OK, if you wish to follow along,
Galatians chapter 2 again. Galatians chapter 2. And what
I want to do is read from verse 11 down through verse 21 so that
we might have, again, the context of exactly what was taking place
here and the reason why Paul gave the words or I was actually
repeating the words to the churches of Galatia. Now what this is
going to be this morning is an overview, a brief overview. I
did not say my message would be brief. I said the overview
would be brief. So let's go to the context, Galatians
2 verse 11. But when Peter was come to Antioch,
I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
For before that certain came from James, He did eat with the
Gentiles. But when they were come, he withdrew
and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him, insomuch that
Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But
when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth
of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all. Now this is
it, Paul is repeating what he said to Peter in the presence
of everyone else at Antioch on this day. If thou, being a Jew,
livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compelst
thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? We who are Jews
by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a
man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith
of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that
we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the
works of the law, for by the works of the law shall no flesh
be justified. But if, while we seek to be justified
by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore
Christ the minister of sin? God forbid, for if I build again
the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I, through the law, am dead
to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with
Christ. Nevertheless, I live. Yet not
I, but Christ liveth in me. In the life which I now live,
in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved
me and gave himself for me. And then Paul concluded what
he told Peter and the rest of the folks at Antioch. I do not
frustrate the grace of God. For if righteousness, this is
strong language, for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ
is dead in vain. My title, though I'm not going
to deal with the ramifications of the title itself at great
length, my title is The Crime of legalism, the crime of legalism. Now, not the crime of the law,
but the crime of legalism. Now, legalism is no mere peccadillo. Do you know what I mean? You
understand what I mean? It's no mere peccadillo. It's
not a petty crime. We in the legal, not we, but
in legal circles, they speak of petty crimes, small, insignificant
crimes, crimes nonetheless, but things that can often be dealt
with through agreements and no necessary jail time or something
of that matter. But listen to me, legalism is
no mere peccadillo. Legalism is not just a petty
crime. Here's why, and this is summing
up everything Paul said to Peter and the people at Antioch, and
that he wrote to the churches of Galatia, and that God has
for us in this day. Legalism insults God's Christ. Legalism insults God's Christ. So much so that Paul summed up
what he said. At least that in which the spirit
was mindful that we needed to hear. Paul may have said more,
I don't know. But this is what we needed to
hear. I do not frustrate the grace of God. For if righteousness
come by the law, Christ died for nothing. That's what he's
saying. Christ died for nothing. But
before I go any further, and there's more to it than this,
but this will give us mainly what we've seen in the whole
context of this letter up till now. Legalism equals this. Any
perversion of Christ's gospel. Paul said that in Galatians 1,
6-9. That's what legal, any perversion of Christ's gospel. So legalism
is perversion. perversion. Also this, it's any
subjugation of a believer to ritual law, chapter two, verses
three through five, and particularly circumcision. But any, any ritual
law. It doesn't even have to be a
Mosaic law. But to subjugate a believer to
any ritual law, chapter two, verses three through five. Legalism
is also this, any legal separation amidst Christ's body, a schism
based upon legalism, chapter two, verses 11 through 14. There's
also legalism, and this gets into our context. Legalism is
this, law deeds done for justification. Galatians 2, verse 16, Galatians
2, verse 21. And to sum it up, Paul put it
this way. Any legal act for sanctification after salvation, Galatians 2,
verses 20, all the way through chapter three, verse three. Though
the word sanctification is not mentioned, that is the word itself,
Paul begins by questioning Peter of how you what? Live. Live, that deals with being set
apart unto God, how you live. This is something that the legalist
really lays hold of. The legalist may not deny the
necessity of Jesus Christ, but something else must be present
with him, they say. But let's go on. Now think about
this. According to the context of what
Paul wrote here and what he said to Peter, and what he said to
Barnabas, and what he said to the rest of the folks at Antioch,
to any that were carried away with their hypocrisy, or as warning
to those who had not been carried away, and as warning to us today. As believers, we not only trust
Christ, but we reject law deeds as well for justification. Do you hear what Paul's saying
here? Thousands trust in Jesus. Thousands may even trust the
Lord Jesus, but they have not totally evacuated themselves
from legal deeds for sanctification, justification, righteousness,
acceptance, or whatever it might be. This is not what is taught
in most places. It's always trust Christ only,
