and less compassionate on fellow members who fall or stumble than they are on the most despicable sinner who comes forward for salvation. As Martin Luther found out when he became a born again believer; the church he once served had little mercy on him. So he encouraged all pastors and ministers to have more sympathy for their poor straying sheep and instruct them in the spirit of meekness. “You cannot straighten them out in any other way,” says Luther, “sharp-tongued criticism provokes anger and despair, but not repentance.” Paul tells the Galatians, I'm not mad at you because you broke my heart; my concern for

86

you is because I love and respect you. I'm not writing this to put you down, but I'm writing this to lift you up. Don't take this as a harsh rebuke; it's given out of love for your soul.

Verses 13-14: You remember when I first arrived to bring you the Gospel, I was terribly ill. Even so, you did not reject me or look down on me because I was suffering so badly. Not at all, as a matter of fact you took me in as if I were an angel from God; you treated me as though I were the Messiah Himself.

Paul continues his heartwarming plea for the Galatians to accept his writing as coming from a friend, a buddy, someone who loved them very much, by reminding them of the circumstances that surrounded his arrival there, and how they graciously put up with his handicap—whatever that may have been, from malaria to epilepsy to bad eyesight or the result of all his physical punishment by those who opposed him—but did not hold it against him even though it caused them quite a bit of extra work and worry. As a matter of fact, they treated him like a celebrity.

I've always been an admirer of Mother Theresa, especially after visiting her hospital in Calcutta, India. Here was an elderly lady with a wrinkled face, bent over slightly as she walked, with no outer beauty to demand attention. Yet everywhere she went crowds would gather around and admire her as a modern day saint because of her heart and dedication to the down and out. Paul must have felt the same way when he arrived in Galatia. No doubt it touched his heart and now he's beginning to wonder if it was all real; if it was genuine.

Verses 15-16: So, what has happened to your joy and openness? Back then I was convinced that if you could, you would have gouged out your own eyes and given them to me. So I ask you, do you hate me now just because I’m willing to be open and honest with you?

Now Paul begins his version of “Breaking up is hard to do.” The Apostle reminds them of how everything was going great when they were together; how they declared themselves so blessed to have him in their midst. How when they saw the infirmity he was dealing with they would have done anything, and he meant anything, to try and help him cope with it or completely overcome it. Some theologians suggest that by Paul mentioning their willingness to sacrifice their eyes, and his reference to writing in big letters at the end of this epistle, that the infirmity was poor eyesight. But others make note that already in Paul's day there were Latin writings such as the one in which a character named Aeschinus said, “May all the Gods detest me, father, if I do not love you better than my very own eyes!”

In this revelation of the Galatian believer's love and respect for Paul, he raises an important point concerning the relationship between a pastor and his congregation. The great reformist John Calvin once said, “It is not enough that pastors be respected, if they are not also loved. Both are necessary; otherwise, their teaching will not have a sweet taste.” By the same token, James Montgomery Boice, a great modern day reformist teacher stated, “To the degree that ministers and teachers of the Word of God do teach the Word, to that same degree should they be received as the Galatians received the apostle Paul. Ministers should not be received and evaluated on the basis of their personal appearance, intellectual attainments, or winsome manner, but as to whether or not they are indeed God's messengers bearing the Word of Christ.”

In my over fifty years in ministry I have listen to scores and scores of pastors, evangelists, teachers and ministers. When it came to looks, dress and delivery style, some of them made little impression, but their knowledge of the Word and their commitment to the truth made me admire them greatly; by the same token some others who could have been on the cover of GQ Magazine left me shaking my head in disappointment when it came to their substandard expository preaching of God's Word.

The Bible does not give us a physical description of Jesus. The prophet Isaiah noted: “There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.” The people did not stream after Jesus because He was good looking or resembled a matinee idol, but they were impressed

87

by the way He taught. When the Jewish leaders sent out the temple guards to arrest Jesus, they came back empty handed. The leaders asked them why, and the guards responded: “We’ve never heard anyone speak like this man!” (Jn. 7:46 cf. Mt 7:29; Lk. 4:22)).

Paul wraps it up by asking a painful question: “Do you hate me now that I've told you the truth?” A friend will go along with you because they fear losing you, but a true friend will tell you the facts because if they don't they'll lose you anyhow. Paul proves himself to be a true friend of the Galatians because he's telling them like it is. Oft times a rebuke from a critic and that of a true friend may sound similar, but the difference is that the rebuke from a critic comes from their mind while the rebuke from a true friend comes from their heart. Didn't Jesus say you will know the truth and the truth will set you free? If you hate it when someone tells you a lie, how can you hate it when someone tells you the truth? Solomon said it well, “Don't bother correcting the arrogant; they will only hate you. But correct the wise, and they will love you for it” (Pro. 9:8).

Verses 17-18: I understand that these teachers are excited about winning you over to their side, but I can tell you their motives are disgraceful. All they want to do is come between us so that you will turn to them instead of to me. It’s a good thing when people care about you and love you, but why did they wait until I was gone to do this?

Several psychologists infer that after Paul became a Christian, despite his critical attitude of those who relied on their own abilities and talents to outdo others, he continued to strive to be the best of the best. They say he did this so unconsciously that he became inconsistent in his instructions. In their opinion, without knowing it Paul turned out to be the very sort of person he preached against by relying on his own abilities and talents to outdo everyone else.

They say that Paul excused this by identifying it as God and Christ working through him with their truth and power. Furthermore, they believe this created tension between his spiritual philosophy of not wanting to rely on his own abilities and talents to be better than others, and his carnal ego’s desire to succeed. However, these psychologists agree that it was just such inner tension and inconsistency that gave him the competitive element he needed to carry on despite his critics.

I tried to simplify the wording of some psychological assessments I read, but they still make things hard to understand some times. So let me put it in layman's language. Before Paul was converted he was a Jewish zealot of the highest degree. He looked to no one for approval and saw no challenge too great for him. He was determined to be the best anti-Christian Pharisee who ever lived. After he was born again he looked only to God and Christ for approval, and was willing to accept whatever circumstances he found himself in as part of God's will and plan for his life.

But, say the psychologists, Paul didn't realize he was doing the same thing for Christianity that he once did Judaism. Except that now he's passes it off by claiming that God the Father and Christ the Messiah put him up to it; so he's doing it for them! In reality Paul was contrasting the love he had for the Galatians with that zeal of the Judaizers whose goal it was to win them away from him. Paul love the Galatians in order to win them over to Christ, but the Judaizers zeal was to turn them away from Christ back to ceremonial laws.

When growing up I only attended the church of one specific denomination. But I learned a lot about other denominations through the sermons I heard. Unfortunately, I only heard what was wrong with them; why their belief system was incorrect; why their theology was mistaken; why their teachings on holiness were in error; and why they were headed for a false heaven. I began to believe that only people who belonged to my denomination would go in the rapture. This is the approach the Judaizers took in trying to persuade the Galatians to return to complete salvation by adding the requirements of ceremonial laws. Can you imagine my shock when later on I found out that many preachers in my organization used commentaries written by theologians from the very denominations they ridiculed! You talk about the smudged pot calling the kettle sooty!

88

The zeal expressed by the Judaizers was meant to alienate, to divide, and to cause dissension. As someone on the eastern shore of Maryland might say, “They're good aren't they.” For those of you who might be interested, this is what's called in Greek a “Litotes:” a figure of speech that is actually meant to express the opposite. The Judaizers seemed to be doing what was right in their eyes, when in fact what they did was wrong in Paul's eyes. Being from Crisfield, Maryland like I am, Paul might say, “They’re real friends aren’t they,” meaning just the opposite. So Paul tells the Galatians, I know what they're up to and it's not good for you; how can it be what's best when in order for them to accomplish their will for you they insist on excluding me; your best friend. Several times I needed to point out to my children that what their friends insisted on them doing did not fit into their relationship with me. So how could it be good for either of us?

Paul does not condemn people being zealous for what they believe as long as it serves to promote a good cause for God's love and the works of Christ; for the Gospel and the ordinances it offers, and promoting discipline in God's house; against immorality and profaneness, exposing errors and heresies: and not changing with the times or adapting to new fads and fashions to excuse misconduct or behavior as believers. There is nothing wrong with devotion and commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ; to His calling; to His divine will and His purpose for our lives. One thing about true zeal for God the Father, Christ the Son, the Holy Spirit, the Gospel, and doing God's will, is that it will remain constant even though no one is looking.

I remember attending a convention in Bismarck, North Dakota and shopping at a local Super Center. I checked out and went back to the motel, and as I was going through my pocket and took out the receipt I recognized right away that the cashier made a critical mistake. When I gave her the money, instead of giving me back the change she kept the change and gave me back the amount I should have paid. Immediately I jumped in the car and returned to the store. Believe it or not, they refused to take the money back because they didn't want to embarrass the cashier. Finally I left what I owed them on the counter and walked out of the store knowing I did what was right in God's sight.

Verses 19-20: I love you like children and I feel like a woman going through labor pains again. I’m sure this will continue until I see you looking more like Christ. Oh how I long to be with you so that I could feel different about this. I’m so worried about you.

Paul's pleading and admonishment of the Galatians now reaches a point of desperation. He likens his heartache and sorry to that of the pain experienced by women in childbirth. And like any parent who finds their child in dire need of encouragement and comfort, wishes he could be there with them at this critical hour. But perhaps the most troubling emotion that Paul feels is the head-shaking, eye-brow lifting, rolling of the eyes, deep breath sigh of complete and utter disbelief that this is happening to those he calls, “My dear children.” Paul struggled to make sense out of the situation; it just didn't add up. Maybe if he saw them and put his arms around them and they prayed together, then his tone of voice might change to that of a loving spiritual father instead of a chastising religious parent.

Paul no doubt thought back to when he first went to Galatia; how he struggled with some physical handicap after many reproaches, afflictions, and persecutions; hoping that through his preaching of the Gospel they might be born again, turning them from Heathenism to Christianity, and from serving dead idols to serve the living God, and believing in His Son Jesus Christ. Now he was faced with doing it all over again by writing to them, using arguments that sometimes sounded loving and kind, but at other times harsh and full of tough love. More than anything he wanted them to reject the heresy of these Judaizers and return to the pure Gospel of Christ. What Paul desperately longed for was that they be recast into a mold having the form of the Person and Spirit of Christ. Instead, these believers seemed to have taken on the form of Moses and of the Law.

I wonder what the scene would be like if every true believer who left us to await the resurrection only fifty years ago were to come back to life for just one week, and attend the church they were in before

89

laying down to rest. Would they love what they see so much they'd be tempted to ask God to let them stay longer? Or would they plead with Him to cut short their visit because what they saw broke their hearts?

If they entered the building and heard people singing praises to God with passion and fervor, and listened to an anointed Gospel message from the Word that brought the power of the Holy Spirit into the sanctuary, and saw people being saved and filled with the Spirit, then maybe they'd want to hang around. But if they witnessed unemotional singing only meant to fill up time, and sermons that deal with the pastor's personal philosophy on positive thinking and prosperous world view, and prayers for those who responded to the invitation to be part of the church that neither included the words: confess, sin, forgiveness, cleansing, born again, nor acceptance of salvation, then yes, they'd probably slip out the back door and be gone.

Assignment: Read the following seven indicators** why some churches are failing, and see if you spot anything that’s happening in your church or some church you know:

(1) The church is growing numerically but not spiritually. When people leave after Sunday services they don’t feel energized and ready to go out and represent Christ to a dying world. They feel like they’ve just completed some obligation and hope the next time it will be more interesting.

(2) There is no real distinction between believers and unbelievers; they all enjoy the same lifestyle and forms of entertainment and socializing. Therefore, the great commission to share the word of God with everyone you meet has lost its punch; unbelievers do not see that much difference between their routine and that of Christians, so why change.

(3) More and more churches use man’s methods to reach the lost rather than God’s methods. After a person is born again, their conversion alone provides enough excitement, motivation, and energy to go out and tell everyone what it means to have Christ living in them. Jesus said such testimonies will always be accompanied by the power of the Spirit.

(4) Few churches provide discipleship training; it’s left up to the pastor to reach the lost. Many pastors do not teach: “as you go into the entire world,” but rather “bring the entire world into the church.”

(5) Instead of passing on the faith of their spiritual fathers, churches insist on perpetuating the practices of their human fathers. They “push” people through fear and threats to get involved, or they “pull” people with incentives and rewards to get involved, instead of inspiring people through love and faith to be involved.

(6) When pastors repeat the scripture, “The fields are ripe for harvest,” they are referring to their own congregation. Instead of the church being a mission with a mission, it becomes a museum displaying past accomplishments. Revivals become the only outreach and the main focus is on backsliders, not new converts.

(7) A church that ages and matures in its old ways will eventually die. Traditions must be viewed as roots and not branches. As a living organism it must adapt to its changing environment and reproduce new children of God who replace those being called to their eternal rest.

(**These indicators inspired by my friend Dr. Hollis L. Green’s book: “Why Churches Die.”)

90

LESSON TWENTY-FOUR – (Posted 04/14/12) **

A Biblical story of epic proportions. (Galatians 4:21-31)

Verses 21-23: I’d like to ask those of you who want to go back and live your life under Mosaic Law, do you understand what Mosaic Law is really saying? Remember, the Scriptures point out that Abraham had two sons, one through his slave-mistress, and one through his legitimate wife. Furthermore, his son born to the slave-mistress was the result of the usual form of human conception, while his son born to the legitimate wife was the result of God’s divine promise.

In his investigation of what he called a “toxic text” from the Pauline tradition, psychologist Charles Davis suggests that Galatians 4:21-31 qualifies as such. Basing his argument on principles of narrative theology, he proposes that stories can be identified as revelatory tales or toxic texts, based on whether the story serves to suppress or to support and develop one's own personal “authentic” story.

One commentator remarks on Davis' theory, “Such attempts are coercive, and to the extent that such methods are used to silence or discredit a person's stories, they represent a form of terrorism. We use such a strong word advisedly, for when one person tries to silence the legitimate voice of another; this is done invariably by throwing into question that person's only resource for discerning reality, his or her own judgment. All those who are thrown into that position of self-doubt are being thrown out of their own stories and robbed of their own voices.”

91

I hope my inclusion of these psychological assessments do not cause you a headache. The differing points of view between psychologist Davis and his critic involve the following issues: Davis is basically saying that Paul could not come up with a good enough argument to prove his case with his facts and evidence, so he borrows a story from the past, which the Judaizers could not argue against, and claims that the story proves his point.

His critic disagrees by saying that attempt’s like those of Davis are nothing more than wanting to dismiss Paul’s illustration of Abraham as an effort to make up something, thereby telling Paul to shut up unless he has something more substantive to offer. If we accept Davis’ point of view, then preachers and teachers could never use Biblical texts to prove their points, and that would end expository preaching. So let’s put Paul's story into a modern narrative and then you decide whether or not it is still a toxic text.

There was a king who had a loyal subject who was the most upright, honest man in his kingdom. One day he called his loyal subject in and made him this promise under oath: The king said, “My own son is not yet ready to ascend the throne so I want your son and your son's sons to rule my kingdom until my son is ready.” “However,” said the king, “your son and all of his descendants must pledge their allegiance to me and obey all my commands and perform all the daily, weekly, monthly and yearly tasks tied to those commands to prove themselves loyal servants until my son is ready to become king. By doing this, your son and all his descendants will become heirs and joint heirs with my son when he finally takes the throne.” The loyal subject told the king he did not yet have a son. The king smiled and said, “But you will have a son someday, I promise you.” So both the king and the loyal subject agreed to this promise.

Year after year the loyal subject and his wife could not conceive a son because she was not fertile. So at her insistence he had an illicit son by her maid. But the king would not accept this son because he considered him illegitimate. So he sent his trusted aides to tell the loyal subject that he and his wife would still have a legitimate son and not to lose faith. And sure enough, a legitimate son was miraculously born. Many descendants followed, but they were not always faithful to the king and did not follow his required tasks as they should while waiting for his majesty's son to be anointed as king.

So it was no surprise that when the king's son came, the descendants refused to accept him claiming that they were already legitimate heirs because of the king's promise to their ancestor. The king's son reminded them that the promise was made with this precondition: they must first accept him as their king and pledge their allegiance to him, then he would eliminate all the daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly tasks his father required because they were no longer mandatory in order for them to be heirs to the kingdom. Also, by serving him this would fulfill all the commands his father required obedience to.

But guess what, they killed the king's son and continued to rule the kingdom on their own. However, the king brought his son back to life and established him forever as the only true heir to the throne. Then the king decided to invite people from every nation and tribe who accepted his son as king to become family heirs.

Verses 24-26: Now these two women serve as an illustration of God’s two covenants with man. Hagar, the slave-mistress, represents the covenant God made on Mount Sinai. Therefore, Hagar symbolizes Mount Sinai in Arabia (which I now compare to Jerusalem’s mountain where all her children live in slavery under Mosaic Law). But Sarah, the legitimate wife, represents a new spiritual Jerusalem. She’s the one who is the real mother of those who live in freedom.

Paul now continues his story: That King was God, and His Son was Jesus Christ. That loyal subject was Abraham and his wife Sarah and their legitimate son Isaac; the slave-mistress is Hagar and her illegitimate son Ishmael. All of Isaac's descendants are Jews, and all the descendants of Ismael are Arabs. So, says Paul, by not accepting Jesus Christ as the one true Son of God who completed all the tasks and laws His father required, and by rejecting Him they not only disqualified themselves from

92

becoming heirs and joint heirs with Christ, they became no better than the descendants of Hagar's illegitimate son Ishmael.

“So what's it going to be,” Paul asks the Galatians? “Do you want to keep on living like the illegitimate children of Hagar with no promises for the future, or do you want to live like the legitimate children of Sarah with all God's promises including eternal life? Do you want to tie your hopes to religious rituals and regulations that are now obsolete, or do you want to put your faith in God's new covenant that goes to all Abraham's spiritual descendants who pledge allegiance to Him? Make up your minds, for heaven’s sake!”

Verses 27-31: Isaiah talked about this incident when he wrote:

“Rejoice, O childless woman! Break forth into loud and joyful song even though you never gave birth to a child. For the woman who could bear no children now has more than all the other women!”

Don’t you get it; my dear children in Galatia, God’s true children are those of promise, just like Isaac. But just like back then, the same is happening now, those who are children of the flesh want to persecute those who are children of the spirit. However, let’s see what the Scripture had to say about that:

“Get rid of the slave-wife and her son, for the son of the slave-wife will never share the family inheritance with the legitimate wife’s son.”

So it’s clear, my brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave-wife, but of the legitimate wife.

Paul hopes the Galatians will see the truth through this illustration. If they insist on connecting with God through the religious rituals and regulations – many of which the concocted themselves – they have no more chance to be included in God's promise to Abraham than Ishmael. He was the son of a slave woman, conceived outside God's will. How could they be so blind? Their acceptance of Jesus Christ brought them into the will and the promises of God. Why give that up? What did they have to gain? That’s why Paul quotes Sarah's famous line when she saw how Hagar and Ishmael were seen making fun of Isaac, telling Abraham to get rid of Hagar and Ishmael. Sarah did not want Ishmael dividing Isaac’s inheritance with him; she wanted Isaac to get it all.

While Paul's allegory back then surely fell on ears that understood all his references to Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and Hagar, it may not play to a full house in today's world. Present believers may even ask what God’s promise to Abraham has to do with them. It seems that many church goers today depend so much on their loyalty to their church, its religious rituals and regulations in order to sense God's approval on their lives and their inheritance of everlasting life. Does that mean churches should disband and let everyone live out their Christian lives as they see fit? No! By no means!

First of all, buildings only become churches when the body of Christ is assembled there, other than that they are only structures and symbols of the church that worships there. When the body of Christ arrives to adore their God, their LORD and Savior Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit with praise and worship; anointed messages; brotherly and sisterly fellowship, they enjoy their spiritual relationship with each other and the Trinity. But when people attend church out of obligation to laws, religious rituals and regulations conceived by man, believing this will save their souls and qualify them for everlasting life, they inadvertently and unconsciously reject Jesus Christ as the only way, truth and life; as the only acceptable Master and Redeemer, LORD and Savior, by deciding to be saved by their own efforts, not by faith. Therefore God has no reason to include them in His Last Will and Testament and add them to the list of those who have the inheritance of everlasting life with Him.

One might think that by the time Paul started preaching the gospel; God had grown tired of religious rituals and regulations serving as a feeble attempt on man’s part to obtain salvation by their own efforts. But the prophet Isaiah tells us that in his day God had already become disgusted. “Listen to the LORD,

93

you Sodom-like leaders. Listen to our God’s directions, you Gomorrah-like people. ‘What makes you think I want any of your sacrifices?’ says the LORD. ‘I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams and the fat of plump cattle. I get no pleasure from the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to worship me, who asked you to parade through my courts with you rites and rituals? Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts; the incense of your offerings disgusts me! As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath and your special days for fasting— they are all sinful and false. I want no more of your pious meetings. I hate your new moon celebrations and your annual festivals. They are a burden to me. I cannot stand them! When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look. Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen, for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims. Clean up your life! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways. Learn to do what’s right. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows. Let’s have this understanding,’ says the LORD, ‘Though your sins are the color of scarlet, I’m the one who can make them as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, I’m the one who can make them as white as wool’” (Isa. 1:10-18).

Assignment: Read the following seven indicators** why some churches are failing to carry out God’s plan, and see if you spot anything that’s happening in your church or some church you know:

(1) The heart and soul of any church is the preaching of the gospel, with the centerpiece being the cross of Jesus Christ. When ministers get so busy trying to prop up broken programs and trying to fix outdated programs they have little time for the Word, the hungry will go home starving. It is the preaching of the gospel that attracts people to hear the wonderful truth about God’s plan of salvation. Unless proclaiming the gospel is a priority, the purpose of the church is paralyzed.

(2) The word for church means, “Those who are called.” You don’t become part of the body of Christ by chance or through promotional gimmicks; you are called by the Holy Spirit. Leaders marginalize their congregations when they decide to run things all by themselves with the help of their allies. Therefore, “the called” are left waiting with little, if anything, to do.

(3) The gifts of the Holy Spirit were not given only to church leaders, but to everyone the Spirit choses to equip. When people in the pew are not given the freedom for their gifts to operate, this causes the church to become an institution that’s concerned only with self-preservation rather than winning the lost. Therefore the person in the pew has little incentive to become involved, and this leds to discord and disharmony. The church is to be Christ-centered, not self-centered.

(4) When the future of any church depends on each generation forming a chain with the next to promote sharing the gospel with their community, if that chain is broken due to neglect or lack of interest on the part of the leadership then that church’s future is in doubt. They may continue to exist as a religious organization, but the call of the called-out ones is silenced. Pastors must plant the seed; evangelists can come and water the seed, but the congregation must be ready for the harvest.

(5) The quality of the seed that is planted influences the quality of the person who responds. Sinners do not respond to the preacher or the evangelist, but to the voice of the Spirit. Those who become believers because the speaker convinced them to do so are only having a change of mind, but those who the Word and the Spirit brought conviction to their souls will experience a transformation in life as a new creation in Christ Jesus by experiencing a change of heart.

(6) After a person is born again, they should not return to their pew, sit down, and never become involved, believing themselves to have received eternal life and there’s nothing more to do. They must grow and mature by learning the mind and teachings of Christ. Ministers whose only interest in converts is for statistical purposes and additions to the membership rolls, are concerned only with making decisions instead of making disciples.

94

(7) Everyone called out must then be prepared to go out. Ministers who shake hands at the door and tells the departing members, “Thanks for coming,” are suggesting that the believer’s work is done for the week. The big question for every believer should be, “Where’s the church on Monday morning?” Pastors, who let their congregations go out the door without a mission, are disregarding the great commission given by our Lord Jesus Christ.

(**These indicators inspired by my friend Dr. Hollis L. Green’s book, “Why Churches Die.”)

I. PAUL EXPLAINS FREEDOM IN THE SPIRIT (Galatians 5:1-26) **

LESSON TWENTY-FIVE – (Posted 04/21/12)

You still don't get the point? (Galatians 5:1)

Verse 1: Listen, who was it that bought your freedom? The Messiah! So don’t let these people intimidate you, and don’t let them tie you up again like slaves to the old Mosaic Law.

Now Paul puts on his preaching hat after stomping out every last drop of juice in the theological wine press, from grapes brought out by Joshua and Caleb from the Promised Land, and moves on to the consequences of whether they drink that wine as a part of the Passover Meal or as part of Holy Communion. If they stick with the religious rituals and regulations to celebrate their fellowship with God through Mosaic Law, then the Passover Meal will go on commemorating the blood of the Passover lamb in Egypt. But if they drink the new wine that is part of Holy Communion to celebrate their fellowship with God through Christ, then they will be commemorating the blood of the Passover Lamb on Calvary.

Not only did the blood of the Passover lamb in Egypt set the Jews free from slavery under Pharaoh, but Paul reminds the believers in Galatia that the blood of the Passover Lamb on Calvary set them free from slavery under Mosaic Law. That way, their salvation will no longer be based on faith in their own efforts, but based on their faith in the works of Christ. As Jews they were not born free down in Egypt, but needed to be set free by the miraculous power of God through Moses. Likewise, as believers they were not born free under Mosaic Law, but needed to be set free by the miraculous power of God through Messiah.

95

In both cases they did not earn their freedom by merit, righteous living, or bargaining; it was given as a result of an innocent lamb being slain. But the first lamb was the offspring of an animal, while the second Lamb is the Son of the Living God. In the first sacrifice, the value of the lamb was measured in shekels, but in the second sacrifice, the value of the Lamb is priceless. After freedom through the first lamb was achieved, many more lambs would die in a reenactment of the first sacrifice. However, after freedom through The Lamb of God was achieved, no more lambs are needed to be sacrificed because this Lamb said, “It is finished!”

Would anyone have given the Jewish people any credit for coherent reasoning had they decided to go back into Egyptian slavery and bondage? No! They would have become the laughingstock of the world. So why would the Galatian believers consider returning to slavery and bondage under ceremonial law? That's why Paul almost screams at them, “Make sure you stay free and don't get tied up again in slavery to the old Mosaic Law!”

Paul uses two words in this challenge that help us understand the impact of his demand. The first word comes from a Greek word that means: “to be persistent, to be stubborn; don't give in easily to words that criticize with the intent of lowering one's resistance; or words of enticement with the intent on lowering one's standards.” In other words, don’t let them intimidate you.

The second one refers to a yoke which was used to bind two animals together so that they are forced to go in the same direction. Paul uses these words to tell the Galatian believers to resist with all their might any effort to break their commitment of staying in the freedom given to them by Christ. Don't let these Judaizers yoke you together again with ceremonial laws and make slaves out of you. Perhaps Paul was remembering his discussion before the Council in Jerusalem when he asked them, “So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear” (Acts 15:10)?

In speaking about freedom, Paul touches on a subject that's all the rage in our world today. People all around us seem to be in a race to obtain freedom; but what kind of freedom? When you listen to them you get the distinct impression that what they want is freedom to do whatever pleases them and to satisfy any desire they have no matter what the outcome without censure or wise counsel. They don't realize that this is not freedom to live above addiction and debauchery, but the freedom to surrender to it. How can you consider yourself free when you’ve chained yourself to powers you can't overcome? This is not freedom, this is forfeiture.

The great evangelist D. L. Moody told a story from his era that illustrates this confusion over freedom, when he quoted a former slave from the South right after the Civil War. She confessed to being very confused over her change in status. “Am I free, or am I not?” she asked. “When I go to my old slave master he says I'm not really free, but when I ask my fellow slaves they say I am, so am I free or not? My people tell me that Abraham Lincoln signed a proclamation to free me, but my old slave master says Lincoln didn't have the right to sign such a thing, so am I free or not?” Paul was trying to tell the Galatian believers they were indeed free; Jesus Christ signed their Emancipation Proclamation with His own blood. So don't listen to these Judaizers; they are only working for your old slave master under Mosaic Law who doesn’t want you to be free.

When speaking about the yoke as a burden, Paul knew from personal experience what he was referring to. From the time Moses received the Ten Commandments until Paul's day Jewish Rabbis added 603 more laws for a total of 613—248 do's and 365 don'ts. Their desire to please and impress God with slave-like obedience led them to cover every area of life from how far they could walk on the Sabbath; not mingling olive oil with the meal-offering of a suspected adulteress; keep priests with disheveled hair from entering the Sanctuary; or eating bread made from the grain of a crop grown in a new field. These may sound trivial to us, but when you grow up believing God requires obedience to these

96

restrictions in order for you to receive His favor and everlasting life; you can understand why they become so enslaving.

As a boy growing up in Germany we lived in a village where only one farmer owned a horse. I remember one day he was beating his horse severely because it wouldn't pull his heavily loaded wagon. I overheard one of the villagers say that the horse was a former race horse and not strong enough for work like that. Everyone else in the village pulled their plows and wagons with cows or oxen. Paul tried to get the Galatian believers to see they weren’t oxen anymore, pulling around the heavy load of Mosaic Law. Now they were thoroughbreds, ready to run the race before them. So if they get hooked up again to the heavy load of Mosaic Law, they’ll be unable to pull it.

In one of his sermons the great German reformer Martin Luther used oxen in an illustration. He pointed out that after oxen toil in the yoke all day they are turned out in the evening to graze. However, when they can no longer pull a wagon they are marked for slaughter. He goes on to compare these oxen with those who seek to be justified by Mosaic Law and become ‘entangled with the yoke of bondage.' Once they grow old and broken-down in the service of Mosaic Law they are then marked for judgment to receive God's wrath and everlasting torment.”

How many times have we seen a young Christian try to pull the heavy load of church membership requirements and just couldn't make it? Or an elderly believer who after years and years of faithful obedience to religious rituals and regulations, being let out to pasture because they are no longer useful to the church as an asset; they have become burdensome? Paul's heart bled for these Galatians who didn't see the real value of freedom in Christ. It allowed them to serve God without the taxing load of “should I or shouldn't I; can I or can't I; will they like it or will they hate it?” Didn't they realize that their freedom in Christ allowed them to get closer to God than any rite could do? Didn't he tell them that their liberty in Christ gave them greater options to please God than any ritual could give? Didn't they remember when he taught them that their immunity from these things offered them more opportunity to give themselves to God for divine service than any regulation could allow?

Assignment: Read the following seven indicators** why some churches are failing to inspire workers for the harvest, and see if you spot anything that’s happening in your church or some church you know:

(1) Many churches have two creeds, one they preach and one they practice; one appeals to the mind and the other to the heart. When a gap develops between the two the quality of the believer’s life begins to suffer, which then results in church growth slowing to a crawl, and even going into reverse in some cases.

(2) When believers are given the impression that going “to” church on Sunday or any other night of the week is the highest goal they should aim for, instead of going “through” church to be energized and inspired to do God’s work of spreading the gospel and winning the lost the rest of the week, the church becomes handicapped in its effort to expand its influence in the community.

(3) When a church has existed in a community for a long time and its attendance and impact on the community is less now than in years passed, this is a sign of mediocre leadership. When a church depends solely on the children of its current or past members for continued existence and growth, it is an omen that people have become content with what they’ve got instead of yearning for more of God and longing to bring in more of the harvest already dying in the fields. They are like potted plants that want constant watering and nutrients, but unwilling to bear any fruit.

(4) When believers leave church after worship feeling malnourished in God’s Word, this leads to spiritual famine. Jesus said that no believer can continue to live and function merely by staying physically alive through eating bread, but must have a daily diet of God’s Word for their spiritual life to have a purpose and meaning. Sometimes people can get so busy doing church work that they grow faint and frail because they are not being fed enough of God’s Word.

97

(5) When church leaders are not perceived by the congregation as being hungry for God’s Word and eager for God’s guidance, believers lose their own appetite for these things. In other words, if the church leaders don’t need it then why should they? Church leadership cannot be effective without unity of purpose. Everyone should feel like they are in this together.

(6) When a local church feels isolated from other churches citywide, statewide, country-wide, and worldwide, their vision will fade and they will go blind to God’s plan for reaching humanity with the gospel. Preaching alone cannot keep a church vigorous and alive with passion for dying souls everywhere, it must be accompanied with teaching in order to instill the example and passion of Christ in every heart.

(7) Each church member must see themselves as “seed carriers,” who as they go about their daily lives and daily contact with their families, people at work, in business, and in socializing are constantly planting the seed of God’s Word in people’s hearts and minds. However, when church leaders send them out with empty seed bags, then nothing can be sown and nothing reaped for the Kingdom of God.

(**These indicators inspired by my friend Dr. Hollis L. Green’s book, “Why Churches Die.”)

LESSON TWENTY-SIX – (Posted 04/28/12) **

You can't have it both ways! (Galatians 5:2-6)

Verses 2-4: Listen to what I, your good friend Paul, am trying to tell you: the moment you give in to being a slave to these religious rituals and regulations, everything Christ did for you will be forfeited. Please hear me, if you try to meet God’s requirements through these religious rituals and regulations, you must observe every single one of them to perfection. Furthermore, by trying to get right with God through these religious rituals and regulations, you push Christ aside! As a result, you will no longer be covered by God’s grace!

Earlier in his discourse the Apostle Paul made it clear that the most identifiable sign that a man belonged to the Jewish faith was circumcision. It all began when God told Abraham to have every male born to him and his descendants circumcised as a token of their covenant (Gen. 17:11). Giving of tokens to back up our promises is still something we use today. For instance, when a bride and groom are asked “What token do you have to offer each other as a sign of your vows?” they reply, “This ring.”

So for the Jewish people, circumcision was a sign that they ascribed to the covenant God made with Abraham which says, “This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you” (Gen. 17:7). However, Paul saw what Moses saw when he spoke to the Israelites after they came out of Egypt and told them to circumcise their hearts (De. 10:16). Like Paul, Moses understood that this token spoke of commitment and allegiance to remain faithful and obedient to God's will and purpose for their lives. When they did, God promised never to leave them or forsake them.

