Book of Galatians chapter 1 to
start with, and we're going to call this the Gospel of Christ. Galatians chapter 1, and we're
going to start reading with verse 12, I mean, I'm sorry, with verse
6, down to verse 12. Very familiar passage, and we
had this, this was referred to last Sunday. Galatians 1, 6,
it says, I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him. that
called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel, which
is not another, but there be some that trouble you and would
pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we or an angel from
heaven preach any other gospel unto you, than that which we
have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before,
so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto
you that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now
persuade men or God? Or do I seek to please men? For
if I yet please men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached
of me is not after man. For I neither receive it of man, And let's start with the word
of prayer. Our Heavenly Father, we pray that you would be with
us as we gather this evening, as we look into the word, that
you would reveal yourself to us as you do, and as only you
can do. We pray that you'd be with us
as we do look through the scriptures, and as we see what it says to
us about our salvation, and how we stand, and who we stand for,
and that we stand in you alone. We pray that you would watch
over those that are ill, those that may be traveling, and watch
over us and bring us together again as you would. Pray that
you would be honored and glorified this evening as we look into
these things, and that we would be fed and uplifted from them. In Jesus' name, amen. This passage
here, we've read this before in those
in Galatia that were diluting at least the gospel, and as it
says, turn to another gospel that is not another gospel, there
is only one, that would, as it says, pervert the gospel of Christ. And that would, that gospel of
Christ, we're gonna look into several passages, but that would
be the good news, the only good news to God's people of how we
stand before God in Him. And if there's anything added
to or taken from that, It's it's not the gospel. It's not the
truth. It's a it's a perversion of it as he says here there are
those that would pervert the gospel and would be Not another
gospel. It's just the false false religion
false teaching if it's not of him And we're going to look into
several places that that talk to this and describe a few things as the scriptures hold for it.
In the book of Colossians, go over just a little bit, Colossians in chapter 2 And I
would like to read, starting with verse six of chapter two
of Colossians. And these things that we're gonna,
places we're gonna look at deal directly with what Paul was saying
there to the Galatians. But Colossians chapter two, starting
with verse six. It says, as you have therefore
received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him, rooted and
built up in him, established in the faith, as ye have been
taught, abounding therewith, therein with thanksgiving. Beware
lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after
the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not
after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily, And ye are complete in him which is
the head of all principality and power, in whom also ye are
circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, and putting
off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of
Christ, buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with
him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised
him from the dead. And you being dead in your sins
and uncircumcision of your flesh, hath equipped together with him,
having forgiven you of all trespasses, blotting out the handwriting
of the ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us,
and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross. And having spoiled
principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly. triumphing
over them in it. Um, it goes on in different ways
that the gospel was was added to or taken away from her perverted. But here it says here that, uh,
buried with him in baptism, wherein also you're risen with him through
the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from
the dead. And then back to the in the same
chapter with two verse one. And I wanted to read this after
this what we just read. But you'll see how it connects
together. Colossians chapter two, verse
one. It says, For I would that she
knew what great conflict I have for you and for them at Laodicea
and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh. that their
hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto
all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment
of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ, in
whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And
this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. For though I be absent in the
flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit. joying and beholding
your order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. And
ye have therefore received Christ as ye have therefore received
Christ, that Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him." And then the
rest of that we read. And here, much the same as talking
to the Ephesians about beware of that that comes in or is added
to. What was what was being added
to in these instances? And in our day, indeed, our works
of the flesh that that men hold forth as part of the gospel and
part of our salvation of that there are, whether it be of our
belief or our faith that we bring into it, however it is, it is
not of the gospel of Christ. If it's of anything that we have
to add to it or partake of it, And then the passage there in
Ephesians, just to refer to it, you don't have to turn to it,
but just to refer to it, that passage that we know so well
in chapter two that says, For by grace are you saved through
faith, and that not of yourself. It is the gift of God, not of
works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created
in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath ordained that
we should walk in them. And so those being Where that
there's anything of the gospel that's changed so that that as
Paul says here in Galatians that is not the gospel It's not another
gospel. It is not a gospel That is pervert
a perversion of the gospel and in it in religion from all times
from the beginning, managed and wanted to add part and parcel
of it, that he has a hand in his own salvation. And he does
not. He is a recipient of it. And as Paul said there in verse
12 of the first chapter of Galatians, that he didn't receive it of
man, neither was taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
both by by him, but by the spirit and by him revealing himself
and the revealing of who he is. We looked in at First John about
in several passages that spoke that about his name, the Lord's
name and what for his namesake and what that means for his.