but they fear saying reject legal deeds for justification before
God. Paul says, we who are Jews, and
we're not like these old Gentile sinners, we know that a man is
not justified by the works of the law. We know that. Why? Because if you don't know that,
you're not saved. That's the whole point. That's
the whole point. We see the doctrine of that in
our text. We also read the doctrine of
that, and turn with me. I've mentioned it over and over
again, but turn to Romans 3. We see the doctrine of this truth
stated by Paul most ably in Romans chapter 3. And here's what Paul
wrote, Romans 3 verse 19. Now we know. Now not everybody
knows this, but God's people know this, okay? Now we know,
verse 19 of chapter three of Romans, now we know that what
things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under
the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world
may become guilty before God. Therefore, by the deeds of the
law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight. For by the law is the knowledge
of sin. You see it? But this is not just
some new thing. This is not something Paul came
up with on his own, for he continues. But now, the righteousness of
God without the law. Now that's without the law on
our part whatsoever. If it doesn't mean that, then
Jack, it has no meaning whatsoever. But now the righteousness of
God, I'm sorry, without the law is manifested, being witnessed. That's even past tense, do you
see it? Being witnessed by the law itself.
Now I added that, but by the law itself and the prophets themselves.
They teach us this. This is no New Testament doctrine.
It's no New Testament doctrine. That without law is manifest,
being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness
of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon
all them that believe, for there is no difference, for all have
sinned and come short of the glory of God. So if righteousness
were by the law, then you cannot have one fault. Because it doesn't say for all
our sinning, though that's true. But that's not even the doctrinal
point. The doctrinal point, we've all
sinned, so we've already, Jack, broken the law from the get-go. From the get-go. But now let's
see the experience of this. Turn to Philippians. Philippians
chapter three. We're gonna see the experience
of this. Philippians chapter three. Remember, I said as believers,
we not only trust Christ, but we reject law deeds. We reject
law deeds. These two things go hand in hand.
This is why our world is filled with so-called Christians. They
believe in Jesus, but they're trying to keep the Ten Commandments.
Here's the experience of it. Now listen to Paul. Philippians
three, we'll just begin in verse four. Or, I'm sorry, though I might
also have confidence in the flesh. And as I said, we're going, this
is an overview. We're skimming across the top.
I already have five messages ready from these verses to give
you already. So I may jump ahead in my own
mind and words. Though I might have confidence
in the flesh, if any other man thinketh that he hath whereof
he might trust in the flesh, I got more. Highmore circumcised
the eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin,
and Hebrew of Hebrews, as touching the law of Pharisee. He's already
left me far behind. Far behind, okay? But look, concerning
zeal, persecuting the church, touching the righteousness which
is in the law, blameless, blameless. Now, but look at it, but what
things were gained to me, now here you see them joined hand
in hand. Those I counted loss, do you see it? But what things
were gained to me, those I counted loss for Christ. So rejecting
all this went hand in hand with trusting Christ. You can't trust
Christ and hang on to the rest. That's what he is. He's given
us the doctrine in his experience now. Now, let's go on. What things
were gained to me, those I counted lost for Christ. Yea, doubtless. There is no argument here. Now,
somebody says, well, I don't believe that way. Yes, but Paul
did. And he was a true born again
believer. Yea, doubtless, and I count all
things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus
my Lord, for whom I've suffered the loss of all things. Do you
see it? They go again, hand, in, hand. Look. Yea, doubtless, and I count
all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus
my Lord, for whom I've suffered the loss of all things. Here's
how Paul felt about it. And do count them but dung. Do you see that? That's strong
language. And do count them but dung, that
I may win Christ. But just so, there is no misunderstanding
amongst us. And to be found in him, not having
mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which
is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of
God, by faith. Do you see that? So again, I
say as believers, we not only trust Christ, but we reject law
deeds. I will go so far as to say, we
will look at more of these verses in Galatians. We'll look at more
detail later. We reject even moral deeds. That's right. We reject moral
deeds for righteousness before God. We do not reject morality,
but we reject them for righteousness before God, because we know that
it's already been well established that even our righteousnesses
are as filthy rags, menses cloths in God's sight. Now God's people,
now listen to me now, God's people may speak about the law, but
we do not preach the law. Somebody says you're mincing
words. You bet your bottom dollar I'm mincing words. God's people
may speak about the law. I can go so far as to say we
do speak about the law, but we do not preach the law. We preach
Christ. Declaring a man's corruption,
now think about this. Declaring a man or a woman's
corruption is not preaching law. Noah was a preacher of what?