Nevertheless, by the time Jesus came, the Jews viewed circumcision not only as a physical sign but also an exclusive symbol that they were God's choice out of all nations and referred to them as His children. So when Joseph and Mary took Jesus to be circumcised, it was their way of not only abiding by the command God gave Abraham, but also to identify their child as Jewish in faith. What Paul

98

opposed was the Judaizers taking the circumcision of the heart—Salvation, and adding to it the demand that they also keep of all religious rituals and regulations in order to qualify as children of God.

No wonder Jesus felt such anger when He entered the temple and saw how people were being forced to pay exorbitant prices in order for their rites and ritual sacrifices to be offered so as to curry God's forgiveness and favor. Failure on their part to obtain the necessary finances to have these sacrifices and offerings carried out brought reprimand and punishment from man, not from God. No wonder Paul viewed this whole system as corrupt and out of sync with God's design for salvation through the Messiah whom they unceremoniously rejected. And this is what the Judaizers were tempting the Galatians believers to go back to?

If this song had been written at the time, I have little doubt that Paul would have sung it to them: “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me; I once was lost but now am found, was blind, but now I see.” What would have happened if when God sent Moses back into Egypt to lead His children out of bondage and slavery, they responded by saying to Moses, you're not our idea of a Messiah? After all, you were born here and raised here. How can we trust you? Then, when Moses received word to have the lamb slain and the blood put on the door posts, the elders replied that wasting the life of a lamb for such an unproven idea was not acceptable; they would rather be good slaves and non-citizens of Egypt so God would see their good deeds and change Pharaoh's heart to let them leave peacefully and on their own merit. They would still be there to this day!

My goodness, says Paul, can't you Galatians see that God designed the plan for your salvation to come by way of faith in His grace that sent His Son Jesus to free you and lead you out of Egyptian style slavery, and now you are rejecting it. Don't you know He sent the Jews down into Egypt for a purpose, so that they would forever owe their freedom to Him and acknowledge that their inclusion in His covenant with Abraham depended on God keeping His word that He would always be their God and they would always be His people? How else could God prove that anymore dramatically and forcefully? Now you're acting like the children of Israel after God freed them by His power, when they turned back to the gods of Egypt and raised their voices in protest against Moses and Aaron. “Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us here to this terrible place? This land has no grain, no figs, no grapes, no pomegranates, and no water to drink” (Num. 20:5)!

Probably one of the most divisive points between many Christian denominations today hangs on what Paul meant when he accused the Galatian believers, who became adherents to the Judaizers' form of salvation by man’s own efforts, of becoming alienated from Christ and falling away from grace (v.4). No doubt the Judaizers assured them that keeping Mosaic Law was not abandoning their faith in Christ; it was just another way to reach perfection in Christian living.

Consequently, Paul indicates that by regulating their lives by Mosaic Law they remove Christ as Lord and King over their lives; and by trusting in their own efforts to keep Mosaic Law they no longer trusted in God's grace. Circumcision or Christ, Mosaic Law or grace: these are exclusive alternatives. You cannot have it both ways. You must choose. Therefore, the danger of falling away from grace must have been very real or Paul would not use such strong language. If we use the doctrine of eternal security to deny the possibility of falling from grace, are we in danger because we brushed aside Paul's warning?

Those who promote the doctrine of eternal security are often associated with the saying “Once in grace, always in grace.” One commentator said that these words of St. Paul in verse four do not make void the doctrine of the eternal security. He believes that Paul is merely warning the Galatians that they had slipped, not fallen, from the doctrine of grace.

However, to lose hold of the precious truths of grace affects our Christian living and can lead to serious consequences. While nothing can destroy the believer's relationship with God if they have truly been born again - once His child always His child - much can injure their fellowship with God and cripple

99

their usefulness for God. If a believer has temporarily lost their hold on the doctrine of grace their progress for the LORD and in the LORD comes to a dead stop. The streetcar will not move an inch until the operator puts the trolley back on the electric wire. To fall from the truth in Christ is to fail in one’s life for Christ. In Jesus own parable, it was the faithful servant that was invited into his eternal rest, not the one who neglected to invest what the king had given him.

It is true that after a person is truly born again through Christ they can do nothing to reduce what Christ did on the cross no more than they can add to it. For instance, a son may deny any emotional relationship with his biological father, but he cannot change the DNA. On the other hand, the commentator quoted above did not address the other consequence that Paul seemingly implied: that while a born again believer cannot sever the spiritual umbilical cord he or she has with God through Christ, they may drop out of His covenant and the promise of eternal life because of his or her denial and refusal to allow God to take control over their lives.

Adam could never deny that God created him, but he was still thrown out of the garden because of disobedience. Moses was a great man called by God, but was denied entry into the Promised Land because of disobedience. The Prodigal Son was still the son of the gracious father who looked for him each day, but had he not come back of his own accord he would have died in a pig pen instead of having a banquet thrown in his honor. Did not Jesus say, “Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned” (Jn. 15:6)?

Another position to consider is what that the Council of Trent decreed: that if any man says that the sacraments do not contain the grace which they embody, or that the sacraments do not confer grace on those who receive them, indicating that grace or righteousness cannot be received by faith alone, let him be accursed.” The Catholic Church instituted seven sacraments by which grace is applied, claiming that these seven were bestowed on the Church by Christ and cannot be added to or deleted from: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Communion, and Reconciliation through confession or penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony.

Examining both the perception of grace by the Catholic Church and some Protestant churches, another commentator states that such doctrines teaches us that if we do the best we can God won't fail us because His grace will make up where we fall short. In other words, do your best because God helps those who help themselves. However, as Paul points out, through grace God invalidated the blessings once earned by one’s own efforts under the demands of Mosaic Law, so that He might freely pour out on us those blessings of goodness, kindness, joy, peace etc. So falling away from grace infers that one has decided not to accept God's free salvation and eternal life in favor of personally fulfilling Mosaic Law, thereby forfeiting the provisions and blessings of grace.

In any case, whether Paul's teaching here conflicts with the doctrine of eternal security or eternal insecurity or earned eternal security, the point he's making to the Galatian believers clearly warns them that by returning to earning grace by their own efforts instead of receiving grace by faith is a losing proposition. Besides, who would want to try such a thing in the first place? By wholeheartedly receiving the love of God through Christ and embracing His blessings through grace, we forego losing something we cannot gain by our own efforts or merit, and gain something we cannot lose because it was not gained by effort or merit. The believer should not concentrate on how little he or she needs to do in order to gain eternal life, but how much he or she can do to show how grateful they are to be called the children of God.

Verses 5-6: You must remember, it is only through faith and the power of the Holy Spirit that we have any hope of being right with God. For when we place our faith in Christ it doesn’t matter if you are Jew or Gentile; the most important thing is that your faith in God expresses itself in the form of love.

100

“So what's your point?” I can hear one of the Galatians ask as they listen to Paul's letter being read. Paul is quick to answer that rhetorical question. Everything that's right with us and pleasing to God we received as a gift by way of the Holy Spirit, because we believe it's everything we hoped for and the evidence of what we cannot see; in other words, by faith. Paul goes on to explain that for those in Christ, whether one keeps the religious rituals and regulations or doesn't, the only thing that really counts is that we express our faith in what God did for us through Christ with love. Love for God, love for His Word, love for His Son, love for His Spirit, love for His children, and love for His will, plan, and purpose for our lives. Paul told the Corinthian church that there are three major things that must be expressed in every true believer's life: faith, hope and love. And the most important of these three, is love.

In other words, as we live for Christ, obey God's Word, and submit to His will and purpose for our lives, we believe beyond any shadow of doubt that when we reach the finish line and stand before Him, He will hand us a bill with payment due on everything required under religious rituals and regulations, and church ordinances, as well as a charge for all the work He did for us, and all the Son did for us, and all the Holy Spirit did for us. But at the bottom it will be the stamped “Paid in Full.”

Does that mean the believer is off the hook for attending church, paying tithes, observing communion, praying, and reading God's Word? No! As Jesus said to the rich man, “You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and your entire mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' The entire Mosaic Law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Truly Paul preached the Gospel of Christ, but these Galatian believers allowed themselves to be fooled and drawn away from God's grace, love, and mercy, to become slaves again to worthless efforts already replaced by the work of Christ.

Assignment: Read the following seven indicators** why some churches are failing to unite in love and harmony in witnessing to the world and see if you spot anything that’s happening in your church or some church you know:

(1) When activities in church are designed to satisfy the members as a reward for their continued involvement; when passion for the lost is replaced by wanting to feel protected, and accepting the excuses they give for not going out to proclaim the love of God for all through Christ Jesus; a church stagnates and becomes ineffective as a powerful influence in their community.

(2) The church is a family, that’s why believers call each other brother and sister. Like any family, there is the older generation, often referred to as the elders; the current generation; and the future generation. They keep the doors open for all who want to drop in and enjoy a spiritual meal with the family. However, if visitors and certain members stop showing up, the family head concludes that they’ve done all they need to do to reach the community for Christ. Jesus told a parable of a king who sent his servant out to invite his friends to a banquet, and when they didn’t come because of many excuses, the king told his servant to go into the highways and byways and persuade strangers to come. A church cannot sit on its accomplishments of the past, but must become restless and want to constantly see new faces at the table.

(3) There is a big difference between viewing the church as the old ship of Zion steaming along, picking up survivors of other ship wrecks on its way to the haven of rest, and the church as a raft floating on the water with no sail or oars. It is easy for a church to become only interested in self-preservation and not worry about what’s happening around them. Such perceptions can be traced to watered down sermons; services being cancelled because of lack of participation; and the time given to worship shortened so members can get on with other things more interesting.

(4) When a local church stops growing and shrinks in attendance, they use programs designed by others in order to spark interest and bring people back. But due to lack of attention or inadequate leadership

101

they fail to tailor these programs to meet the needs of their own community. So instead of these programs possessing an energetic force that comes from being customized by local leadership, they take on the appearance of mimicking what successful churches are doing. As a result, the local congregation does not take involvement seriously; they’d rather sit and watch.

(5) When converts are counseled on their new life in Christ, they are instructed to stay away from their unconverted friends. This builds a fence around them like little lambs, and instills a sense of fear for going out into the world as a witness. Converts should tell who their friends are and then send a mature believer with them to meet these friends and explain the new life. However, converts should be cautioned about continuing any relationship they have with past resources for sinful pleasure or activities. Rather, look to the church to help them remain spiritually strong. When the church cannot provide such support, it is very easy for them to seek old friendships and consequently lost to the church.

(6) When God created man in His image, He did so in order to have fellowship with man. That’s why, when a person is born again they find it easy to love God, worship God, praise God, and live for God. But often that becomes secondary to meeting the expectations of the local church and receiving the approval of local leadership. We are told to seek first the Kingdom of God, and everything else will find its proper place in our lives. When serving the church takes precedence over serving God, then priorities become unclear and new converts can become discouraged and give up on being what God wants them to be.

(7) Ministers become comfortable in pastoring a crowd instead of pastoring individuals. Therefore, if a believer only has his or her needs addressed as part of a group, it’s easy for them to get lost in the crowd. Many pastors see individuals who come to them as problems, instead of persons. Church leaders are conditioned to expect a person to listen to them, and are uncomfortable taking time to listen to the person. Individual believers may then start to believe they do not deserve the attention given to the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, or the Lost Son in Jesus’ parable.

(**These indicators inspired by my friend Dr. Hollis L. Green’s book, “Why Churches Die.”)

102

LESSON TWENTY-SEVEN – (Posted 05/05/12) **

Don't let people rain on your parade. (Galatians 5:7-9)

Verses 7-9: Think of yourself as a good marathon runner, daily increasing in faith and dependence on Christ to win. So tell me, who made you stumble; who got you off the Good News track? This tactic is certainly not from God. After all, He is the one who called you to be adopted as members of the Body of Christ so you could be free! It takes only one false teacher to come in and mess things up.

The Apostle Paul reveals a few of his social interests in this section. Living during Greek and Roman dominated eras, there's every chance Paul may have witnessed some Olympic style races. Anyone who has seen these contests may have observed one runner cutting in front of another runner who then ends up being thrown off stride or even falling. It’s one thing when you make a mistake that hinders your progress, but when someone else deliberately misleads you they should be penalized and removed from competition. This is the warning Paul sends to the Galatian believers.

Psychologist point out that in a number of places where Paul applies the image of athletic competition to himself and others (1 Cor. 9:24-7; Gal 5:7), his purpose in using these metaphors was a conscious effort to promote rivalry between believers. Others do not agree that it was a conscious attempt, but do concur that the use of such imagery seems to show that Paul unconsciously saw himself and other Christians as competitive. Such conclusions, however, are out of step with Paul’s message. We must not lose sight of the fact that Paul was using the runner as an illustration of someone who is committed and dedicated to finishing the course assigned to him by God, and not suggesting that all believers are in a race with each other and only the winner gets the prize.

I remember after returning from Europe as a missionary to pastor a church in Grand Forks, N.D., that a fellow pastor in another Pentecostal church across town decided to compete by promoting a church growth drive. To do so, he went to a home improvement store and bought several rain gutters, which he taped together. He then went to the grocery store and bought bunches and bunches of bananas and gallons and gallons of ice cream. He advertised in the local paper that they would be offering the world’s longest free banana split following Sunday School.

As anticipated, his attendance increased dramatically that weekend and the next. Once the promotion was over and the bananas and ice cream ran out, so did all the visitors who had come for the free dessert. Even though I never asked, I wondered if this adverting gimmick resulted from the fact that

103

the spiritual food normally available on Sunday morning was not tasty enough to draw people in who were really hungry.

In a letter to the believers in Corinth, Paul pointed out that they must finish the race in order to collect the prize (1 Co. 9:24). Paul knew the Galatian believers were already in the race, but someone cut in front of them, knocking them off course. Furthermore, it wasn't that they were invaded by a large group of heretics who overwhelmed them in number. Apparently, only a few Judaizers came to Galatia but soon had the whole church dropping out of the race with their misguided information. This is another warning from Paul, that it only takes a few, sometimes only one, to cause spiritual chaos.

But the most painful part of this falling away involved the fact that these Galatian believers were persuaded to go wrong only after giving their consent to follow. It’s not that hard, all it takes is someone choosing one verse of the Bible and interpreting it out of context to throw a whole congregation into confusion. As a matter of fact, according to the last statistics, there are over 38,000 different Protestant denominations in the world today. In many cases, the only thing that separates them is how one or two scriptures are interpreted, or how one or more of the ordinances are performed, or how the church is structured and operates. As a matter of fact, there are over 100 different organizations that lay claim to being part of the Latter Day Saint movement, and they all feel that they are the only legitimate Mormon Church.

I remember reading in a church magazine where a woman wrote a letter to the editor and threatened to stop going to church because they didn't sing out of the old hymnal anymore. Seems she may have forgotten—or didn't know—that at one point in recent church history, the hymnal she referred to was itself new, and people back then were upset because an even older hymnal wasn't being used. I wonder what hymnal the angels who sang to the shepherds on the night of Christ’s birth used, and what hymnal the angelic multitudes in Revelation will be singing out of, and which group will be upset with the other for not singing from the song book they used?

Paul was incensed that these Judaizers got in the way of the Galatians being able to obey the truth they received from him. That may have included everything that Paul taught them from the Gospel, to how the Lord’s Supper was observed, to altering the form of water baptism he taught them, or insisting that they integrate Jewish religious rites and rituals into their worship services. It doesn't appear that the Galatians stopped believing in Jesus as the Messiah, or denied His death and resurrection; instead they started believing that they could maintain their salvation by way of their own efforts instead of walking by faith. Without realizing it they were saying, “Jesus, Your suffering; Your death on the cross; Your rising from the dead on the third day; and Your teachings are simply not enough to guarantee me full fellowship with God the Father and eternal life.” So they tried to assure themselves with their own accomplishments. It must have broken Paul's heart.

I remember traveling to one of the more remote areas near the Romanian border in what was once called Yugoslavia, to preach for a small congregation in a tiny farming village. As I exited from one of the few paved roads onto a dirt country road to the village, I saw that because of recent rains the road was a mix of deep crisscrossing furrows made by wagon wheels. I knew my little VW would not be able to make it if the tires fell into these ruts. So I stopped for a moment and prayed for the Lord to direct me. As I started up the road, the Holy Spirit guided my eyes to a particular set of grooves to straddle. I did so, but held my breath most of the way. After two kilometers the overseer and I arrived in the village safe and sound. As I got out of the car I shook my head in amazement because those were the only set of ruts that were not intersected by other ruts the whole way. I was ready to shout!

In Yugoslavia at that time, church services were conducted as follows: Opening prayer, welcoming visitors, one song, then the sermon, followed by an hour of praise and worship. As I prepared for this service the night before, I selected a text I had preached on many times and prayed that the Holy Spirit would use it to speak to these precious people. As I sat and listened to the song, I suddenly felt

104

impressed to speak on the Trinity. So when I got up, I told the congregation of this leading by the Holy Spirit. Much to my surprise they all began to weep and cry. When I finished about an hour and a half later—because of the need for translation of course—they sang and prayed with even greater fervor.

As we were eating a meal later, the pastor came to me with tears in his eyes. He told me that a few weeks ago a visiting minister had preached against the Trinity, declaring that God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit were really just one person and His name was Jesus. It brought instant division in the church. So he told them to pray that when the next preacher came, whether he preached for the Trinity or against the Trinity they would accept whatever he preached as the truth.

That’s why when I shared about the leading of the Holy Spirit to preach on the Trinity, the whole church accepted it as God's confirmation to them, that what they had believed all along was true. What really struck me was that the Holy Spirit waited until I was in the service before bringing me a Word of Wisdom, so that God got all the credit for changing my mind. That should make anybody want to shout!

Paul compliments the Galatians by telling them that up to that point they ran the race well. They believed the Gospel and acted on it by following the instructions Paul left with them on how to grow in the Spirit and become fruit bearing believers. But then he expresses his disappointment and disbelief that they began to ignore his teachings and dismiss the long hours he spent with them, working through the pain and agony of his illness to bring them the truth. It must have given Paul a feeling of being jilted. While he was there they treated him like an angel from heaven, assisted him in every way possible because of his handicap. But now they were treating him like the devil by calling him a heretic and saying they didn't love him anymore; they found someone new and more exciting.

Perhaps this had a bearing on why he asked them point blank: “Who did this to you?” He wanted to make them think. What did these Judaizers offer them through obedience to religious rituals and regulations that they did not already possess in Christ? Paul brings up a point we often see today. A newly baptized believer starts out on the spiritual journey with great zeal and enthusiasm. But then things come up that seem to hinder their progress. Sometimes it involves issues from their past; sins they confessed to God but did not share with fellow believers; or the continued battle with physical addictions of a carnal nature. Could we honestly say that maybe Satan might be behind such stumbling blocks? Without question! Might we also look at the believer's own weaknesses that can draw them away from the course they are on? For sure! But only with their consent!

The sad part is that under those conditions some new believers begin to feel themselves unworthy of continuing in their relationship with Christ and the church. Often this humiliation becomes an embarrassment when other believers criticize and badger them to straightened out and fly right. But instead of this becoming a turning point in their lives where they backslide, it has the same potential of becoming a turning point where they totally lean on Jesus to help them walk back to the right path through His righteousness, not theirs. If one knows the only way to salvation is in Christ, then the only way to remain in Christ is through obedience to Him. Jesus said that once we know the truth, it has the power to set us free from any other influence except His.

Every new convert should be taught it's not enough just to know the truth by hearing it, it must be believed; and in order to prove we believe it, we must obey it; and in order for it to be obeyed, it must be carried out in our living. We not only receive the light provided by the truth, but we experience the power and love it provides. Therefore, this power and love that causes us to embrace the truth is the same power and love that serves as our reason to continually obey it. Not only that, but we embrace and obey the truth not out of fear for what happens if we fail, but out of the joy we find in being faithful to it and know what Christ does if we fall. No wonder Paul was so freaked out over the Galatians' suddenly turning back to the old ways.

105

Assignment: Read the following seven indicators** why some churches are failing to train new converts to join in sharing the truth of salvation with their family and friend and see if you spot anything that’s happening in your church or some church you know:

(1) The longer a church is in existence the more traditions and expectations are imposed upon members to keep the reputation of the church alive; it’s one thing to remain respectable, but not at the price of becoming repressive. We should be open to contemporary ideas and methods of sharing the gospel in word, song, and outreach to the community. Enforcing what the church stands for is acceptable, but not when the stand involves momentary fads and fashions that are now extinct.

(2) Some pastors schedule a revival because it’s a matter of survival. However, revival is a time of refreshing and rekindling of the body of Christ in order to raise them back to the fiery spiritual level of wanting to share the gospel with the whole world. But the revival will not be effective unless it also results in a reformation of evangelistic outreach. Believers must be ready to leave the safety of the sanctuary and go out as Christian soldiers marching as to war.

(3) The body of Christ includes the priesthood of all believers. When a congregation leaves the work of evangelism up to the pastor and evangelists, they’ve taken off the whole armor of God and do not want to be troubled with the mission of personal evangelism. When this happens, they will feel no bond with those who are brought in and receive Christ as their Lord and Savior. Instead of being part of the priesthood of all believers to help this person feel accepted; to help them grow, and to help them become involved; they become judges and critics making sure the new convert earns their approval to remain in the body.

(4) When church members become passive instead of proactive in doing God’s will to fulfill His purpose for their lives, they end up believing they come to church to be served instead of coming as servants of the Lord. The gifts of the Spirit are designed to make both the minister and the member fellow laborers in the vineyard. Otherwise, the church grows inwardly and not outwardly; it becomes an exclusive body instead of an inclusive body; saying whosoever will, may come.

(5) Congregants must not become spectators, merely sitting on the sidelines watching the pastor and his or her team, win the game. They become Monday morning commentators arguing over whether or not the right calls were made. They claim they are ready to fight the devil if he ever decides to come to church, but are reluctant to meet him on his own turf. The church will grow, but they will grow weak; they will grow increasingly ineffective, and grow old and feeble.

(6) Every believer needs to understand that church work must be God’s work or it won’t work to expand His kingdom. To enhance God’s work there is plenty of opportunity to use whatever each new generation brings to that effort; new songs, new equipment, new methods, new media to proclaim the unchanging gospel and truth of the Bible and God’s plan of salvation. Jesus spoke of pruning the vine, and every church must be ready to prune the things that are no longer effective.

(7) Every effort to maintain the vibrancy of the congregation’s spiritual strength and the excitement of reaching the lost for Christ must rely on the New Testament approach of resources, personnel, and techniques. Resources are useless unless they are used properly; personnel must be taught to use resources in order to accomplish the mission; and techniques have no value without effective resources and trained personnel. Meaningless activities cannot replace heartfelt involvement in evangelism. To keep the church alive it must have servants in the streets and ministers in the marketplace.

(**These indicators inspired by my friend Dr. Hollis L. Green’s book, “Why Churches Die.”)

106

LESSON TWENTY-EIGHT – (Posted 05/12/12) *

It doesn't always take a fool to know a fool. (Galatians 5:10-12)

Verse 10: But I’m still confident that the Lord will not let you be fooled by this false teaching. As a matter of fact, the one causing all this discord, whoever that may be, will have to face God for this.

It appears that Paul still had faith that the Galatians would see the error of their ways and reject the Judaizers' attempts to derail them. So apparently all is not lost; Paul believes that with God's help he can restore them to the truth.

Any parent who has raised, or helped raise, a child knows the sinking feeling when their child suddenly begins to adopt the attitude, vocabulary, values and lifestyle of their classmates and peers that are in conflict with what they were taught. It makes you want to get in their face and say, “I fed you when you couldn't feed yourself; I changed your diaper when it was soiled and smelly; I dressed you; walked you to school; held you when you fell; gave you money to spend; picked you up from school on rainy days; gave you a nice bedroom to sleep in; cooked your meals; and taught you what was right. What have these friends done for you or contributed to your upbringing that you should feel obligated do what they say?” Something tells me, Paul felt the same way about the Galatians believers whom he called his “children.”

Consequently, Paul issues another stern warning, that the person causing all this discord was headed for punishment, and if the Galatians were not careful they could suffer the same penalty. Believe it or not, there are some despicable people in this world who will coax an innocent person into committing a wrong that even they themselves would not do, so that if the innocent person is successful and doesn't get caught they can share in the bounty, but if the innocent party is caught then the worthless person who talked them into it will simply point their finger and say, “They were stupid enough to do it, not me!”

In the Galatian situation there’s evidence that Paul did not believe the Judaizers would succeed, and they did not; all efforts to meld Judaism with Christianity were thwarted and checkmated by this very Epistle. The Judaizer (whether one or more) would end up bearing the judgment Paul wrote about a few paragraphs earlier, that of being “severed from Christ” and “fallen from grace.” But there must have been a lot of moaning and groaning over the Galatians who fell with them.

Paul’s experience should help us learn how to keep from making errors in judgment when it comes to distinguishing between discipleship and doctrine. Since so many ways and customs and cultures exist where the Gospel takes root, we must all be open minded when it comes to how fellow believers in those area practice discipleship.

107

When I went to North India I immediately saw that the men wore long skirts and the women wore pants. This was their culture. To them it equated modesty. In some parts of India they have baptismal services in the morning so that believers walk into the water with the sun to their backs, and when they come up out of the water they face the sun to signify a new day in their lives. Yet they do not fault other believers who baptize in church baptisteries or at a later hour in the day. However, when it comes to doctrine, it must be the same everywhere. It cannot and should not be altered due to customs or cultural norms. That seems to be at the heart of Paul's admonition to the Galatian believers.

Verses 11-12: My precious brothers and sisters, any rumors that I am preaching that people must become Jews in order to be saved is ridiculous. If that were true, why would I be persecuted this way? It’s the opposite; I’m being persecuted because I’m preaching that salvation must come through Christ and the cross alone. As far as these troublemakers are concerned, I wish that instead of trying to get all of you circumcised they would just go ahead and castrate themselves!

In order to intensify the Galatian’s examination of the difference between the Judaizers’ instructions and what he was teaching, Paul wants to show them how they were being lied to. Consequently, he is insisting that the Galatian believers make these agitators take responsibility for what they are saying. No doubt the Judaizers were trying to cut down Paul's credibility; make him look like a hypocrite or two-faced liar. It's the old attack known in Latin as “argumentum ad hominem.” Today we call it “character assassination.”

In other words, if you can prove that your opponent has a bad trait you may then convince others to doubt the quality of their whole character, even if the bad trait is irrelevant to the argument. As such, people who use this tactic direct their malicious charges against the person's character rather than their arguments. Such a maneuver appeals to emotion rather than reason. Unfortunately, it appears to be the mainstay of today’s political climate.

There is some evidence that Paul did allow circumcision to be practiced, but not as a condition for salvation (cf. Acts 16:1-3). Today there are Gentiles who practice circumcision, not to join the Jewish faith, but for good hygiene. So in Paul's mind, the Judaizers attacked his character for other reasons. They did not want the truth to expose them for who they were, which would derail their attempt to get rid of the self-proclaimed apostle they despised.

In the last church I pastored before going to the Philippines, I remember an old farmer started coming back to church after a long absence. In talking to him one day he told me that years ago he was a wholehearted supporter of what was called the “Latter Day Rain Movement.” This theology taught that just like seed needed early rain for the crop to take root; it also needed a latter rain for the grain to properly ripen for harvest. They likened the last days to God's harvest of souls and took the prophecy of the prophet Joel to mean that since the church fell away from its original form into the dark ages, that after the reformation God was restoring the church through a worldwide revival that would climax with the rapture. This idea is still prevalent in many charismatic and Pentecostal churches today.

This movement began to spread in the early 1800's in America, and enjoyed a revival in the 1940’s in the area where I was pastoring. One of the most well-known advocates during my lifetime was William Branham. Branham believed that the seven churches described in the book of Revelation represent seven ages of the Christian church, with the final age of Laodicea (1906–present). He further identified the seven angels as Paul the Apostle, Martin Luther, John Wesley and others. Branham also denounced the doctrine of the Trinity.

This had such an impact on the farmer's life that he couldn't fellowship with other believers who disagreed with this view. After Branham died after a head-on collision with a drunk driver, the farmer concluded that Branham's prophecy of living to see Jesus return and rapture the church died with him. But by then he had become an outsider to the local church he once attended. But something in the messages he heard during my daily radio program convinced the old farmer that man was not the one to

108

look to for fulfillment of scripture, only God. It wasn’t me who changed his mind; it was the truth of the Gospel.

Paul tries to get the Galatians to see the falsehood in the Judaizers’ claims that he was in favor of circumcision being a part of God's salvation plan after all. If that were true, Paul wants to know why in the world they were so dead set against him. Furthermore, if Paul did accept circumcision as a valid part of salvation, then why would they be upset with him for including the cross of Christ? After all, the Judaizers were not against the work Christ did on the cross; it’s just that it was insufficient without circumcision.

The truth was that their bogus argument of Paul adding circumcision to the cross was a divisive tactic to make him look like a hypocrite; they were simply out to destroy his credibility. So come on guys, Paul encourages the Galatians, see them for who they really are. They are not interested in your gaining insight and understanding so that you become a more complete Christian, they are out for one thing only, to alienate you from me, your teacher and spiritual father.

Paul closes out this plea for spiritual sanity by becoming somewhat coarse in his statement against these agitators. Since they were so committed to making the Galatian brethren undergo circumcision, in order to make themselves even holier Paul suggests they go all the way and castrate themselves.

When I pastored my first church in Zweibrücken, Germany, I preached on “Signs of a True Believer.” I used the story of Abraham and how God directed him to perform circumcision as a sign of commitment and identification. I was really feeling the anointing as I drove toward my main point of God giving baptism and discipleship to those who believe in Christ as signs of commitment and identification. However, I accidently used the German word abgeschnitten which means “to cut off,” instead of the word abschneiden which is used for “circumcision.” I saw women stuffing handkerchiefs in their mouths to keep from laughing out loud, and men with their red faces covered by their hands, and all of them shaking with laughter. I don't know if the Galatian congregation responded the same manner to Paul's suggestion.

Assignment: When a pastor or evangelist makes an earthshaking claim, it is taken it with a grain of salt. But when a well-known pastor or Televangelist makes a similar pronouncement it is taken as a nugget of pure gold. Why is it that when something is written in a book it is treated as infallible and cannot be challenged?

Think back to something you heard or read that you took as being the gospel truth without putting it through a fact-checker test. As a young boy in 1949 I heard an evangelist say that by 1966 the automobile would be replaced by helicopters; and if man ever put foot on the moon he would stop preaching. Do you remember Edgar C. Whisenant’s, “88 Reasons Why the Rapture will be in 1988.” Or the current book by Ronald Weinland, “2008 God’s Final Witness” predicting that the last three and one-half years spoken of by the prophet Daniel will end on May 27, 2012. How about the recent claim by Harold Camping that Jesus would return on May 21, 2011? This is not the first time; Camping once predicted the rapture would take place on September 6, 1994. Ask yourself this question: If you were not certain about some doctrine or prophecy you heard or read, who would you turn to or where would you go to find the truth?

For interesting papers on what some writers believe are current phenomena of divisive doctrines in the evangelical and charismatic churches, go to the websites listed below and read what they have to say. I offer this to you only for reading and study. You must make up your own mind. But it should alert you to how subtle and stealthily the Gospel can be manipulated and why you should be cautious when you hear something that just doesn’t sound right to your heart, mind and spirit. Remember, everything we do in life and in worship should bring glory and honor to God, not to ourselves or our cause. What drew so many people to Jesus were neither His looks nor His preaching style, but His compassion for the lost, the good news He delivered, and the miracles He performed. Can we do any better?

109

http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Wolves/word_faith_movement.htm

http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/ditcnews.htm

II. PAUL EXPLAINS THAT WITH FREEDOM COMES RESPONSIBILITIES (5:13-6:10)

LESSON TWENTY-NINE - (Posted 05/19/12) **

It all starts with love. (Galatians 5:13-15)

Verse 13: When it comes to your situation, my dear brothers and sisters, you were set free to live for Christ. But don’t let that freedom be misinterpreted as a license to let your sinful-self, do what it wants. Instead, use that freedom so that whatever you do for each other is motivated by Godly love.

Now Paul takes a sharp turn from contending with doctrine to dealing with discipline. It's very obvious from his cautious approach on the subject, that he had been informed that the Galatian’s moral conduct was less than acceptable. Obviously, the Judaizers not only caused discord among the brethren with regards to urging them to become devotees of the Jewish religious rituals and regulations, but also disharmony in how to fellowship together in peace and love.

In my teachings on the definition of love I pointed out that love has two strong impulses: One, to hold on to its object of affection with all its might to prove loyal and faithful; Second, be willing to let go when it's in the best interest of its object of affection to prove unselfish and not greedy. By the same token, Paul states that freedom also allows for two genuine expressions: One, the license to refrain by saying “No, thank you!” And two, the license to participate by saying “Yes, I will!” both of which should be respected all involved.

So what is going on in Galatia; were Galatian believers more interested in satisfying the preferences of their sinful-self rather than inclinations of their spiritual oneness with Christ? Paul wants them to know that when it comes to our expressions of love and freedom, the one virtue that influences them both is they must be mutually rewarding. In other words, manifestations of love must be of joint benefit to both the giver and receiver. Even though God loved us while we were yet sinners, it was to His benefit since it showed His true feelings for us; and it was beneficial to us in that it drew us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Likewise with freedom, Jesus said whom the Son sets free are free indeed. This benefits our LORD because it shows His desire for us to serve Him of our own volition; and it benefits us in that we can say with all honesty that we serve Him because we choose to serve Him. That's why both love and freedom are acts of the will, not simply emotional responses to things that attract us.