We are saved for his namesake implies all that he is and who
he is and what he did for the salvation of his people. from
before the foundation of the world, that this was all set
out and was a done thing. And we see it carried out in
time as far as in ourselves and in others around us. But these
things that were done, uh... by him yet through him only and
we've received those things that as as he said in in in john there
too you must be born you must be born again and born from above
not born on are doing or or any other thing uh... uh... we we uh... or it's such poor
standing of our own we have no standing of our own And like
Paul and others have said, and like all of God's people have
said at one time or another, to be merciful to us, the sinner,
and indeed, that's the position that we have, is none, of our
own standing, and it's all that we gain in Him. So anything that
bends that a little bit, even, off of what the Scriptures say,
is not another gospel. And he goes on to say, if anybody
brings another gospel, let that man be accursed. If he claims
that this is the gospel and it is not square with what the scriptures
say, in a sense, let him be accursed. In Philippians, if you read the
book of Philippians, in chapter three of Ephesians,
of Philippians rather, Chapter 3 of Philippians, starting with
verse 8 of Philippians chapter 3, it says, Yea, doubtless, and
I count all things but lost for the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss
of all things, and do count them but dumb, that I may win Christ
and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which
is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ,
the righteousness, which is of God by faith, that I may know
him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings
being made conformable unto his death. And here again, for all things but lost for the
excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, And be
found in him, verse 9, not having mine own righteousness, which
of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ,
the righteousness which is of God by faith. And again, that
is the that is the crux of the matter is we have no righteousness.
He has all righteousness, and the only way that we can stand
as that, and it says the church is the righteousness of God,
but that's only as His righteousness is put on us. And as that robe
of righteousness, it covers everything else, to the exclusion of everything
else. And if everything is not covered,
then none of it is covered. It is only of His righteousness. And it says through the faith
of Christ, that faith that was given to us and not generated
within ourselves or taught to us, or we can learn the words
of the gospel and of the scriptures. And that is never a bad thing
to do for someone to learn and to spend time in there. But it
is only by, as you said, in several places in the scriptures that
it talks about It's only through the revelation that we have that
we can hold any of this as our own and understand it. We can
know the words of it, but we can't know the import of the
meaning of it without it being revealed to us. We indeed can't
see ourselves as sinners without that being revealed to us and
not that I stole something and so I'm a bad person like that.
Aside from any of the actions or the things that we carry out
in Sinful things we are sin in nature a hundred percent regardless
of anything that's done And we're we're sinners by by nature and
by choice and by practice but by nature to start with that's
the if people think that sinners by choice can We could clean
up that and take care of that problem. If that be possible,
it still would not take care of the righteousness. It still
would not put righteousness on us. It's still that nature is
what it is, barring God, as it says there in Ezekiel and Isaiah
and other places. He has to take out the heart
of stone and put in the heart of flesh. He has to do that.
And he says, I will turn you. We can't do that. It's an impossible
task. And those that want to add good
things to that, it's another gospel. It's a perverted gospel.
We could do those things that we are predestined to do those good
things, as it said, only as we are in Him, in those things.
There's nothing that we do that tips the scale in any way in
our balance, in our favor. And anything that we do that
we might attribute as good things, anything that comes out that
way is in reaction to what has taken place. It only can be good
works in that the change of heart, the change
of mind, and that complete life giving that's not of the old
man, but of the new, that we can do anything that is considered
good and all, and that's just in the standing of him, that
we have that. In Galatians chapter five, go
back to the book of In the same book a little farther
on that that that that Paul's that we could have read through
the whole book of Galatians, because he goes on and says that
it's not another gospel. And as he says, we must stand
in him as he's revealed. And he goes on through the rest
of the book on the same theme of who we stand in and how we
stand in him. But I'd like to read in chapter
five just a little bit here. starting with Galatians chapter
5 and verse 1. It says, Stand fast, therefore,
in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not
entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I, Paul,
say unto you that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
For I testify again to Every man that is circumcised that
he is a debtor to do the whole law Excuse me Verse 4 Christ
has become of no effect Unto you whosoever of you are justified
by the law you are fallen for grace But we through the Spirit
wait for the hope of righteousness by faith For in Jesus Christ
neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision But
faith which worketh by love You did run well, who did hinder
you that you should not obey the truth? This persuasion cometh
not of him that calleth you a little leaven, leaveneth the whole lump. Several things said here that
apply to them and surely apply to us and all of all time. It
says, he says up here that, that, uh, He said that if you be circumcised,
Christ shall profit you nothing. And he goes on and says there
that you're a debtor to do the whole law. And if we, in any
degree, think that keeping something or doing or not doing something
is part and parcel of that, he says, you're debtor to do all
of it. And the scriptures say, be perfect,
be holy as I am holy. Pretty tough job. I don't know
about you, but I have a tough job of not falling every day
when we get out as we fall out of bed. You know, uh, it's just
an impossible task. By humanly speaking, it says
that for in Christ Jesus, verse six Christ Jesus, neither circumcision
to obey but nor uncircumcision, but faith hooks worketh by love.