Righteousness. Noah was a preacher of righteousness. So if you're preaching righteousness,
by default it means something is what? Unrighteous. And yet the law had not yet been
given. Noah didn't even know what the
Ten Commandments were, but he was still preaching righteousness
and condemning the world around him because of their unrighteousness. And that's clearly stated by
Paul. You can turn to it if you wish, but I'm gonna start reading.
Romans 5 verse 12, wherefore, as by one man sin entered into
the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all
men for that all have sinned. From the get-go, we sinned in
Adam. But look, for until the law,
sin was in the world. But sin is not imputed when there
is no law. There was no law when Adam sinned. He had one prohibition. And that
was it. And he didn't keep that. How
much more so we, since we're in the opposite side of the fall. But look at what it says. Nevertheless,
death reigned from Adam to Moses. You see it? So preaching man's
corruption is not even teaching the law. It is telling the truth
about man. The law simply came alongside
of these things and said, here's what sin is. Here it is defined. So again, declaring man's corruption
is not preaching law. Man's corruption preceded the
law. The law defines what sin is. And Paul's already kind of been
in Romans 7 verse 7. I would not have known what lust
was, except the law called it what it is. You see it? But he
still knew that lust was wrong. You understand? Even Cain knew
that what he did was wrong and cried out, my punishment is more
than I can bear. Why? Because he was corrupt down
inside. And he didn't have to have the
law to show him it was wrong. He just had to have this in here,
let him know he was wrong. You know, the law, as I said,
the law defines what sin is. But turn to Psalm 22. And the law, the law defines
what sin is. And the law can show us how sinful
sin is. I mean, you go, and I don't mean
to be too blunt, strike that, yeah, I guess I mean to be very
blunt. The law says that a man's not to lay with a beast. This
don't mean not to let your dog sleep on your bed. It means to
have sexual relations with a beast. That's pretty sinful, right?
It's clear. There is no doubt, okay? But
you wanna know how criminal sin is? You wanna know how criminal
sin is? Listen to this one verse. Psalm
22, verse one. And consider who is speaking
here. The blessed Lord Jesus Christ,
who did no sin. He knew no sin, and in him was
no sin, okay? And yet he cried out this, my
God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Now evidently something's
quite criminal here, is it not? He went on and said, why art
thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring? What I am trying to say is the
law may define sin for us, but the cross of Calvary shows us
how criminal sin really is. Because if the holy God The holy
God the Father would turn his back on the Holy Son when he
seen sin on his son, not even being his own, but our sin on
him. God the Father turned his back
on the Son. Evidently sin is quite criminal,
Jack, quite criminal. Now in our text, pardon me, in our text, What Paul said to
Peter, and to the rest of the church in Antioch, and what he's
repeating to the churches of Galatia, and what he's repeating
to us is this. It's simple enough. In our text,
Paul asks two questions. Just two questions here, isn't
it? You can read it for yourself. Did you ever stop and just say,
Paul asks two questions here. But Paul answered both questions. Think about it, he did not give
Peter a breath to jump in with a whale butt. But what about? You see what I'm saying? Think
about it. In our text, Paul asks and answers two questions. The first question was directly
to Peter. Paul gave Peter and all the others
the answer, and here it was. But when I saw, verse 14 of Galatians
2, but when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the
truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, if you
being a Jew, and we will look at this, this is amazing, go
back and get your Strong's Concordance and look at, he uses this word
Jew three times. Granted, they all come from the
same basic Greek word, but they have slightly different meanings,
and we will deal with that in detail later. If thou being a
Jew, livest after the manner of the Gentiles. You've been
living like the Gentile believers live. Now, not like, Jack, unbelieving
Gentiles. Not like idolatrous Gentiles. But born again, believing Gentiles,
okay? If you being a Jew, livest after
the manner of the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, you have,
you've basically counted some things but done, doesn't matter.