Furthermore, neither love nor freedom was given to be taken advantage of. All that's good and kind and loving should never be used for personal gain. Sometimes people use acts of love and freedom to draw attention to themselves and prop up their egos. Perhaps Paul was thinking about this when he wrote the Corinthian believers: “If I could speak all the languages of earth and of heaven but didn't love others, I would only sound like a broken gong or a cheap cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had enough faith to move mountains, but did not love others, I would be of no value. If I gave everything I had to the poor and became deathly ill in the process so I could boast about it, if I didn't do it out of love for others my effort would simply lead to going broke” (1Cor. 13:1-3).

110

What has caused Paul such grave concern? Could it be that he heard of some troublesome practices that began to develop among the believers in Galatia after they split over whether or not to wed themselves to the old Jewish religious rituals and regulations, or whether to engage in the newness of worshiping God in spirit and in truth?

Is it possible that some misunderstood the freedom they received through Christ that eliminated all the burdensome religious rituals and regulations of Mosaic Law, thinking they were now free to live anyway they wanted to? Didn't they see that the liberty they received was from things that oppressed how their spiritual oneness with Christ’s expressed itself in the spirit? Why did they mistake that as the removal of restraints on how their sinful-self, expressed itself in the flesh? While the Gospel proclaims liberty from Mosaic Law, it still binds us firmly to Moral Law. To claim freedom from Mosaic Law is liberty, but to claim freedom from Moral Law is lawlessness.

Verses 14-15: In fact, God's will for your life can be summed up in this one statement: “Lovingly care for others as you would care for yourself.” However, instead of showing Godly love for each other; you appear to be tearing one another apart with criticism and fault finding.

Paul now repeats Christ’s words in reminding the Galatians of our Lord's answer to the lawyer who tried to trick him. Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:5 “You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and your entire mind,” as the first and foremost commandment, before He quoted Leviticus 19:18 “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus states very clearly, “The entire Mosaic Law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments” (Mt. 22:37-40). Here we have an example of cause and effect. We must first love God before we can truly love our neighbor. You cannot reverse these. Paul's purpose for quoting these Scriptures appears to address some internal conflict within the Galatian church that led to discord in how to love one's neighbor as Jesus taught.

Some psychologists disagree with Paul's method. They say, as a rule Paul motivates love and solitary behavior extrinsically. He appeals to authorities like Mosaic Law (Gal. 5:14; Rom. 13:8-10) – in other words, to moral stimuli. He threatens negative consequences in case of unloving behavior (cf. Gal. 5:21). Let me put it a different way without the pyscho-babble.

They claim that Paul believes and teaches that one's expression of love is an outward show of kindness that does not need to be motivated by a promise of reward or reprimand. Even though they accuse him of appealing to God's commandment that we show the same love we have for ourselves to others under the threat of breaking God's Law if we don't; nowhere does Paul offer that kind of warning. He is merely referring to God's command as representing God's will and purpose for His children. The real benefit of following the teaching of Christ is that loving-kindness leaves little time for bickering and feuding and disharmony.

If you want to witness a real cat fight, just watch church members get into an argument over scriptures or practical teachings. The Encyclopedia of Wars lists a total of 123 wars which were fought for religious reasons. The Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history. Initially, the war was fought largely as a religious conflict between Protestants and Catholics of the Holy Roman Empire. Do you remember the war in Ireland between Protestants and Catholics? Verbal wars between denominations and Christian sects still rage today. But Paul wanted to get the Galatians to stop biting each other’s heads off. How could they be a witness to the world as examples of God's love, when they showed little love for each other?

There's every reason to believe that these Galatian Churches found themselves in a state of great distraction which caused continual altercations among themselves. By misusing the freedom they received in Christ, they seemed to forget it was all made possible by the grace of God. Without Christ occupying the thrones of their hearts; their faith, hope, love and kindness now disintegrated into pride, anger, ill-will, and all kinds of temper tantrums; as a consequence, they ended up trying to destroy each

111

other. To put it another way, they seemed to be communicating the notion that if I can't be happy then you’re not going to be happy either.

For sure, the Apostle never read the poem entitled “The Duel” by Eugene Field (1850-1895.) We don't know if Mr. Field witnessed some internal church dispute that inspired these classic lines, but it sure does apply: “The gingham dog and the calico cat, side by side on the table sat; 'Twas half-past twelve, and (what do you think!), nor one nor t'other had slept a wink! The Old Dutch clock and the Chinese plate appeared to know as sure as fate; there was going to be a terrible spat. Next morning where the two had sat, they found no trace of the dog or cat; and some folks think unto this day, that burglars stole that pair away! But the truth about the cat ‘n pup: they ate each other up! Now what do you really think of that!”

In August 1999 a local newspaper in Landover, Maryland reported that 100 years of Christian fellowship, spiritual love, Godly unity, and community growth ended last Tuesday in a fit of congregational discord not to be rivaled in this century. Holy Creek Baptist Church was split down the middle like the tabernacle cloth that tore at the point of our Lord's crucifixion. It is said that one could hear that rip a hundred miles away. Disagreement at Holy Creek Baptist severed the once stalwart cord of unity that bound them together for so long. The fist of discord had pounded an army of Christian soldiers into two disheveled, unorganized factions of estranged members.

The source of dissension in this once Holy house of God is a piano bench which still sits behind the 1923 Steinway to the left of the pulpit.  Landover Baptist members, who have friends or relatives at Holy Creek Baptist, say that the old bench was always a source of hostility. People should have seen this coming. “That congregation was getting ready to break for the last 10 years,” some said. “It's just a shame that it had to be over a piano bench.” One outside pastor commented, “However ridiculous it might sound, I'm sure the Lord is using this whole thing in some way that none of us can see or make any sense of at all or ever hope to comprehend.”

At present, Holy Creek Congregation will be having four services on Sunday. There has been an unspoken agreement mediated by Pastor Deacon Fred of the Landover Baptist Church. Each faction will have its own separate service with its own separate pastor. Since the head pastor is not speaking to the associate pastor, each will have their own service, which will be attended by faction members. We are told that the services are far enough apart that neither group will come into contact with the other. An outside party will be moving the piano bench to different locations and appropriate positions, between services, so as to please both sides, and avoid any further conflict that could result in violence.

So, we are supposed to be a light to the world; a city sitting on a hill which cannot be hid; the salt of the earth! God's love flowing through us should attract the world sitting in darkness and despondency, and this is what they see! I'm sure the Apostle Paul found himself frustrated with a similar scene in the churches in Galatia. No wonder he appeared less than pleased by their bickering and contention, when they had so much good to agree on. And this discourse only serves as an appetizer for what follows next in his inspired teaching, a truth that the church needs to study and adopt as a model for being all God wants them to be in Christ and in this world.

Assignment: The one over-arching need in dealing with disputes and disagreements within the body of Christ is how we can maintain: UNITY IN THE MIDST OF DIVERSITY. One method I practice in such circumstances is to redefine dual issues by suggesting two different ways of identifying them. For instance, I ask everyone to refrain from using the word “problem” when referring to any issue they are dealing with. The word problem gives a negative connotation, suggesting that the person trying to solve it is baffled and doesn’t know what to do. In place of “problem” I ask them to identify it as a “challenge.” The word challenge is positive and suggests that the tools are available to solve the issue; it’s just a matter of choosing the right one.

112

Second, I ask them to use the word “option” when referring to a possible resolution to the issue they face instead of “answer.” The word “answer” infers a closed door; the end of the debate; something wrapped in a package with a pink ribbon on top, while “option” suggests there exists more than one way of tackling this challenge to make it operate properly. After everyone in the conflict offers possi-ble options, then the group begins to eliminate those on which they are most in disagreement with and focus on those in which they have to most in common. After an agreeable option is chosen, then it can be further refined as the best possible choice. Once all parties agree on the option selected, then those who are most in favor do not brag of victory and those who give it the least amount of favor do not complain of defeat. Everyone speaks of it as the majority decision and then join ranks to support it.

It’s hard to admit this, but sometimes born-again believers who are supposed to be the most under-standing, congenial and cooperative individuals around, prove to be the most closed-minded, opinion-ated and hard-headed people to deal with. They feel that if they don’t stick to their preconceived or tra-ditional ways of thinking, they are betraying their Lord and their faith. Remember, Paul was not talk-ing about doctrine, but discipleship. Most often, it is not a matter of betraying long held beliefs, but of reluctance and stubbornness in accepting new ways of thinking and acting. When it comes to doing ev-erything we do to the honor and glory of God, then why ideas and concepts should automatically be off-limits because we didn’t think of them is puzzling. I wonder what the gossip was around town when King David declared to the Levite choir leader: “Sing unto the LORD a new song!”

113

LESSON THIRTY - (Posted 05/23/12) **

The presence, and absence, of love. (Galatians 5:16-21)

Verses 16-18: Here’s my reaction to your behavior: let your new spiritual oneness with Christ guide your conduct. That way you won’t end up giving in to the desires of the old sinful-self. Because the old sinful-self wants just the opposite of what your new spiritual oneness with Christ wants and your new spiritual oneness with Christ hates what the old sinful-self longs for. In other words, they are at war with each other and you are caught in the middle. But you have the right to choose, because you are no longer dictated to by the religious rituals and regulations you were subject to when you tried to get right with God on your own.

After telling the Galatian believers to stop bickering and badmouthing each other, Paul tells them where the problem really lies. Even after being born again and living a life in the spirit and freedom given to us through Christ, there is still a battle going on inside between our new spiritual oneness with Christ taking control and the old sinful-self, trying to hang on.

Sigmund Freud offers some insight on what's really transpiring. Freud explains that we have our own human trinity controlling our lives. The natural instincts and needs of the body such as hunger, sleep, etc., are expressed by the “Id.” Whenever the Id wants to satisfy these cravings, it sends a message to our “Ego.” Then our Ego seeks food to calm our hunger, or a bed where we can lay our heads, or a coat to keep us warm, and so on. But the final decisions are made by our “Super Ego.” For instance, if our Id says I'm hungry, and the Ego says okay let me get some food, and chooses scrambled eggs and bacon, our Super Ego may chime in and say “No!” to the Ego; reminding the Ego that the Id is on a diet; there's too much fat and calories in that food so choose something else.

From the Apostle Paul’s perspective, that part of man which still gave sinful-self a hiding place, and served as a backdoor for the devil to gain access to the Ego, was the Id—the flesh. Thus the born again Ego needed some guidance in responding. That’s why Paul insisted that the Super Ego be transformed and set free to choose spiritual principles over sinful philosophies.

He spells this out very clearly in his subsequent letter to the Romans: “Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to totally dedicate yourselves to God because of all He has done for you. Kneel at the altar and consecrate yourselves to live holy lives—the kind He wants to see. This is the true way to worship Him. Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God change you into a new person by transforming the way you think. Then you will learn to follow God's good and pleasing and perfect will for your life” (Rom. 12:1-2).

Paul also encouraged them to “walk in the Spirit,” or “live on a spiritual level.” In other words, let God's Word and the Gospel of Christ become your rule of behavior; your standard of faith; your light, your guide, your spiritual and moral compass. Don't lean on your own intellect to survive and conqueror, lean on Christ, His grace, His strength and His mercy to help you in your daily walk and interaction with others. Paul doesn't say that we will not need to deal with carnal suggestions in our spiritual walk, or that we will never be tempted to follow carnal urges on occasions. None of us are that perfect.

However, living on a spiritual level gives the believer options that are not available to those bound by the power and dictates of the flesh, so as to be under its command as obedient servants and slaves.

114

Whenever a believer encounters temptation, the Holy Spirit is always there to convict and caution them. But it's the believer who must make the choice of which to follow, the slave-master over their sinful-self, or the counselor guiding their spiritual oneness with Christ—the Holy Spirit. This work of the Holy Spirit is generally referred to as “Sanctification.”

John Wesley often had to defend his view of the doctrine of sanctification against charges that he was preaching some form of maintaining salvation through righteous efforts. But nothing was further from the truth. Entire sanctification was not a goal to be achieved, but a gift to be received.

For Wesley, justification, like sanctification, is the gracious gift of God, received by faith. He put it this way: “I have continually testified in private and in public that we are sanctified as well as justified by faith. And indeed the one of those great truths does exceedingly illustrate the other. Exactly as we are justified by faith, so are we sanctified by faith? Faith is the condition, and the only condition, of sanctification, exactly as it is of justification. It is the condition: None is sanctified but he that believes; without faith no man is sanctified. And it is the only condition: This alone is sufficient for sanctification. Everyone that believes is sanctified; whatever else he has or has not. In other words, no man is sanctified till he believes: Every man when he believes is sanctified.” One might say that for Wesley, the Fruit of the Spirit was in fact the fruit of a sanctified spirit.

So, says Paul, you Galatians who constantly tear each other down and get involved with things more in common with the sinful-self than the spiritual oneness with Christ need to realize this battle must be won at the highest level of your consciousness. Not simply by a change of heart, nor an adjustment in your feelings, nor adapting emotionally, nor a modification of your desires, but by a total transformation of your mind—the control room of your spiritual oneness with Christ. It will help you survive this constant struggle for the rest of your life until your body is transformed in the resurrection.

But this conflict does not need to be a daily win or lose fight for you. The more you submit yourself to Christ through the Holy Spirit, the more you gain mastery over these carnal tendencies to keep them in check. Before long, the sinful-self will have to mount a very strong urge or temptation before the resilient and committed spiritual oneness with Christ will even feel affected by the enticement.

After all, these are not things that take over our minds and bodies without our consent or against our will. These are choices we make to please some lower or higher authority and power. The sinful-self will always desire that which satisfies the flesh, the old man, the Carnal Id. But when one’s Carnal Ego has been regenerated, Christ’s influence through our Super Spiritual Ego will be to fulfill God's will and purpose for our lives. Paul warns the Galatians, whichever one you choose, the other will be grieved and feel hurt. You cannot satisfy both at the same time. One must be superior to the other. So decide now which one you don't mind upsetting. Of course, Paul's aim is to get the believers to go with the Super Spiritual Ego and let the Carnal Id grieve for another day.

The main point Paul tries to get across to the Galatians being influenced by the Judaizing philosophy, is that when one's spiritual life is controlled by religious rituals and regulations, these then become the efforts one feels obligated to perform in order to compensate for one’s faults and failures. But these sacrifices and observances do not subdue the sinful-self and make it submissive; it gives you an excuse to allow that sinful-self to remain alive and active. However, when one's spiritual oneness with Christ is influenced by the Holy Spirit and the sinful-self is harnessed, these faults and failures become inactive. That’s why whenever you encounter a fellow believer who is always worried of losing their salvation by doing something wrong, or saying something wrong, or thinking something wrong, that believer is in the spiritual/carnal battle of their lives and appears to have no joy or peace that can come with a transformed mind.

Paul also wants the Galatians to remember the Gospel he preached to them. God does not pick you up, clean you up, straighten you up and then send you out on your own to face the world and the devil. God will lead you by His Word; His Son will be your intercessor, and His Spirit will be your guide.

115

However, it's not like they are leading a blind person; the believer’s eyes have been opened by the Gospel. Nonetheless, the need for being led suggests that the believer does need assistance in getting to where God wants them to go.

Believe it or not, there are many Christians who have not moved much beyond where they were after being born again and sat back down on the pew. They are still stuck on reading their daily devotional guide, praying over meals and before going to bed, and attending church on a regular basis. They don't feel any security in moving beyond this state because they're afraid they may fail or that their weaknesses will be exposed. So they become attached to church religious rituals and regulations to get them through just like the Galatians. As such, their battle with their sinful-self is a constant threat and hindrance to growing in Christ.

Verses 19-21: In fact, when you attempt to stay right with God on your own, it leads to dealing with the desires of your old sinful-self, such as immoral sexual desires, lewd thoughts, being tempted to fulfill your lustful cravings; getting involved with cults and reading horoscopes and dabbling in Spiritism; holding grudges, getting into arguments, becoming jealous, fits of anger; always wanting to have your way, and taking sides against anyone who doesn’t agree with you; envious of what others have, getting drunk, wild parties, and a host of other failures like this. Let me warn you again, people who continue to live like this will not continue being part of the family of God.

Now the Apostle Paul gets into the nitty-gritty of his letter. It took a while because he was laying a firm foundation for the lighthouse he's about to build and turn on. If when we were born again our bodies disintegrated and we simply fluttered around like spiritual butterflies that would be different; but it didn't happen that way. The original resident who resided in the body died and a new resident has moved in with a new mind and new attitude and new purpose for living there. However, the new resident must now deal with how the old resident kept the place in order, and in some cases it wasn't very tidy or clean. You talk about major home-makeover, for some it takes a radical spiritual cleaning. The Apostle Paul gives the Galatian believers an inventory of the many things the old carnal sinful-self, left behind that need to be cleaned out. If they leave them lying around or stick them in their mental and emotional closets they might be tempted to grab them and use them at some critical moment.

Let me illustrate: when a man marries the love of his life and carries her across the threshold of his former bachelor's pad, believe me, things won't remain the same as they were before she moved in. So the question immediately becomes: does he now make the necessary changes in order to please her and make her happy, or does he insist on keeping them the way they’ve always been? It has all the possibility of the dark clouds of a perfect storm brewing on an otherwise sunny horizon.

Then how much more does this apply after Christ moves into our lives. Who do we want to please? Does He become Lord of all or not Lord at all? Do we relinquish control reluctantly or do we let it all go for the joy and freedom that He brings into our lives? Does He always sit on the throne of our hearts or do we only allow Him there when we want Him to grant us a favor? Do we want our physical house to look more like our old tent or His new temple? Do we always keep the blinds pulled and curtains closed or are they open so everyone can see the sunshine of His love glowing within? Do we cohabitate with Him or do we treat Him like a visitor? “Hey you Galatians,” says Paul, “make up your minds, you can't have it both ways; it's either one or the other.”

Now the inventory: There's nothing to suggest that Paul accuses the Galatians of performing the following deeds, but he wants them to know that their sinful-self is still capable of being tempted to do these things. Paul wisely puts them into different categories so the Galatians can perceive where they may be having problems. The first category affects their physical lives: immoral sexual desires, lewd thoughts, being tempted to fulfill their lustful cravings. The second category impacts their intellectual lives; getting involved with cults and reading horoscopes and dabbling in Spiritism. The third category involves their emotional lives; holding grudges, getting into arguments, becoming jealous, fits of

116

anger; always wanting to have their own way, and taking sides against anyone who doesn’t agree with them; envious of what others have, getting drunk, wild parties, etc.

Again, as in verse 14, Paul notes that the absence of Godly love creates a vacuum that invites such despicable behavior to flourish. It should also be noted, that Paul is not talking to sinners but to saints. Furthermore, he is not indicating that one fall or failure will bring immediate damnation and eviction from the Kingdom of Heaven. It’s obvious that Paul points to an ongoing violation of rightful living ethics, and how an unrepentant continuation of such indulgences by our sinful-self can be spiritually lethal. Such lack of control always leads downhill and will eventually spiral out of control and bring disaster.

I would venture to guess that the Galatians were shocked to read that Paul implied they were in danger of committing such an inventory of vices and temptations. We might be just as appalled if it wasn't for the fact that history is full of stories documenting the sins and fall of some very well-known Christian leaders and personalities. Paul identifies these as “transgressions.” This word is applied to labor in the business world, being employed, or any occupation. It identifies that which one attempts to do, an enterprise, or undertaking, as well as any product such as anything accomplished by hand, art, industry, or ideas, including an act, deed, accomplishment. English translators of this Greek word use such equivalents as “works” and “deeds.” As a matter of fact, in Matthew 5:16 Jesus told his disciples to let their light so shine that people could see their good deeds so God could be given the credit.

Clearly Paul wants the believers to know that these atrocious evils do not occur by accident, or bad luck or happenstance or chance. They are actions one sets out to complete. A young serviceman once asked me while I was working in Munich, Germany whether or not I thought it was wrong for him to be watching pornographic movies. I used a very simple formula to help him decide: “As a Christian, if your heart says yes but your mind says no don't do it. If you heart says no but your mind says yes don't do it. If your heart and mind both say no then don't do it for sure. But if your heart and your mind both say yes then you're free to decide if you want to participate or not.

Perhaps the Galatians quickly concluded that immoral sexual desires, lewd thoughts, being tempted to fulfill their lustful cravings getting involved with cults and reading horoscopes and dabbling in Spiritism were indeed something they needed time to really think over before yielding to such temptations. But what did they think about holding grudges, getting into arguments, becoming jealous, fits of anger; always wanting to have their own way, and taking sides against anyone who doesn’t agree with them; envious of what others have, getting drunk, wild parties, and such? In the church I grew up in there was a long list of don’ts; including going to ballgames, playing cards, attending movies, wearing jewelry, certain clothing and haircuts. But nothing was said about hatred, jealousy, fits of anger, gossip, backbiting, and so on.

Psychology was not a strange science even in Paul's day, and given the opportunity he might have categorized these deeds of the sinful-self as we would today. Let me explain. Your boss says you’re not going to get the raise you expected. The first thing that happens is that your spiritual oneness with Christ is caught by surprise so your sinful-self takes this moment of weakness to respond with anger. As a result your spiritual oneness with Christ then tries to deal with this anger instead of focusing on what caused it. This misdirected attention to the anger may then lead to the spiritual oneness with Christ feeling humiliated because it allowed this negative response to happen. But it may not end there. With your spiritual oneness with Christ feeling humiliated because it allowed the sinful-self to respond in anger, a feeling of frustration sets in. Lost in all of this is the fact that none of these secondary and tertiary feelings deal with the original cause, they are simply feeding off of each other.

Sounds complicated? Let me illustrate: if a skunk invades your house, you can do all you want to cover up the smell but it won't stop until you get rid of the skunk! That’s why by concentrating on your responses to responses you may decide to go out and get as drunk as a skunk because you didn’t

117

control your anger, humiliation and frustration, not because you didn't get your raise. As you can imagine, once you realize that getting drunk was a bad choice, only the Lord knows what your next response will be. This can become a downward spiral to complete depression. No wonder we need the help of the Holy Spirit in keeping our spiritual oneness with Christ strong and in charge.

Let’s see how these secondary, tertiary and quaternary responses fit with Paul’s list of sinful-self’s manifestations. In my years as a minister, the most prevalent reasons why some preachers fell from grace in the ministry involved immorality, pornography, dishonesty or corruption. When this happened, and in order to maintain some form of dignity, the minister often sought guidance and counseling offered by resources more secular than spiritual. But the hurt of losing so much continued to haunt them and their weak spirituality led them to begin holding grudges, getting into arguments, becoming jealous, having fits of anger; always wanting to be right in their opinion and way of thinking, and taking sides against anyone who didn’t agree with them. But it doesn’t end there; this spiritual and emotional warfare continued their decline into becoming envious of what others had, then seeking relief in medications, intoxicants, narcotics, and even joining the other side.

Paul wanted the Galatian believers to see that with the love of the Father, the peace of Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit living in them, the believer is given full control over your responses. If the boss denies you a raise, instead of getting angry you say God is my paymaster and I'll wait for Him to give me the raise I need. However, even if you do begin to feel angry you can channel that anger into saying; I'll work harder and become even more dependable so my boss will see I'm not a quitter or a slacker just because I didn't get what I wanted. And if the hurt intensifies and the anger seethes, instead of giving in you say to yourself, since I can’t change the company or the way its run I’ll change myself so I fit in better with the company’s mission and goals. That way you are always dealing with the original cause not the domino effect caused by responses to responses to responses.

When Paul wrote the believers in Rome, he expounded on this internal conflict in Chapter 7. He experienced the battle that goes on between the spiritual oneness with Christ and the sinful-self. Let Paul’s words speak for themselves. “Sometimes I really don't really understand myself. I know the right thing to do, but I don't always do it. Instead, I end up doing the very thing I hate. The reason I know that what I am doing is wrong, is because God is opposed to what I’m doing, and I need to obey God. I think I’ve figured it out, my spiritual oneness with Christ is not the one doing wrong; it’s the sinful-self, living in me that’s doing it. It’s clear to me now; there is nothing good about my sinful-self. Talk about confusing, although I want to do what is right, I don’t do it. Even when I want to do what is good, I fail.

In my heart I don't want to do anything wrong, but I end up doing it anyway. So I’ve concluded, I’m really not the one doing all these wrong things, it’s my sinful-self that makes me do what I don't want to do. Here’s what I’ve discovered, no matter how hard I try to do what is right I end up doing the exact opposite. God knows I love Him with all my heart. But He also knows there is another force living within me that is at war with my mind. Consequently, this force that still lives in me ends up compelling me to respond in sinful ways. I can’t tell you how miserable I feel inside! Is there anyone who can free me from this life so dominated by my sinful-self that leads to certain death? Praise God! The answer is “Yes!” It is Jesus Christ our Lord. I hope you understand now: It’s really a matter of my mind wanting to obey God while my sinful-self wants to keep me enslaved to sin.”

Paul closes this part of his instruction by repeating his warning to the Galatians in verse 4, that such continued unrepentant behavior will keep their names from being included in God's Last Will and Testament as heirs and joint-heirs with Christ. After all Jesus expressed the same warning in Matthew 25:41-46. Think of it this way: if a person is drowning and is thrown a lifesaver but they refuse to take hold of it and do not cooperate with being pulled from the water, their drowning will be on their heads not the one who tried to rescue them. The grace of God is not mandatory it is a gift. To accept it is to enjoy all its benefits. To reject it is to reap all the punishment it was meant to save you from.

118

However, there is an avenue open for appeal, because the same One who will judge us in the end is the same One who wants to redeem us now (cf. 1 John 1:9).

Assignment: Write at least a one page essay describing what insights you feel you have gained on the subject of how necessary it is to revisit the altar of dedication in order to consecrate yourself to God as a committed believer who wants to live a holy and acceptable life for His glory.

LESSON THIRTY-ONE – (Posted on 05/26/12) **119

The loving kind of love. (Galatians 5:22-26)

Verse 22a: Instead, your spiritual oneness with Christ bears fruit…

The Apostle Paul does not leave the Galatian believers in the lurch, wondering what to do now that he warned them against letting the freedom they possess in Christ lead to an undisciplined life. So Paul embarks on sharing with them the antithesis to the deeds of the sinful-self, which is the fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ.

The first thing to observe is Paul's contrast between “deeds” and “fruit.” As mentioned before, the Greek word used for “deeds” applies to business, employment, and anything with which anyone is occupied. It also identifies that which one attempts to do, enterprise, undertaking, as well as any product whatever, anything accomplished by hand, art, industry, or mind, including an act, deed, thing done. The word “fruit” however speaks of something that grows out of a mutual endeavor, along the same lines as a planted seed grows and flourishes in nutrient soil with rain and sunshine.

Therefore, the fruit that Paul lists do not reflect the results of someone's independent action. Rather, the offspring or harvest of someone's cooperation with other forces at work to produce the fruit. The farmer may plant the seed, but it takes rain, sunshine, and nutrients in the soil to produce a harvest. Paul argued that deeds of the flesh result from bondage to one’s sinful-self, but that grace and faith operate under the freedom of love flowing through one's spiritual oneness with Christ which blossom into fruit.

The error that the Judaizers made was to assume that Christian character is something produced by habitual obedience to rules and ceremonies. It seems to be akin to some modern psychological concepts of behavioral modification: an attempt to change the inward man by positive or negative reinforcement to the outer man. The Judaizers tried to accomplish this with religious pressures that guaranteed salvation. Some of the darkest hours in church history involve trying to replace the demonstration of the Holy Spirit with spiritual cinema; when believers tried so hard to appear righteous on the outside that they blinded onlookers to the lack of real righteousness on the inside. We must all remember that our bodies are a Temple not a theater.

The choice of any word in Scripture proves significant especially when various words are available. There are several reasons why Paul found the word “fruit” to be his choice in describing the yield of the spiritual oneness with Christ. After all, Jesus talked about being the True Vine and we are the fruit-bearing branches. From all that Paul shared with the Galatian believers we see his concept of the Christian experience as the product of a new and divine life implanted in the believer by the Holy Spirit. He also ends this section by speaking of the believer's life in the Spirit, which when carried to a logical conclusion supports the notion that the Holy Spirit's influence on the reconstituted spirit of man will produce a positive and useful effect.

Furthermore, the word “fruit” indicates a clear distinction between something man can do on his own with something man cannot do alone. Fruit is not made, it is grown; deeds deal with man's deeds and deeds, while fruit relates to man's quality and character. The deeds of the flesh signify man's own sinful-self at work, while the fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ indicates the presence of a supernatural power and purpose inside him. To Paul's way of thinking it's the character and presence of Jesus Christ brought into the believer through the Holy Spirit that allows this fruit to be produced. Not only that, but the more a believer submits to the guidance and moving of Christ's presence the more fruit grows. As Paul teaches, just as much as “deeds” speaks of hard work, mechanics, toil and labor, so “fruit” addresses submission, receiving, and yielding. So to the Galatians, Paul has a deep but brief message: it's not what you do, it's what you are.

The picture Paul paints shows very clearly the difference between those who claim discipleship with Christ through what they do for Him, and those who identify themselves as disciples based on what

120

Christ did for them. Those who point to their infant baptism, christening, catechism and adherence to church rituals and regulations as proof of their being Christians, expose their faith as being that of bondage to individual efforts which have the blessing of the church. Whereas those who point to all the work Christ did for them and their reliance on His redeeming power, signal their faith being that of wholeness with Christ which has the blessing of God. Such unity places them in the enviable position of also becoming the bearers of fruit whose source of spiritual nutrients is the True Vine, Jesus Christ. Consequently, they do not point to this fruit as something they created on their own, but as evidence of something produced through their spiritual union with Christ.

Should such believers even care then if they attend church, read the Bible, participate in worship and become disciples sharing the Gospel of Christ as they go on their way? Yes! By all means! But not as efforts they bring to God as sacrifices in order to prove their right to eternal life. Rather, they do it because they are motivated from within by the Spirit of God whose aim is to glorify God through their lives, character and ministry. Naturally such divine motivation must deal with all the frailties, faintness, flaws and failures of the flesh. That's the battle Paul addressed, and the one he felt kept the Galatian believers from really feeling free to worship and serve God in spirit and in truth.

In my earlier years in ministry when people found out I was reading ten books simultaneously, besides the Old Testament and New Testament, they often asked, “How do you do it?” My response remained the same; it comes from within not from without. I'm not trying to impress God at all with my efforts, but God inspires me with His wisdom, truth and light, and no matter how long or how much I study I can't get enough.

Now we need to look at Paul's use of the Greek word pneuma in this instance. This word can be used in five different ways: (1) referring to the Holy Spirit; (2) referring to man’s spirit; (3) referring to the essence of something; (4) referring to motivation; and (5) referring to breath or wind. So its use must be understood in context. Some translations render pneuma here as a proper noun—Spirit, and others as a common noun—spirit. When used as a proper noun, Spirit refers to the Holy Spirit. On the other hand, when the common noun spirit is used, it refers to the born-again believer’s new spiritual oneness with Christ. Rather than seeing this as a possible conflict when it comes to the fruit, we can accept it as a matter of a joint endeavor between Spirit and spirit.

We must be aware, that if we insist on using “Spirit,” we run the risk of implying that the believer has no involvement in the growth of these fruit; that we simple wait on the Holy Spirit to produce them in us before we can manifest them. That does not fit with what Paul is teaching. On the other hand if we favor “spirit,” we may be in danger of suggesting that the born-again believer can produce these on their own without any help from the Holy Spirit. So, why not look at these fruit as the result of a willing cooperation between the believer’s spiritual oneness with Christ and the Holy Spirit which brought it to life and sustains it; in other words, the essence of something. I’m sure the Holy Spirit will not be grieved as long as we acknowledge His required involvement.

For Paul, when speaking about the deeds of the flesh, he is talking about the characteristics of the carnal man. But when teaching about the fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ, he is identifying the virtues and characteristics of the spiritual man. Carnal man often tries to please God by subjecting himself to the demands of religious rituals and regulations. Living in Europe for over a dozen years I saw ritualistic Christianity in action; in Italy, the home of Roman Catholicism, and in Germany, the home of the Protestant Reformation. All of the deeds of the flesh listed by the Apostle Paul, and more, were on display daily.

For instance, during Fasching (the German version of Mardi Gras) a judge once ruled that a woman could not divorce her husband because of adultery since free love during this festival was part of the celebration! Sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy,

121

fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and such are endemic in many countries where the majority of the population identify themselves with ritualistic Christianity.

Putting all this in context, it's quite logical to see that Paul wants to contrast the difference in how we respond to challenges, opportunities, and temptations by yielding to the lusts of the sinful-self as opposed to surrendering to the desires of the spiritual oneness with Christ. Before anyone is born again, their spiritual oneness with Christ, which connects them directly to God, is dormant and not active. With the spiritual oneness with Christ being dead, all of man's responses are totally dictated by their sinful-self. Even when they try to identify with or communicate with God their Creator they use the efforts of their own hands and minds.

This is where the original religious rituals and regulations came in, as the chosen awaited the coming of the Messiah to awaken the spiritual oneness with Christ within them so they could then worship God in spirit and in truth. While some contend that Paul meant the fruit of the Holy Spirit, others accept his reference to the fruit of the believer’s spiritual oneness with Christ which came alive through Christ. It involves the sanctified mind of our spiritual oneness with Christ. Instead of our thoughts, words, and deeds being controlled by the flesh, they are now under the management of the Holy Spirit working through the revived spirit within us.

But the spiritual man wants to please God with submission to the will and purpose God has for his life. However, like a motor that's wired and constructed to run on electricity, if it's never plugged in there's no chance for it to work. Even after being plugged in, the line must connect to a source of electric power. So it is with the believer. From birth we were all wired with a spiritual oneness with Christ. Before Messiah came, man attempted to substitute for his dormant spiritual oneness with Christ by the works of his hands and mind. But in order for it to really come alive it must be plugged in the power of Christ. Once that occurs at our awakening through the new birth it still requires a continuous flow of the Holy Spirit for it to produce any fruit.

