Sovereign Grace Chapel, located at 135 Annabel Lane in Beaver, West Virginia, invites you to listen to a gospel message concerning Jesus Christ our Lord. Welcome to today's broadcast. For today, I want to read just one verse for a text, and that is Galatians chapter five and verse 13. Galatians chapter five, verse 13, where the apostle Paul wrote these words. For brethren, ye have been called unto liberty. Only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. You see that? Read it again, for brethren, you've been called unto liberty, only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

My subject for this morning is this, and we can say my title as well, Insulting Liberty in Christ by Indulging Self. Say it again, Insulting Liberty in Christ by Indulging Self.

Gospel believers, When I say gospel believers, I mean those who have been bowed to Christ as their only righteousness. Those who have heard the preaching of the gospel of salvation accomplished, redemption accomplished, reconciliation accomplished, peace before God accomplished by Jesus Christ, and they bow to Christ as their only righteousness. These have been liberated They're liberated by Christ. They're liberated in him, yes, but they've been liberated by him. And that's what Paul says in the first part of this statement, this verse. For brethren, ye have been called unto liberty.

Now, let me give you just the first three thoughts for today's message. First thought, liberty. What's that mean, liberty? We know we have the Liberty Bale, we have the Statue of Liberty, we have all these things that we associate with liberty, but here's what liberty means, to be set free, to be unencumbered. It means to be given great latitude. That's what it actually means in the Greek. Again, set free, unencumbered, to be given great liberty.

But here's the second thought, we've been called unto liberty, do you see it? Called unto, we didn't work up liberty, we didn't just happen into liberty, we've been called unto liberty, do you see it? Called by God, that's the whole point of all that's called by God, called unto liberty. What we talking about there? Called unto liberty. This means to be summoned by God. Summoned, summoned, not invited. not made available, not an opportunity being given, but to be summoned by God, designated by God's act of power to bring us out of darkness, as Peter said, into God's marvelous light.

And let me read that passage to you. It's an amazing thing. Listen to how Peter puts it. It's in 1 Peter 2, and listen to how the apostle Peter wrote it. He put it this way, 1 Peter 2, just two verses, nine and 10. but ye are a chosen generation. a royal priesthood, and holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of him. That's the whole point of being called out, is not to talk about ourselves, not to brag about ourselves. Oh no, we're nothing but sinners saved by the grace of God, sinners called by the grace of God, but what? To show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, not just any light, not religious light, to the very light of God himself manifested in the face of Jesus Christ.

Verse 10, which in time past were not a people, but now the people of God, which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. So that's what it means. Remember, it's liberty. liberty. For brethren, you've been called unto liberty to be set free, to be unencumbered, to be given great latitude. That's the meaning of the word. And it's called unto liberty, summoned by God, summoned by God from where you were, maybe even in false religion. maybe even in false Christianity, that Christianity that preaches another gospel, Paul calls it, which is a perversion of the gospel of Christ, but called out of darkness into God's marvelous light.

But here's the third thought, first of all, liberated from. You see it? We've been liberated from something. That's what liberty means, to be liberated from something, not not just to something, but from something. And there are four areas, at least here, where we could say that believers, born again, gospel called believers, have been liberated from.

Listen to how it's put this way. Let me give you four things. Liberated from, think about it. Liberated from the law for righteousness. Romans chapter 10, Paul speaks of the Jews. in this way, and this is true of every believer. Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved. For I bear them record, they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge, and I can relate to that. When I was young, I made my profession, when I was five or six years old, I walked the aisle, I prayed the sinner's prayer, put that in quotes, and I was baptized, joined the church and all those things, but I would just like these Jews, look, for I bear them record, For I bear them record, they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. This is me. For they being ignorant, for Walter being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own or his own righteousness, he has not submitted himself unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness, to everyone that believeth, do you see it? So we've been liberated from the law for righteousness.