I just believe God. I'm serving Jesus Christ. I'm
believing Jesus Christ. These Gentile believers are my
brothers and sisters. And then circumcisors, Judaizers
walk in and he causes a schism. a break in the body, and he moves
away from his Gentile brothers and sisters and moves over here
with these Gentile circumcisors, so much so that a bunch of others
were carried away with it, and a schism came to the church at
Antioch. When I saw they walked not uprightly
according the truth of the gospel I said unto Peter before them
all if you being a Jew livest after the battle of the Gentiles
and not as do the Jews Why do you compel the Gentiles to live
like the Jews do why? It's hypocrisy But here's why
notice. Yes. I almost take it Paul that
he didn't even give Peter a chance to take a breath to say something
He answered the question himself, because first of all, I know,
when we're first caught, what's the first thing we try to do?
Self-justify. And just like Paul didn't allow
the Judaizers, no, not for an hour, he didn't give Peter a
time to breathe and speak. He said these words, we, who
are Jews by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles. We have some
background, that's what he said. We have the holy scriptures.
We have the word of God. We have the tabernacle, we have
the old temple, we have the new temple, we've even got Herod's
temple. We do what God's told us to do. We are Jews by nature
and not sinners of the Gentiles. We're not like those old idolaters,
immoral people. But even we know that a man is
not justified by the works of the law, but we're justified
how? Now listen to me. Not by faith
in Jesus Christ, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. I did a study
while I was doing some of these messages. And I will stop just
for a moment. It is said that there are around
900 translations of the Bible. but they are already wrong because
many of them are not translations. Now if you have a Bible in your
lap this morning and you're looking at it and it does not use the
word, the faith of Jesus Christ, you don't have a translation.
You have nothing no better than the Amplified Bible. You have
nothing better than just a commentary written by some man. Basically,
when it comes to the Word of God, you can take that, it's
not even a translation. You can take that so-called Bible
and set it right there and say, I cannot depend upon it at all. Because if it says anything other
than Jesus Christ's own personal faith, it's not only a mistranslation,
but it is a misdirection. And that's the whole point. Knowing
that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by
the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ,
that we may be justified not by our believing in him, but
by his faith. Somebody says, that's your take.
No, thus saith a translation. I'm not saying the King James
is the only translation, but it is a translation. It is. I have the Greek New Testament
at my house, not the originals, of course, but I have them and
I can lay them out word for word what is in the King James Version,
and it's exactly that. The faith of Jesus Christ. Now, God willing, later, as we
look at some of these things in detail, I will read you some
of these other translations. The Aramaic translation is amazing,
amazing. Look, knowing that a man is not
justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus
Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might
be justified by the faith of Jesus Christ, and not by the
works of the law, for by the works of the law shall no flesh
be justified. Asked, answered. Right? Question asked, question answered. Paul didn't wait. Think about
it. He didn't wait for a reply from Peter. Let me give Peter
time to think this out. But, you see that verse 17? You see it? He didn't even give
him time for another breath. But, if we, I'm sorry, but if
while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also
are found sinners. Is therefore Christ, there's
the second question. Is therefore Christ the minister
of sin? What's Paul's answer? God forbid. Absolutely not. It will never
be so. So again, remember, the first
question, Paul asked it, Paul answered it. The second question
now actually indicts legalism as the crime that it truly is. You hear what I just said? I
said this second question, it indicts legalism for the crime
that legalism is, not immorality, not unrighteousness, but self-righteousness. Do you see it? This second question
again, I emphasize that, indicts legalism as the crime it truly
is. Think about it, just a couple
things here. Paul's question, that is this second question.
