We turn back to Galatians 1. I'll be preaching in Madisonville
this weekend for a meeting there on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
And Aaron Greenleaf is going to bring the Bible study. First
time he's ever done that. So everybody remember him. I'm
sure he's very nervous. No need to be. And Mark will
be preaching Sunday morning and Luke preaching Sunday night. Now the churches of Galatia were
established by Paul in his first missionary journey. You can read
about it in Acts chapters 11, 12, 13, and 14. It was the church
at Antioch, the church at Iconium, the church at Lystra, and the
church at Derbe. And Paul loved these people dearly. Now how did he feel when he saw
them departing from the gospel? How would you all feel if I started
mixing Law and Grace? What would that do to you? What
if some false teachers came in here and encouraged this mixture
going on? Now that's what Paul was dealing
with and you can almost feel and hear the angst in his voice
when he says, I marvel that you're so soon removed from him that
called you to the grace of Christ unto another gospel. They're scary words, aren't they?
Another gospel. Now, when he says, I marvel that
you're so soon removed, that is spoken in the present tense.
It was going on right now. And if it kept going, they'd
be plum gone. But he was hoping that they would
come back. He was hoping to call them back
when he says, I marvel that you're so soon removed from him that
called you to the grace of Christ and to another gospel. Now, what
I'd like to spend the first part of this message talking about
is the grace of Christ. Is there a better subject? The
grace of Christ. Would you turn with me for a
moment to Acts chapter 15? Hold your finger there in Galatians
2. We're going to be coming back, but we're going to be looking
at Acts chapter 15 because this is something that had happened
in the churches of Galatia. These men coming, bringing this
other message in Acts chapter 15. This is where this all began. Verse 11 of Acts chapter 15,
Peter says, but we believe that through the grace of the Lord
Jesus Christ, we shall be saved even as they. In verse one of chapter 15, and
certain men, which came down from Judea, This is the church
of Jerusalem where James was the pastor. This was a gospel
church, but certain men came down from Judea and taught the
brethren and said, except you be circumcised after the manner
of Moses, you cannot be saved. Now it's true salvation by grace.
It's true salvation through faith, but you also need to do this. When therefore Paul and Barnabas
had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that
Paul and Barnabas and certain other of them should go up to
Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. So
they make that trip to Jerusalem and they give their account of
what took place in verse four. And when they were come to Jerusalem,
they were received of the church and the apostles and elders,
and they declared all the things that God had done with them.
But here's why we came. There rose up certain of the
sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying that it was needful to
circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
Now these men no doubt claim to believe in salvation by grace
through faith. Oh, we stand for that. But it's
also needful for something else to take place. They were making
a distinction between the Jews and the Gentiles. Now they went
on to say the Gentiles don't need to do this, but we do. If
you want to really be pleasing to God, what they were doing,
they were making degrees of acceptance. If you want to really be pleasing
to God, you'll be circumcised. Now you can be saved like a Gentile
just by grace, but if you really want to be pleasing, you see
they were making degrees of acceptance. So we're going to see this more
in just a moment. As a matter of fact, hold your
finger there in Acts chapter 15 and turn back to Galatians
2 and you'll see what was going on. Galatians 2. This is a remarkable
passage of scripture. Beginning in verse 11. Paul is telling an event that
took place that had been influenced by these Judaizers. But when
Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face because he was
to be blamed. Now this is one apostle publicly
reprimanding another apostle. Now that's a very serious thing,
isn't it? What would cause Paul to publicly
reprimand Peter like this? Verse 12. For before that certain
came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles. See, they came
from James, the same place these men from Judea came from. James,
the pastor of this church. And there was something going
on wrong there. These people came from James. Now, before these
fellows came, Peter was with the Gentiles having a good time.
