Latest / Journey Elgin / Journey Through Scripture- Gal 4-6
Transcript
- Phillip Thomas: Hey, it's good to see you today. My name is Philip Thomas, Pastor of Journey here in Elgin, Texas. And we are continuing our journey through scripture in chronological order. We're going to finish up ⁓ the letter to the church in Galatia today. So we'll be looking at Galatians ⁓ four, five, and six. ⁓ remember what Paul is ⁓ addressing specifically throughout this letter is the the group called the Judaizers who are trying to make it to to where ⁓ for Gentiles in order to become ⁓ Christians. They have to become Jewish first, right? So they need to be circumcised ⁓ first specifically. and Paul is having a major issue with that ⁓ and is really talking about ⁓ that it is by justification through faith in Christ alone, that you don't have to do this outside ritual. you you cannot save yourself, you cannot justify yourself. It is only in Christ alone. And so he feels like this teaching ⁓ is ⁓ just subverting the true message ⁓ of Christ. And so he's hammering it pretty hard. ⁓ he and he's you know compares ⁓ you know the Jews and Gentiles and and he acknowledges the differences. ⁓ but he gets to at the and this is actually in chapter three, ⁓ but leads right into chapter four, ⁓ verse twenty six, ⁓ for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And so So it's not the circumstance circumcision that's uniting you, it's the faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you who are baptized into Christ have put on Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. So you know, the Judaizers are saying, Hey, you know, it's it's good to be part of the chosen people, so get circumcised so you can be part of us. ⁓ Paul is saying No, what unites us is our faith in Christ and what Christ has done for us. ⁓ and then he gets into chapter four, and now that you are an heir, how you should live, right? And ⁓ it starts off, now I say that that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all. ⁓ and then he he continues, ⁓ and because you are sons, this is verse six, chapter four. God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, Abba, Father, therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. It's interesting that they use that word Abba, that that's actually in Aramaic. It's one of the few words that ⁓ were written in these letters that were in Aramaic, ⁓ not in Greek. Mm ⁓ the vast majority of the ⁓ letters in New Testament was written in Greek. ⁓ but this word was in Aramaic. and it's it's that term Abba Father, it it ⁓ equates an intimacy, a relationship ⁓ with God. ⁓ he is not just your master ⁓ as a master over a slave, he's not just a benevolent master ⁓ over a slave, he is your Abba Father, he has a relationship with you, and so just as God had an intimate relationship with ⁓ the people of Israel, he also has an intimate relationship ⁓ with those who believe in Christ. ⁓ and and then ⁓ Paul ⁓ kind of expresses some concerns that he has that he's fearful that the church in Galatia is going to listen to the Judaizers. ⁓ he says, but then indeed, this is verse eight, ⁓ but then indeed when you did not know God, you served those by nature are not gods. But now after you have known God, or or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to weak and biggerly beggarly cla elements to which you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days and months and seasons and years, I'm afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain. So he's like, Why do you want to go back to bondage? You've been free in Christ. Now you're wanting to to add ⁓ all of these the the the laws, the rituals on top of this. No, you are freed. You're freed by Christ. And the and at the end of that little section, verse 17, they zealously court you, but for no good. Yes, they want to exclude you that you may be zealous for them. But it is good to be zealous and a good thing a good thing always is And not only when I am present with you, my little children for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you, I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I have doubts about you. So, you know, Paul is very, very clear and said, I'm worried about that that you are not ⁓ holding on to the the true gospel message that you are going to be influenced ⁓ by these ⁓ individuals. He talks about ⁓ two covenants. ⁓ the ⁓ covenant that he he compares ⁓ Abraham having ⁓ Ishmael ⁓ and ⁓ Isaac, right? One ⁓ they took ⁓ into human hands, so Abraham ⁓ went and slept with his handmaiden Hagar ⁓ rather than trusting in God and then Isaac came from ⁓ trusting in God. ⁓ and he he kind of is ⁓ alluding to that here, that by ⁓ going back to ⁓ requiring circumcision, ⁓ that you're you're kind of choosing to do it your own way, that you're taking care of this rather than accepting the free gift ⁓ that God has ⁓ revealed through Christ. ⁓ chapter five talks a lot about freedom and liberty, ⁓ how we are freed ⁓ from the law. It says, Stan stand fast, therefore, in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage. I I Paul say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. You have become estranged from Christ. You who attempted to be justified by law, you have fallen from