So when Paul calls this list of virtues, fruit of the spirit, he means that the will, mind, heart, body and soul of the spiritual man running on the power of the Holy Spirit will produce such fruit. As mentioned before, Paul was a reader of Greek literature, and may well have been aware of the ancient legends of “Virtues,” which can easily be identified as fruit, that included grace, modesty, gentleness, kindliness, joy, purity of mind and body. Even in a secular world these were looked upon as the highest of virtues. However, they were cinematic illusions and not the real 3-D qualities produced by the power of Christ.

Assignment: Take a look at your traditional view of what you were taught on why the word “spirit” or “Spirit” is used here – either man’s renewed spirit, or the Holy Spirit. Then go online or to a library and read both sides of the debate to find out which one appeals to your heart and mind. Believe me, God will not deny entry into heaven regardless of which position you take. But it will give you peace of mind and confidence in your heart that if ever asked to explain the fruit of the spirit, you will be able to do so with greater assurance.

LESSON THIRTY-TWO - (Posted 05/30/12) **

Are fruit bearing Christians fruitful, or just plain fruity? Galatians 5:22a.

Verse 22a: Instead, your spiritual oneness with Christ bears fruit… (Continued).

122

Let’s carry on by exploring the relationship between the unity of the believer with Christ in salvation, and the unity of the spiritual oneness with Christ with the Holy Spirit in sanctification. We see this in Paul’s use of the word deeds (plural) of the sinful-self—which we will equate with “weeds” since they grow wild and without any needed care. On the other hand the word fruit (singular) of the spiritual oneness with Christ needs cultivating, nurturing, pruning and harvesting. Any curious person might wonder what particular type of fruit the Apostle thought of in order to find unity within variety. Was he thinking of one cluster of grapes, or a flower with its number of petals of different shades, or perhaps a bouquet of different flowers in a vase, or maybe a head of wheat or ear of corn with its aligned kernels, differing in size and even color?

For sure the word “fruit” serves as a singular noun referring to plurality; for instance, the fruit of an orange tree or an apple tree or a pear tree; but like a cluster of grapes or head of wheat or ear of corn, you may have plurality but no significant variety. This does not conform to Paul’s metaphor because the fruit he mentions are very different from each other even though they are all attributed to one source. Obviously there is no single tree that grows multiple forms of fruit. On the other hand, if we think of one basket containing oranges, apples, pears, bananas, mangos, etc., we would have variety, but be ignoring the fact that they do not have a singular source. So when Paul says that the fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ is love, joy, peace, etc., he suggests that there is one source providing a variety of fruit different from each other in characteristics while sharing the same character.

Is there such a thing? I imagine the Galatians were scratching their heads as well. The answer may lie in finding a way to illustrate something that comes from a single source and is transformed into a variety of characteristics while retaining its singular essence. How can the oneness we have in Christ be exhibited in different virtues that have their own expressions which cannot be confused with one another; something brought into the believer's life by the Holy Spirit that then sprouts and produces an assortment of manifestations that even though they appear in variety, all possess the same basic element and origin?

We may find our clue in the phrase used by Paul in 3:3 “You came alive through the Spirit…” and in 5:16 “…let your new spiritual oneness with Christ guide your conduct.” In other words, the Spirit in us motivates and cultivates our spirit and provides the right conditions, elements, and forces to produce the characteristics of His being in our being so that we exhibit Christ-like features.

Where can we find such a process repeated in our own natural world that would provide a clear illustration of this operation? We can see it in our own ecosystem; how moisture is recycled through evaporation and returns in many different forms but all containing the same unifying element. Here we find a concept of common origin with the possibility of diverse manifestations, each with their own characteristics, yet retaining the same essence.

I didn’t think I would, but I ended up enjoying the study of meteorology in college, so bear with me on this. Almost any science book tells us how earth is surrounded by an envelope of gases called the atmosphere. Within this atmosphere there is a strata called the “troposphere” in which the earth's weather is orchestrated. Interaction between the high and low pressure systems of temperature and vapor causes the most notable phenomenon called “clouds.” Clouds are made up almost entirely of water vapor suspended in the troposphere, along with fine dust particles called “nuclei. This vapor and nuclei are brought there by the dynamics of wind and heat on surface water which evaporates and rises in altitude. When the vapor reaches a certain altitude, it encounters lower temperatures, which then causes it to condense and attach itself to these nuclei before falling back to earth. Meteorologists tell us that sea salts and clay make very good condensation nuclei.

If we compare this to the Holy Spirit's presence in our lives to represent the atmosphere—“In Him we live and have our being”—and the troposphere as that area of our lives where His presence and influence creates our Christ-like characteristics, then this would allow His indwelling presence to

123

manifest itself through our spirit. I found this quote in the Encyclopedia Britannica on the atmosphere, which when compared to our spiritual existence is quite revealing: “The Ocean of air in which we move and have our being, which flows around us and sustains life on earth owes its unique and benevolent character to a superb balance among the forces of nature.” What a beautiful analogy of the balance between our spirit and the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Using the atmosphere theory I introduced above to explain how the fruit of our spiritual oneness with Christ can exist with one source, one essence, but many different expressions, let's look at how precipitation falling from clouds in the sky passes through a combination of conditions before hitting the ground in unique forms. Under the right conditions of atmospheric temperature the precipitation may arrive in the form of “rain.” On the other hand, given a change in conditions the precipitation might fall as “snow” or “hail” or “sleet” or even produce “fog” or “dew” etc. Each one of these appears with different characteristics. For instance, compare the intricate crystals of the snowflake with the hard compact crystals of the hailstone. Nevertheless, their essence is exactly the same, which demands a shared origin. So if we put rain, snow, hail and sleet in a pot together and heat it up and then try to separate them again, we’ll find they’ve all returned to their common element—water.

When we transition to the fruit of our spiritual oneness with Christ and accept the presence of the Holy Spirit as the moving force within the atmosphere of our born-again nature and in the spiritual troposphere, let’s change the word “altitude,” where the transformation takes place the higher it goes, to the word “attitude,” where the transformation takes place the holier it grows. Then let us identify the elements which serve the same purpose as precipitation in the natural realm. Of all the specific attributes and works of the Holy Trinity which are brought to bear on the believer's life there is only one clear choice that qualifies as the catalyst to produce such varied manifestations while retaining the essence of a shared origin, and that is: God’s love. And like the dust particle (nuclei) to which the water attaches itself, here we have the human element—oddly enough made out of dust particles (see Gen. 2:7). So it’s God’s love attaching itself to the human element of our mind in order to be transformed into the fruit of our spiritual oneness with Christ.

Let's recap this scenario so the concept comes more into focus. The Holy Spirit coming into our lives upon our new birth creates a new spiritual atmosphere in which we live and move and have our being as new creatures in Christ. He brings with Him the premier element of love upon which John 3:16 and man's salvation is based, and this becomes the catalyst for all the manifestations of Christ-like features emanating from our lives to those around us.

These not only prove the presence of the Spirit but also work toward the creation of certain virtues that can grow and mature toward perfection in the believer's life. When the presence of the Holy Spirit encounters the right attitude on the believer's part these manifestations come naturally; they are not forced or coerced. But the Holy Spirit does not produce them by Himself; it requires the human element enveloped by love, and our full cooperation to be effective.

As different as they all may be, once again they all share the same essence and source—Love. As Paul said, “Three things have their place—faith, hope, and love—and love is the greatest of all” (1Cor. 13:13). Why is love supreme? Because God’s promises cannot be validated until they are fulfilled; that’s why faith and hope are necessary in this life. But when our Lord returns and we are living eternally in His presence, we will no longer need faith or hope for we shall see Him and know Him as He is. But our love for Him will last for all eternity, inspiring our praise and worship in His presence. The big secret in the fruit of our spiritual oneness with Christ is finding out how all of these virtues can be explained as an altered form of this one essence called “Love.”

Love appears throughout Greek mythology and is often the main theme of each story. However, different kinds of love emerge in these narratives with diverse consequences. In some instances, love is instinctive and impulsive when caused by Cupid's arrow. This kind of love prompted Alpheus to chase

124

Arethusa, Apollo to chase Daphne, and Zeus to take Europa across an ocean on his back. Such love is characterized by intense feeling and turmoil. On the other hand, we see in the Greek myths a less exciting but ultimately longer lasting kind of love. Ceyx and Alcyone become birds who fly together for eternity after they die. Mulberry grows from the blood of Pyramus and Thisbe. And Baucis and Philemon become intertwined trees when they die. In these instances love exists among humans abiding in the eternal realm, and it is perhaps the closest that most humans can ever get to being like the gods in those myths.

Assignment: How does the Greek philosophical understanding of love compare to the Christian understanding?

What are some of the similarities and some of the differences?

Why do you think biblical stories of love are more ethical and impressive than those of Greek mythology?

LESSON THIRTY-THREE - (Posted 06/02/12) **

Love is a many splendored thing.

Galatians 5:22b: Instead, your spiritual oneness with Christ bears the fruit of Love…

Love continues to be the main theme of so many novels, films, songs, theater plays and poems, they are practically innumerable. Sophocles in his Oedipus Trilogy made the statement: “One word wipes out

125

all score of tribulations—love.” Perhaps by Paul’s day this was a common proverb since it is repeated by James (5:20) and Peter (1Pe 4:8).

John Wesley preached and taught about entire sanctification which is described as follows: “Entire sanctification is a state of perfect love, righteousness and true holiness which every regenerate believer may obtain by being delivered from the power of sin, by loving God with all the heart, soul, mind and strength, and by loving one's neighbor as one's self. Through faith in Jesus Christ this gracious gift may be received in this life both gradually and instantaneously, and should be sought earnestly by every child of God.”

However, to understand love as Paul uses it, we must look in the Scriptures. A search will reveal that nowhere do we find the phrase “God is joy” or “God is peace” or “God is patience;” and on those occasions where the characteristics of God include kindness, goodness, or faithfulness, these are either adjectives or verbs. In order for the Holy Spirit to channel these elements into fruition in our personality He does so by planting the same essence the Bible reveals as the primary attribute of God—Love. This love is deposited in our hearts at the moment of being born again, when our salvation from certain damnation is justified because we accepted Christ's work on the cross. As that love matures in our hearts and minds, we exhibit the results of that growing love as evidence of our sanctification.

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism and staunch believer in sanctification, believed that Christ's death on the cross made it possible not only for sinners to be saved by grace, but for them to be saved to the uttermost through entire sanctification. Here we find that the same grace that saved us is now restoring us to the image of God; being made perfect in love toward God and neighbor.

That’s why Wesley believes we should desire entire sanctification; a complete salvation from all our sins, from pride, self-will, anger, unbelief; or, as the Apostle expresses it, “go on unto perfection.” But what is perfection? The word has various senses: Here it means perfect love. It is love excluding sin; love filling the heart, taking up the whole capacity of the soul. It is love “rejoicing evermore, praying without ceasing, in everything giving thanks.” [Sermon 43--The Scripture Way of Salvation]

Says Wesley, it does not imply any new kind of holiness: Let no man imagine this. From the moment we are saved from sin till we give up our spirits to God in death, love is the fulfillment of Mosaic Law; of the whole evangelical law which replaced Adamic law when the first promise of “the seed of the woman” was made. Love is the sum of Christian sanctification; it is the one kind of holiness which is found only in various degrees in the believers who are distinguished by St. John into “little children, young men, and fathers.” The difference between one and the other properly lies in the degree of love. And herein there is as great a difference in the spiritual, as in the natural sense, between fathers, young men, and babes. [Sermon 83--On Patience]

The writers of the N.T. use two main Greek words that define love: agape and phileo. The word agape denotes what we call today, Godly love. That is, unconditional love committed to the end, ready to endure any hardship or test to remain loyal. But one thing must be kept in mind, it is not a love that gives what is wanted, that’s human love, but gives what is needed, that’s divine love. This is the word used by John in 3:16, "For God loved (agape) the world so much that He gave His one and only Son to die, so that everyone who believes in Him will not die in sin but receive eternal life,” as well as Jesus' words in John 15:13, “There is no greater love (agape) than laying down one's life for a friend.” This clearly illustrates the depth and power of agape, when one person is willing to die for another person's good.

As I walked through the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial at Fort Bonifacio in the Philippines viewing the headstones of US servicemen and women, I mentioned to someone the impact it had on me. If laying down one’s life for a friend is the pinnacle of man’s love, what do you call willingly

126

laying down one’s life for a country that is not yours, and for a people you do not know? Whatever you call it, that’s the love Jesus had for us when he died while we were yet sinners.

We also find the word phileo, which means to “approve of” be “fond of” and “be friends with;” something expected of you and wanted by the receiver. We see it used in Matthew 10:37 where Jesus says, “If your love (phileo) for Me does not exceed what you have for your father or mother you are not worthy of being Mine; or if your love (phileo) for me is not greater than what you have for your son or daughter you are not worthy of being Mine.” It's clear that Jesus wanted everyone to know they needed to be more than just fond of Him or be a friend to Him.

Luke also writes how Jesus warned his followers about the hypocrisy of the teachers of religious law. “For they like to parade around in flowing robes showing love (phileo) in order to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and oh how they love (phileo) the seats of honor in the synagogues and at the head banquet table.”

But in John 21:15-16 the Evangelist records one of the most graphic contrasts between agape and phileo in a conversation Jesus had with Peter: “after breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, 'Simon son of John, do you love (agape) Me more than the others do?' 'Yes, Lord,' Peter replied, 'You know I’m fond (phileo) of You.' 'Then feed My lambs,' Jesus told him. Jesus repeated the question: 'Simon son of John, do you love (agape) Me?' 'Yes, Lord,' Peter said, 'you know I really like (phileo) You.' 'Then take care of My sheep,' Jesus said. A third time He asked him, 'Simon son of John, is it that you only like (phileo) Me?' Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time using like (phileo) and replied, 'Lord, You know everything. You know we’re the best of friends’ (phileo).' Jesus said, ‘Then feed My sheep'.”

So in other words, Jesus asked Peter if he was really committed and deeply devoted Him and the best Peter could come up with was that they were good friends. Jesus' use of the word agape was not lost on Peter and Peter's use of the word phileo was not overlooked by Jesus. No wonder the third time when Jesus asked Peter if all they were only good friends, it wasn't that Jesus asked him three times that distressed Peter so badly, but because Jesus used Peter's word “like” instead of “love.”

It seems the Galatians were following Peter’s example. Paul wanted to know if they liked the “do good” laws and ceremonies more than they loved a good God and His Son Jesus Christ. Which one were they willing to follow and obey? Did they put all their trust and confidence in the “do good” laws and ceremonies to provide salvation and eternal life, or, in the work and sacrifice of a gracious and loving Father and His Son?

Throughout the writings of the New Testament we find the overwhelming mention of love as the basis for many expressions and characteristics of the Christian life. Jesus issued a new commandment in telling His disciples to “love one another” (Jn. 13:34). Paul declares that love is the bond of perfection (Col. 3:14); and that the believer should be “rooted and grounded in love” (Eph. 3:17). John states that “perfect love dispels all fear” (1Jn 4:18). And the most damaging claim against the Church in Ephesus was that they had “lost their first love” (Rev. 2:4).

We do not find the other virtues of the fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ used anywhere else in Scripture the same way, nor with the same emphasis. Therefore, it stands to reason that love serves as the animating principle for all the other graces listed by Paul as fruit. Consequently, since all these other virtues are not included in the essential attributes of God, as love is, they should be seen as qualities of the love the Spirit brings into our lives, so that we might display all these fruit in their beauty.

Let me reiterate the theory I mentioned before, how given the change of attitude in the newly re-created man’s life through the work of the Holy Spirit; and accepting love as the singular element in the atmosphere; that just like water in the earth’s troposphere changes into rain or snow or sleet or fog, so

127

does love in man’s spiritual atmosphere morph into various forms of joy, peace, kindness, etc. As such, these variations of love are identified by Paul as the fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ.

Paul makes no attempt to separate love from the virtues which follow as somehow being distinct from them; rather, he recognizes that they are all genetically connected, with love being the common element that proves their bonding relationship. This is the way love expresses itself as joy, peace, patience, and so on. As such, these virtues as expressions of love provide proof that love exists within the believer. We might even say, none of these manifestations are possible without God’s love being the divine catalyst.

Bearing fruit implies that conditions must be favorable in order for them to exist, which leads us to the concept of the Holy Spirit and the believer’s spirit integrating to bring about the transformation of love into different forms. In the natural world where evaporating moisture creates clouds which then precipitates toward earth, altitude and temperature play vital roles. When the atmosphere is warm enough, rain falls; when the temperature drops, sleet is formed; when the temperature lowers, hail falls; and when colder temperatures prevail, snow comes.

In the supernatural world where love is brought into the believer’s life through the Holy Spirit, and then permeates the believer’s spiritual life; attitude and temperament make all the difference. To any observer, when these virtues are seen they offer proof that this person is born of the Spirit and that his or her spirit is cooperating to produce a harvest of spiritual fruit.

One of the clearest examples of this process of love being transformed can be seen in Paul’s letters to the Galatian, Ephesian, and Corinthian churches. First let’s look at the list of fruit he shares in Galatians and Ephesians.

Gal. 5:22 Love

Joy

Peace

Patience

Kindness

Goodness

Faithfulness

Gentleness

Self-Control

Eph. 5:9 Righteousness

Truth

But then when writing to the Corinthians, Paul does not expand the list; he expands love by indicating how love acts in various ways and circumstances to produce the other fruit already in the list:

1Cor. 13:1-7 Love is kind

Love does not envy

Love does not boast

Love is not proud

Love is not rude

Love is not self-seeking

128

Love keeps no record of wrongs

Love does not delight in evil

Love rejoices in the truth

Love always protects

Love always trusts

Love always hopes

Love always perseveres

Love never fails

While these are examples of what love does or doesn’t do, they do not define what motivates love to manifest itself this way. We need to see how the Spirit transmits love through man's new spiritual attitude, in order to understand the transformation that takes place.

Joy—Love that is excited

Peace—Love that is secure

Patience—Love that is tolerant

Kindness—Love that is cultured

Goodness—Love that is mature

Faithfulness—Love that is consistent

Gentleness—Love that is tender

Self-Control—Love that is disciplined

Finally, this concept allows each virtue to be different in character while sustaining unity with the essence of love. Furthermore, this love comes from one source, which is God, and brought into our lives at the new birth by the Holy Spirit. The result is selfless expressions of love communicated when the Holy Spirit and the believer's spirit integrate to provide the right atmosphere for ripening and distributing. Without love none of it would be possible.

Assignment: Read the following articles and see what it tells you about the power of love from a psychological as well as a spiritual perspective

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/handy-psychology-answers/201102/the-psychology-love

http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200212/the-power-love

LESSON THIRTY-FOUR – (Posted 06/06/12) **

Love excited and bringing a glow to life.

Galatians 5:22c: Instead, your spiritual oneness with Christ bears the fruit of… Joy…

Everyone knows that concepts or theories do not succeed as acceptable ideas until they are proven to be valid. Since we've postulated that all the fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ exist as characteristics of transformed love, let's look at the Scriptures to see how this design plays out with the fruit of Joy.

129

Paul clearly promotes rejoicing as the order of the day when he told the Church in Philippi to, “Always be full of joy in serving the Lord. I’ll say it again—rejoice!” (4:4). As a Jewish scholar Paul knew how this word was used in the Old Testament to describe the people's response in singing, music, worship, festivals, when given victory, and in prayer. The prophet Nehemiah proclaimed that “Let the joy of the LORD make you strong” (8:10). The word for “strong” in Hebrew means, “To feel loved and protected.” Paul was also fluent in Greek and knew that from the writings of Homer onward it meant to rejoice over someone or something you loved or held dear.

When we read the New Testament, we see that Jesus' miracles and preaching brought great joy to the people affected. No wonder on the night of Jesus’ birth the angel said to the shepherds, “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to people everywhere” (Lk 2:10). For those who longed and looked for God to send the Messiah, their hearts were made glad and filled with joy because of their love for the LORD Eternal.

Further on Jesus told His disciples, “You will make my Father look great when you produce a lot of fruit and prove that you are My disciples. I love you the same way the Father loves Me. So stay in My love. If you obey My commandments, you will stay in My love. I obeyed My Father's commandments, and in that way I continue in His love. I’m passing this on to you so that you will be as full of joy as I am, and be content in your joy. So love each other as I have loved you. This is what I'm commanding you to do” (Jn. 15:8-12).

It appears very clear that Jesus tied the joy He brought to the disciples as coming from the love He and the Father had for each other, and the love He and the disciples had for each other. This begs the question; if no love existed between the disciples and their Master would His words and promises have brought them any joy? Of course not, it takes something to affect love that causes it to become excited and produce joy.

Joy must be distinguished from happiness since happiness depends on circumstances which change. It is not possible to be both happy and unhappy at the same time. But joy depends on God's presence which is made constant through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Unlike happiness, the believer may rejoice in afflictions and sufferings with joy because the God they love is with them at all times. Read Acts 5:41; 2Co. 6:10; Col 1:24 and 1Pe. 4:13. Peter really ties love and joy together when he said, “You love Him even though you have never seen Him. And in spite of never having seen Him you still trust Him; and this brings you such uplifting joy it’s hard to describe” (1Pe 1:8).

The real understanding of transformed love into joy can be seen more in its application than merely the word itself. James begins his letter with a greeting of Joy; Paul ends his letter to the Corinthians with Joy; the Angel greeted Mary with the word Joy; on resurrection morning our risen Savior greeted the women with Joy. The Psalmist says to God, “You showed me how to really live. Your presence fills me with joy and makes living a real pleasure” (Ps. 16:11). Being in the presence of God or having the presence of God in our being has the effect of exciting our basic emotion of love. When we walk into worship services and begin to sing with our brothers and sisters it excites our love for them and for God. David said that just the thought of spending eternity with the God he loved got him all excited with joy.

We can conclude then that the Bible does tie love and joy together. Such divine joy therefore cannot be increased or decreased simply by man's will or circumstances since it does not depend on good fortune, but on an unchangeable God. That's why Joy should not be thought of as just a feeling, but an attitude. The love of God in us can become excited if we have the proper attitude toward God and others. It's not the position in life we find ourselves in, but our disposition toward the life we have and the things happening to us.

With God's love as the basic element brought into our hearts and minds by the Holy Spirit that controls our thinking and attitude, it also colors and empowers our faith. It helps us maintain a positive attitude

130

when we respond to the world around us. And there is little that causes that love to jump for joy more than being in God's presence, knowing that He loves us, cares for us, protects us and has a beautiful place in heaven waiting for us.

Have you ever noticed how much more enjoyable it is to be around and work with people who are optimistic and positive thinkers? One reason may be that they cope with and handle difficult situations differently than others who are always looking for someone to blame for their problems. Such negative and pessimistic people are always thinking of themselves and focused on their own best interests. This kind of self-absorption can become so strong that it pulls others into the fray. And when you get involved with people like this it can have a negative effect on your own state of mind and leave you feeling drained.

But when you meet someone who radiates the joy of the Lord in their actions, words and responses, it not only lifts you up but it glorifies God by pointing to His ability to give everyone a reason to rejoice, even in times of trouble. As the Psalmist said, you may end up with tears in your eyes because of the evil you see in the world and how you are being treated, but when you hold on to God, joy will help see you through. You will find that those who celebrate the goodness of God are always looking for ways to give, to encourage, and to lift up other people’s spirits. They know that they never walk through a tough situation on their own, God is always with them. So they do the same to those they meet who are struggling with the burdens that life often lays on one’s shoulders.

We find one of the most expressive scriptures that point out this kind of attitude can be found in the writings of the prophet Habakkuk. The Babylonians had just invaded Jerusalem and were wreaking havoc with God’s people and the coveted Temple. And even though Habakkuk didn’t understand why God allowed it to happen, he knew that God never permitted anything without a purpose and a reason, that worked together for the good of those He called to be His people. So Habakkuk declares: “Even though the fig-tree does not blossom, and there are no grapes on the vine, and nurturing the olive tree leaves it bare, and the fields yield no crops; and the sheep can find no place to breed, and the cattle barn is empty: Still, I will praise the Lord, for I find joy in God being my Savior” (Hab. 3:17-19).

Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (November 10, 1759 – May 9, 1805), who became better known as Friedrich Schiller, was a German poet, philosopher, historian, and dramatist who developed into one of the influential figures in what would become known as the classical movement in German literature. Schiller's views on liberty, equality, and civil justice, expressed so poignantly in his poems and plays and put into action by his philosophical and political writings would have their influence on generations of European writers in the succeeding decades.

Schiller wrote a short poem most people outside of Germany have probably never read, entitled, An die Freude. It was only after Ludwig van Beethoven famously set it to music in the choral finale of his 9th Symphony that the title of Schiller’s poem became beloved around the world. Here is one chorus from Schiller’s An die Freude poem:

Endure courageously, you millions!Endure for the better world!From above the starry canopyA great God will reward you!

Listen to the beautiful music Beethoven composed for this poem:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wod-MudLNPA

But in 1900 a song writer named Barney Elliott Warren wrote a song that churches sang for many years. It clearly expresses the joy we have in Christ, and it goes like this:

131

I have found His grace is all complete, He supplieth every need; while I sit and learn at Jesus’ feet, I am free, yes, free indeed.

I have found the pleasure I once craved, it is joy and peace within; what a wondrous blessing, I am saved from the awful gulf of sin.

I have found that hope so bright and clear, living in the realm of grace; Oh, the Savior’s presence is so near, I can see His smiling face.

I have found the joy no tongue can tell, how its waves of glory roll; it is like a great o’erflowing well, springing up within my soul.

It is joy unspeakable and full of glory, full of glory, full of glory; it is joy unspeakable and full of glory,Oh, the half has never yet been told.”

Assignment: Try and think of any situation or circumstances in your Christian walk with the Lord when you did not experience joy. Look at the conditions and ask yourself, “What role did my love for Jesus play in causing me to feel so downhearted or discouraged?” Were you, like Peter, depending on phileo love instead of agape love? Or perhaps, was part of your despondency linked to the fact that you knew you did not Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, therefore you realized He could not trust you to be loyal and committed to Him, His Word, and His will? It may really give you something to think about and help you understand why the joy was missing because love was not there to be transformed into joy.

LESSON THIRTY-FIVE – (Posted 06/09/12) **

Love secure and always trusting.

Galatians 5:22d: Instead, your spiritual oneness with Christ bears the fruit of…Peace…

Sometimes words when spoken can produce an effect that amazing. Nothing illustrates this more than when Jesus spoke to the howling winds and lashing waves during a storm and said, “Be at peace! Quiet down!” Also, when He walked into the room and found His disciples in a state of panic and despair over His death, and greeted them with, “Be at peace.” Since the beginning of time there are few things man has sought more than peace. The search is universal and for the most part elusive. Efforts to produce a world at peace will always be futile until all men have peace in their hearts. Such

132

peace cannot be simply proclaimed by one man or some world power, but only by the power of God's transforming love.

But peace as transformed love in our spiritual oneness with Christ takes on a different composure. There is a difference between living in peace with our neighbors, and having peace of mind over both our external and internal state of affairs. It’s more than just being free from care and having a sense of well-being; peace as a form of transformed love is anchored in our unchangeable, unmovable, unconquerable God and His promises. It comes from knowing we possess a security that cannot be misplaced, cheated out of, borrowed, stolen, hijacked, embezzled or pawned. Such blessed assurance is found in Christ Jesus alone, and is only a foretaste of things to come.

We find this concept of peace coming from the promises and presence of God in the Old Testament. For instance, in Numbers 6:26 we find a benediction, used even by Christians today: “May the LORD bless you and keep you safe. May the LORD smile on you and be kind to you. May the LORD show you His favor and give you His peace.” Later on after Israel entered the Promised Land and no king ruled over them, the people feared that the Canaanites might turn on them, so a young Levite priest told the worried people, “Go in peace, for the LORD will guard you on your journey” (Jud. 18:6). Again, we see that God's guidance and presence gives believers a sense of security, knowing they are being watched over by a God who loves them and cares for them.

Isaiah (9:6-7a) ties peace and the Messiah together in this prophecy: “For a child will be born in our midst, a son will live among us. He will be responsible for governing us. And He will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. His reign and the peace it brings will never end.” Not only does God bring peace of mind through His promises and care, but Isaiah says God will go even further by sending a Son to be born as the ruler of His kingdom, and it will be a kingdom of peace. Not just peace in the sense of no wars, but by having an everlasting covenant with Him, thus removing the fear of abandonment and being left defenseless.

Finally, Ezekiel (Chap. 34) provides an interesting link between the Messiah and peace when Ezekiel receives a word from the LORD to proclaim to the shepherds of Israel saying, “And I will set over them one shepherd, my servant David. He will feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David will be a prince among my people. I, the LORD, have spoken! 'I am making a pledge of bringing peace to my people'.” (vv. 24-25a). Out of this prophesy we see the traits of Jesus' story about the shepherd that left the ninety and nine in search of that one lost sheep, as well as His own claim “I am a good shepherd. A good shepherd sacrifices his life for his sheep” (Jn. 10:14). What more evidence does one need about Christ’s love for them being secure than this?

In the New Testament the peace and security that we receive in the presence, works, and promises of Christ become even clearer. In John, Chapters 14-16, Jesus gives His farewell address. There's little doubt the disciples felt anxious with our LORD's message that He would be going away for a while. However, Jesus calms their fears with two specific promises about the peace they will experience. Our LORD told them, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and peace of heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid” (Jn. 14:27). What might they be troubled or afraid of? That He might not come back; that they may be left to fend for themselves in a hostile world? In other words, “Don't worry,” Jesus says, “your love for Me and My love for you is secure; I won't let you down; I won't abandon you.”

Then in John 16:33 Jesus again offers a promise of peace, “I have told you all this, so that My words will give you peace of mind. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But keep a positive outlook, because I have everything under full control.” What did He just say? Did He tell them they would undergo persecution, hardships, suffering and ridicule for their faith in Him? That they shouldn’t worry; they shouldn’t let that destroy their faith; they shouldn’t allow that to discourage them

133

because He had everything under control? Yes! That’s exactly what He told them; and His love for them and their love for Him would help them accept it by faith.

I love this illustration that I've used in preaching and writing about the father who tiptoes past his son's room thinking he’s asleep, only to hear his son laughing and saying, “You're not gonna win!” Upon opening the door he saw his son reading a book and inquired why his son was laughing and making such comments? The boy answered, “Dad, this is a story about some bad guys trying to beat the good guys and think they are winning. But you see, I've read the end of the book already, and guess what? They lose!” Jesus is saying something similar: trials and tribulations may be coming but don't worry, I already know the ending and we win! How can that not make one's love for Christ feel more certain, and transform their love into peace of heart, mind, and soul?

In his own writings Paul emphasizes the importance of peace as we live and toil in an uncertain world during turbulent times. He told the believers in Philippi “Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God's peace which exceeds our understanding. His peace will keep your hearts and minds secure as you live for Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7). For the Apostle Paul, knowing that one's love is secure in Christ brings a peace that will endure even during the hardest of times.

Along with this same line of thought, Paul tells the Roman believers (Rom. 14:13-17) that the peace they feel because their love in Christ is anchored by faith, also provides a sense of peace when they face ridicule or persecution from other believers over the way they live: “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of enjoying what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” When we are at peace with God, because we know His love for us is secure, it affords us the privilege of being at peace with others; by understanding and having compassion for them when they struggle over things we may not even understand. He tells the Romans toward the end of his letter, “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit” (Ro. 15:13).

It’s wonderful that the Holy Spirit used a man of Paul's intellect and spiritual strength to communicate these truths. Being a Greek scholar, Paul understood that to the Gentiles the term peace came only with the elimination of desire and the death of emotion. To them, peace helped them put up with the forces and circumstances beyond their control. As their Stoic teachers taught, caring for anything or anyone must be strangled before it is born.

At the same time, as a Jewish scholar Paul comprehended the term peace to mean the absence of war, strife, tranquility, friendship, as well as being content, healthy, and prosperous. So he weaves them together with a spiritual connotation affecting the believer's emotional, intellectual, physical and spiritual state after being reconciled with God. He tells the believers in Colossae, “Let the peace you have in Christ control your hearts, for as members of one body you are called to live in peace; you should always be thankful for this” (Col. 3:15). How wonderful, if we have peace on the inside we will have peace on the outside.

Luke records for us the story of the woman with a sleazy reputation who came in and washed Jesus’ feet while the self-righteous Pharisees sat around plotting to criticize Him severely for allowing her to do so. When the woman finished her act of loving-kindness Jesus says to her, “Your faith has saved you; let that give you peace of mind as you go” (Lk. 7:50). How powerfully these words illustrate love being transformed into peace; knowing that after we have been forgiven we can continue our lives without letting those sins bother us and steal our joy. It is not a peace treaty with sin and evil, it’s the permanent peace we have with God that keeps sin and evil from controlling our destiny.

John tells us how the very presence of Jesus brought peace to His distraught disciples. On Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of Jewish leaders

134

finding them and doing the same thing to them they did to Jesus. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there with them! Using the traditional Jewish greeting He said, “Peace be with you” (Jn. 20:19). In other words, Jesus was saying, “Settle down fellas, I’m here now, everything is going to be okay. Here Jesus implies that His presence, along with access to all that He is and ever will be can result in a sense of security. Therefore, not only is joy love excited by being in God's presence, but we see that peace is love secured by God's presence.