He was eating with them, fellowshiping with them. He wasn't trying to
live as a Jew. But when they were come, these
Jewish believers who had all these rules and regulations,
He withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the
circumcision. And other Jews dissembled likewise
with him, insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their
dissimulation." Now, all he did was get up from the table. That's
all he did. He caved into the pressure. He
felt awkward. He felt judged. He gets up from
that table with the Gentiles because he knew those Jews would
be looking down their nose at him for eating with him. So he
doesn't say anything. He just gets up and moves tables
and goes over and sits with the Jews. Verse 14, but when I saw that
they walked not uprightly, according to the truth of the gospel. I
said unto Peter before them all, if thou, being a Jew, livest
after the manner of the Gentiles, and not after the Jews, Why are
you compelling the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? You're being
a hypocrite, Peter. You don't live like the Jews,
but you're telling them they need to. Now, here's what was
going on, and this is the point about the truth of the gospel
being at stake. Peter, by that action, not by
what he said, but by that action, said there are different degrees
of acceptance. You can be accepted as a Gentile
believer. But you can be more accepted
practicing these Jewish rituals. Different degrees of acceptance. Now what that is, is a denial
that Jesus Christ is all. That's exactly what that is.
It's a denial that you are complete in Him. There's nothing you can
do to make yourself more accepted. And Paul called this not walking
uprightly according to the truth of the gospel. He actually publicly
reprimanded Peter. And how embarrassing that must
have been to Peter. Can you imagine that? Okay, let's
go back to Acts chapter 15. This is the kind of stuff that
was going on that Paul is warning about. Verse 6, Acts chapter 15. And
the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this
matter. Somebody once said this is the
first Sovereign Grace Bible conference. It may be. But what was going
on and when there had been much disputing, I mean, there were
some arguments going back and forth. People were saying one
thing, somebody else was saying another, and they were disputing
about this issue as to whether or not a believer needed to keep
the law. Now, let me remind you something.
I've kept the law. I don't try to keep the law.
I've kept it. Because when Jesus Christ kept
it, I kept it. And I don't need law. The law
was not made for a righteous man, but for the sinners and
disobedient and so on. Peter knew better. So look what
he says. Verse seven, and when there had
been much disputing, Peter rose up and said unto them, men and
brethren, you know how that a good while ago God made choice among
us that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel
and believe. Now he's referring to what took place in Acts chapter
10 with Cornelius. Would you turn back a few pages
to Acts chapter 10? Now God had told Cornelius, a
Gentile, in verse five, Now send men to Joppa, and call for one
Simon, whose surname is Peter. He lodges with one Simon of Tanner,
whose house is by the seaside. He shall tell thee what thou
oughtest to do." That's very important. He'll tell you what
you ought to do. Look at Peter's view of it in
Acts chapter 11, verse 14. He said that the angel said to
him, verse 13, and he showed us how he'd seen an angel in
his house which stood up and said unto him, Send men to Joppa
and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter, who shall tell thee
words whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved. Now, people
have always argued as to whether or not Cornelius was saved before
this. Well, of course he wasn't. He
was a devout man. Now, there's a lot of devout
men. There's a lot of religious men. That doesn't mean you're
saved. And the words obviously were that, no, he was not yet
saved. And he needed to hear these words.
Now, back in chapter 10, here's the vision Peter had. And remember,
we're trying to see what the scripture says the grace of Christ
actually is. Verse 9, on the morrow as they
went on their journey and drew nigh into the city, Peter went
up upon the housetop to pray about the six hour. And this
is what Peter was talking about in Acts chapter 15, this very
event. And he became very hungry and would have eaten, but while
they made ready, he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened.
And a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great
sheep, knit at four corners, and let down to the earth, wherein
were all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild
beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there
came a voice to him, Rise, Peter, kill, and eat. But Peter said,
Not so, Lord. I'm not going to do anything
like that. I've never eaten anything that's common or unclean. And
the voice spoke unto him again the second time, what God hath
cleansed. Call not thou common. This was done thrice, and the
vessel was received up into heaven. Now here is the gospel. What
God hath cleansed. Don't you dare call common or
unclean or unholy. And that word cleansed is translated
purged, purified. I love this scripture in Hebrews
chapter one, verse three, when he had by himself purged our
sins. And that's what he did. He purged,
he purified, he washed away, he purged away, he made them
to be no more. That's what he did on the cross
when he had by himself purged our sins. You know what he did?
He sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. Why did
he sit down? Because the work was finished.