But not only that, according to the Apostle Paul in this same letter, this same epistle that he wrote here, Galatians chapter five, verse 13 of my text, listen to what Paul says concerning this. In Galatians chapter three, Paul says this, we've been liberated from the law's curse, that is its condemnation on us, that is the believer. Galatians chapter three, verse 10. For as many are of the works of the law are under the curse. For it is written, cursed is everyone that continue if not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. You see, all of it. We don't give it our best shot. We cannot just try to give it our best shot. That doesn't please God. We don't pick and choose which ones are the easiest or pick out a few of the harder ones and try to conquer them. What does it say? 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, look at it, talking about believers, Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, set at liberty. You see, redeemed, set at liberty, redeemed from something to something. And here's what we're redeemed from. 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.

But not only that. The Apostle Paul also makes something else quite clear. In Romans chapter seven, we read this. The believer is liberated from, remember, the law for righteousness. The believer is liberated from the law's curse, but the believer is also liberated from the law that is the principle of sin and death.

Romans chapter four, listen to what the apostle Paul wrote in this way. These words, verse 24 of, I'm sorry, Romans seven, verse 24. Oh, wretched man that I am. As he wrote this inspired letter, He says, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with my mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

There is therefore now, even though those two things are still true, What is it? With my mind I serve the law of God, but with my flesh the law of sin. There is therefore now, right now, no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. And who are they? Who is that? Who walk not after, it doesn't say because they, it says who, this is a description of those who are in Christ Jesus. Who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.

For the law, look at it. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free, do you see it? Liberated me from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sent in his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemn sin in the flesh. He dealt with sin in his own body. on the tree, Peter put it this way, he bore, for the believer, he bore our sins in his own body on the tree.

And then in verse four, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled, not by us, but in us. And again, the description, who? Walk not after the flesh, but after the spirits, you see? So the believer is liberated from the law for righteousness. The believer is liberated from the law's curse, that it's condemnation. The believer is liberated from the law, or that word means the principle, of sin and death.

And also, the believer is also liberated, in Romans chapter six, look at how the apostle Paul puts it there. The believer is liberated from the dominion of sin. Romans chapter six, a few verses there. Verse one and two. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin? It's talking to believers now. Born again, gospel called believers. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. Look, how shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? And then of course, read the rest of it. Sometimes get the whole context, but then listen to this summary, verse 13 and 14.

Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God." Why? Because we've been liberated. We can now by the grace of God and the enablement and power of the Spirit of God, we can do this. See it? But yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you're not under the law, but you're under grace. Grace reigns in the heart and mind of the child of God.

That doesn't take away the flesh. As we've already, as we read from Paul, it doesn't take away the flesh and the sin that's associated with it, but in Christ Jesus, we're set free from these things. So there are the first three things about this liberty. It's liberty. It's liberty, it's being given great latitude, it's being set free, it's being unencumbered, it's being called unto liberty, summoned by God to this. This is a work of God, is what I'm saying. This is an act of God, and then we're liberated from these things. These four I gave you, that's from the law for righteousness, from the law's curse, its condemnation, from the principle of sin and death, and from the dominion of sin. That's just a scratch of the surface, so to speak, of the things in which God's people have been called into liberty.

So it is clear that our liberty is not freedom to sin. We're not given unmitigated latitude, but we are set at liberty given great latitude. We're not clear, it's clear that our liberty is not freedom to sin. Paul in today's text makes that clear, does he not? He said it. For brethren, ye have been called unto liberty. That's the intent of God, liberty. Only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. Do you see it?

Now, consider this phrase. this last one here. And I have three thoughts on that, but I gave you three thoughts about the first one, liberty and being called into liberty. But now let's look at three thoughts concerning the second phrase in our text verse. Only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh. Here's three things.

Here's number one. The fact, think about this now. I'm talking to believers now. The fact that we are admonished to not so use our liberty The fact that we're admonished not to, we're warned not to, we're told not to, the fact that we are so admonished not to so use our liberty as an occasion to the flesh is proof that we are prone to do so. It's proof that we still are capable of doing so. Believers are still sinners.