I love this story I heard back in the 1960’s from my dear preacher friend Dr. C. Raymond Spain, about a hardworking business man/philanthropist who finally retired and wanted take up full-time his life-long passion and hobby of painting. But the years of heavy labor and arthritis had so crippled his hands and fingers he was unable to pursue his dream. Therefore, he decided to have a contest for up and coming artists and guarantee the winner his full financial support to paint the masterpieces he could now only dream of. So he rented a large auditorium and sent out invitations to all aspiring artists in the country to enter the competition. He announced a common theme for all artistes to try and interpret in their painting and that was, “Peace.”

On the day of judging, along with several well-known art curators, he began walking down between the many rows of canvasses to see who portrayed “Peace” the best. At one point he stopped at the easel of a young lady to study her work. It depicted a scene high up in the Alps with untouched snow filling the valley, and a small cloud seemingly snared by the apex of the highest peak; as the sun shining through the pure air glistened off the undisturbed mountain landscape. With a smile on his face he asked the young lady, “What do you call this painting?” “Peace on the Mountain,” she replied.

He walked on and after a while came to a portrait done by young man. As his eyes examined the canvass he saw a beautiful vale with knee-high grass, blossoming flowers, and trees full of fruit; several deer were drinking from a slow moving brook flowing through the lush meadow. In the background sat a beautiful vine-covered cottage with a wisp of smoke rising from the chimney. “My, my, what do you call this piece?” he asked the young man. “I call it, ‘Peace in the Valley’,” replied the young fellow with a gleam in his eyes.

As he finally approached the end of the last row in the exhibition, he spotted a watercolor created by an older artist that immediately caught his startled eye. He walked over to get a closer look at the canvass just to make sure of what he was seeing. There was a portrait of a wild rushing river white with foam, roaring through a mountain gorge carrying everything in its way. The sky was pitch dark and flashes of lightening emitted from the clouds with brilliant bursts, as rain pelted down with horrendous fury pounding everything it hit with ferocity. The philanthropist was taken aback, and looking at the artist exclaimed with a frown, “The theme was ‘Peace,’ I don’t see any peace here!”

The artist asked the gentleman to get nearer so he could see a scene portrayed up on the side of a sheer cliff. There he saw a limb sticking out underneath an overhang holding a nest on which a small bird sat chirping away as she calmly covered her eggs. “What in the world do you call this” the philanthropist exclaimed! The artist smiled and said softly, “Sir, I call it ‘Peace in the Time of Storm’.”

It didn’t take long before the philanthropist announced that the artist of “Peace in the Time of Storm” was the winner. What a graphic and touching illustration of the peace that the Prince of Peace came to instill in our hearts and minds. Like that little bird, our love is secure in the love of Christ our Savior, which gives us a peace that goes beyond anything we’ve ever experienced.

Assignment: Think of those times when things shook your world so hard you felt alarming panic and terror filled your heart and mind. Ask yourself why you reacted like the disciples did during the terrible storm that hit their ship on the Sea of Galilee, even though the Prince of Peace was on board. Perhaps it may be that your love for God and your devotion to Christ was not transformed in that instance to bring you peace. So don’t focus on why peace was missing, but concentrate on why your love did not feel secure enough to produce peace.

135

LESSON THIRTY-SIX – (Posted 06/13/12) ***

Love tolerant and tempered.

Galatians 5:22e: Instead, your spiritual oneness with Christ bears the fruit of…Patience…

Both joy and peace in the original languages spoken by Paul prove fairly easy to translate, but the Hebrew ‘arek ‘aph, is more of a challenge. To understand this better: ‘arek means “long” and ‘aph means “face. Most of us certainly know what a long face conveys, but it borders more on sadness and disappointment than patience.

So the early English translators gave us “longsuffering” to translate the Hebrew. It means: “to allow, to tolerate” or “to put up with something for a long time without despairing.” This clearly is the essence of patience. It expresses an attitude toward people in which one endures their stubbornness or procrastination no matter how unreasonable they may be; and never loses hope for them, however ugly and unmanageable they become. At the same time it denotes an attitude toward circumstances that never admits defeat, and never loses hope or faith no matter how dark the situation becomes or how inexplicable events may turn out to be.

136

Four great people of faith in the Old Testament give us glowing examples of longsuffering. Noah's patience with God's prophecy and people's harassment; Abraham's patience with God's promise while waiting for his son to be born; Joseph's patience with God's plan by refusing to take the easy way out; and Job's patience with God's purpose by not compromising his faith in a just Redeemer. Job, more than any other patriarch, became the icon of patience to every Jewish believer, and Christians admire him just as much. However, as a fruit of transformed love manifested by the spiritual oneness with Christ we must find how other Scriptures portray this attribute of love being tolerant and strengthened in the believer's life to grasp Paul’s reason for including it in the list of fruit.

The writers of the Old Testament knew that patience required love. In pleading with God for the rebellious Israelites, Moses tried to convince them to repent, and persuade the LORD to forgive them with these words, “It takes a long time for the LORD to get angry, because He is filled with unfailing love that allows Him to forgive every kind of sin and rebellion....O LORD, because You have such magnificent, unfailing love, please pardon the sins of these people, just as You have forgiven them over and over since they left Egypt” (Nu. 14:18-19). The Psalmist agreed and praised the LORD for being a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness (cf. Ps. 86:15). Then the prophet Joel used the same thought when pleading with the people that judgment day was coming, “Return to the LORD your God, for He is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to be patient and not to punish” (Joel 2:13).

Even Solomon in his wisdom taught that sensible people control their temper and earn respect by overlooking wrongs (Pro. 19:11). Also, people with common sense control their anger because they know a hot temper makes them look foolish (Pro. 14:29). Furthermore, patience is more admired than influence; self-control should be more desired than winning (Pro. 16:32). For Solomon, patience did not imply weakness; rather it spoke of the power to pause; strength to stand; and energy to endure. Even more reason to accept that love is an act of the will, not the expression of romantic emotions, no matter how deeply they are felt.

The oft repeated phrase in the Old Testament, “slow to get angry,” has more in common with the Greek word for patience than the Hebrew “long-faced.” The Greek word is makrothumia, and like the Hebrew, requires two words to translate instead of one. Makro means “long” and thumos means “temper.” It’s another way if identifying people who possess tempers with long fuses; people who endure patiently. We all know what “short-tempered” refers to, but English does not provide the antonym “long-tempered.” Instead we use “Patience,” which we will further define as a fruit of transformed love.

In the New Testament the eighteenth chapter of Matthew's Gospel contains a very interesting interaction between Jesus and His disciples on character and virtue. His followers start out by asking who rates as highest in the Kingdom of Heaven and Jesus replies by pointing to those who have child-like faith. Then Jesus proceeds to instruct them on being forgiving and not resentful; rejoice when you win back someone through patience. This struck Peter in such a way that he later came to Jesus and asked how patient should people be in forgiving others. Should they be patient for a respectable amount of time? Jesus looked at Peter and smiled, “No, Peter. Be patient as long as it takes.”

Our LORD then commences to tell Peter a parable about a man who was overdue in paying back the king the large amount of money he owed. When the king requested immediate payment, the man fell down before his master and begged him, “Please be patient with me and I will pay it all back.” The king relented and marked the account, “Paid in Full.” This same man then went and found a neighbor who owed him a small amount of money, and started choking him while demanding that he pay up at once. The man fell down before him and begged for a little more time. “Be patient with me and I will pay it all back.” This scoundrel showed no patience or mercy and had the man jailed. When the king was informed, he ordered the ungrateful man arrested and thrown into prison.

137

After telling this parable, Jesus turned to His disciples and said, “That's exactly what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.” In other words, let your love act decisively by being patient with those who may offend you, especially your own fellow believers, even as your Heavenly Father was patient with you until you confessed your transgressions and asked His forgiveness. Wow, now that's something to think about isn't it?

As such, the word patience gives us an important insight into the essence of Love. Emotions and passions of admiration and attraction are not Love; they are the basic instincts of “a need to be wanted and appreciated,” as well as to satisfy our carnal nature. Love, however, is an act of the will. John 3:16 does not say that God so loved the world because they were nice to Him. Paul tells us that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. That’s why with God’s love in our hearts we can decide to show kindness and goodness to someone even if they don’t return the favor right away. Therefore, when someone tries our patience, they are in fact testing our decision to love them.

Paul’s definition of love in 1Cor. 13 helps clarify that love has the ability to help develop the character of one’s spiritual oneness with Christ. What the world calls love is often not much more than a romantic notion. It’s like a flame that sparks into being and then quickly dies out. But the love of God that the Holy Spirit infuses us with has the power to be willed into action anytime it is needed. Once we lose our will to love, however, then the fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ will wither on the vine. No wonder the Psalmist said to the LORD, “I’d rather have your unfailing love than life itself” (Ps. 63:3). On the other hand, when we do “will to love” and our actions are returned with affection by the person we show love to, then all the emotions and desires that accompany that act of love are felt stronger and deeper than ever.

When Epaphras came from Colossae to visit Paul, he told him about the love the Holy Spirit put in the Colossian’s hearts for others. So Paul wrote them, “We have not stopped praying for you ever since we heard about what you’ve done. Each time we ask God to increase your comprehension of His will and add to your spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live and act will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. We also pray that you will be strengthened with all His glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need.” Here we see how the love the Holy Spirit brought into their hearts could be transformed into patience.

No wonder Paul wrote the believers in Thessalonica “Brothers and sisters, we urge you to caution those who are not involved. Encourage those who are afraid to try. Take tender loving care of those who are unsure. Please be patient with them all” (1Th. 5:14). So we ask what force or essence were the Thessalonians to depend on to obtain such patience. The only one that possesses such quality and character to withstand the burden Paul asks them to bear is love. Paul reveals this when he wrote to his protégée Timothy reminding him: “You know what I taught you and the example I set; you know my goal in life and how faith brought me the love I needed to be patient and endure” (2Tim. 3:10).

We see the same line of thinking in Paul's word to the believers in Ephesus, when he told them to “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with one another, and use your love to make allowance for each other’s shortcomings” (Eph. 4:2). Here again Paul ties the potential of patience to love as he does with his advice to the Colossians: “Since God picked you to be the chosen people He loves, you must become known as tenderhearted, merciful, kind, humble, gentle, and patience people...Above all, become known as people of love, which helps us all act the same way” (Col. 3:12, 14). There's little doubt that the concept Paul shared with the Galatians of how our spiritual oneness with Christ produces fruit, permeated his thinking when counseling other believers on proper Christian conduct and ethics. We also see that forgiveness plays a dominate role in patience as a fruit of transformed love.

Nowhere does this become more pronounced than in Paul's letter to the Romans. He admonishes them for being so judgmental of others, when in fact they were guilty of the very things they condemned.

138

Paul warns them: “Do think you can avoid God's judgment when you do the same things you condemn? Don't you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God was with you? Does this mean nothing to you” (Rom. 2:4)? In too many cases, believers perceive patience as being a virtue we use when waiting for others to come around to our way of thinking; being more tolerant until they do things the way we think they should be done. But not to the Apostle Paul, for him patience produced by love helps us to be kind to everyone until God uses that patience to make the changes He wants in their lives.

Paul spells this out later on in his letter to the Roman believers when he challenges them to “Rejoice when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop patience. And patience develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation....For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love” (Rom. 5:3-5).

In our examination of transformed love into fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ such as joy and peace we saw how our love being in God's presence brought about these responses and integrated them so naturally with what our hearts were originally designed to do. However, in patience it's the effect the presence of the Holy Spirit has on our minds. Here we see the importance of our attitude toward God and others. We don't know how much influence Paul's confrontation with Peter, as explained by Paul at the beginning of this epistle, had on Peter, but he joins Paul in extolling the virtue of patience. In so doing, Peter praises the value of patience when we become the target of ridicule and persecution: “For God is pleased with you when you do what you know is right and patiently endure unfair treatment....if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God will be pleased with you” (1Pe. 2:19-20).

Yet, few Apostles knew the value of patience more than Paul. He tells the Corinthian believers that “In everything we did, we showed that we were an authentic minister of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food; we proved ourselves by being transparent through the understanding, patience, and kindness produced by the Holy Spirit in us, and by sincere love” (2Co. 6:4-6). Here again Paul points to love as the essence brought into our lives by the Holy Spirit that leads to it being transformed into the fruit we bear.

Aside from the question of who wrote the Letter to the Hebrews, the author's words sound very familiar to those of Paul: “For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for Him and how you have shown your love to Him by continuing to care for other believers. Our greatest desire is that you keep on loving others as long as possible; in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. Then you will not become spiritually boring and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God's promises because of their faithful patience” (Heb. 6:10-12). Here again we see love transformed into the essence of patience.

So, what does all this tell us? We can conclude that patience is not where we stand, but how we stand; not our position, but our poise. Love in this form manifests itself with self-restraint in the face of annoying provocations by others and circumstances. It can never be misconstrued as resignation or apathy or being insensitive. Rather, it serves as the embodiment of endurance in battle; a positive attitude even when things go wrong; the ability to wait, while we wait.

This was God's message as He passed by Moses, calling out, “I am Yahweh! The LORD! The God of compassion and mercy! I am patient and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness” (Ex. 34:6). Peter no doubt read this passage and concluded that the Lord isn't really slow, as some people may think, in fulfilling His promises. On the contrary, He is being patient for their sake (2Pe. 3:9). It was the Psalmist who put it very succinctly, “Be still in the presence of the LORD; wait patiently for Him to act. Get rid of your rage! Keep from losing your temper—it only leads to harm” (Ps. 37:7-8). Yes, let

139

the presence of the Lord fill your mind, so that the love brought there by the Holy Spirit is transformed into patience, one of God's most benevolent characteristics.

Assignment: A number of years ago radio talk show host Charles Kettering made this statement: “No one should pick a problem, or make a resolution, unless they realize that the ultimate value of it will offset the inevitable discomfort and trouble that always go along with the accomplishment of anything worthwhile. So don’t waste your time and effort on things that are trivial.”

If true, this should keep us from wondering why people who want to make an impact on the world attempt to climb Mt. Everest and not some small hill just down the road. Are you curious as to why they put up with freezing cold and the threat of avalanches; as well as difficulty in breathing, and sudden snow storms that can be fatal? Because they know that if they have patience they will accomplish something few other people in this world will ever have the opportunity to do.

Had Jesus not possessed the same fruit of patience, He could have never endured the suffering and torment of the cross to bring us salvation. So the next time you face difficulties in your marriage, job, child rearing, ministry, church building, evangelism, mission work or any other challenge you face in your effort to be the best God wants you to be, remember that love transformed into patience will hold you up and keep you steady until you raise the flag of victory instead of throwing it down in defeat.

So look back on your life and make note of those times when patience would have made all the difference, and then commit yourself to let your spiritual oneness with Christ bear the fruit of patience so you’ll succeed the next time and stand where you have never stood before; all for the glory of God.

LESSON THIRTY-SEVEN – (Posted 06/17/12) **

Love cultured and graceful.

Galatians 5:22f: Instead, your spiritual oneness with Christ bears the fruit of…Kindness…

From those manuscripts Paul read in Hebrew, he no doubt understood that in Jewish thinking no one could ever reach the ultimate level of being kind like the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In English this Hebrew word is often translated as “loving-kindness.” In reading the Old Testament it quickly becomes apparent that this refers to things and actions that are pleasant and agreeable to our senses; things we feel are excellent in value and quality; ways we describe as appropriate and becoming a person of good ethics and character. To put it another way: it is a kind person doing a loving thing at the right time and for a good reason. In that case, who can exceed the LORD God in being kind?

In the New Testament Jesus gives us two of the most insightful and challenging examples of what it means to express love in a way that is both cultured and graceful. Jesus tells His disciples, “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you are only kind to those who are kind to you, why should you get recognition, even sinners do as much” (Lk. 6:32-33)!

It's clear that Jesus expected those who profess to be His followers to go out of their way to be kind. Often after I learned that someone needed a ride to a certain location I offered to take them; but they would refuse saying, “Oh no, I don't want you to go out of your way.” I always responded, “But that's

140

the joy of taking you there because it is out of my way. Would I be doing you any favor if where you needed to go was on my way? Besides, it’s a blessing only when it is out of the way.”

Jesus teaches us that when love expresses itself, it can only qualify as kindness if it necessitates an effort above the routine or out of the norm. Do you think our love for Christ would be as intense as it is if the salvation He purchased for us required nothing more than a few nice words or His paying a small fine on our behalf?

The second instance involves a young man coming to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what honorable deed must I do to have eternal life?” Jesus responded to him somewhat critically, “Why are you asking me about what is honorable, you know God is the only One who can be called honorable. Not only that, but you know that according to your religion if you want to gain eternal life you must keep the commandments.” The young man shot back, “I've obeyed all these commandments! What else do I need to do?” Jesus looked him and said, “Okay, if you want to do it your way, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, then come, follow me.” The young man dropped his head, turned around, and walked away so disappointed because he had a lot to give away. Jesus pointed out to his disciples how hard it was to earn your way into heaven. The disciples were astounded and asked, “Then who in the world can be saved?” Jesus stared them right in the eyes and said, “Humanly speaking, it’s impossible; but with God, everything is possible” (Mt. 19:16-30).

We find this same concept when love expresses itself as kindness; it's not out to gain but to give. Transformed love expressed as kindness does not seek self-enrichment, but empties itself to enrich others. This is certainly an accurate portrayal of Christ’s character and personality. By expressing this act of transformed love we can embrace even the most ungrateful and obstinate person, thereby demonstrating unconditional love for those who offer no love in return, even as Jesus did.

Does this imply then that we should go out looking for people like that? No! Of course not! But it does mean we don't try to avoid them when we see them coming our way. Are we obligated to lie down in a puddle of dirty water so they can walk on us to the other side? No! Absolutely not! However, we can certainly offer to walk through the water with them. In addition to that, even if they then walk off without so much as turning around and saying “Thank you,” we can still consider it worth our effort? The reason, because we didn't do it to be thanked, we did it because transformed love has the power to express itself as kindness under such circumstances.

To describe kindness Paul uses a Greek word that in English has synonyms such as “goodness” and “gentleness.” Greek writers in Paul's day used this word to denote something that was suitable and proper for the occasion, especially when evaluating someone's moral excellence. To Greek philosophers this word described an inner greatness shown by an outer goodness. In other words, it had more to do with character than charity.

The Apostle Paul's knowledge of Greek and Hebrew, along with his concept of kindness being a cultured and graceful act of the will, allows him to express the dynamics of such transformed love in words that make New Testament readers sit up and take notice. Writing to Roman believers, who tended to be critical of each other, Paul admonishes them by asking “Are you about to throw God’s wonderful kindness, tolerance, and patience back in His face? Don’t you realize God’s kindness will give you the ability to change your ways” (Rom. 2:4)?

Here Paul touches on a critical point in explaining the effect of kindness. Even when those to whom we show unsolicited and often unappreciated kindness do not at first seem grateful, Paul believes that given enough time and under the influence of the Holy Spirit it will have a positive effect. One question we might ask is this: if it takes a large amount of continual kindness to turn some people around, what are their chances of changing course if we show no kindness at all?

141

Paul continues this theme in his writings to the Ephesians when he tells them that God wants to point to us as examples of the incredible return He gets for His rich investment of grace and kindness in our lives: “As soon as you believed, it was God’s grace that saved you. And you can't say you earned it; it is a gift from God” (Eph. 2:7-8).

But Paul was not putting himself above the Ephesians when it came to love transformed into kindness. He confessed to the congregation that Titus the Gentile pastored: “All of us were once foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But—'When God our Savior revealed His kindness and love; He saved us not because we did anything right, but because of His mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit'” (Titus 3:3-5). Here again we see the unbreakable tie between the essence of love and its characteristics. Anyone claiming to have love but does nothing to express that love makes it impossible to prove their love exists.

Believe it or not, a common nickname for slaves in Paul's day was the Greek word for kindness, “chrestos.” Many believe this indicated that any servant given this title possessed the qualities and characteristics of an ideal, trusted servant. I'm sure this was not lost on the Apostle Paul who strove to be the type of servant God wanted him to be. So he encouraged others to be examples of kindness, especially among believers.

Apparently the congregation in Ephesus did not get along with each other the way they should, so Paul did not mince words when he told them to “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (Eph. 4:31-32).

Paul certainly did not want anyone to misconstrue the fruit of kindness as some kind of weak-kneed, easy-going, I-don’t-want-to-hurt-anyone attitude. The Apostle found that kindness can often come with a bitter taste that makes it hard to swallow—much like some medicines are today, but in the end it’s the best thing for you. In addition to that, man cannot duplicate the effects of this new found kindness in Christ Jesus on his own; in doing so some people attempt to imitate Christ’s kindness without love. And that's exactly what it becomes, imitation kindness. It cannot compare to the cultured and graceful kindness of transformed love.

Jesus may have had something like this in mind, when He tried to explain to His critics why the type of kindness He and His disciples practiced would not fit into the old Jewish way of performing good deeds in order to make themselves look good. Jesus told them, “No one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the new wine would burst the old wineskins, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine must be stored in new wineskins. But some who are hooked on the old wine don’t care much for the new wine. They say, 'The old is just fine with me'.”

In other words, some people refuse to change the way they show kindness as a believer. They’ll tell you “Don't ask me to stop and help someone out when I'm on my way to church because it will break my perfect Sunday School attendance record!” Or, “I’m good at helping people on a spiritual level; I’ll leave the charity work up to others who are not as spiritually equipped as I am.”

We learn from this that kindness, as produced by love, is not a trait or learned behavior. It springs from the heart due to the Christ-like characteristics of a new born creature. It thereby reveals a gentleness of spirit and genteelness of will, which puts consideration of others above self. This is how Peter saw it when he advised everyone, “Don’t try to impress people by the way you dress or comb your hair, or with fine jewelry or fancy clothes. Rather, radiate the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God” (1Pe. 3:3-4).

One of the greatest examples of kindness can be found in the Old Testament, done by someone described as “A man after God’s own heart.” I’m talking about King David, the one who wrote many

142

of the beautiful Psalms believers read and love to this day. Here’s the moving story about David’s outstanding spirit of kindness:

One day David put the word out that he was looking for survivors of King Saul’s family because he wanted to do something kind for them in memory of his best friend Jonathan. When the word got around they told King David that one of Saul’s former servants named Ziba was still alive. When Ziba’s friends heard the news, they encouraged him to go and see King David. When he arrived, David asked him, “Are you the Ziba I heard about?” “Yes your Majesty,” replied Ziba as he bowed before the king. “Let me ask you,” said David, “do you know if there are any survivors left from King Saul’s family? I want to show my devotion and kindness to them just as I promised God I would do.” Ziba replied, “Yes your Majesty, one of Jonathan’s sons, a cripple named Mephibosheth, is still alive.” “Where does he live,” David queried? “He lives with Machir son of Ammiel in the city of Lodebar” answered Ziba.

Immediately King David sent emissaries to invite Mephibosheth to his palace. When Mephibosheth arrived he bowed down before David out of respect. David looked at him and asked, “Are you the real Mephibosheth?” “At your service, your Majesty” replied the trembling Mephibosheth. “Don’t be afraid,” David assured him, “I’ll be kind to you for the sake of your father Jonathan. I’m going to give back all the land that belonged to your grandfather King Saul, and invite you to join me here at my table in the palace anytime you please.” Mephibosheth trembled as he bowed again before King David. “I don’t consider myself any better than a dead dog to your Majesty,” said Mephibosheth. I don’t see why would you want to be so kind to me.”

King David immediately commanded that Saul’s servant Ziba be brought back to the palace. When Ziba arrived David instructed him, “Everything that belonged to King Saul and his family I am returning to his grandson Mephibosheth. Now I want you, your fifteen sons, and your twenty servants to farm the land that belonged to your master Saul and his family, and then bring in the harvest to provide them with food. However,” David continued, “Mephibosheth will stay here and eat as a guest at my table.” Ziba was quick to answer, “I will do everything you have ordered, your Majesty.”

From then on Mephibosheth ate at the king’s table as though he were one of David’s own sons. As for Saul’s servant Ziba, he and his whole family became servants to Mephibosheth’s household, especially Mephibosheth’s young son Mica. Thus the crippled Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem eating all his meals at the king’s table for the rest of his life (2Sam. 9).

When we consider all the torment and trouble that Saul caused David, even trying to kill him on numerous occasions, why would David want to return such ill-will with such good-will? David reveals that it was a promise he made to God. God did not demand it; neither did God send a prophet or angel to convince David to do it; David did it out of his own heart. What an example of the type of kindness the Holy Spirit wants to produce in every believer’s heart as the fruit of transformed love. Here we see that an Old Testament believer set a high bar for New Testament believers to try and exceed.

Assignment: Take time to think back. Can you remember a time when you had an opportunity to show kindness to someone who was not the best of friends, or even an uncooperative neighbor, or perhaps a less that an agreeable fellow believer in Christ, and you passed it up? What was it that caused you to decide against doing anything kind for them in helping out in their situation? Could it be that the love deposited in your heart by the Holy Spirit was not able to transform itself into this fruit of kindness?

If so, it isn’t love’s fault; it isn’t the Holy Spirit’s liability; it was the fact that the attitude necessary for love to be transformed into kindness was not there. Maybe it’s time to repeat your dedication on the altar of grace and mercy, in order to generate a renewal of your mind. Then you can offer yourself again as a vessel alive and ready for the Lord’s service in being as kind to others as He is to you.

143

LESSON THIRTY-EIGHT – (Posted 06/20/12) ***

Love mature and generous.

Galatians 5:22g: Instead, your spiritual oneness with Christ bears the fruit of…Goodness…

When we look in the Old Testament for any instances where “Goodness” is defined or described, we read that “Jethro was delighted when he heard about all the good things the LORD did for Israel when He rescued them from the hand of the Egyptians” (Ex. 18:9); along with God's word to Israel through Moses, “Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and goodness, death and disaster” (De. 30:15). Solomon also warned, “Those who lead good people along an evil path will fall into their own trap, but the honest will inherit good things” (Pro. 28:10). Here we see goodness as love making itself useful in responding to a needy situation.

We also read where from the beginning when God set lights in the sky to govern the day and night and to separate the light from the darkness, God labeled this as something good in the sense of being very appropriate (Gen. 1:17-18). Israel also learned that God does things in various ways to benefit His people that are very good because they are very appropriate.

We see this after Joseph's brothers came down to Egypt and learned that the one they sold into slavery was now second in command. After Joseph revealed who he was, he told them, “You intended it for my harm, but God intended it for my good (benefit). He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people” (Gen. 50:20). Even the Psalmist declared “Taste and see that the LORD is good; Oh the joys of those who take refuge in him!” (Ps. 34:8). So again we see how God wanted to show kindness to His chosen, and that kindness became goodness when He put it into action.

The Greeks used this word to denote something useful. In the English language many of us are familiar with the phrase, “good for nothing.” (I'll let the reader determine how they became acquainted

144

with that designation). But the Greeks identified certain things, be they material, intellectual, moral or religious, as effective in getting the good results that were intended or desired.

But we also find a close relationship between Goodness and the previous fruit Kindness that at first glance makes it appear they are duplicates or synonyms of each other. The Apostle Paul understood the Greek language so well, however, that he knew these words were similar to fraternal twins. Let me illustrate: we've all heard of the phrase “word and deed” as a combination within commitment; they typify one's intention and one's action. “Kindness” represents our attitude, while “Goodness” represents our actions; one is in our heart, while the other is in our hand.

Another factor in understanding this word involves how the word is applied in context. For instance, we may look at an animal and say, “That's a good animal.” The next question may be “Good for what?” Is it good as a source of meat? Good for breeding? Good as a pet? We must learn in what situation and for what purpose we use the word “Good.” For instance, the same person who has good eyesight may have poor hearing. The same concept applies to the fruit “Goodness.” It is a term that must be explained as to how it is demonstrated and why we label the effect as good. Therefore, a deed may be inspired by good intentions, but only when carried out does it becomes goodness.

Jesus made this clear, when He taught His disciples that a good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the junk pile of an evil heart (Mt. 12:35). Here Jesus contrasts a heart full of transformed love, which brings forth the fruit of kindness while at the same time producing the spiritual fraternal twin of goodness, with a heart lacking in love that contrives to deceive and take advantage of innocent people.

On another occasion Jesus used a different approach to teach about the spiritual fraternal twins, kindness and goodness. He asked the parents: “If your son came to you and asked for a piece of bread would you give him a piece of stone, or if he asked you for a fish would you give him an eel? If you then, even with all your faults and failures, quite naturally give good things to your children, how much more likely is it that your Heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask Him? Remember, treat other people exactly as you would like to be treated by them; this sums up everything Moses and the Prophets wrote about.”” (Mt. 7:9-12). In the first part Jesus reveals the fruit of kindness, giving what is needed. In the last part Jesus emphasizes the fruit of goodness, not doing any less for others than you would like done to yourself.

I recall a young missionary family living in Europe on a salary that was under the poverty line in the country where they served, and had to count every penny. One day the postal service brought two large boxes to their rented house. When they saw the packages came from the United States they got all excited about opening them. The kids acted like it was Christmas in July and couldn’t wait to see what was inside those big containers. When opened, they found bags and bags of clothes.

But as they laid them out, it became obvious that these were old, used clothing. Furthermore, the style and fashion were of years gone by. Even to wear them in a foreign country not particularly in step with American fashion trends, could cause this wonderful family of being laughed at by the local population. I wonder now if the good intentions of those who cleaned out their closets to send these used and outdated clothes met Jesus' standard of treating others the way you'd like for them to treat you? I'm trying to image if St. Paul would evaluate this good intent as being successful in producing the useful fruit of goodness through transformed love?

After Paul got through writing to the believers in Rome telling them how to treat each other with respect and not be critical of the few minor differences between them, he concluded, “I am fully convinced, my dear brothers and sisters, that you are full of good (useful) deeds. You know these things so well you can teach each other all about them” (Rom. 15:14). Apparently the congregation in Ephesus dealt with the same discord among themselves, and Paul reminded them that when they use to live in the darkness of sin that was normal, but now that they are in the light of salvation and have

145

become new creatures in Christ Jesus he tells them “Try and imitate God in everything you do, because you are His dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, as a pleasing aroma to God...This light within you produces only what is good (useful), right, and true” (Eph. 5:1-2, 9).

Finally, Paul tells the faithful in Thessalonica, “We constantly pray for you, that our God may declare you worthy of His calling, and that by His power He may help you accomplish every good (useful) thing you set out to do as motivated by your faith” (2Th. 1:11). Here Paul adds an important ingredient to our understanding of “Goodness” as a fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ that is mature and generous, when he points to its purpose. The Holy Spirit brings God's love into our beings through the new birth, then that love transforms itself to manifest the presence of the Holy Spirit living in us with fruit that is useful and a blessing to others. It’s not something we manufacture, but something we yield.

Therefore, in understanding the fruit of goodness we see how love can inspire a believer to willingly apply the spirit of the law rather than the letter of the law. It helps them discern the fine line between being right and doing right. They are also aware that when in the right they can demand all the privileges it provides for them; but also have the option to choose whether or not to exercise those rights when another person's good is at stake.

God has every right to let willful sinners find their place in hell, but His essential goodness borne out of love allows Him to offer salvation instead. Since the fruit of goodness exists for a purpose, it possesses the potential of being something more than a mere process. It permits us to provide others with things they cannot afford nor have the ability to attain on their own, and to do so without expecting any compensation other than seeing the joy that comes to them as a result of our goodness. I guess we could call “Goodness” the “Good Samaritan Fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ.”

As we have seen, Love, Joy and Peace are virtues that express themselves inwardly, while Patience, Kindness and Goodness are virtues that express themselves outwardly. What a wonderful way for love to show itself as mature and generous. Paul captures this phenomenon when he tells the Corinthians that “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might be used by God to do good (useful) things for others” (2Co. 5:21). Perhaps nothing in the Spirit's transforming love brings us closer to the heart of God than becoming His vessels full of goodness.

Around the year 340 a young man named Pammachius was born in Rome. He grew into becoming a well-respected and wealthy aristocrat member of the Roman Senate, considered a very important civil post during that time. Besides performing his civil duties as a Senator, Pamachius also devoted his time to the study of many sciences and becoming very well versed in both civil and religious affairs. He also dedicated himself to his church and rose to be a much respected diplomat in religious matters. Along the way he became good friends with Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus, who later became known as St. Jerome.

In 385 Pammachius married a beautiful young lady named Paulina, who was the second daughter of Paula, a very prominent and well to do family in Rome. Paulina followed in her mother’s footsteps through her great love for God and the Church. But in 397 Paulina died giving birth. Because of his standing in the church and the community Pamachius received letters of condolences from Bishop Paulinus of Nola, near Naples, who at one time had also been a member of the Roman senate, and Hieronymus (St. Jerome) his boyhood friend. They expressed their sympathy to Pammachius because Paulina was such a good example of true faith, goodness and courage.

Pammachius was not bitter that God had taken such a wonderful woman so full of virtue, rather, he decided to honor her by donning the robes of a monk and dedicating the rest of his life to using his wealth and talent in serving the poor and those neglected by society. He lived a very humble and simple life. He was joined in his effort by a very noble Roman woman named Fabiola who was a close friend of his wife Paulina. Together they built the first hospital known at the time and a hostel to

146

accommodate pilgrims coming into Rome, as well as providing housing for the homeless on the streets of Rome. Although Pammachius and Fabiola were very well off, they daily served the guests at the hostel in addition to caring for the sick rather than turning this ministry over to others. Pammachius became known as a true caregiver of the sick and suffering. He also delighted in assisting the daily flow of pilgrims.

In so doing he continued the legacy of his wife Paulina as a generous person dedicated to a life of prayer and caring for the poor, sick and needy. Whenever Pammachius went into town, the blind, the poor and disabled would surround him knowing that he would take time to listen to them, console them, and attend to their needs. He was neither a priest nor a member of any religious order, but simply a layman who dedicated his life to God, being guided by the values of the Gospel and a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. He wanted to offer himself to others as Jesus did. Those who knew him said that Pammachius lived a life full of the presence of Christ’s love as he gave everything he was and all he had to care for the poor, sick and suffering. He died at the age of 70 in the year 409.