What God hath cleansed. Call not thou common. Now, Peter, in bringing this
message, look in Acts chapter 10 verse 34. Then Peter opened
his mouth and said of a truth, Acts chapter 10 verse 34, I perceive
that God is no respecter of persons, he'll save this Gentile, but
in every nation, he that feareth him and worketh righteousness
is accepted with him. Now that's what a believer is.
He's somebody who fears God, and he works righteousness. What
do you mean by that? Well, if Christ worked righteousness,
I did too. Thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness,
he said to John the Baptist. When Christ worked righteousness,
I did too. He that doeth righteousness is
righteous. This is talking about the new birth as well. This is
talking about the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Whether
you're talking about his imputed righteousness or imparted, it's
still his. He that, and here's their description of those who
work righteousness, they fear God. Verse 36, that word which God
sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all. Don't you
love that message? Peace. Christ worked out my peace. I've
got peace with God. I have peace in my conscience.
My conscience is satisfied with the blood of Christ. I have conscience
that all God requires of me, he looks to his Son for. I have
peace from that. I'm satisfied with that. Peace
by Jesus Christ. That was the message. Now, turn back to Acts chapter
15. This is what Peter was talking about. Men and brethren, verse 7, you
know how that a good while ago God made choice among us that
the Gentiles, Cornelius and that bunch by my mouth should hear
the word of the gospel and believe. And God which knoweth the hearts.
bear them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost even as He did
unto us. And He put no difference between us and them, purifying
their hearts by faith. Now therefore, why tempt ye God
to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, to try to bring
them back under the law which neither our fathers nor we were
able to bear? It's pure hypocrisy. We can't
keep the law. Our fathers couldn't keep the
law and yet you're expecting them to. It's called hypocrisy. Now look what it says in verse
11. But we believe Here's what we
believe. This is what Todd's Road Grace
Church believes. This is what Todd Diver believes. This is what
every Christian believes. We believe that through the grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they. Now that's very important, that
order. He didn't say they'll be saved like us. He said we'll
be saved like them. Now how is a Gentile saved? a
Gentile dog. There's only one way a Gentile
can be saved, and that's by the grace, the free grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that by the grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ, he's the Lord, he's Jesus, he's the
Savior, he's God's Christ, we'll be saved just like those Gentiles. Now that is the grace of Christ. It is saving grace. What hope would you have right
now if salvation were not all 100% by grace? What hope would you have? I wouldn't have any hope at all
if salvation is not utterly and completely by grace. Ephesians
1.6, I love this. Ephesians 1.6 says, For He hath
made us accepted in the Beloved. Now that word accepted is the
verb form of the noun grace. Did you know that? He hath graced
us in the Beloved. Isn't that a good word? He hath
graced us in the Beloved. Have you been graced? I believe
I have. Graced in the Beloved. All of God's grace, all of God's
favor, all of God's kindness, all of God's mercy is in the
Beloved. And He hath graced us in the
Beloved. There's only one other time that
that word is used in the New Testament, in that verb form,
the word grace in a verb form, and it's when the angel said
to Mary, Hail, thou art highly favored. That's the word. Highly favored. The Lord is with
thee. Blessed art thou among women. He hath graced us, made us accepted. This is an acceptance that knows
no degrees. There's not one degree of acceptance
and another degree of acceptance. I am accepted by God Himself. God can't find anything wrong
with me. However much he accepts the Lord Jesus Christ, his blessed
Son, that's how much he accepts me. Accepted in the Beloved. Now that's acceptance, isn't
it? It doesn't have anything to do with me. I can think of all kinds
of reasons why I wouldn't be accepted, but you know they're
all invalid because I'm in the Beloved. Every one of them are
invalid. Thank the Lord for that. Acceptance
in the Beloved. Now that's the grace of Christ. Now, don't miss this. He said,
I marvel that you're so soon removed from Him that called
you to the grace of Christ. This isn't simply a removal from
a doctrine. This is a removal from Him. You see, you can't
separate the person of Christ and the grace of Christ. He is
full, the scripture says, of grace and truth. And Paul says, I'm marveled that
you're so soon removed from him that called you the grace of
Christ. Now, I think of him that called you out of darkness into
his marvelous light. And I know exactly what that
marvelous light is. It's not light like that. It's
light that's spoken of in John 8, 12, when the Lord said, I'm
the light of the world. And that's right after that woman
taken in adultery. In the very act, there wasn't