grace. For we th through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith, for in Christ Jesus neither circum Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything but faith working through love. So again, what is he he's saying here? You are you're free. You don't have to follow ⁓ those ⁓ rituals and especially the in addition to because it he knows that this leads this is more than just circumcision. is gonna go way beyond circumcision. This this would just be the start of it. And basically Paul is saying, you you're you're thinking that by being circumcised, you're gonna make yourself a little bit better or a little more favorable ⁓ or have a little bit more faith. ⁓ well that ⁓ that means you think that you're the one that is ⁓ it j you are justifying yourself rather than believing in what Christ has done and finding justification in him and him alone. ⁓ talks about in verse nine a little leaven ⁓ leavens the whole lump. Right? So he's saying okay, they're coming in and telling you this little thing that's different requiring circumcision, that can can ruin the whole thing, 'cause he knows where this ⁓ leads in verse thirteen, for you brethren have been called to liberty. Only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another, for all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this. You shall love your neighbor as yourself, but if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another. again, don't misuse your freedom, ⁓ but ⁓ use that freedom to serve and to love each other. ⁓ then he he talks about ⁓ the spirit and the flesh, ⁓ how they are ⁓ in constant tension with with each other. Says ⁓ walk in the spirit, this verse sixteen of chapter five, walk in the spirit, you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh, for the flesh lust against the spirit, the spirit against the flesh, and they're contrary to one another. and and so then he says, Well, here's the works of the flesh are evident, which are adultery, fornication, uncleanliness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousness, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambition, dissensions, heresies, envy, murder. ⁓ drunkenness, revelries, and the like. so he's saying those are the things of the flesh that we still have to battle against. And if and if we claim to be of the spirit, we should battle against those things. We should should push back against those human desires. And then verse twenty two but the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self control. ⁓ there is no law against such things, and those who are Christ ⁓ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit, not becoming conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. And so so you you don't do this to so that you're better than than others, but this is a a constant battle within yourself. You have to to recognize that that is that is always there. There's always going to be that temptation. And we have to choose to live by the Spirit. ⁓ it talks about ⁓ sharing burdens of other believers, right? ⁓ if a man is overtaken in any trespasses, verse ⁓ chapter six, verse one, you ⁓ you who are spiritual, restore such one in a spirit of gentleness, ⁓ considering yourself lest you also be temp tempted, right? So that when when those who are walking in the spirit or say they are walking in the spirit, begin walking in the flesh, ⁓ we should try to help restore them. ⁓ this this gets really sticky because we now live in a a culture that basically says if you disagree with how someone is living, then you do not love them and you do not care for them. And that is that is not true at all. ⁓ and and we should with gentleness try to restore. ⁓ that's becoming more and more difficult to do. ⁓ says ⁓ verse six, ⁓ chapter six, let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches. Talking about doing good, being generous. Do not be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh ⁓ will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the spirit ⁓ will the spirit reap everlasting life, and let us not grow weary while doing good. For we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially those who are of the household of faith. ⁓ you are not going to get away with mocking God. ⁓ you you're not going to get away with ⁓ with saying that you believe in God and then living ⁓ like the the culture ⁓ expects you to live that goes contrary to God's word. ⁓ eventually you will reap what you sow and we should constantly strive to do good. And by s by saying this, Paul acknowledges that sometimes it's hard. It it's you can be weary by trying to do good, but we continue to push forward ⁓ but and we do not lose heart. ⁓ the verse fifteen says, For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything but a new creation. Right. So again, Paul kind of summing up there, forget about the the ritual. It is about the new creation that we we are because of what Christ has done for us. Okay. We're going to stop there. ⁓ and then on ⁓ let's we're gonna read the letter of James. So it's James one through five. That's ⁓ it will be that'll be a pretty big chunk, but look we can we can do it. So James one through five on and we'll see you as we continue our journey through scripture.