Assignment: In this story we clearly see that Pammachius was not only a kind person, but put his kindness to work in becoming a good (useful) person. It is so easy to express concern and sympathy for those in need out of the kindness of our hearts, but until we lend our hands and feet to that kindness we will never earn a reputation for having the fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ called goodness.

Here again we see clearly why it takes the power of transformed love to produce such a Godly characteristic. Think of a time when you had a chance to be good to someone, and the joy you received out of responding on your own without being asked. Then, think of a time when you had a chance to show goodness but failed to do so because you were too busy, or in a hurry, or just didn’t feel like it. Ask yourself why that happened. Why wasn’t the Holy Spirit able to transform the love God placed in your heart into the fruit of goodness?

147

LESSON THIRTY-NINE – (Posted 06/23/12) ****

Love consistent and loyal.

Galatians 5:22h: Instead, your spiritual oneness with Christ bears the fruit of…Faithfulness…

Now the Apostle Paul names a fruit using a Greek word that is most often translated in English as “faith,” but must be interpreted as the occasion requires. We see this when Jesus spoke of the Roman soldier who informed Him that He need only say the word for his servant to be healed; that He need not come to his house, “When Jesus heard this He expressed amazement. Then turning to those who were following Him He said, 'I tell you the truth; I haven't seen faith like this in all my travels throughout Israel'!” (Mt. 8:10). It is obvious that Jesus was not commending the centurion on his religious faith or his faith in any teachings but his faith in Jesus being who He said He was and his faith that Jesus had the power to do what the centurion had seen Him do for others.

If we apply this act of faith to the dual definition given in Hebrews 11:1, we can better see how to interpret what kind of faith Jesus was talking about. In Hebrews the writer says that first of all, faith is the foundation upon which we build our hopes. In other words, we wholeheartedly accept the fact that those things we’ve heard about are not imaginary, that they are for real, whether we can see, touch, taste, feel, hear or smell them.  We might call it the power of our spiritual mind. 

Like a coin, the second side of faith the writer of Hebrews shows us is that faith gives us the power to accept that the things we are really convicted are not only real, but they actually exist.  In other words, they are a done deal. So in the case of the centurion, we see that what Jesus credited him with was the second side of faith. We might call this the power of our spiritual intellect.

The King James translators also recognized that the context in which the word “faith” is used can determine how “faith” is best understood. For instance, in Acts 17:31 they translate faith as “assurance;” in Romans 3:26 and Hebrews 10:39 they render it as “believe;” while in 2 Thessalonians they interpret it as “belief;” and in Titus 2:10 they choose the English word “fidelity,” which means “faithfulness.” We see this further illustrated in the New International Version, where this same Greek word for “faith” is translated in Matthew 23:23; Romans 3:3; Galatians 5:22; and Revelation 13:10 as “faithfulness.”

The Greek word for faith used by Paul here in Galatians 5:22 does not deal with one's theological belief, but of one's ethical, moral, and emotional commitment to what they believe. Transformed love in our spiritual oneness with Christ does not become a creed or doctrine; rather, it becomes

148

characteristic of one's love for what they hold to be true and their willingness to stand by that truth no matter what.

Paul's familiarity with Greek manuscripts taught him that this word was used by authors to describe things that were trusting, trustworthy and dependable. Therefore, it applied to keeping an agreement; to remain faithful to one's promises. It had nothing to do with one's religious affiliation or doctrines. If you made a commitment and wanted to be known as reliable and consistent, then you best follow through and do what you said you would do, the way you said you would do it, and do it when you said you would do it, if you wanted to be known as faithful.

We find a similar concept in the Old Testament when God complimented Moses by referring to him as faithful in the sense of being committed (Num. 12:7). When speaking of God, Moses referred to Him as someone you can count on (De. 7:9). When God used Samuel to convey His plans for Israel, He speaks of appointing a priest who is reliable in carrying out his duties (1Sa. 2:35). The Psalmist speaks of God's promise to keep His eye on those who prove themselves to be faithful to His directions (Ps. 101:6). Then the prophet Nehemiah tells of how pleased God was of those who faithfully carried out the assignments of their office (Neh. 13:13).

This is important for us to know, because by the time the use of this word for “faithfulness” reached Habakkuk's day, he wrote a line that Paul quoted (Rom. 1:17), rendered in the KJV as: “But the just shall live by his faith.” The Living Bible puts it this way, “But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.” (Hab. 2:4). Therefore, we can clearly see that the idea of one living by their faith involved their obedience and trustworthiness in being faithful to God’s will. I guess you could put it this way: They not only said what they believed, but believed what they said.

As we reach New Testament times, and with the introduction of the Messiah, we see a Greek word employed similar to the Hebrew word used in the Old Testament. For instance, Jesus ridicules the Pharisees by pointing out, “Hypocrites! You are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of Mosaic Law—justice, mercy, and being faithful to what you believe” (Mt. 23:23). The main aim of any Pharisee involved careful and meticulous following of ritualistic and ceremonial decorum and routines. But Jesus denounces their efforts as being selfish and self-serving because they have no time to be fair, helpful and reliable. The idea of the word faith here denoting faith in God does not fit the context. For this reason many well-known English translations use “faithfulness” to translate the Greek word.

Even in the last book of the New Testament we find this word used in the same way: “I know that you live in the city where Satan has his throne, yet you remained faithful to Me. You stood up and defended My faithfulness when Antipas, My faithful witness, was martyred among you there in Satan's city” (Rev. 2:13). Then again, “Anyone sentenced to prison will end up in prison. Anyone receiving a death sentence will be executed; this means that even though God's holy people will go through persecution, they must remain faithful” (Rev. 13:10).

Now let’s look at how the use of the Greek word for “faith,” used here in Galatians to describe a fruit of transformed love, fits with the characteristics of the previous two fruit: “kindness” and “goodness.” These are qualities of conduct on the believer's part. So “faithfulness”—Love, consistent and loyal, certainly matches that role and blends very well with the genre of fruit described by Paul as something coming from the interaction between man's spirit and the Holy Spirit in generating a product of quality, not quantity.

When defining the characteristics of Christ we find that He was certainly patient, kind, and good; bringing joy and peace. But nowhere in the Scripture does it ever compliment Him on His faith. We have already seen in those scriptures translated “faith of Christ” and “faith of Jesus Christ” the word “faith” refers to His “faithfulness.” Jesus did not need any faith in God—He was God. He did not need any faith in the Father—He and the Father are one. Jesus did not proclaim faith in any doctrine—

149

He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, since the fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ are Christ-like characteristics, then it follows that Paul's use of the word here implies that transformed love produces faithfulness as a manifestation of Christ's presence in our lives that helps us be obedient to God’s will and purpose for our lives.

For Paul, faithfulness became a hallmark of true Christians. He tells Timothy, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do His work. He considered me faithful and appointed me to serve Him” (1Ti 1:12). When speaking of the qualifications of deacons and their wives Paul says, “Their wives must be respected and show respect to others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do. A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well” (1Ti 3:12-13). And in exhorting Timothy Paul says, “You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses, now teach these truths to other faithful people who will be able to pass them on” (2Ti 2:2).

We can now see how faithfulness is not so much a qualification, as it is the quality of one's qualification. These qualities involve fulfillment of duty, trustworthiness, dependability, loyalty, consistency, steadfastness, conscientiousness, reliability and truthfulness. Our confidence in God also allows Him to have confidence in us. This permits God to assign us to even the most trying and testing duties because He knows He can trust us. None of these can come into existence without being birthed with the essence of Love. That’s why Paul sent a courier to the believers at Ephesus with this message, “My life is worth nothing to me unless I use it to complete the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about God’s wonderful grace” (Acts 20:24).

Love transformed to manifest itself as faithfulness shows us love in its most consistent form. It marks the believer as dependable and loyal, whose faith in God is played out by God's faith in them to be trustworthy, tested, tried, and true. Some believers may brag, and enthusiastically proclaim their faith in God and in Christ, but fall woefully short when asked for evidence of their faithfulness. I like what Wendy Bailey said in her commentary on the word faithfulness as a fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ: “A faithful believer is God-centered, but a faithless believer is self-centered.”

One of the clearest examples of Jesus’ teaching on faithfulness can be found in Matthew 25:14-30 when He told the parable about the landowner who went away on a trip and put his servants in charge of his business. Based on each servant’s area of responsibility for the property, he gave them a corresponding amount of money to be used in maintaining that business. To the servant with the greatest responsibility he gave 5,000 gold coins; to the servant with the next greatest amount of responsibility he gave 2,000 gold coins; and to the servant with the third highest amount of responsibility he gave 1,000 gold coins.

After a long absence the landowner finally returned and wanted to see the books to find out how successful they had been in keeping his operation going. The record showed that the servant who was given 5,000 gold coins had invested that money to expand the landowners business and earned 5,000 gold coins worth of profit. “Well done,” said the landowner, “You have proven to be a useful and faithful servant. And because I can trust you I’m going to turn over to you an even larger part of my operation and make you my business partner.”

The servant with the original 2,000 gold coins had done the same thing in his area of the business operation and earned a 2,000 gold coin profit. The landowner was amazed and said to him, “Well done, you have proven to be a useful and faithful servant. And because I can trust you I’m going to turn over to you an even larger part of my operation and make you my business partner.”

Finally, the servant whom the landowner entrusted with 1,000 gold coins was called in. There was nothing in the record to show what had been done with the money. When asked to explain the servant gave this excuse: “Sir, I know you are a shrewd business man. I’ve seen how you earn money off of businesses you don’t even own. I was so afraid of what you would do if I failed in any investments that

150

I put the money you gave me in a safe place. But I’ve got good news, here it is; I’m returning the 1,000 gold coins you gave me in the condition I received them in. The landowner responded in anger, “What kind of a lousy, lazy servant are you? If you knew that I earn money off of businesses I don’t even own, why then didn’t you at least put the money into a savings account where it could earn some interest?”

Turning to his assistants the landowner ordered that the money be taken from this unsuccessful servant and give it to the one who doubled the 5,000 gold coins. Then the landowner offered this word of advice to everyone in the room: Every person who takes responsibility for what they’ve received will be entrusted with even more, so that they will be fully equipped to handle all the duties assigned to them. But for the person, who takes no responsibility for what they’ve been given to do, whatever little they do have will be taken away and they will be thrown out into the street where they can moan and groan in misery because of their failure.

Assignment: Now, read the remaining part of Mathew 25 from verses 31-46 and see what connection the rest of Jesus parable has with this portion about the landowner. It may open your eyes to a whole new way of understanding the point Jesus was trying to make in the story of the landowner and a servant’s responsibility to invest whatever he or she has been given. Then ask yourself these questions: (1) “If this is what Paul meant by faithfulness as a fruit of my spiritual oneness with Christ, have I been a good and faithful servant with what God has given me?” (2) “Based on my performance so far with what I already have, can God trust me to be profitable for His kingdom in the future?” (3) “If God finds me a servant He can trust, would I be comfortable if He doubled my responsibility, thereby increasing His expectations for the outcome of His investment in me?”

Then also meditate on this factor: if you knew there would be punishment if you sinned and turned away from God and did not repent but continued on in disobedience, having no interest in His purpose and plan for your life, did you also know that there will be a day of reckoning when you will be judged on how faithful you were with the opportunities and ministry He gave you, and how much you invested of your time, talent and energy to increase the value of His investment in you?

151

LESSON FORTY – (Posted 06/27/12) **

Love strong but tender.

Galatians 5:23a: Instead, your spiritual oneness with Christ bears the fruit of…Gentleness…

The Apostle's familiarity with the Old Testament gave him a clear idea of the Hebrew understanding of this virtue by reading God's warning to the Israelites, “You must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt” (Ex 22:21). God gave similar instructions later on, “Never take advantage of poor and destitute laborers, whether they are fellow Israelites or foreigners living in your towns” (De. 24:14). David credited his success to this virtue, “You have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; your gentleness has made me great” (2Sa. 22:36 (cf. Ps. 18:35)). The Psalmist offered the same advice to Solomon, “Dressed in your majestic robes, ride out to victory, defending truth, gentleness, and justice. Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds!” (Ps. 45:4).

Here we find the combination of strength being held in reserve while offering a kind hand and understanding heart to those in need. The Hebrew word for “gentleness” includes a strong sense of humility. More than once God had His prophets remind the Israelites where they came from and how grateful they should be for how far they had come. This was meant to instill a sense of humility and meekness when dealing with others who found themselves where the Israelites use to be.

When we get to the Greek New Testament we find this word taking on a new aura of humility. We see this in Jesus' offer, “Come join me in my yoke. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find working with me is not stressful” (Mt. 11:29); and when He speaks of Himself as the Messiah, “Tell the people of Jerusalem, 'Look, your King is coming to you! He is humble, riding on a donkey; yes, riding on a donkey's colt'!” (Mt. 21:5). That helps us see the promise of Jesus in Mt. 5:5 in a new light, “God blesses those who are humble, for they will one day take over the world.”

The Apostles continued this theme in their writings. James adds a very interesting qualifier: “Does a fountain bubble up with both fresh and bitter water? Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can't draw fresh water from a salty spring. If you are wise and understand God's ways, prove it by living an honorable life, performing good deeds with the humility that comes from knowing why you’re doing, what you’re doing” (Jam. 3:13).

After telling believers not to try and impress others by the way they look, Peter offers this advice: “Rather, reveal who you really are by demonstrating the beauty of your inner character; the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit; this is something God really holds dear” (1Pe. 3:4). Peter builds on this same theme later by saying, “Make Christ the Lord of your hearts, and always be prepared to give the reason to anyone who asks you why you have such hope. Do it the right way, so that later you won’t feel bad because people are able to denounce you and put you down because of your manner in answering them as a Christian. Rather, respond with gentleness and respect” (1Pe. 3:15). Here Peter

152

identifies the strength in gentleness. What a wonderful portrayal of transformed love producing the fruit of gentleness in the spiritual oneness with Christ.

In the Greek manuscripts read by Paul he found this word “gentleness” used to denote someone who was friendly, mild-mannered, and calm. Greek writers used it to describe things, such as mild words, soothing medication, tender actions and feelings. They also used it when referring to tamed animals. To get a real picture of how gentleness combines strength with affection; think of a pet lion. These writers also saw this virtue in benevolent people. To them it proved to be a quality found in a friend who could just as easily be your worst enemy—think of a friendly giant.

In many Greek novels these traits were seen as the qualities found in the noble-minded; in the wise man who remains humble in the face of insults; in the judge who is considerate in sentencing; and in the king who is compassionate in his reign. Even today we can see this concept of gentleness as the soothing quality in the voice of a mother who quiets a frightened infant; in the grown father who disciplines a young repentant son with compassion; in a strong leader who discusses critical issues without losing their temper. As such, Greek philosophers saw this moral excellence as being one of the best in the list of social virtues, and on the short list of great ideals with the highest of values.

So when we get to the writings of Paul, we see this concept in full bloom. Although Paul was in prison for his faith, he writes the Ephesians, “I urge you to live a life worthy of your calling by being filled with humility and gentleness; be patient as you learn to cooperate together in love” (Eph. 4:1-2). He sends a similar message to the Colossian believers: “Since you are the holy, chosen people whom God dearly loves, earn a good reputation for being compassionate, kind, humble, gentle and patient” (Col. 3:12).

It is interesting that he encourages believers to become publically identified with these virtues. Some critics think that Paul alludes to the same reason we all dress the way we do, to hide physical flaws and make ourselves look better. But most scholars believe that what Paul really says is: “Dress the part, be real, and don’t hide what you are.” To put it another way, show people what you really are on the inside by the way you act on the outside.

To get a good idea of how Paul viewed the role of gentleness we look at his instructions to young Timothy: “Obsession over money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some have even strayed away from their faith and suffered a lot of pain that was self-inflicted because they made getting rich their main goal. But as a man of God I want you to run from these things; and pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, steadfastness, and gentleness” (1Tim 6:9-11). In other words, a godly person pursues life in a manner that shows them to be reliable, loving, not willing to give up or give in easily; dealing gently with others, not self-absorbed by concentrating solely on what’s best for them.

Just in case anyone sees a gentle person as someone who is weak-kneed, feeble-minded, spineless, and easily-scared, Paul goes on to tell Timothy, “Keep running this race in faith with all you’ve got, so you can cross the finish line into eternal life; for it was to this profession that God called you after you stood up before a large congregation and professed your faith in Him” (1Tim 6:10-12). In other words, it’s not our race, its God’s race; and we are not running it for our own glory, but for God’s glory. And furthermore, we should not run the race like a bull in Pamplona, but like a well-breed stallion that stays on course and can be petted when the race is over.

I've been in the ministry long enough to have heard the following sentence repeated more than once, concerning a number of ministers, “He’s one kind of person behind the pulpit, but a totally different person away from the pulpit.” I’ve even been accused of that myself. Maybe that’s why Paul addressed the two warring women in Philippi, and encouraged them to “Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do” (Phi. 4:5a). I hope and pray that none of you have ever seen a yelling match inside the House of God; or were unfortunate enough to see a fellow believer acting totally out of character in public. It can be absolutely chilling.

153

This now opens our eyes to see a combination of characteristics, namely, strength and affection. We may coin a new phrase here to describe this virtue of gentleness as: “affectionate strength.” Perhaps you've heard the phrase “Iron hand in a velvet glove.” It's an idiom used when describing a strong person who applies their strength gently. The courage to do this speaks of a willingness to remain calm and responsive, yet resolute. Believers with this kind of gentleness are not push-overs; neither do they push others around to get their way.

No doubt the Apostle Paul encountered something similar in his day because he writes to Titus, “They must refrain from insulting each other and must avoid getting into disputes. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone” (Tit. 3:2). Things like this were also going on in the church at Corinth: “Some of you have become arrogant, thinking I will not visit you again. But I will come—and soon—if the Lord lets me, and then I'll find out whether these arrogant people are merely delivering pretentious sermons or whether they really have God's anointing. For the Kingdom of God is not simple talk; it is living by God's power. I’ll let you decide whether I’ll come with a rod to punish you, or whether I’ll arrive with love and a gentle spirit” (1Cor.r.. 4:18-21)?

Did it work? Apparently not! Paul had to write a second letter: “This is Paul again, I’m appealing to you with the gentleness and kindness I learned from Christ—though I realize you think I am timid when I’m with you and bold when I write from far away. That’s not the case; I’m giving you the opportunity now to decide which will it be, so when I do come I won't have to be harsh with those who think I’m only using psychology” (2Co 10:1-2).

By now we should all be able to see that Paul's concept of love transformed into gentleness is the ointment we put on spiritual wounds; the stabilizing spirit we bring to an argument; the look that people see in our eyes that causes them to trust us. It's like a prepared ingredient present in our spirits that is not flaunted or displayed for show, but one that is carefully applied on those occasions when needed. When gentleness is utilized, the essence of love comes through so clearly. Because when love is absent, what some call gentleness is nothing more than arrogant pity.

As we have seen in this list of fruit, each one seems to build on the other. It certainly seems reasonable that the previous fruit of faithfulness can always use the soothing virtue of gentleness in order to live an effective and dependable Christian life. It exemplifies the tender side of love; it influences the attitude we have about our personal Christian behavior. Far from being mute weaklings, people with this characteristic will be the one's God promises to give dominion over the earth; to rule and reign with Christ.

Love transformed into gentleness cannot be attained by one's own efforts. The display of self-made gentleness more often than not comes in the form of pride and vanity. True Christians can spot this very easily because it is incompatible with love-sponsored gentleness. Self-made gentleness springs from an outward desire to be noticed and admired, while the gentleness of transformed love comes from the Holy Spirit's inward work of grace that focuses on the receiver, not the giver. As one of America’s most admired evangelists Billy Graham once said, “Gentleness displays a sensitive regard for others and is careful never to be unfeeling for the rights of others.”

This product of the Spirit allows believers to deal with something stronger and greater than themselves as well as accepting that which is weaker and less significant with equal tenderness. As we see it displayed in Jesus, it defines true humility. That refers to the ability to be the servant of all without discrimination, and without desire for attention. Too often what we see in the world is a caricature of gentleness, while transformed love produces the true character of gentleness.

As such, gentleness is love that allows for differences without becoming hurt or upset. It gives us the ability to be tolerant in a tender and stabilizing way. This is a virtue that takes more than mere resolve; it requires the power of the Holy Spirit being in full control of our hearts, minds and emotions. This

154

then creates the proper attitude for love to be represented by icons only applicable to Christ; for He is both a Lion and a Lamb.

Assignment: In her unpublished memoirs, Polish-American concert Pianist Marta Korwin tells of her volunteer work as a nurse during World War II. “Late at night,” she wrote, “going through the wards I noticed a soldier whose face was buried in a pillow. He was sobbing and moaning into the pillow so that he would not disturb others. I looked at my hands and felt that I might be able to help him. If I could transmit vibrations in harmony through the piano, why could I not transmit harmony directly, without an instrument? When I took the boy's head in my hands, he grabbed them with such force that I thought his nails would be embedded in my flesh. I prayed that the gentle touch of my hands would help to alleviate his pain. His sobs quieted down, and then his hands released their grip and he was soon asleep.”

What a beautiful illustration of the power of the tender touch. Marta went on to say, “There is so much hardness in the world that I am convinced the greatest evangelistic thrust of our time would come in a revival of gentleness.” Marta was not against the anointed preaching of the need for repentance and salvation from the misery of sin, but only when done in love. She concluded by saying, “There are many hungry, lost, lonely, and broken-hearted souls seeking a Savior, and so many need guidance...and a gentle touch.”

Ask yourself; is the fruit of gentleness in your spiritual oneness with Christ as ripe as it should be? Are you willing to take the criticism of being too easy-going or too soft on believers or sinners in need of discipline while you apply the balm of gentleness instead of throwing salt into their wounds? Just remember, when you do apply gentleness instead of harshness you are in good company. Jesus did the same with the tax collector Zacchaeus; the five-time divorced woman at the well, the woman caught in adultery, the prostitute Mary Magdalene and others, and was severely condemned for it. In this way Jesus identified Himself as coming into the world as a Savior and Prince of Peace, before He returns as a Judge and Lord of lords and King of kings.

Let us do the same with fellow believers and the unconverted. Let us meet them and interact with them with the attitude and spirit of one who is there to help, to understand, to listen and to reach out to them in compassion. Leave the judging up to God. Certainly we can voice our beliefs, but not necessarily our opinions on what it will take for them to find liberty from their oppression. I love what one dear brother said, and I wish I could remember his name to give him credit; that he loved apple pie, it was his favorite dessert. But he wanted it served on a plate, not thrown in his face. Gentleness will always serve what’s needed in a way that does not offend.

155

LESSON FORTY-ONE – (to be Posted 06/30/12 PM) *** (Posted 07/10/12)

Love disciplined and discerning.

Galatians 5:23b: Instead, your spiritual oneness with Christ bears the fruit of…Self-Control.

At first glance the final fruit that Paul lists as an example of transformed love doesn't seem to be of the same genre as those before. The Greek word Paul uses defines a virtue that gives a person mental and emotional mastery over their desires and passions, especially those of the flesh, and we are not just talking carnal desires pertaining to lust, but the word is taken from potty training and refers to not going when you should go, so you end up going where you shouldn’t go. No doubt the Galatian believers looked at each other when it was read, and suspected that Paul had heard something about how they were conducting themselves in the midst of this controversy started by the Judaizers.

Paul may have been aware of oriental philosophers who taught that true peace came from ridding oneself of any desires. He was certainly informed of self-control in Greek writings having mostly to do with chastity, refraining from violence, and keeping one’s temper in check. If so, perhaps Paul didn't want his readers to misunderstand that he was teaching the same concepts. Rather, Paul put the emphasis on ridding oneself of any desires that went against the leading of the Holy Spirit. It was not intended to be a call for them to empty their hearts, minds, and souls of all longings or passion, but rather let their spiritual oneness with Christ and the Holy Spirit have full control over these emotions so they can be properly channeled into good conduct, not bad. In other words, proper “Control of Self.”

No matter what level of spirituality or holiness any believer tries to attain, they will always need to deal with the desires of the flesh. Believe it or not, the world looks skeptically at Christians who claim to be close to God, but their lifestyle seems to be uninhibited and similar to their own. Without being disrespectful to any of God's servants, but merely using them as illustrations, think of some very high profile ministers of the Gospel in the last 25 years who have fallen because of the weakness of the flesh. No matter how much they displayed the other fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ, failure to exercise “Control of Self” debilitated their testimony and destroyed their ministry.

In his reading of the Old Testament Paul found various incidents describing control of self. For instance, when Joseph returned home as the second in command in Egypt, he was so overcome with emotion at seeing his home place again that “After washing his face, he came back out keeping himself under control” (Gen. 43:31). Then again when King Saul was confronted with a possible attack by the Philistines he went ahead and offered a burnt sacrificed without exercising control of self until Samuel could get there. Once Samuel arrived he admonished Saul, “How foolish! You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you. Had you kept it, the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom must end” (1Sam 13:13-14a).

It is Solomon who gives us the best definition in Proverbs 25:28, where he says, “A person without self-control is like a defenseless city whose walls have crumbled.” What a clear warning that if our spiritual oneness with Christ does not have complete mastery over every area of our lives, the old sinful-self will have easy access to take over control of our mind, then our heart, and then our body. A person may think they have “everything under control,” but a broken down wall suggests that there are areas of compromise due to carelessness that have opened up. As such, we can see that in the O.T., exercising self-control was more than simply harnessing one's emotions; it was protecting those emotions against invasion by the enemy of our souls.

156

When it comes to writers in the New Testament, control of self is inferred more often than expressed by word, such as James and John arguing over who should be first in God's kingdom; Peter's grabbing of a sword in the Garden when Jesus was arrested; his denial of Jesus when confronted; and even Judas' lack of control when betraying his Lord. No doubt you can find many other instances in the N.T., where restraint and control of self were exercised for good, or abandoned for disaster. Such control of self brings us peace of mind so that we don’t spend so much time worrying over losing control of our tongue or our emotions. No wonder Paul informed the Philippian believers that when Jesus Christ is in control of your life, the peace He brings from God, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard our thoughts and emotions (Phil. 4:7).

Peter certainly learned many lessons in losing “control of self,” and it may be one of the reasons why he starts out his second letter, which included the churches in Galatia, with this exhortation, “May God give you more and more grace and peace as you come to understand God and Jesus our Lord better and better. By His divine power God gave us everything we need to live a godly life. This was given to us just by coming to know Him; and to Him who called us to Himself be all glory and honor. Therefore, He was able to give us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share His divine nature and escape the world's corruption caused by human desires. In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God's promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with respect for God, and respect for God with brotherly love, and brotherly love with love for everyone. And the more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2Pe 1:2-7).

We don't know how many of the Greek writers Paul read, but it appears he did have a great deal of knowledge concerning their writings because he quotes some of them in his sermons, such as this statement to the Athenians on Mars Hill: “For in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). This quote is from Epimenides, who in his work, “Cretica,” wrote: “The people of Crete are all liars, cruel animals, and lazy gluttons; they have designed a tomb for you, O holy and high one. But you are not dead; you are alive and with us forevermore. For in you we live and move and have our being.” In his letter to Titus, Paul quotes Epimenides again with this line, “Even one of their own men, a prophet from Crete, has said about them, 'The people of Crete are all liars, cruel animals, and lazy gluttons'” (Tit. 1:12).

Another quote found in Acts 17:28, “As some of your own poets have said, 'we are his offspring'.” is from Aratus in his work, “Phaenomena,” where he penned: “For we are his offspring; and because of his kindness to mankind, he gives them signs of his favor by motivating them to understand the importance of carrying out their work.” Aratus spoke of the Greek god Zeus. It really should not surprise us that Paul did this, because how many sermons have you heard or books have you read written by Christian authors where spiritual and secular writers, politicians, philosophers, psychologist, presidents, military leaders etc., have been quoted to make a point?

So it is logical to believe that Paul was also aware of Greek writers who used Control of Self to denote a person who exercised physical and intellectual power over themselves. It projected a sense of perseverance, steadfastness and restraint in order to achieve victory. Socrates introduced Control of Self as one of the chief virtues in his writings on ethics. Plato also adopted this word to mean control over sensual desires. Aristotle used this word to describe a person who possessed strong lusts but was able to suppress them for his own good. The Stoics saw it as a way to gain freedom from unwanted abuse of one's passions.

Later on in Greek literature this thought of Control of Self became dualistic in its application, whereby the body was kept in check so that the soul might grow in strength. As is often the case, some took it to an extreme, such as the ascetics, who, wanting to remain noble, barred any expression of one’s desires.

157

This helps us understand why Paul saw transformed love’s fruit of Control of Self as giving the believer a distinct advantage over the desires of the sinful-self.

Finally, when we get to the writings of Paul we begin to pick up his interpretation of this virtue and how it falls so easily into the list of the fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ. When Paul faced Felix the Governor, Felix knew quite a bit about “The Way,” as it was called then, before Jesus followers became known as “Christians.” Paul tried to explain all he could about how different “The Way” was from Judaism. But after a recess Felix came back and “Sending for Paul, they listened as he told them about his faith in Christ Jesus. As he reasoned with them about living right and self-control and the coming Day of Judgment, Felix became frightened. So Felix told Paul, 'I’ll let you go for now, and at a more convenient time I'll call you back'.” (Act 24:24-25). Believe it or not, Paul spent the next two years in prison waiting for a call from Felix that never came. This gave him plenty of opportunity then to practice self-control.

With regard to another form of self-control, Paul wrote to married couples in the church at Corinth with this point of view: “Do not refuse to have sexual relations with each other unless you both agree to do so for a limited time only; and if your reason is to give yourself more time for prayer. Afterward, you should become intimate again so that Satan won't be able to tempt you because you can’t control yourself. I say this as a suggestion, not as a command. I wish everyone were single, just as I am. Yet each person has a special gift from God, of one kind or another. So my message to widows and those who are still single is this: it is better for them to stay unmarried like me.' But if they can't control themselves, they should go ahead and marry; it's better to marry than to burn with lust” (1Cor. 7:7-9).

Paul concedes that while some natural desires that are appropriate under proper circumstances may be temporarily suspended to dedicate oneself to a higher goal, they should not be made permanent just to please God or show oneself more holy than others. There’s always the danger that by trying to overdo things, your self-control will be tested beyond its limits. This not only applies to sexual relations with one’s spouse, but could include fasting, shutting oneself away for prayer, and eliminating contact with the outside world to remain pure of mind.

We can see this same concept of excess over moderation in that scientist are even telling us that many of the consumer goods with antibacterial properties available these days are unnecessary, and may even contribute to antibiotic-resistant super germs. It's better to avoid them, and save antibiotics for when they are really needed. We can add, the same thing is true of self-control. To use it for no other reason than to earn points with God or impress our fellow believers is not self-control, but self-indulgence.

Paul sees this mastery over one's self in another light when he talks to the Corinthians on how “All athletes remain disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I have a reason for everything I do. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I’m afraid that after preaching to others I might end up being disqualified myself” (1Cor. 9:25-27).

The use of the word “discipline” here reflects a twofold outcome. First of all, the self-control one exercises in training involves eating the right things and going through the needed rigors of training. It’s done to promote a positive outlook on life to reach one’s goals. Secondly, Paul uses it as a form of control to avoid giving up and becoming discouraged in one’s effort. In such instances it is done to keep a negative outlook on life from preventing one from reaching their goals in life.

Perhaps this is why so many Pentecostal and Evangelical denominations throughout their history have spoken against the use of tobacco, alcohol and drugs, and worldly entertainment, seeing how their addictive nature can grossly interfere with one's dedication to God's calling on their lives. But it's more than just staying away from these things; it's the freedom and control that allows believers to offer their bodies to God as dedicated vessels for Him to use, because they know He doesn’t have to compete with

158

these other things for control. Paul believes this is one of the most logical ways to be of service to God.

Paul introduces this concept of Christian discipline exemplified by positive behavior, in contrast to the excesses of the flesh which can become a debilitating struggle against which few ever win on their own. Such control and victory does not depend on one's own power, added strength must be received from another source. In the believer's case, it becomes a matter of yielding more and more to the Spirit's control over their spiritual oneness with Christ, which in turn masters their sinful-self. It's more than just harnessing or corralling one's desires to keep them in check; it is a virtue that can also be seen when the believer exercises control by being discriminating in taste, and discerning in behavior.

Very often when someone speaks about self-control, the emphasis seems to gravitate to discussions about drinking alcohol, eating disorders, and sexual mores. But the self-control fruit of transformed love focuses more on learning when to hold on and when to let go. It is the change love goes through in one's attitude toward disciplining the body, emotions, intellect, and spirit. It should never be seen as an exercise in torture through denial, but rather, as the satisfaction one gains from seeing what is protected and preserved by demonstrating proper restraint.

Paul appears to have this in mind when he talks about fighting the good fight, finishing the race, and remaining faithful (2Tim. 4:7). But too often believers lose their interest in winning the fight or finishing the race because of overemphasis placed on abstinence and holy living, as opposed to living one's life for Christ without feeling censured and the need for artificial piety.

Let me explain: Many times believers humbly boast of how they stay away from worldly things and sinful pleasures in order to maintain their holiness. But they have little joy in living that way due to the fact they avoid them under pressure from others who think such activities and pleasures are bad. The joy of living a holy life comes from the reality that Christ has given us the freedom to just say, “No!” So much of avoiding worldly pleasures, because we are under pressure, means we want to display our outward purity for others to admire. On the other hand, having the will power to just say “No” to them of our own accord is the embodiment of inward purity that pleases the heart of God. It is more than a characteristic, it is character. It shows that the believer has willfully and joyfully submitted to the power and counsel of the Holy Spirit, rather than laboring under the constant burden of having to prove themselves holy to everyone else.