any question about this woman's guilt. She was guilty. She was
taken in the very act. And the Lord said to her, woman,
where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? She
said, no man, Lord. He said, neither do I condemn
thee. And the only reason he won't
condemn is because she's not guilty. But she did it! But he put it away
and it's gone. And that's how he does not condemn
because that thing we would be condemned for has been put away
by the grace of Christ, by the blood of Christ. I marvel, Paul
said, that you're so soon removed from him that called you to the
grace of Christ." Now this is gospel, isn't it? The grace of
Christ. It's good news. The saving grace of Christ. The
grace that loved me. The grace that chose me unconditionally. The grace that redeemed me and
put away my sins. The grace that justified me and
gave me perfect righteousness before God. The grace that gave
me life and the grace that preserves me. Oh, the grace of the Lord
Jesus Christ. How we delight in His grace. Now the Galatians had men trying
to present to them another gospel. Paul said, I marvel that you're
so soon removed from him that called you to the grace of Christ
unto another gospel. Turn back to Galatians chapter
one. We're going to look at this more next week, but look, look
what he says about this other gospel. He says, which is not another,
but there'll be some that trouble you and would pervert, would
change the gospel of Christ. But though we or an, listen to
the language here. But though we or an angel from
heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we preached
unto you, let him be accursed. You know what that means? That
means damned. That means sent to hell. And Paul was a very loving man.
He's the same one who said that I could wish that I myself were
cursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh.
But he says, if we or an angel from heaven preach any other
gospel to you than that which we preach, the grace of Christ,
let him be damned. He says in verse nine, as we
said before, so say now again, if any man preach any other gospel
unto you than that which you've received, let him be accursed. Paul, how mean-spirited. How? Your way's the only way. What kind of attitude is that?
In our day, all religions lead us to God. We worship the same
God, but in different ways. Each denomination and creed contributes
its own genius to our rich religious heritage. You see, men love a synthetical
religion. the blending of two things. That's
what me and love, just like the rich young ruler, what good thing
shall I do works to inherit grace, the kingdom of God. the blending
of two things, works and grace. We don't want to be thought narrow-minded,
non-bending, and dogmatic. Such words grade on our religious
ears, but these are the words of Paul, inspired by the Holy
Spirit. If any man preach any other gospel
unto you, let him be accursed. Now, Paul says to the Galatians,
and you think about how he loved these people. He was distraught
when he saw them going in this direction. And he said, I'm amazed
that you're so soon removed, so soon changed. And the only
thing that would cause somebody to change their beliefs regarding
grace and open up the door to works is no longer seeing their
need of grace. It really is that simple. They've
grown out of it. Now, this book we're looking
at, it's the book of Christ. It's the book of the gospel.
It's the book of God. It's the book of how he saved
sinners. That is what this book is about. But you know what one
of the leading themes of this book is? It's how soon men remove. The first example I thought of
was Satan. Satan was the top angel. How
soon he removed. How soon he departed. What about
Adam and Eve? They had innocent natures. They
didn't have sinful natures. And how soon they depart. Look
what happened to Adam. When he has his fallen nature,
how quickly he goes and hides himself from the presence of
the Lord and seeks to make himself his own covering. And you look
at the history of men going on right before the flood. The Scripture
says, And God saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth,
and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was
only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that
he made man, the Scripture says. He saw nothing but wickedness.
Thank God for the but part. But Noah found grace in the eyes
of the Lord. I sure am thankful for that. But you look at the
history of the Old Testament. the children of Israel. How quick
did they depart and make a golden calf and say, these be thy gods,
O Israel. I mean, it's a history all the
way from Genesis to Malachi of soon departure. Soon departure. Now, how do I respond to that? What do I think of when I see
that? Because I know that that is the truth. Soon departure. Soon departure. I wonder If we
have any idea, and I'm talking to myself first, how weak and
vulnerable we all are and how quickly we can be removed from him that
called us unto the grace of Christ and to another gospel, I think
if Peter The Lord said to Peter, you're going to deny me three
times. And Peter did not believe it. He said, though the rest of this
bunch might, I'll never do it. Who denied him? What about when
the Lord said, one of you? He said, this is the 11 disciples.
