“Legalism Vs Grace”
Galatians 5:2-6
06 Jan. 2013
Gal.5:2 Indeed
I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you
nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised
that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 You have become
estranged from Christ, you who attempt
to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For
we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor un-circumcision avails
anything, but faith working through love.
To keep us on the same page of
music; we must remember that Paul is writing this letter to the Galatian believers;
not non-Christians.
The problem is that the Judaizers
(false teachers) had taken control and were teaching that salvation comes
through faith in Jesus Christ plus the keeping of the Law.
The book of Galatians isn't addressing the issue
of "loss of salvation" as some have tried to say.
No, Paul is comparing the benefits of salvation by
contrasting the Law to God’s Grace.
Salvation is gained by God’s grace alone.
Throughout Galatians, Paul has
confirmed that there is only one way to heaven; and that it is by means of
God's grace and not man's feeble attempts of good works and keeping the Law.
Here Paul is once again
contrasting grace and the Law to show that there is only one means of salvation.
Sermon in a nutshell: You must
accept one and reject the other.
It is either law or grace; works
or faith; self-righteousness or the righteousness of God through Christ;
circumcision or Jesus Christ.
What the Galatians are in danger
of, is not losing their salvation: But of substituting the gift of grace for a salvation
by works of the Law.
Paul’s warning is that Christ is becoming of no effect to them.
Two week from now; when we look
at verse 7 we will compare the definition of "fallen" in verse
4 to verse 7 and it will become clearer that Paul is not telling them that they
are in danger of losing their salvation!
By trying to put themselves under
the law; they are throwing their personal bond with Christ under the bus!
That means they are being hindered or pulled off course and fruitless in their Christian walk.
Paul’s argument has always been; if
you could do anything to earn salvation then Christ death was for naught.
As a SBC we believe and teach
that salvation is totally by God's grace and not by one’s own works.
We are to stand on the word of God alone:
Ephesians 2:8-9: 8 For by grace you have been saved
through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9
not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Remember our study in Galatians
2:16,
"nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the
Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus,
that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law;
since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified."
How about Paul letter to Titus
3:5:
He (Jesus Christ) saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in
righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and
renewing by the Holy Spirit
As I shared with a former member:
The promise of salvation by one’s good works is an empty promise; because we
are not capable to saving anyone, not even ourselves.
Ask
yourself what is the benefits of grace for the believer
Read verse 5: For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the
hope of righteousness by faith.
1st looking at
verse 5; we find that Christ’s grace provides us with real hope for
righteousness.
Why is that important because only the righteous shall dwell with
the Heavenly Father?
The apostle Paul has shown that the hope for the true believer is Christ’s
righteousness not one’s own righteousness.
For the legalist; it is all about working their way to righteousness;
there is they have an eternal search for; what enough good works…
Believers are justified (meaning; declared "not guilty")
before God the moment they trusted in Christ as their Savior.
We as believers receive the attributes of the Savior righteousness
by faith when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
2ndly verse 5 seen to agree
that those living under the law have no assurance
that God will declare them righteous.
Let’s look at 2 Corinthians 5:21 He (God) made Him
who knew no sin (Jesus Christ) to be sin on our behalf; that we might become
(put on) the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ.
3rdly Paul tells us that through grace we don't have to
hope in our own abilities to be righteous; because the Holy Spirit begins the
transformation of the new believer into the likeness of Jesus Christ: Beloved
we will be completely righteous when Christ returns for His own.
Philippians
1:6,
"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work
in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."
In contrast with the legalists;
who trust in their good works, the Christian trust is in God’s grace by faith
(not works) and so we eagerly await the finish work of our salvation when the
righteousness for which we hope will be fully realized.
At the coming of Christ all believers will be completely conformed
unto all the requirements of God's Devine will.
The legalist has; a "hope-so" based faith that is established
on having done enough to earn their salvation.
The believer has a "relationship based hope" knowing
that God is working in them daily until Christ comes to take us home.
Hear me; as believers, we are to have a “know-so” faith manifesting
itself in the knowledge of Christ in our daily lives.
Verse 6 is a part of our assurance
that faith manifests itself in the believer's daily life! 6: For in
Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor un-circumcision avails anything, but faith
working through love.
Paul simply points out that circumcision conveys no spiritual
blessing it just ties one to the Law.
1st) Circumcision and dietary requirements of the Law have
nothing to do with a person's personal relationship with God as they are works
of the flesh.
2nd) What God is seeking is our personal trust and
commitment to Jesus Christ for their salvation.
When we put our faith in Christ; such faith will always manifest
itself in our behavior and lead us into good works.
Good works that are a living faith expresses itself in love! As Paul says: "but faith working
through love"
Someone wrote: Love does not add anything to faith, but simply
gives it a base to operate from.
Our faith is based on Christ’s love and His works
through love; and such love is encouraged by God’s grace, not by the law.
Scripture
say in 1 John 4:19:
We love him, because he first loved us.
How
do we apply all this to our lives in 2013: We are to
share Christ’s love with believers and non-believers alike!
We are to share that it is God who first loved us and gave His only
begotten Son for us and for, the-who-so-ever.