And it says, uh, you did run well. Verse seven. Who did hinder
you that you should not obey the truth? This persuasion cometh
not of him that cometh you. A little leaven, leaveneth the
whole up. God did not, through his scripture or through the
preaching, the true preaching of the gospel, did not persuade
you to veer from the truth of the gospel. It is not of the
scripture that this comes about. It says it's not of him that
cometh you, And that doesn't mean that Pastor John or Pastor
Bill or whoever called you. That means God Almighty called
you. He did. If you're thinking about
veering off course here a little bit, he did. He's not the one
persuading you. And then it says here a little
leavened the whole loaf. And that speaks that speaks to
any how much unbelief is is too much unbelief. Any unbelief is
too much unbelief. And we pray God that he gives
us faith and causes our unbelief to vanish and not to be there.
But it says, a little leaven, leaveneth the whole lump, and
a little bit of air is too much. There's no air in this gospel
permitted. We may see things in the scripture
and misunderstand what they're saying at times and not have If we still may look through
our glass darkly at some of these things, but our hope in our standing
still must be the same, even if, even if we, and as we, as
we go through these things and we've told people, check and make sure these things
are right, make sure these things are right, that they're square
with the scripture. And that's his, Paul is speaking to the
Galatians and he's talking to ones whom God had called and
that, and that had revealed himself to him. And there was a danger.
Evidently, there was a danger, as there is now and on all times,
that the true gospel can be a little, it can be perverted. And if it's,
as it says there, if it's perverted at all, it's no good. And we pray that that is never
the case of the preaching of the scripture, the gospel here. Turn to 2 Thessalonians, if you
would. Okay, 2 Thessalonians, I'd like
to look at this part of the second chapter. 2 Thessalonians 2, starting
with verse 13. But we are bound to give thanks
always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because
God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification
of the spirit and belief of the truth. Where unto? He called you by our gospel to
the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore,
brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions that you have
been taught, whether by word or our pistol. now our lord jesus
christ himself and god even our father which have loved us and
have given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace comfort
your hearts and establish you in every good word and work and
he says here stand in that where he says here stand fast and hold
the traditions which he had been taught whether by word or epistle
that doesn't mean religious religious traditions of men. This means
that the gospel given by God that we hold and we can read
and can have, that's the one, that's the traditions that we
stick to, is the common salvation that God reveals to his people. Not traditions of men of any
sort, or that's been the direction that men who go by nature is
traditions of men and those things. But it says, Where to? He called
you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus
Christ. That could only be gotten and
had by God's operation, but by the gospel and by our Lord Jesus
Christ. No other. No other way. No other
name under heaven. among men, is there other than
our Lord Jesus Christ that we must be saved by? Titus, turn
to the book of Titus. We spent some time in the book
of Titus when we were going through the study of Jude. We spent a
little bit of time here, but in chapter three of Titus, Chapter three of Titus, starting
with the third verse. It says, for we ourselves also
were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving diverse lusts
and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating
one another. But after that, the kindness
and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he
saved us by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy
Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. Being then that being justified
by his grace. We should be made heirs according
to the hope of eternal life This is a faithful saying and these
things I will that thou affirm Constantly that they which have
believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These
things are good and profitable unto men and up here again, it
says it that what we were like in former times is that we were
in those things, and those were not things to be proud of. But it says, after the kindness
and love of God our Savior to our man appeared, not by the
works of righteousness, what we have done, but according to
his mercy, he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing
of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus
Christ. our Savior. Uh, that being justified by his
grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal
life. And in those those three versus
four verses there in a short area covers our standing before
God. How how that come about and by
is doing and again, not by anything that we have done or added to
And the danger there to the Galatians was, beware of this. And he says,
I am amazed that you turned from the gospel. And so there was
more than just talk going on. There was those that evidently
had entered into things and added things into their religion that
perverted from the gospel to just a religion of man's religion. And that, Was a danger and there's a danger
I think that there's there's a lot of it spoken of in the
in the scriptures and we we know what it was like there as we
we've been through the Old Testament and see what the natural a nation
of Israel were like and as a picture and a type of the shadow of men
and religious people that they no sooner Got out of the temple
and we're back to the idols again. By nature, that's as high as
we can do. That's the best we can do. We
can't get there on our own. of our own doing, and only in
Him that these things were shed, it says, on us abundantly through
Jesus Christ, our Savior. Plenteous mercy, plenteous, plenty
of mercy and salvation with our Lord. And the book of Hebrews,
and just a couple more spots tonight, but in the book of Hebrews
chapter four, And those that would have a danger of turning
back to what they had come from, the book of Hebrews lays pretty
plain where they came from religious-wise, and what the meaning of that
was and who the true One is the true one that we stand in, and
not in the traditional religion, but only as a picture of the
real. In chapter four of Hebrews, chapter
four, starting with verse two, and reading down just a bit, it says, Therefore verse two for unto
us was the gospel preached as well as unto them. But the word
did not profit them, not being mixed with faith. And then that
heard it for we, which have believed to enter into rest, as he said,
as I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest,
although the works were finished from the foundation of the world,
For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day of this wise,
and God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in
this place again, if they shall enter into my rest, seeing therefore
it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it
was first preached entered not in because of unbelief, Again,
he limiteth a certain day, saying, And David, today, after so long
a time, as it is said, Today, if you will hear his voice, harden
not your hearts. For if Jesus, or Joshua, who
that's referred to, had given them rest, he would not, then
would he not have afterwards spoken of another day. And there
remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that
is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own
works, as God did from his. Let us labor, therefore, verse
11, to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same
example of unbelief. For the word of God is quick.