Now let's go back to what Paul was writing in Romans chapter seven. And we remember in Romans 7, we read that even while Paul wrote this inspired epistle, directly inspired from God to be given to God's people, and where he cried out, oh, wretched man that I am. Do you see that? But look at what he said preceding this. Look at verse 14, Romans 7, 14. For we know that the law is spiritual. But I am, even doubt, but I am, as he's writing this, but I am carnal, that is, fleshly, sold under sin. For that which I do, do you see it? For that which I do, I allow not. For what I would, that do I not. But what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent under the law that it is good. Now then, it is no more I that doeth it, Think about that. Someone says, I don't understand that language. You might understand the language in the English, but you can relate to this if you're a believer. You find yourselves hating sin, hating yourself because of the corruption that's within you. And then you find yourself doing what you hate. And then what you love in Christ, the things that you just love to always do and always do them, even do them perfectly. But sadly, you can't even do them to the best of the ability God gave you. It's just this back and forth and this constant battle.

But look, look at that glorious statement. Now then, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. Why? For I know that is in me. Do you see it? For I know that is in me. And then he qualifies it. That is in my flesh. Do you see it? "'In my flesh dwelleth no good thing, "'for to will is present with me, "'but how to perform that which is good I find not.'" Do you see it? Why are we given this? Brethren, you've been called unto liberty. Only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh. Why are we given that? Because we're so prone to it. where it's so easy for us. And all God has to do is lift that restraint of his just a little. Do you see that little finger? Just a little. And we will start in this downward spiral. And only when we start in that downward spiral, the only thing that rescues us, has ever rescued us, and will ever rescue us, is that grace of God that reigns over us, and which God holds us up, brings us back, and establishes us in Christ Jesus again.

The fact that we're admonished not to use our liberties, so? The reason we're told, admonished not to use that liberty as an occasion to the flesh is proof that we're so prone to do so, so capable of doing so. Believers are still sinners.

But here's a question you might be thinking about. But preacher, what is the flesh? Of course we know it's this, right? This body, this flesh. And that's a part of it. because this flesh is under the curse of God since our daddy Adam sinned in the garden. This whole body is. I mean, this body is growing older and weaker, and we see the effects of the curse of God because of sin in this world. We see it everywhere, but we specifically see it and feel it in our bodies as believers.

But what is the flesh? Well, let me give you what the scripture says. This is number two. Number two in this second set of three things, three thoughts. What is the flesh? Clearly it is what we might call immorality and sexual perversion, you see it? Look at it, Galatians 5, look at what Paul says. Let's begin in verse 16, just down the verses a few from our text. Verse 16, this I say then, walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other, so that you could not do the things that you would. My flesh would go hog wild, as we say, toward itself, but the Spirit won't let that happen. But the Spirit of God leads me and guides me into all righteousness, and all service, and all love for God. but the flesh won't let me do that either. It's this constant battle, this constant struggle.

Look, but if you be led of the spirit, you're not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these? You wanna know what the flesh is? Here's what it is, adultery, fornication, uncleanness. That's not physical uncleanness, that's inner uncleanness. Uncleanness, lasciviousness, that means slobbering after bad things, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions. Ah, look at this one, heresies. false doctrine about man, false doctrine about God, false doctrine about Jesus Christ, false doctrine about the scriptures, heresies, envies, murders, drunkenness, revelings, what's that? Partying, partying, and such like, of the which I tell you before, as I've also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

So there's flesh. Clearly, that's what the scripture calls flesh, but that's not all. Now, you hear me? I said that's not all. It also includes this. Listen to how the Apostle Paul puts something here in Philippians chapter three. Remember, we're asking the question, trying to answer the question, what is the flesh? Because remember, we're told as believers, we've been called unto liberty. Only use not your liberty as an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. So what is the flesh? Clearly it's that immorality, that sexual perversion, that idolatry, all of those things, that unrighteousness and ungodliness. but it includes all religious self-righteousness, too. That's the flesh.