God willing, we'll go back and look at both of these questions
in more detail later. Overview right now. Paul's second
question involves, think about it, his second question involves
the legalist's own objection to free reign in grace. If it's
all Christ and you sin, then who is responsible for your sin? Must be Jesus Christ. You ever
heard that? Well, if I believe that, I'd
sin all I want. It's the same thing, just worded a different
way. Paul's using their own, the legalist's own objection
in the question that he's asking Peter, Barnabas, the church at
Antioch, the Galatian churches, and us today. But if while we
seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners. Is Christ the problem? Is Christ
alone the problem? Is all that free reigning grace,
is that what the problem really is? What was Paul's answer? Two
words, absolutely not. God forbid, do you see it? God
forbid. So again, I say this first point
under this, this second question. Paul's question involves a legalist's
own objection to free reign and grace, and he resoundedly answers
these words, God forbid, and I have to give you this. I was
listening to a message by Henry Mahan. Of course, he preached
it years ago. Henry's gone on now. He said
this was Paul's way of cussing. God forbid, you know. Now, he wasn't going to cuss
and swear. God forbid. God forbid. Now, a couple of
faults on this. Here's the first one, just two.
The legalist says Christ only makes Christ to be at fault if
we're sinning. Now, do they not? Is that not
the same thing, the same accusation they make today? If I believed
that, I'd go out and sin all I wanted. Well, if you do, it's
because you believe wrongly. You might believe that statement,
you might believe that doctrine, but if you do, your belief is
a wrong belief. The legalist says Christ only
makes Christ to be at fault for our sinning. Paul says the answer
is this, God forbid we blame Christ. That's what he's saying. God forbid we blame Christ. But now look at Paul's words
about this God, look at why this is so. Think about it. Paul's
God forbid answer, that's his answer. God forbid, the rest
of it is not more answer, it is a response to him saying God
forbid, we do not blame Christ. God's, Paul's God forbid answer
is followed by two gospel facts and they're predicated by the
word for. There are two times, he says
four. Now let's read it and then we'll look back at it. But if
while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also
are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God
forbid, four. There's the first doctrinal,
scriptural, gospel fact, four. If I build again the things which
I destroyed, who's at fault? I am. I make myself a transgressor. But think of it, it's a specific
fault here. He didn't say, for if I go out
and commit fornication, I make myself a transgressor. Now, did
he? Oh, he said, if I build again
the things which I destroyed. Now, I know some people try to,
some commentaries, well, they go, well, if you were a fornicator,
you're not anymore. They go from this to stay in
the context. He's talking about legal deeds,
legal rituals, legal righteousness. Now, he is not suggesting that
if I am a believer and I commit fornication, who's at fault?
Christ? Free grace? Me. But that's not
the context here. Let's stay with the context here. Let's stay with the two questions
that were asked by Paul, and the two responses that were asked
by Paul, and then the two fours in response to his answer to
the second question. For if I build again the things
which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. Let me try to
sum it up in this way. Our problem as believers is when
we reconstruct legal deeds as our way of living, the legal,
the very legal deeds we at once, at one time, demolished, crushed
them. As the KJV puts it, it's fine,
we destroyed them. Paul said, I count them, but
what? D-U-N-G. He's not counting the law as
dung, no, but his legal deeds for righteousness. And he had
crushed that. I have no reliance on that. I rely solely and wholly on the
person and work of Jesus Christ. But if I start rebuilding all
those things, I make myself a transgressor. Now, as I said, more God willing
later, but here's the thought. Think about it. Our problem as
believers is when we reconstruct legal deeds as our way of living,
not just as our initial coming into grace, but as our way of
living. Do you see it? If we reconstruct
those very legal deeds that we once demolished, legalism makes
us criminal. We've placed ourself back under
bondage. We've placed ourself back under
do this and live, but you will not. You will not. So what will you feel? Death. That experience Paul was talking
about. Filling the guilt and trying and trying and feeling
good because you're trying, but then realizing you really didn't
cut it. Not if God's given you life. And then the guilt starts
all over again. It starts all over again. Why? Because you put yourself back
under the law. Because you're starting to reconstruct
what you've already tore down once before. And this is what he said. Is
Christ the minister of sin? God forbid, for, here's the first
problem. If I build again the things which
I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. Then he says another one. For
I through the law am dead to the law. Now if you're dead to
something, what's that mean? It's gone. There's no more union
to it. There's no more relationship
to it. It's gone. Now here's the thing, to the
thing that's dead, it's gone. What are we trying to say? For
I through the law, it doesn't say the law's dead. It does not
say the law, God never killed the law. He honored the law. He satisfied the law in the person
of his son. But we're dead to the law. You
see it? We're dead to the law. But if
we try to reestablish that relationship, That's called playing with the
dead. And they have a name for that.