Since the essence of love contributes to this virtue, it assures us that each activity and interest which occupies the believer is legitimate and in the correct priority and proportion to their calling. This allows the believer to achieve the greatest potential in their spiritual life, just as athletes in training control every element of their life to fulfill their dreams. Some people equate self-control with moderation. While moderation is a product of self-control, it should not be depended upon simply to stay out of trouble. All the other fruit of transformed love transcend what self can produce; so does the fruit of self-control. What we can do with our own self-control is limited, but what can be accomplished with the self-control of transformed love, is unlimited.

Too often Christians rely on control of self by self. This not only leads to failure and guilt, but the compulsion to keep trying until they get it right—which they never do. But why go through this torturous maze that brings on unbearable frustration and the temptation to quit, when the Holy Spirit stands ready to put His hands on our hands to help us control the vital areas of our lives that affect our hearts, minds, souls, and emotions? Love is desirous of fondness, but love without discipline or control can be ruinous and defeating. When we yield our need for affection to the higher power of the Spirit, it's like going from the old form of manual steering on a car to power steering. Our hands are still on the steering wheel but we constantly feel the assistance provided by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, self-control signifies love yielded and under the supremacy of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us and effortlessly integrating with our spiritual oneness with Christ. James sees it this way: “…we are

159

all prone to mistakes…So to prove that you are wise enough to understand God's ways, watch your conduct; and in everything you do, do it with the humility that comes from wisdom…For wisdom from above is first and foremost pure, as well as peace-loving, gentle, and willing to listen; full of mercy and worthwhile deeds; in addition to being sincere and without prejudice” (Jam. 3:2, 13, 17).

Sometimes we are disposed to believe that in order to win the world to Christ we must do so with huge evangelistic crusades, worldwide TV ministries and mega-churches. But ask yourself, after all the years spent by Dr. Billy Graham, one of America's greatest modern day ambassadors of Christianity to the world, are we any better off with our societies' respect for God and His church today than before Billy Graham came along? TV ministries have blossomed and faded over the years, but has it really influenced the programming we see on most TV channels today, having made it more modest as good entertainment for Christian families?

Mega-churches are all the rage now, but as reported on October 19, 2010, in the Finance Examiner Magazine, the Crystal Cathedral, which has been a pilgrimage landmark and mega-church since Robert Schuller founded it in the 1950's, has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy to stave off over $43 million dollars owed to creditors, of which $7.5 million is in unsecured debt. Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback church had to make a request of his congregation to come up with $900,000 to keep the church from going into bankruptcy. How is this possible when the church itself brings in tens of millions of dollars each year, and Pastor Warren has made tens of millions on his bestselling book, “The Purpose Driven Life?”

Whether he is correct or not in his opinion, one reporter put it this way, “The answer is simply greed and the attraction of worldly wealth over their first estates.” We may not always agree, but sometimes we need to hear what the world thinks of our actions and character, when they see us lose control of self.

Assignment: Go to the website listed below and read the sermon outline on Self-Discipline. Then ask yourself whether or not the fruit of self-control that blossoms in your spiritual oneness with Christ is mature and available for any occasion.

http://www.pastorshelper.com/sample2.pdf

160

LESSON FORTY-TWO – (to be Posted 07/04/12 AM) ***** (Posted 07/14/12) *

Don’t get up tight while walking the tightrope. (Galatians 5:23c-26)

Verses 23c-24: These fruit are not unlawful deeds of the sinful-self. That’s because those who follow Jesus Christ have been to Calvary and crucified their sinful-self with all its passions and desires on the cross.

The Pharisees often chided and criticized Jesus and His disciples for doing good things because they were done in the wrong place, at the wrong time, on the wrong day, and in a wrong way; thus they violated Mosaic Law. In other words, in their minds you can still be wrong even while doing right. When Jesus healed a woman in the synagogue who was bent over with severe hyperkyphosis for 14 years, His opponents were quick to condemn Him because He did it on the Sabbath. Imagine, Jesus being raked over the coals for providing the miracle of healing to a desperate lady who could not be helped in any other way by any other person, just because the Jews thought observing the Sabbath was more important. That’s like putting on your pants before you put on your underwear (see Luke 13:10-17).

Paul dealt with this in his Epistle because the Judaizers exhibited the same mindset. They kept telling the Gentile believers in Galatia they were not yet children of God because they had not been circumcised, even though they were born again and washed clean in the blood of the Lamb. They were also telling them that their praise and worship was in vain because it wasn’t done in line with the old rituals and regulations of Mosaic Law. So Paul wanted to make sure the Galatians knew they could manifest these fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ at any time, on any day, and anywhere; that they were valid and pleasing to God, even though they weren’t done using the pomp and circumstance techniques of the Pharisees; and could not be dismissed as unrighteous because they were not circumcised.

Another aspect contained in Paul’s statement that these manifestations of the spiritual oneness with Christ were not illegal, is seen when they are compared to the deeds of the sinful-self. All of those sinful acts such immoral sexual desires, lewd thoughts, being tempted to fulfill your lustful cravings; getting involved with cults and reading horoscopes and dabbling in Spiritism; holding grudges, getting into arguments, becoming jealous, fits of anger; always wanting to have your way, and taking sides against anyone who doesn’t agree with you; envious of what others have, getting drunk, wild parties, and a host of other failures like this are natural desires committed in excess and out of control. The spiritual oneness with Christ is incapable of producing such sinful deeds.

By comparison, the sinful-self cannot manufacture: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control. These fruit do not suggest excessive acts or out of control manifestations, like immorality, lustful cravings, fits of anger, drunkenness, wild parties, etc. So if the Judaizers want to challenge Paul’s assertion, let them read all the books of Moses to see if they can find anything that would prohibit the Galatian believers from bearing these fruit under any conditions or circumstances; to locate any law making it wrong to be kind and good and patient even without being circumcised. God looks at us now through Christ; therefore the power of Mosaic Law has been replaced by the power of Christ. No longer do we walk in fear, but we walk in faith.

No doubt Paul hoped and prayed that the Galatians would now see that they no longer live in the garrison of Mosaic Law as spiritual prisoners, but they are free to live as sons and daughters of God; the custodians are gone, they have now been elevated to adulthood as heirs of His kingdom. Now, their decisions are guided by the Holy Spirit while the personality and principles of Christ are being developed in them to ever greater maturity. In other words, you can’t go wrong when you live right by following the teachings and guidance of Christ; obeying them and expressing them by way of the fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ.

161

I don’t know if you’ve ever tried walking on railroad tracks or a tightrope, but you’ll find out how hard it is to keep your balance. Paul talks about some believers trying the same balancing act between the faults of the sinful-self and the fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ. But it should not be a balancing act; one need not learn how to juggle the wants of the flesh and the will of the spirit. It can all be resolved with the crucifixion of the sinful-self at the time of salvation.

Paul had earlier written about this in Gal. 2:19-20 where he said: “For when I tried to do what Mosaic Law told me to do, it kept telling me I had missed the mark. So I cutoff my relationship with Mosaic Law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. Besides, my old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer alive; now Christ lives in me. So I now dwell in this earthly body trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

To put it another way, Paul is declaring that after he received Christ as his Savior, he decided with all his heart, soul, and mind to ignore the pleas of the sinful-self and listen only to the voice of the spiritual oneness with Christ. Paul wanted to convince the Galatians that this is not something the Holy Spirit does without their permission; they must commit to it themselves. They also must accept responsibility for sticking with their commitment to Christ, and resisting with all their might and willpower any pull from their old sinful-self.

Even though the Spirit won’t do it for us, He will surely give us the motivation, guidance, and power needed to help us do it. Too often, some Christians depend on the pastor or elders or other believers to rebuke them and correct them and keep them inline. By the same token, some Christians resent such admonitions and warnings because they don’t want to be talked down to or seen as incompetent.

If, however, you’ve made up your mind and are determined to remain faithful, this opens your mind for input from your pastor and elders and other believers; then you are willing to interact with those who love you and offer words of caution and counsel because they want to see you succeed. Never look at your commitment to obey the Spirit and resist the flesh as a temporary measure; or something you’ll try until you can decide if it works or not. Make it an absolute and irreversible rejection of sin’s influence in your life. No doubt that’s why Paul likens it to a crucifixion. It is a decisive act of the will that is made part of one’s day to day discipline.

I remember my first visit to Madrid, Spain to meet with the overseer of the mission work there. After I parked my car and walked toward the apartment building where he lived, I saw a young lady standing in the doorway; she made the sign of the cross, uttered a short prayer, and then went on her way. It hit me like a ton of bricks. Here was I, a born again preacher of the gospel who had gotten up that morning, cleaned up, gotten dressed, and headed out to meet this pastor without so much as stopping to ask God’s guidance and protection before I left the hotel. It changed my life at that moment. From then on I tried my best to start every day asking my Lord for His blessings and direction before going on my way. Since the Lord can see my heart and read my mind I knew that my sincerity was more important to Him than any ritual I might follow.

That gives one so much more strength during the day, in case the old sinful-self suggests looking at something that’s immoral, or listening to something that’s suggestive, or giving in to something that’s spiritually unhealthy and even degrading. It gives you the strength to take a deep breath and defiantly shout “No!” to the old sinful-self. There should be no negotiation with the old sinful-self. Treat it like a terrorist out to destroy your redeemed soul. You cannot afford to make any agreement with the old sinful-self on a little bit of this or a small piece of that, just to satisfy its longing. You are at war with the old sinful-self; you are not looking for a peace treaty or a ceasefire; you are aiming for victory and conquering the enemy. Remember, it won’t be over until the day you lay down your cross and are handed your crown.

Verses 25-26: So now that the Holy Spirit is leading us, let’s get in step with Him. We should not give in to pride and thereby bring disharmony and jealousy to the body of Christ.

162

Unfortunately, some of the Galatians became so full of vanity that they bragged about their progress in putting away all sinful desires and achieving unparalleled holiness. As one commentator put it, “Both the continuous war against the sinful-self and the absolute execution of the sinful-self must be kept in mind if we are to have the full picture. The perfectionists who talk as if their sinful-self has been or can be totally conquered in this life have lost sight of the need to fight the war every day. The pessimists, who are halfhearted in battling the flesh because they never expect victory, have lost sight of the victory that is ours through active identification with Christ on the cross.”

Paul now challenges the Galatians to actively deal with both defeating the old sinful-self and nurturing the new spiritual oneness with Christ. He combines something “we must know” with something “we must do.” As believers “we must know” that setting us free in Christ from trying to save ourselves was a gift from God; we are no longer slaves under house arrest by Mosaic Law. Furthermore, as believers “we must do” what’s right to protect that freedom so we no longer exist like prisoners, but live as children of God whom the Son set free.

I remember during the first weeks of Army boot camp at Fort Carson, Colorado, our platoon sergeant took us out to march in formation for the first time. At first we looked like a prison gang with everyone out of step and in some cases stepping on each other’s feet. But the sergeant taught us to keep in step with his cadence of “Left…left…left-right-left; left…left…left-right-left; hut, two, three, four; hut, two, three, four.” Each time he said “left or hut,” our left foot was supposed to hit the ground. Before long, we began to look more disciplined and less discombobulated.

That was, until we met another platoon of recruits coming the opposite way. Their sergeant was also calling out cadence, but not in sync with ours. So as we passed each other we had to tune out the other sergeant in order to stay in step with our own. This was a daily event, with more and more platoons passing us in the opposite direction. So our platoon leader got an idea. One of the soldiers in our squad was a drummer in his high school band. So the sergeant secured a drum for him.

After that, whenever we marched and encountered another group, our drummer would beat the cadence we all recognized, and we had no trouble staying in step. I can still hear it to this day: “tat-ta dum, tat-ta dum, tat-ta dum, dum, dum; tat-ta dum, tat-ta dum, tat-ta dum, dum, dum.” But there was also another aspect to our marching, and that was not only stay in step, but stay in line. Each soldier was not only to follow the commands from the sergeant to stay in step and in line with the soldier beside him, but also to stay in step and in line with the soldier in front of him.

To blend this illustration with Paul’s admonition to the Galatians, he was encouraging them to disregard the cadence called by the old sinful-self, and stay in step with the tempo of the Holy Spirit. He is our guide, our counselor, our companion on this journey. This requires active participation in the guidance and discipline offered by the Holy Spirit through God’s Word. We may see other paths to follow, and even want to set our own pace; we may want to speed up or slow down, do a right-left, instead of a left-right. God gives us free will to make that choice. But you stay in line when you tune out other voices and focus only on the cadence of the Holy Spirit. After all, He knows where you are going and the best way to get there; He knows God’s purpose for your life and how to get you in step with God’s will.

Paul addresses this tendency of getting out of step with the Spirit by cautioning the Galatians not to give in to self-pride and become spiritually conceited. Looking back at verse 15, it appears that this was one of the biggest problems challenging the Galatian church. It apparently came when each believer tried to outdo the other in their quest for self-imposed holiness. They tried to put on outward purity while festering with sinful pollution on the inside. This type of spiritual haughtiness could only lead to provoking anger and jealousy among themselves.

I’m guessing that not all of you are as advanced in age as I am; but I remember when the Sunday sermon was often followed by Sunday gossip among church members. They whispered about someone who should have been confronted about the hat they wore, or the dress they put on, or the color of their

163

necktie, the length of their skirt, a particular hairdo, whether or not they carried a Bible with them, the hint of excessive makeup, the glimpse of expensive jewelry, a pair of two-toned shoes, driving a new car (God forbid it was the pastor), etc., etc., etc. Believe it or not, some were even offended when someone was called on to lead in prayer who they thought was unqualified because they didn’t measure up to their level of holiness.

The grammar Paul uses suggests that he saw this as a form of provocation. It didn’t happen by accident or some casual encounter; it was vigorously pursued as a challenge to others. It was as though they were in a contest and wanted to be declared the winner. They wanted to demonstrate their spiritual superiority and thereby cause others to feel morally inferior. Apparently the believers in Galatia saw each other as rivals, each one trying to surpass the other on God’s exclusive list of “Saints.” As a result, they all became honorary members of the devil’s list of “Aints.”

I agree with what C. S. Lewis said about how the devil gets a good laugh when he sees believers overcome by pride, trying to outdo each other; that Satan gets a kick out of watching Christians putting on their robes of self-righteousness without knowing that they are setting themselves up for a painful tumble due to pride and self-importance. When sinful-self still has a seat at the table; still has a vote on decisions to be made; and still gets attention when it cries about being neglected and not treated fairly, such falls can occur. Our sinful-self cannot be pacified or soothed into obedience; it must be barred from giving any input whatsoever.

I once watched an episode of “Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan” on the National Geographic Channel. He showed how elementary obedience is instilled in the dog by achieving submission to basic commands. It is done by creating a positive learning environment so the dog enjoys pleasing its master by obeying the commands it receives. This enables the owner to attain many goals with their dog over a short period of dedicated training.

Cesar noted that all dogs need an active lifestyle, which gives the owner an opportunity to properly exercise their dog’s mind and body. This is just as important for small breed dogs as it is for large breed dogs. Sometimes, because of their smaller size, many owners overlook their small dog’s bad behavior. Also, they do not put in as much time and energy into training their small breed dog as they should. This lack of training can lead to a number of behavior problems that include aggression, disobedience, and incessant barking.

If this is true of animals, how much more does it apply to human beings. In order to grow and mature we need to be in a positive learning environment with an active lifestyle. The spiritual oneness with Christ loves to worship, praise and honor God; it wants to show the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ its love and excitement in serving them; it desires to be like Jesus and adopt His characteristics and pattern of life. When this is ignored, just like an animal, the believer will revert to the old ways and develop behavior problems. Paul’s heart was aching over this development among those he preached to and taught even while fighting an illness and physical handicap. No wonder he refused to give up until he helped them see the truth.

Once the old nature knows who’s in control and that you mean to stick with the Spirit, it will bow and become obedient to your commands. It can be brought under control, but only by a made-up mind and a spiritual oneness with Christ that will not give in to temptation. Remember, even if we do fail to meet God’s expectations for our lives, as Christians we are not breaking Mosaic Law. If anything, it only makes God more determined to help us win the victory by providing more and more opportunities to do so.

Think of it this way: if a runner doesn’t complete a race, the runner didn’t break any law; he or she simply didn’t have the strength or will to finish. He or she may be smart enough to go to the coach and confess, “I didn’t have what it took; I can see now I wasn’t fully committed; I lacked the will power to give it my best, and give it my all.” If the coach can work with them and help them become more

164

devoted to winning, how much more will our Heavenly Father treat us with love and understanding when we go to Him and confess our need for more spiritual strength and resolve?

One thing most believers learn early in their walk with God is that when the spiritual oneness with Christ is well-fed and full of the good things of the Spirit, the sinful-self ends up like a sleeping dog. But when the spiritual oneness with Christ gets hungry and agitated, it wakes up the sinful-self that starts howling for attention. So it behooves every believer to keep their spiritual oneness with Christ satisfied with food from God’s Word, worship, prayer, interaction with other believers, meditation in the Scriptures, sharing the gospel with those who are lost, daily talks with Jesus, communion with the Holy Spirit, and so on. Commit yourself to doing these things every day; just don’t wait for them to happen, or expect the Holy Spirit to do them for you.

Assignment: Sit down and make up a list of those things in your life that are still part of the daily war with the old sinful-self. Be honest with yourself; beside you and God no one else will see the list; He’s much better than Santa, He really knows who’s been naughty and who’s been nice. Then ask the Lord for guidance in dealing with these issues. Most of all look at them and declare war on them. Make up your mind that you are more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ.

If you have a close confidant or counselor you can confide in, share your fight with them; have them join you in praying for more submission on your part and more strength from the Holy Spirit. That way you both can celebrate when you achieve a breakthrough.

IV. PAUL COMPARES EFFECTS WITH DEFECTS (Galatians 6:1-18)

LESSON FORTY-THREE – (to be Posted 07/07/12 PM **** (Posted 07/18/12) **

Don’t just say you love them; show that you love them. (Galatians 6:1-5)

Verse 1: My dear brothers and sisters, if you catch a fellow believer deviating from what they know to be right, those of you who are guided by a healthy spiritual oneness with Christ should gently and forgivingly help restore them; always keeping this in mind: the same thing could happen to you.

165

Now that Paul defended his right to be called an Apostle; shot holes in the Judaizers' teaching of adding man's efforts to Christ's work to achieve salvation; clearly defined who the heirs and joint heirs are in God’s promise to Abraham, and displaying the supremacy of the fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ over the deeds of the sinful-self, he now embarks on a critical assessment on how the fruit of transformed love must ripen in order to be used effectively. Whatever they may have learned up until now, if they don’t apply this truth it will all have been in vain.

I remember hearing this illustration used years ago by Dr. Billy Graham, taken from a scientific experiment done in the late 1800’s: “Drop a frog in hot water and it will jump out immediately. Put a frog in water at room temperature and then slowly heat it up to a boil and the frog will cook itself to death.” In that same vein, Paul tells the Christians in Galatia that their fellow believers can find themselves going astray from God's will because of the influence that constant temptation has on their sinful-self. Therefore, they must learn how to minister using the fruit of transformed love in their spiritual oneness with Christ to deal with such lapses in the most effective way.

Paul offers excellent illustrations of “situation-solution” in verse one. Let's look at them in the order in which they appear in the sentence. Paul talks about the situation of a believer being “caught” in a compromising state. The Greek word for “caught” means to prevent someone from getting away with something to avoid responsibility and punishment. Today we would equate it to their being uncovered by an exposé instead of entrapment. Here we sense a lapse of time. In other words, something a person had been habitually doing for some time and finally the truth is revealed.

In searching for a solution it is discovered that they got into their predicament because of what the KJV translates as “fault,” and the NKJV renders as “trespass.” Paul's uses of a Greek word which literally means, “A mental lapse or deviation from what one knows to be right and true.” Here we see the old sinful-self being allowed to carelessly lead someone into a trap because of not being careful; of not paying attention to the danger involved. In other words, dabbling in carnal activities just for the fun of it, only to find out it has taken over the heart and mind.

We are not dealing with those who deliberately and maliciously sin. As a matter of fact, anyone who has tried walking through their house at night without turning the lights on can point to their swollen toe and say, “I should have been more careful!” Or, think of a driver who was staring at an accident as he drove by, now looking at his car smashed into the rear of the car ahead of him, and hear him say, “I should have watched where I was going!”

Paul continues his “situation-solution” approach by noting that the situation requires someone who is spiritually stable and blossoming with the fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ be called on to help the brother or sister who is staggering from the wounds they’ve received in being careless and being caught. In doing so we must be careful not to approach a hurting believer by concentrating solely on their fleshly weaknesses and pointing out all the mistakes they’ve made; it comes across as a form of being on trial and receiving judgment. Don’t beat them over the head like a Mexican Piñata; constantly asking, “Why did you do this? How could you have done that? What were you thinking when you said ‘Yes’?” Instead, encourage and motivate their spiritual oneness with Christ to take back control, so any victory in overcoming will be theirs, not some solution we forced on them.

In determining our solution we need to apply the right remedy. Paul recommends helping this person be “restored.” This Greek word infers something on the mend, like a broken bone. What a great insight for those of us whom the Holy Spirit calls on to help nurture someone discovered practicing or being involved with deeds that are not pleasing to God, and has therefore wandered away from His will.

The Christian approach to restoration should not be punitive, but curative. We should treat their getting caught as a blessing from God, so they can repent and be given time to heal. But don't lead them to believe it will all go away overnight in order to downplay the seriousness of what happened to them.

166

Stick with them, encourage them in their spiritual rehabilitation; don't judge them or make them feel they only have one chance to get it right with God or He will grow impatient with them.

In a previously lesson Paul talked about a fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ called “gentleness,” and described it as a soothing balm to be put on wounds to help them heal. Gentleness is strong, but tender; keeps its eyes focused on the task at hand; does not let its attention stray to other things. Paul does this with a warning to the mentor involved in the healing process: do not come across as “holier than thou,” because we are not exempt from making the same unintentional mistake they did.

The last thing we want to do when helping restore a fellow Christian who allowed themselves to drift into letting the sinful-self, get the upper hand, is embarrass them; make them feel spiritually inferior and not worthy of our love or God's love. Only eternity will reveal the damage done in past years when church members were unceremoniously drummed out of church fellowship because they made an error in judgment; or a weak moment of surrender to their sinful-self. Sometimes their dismissal was not based on a spiritual fault, but their failure to keep some church ordinance having to do with dress, cosmetics, hairstyle, source of entertainment, or even failing to participate in some church ritual or following some church rule. Too bad Paul's teaching was not used as a model on how to tenderly restore them. For sure, transformed love's fruit of gentleness did not prevail in many of those cases.

Verse 2: Also be willing to share by helping them with their problems. When you do, you fulfill Christ’s commandment.

In the second application of the fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ, Paul addresses how we can help this same restored fellow believer keep on going and not give up. Remember, they are dealing with restoration and renewal as well as the problem that got them into trouble in the first place. Early English translations render the Greek word as “bearing,” allowing it to be understood as removing the whole load and placing it on oneself. While the main intent of the word means to assist, it does not suggest that we take everything on ourselves and permanently make their problems our problems. If we do, we then will try to work things out for them all by ourselves.

It denotes: “to lift up, sustain, motivate;” which suggests doing something to temporarily take enough of the load off their shoulders so they can stand. It also allows them time to consider all the options available in finding a permanent solution to their difficulty. In so doing, we can free them up to cope with the issues that got them into the mess to begin with, without the pressure of simultaneously seeking immediate reinstatement and regaining the good will of the pastor and congregation.

To illustrate this point, imagine an ex-convict, who has been living a good Christian life for some time; who because of financial restraints and despondency is in danger of resorting to a life of crime. Don’t get on his case for not working when many job opportunities are available; and don’t start giving him money just to get him by for another week. Rather, agree to help him look for employment by using your resources as well as those provided by the unemployment office.

If he does not have transportation, find other friends who are free to drive him to the unemployment office to apply for work. If you happen to know someone who has a job opening, put him into contact with them, but don’t go and get the job for him. In other words, pick up part of the load; share his burden with him. Then, as he regains strength in his spiritual life you can begin to coach him on how to solidify his reputation as a Christian and enjoy the full support and communion of his church and fellow believers. Don’t feel like you must become some sort of spiritual Superman and deliver everything he needs without any involvement on his part. In other words, take those pieces of his burden you can carry, but not the whole thing.

I remember while living in Switzerland and in the early stages of my studies in psychology. My dear friend William D. Alton, who is now at rest with the Lord, and I discussed a book by Paul Tournier the Swiss physician and author of works on pastoral counseling, who indicated that the best way to help

167

yourself is by helping others. This mirrors the words of Mahatma Gandhi who said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others,” as well as the ancient Chinese proverb that says, “A giver is more fortunate than a receiver.” Even President John F. Kennedy borrowed this theme when he made his famous statement, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”

I also recall talking on the phone with Francis Schaeffer, who established L’Abri Fellowship in Switzerland, to make arrangements for joining his bible study at the U.S. Consulate in Zurich. In one of his speeches Dr. Schaeffer spoke about just standing by while others are hurting. Said Schaeffer, “This is why I am not a pacifist. Pacifism in this poor world in which we live—this lost world—means that we desert the people who need our greatest help.” Unfortunately, there are many spiritual pacifists in the church; they are ready to sing, pray, praise and worship God, even pay their tithes, but don’t ask them to carry someone else’s burden.

At the same time, Paul has a word for the errant believer being helped and supported, that is: since you are the one who stumbled, don't expect others in the congregation to bear all your burdens for you. In other words, don't remain “self-focused.” Stop blaming the rest of the church for your problems. This will only lead to disharmony, frustration, discouragement and even depression. Thank God every day that the Holy Spirit sent someone to assist you. Thank Him for his timing in keeping things from getting worse and the hill to climb becoming much higher. You may have let someone offend you; yes, you may have been misled or taken advantage of. But remember, what they did is only 10% of the problem; 90% of the outcome belongs to you and how you respond.

Another issue that often plagues those trying to cope with failure is when they take the words of wisdom and comfort they are receiving as a personal insult instead of being objective. We must help them understand we are talking about their sin, not their soul; we are discussing what got them into trouble, not that they got into trouble. Martin Luther made a great comment on this verse when he said that we all have burdens, but sometimes God does not want us to carry them all by ourselves. How many of you can testify to the embarrassment you’ve experienced in having to finally allow someone else help carry your burden or deal with your problems? So if it is challenging for you, keep that in mind when you offer help to others.

Even though Paul does not mention it, many Bible scholars feel that the law of Christ Paul refers to here is the one found in Matthew 13:34-35, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. And just as I have loved you, you should love each other. When the world sees you showing love to one another then they will know you are My disciples.”

My, oh my! What a rebuff to the Judaizers who were constantly harping on keeping Mosaic Law. I can hear Paul now, “So you legalists want to fulfill all the commandments; you want to do everything right according to the do-good laws? Well, here's one for you; try what Jesus said and see if it isn't so much better than the laws you follow. The laws you want to impose are a burden in themselves. But here's a commandment that lifts the burden and in so doing pleases the heart of God.”

Verses 3-5: If you believe you’ve accomplished a lot, when in fact you’ve accomplished very little, you are only fooling yourself. Find out what kind of impact you’ve had on others, so then you can correctly evaluate your worth. You can find out if you have done any good without comparing yourself to what others have done. Keep in mind; we are only responsible for our own conduct.

But Paul is not through with his word of advice to those in Galatia who might think of themselves too important or too high in the church hierarchy to have their work evaluated; to see if they have been productive. Paul has a quick and solid rebuke, “You are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.” My oh my brother Paul, you mean that even the highest in church leadership are not exempt from being held accountable for how much or how little they actually do for God’s kingdom;

168

that they are not to be questioned when they take credit for something completed in their department but not as the result of their own personal effort?

Paul goes on to explain how each believer needs to commit to carrying as much of their load as they can so as not to be an unnecessary burden on others, that way they can feel good about themselves and be blessed when other believers tell them “Well done.” Furthermore, Paul cautions: don't try to outdo someone else, or keep comparing yourself to others to see who the best is or a better team player in the church's mission. Do what God gave you the talent to do, and do it to the best of your ability. A good usher should have the same sense of being a good servant of Christ as a choir leader or a bishop. As long as we do what God called us to do and perform it to the best of our abilities we all stand equal in the eyes of God, and should be respectfully treated the same way by each other.

Many of the challenges we find in congregations today seem to be repeats of what Paul was trying to get the Galatians to stop doing. Anytime a church member starts thinking they are better than the rest, and feels themselves to be more important than others, they are really seeking more love and attention from everyone just to show their high standing. But Paul says that when the fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ operates in the body of Christ you will often hear one believer say to another, “You are important to our church. Here, let me help you with your burden; what can I do for you to make things easier on you, so you can do what the Lord gave you to do even better?” Remember, you may need that person to help you one day with your own burden.

But it doesn’t stop there. Those who think of themselves as being more important than other members often quench the fire of the Holy Spirit in a congregation. Because of their false pride they refuse to accept any assistance when others reach out to them, because they feel embarrassed. Furthermore, since they often do hold significant positions in the church their burdens begin to affect their performance and everybody suffers.

Paul is saying to the Galatians, never hesitate to reach out to help your fellow believer when they need assistance, and never hesitate to accept help from your fellow believers when you know you need support. Listen to what Paul told the Philippian believers, “Don't be conceited; don't try to keep up with others. Rather, be considerate; take the lead in putting others first. Don't only look out for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. In so doing you will have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had” (Phi. 2:3-5).

Paul includes this in his exhortation to the Philippian church by pointing out how Jesus, though He was God, did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He was born as a human being and took the humble position of a servant. The question is not can we do more than that, but can we do any less? So, if everyone humbles themselves and stands ready to help even those without any position in the church, it creates an atmosphere where every member in the congregation looks up to each other, therefore no one is looked down upon. But, as Paul clearly illustrates, none of this is possible without transformed love in the form of the fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ being present in each believer's heart.

Sad to say, there exists a lose-lose curse in many spiritual realms today that prevents those in dire need from reaching out to others they can trust, and those they trust from being able to help in strictest confidence to assist their friend continuing in their life and ministry. It goes like this: if you do reach out to a trusted colleague and share with them a problem or misdeed that under most circumstances would ruin your reputation and cost you your ministry, it puts them in a very indefensible situation. For if they keep your confession confidential and help you overcome your weakness and get forgiveness from God for your failure, even making restitution; you would not be able to testify about it without implicating them as trying to help you cover up or hide your mistake. Not only will you be in danger of being ruined but they will be as well for keeping your mistake a secret.

169

Assignment: Think of some point in your past when you knew you had a problem with some issue in your life, that if known to others would make you look less than a strong, spiritual Christian. Meditate on why you were reluctant to reach out to a fellow believer and ask that they help you be restored to harmony with God and with your fellow believers. In your mind, what did you have to lose, and compare that to what you stood to win?

Summarize as to what fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ could have been applied by someone with the compassion to help restore you; not judge you or expose your failure. This should help you develop a formula to use just in case the Holy Spirit choses you to help a fellow believer who has been caught in a fault and doesn’t know where to turn.

LESSON FORTY-FOUR – (to be Posted 07/11/12 AM) **** (Posted 07/21/12)

A special kind of love, that won't give up or give in. (Galatians 6:6-10)

Verse 6: Here’s one more thing, since you are being taught God’s Word you should share all the good things you have with your teacher.

Some commentators believe that Paul now gets into the area of stewardship. There's little doubt that he spoke from experience when it came to depending on donations and church offerings to fund his ministry. They suggest that in telling the Galatians to support their spiritual teachers, Paul was thinking ahead to those who would one day take his place doing missionary work in bringing and teaching the Gospel to new believers in the churches there.

The Jewish tithe system was adopted by the early church since many of them originally met in synagogues. Paul mentions this, “Don't you realize that those who work in the temple get their meals from the offerings brought to the temple? And those who serve at the altar get a share of the sacrificial

170

offerings” (1Cor. 9:13). But Paul was aware that more than tithing was needed to keep evangelism alive in spreading the Good News about Jesus to those who had not heard.

Therefore, Paul's emphasis here is not solely on tithing and giving, but also on principle. As a pastor, I never thought of the income I received as a “salary” even though it was so designated as a fixed amount. I certainly never took it as repayment for the care I gave as a spiritual shepherd. What I did for my flock was done out of love; it was a gift and did not require any reimbursement. I received the tithe as God's way of supporting me in the ministry to which He called me, so that I could clothe and feed my family, as well as be equipped to do the work He gave me.

For instance, after being called to one church as pastor I found out that the membership roll was inflated by names of members who could no longer be accounted for. The tithe for the pastor is set by the number of members on the roll. My spirit was not at peace knowing I did not deserve that level of financial support based on false reporting. So with the help of the church clerk and pastor's council we identified all the names on the roll that were not currently active in the church.

This was before Google, so I had to use all my detective skills to find their addresses and write each one with three options: (1) if you desire to stay on the roll then please let us know and consider supporting the church. (2) If you desire for your membership to be transferred to the church you are now attending please let us know because the pastor there feeding you should be rewarded. (3) If you wish for your name to be dropped from the membership roll please let us know and we will comply.

I receive a lot of negative feedback because such action would lower the church's standing in the State where I pastored; the overseer was against it because it would indicate a loss of membership under his administration; and some local members voiced opposition because they were afraid it would look like we didn't want these people in our church. However, no one seemed concerned that this action would lower the amount of tithe I received as pastor.

But I had the witness of the Holy Spirit with my spirit and went ahead with my convictions. When all was said and done we gained enough new members while I was there to surpass the number being reported when I arrived; several members who had stopped coming came back because they felt wanted; and everyone who received their letter was grateful we cared enough to get the record straight.