Listen to the Apostle Paul, and this is how he puts it in Philippians 3. For the sake of time, my time on the TV, I will begin in verse 3. For we are the circumcision, Philippians 3, 3, which worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. Do you see it? There it is, that's our subject. What is the flesh? We have no confidence, he's mentioned it now, in the flesh. And what is it? No confidence in it.

Look, though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he whereof might trust in the flesh, I more. Now he's gonna describe this flesh, this flesh. Listen, circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, and Hebrew of Hebrews, as touching the law of Pharisee concerning zeal, persecuting the church, those that were held as heretics by his persuasion, Paul's old persuasion. touching the righteousness which is in the law, this is flesh, blameless. That's how he said, I'm keeping the law. I'm obeying God. You see it? What's he call that? Flesh.

Now look, look. but what things were gained to me? Those I counted lost for Christ, ye doubtless, and I count all things but lost for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I've suffered the loss of all things, and do count them, but what, this flesh, but what? These even legal righteousness, but what? Dung 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. You see it?

So what is flesh? Clearly, many of these things are described in this immorality and sexual perversion, but it also includes all religious self-righteousness. But did you know that it also includes my will? That's right, my will. That's right, your will, my will as a believer. Now, unbelievers, yes, it's true of them too, but I'm talking to believers this morning. Your will and my will is flesh.

Listen to what the book says. And for the sake of time, I want you to listen to what Paul said in Colossians 2, verse 23, and you read later and get the context of this verse I'm reading. Which things have indeed a show of wisdom. They look good. which things indeed have a show of wisdom in what? Will worship. Do you see that? Will worship. It's not only true today, it was true back in Paul's day, and it's been true ever since we fell on Adam. We worship our own will. Today we even call it free will. Liberated will, yeah. Will worship, do you see it? Which in things indeed have a show of wisdom in will worship. That's not the only passage.

Listen to Peter, 2 Peter 2, listen to what it says. Second Peter chapter two, verse nine, the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under the day of judgment to be punished, but chiefly, them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise government. That's despise authority. Presumptuous are they. Self-willed. Do you see it? Self-willed. My will is a part of my flesh.

Self-willed. Listen to what Paul wrote to Titus. It's not the end of it. These are just a few of the many scriptures that talk about our corruption, even the corruption of our will.

Titus chapter one, verse seven, concerning these characteristics of a man who desires to be a bishop, a pastor, an elder. For the bishop, verse seven of Titus one, for a bishop must be blameless as the steward of God. What's the first thing? Blameless as the steward of God, not self-willed. You see it?

Here's the third thing. Here's the third thing. What is the flesh? It's everything that I am in Adam. It includes my will. Here's the third thing. Believers are freed. They are liberated not to serve themselves, but their fellow believers. And that's exactly what we read in our text, wasn't it?

For brethren, you've been called unto liberty. Do you see it? You've been called unto liberty. Use not your liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

But if you bite and devour one another, if you go toward the flesh, take heed that you be not consumed one of another. That's when he said, this I say then, walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Now, he didn't give us the things of the flesh that are manifest, which we just covered some of those. But then look at what it says in verse 22. But the fruit of the spirit is what? Joy, love, sorry, love. joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such there is no law.

And they that are Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections and lust. The affections concern our will. Lust concerns our will. We've crucified that. My will means nothing. God's will means everything.

Even our Lord Jesus Christ, who was never opposed to God's will, still prayed as our representative. You, the believer, prayed as your representative. Lord, not my will, but thy will be done. Do you see it?

If we live in the spirit. Let's go on, verse 25. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. Do you see that?

As long as you and I talk about our free will, we are exalting self. And remember, insulting our liberty in Christ by indulging who and what? Self. self. God calls even our will self-will. It's condemned of God. It's not free will, it's self-will.

When will men ever tell the truth? Only after God opens their eyes and their ears and their heart. You see, it's not. Our will is as condemned of God as murder and sexual perversion. It's as much as flesh. Our attempts at keeping the law is as much flesh as murder and sexual perversion.

For brethren, you've been called unto liberty. Only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.