and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing
even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the
joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of
the heart. Neither is there any creature.
There's not manifest in his sight, but all things that are naked
and open-eyed The eyes of him with whom we have to do to do
See that we have a great high priest that is passed into the
heavens Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession
and And here, again, it refers to those that did not enter into
the promised land because of unbelief. Unbelief, the same. There is a rest, it says, to
the people of God, a rest in Him. He is that rest that we
have. And it says that rested from
His work and the same that God's people do in Him. uh, rest in
him. And it says that, uh, uh, for
he is entered into his rest. He that has ceased from his own
works as God did from his. The works are done. There's we
see them as useless. There's no there's no work that
we can't do or need do that is that's beneficial or or helpful. Um, Back in Galatians, one more time. In Galatians chapter 3. Galatians chapter 3 and starting
with verse 10. It says, for as many as are of
the works of the law are under the curse, for it is written,
cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written
in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified
by the law in the sight of God, it is evident, for the just shall
live by faith. And the law is not of faith,
but the man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed
us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. For
it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree, that
the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through
Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through
faith. Again, those that want to live
by whatever law it is, they're going to live They live by that
law. They're gonna fall by that law.
That law cannot get the job done. It cannot satisfy what needs
to be satisfied. God is not satisfied by that,
cannot be. In chapter four, just around
the corner of Galatians chapter four, it starts with verse four.
And, uh, not to minimize these in the passages in between, because
they're, they're, they're very, uh, pointed along the same lines.
But, uh, in chapter four in verse four, it says, but when the fullness
of time was come, God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made
under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that
we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons,
God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts,
crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a
servant, but a son. And if a son, then an heir of
God. air of God through Christ, how be it that when you knew
not God, you did service unto them which by nature are no gods,
but now after this you have known God, or rather are known of God,
how turn again, how turn you again to weak and beggarly elements
wherein ye desire again to be in bondage? And going back to
the thought at the beginning there, when he was amazed that
they turned from the gospel, and here when he says, in verse
nine, how after the unknown God, or rather known of God, how turn
ye again to the weak and vaguely elements, whereunto ye desire
again to be in bondage? And that's, was that anything
that turns aside or dilutes or perverts the gospel of Christ,
he is going back to weak and beggarly elements that puts you
at bondage. And that's what he's, after several
chapters in between, says once again to him. And then I would
like to bring a thought up that we brought several times in the
book, as we read the book of Jude in other places, in Hebrews
chapter 12. at the first couple of verses,
and I'd like to close with this, the thought from this. Chapter
12 of Hebrews, verse one. Wherefore, seeing we are also
compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us
lay aside every weight, and the sin which still easily doth beset
us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who
for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising
the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne
of God. that for considering him that
endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest
you be wearied and faint in your minds. And here, where it says
up here, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily
doth beset us and run with patience the race set before us. There's
only one way that that could be done. And that race has already
been run successfully. By the Lord himself is the only
one we can't we cannot do this on it You can't you can't pull
yourselves up by your bootstraps if you've ever had an issue of
any kind that you thought you could Overcome and take care
of on your own and found out you could not do that This more
so this much more so but it said in verse 2 looking to Jesus the
author and finisher of our faith and That's the gospel. That's the true gospel the only
gospel and as it says there in Galatians in the first chapter
to them That they had turned from the true gospel. That wasn't
a gospel another that wasn't the gospel and so as we've seen
these places that to stand fast in but in the gospel as the scripture
holds it for and We know that by God that has determined that he will
bring all the sons to glory, it says. So all the things that
we come through in this life with tough things to do and that
we, as Paul says, that we do what we don't wanna do and can't
do what we would like to do in the flesh, that he has overcome
that. But God's people have that desire
to be overcome with those things. And in him, we are truly overcomers. With that, I'll leave you with
that for this evening. And remember one another.