Necromancy, is that what it's called? Necrophilia, nasty. You say preacher, that's unspeakable.
That's what Paul's saying. It's unspeakable, it's crazy,
it's hypocritical for a believer to have tore down legal deeds
for righteousness and then start reconstructing them again. All
you're doing is making yourself a transgressor. Why? For I through
the law am dead to the law that I might live unto God. So here's
that second thought. For the believer, our way of
living this life as a believer is to rely only and wholly and
solely upon Jesus Christ. Start, oh sorry for you all. middle and finish Do you hear
what I'm saying? start middle and finish This
is where I want to jump ahead and go directly to these things
themselves, but I will not do so this morning our way of living
this life as a believer is to rely upon Christ and somebody
says just That's too simple. No, it's impossible apart from
the grace of God. I And how was it that when God
first really began to save you, convert you, he shut you, every
time you'd say, but I did this, he'd shut you up. Now, did he
not? But I've done that, he'd shut you up. But Lord, how will
you receive me? I've done this. He says, shut
up. He said, it don't matter whether
it's a positive jack or a negative. None of these things have any
favor before God. My morality does not bring me
into union with God any more than my immorality. Because my
morality is immorality in God's sight. And when God truly starts to
show you that, that's when things begin to turn around. Now I know
this religious world is that's when you start to live better.
No, you got to live how? For I through the law am dead
to the law that I might live unto God. So how? Isn't that
your natural, how do I do this? Right? And you know what we generally,
you know what the flesh wants? Well start giving me the rules.
Number one, number two, and if this happens, number three, and
if that happens, number four, and something else, number five,
no, here it is. For I through the law am dead
to the law that I might live unto God. How did I die? How
did this death occur? For I am crucified with Christ. Do you see that? He represented
me when he died on that tree. Let me put it this way. He died
in such a way that it was me dying there. Do you see that? His union with me before I was
ever even united to Him. His union to me, put me to death
on the cross with Him. I am crucified with Christ. So
a death did occur, did it not? This is your one, two, three,
A, B, C, but notice it's nothing to do with us. See, we're left
out of the equation other than recipients of such marvelous
grace. You see it? And somebody says, but if? No,
there ain't no but ifs here. Don't reconstruct what you've
already tore down. Now, if you've never tore down
legal deeds, you got no problem staying in that old castle, do
you? Look, I am crucified with Christ. Hmm, but look at it.
Nevertheless, I live. Oh, okay, well now we're getting
to us, right? Yeah, we're getting to us, but
then look at what he says. Yet not. Do you see it? But Christ liveth in me. And this is not metaphorical,
this is just everyday common sense gospel language of substitution
and representation and leadership. I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless
I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life which
I now live in the flesh, in this old body. Look at it. I live by the faith of the Son
of God who loved me and gave himself for me. And see the order
of that? He had faith first. God is the only being that has
faith intrinsically. individually, in and of himself. You see? I live by the faith
of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. If he
could raise me from the dead, the spiritual death I was in,
if he has the power, Ellen, to do that, and now I think, well,
he gotta have my help. What? What? Really? But here's the fact,
here's the key to living the Christian life. Lean only and
wholly and heavily upon the person and work of Jesus Christ. Just rely, just believe God. And when we don't, you know what
happens? We start reconstructing. And
we'll look at this, we'll start reconstructing. I'm talking about
whatever your sin as a believer is, it's because you're trying
to reconstruct that which you've already torn down. It always
is. And somebody says, when will
this stop? When we awake in his likeness. If you think Peter
could succumb to this and you're gonna be able to stand above
it always at all times, think again. But I'm glad our brother
Micah said, when I fall, not if. When I fall, I shall rise. I shall rise. But it ain't because
of me. It's because someone is living
in me. And it's his faith that matters. His faith that matters. And then
to sum it up, I do not frustrate the grace of God. Start, middle,
end. You see that? I do not frustrate
the grace of God. Now I'm putting that in there,
but that's the whole context because he then leaves what he
said to Peter and comes back to the Galatians and says, oh
foolish Galatians, who have bewitched you that ye should not obey the
truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set
forth, crucified among you. This was real to you. as real
as if it's happening right today. He died for you. You died with
him when he died for you. But then look, this only, that's
pretty strong, ain't it? This only would I learn of you.
Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing
of faith? Same, same question, same line,
now same context. Are you so foolish, having begun
in the Spirit, Are you now made perfect by the flesh? What's
another answer we could give? God forbid. Somebody says, preacher, is it that simple?
It's really that simple. But it is that impossible when
we still live with this old flesh down in here. Because this old
flesh, every chance it gets, Every chance it gets, we'll grab
some of that old rubble that's been tore down. Pick up a stone. Okay, I just need one. Just one will help, it'll remind
me. Next thing you know, well, how'd that seem like that? Pretty
good, you get another one. Next thing you know, you're erecting
what you've tore down before. And when you do, what do you
do? You put yourself back under bondage. And what are you doing? Default! You're making yourself
a transgressor. Eventually, you're gonna grind
all them bricks back to rubble again. And not in a good way. You'll find out, just like, can
you imagine how guilty Peter felt standing there? And Peter,
Paul didn't even give him a chance to justify himself. This had to sting Peter to the
core, did it not? And I am sure, you know how precocious
Peter was. I'm sure he was thinking, boy,
I wish he'd let me have a chance to speak. But I'm sure once it
was all over and the spirit of God laid hold of him, what did
he say? Let me get them bricks out. Let me put them bricks back
over here, huh? All that legal ritual, legal
deeds, All that morality, push it over here because I don't
want to stand before God having my own righteousness. I need
to stand before God in Christ's righteousness. You see, since
Christ by his person and work started this blessing, we as
believers can rely on him to continue that work and finish
that work. Turn to Philippians. Philippians
chapter one. Philippians chapter one, verse
three. Paul wrote to the church at Philippi
this. I thank my God upon every remembrance
of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all, making requests
with joy for your fellowship in the gospel from the first
day, and it wasn't just a one-time thing, was it? Until now, until
now, you see it? Being confident of this very
thing, Now look at it, look at where he goes with this. It's
not just how we start, it's how we're in the middle. and how
we make it to the end, right? And that's he that endureth,
where? To the end, the same will be saved, right? We don't deny
that. We wholeheartedly hold to that,
but look, being confident of this very thing, that he which
hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day
of Jesus Christ. Amen. Bless God he had the power
to raise me out of the grave. Did you know what? Even my repentance
is a part of that living that life by the faith of the Son
of God, because I would not repent otherwise. I would continue to
self-justify and continue to get them bricks and build that
old way back up. Wouldn't I? But you know when
he comes along, he comes along and smashes it all to pieces.
Shows you that it's nothing but D-U-N-G. My brothers and sisters, believing,
trusting, relying wholly, W-H-O-L-L-Y, believing, trusting, relying
wholly upon our Lord Jesus Christ is never, ever, ever just the
starting point. It's our all. It's our all. Because probably before this
day is out, one of us, maybe not all, maybe not all, but before
this day is out, one of us will fall. One of us will do something
bad, maybe even horrendous. And the only thing that's going
to keep us from going in a downward spiral unto perdition itself
is the blessed son of God and his faithfulness toward his people.
He started that work in you, and if He did, He'll continue
it. If it ever stops, it never was Him to start with. And somebody
says, I hear preachers like you say that all the time, because
it's true all the time. It don't never become untrue.
He that begun a good work in you, He'll perform it. So just lean on Him. Lean hard
on Him. It's okay. It's okay. But that makes me so weak. You
are. That makes me so faulty, you are, I am. And it'll hit
you, you know what'll happen? You'll grab one of those bricks
and start to reconstruct it just like that, not even expecting
to. I'm sure Peter wasn't thinking, oh, now let me see, how should
I, he seen them Jews come in, them circumcisors, and he started
moving this way, you know what I'm saying? Moving this way and
turning, and it was gone. Gone, over there. Aren't you
glad it's all of grace? If God left one bit of it up
to me, I'd have went to hell yesterday. I'd have went to hell. I'd have went to hell. Heavenly
Father, oh God, encourage us by your truth. Sometimes it stings.
Sometimes it hurts because we're so faulty, so prone to build
again those things we once destroyed, but Lord, knock our foundations
out from under us. We thank you for it. We thank
you for it in Christ's name and by him.