But Paul was not referring only to tithes and offerings, because he used the phrase “share all good things.” Since Paul did not own a home, there was housing to consider. We are not told he owned a donkey, but often went by ship so travel was a concern. Paul certainly needed food and clothing; items that could easily be seen as “good things.” But there's more to it than that. Paul had just talked about bearing one another's burdens, so he added the temporal needs of their Godly teachers. Therefore, we might conclude that Paul had no interest in restricting their support to tithing, but for them to share their blessings by being a blessing.

I can remember when my father pastored a rural church in Iowa where farmers with little cash brought eggs, milk, chickens and vegetables to the parsonage so that my mother could feed us. I felt blessed because as a small boy I loved to eat raw sweet potatoes. They were like carrots to me and sure tasted better than a dollar bill. I love them to this day, especially sweet potato fries. People would also donate flour sacks with printed designs on them. My mom used them to make clothes for my sisters. Also, farmers who had gasoline pumps on their farm for their machinery often filled up my dad’s car. I guess you could call that sharing the good things they had.

We hear a lot today about paying teachers and professors on the principle of merit; the better the teacher, the higher the salary and the longer the tenure. I wonder how long some pastors would last if the congregations shared their tithe with them based on the merit system? Before I left to go work in the Philippines in 1985 I heard about a movement to form a Preacher’s Union in order to guarantee better wages. Needless to say, that idea died a quick and deserved death.

171

Paul told the believers in Corinth how he felt about this, “If I spread the Good News, I have no reason to feel special, that’s what I’ve been called to do. As a matter of fact, I would feel miserable if I didn't spread the Good News! But by spreading the Good News willingly, I feel energized. If I spread the Good News unwillingly, I'd only be going through the motions.  So what is my reward? I have the privilege of spreading the Good News without making those who receive it reimburse me for it. This way I won't take support away from those who have been appointed there to spread the Good News” (1Cor. 9:16-19). In other words, I want you to support my missionary efforts, so that when I show up somewhere to minister, it won’t require the local congregation to start paying me instead of continuing to support their pastor.

Verses 7-8: And another thing. Don’t become conceited; don’t try to outsmart God. You will always reap the same crop as the seed you sow. If you plant seeds belonging to your sinful-self, you will reap a crop fit for corruption and condemnation. If, however, you plant seeds belonging to your spiritual oneness with Christ, the Spirit will yield a crop fit for everlasting life.

Here Paul seems to take a turn in his narrative and start down a different road while staying on the same subject of encouraging the congregations in Galatia to share good things with their teachers. However, he raises the issue of principle and ethics. Perhaps Jesus’ parable about the sower whose seed landed on rocky ground, ground filled with weeds, and fertile soil, gave Paul the inspiration for this teaching.

It appears that Paul is using a double-edged sword here. First, to the members he is saying that you get what you pay for. In other words, if your congregation is known for not supporting the pastor or financing the church’s outreach, then don’t be surprised if pastors with great talent and ability do not answer your call to the pulpit. By the same token, he warned the teachers and preachers; do not expect something for nothing. Just holding credentials as a teacher or preacher does not qualify you for sufficient support when what you teach or preach is boring, useless, self-serving, and spiritually void.

Paul lets any self-appointed experts in Galatia know that their attitude could end up being a form of trying to fool God. Did they think they could sow discord but reap harmony? If you are going to disrespectfully turn your nose up at, or sneer at, or make fun of something, should anyone take you serious? God calls some of His servants to devote their full time to spreading the gospel of salvation. But He also gives His people an opportunity to share their good things with these servants so they can eat, clothe themselves, and have a place to live. Anyone who pretends to be a true servant of God, and does not feed the flock the spiritual food needed to help them grow is making fun of God's plan. They are in it for their pleasure and to enrich themselves so they won’t have to do secular work for a living.

Paul makes it very clear. People who misuse and abuse the benefits of the ministry for their own profit are sowing to please their sinful-self. When you do this, says Paul, you will reveal your corruptive and dishonest nature. Sorry to say, we don’t need to look back to Paul's day to find examples of such corruption in ministry; it has made headlines in our own country to the detriment of honest ministries promoting the true kingdom of God.

Peter joins Paul in giving the teachers and ministers in Galatia and elsewhere instructions on how to look at being rewarded for their labor. In his first letter he states, “Treat the congregation under your care like a shepherd treats his flock. Don’t lead from behind, but out in front. Don't do it because you have to, but do it because you want to; that's God way of doing things. Don’t do it for what you expect to get out of it, but do it because you really feel called to serve. Don’t treat the flock under your care like a dictator, always telling them what to do. Show them how it’s done by being an example” (1Pe. 5:2-3).

When I returned from Europe to the USA in 1972 I was invited to speak at a church in Flint, Michigan. The pastor there was once a boy in a church my father pastored. He asked me if I had seen shows on a new Christian TV network. That's when I was introduced to a young Pentecostal minister and his wife.

172

They seemed to be a genuine evangelistic couple out to spread the kingdom of God in a medium not use to such programing. I was thrilled to see such a breakthrough.

However, the fund raising activities of this couple from 1984–1987 underwent scrutiny by a local newspaper, eventually leading to criminal charges against them. During that time this minister and his associates sold $1,000 “lifetime memberships” which entitled buyers to a three-night annual stay at a luxury hotel on his property. Subsequently, at the minister's fraud trial the prosecution produced evidence that tens of thousands of memberships had been sold while only one 500-room hotel was ever completed.

The minister was found to have oversold these exclusive partnerships and was therefore unable to accommodate all those who wanted to come and stay. Furthermore, he raised more than twice the money needed to build the one hotel. A good deal of the money went into the hotel's operating expenses, but the minister kept $3.4 million in bonuses for himself. This minister, who apparently made all of the financial decisions for his organization, allegedly kept two sets of books to conceal the accounting irregularities. One book was given to the auditors to show everything was on the up and up while the other book kept track of the actual transactions.

Following a 16-month Federal grand jury probe the minister was indicted in 1988 on eight counts of mail fraud, 15 counts of wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy. In 1989 after a five-week trial, which began on August 28, the jury found him guilty on all 24 counts, and the Judge sentenced him to 45 years in federal prison and a fine of $500,000. The video of this minister being led out of the courtroom was not the bright TV star everyone saw before, but a disheveled, weeping and tragically embarrassed figure. His wife later divorced him. He was released from prison on December 1, 1994. As Paul indicated, if it is sown to enhance the sinful-self, then it will reap a humiliating punishment for such sin.

On the other hand, Paul says that those who sow to please the Spirit will be gathering a harvest not only for this life but for the life to come. In addition to the spirit of the minister be lifted with the harvest that comes from preaching the salvation message of the gospel, the spirits of those who listen will also be strengthened and made glad. When a believer sows to the flesh it is like throwing precious things away, but when they sow to please the Spirit it is an investment with a great return. One cannot earn eternal life by being a good sower because that is a gift. But what greater return could God give to a faithful planter than the promise of being with Him and enjoying His blessings forever?

As we noted above, this warning is also for members of the congregation who use the good things God blessed them with to sow to the flesh instead of to please the Spirit. Recently, someone did a survey of churches in America and found that only a small percentage of the members pay their tithe. No wonder so many churches are struggling while the members think nothing of buying new laptops, the latest cell phones, digital cameras, shopping online and keeping up with fashions. Then they wonder why more and more ministers have to pastor two or three churches just to survive financially.

Verses 9-10: One more thing, don’t lose your motivation for doing what’s good. If you don’t get discouraged and give up, you will reap great blessings at harvest time. Take every opportunity to be useful, especially to your fellow believers.

Paul knew how hard it was to keep oneself motivated in doing good things for others at the cost of their own resources and even their health, especially when it goes unappreciated or is not used for its intended purpose. At the same time, Paul did not want the Galatians to take his cheerleading on helping others by overdoing it, or try to outdo each other. So he encourages them before they become exhausted trying to meet every need to “keep their eye on the goal.” Like a farmer fighting the heat, hard ground, and sowing seed in what looks like endless rows, Paul is trying to motivate them to start dreaming of that same empty field ripening into a great harvest.

173

Even a casual observer can see, that to remain strong and do an admirable job of reaching out to someone in need would require the fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ in great quantity. No one can keep up such humanitarian efforts with no end in sight, especially when those we attempt to reach are less than hospitable. As believers we must always view the compassion we have for those suffering and in need, and our endeavors to meet those needs, as something we do according to the will of God. The essence of love being transformed becomes not only an expression of mercy to those we serve, but also an expression of appreciation to God. If our involvement is only generated out of obligation or wanting to make ourselves look good, weariness will come quickly and discouragement will follow even quicker.

Paul wanted them to understand that they should not look for instant success or reward. God will send a harvest in His own time. But what kind of harvest should they anticipate? When you take the time and effort to reach out to others and they reward you with support, whatever you do, says Paul, don’t feel obligated out of guilt to turn around and repay them in some form for their giving. No, no! Let God bless them for their generosity. Otherwise it would only make them feel like they were loaning you the good things they share. Remember, God blesses both the giver and receiver. Can you imagine how long the following scenario would go on: If you received a gift and then gave a gift to the giver for their gift; who then in turn gave you a gift for the gift you gave back to thank them for the gift they gave you to begin with?

I remember travelling to a remote coal mining region of Yugoslavia to preach for a small but vigorous congregation that met in a converted farm shed. It was the first time any preacher from outside the country had traveled to their village to minister to them. These people lived on merger incomes to begin with, but as Christians they were further disadvantaged because only those who joined the Communist Party were given the higher paying jobs. After a song and short prayer, I preached for almost two hours (which included translation of course) as the congregation responded with enthusiasm. Then they sang for about an hour, after which the interpreter told me they wanted another sermon, and if I didn’t have one then give my testimony. This carried on for another hour and a half. Nobody got up and left; no one fell asleep; and not one sat back and did not join in.

Afterward, when we went to the pastor’s house, we enjoyed a wonderful meal of fried pig fat about two inches thick with crackly skin, along with a stack of potato pancakes and rich, dark syrup. My interpreter came to me and handed me an envelope, explaining that the people wanted me to have this. I figured it might be a picture or some souvenir from that area. Instead, it was an offering of Yugoslavian Dinar equal to about $25.00—a substantial sum in their economy. My first inclination was to refuse it and tell the translator to give it back because they could use it a lot more than me.

However, the Holy Spirit immediately admonished me, and told me to keep it, because by returning it back I would be giving the impression it wasn’t enough; or, that the money of poor people wasn’t worth anything to me. The Spirit convicted me that in so doing I would be stealing their blessing of giving to the Lord. I quietly thanked the Holy Spirit for His guidance and told the interpreter to tell the people how humbled and blessed I was for their generosity, and would pray God’s richest blessings on them. They had shared their good things with me and showed God their appreciation for Him sending a preacher to preach the Good News, and encourage them to remain strong and faithful during this time of trial and hardship. In the end, I was the one most blessed.

Likewise Paul wanted to encourage the saints in Galatia not to grow impatient or weary in sharing good things with their preachers and teachers, and sharing one another’s burdens with their fellow believers. In so doing, Paul spoke of their reaping a harvest; an increase of more fruit of the spiritual oneness with Christ and the blessings and favor of God on the sower’s life and ministry. Remember, one seed of wheat produces many heads of wheat; one apple seed gives birth to a tree full of apples. But just as harvest comes in its season, so at the right time the spiritual yield will come. There is always the lapse

174

of time between sowing and reaping. Just don't become exhausted or exasperated and give up or give in before harvest time.

Assignment: I. Have you ever heard of pastors or evangelists who feel they are not getting what they deserve; that they should be getting more because of all the time and effort they put in? Which of the following choices do you think pastors or evangelists would prefer? (1) Accepting the minimum amount of financial support for their labors, while receiving a huge amount of loving, prayful, vocal support, and “good things” from those they serve? Or, (2) accepting a more than sufficient amount of financial support for being in their position, even though they receive very little loving, prayful, vocal support and “good things” from those they serve?

II. If books were written giving the life stories of two well-known ministers, which one would you be most motivated to buy: (1) the thrilling account of a minister who worked long and hard, struggled through difficult financial times, lived in simple accommodations with a minimum of fanfare, but was responsible for leading many lost souls out of sin’s darkness into God’s marvelous light? Or, (2) the boring account of a privileged minister who had everything handed to him on a silver platter, who got the right breaks at the right time, who was able to rally many supporters, with the help of TV and a large publicity firm, who gave to him generously to support his life of luxury; becoming more known for the famous friends and supporters he ran around with than as a great soul winner?

Make your choices, and then explain why you feel that way.

LESSON FORTY-FIVE – (to be Posted 07/14/12 PM) **** (Posted 07/26/12)

I will cherish the old rugged cross…. (Galatians 6:11-18)

Verse 11: I decided to pen this closing in my own handwriting; and I want you to notice how large the letters are.

It appears that Paul dictated his letter up to this point to a trusted scribe, whose penmanship made the letter easier to read. But now Paul wanted to put his personal stamp on this passionate epistle to the Galatian believers whom he loved and suffered for. His mention of writing in large letter suggests to some scholars that Paul suffered from poor eyesight. Therefore, he needed to write large script in order to see it himself. Still others believe that Paul deliberately wrote in larger script to ensure that the Galatians recognized who endorsed this letter, and could distinguish it from the scribe’s handwriting.

Either way, Paul mentions in 1Cor. 16:21; 2Th. 3:17; and Phil. 19 that he autographed all his letters in this manner. By authenticating each letter with his own handwriting, he wants to make sure they end on a personal note. This implies that whatever Paul wrote from that point on in each letter was just between friends. In so doing Paul offered proof of his affection for them; even though he was currently involved in ministry with a heavy work load, and was spreading the Gospel to others, he still took the time to sit down and dictate this lengthy epistle for their benefit.

175

Verses 12-13: Believe me; I’m aware there are people in your midst wanting to get you back to performing religious rituals and following regulations. But I must tell you, they have an ulterior motive: they are simply trying to avoid the persecution that comes from believing in Christ and the cross as the only true way to salvation. I think you should also know, these same people who claim to observe all the religious rituals and follow all the regulations, themselves are incapable of doing it to perfection. All they’re really after are bragging rights that they finally convinced you to get circumcised and can count you as their disciples.

Paul begins by privately confiding in them his real feelings about these Judaizers. Much like a father cautions his daughter about some man she met, or a mother warns her son about a woman he's dating; Paul does not hesitate to tell the Galatian believers that these “so called” teachers are really scoundrels operating with hidden agendas. They are only interested in how they, the teachers, look to others, especially the higher-ups in the Jewish community. They don't want the rabbis and other Jewish leaders turning against them and treating them as outcasts; making them unwelcomed to visit their synagogues.

Today we call this being two-faced, or even disingenuous. Even more than that by forcing these Gentile believers to be circumcised under Jewish Law; and by demanding they follow all the religious rituals and regulations they supposedly believed in, but they themselves do not obey flawlessly, Paul exposes their hypocrisy. Again, we have an expression today that comes very close to this type of approach: “Don't do as I do, do as I say do.” So often when religious leaders are caught doing exactly what they tell others not to do; or fail to do what they insist every believer should do, they always come up with some kind of excuse that exempts them from such requirements. This same type of emphasis on requiring one thing for their followers, while exempting themselves, continues to the present.

I remember years ago attending an international conference of the denomination I was serving in at the time. Up to that point they vigorously enforced a set of practical teachings that included forbidding the wearing of jewelry and make-up, especially for women. Some women got upset because the men could wear diamond studded tie pins with no convictions. At this convention the legislative body of ordained ministers voted to temper these restrictions. That was in a morning session. Once the measure was passed, by the afternoon session the transformation was dramatic. The ladies came in with earrings, diamonds on their fingers and lipstick of all colors.

Needless to say, the old-timers who were still strongly in favor of keeping these restrictions were devastated. Many of them had excommunicated members over the years for doing exactly the same thing. One of them was heard to say that he believed these ladies had all of this jewelry and cosmetics stowed away in their dresser drawers for years, just waiting for this day to come.

Paul also touches on what we might call “token adherence” to these strict laws. It was done to please man, not God. It was also performed by motivation of the sinful-self, not the spiritual oneness with Christ. It was the “in” thing to do so as to avoid undergoing criticism and possible sanction by church authorities. However, it also proved to be one of the most persistent causes for arguments, disputes, debates, controversies, and disharmony in the church.

Those who championed such spiritual legalism pretended to be motivated by standing up for and encouraging Christians to follow the practical teachings of holy living. In reality, however, Paul saw it as their selfish attempt to seek commendation for being such champions of their version of holiness. Every convert they convinced to give up things they felt were against the church earned them badges of honor; with each newly persuaded believer becoming an accomplishment to list in their résumés.

Paul saw another twist to this irony, in that these Judaizers were not offering conformity to Mosaic Law as an option, they were “compelling” the Gentile believers to comply. In other words, in order for these Christians to be accepted by them and counted among the saints, they were being forced to do these things whether they were convicted by the Holy Spirit or not. You cannot find more unhappy

176

Christians than those forced to abide by some teaching they themselves are not convinced of based on the Word of God or the Holy Spirit.

No wonder Paul became outraged. These Judaizers might as well be saying, “The blood of Jesus is not strong enough to wash away all your sins, so add this ingredient to make it more powerful. Or, “Jesus’ faithfulness to the will of the Father did not go far enough, so walk this extra mile to ensure that what Jesus did becomes more potent.” Could it be, that the voice that spoke out of the sky and the dove that came down to identify Jesus as the Messiah were not convincing enough; that the nail prints in His hands and empty grave were insufficient proof of His being the Christ; so they decided to put Moses’ tablets in one hand and Aaron’s rod in the other to make Jesus a more imposing figure?

Verse 14: As far as I’m concerned, the only thing I ever want to be proud of is the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because through that cross what the world has to offer died a long time ago, and any interest I had in the world died along with it.

By this time in his life, Paul knew that because of his spectacular conversion on the road to Damascus, and through his ministry that touched the lives of many people—bringing changes to his world never seen before; he had every reason to point to these as trophies, and title as “Best New Reformer.” But unlike the Judaizers, Paul saw no purpose in bragging about it because it wasn't by his power or authority or talent that this occurred, but by the power and authority of the One who called and ordained him.

For Paul, what really counted was the work that Christ did to change the world forever; the One who willingly took our place on the cross of Calvary; and who freed us from the obligations under the old Mosaic Law to work out our own salvation. Paul did not reside in the old sinful world of the flesh any longer; he now lived in a new spiritual world as a new creation in Christ Jesus, and everything he does and thinks and feels and experiences is new.

As a rebuff to the attitude and pride of the Judaizers, Paul lets the Galatian believers know that his purpose for writing this letter, giving an account of his missionary labors among them, did not cause him to take pride in what he did; his status among them as an Apostle did not lure him into thinking that he was someone special; he only cared about one thing: to transform the cross of Jesus Christ from being an instrument of suffering into an icon of salvation. Because of that cross he was able to shake off any lingering interest in pleasing his sinful-self by what the world offered. But furthermore, the world lost any power it had in tempting him with anything the old sinful-self may desire.

No doubt this declaration about the cross made some of the Galatian believers shake their heads as they heard it read. How could anyone look at such a disgusting instrument of torture for criminals and say they feel great in boasting about it? What more shameful and humiliating way could anyone die than on a despised cross? Wouldn't Paul have more reason to boast if Christ had come down off the cross proving His divinity and royalty?

Among Romans, whom Paul claimed to be a fellow citizen, even the mention of the word “cross” was seen as profanity. To them it was an instrument of torture meant to bring the worst of criminals to the zenith of pain before dying in infamy. They always inferred that it was the product of barbarians, but never gave a reason as to why they adopted it. Nonetheless, in Paul's mind Christ's death on the cross transformed it from the emblem of shame into the epitome of Shekinah glory.

The Romans may not have invented crucifixion as a method of execution, but they sure went on to perfect it. In the History of Herodotus, the Greek historian tells how the Persians were the first to impale (crucify) their victims (Herodotus 1:128; 3:125; 3:132; 4:43; 4:103; 6:30; 7:194; 7:238; 9:78). Herodotus reveals that King Dareios (Darius mentioned in the Books of Ezra, Daniel, Haggai and Zechariah) had 3000 Babylonians crucified in about 519 B.C. (3:159). The sources reveal that, two centuries later, Alexander the Great also used crucifixion in his conquests. For example in his History

177

of Alexander, Curtius Rufus tells us that Alexander had 2000 citizens of Tyre crucified after he captured that city (4:4.17).

The Romans eventually conquered the Greeks (Carthaginians) and it was from them that the Romans probably adopted crucifixion as capital punishment. However, as the Romans themselves were fond of noting, crucifixion was also used by many "barbarian" peoples, such as Indians, the Assyrians, the Scythians, and the Celts. It was also later used by the Germans and the Brits (See Martin Hengel, Crucifixion, trans. John Bowden (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1977), 22-23). – From “Crucifixion in the Ancient World” by Dr. Richard P. Bucher.

Perhaps Paul hoped that the Jewish believers in Galatia would get his point quicker. After all, the Gentiles might wonder why they were asked to respect a lamb that was slain upon the altar in the temple, whose blood was poured out on the altar and then sprinkled on the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies behind the curtain. But maybe, just maybe, the Gentiles could be persuaded that lamb on the altar in the courtyard was now the Lamb on the cross on Calvary, slain for the forgiveness of sins; and whose blood covered those sins, blotting them out from God's view so He could not bring them up in judgment.

Certainly Paul knew the Galatians, or anyone else who read this letter, would not mistake his statement as admiration for the cross as an instrument of torture. But they may wonder what he saw to praise in two pieces of rough lumber bound together so that both hands and feet could be tied or nailed to it; so the person hanging there would die a slow, painful death. We might ask ourselves if there could be anything in the image of Christ on the cross that might speak to our generation today, helping them grasp the true meaning of the cross that believers see by faith.

Let me offer this: When looking at Jesus crucified on the cross with his arms stretched out to the right and left and his body hanging straight down, it forms the letter “Y.” This reminds us of the first letter in the word “Yeshua,” which in Hebrew means “Messiah or Savior.” “But wait a minute,” someone might say, “wouldn't anyone being crucified on a cross that way form the letter “Y”? Perhaps they would, and there were those thought to be the Messiah before Jesus came, and some after He left who died similar deaths. Nevertheless, here's the deciding factor, line them all up and see which one God raised from the dead; find the One who ascended into heaven and is at the right hand of the Father; ask which one will return as King of kings and LORD of lords and you'll see it is only Jesus of Nazareth; the Jesus Paul knew; the Jesus Paul preached.

Let me offer one more example of the power the image of the cross exerts on those who believe. I’m sure you know that distance in the universe is measured by light years. That’s using the speed of light travelling at 186,000 miles per second. Now our closest star, the Proxima Centauri, is 4.2 light years away from earth; so when you look up at that star at night, the light you see entering your eyes started out toward earth over 4.2 years ago traveling over 25 trillion miles at 669,600,000 miles per hour.

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap020715.html

But let’s look out 16 million times farther (I confess I’m not a mathematician, so if anyone can more accurately calculate this for me I’d appreciate it), in space to the famous Whirlpool Galaxy, about 31 million light years away. That means the light we see tonight started out toward earth 31 million years ago. At the center of the Whirlpool Galaxy is a large white area, almost like an eye, and what you are about to see in that circle has existed for billions and billions of earth years, and it should make your heart jump for joy and your eyes and mouth open wide in praise. Take a look!

http://www.myspace.com/inlovewiththesaviour/photos/45755502

What an impact this has on the scripture that speaks of “the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world” (Rev. 13:8). No wonder the cross meant so much to Paul. Today it adorns the steeples of

178

churches around the world; dangles on chains around millions of necks; is worn on lapels with pride; and imprinted on the covers over Bibles in every language on earth.

Paul wasn't through yet. He also compares his motives with those of the Judaizers. They wanted bragging rights in order to gain favor with God based on their good deeds and obedience to religious rituals and regulations. In so doing these legalists rejected Christ's work on the cross as inadequate. It's obvious they could not glory in the cross of Christ, because it did not meet their specifications of providing salvation without their good deeds.

But Paul announced that his motivation in accepting the death and resurrection of Jesus was to glorify what Jesus did to secure our salvation. Paul told them earlier in Gal. 5:24 that those who identify with Christ Jesus have in so doing crucified their sinful-self with Him on the cross. Therefore, those things that people like the Judaizers wrestle with and try to compensate for through the work of their hands, no longer affect the true believer.

For Paul, one of the clearest signs of worldliness was living the good life in the flesh; gaining fame and fortune and favor with mankind because of one’s accomplishments, without giving God any time or thought. Worldliness was not just wearing makeup, dressing fancy, going to forms of entertainment of a carnal nature, smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol and gambling; it was when all these things were done for pride and to show off one's esteemed level of success as captains of their own souls. Paul says I died to all of that, and the attraction of all those things died to me. Now I'm attracted to just one thing, and proudly identify myself with it, and that is the self-sacrifice of Christ as my Savior on the cross.

Verses 15-16: Believe me, getting involved in religious rituals and regulations should not interest you anymore. What should really count is that you are now a new creation. So I pray that God will have mercy and bring peace to everyone who accepts this truth; yes, may God bless all those in the New Israel with His mercy and peace.

None of these things really matter, says Paul. Even if you do allow yourself to be circumcised, wash your hands the right way and participate in all the “do good” laws and ceremonies; they mean nothing to whether or not you are saved. What really matters is, you are a new creature in Christ Jesus. That's what counts! When you consider your obedience to God in following His will and doing all the things He asks of you, it must start from the moment you became a new creation through the power of what Jesus did on the cross. If you follow this simple rule: “you must be born again,” then the mercy of God and the peace of our Lord Jesus will easily identify you as a member of a unique tribe called the New Israel.

Paul's use of the phrase “new creation” does not imply that any part of an individual's body is renewed to start over and thereby live longer. Rather, it speaks of an internal awakening of the person's spirit, long dormant and out of contact with God, being brought to life by the Holy Spirit in order for the individual to once again communicate with God on a spiritual level. The new creature becomes the new person inside one's flesh.

As such, it affects all mankind’s faculties once under the control of the old nature. The heart, the soul, the mind, and even the body are affected. The individual sees with a new light and starts living a new life, discovering a new kind of love, new desires, new joys, new comforts and a new purpose for living. Did Paul regret his old man being crucified with Christ? Absolutely not! The old self had to die in order for the new self to be resurrected by the Spirit.

This new creature living this new life and walking on the new way, now sings new songs, drinks new wine, speaks with new tongues, and calls God by a new name under a new covenant; they also look forward to a new body in the resurrection, a new heaven and a new earth with a new Jerusalem. Paul told the Roman believers, “When we were submerged in water at baptism, it was like we were being

179

buried just as Christ was; and just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also are raised to live new lives” (Rom. 6:4).

Possibly with a little touch of sadness Paul brings his letter to a close. Having started out his letter with grace and peace, he now concludes it with peace and mercy. What a wonderful blessing for those new creatures that make living for Christ their daily rule and aim. Furthermore, Paul offers this same blessing on all those who, while Jewish by birth, were now Christian by new birth.

Also, God’s promise to Abraham, that Paul spoke of before; is now extended to those heirs he calls the “New Israel;” who became God's children through the obedience of Christ on the cross. You can sense Paul's urging them to give up their daily standard and goal in life of earning salvation through their own efforts. He wants them to accept the new standard and goal of letting the works of Christ take care of their salvation, and get on with living free and filled with joy for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Verses 17-18: So from now on I don’t want anyone to bother me with these matters again. I have the scars in my body to show what it means to be totally dedicated to Jesus. So, my brothers and sisters, I pray that you will sense in your spirit that what I have written was inspired by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

In other words, Paul was not interested in anymore false charges being brought against him by the Judaizers. If the defense he laid out in this letter did not satisfy them then nothing would. He was tired of the debate, now it was up to them to decide. As far as Paul was concerned he had decided to follow Jesus and had no plans of turning back now.

Furthermore, if anyone doubted his allegiance to Christ, Paul offered as evidence of his commitment and dedication the “wounds” he suffered in defense of the Gospel. Paul refers to a custom practiced in his day where a mark caused by a nail, knife, or needle, or branded on the body of a slave bore the name or stamp of their master. Just as in the old west of the USA where cattle were branded to show who the owner was. But Paul was not indicating that Jesus required that all believers in Him be branded with the cross on their forehead or arm.

What Paul referred to were the marks of his beatings, jailing’s and persecutions he endured in honor of his Savior Jesus Christ. Did this make Paul especially proud or self-aggrandizing? No! How could his marks supersede the wounds in Jesus brow, face, hands, side, back and feet? Did he want to show these scars to God in order to receive special commendation or favor? No! No! Rather, they were marks he gladly bore in order to show mankind that he was serious about being an Apostle for the One who called him.

One of the stories I loved to hear my father tell, that I later used many times to close a sermon on the cross, involved a fire that broke out in an old apartment building on the poor side of town. By the time the fire fighters arrived the building was aflame with huge plumes of black smoke billowing through the roof and streaming out the windows. The heat was so intense that the gathering crowd had to stand far away from the increasing inferno.

Suddenly the fireman heard the crowd began yelling and pointing to a window on the top floor at the far corner of the building. There they saw a small boy frantically waving for help as he coughed and choked on the smoke and fumes that surrounded him. The fire trucks in those days were not as well equipped as today, so when the fire fighters tried to rescue the boy their ladder was not long enough to reach him, and they were unable to persuade him to jump. People in the crowd began to cry as they saw the flames getting closer and closer to the horrified young man.

All at once, a man ran out of the crowd; raced to the corner of the structure where there was a drain pipe that went up the side of the building, passing very close to the window where the terrified lad quivered with fear. Quickly the man began to scale the building holding onto the pipe, which by now was extremely hot. The people could see the man grabbing and letting go of the conduit quickly

180

because it was burning his hands. Nevertheless, he finally reached the boy; grabbed him with one arm; hoisting him onto his back, and then with the boy holding on for dear life the man repelled down the pipe just in time as the roof collapsed. The crowd gave him a heroic cheer that seemed to last forever.

Later it was determined that the boy’s parents perished in the fire, and no other family members could be found. So a judge decided to hold a custody hearing where couples without children could present their credentials and bid to become the new parents of this little chap. When the proceedings started, several couples attended, and spoke of their desire to take the boy in and raise him with love and care. One such couple involved a man who was a banker and his wife a school teacher. They struck the judge as being the most sincere, and certainly financially able, to give the boy a good upbringing, and would be the perfect couple.

However, before announcing his decision, he asked if there was anyone else in the court room who desired to offer anything that might persuade him to give them consideration. After a short pause, a man way in the back slowly stood up and said, “Yes, your honor, I’d like to be considered.” “And what do you have to offer that could persuade me to give the boy to you?” the judge asked. “This is all I have your honor,” and with that he raised his hands to show the scars of the burns he suffered as he climbed the drain pipe to save the boy’s life.

A hush settled over the courtroom, as the judge looked at the man who seemed to have very little that pointed to signs of wealth or education. The judge sat there for a moment as everyone held their breath, and the affluent couple looked at the floor while wringing their hands. Finally the judge spoke, “Of all the evidence I’ve seen, the man with the scars on his hands is the one with the greatest proof that he will love this boy and give him a good upbringing.”

Whenever I used this illustration I would ask the audience to imagine a scene where Satan roamed the earth (cf. Job 1:7) seeking whom he may devour (cf. 1Pe. 5:8). As they stood before the divine judgment seat God asks, “Is there anyone here who can give me any reason why I should save this person from the devil’s claws? As angels look at one another in silence, and archangels bow their heads, suddenly a man at God’s right-hand steps forward and replies, “I will.” “And what do you have to show Me that will convince Me that you will protect and care for this person?” Without hesitation, I can see Him raise His arms so God can see the nail scars in His hands. I can hear our heavenly Father exclaim with a tear of joy in His eye, “They are yours!” To some extent, this is the picture Paul wanted the Galatians to see.

In conclusion, Paul addresses his dear brothers and sisters with a prayer. He wanted his final words to be directed to the believer's spirit; not their homes, possessions, finances or positions, but their spirit. He had given a scathing rebuke of their going back into the old ways as being an insult to the generous love and mercy of God through Christ. But he wanted them to know that he did this out of love and in the spirit of God’s forgiving grace. Paul knew that if they grew and matured in spirit, all these other things would take care of themselves. Could there be any greater prayer or blessing on any believer today? To repeat what Paul said in verse 16: what a wonderful blessing is in store for all those new creatures that make living for Christ their daily rule and aim in life. Amen! Amen! And Amen!

If you are wondering what happened to the believers in Galatia after Paul wrote this letter, we find out that he secured mission offerings for them from the church in Corinth. But perhaps the two letters written by Peter, the man Paul confronted for being a hypocrite will give you a better idea. Although Bible scholars differ on the dates, the general consensus is that Peter’s letters to the Galatians came some 15 to 20 years after Paul’s Epistle.

Assignment: Examine Peter’s letters, in a modern version for easy reading, and make note of all the points he reaffirms that Paul made in his discourse. Note what Peter told the Galatians about never forgetting that it was the patience of God that provided the opportunity for them to be saved. Peter wrote, “This is what our dear brother Paul wrote you about, using the wisdom God gave him. He talks

181

about this subject in all his letters. Some things in his letters are hard for certain people to understand. So in their ignorance, and because they are not even sure what they themselves believe, they try to twist what Paul says in his letters the same way they distort the rest of the Scriptures, and this has surely destroyed their credibility” (2Pe 3:15-16).

To my students,

May God bless you and enrich you spiritually for taking the time and exerting the effort to study God’s Word; to better equip yourself as ones who rightly divide the Word of truth.

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

182