One of you is going to betray me. Now, if the Lord were physically
in this room right now, standing where I'm standing, and He looked
out over this audience and said, one of you shall betray me. I'm being honest. I would probably
think, I wouldn't think it'd be me. I'm just trying to be honest.
I'd probably think it'd be so-and-so. I can see them doing it. What
a blind, horrible attitude on my part. What was the response
of the disciples when he said, one of you shall betray me? Lord,
is it I? Is it I? I think it's interesting
how Judas is listening, and another one said, Master. He didn't call
him Lord, he called him Master. He said, is it I? Now you can
say the right thing, is it I? He knew that's what he's supposed
to say. It's one thing to know you're supposed to say, is it I? Probably everybody
in here knows we ought to say, is it I? But how much of us really
believe, is it me? Am I the one that will betray
you and fall away? I think of that scripture. In 1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse
12, wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he
fall. We sing that song prone to wonder,
Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love. I wonder how much I really believe
it. One of you shall betray me. I think of Peter caving in to
the fear of man, denying the gospel and having others carried
away with his hypocrisy. This was an apostle. We just
read in Galatians chapter 2 where an apostle, an apostle, Peter
the rock, thou art Peter upon this rock, this confession of
me, I'll build my church. He's the one who carries away
others with him in his hypocrisy. Do I think I'm any different?
When Paul says, I marvel, I want to ask myself the question, do
I marvel at myself? I marvel that you're so soon removed.
Now, in this removal, in this change, they were losing much
and they were gaining nothing. Let me repeat that. You always
think you're going to help yourself in whatever you're doing, and
I guess they thought they were helping themselves. They thought
they were of making themselves more accepted in these different
degrees of acceptance. But in this removal, they were
gaining nothing and losing much. Now, the fact that their removal
is in the present tense suggests that the defection of the Galatians
was not yet complete and would continue unless they came back
to where they first started. I want to look at three scriptures.
Turn with me to Colossians chapter two. Verse seven. Or verse six, I'm sorry. As you therefore received Christ
Jesus, the Lord. So walk ye in him. How did I receive him? Well, I received him, first of
all, empty handed. I didn't have anything to recommend
myself. Absolutely nothing. Bankrupt. Nothing but my sin. He's talking about as you receive,
the first time, as you receive Christ. There was a time when
every believer actually received the Lord Jesus Christ. And when
you did, you did so empty-handed. Nothing in my hands I bring,
simply to thy cross I cling. Now that's how you first received
him. And you received him as the Christ. You received him
as God's prophet, the very word of God. That's how you received
him. You received him as God's priest, who if he represents
you, everything's fine. You received Him as God's King,
the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. You received Him as
Jesus. What a precious name. Thou shalt
call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins. How precious that is. I need
to save from my sins. And He's the Savior of sinners. Oh, I need to be safe from my
sins. And you received Him as the Lord. He's the Lord. That means He
rules. That means He reigns. That means
He's in control. And you believe that. He's your
Lord. Now, how did you first receive Christ? So walk ye in
him. Do you ever grow out of what
I just described? Do you ever get better? Do you
ever improve? Look in Hebrews chapter 3, two
verses of scripture here. Verse six, Hebrews chapter three,
verse six. But Christ as a son over his
own house, whose house are we if we hold fast? We're never
moved from this position. The confidence and the rejoicing
of the hope, firm unto the end. Now, let's talk about the confidence
and the rejoicing of the hope that every believer receives.
First, I have confidence that if he died for me, I'm saved. That's my hope. And you know
what else? I rejoice in that hope. That
is my hope that I rejoice in. Look in verse 14 of the same
chapter. For we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning
of our confidence steadfast unto the end. How dependent are you
upon the grace of God, the first grace that saved you? Now, Paul
said, when I'm weak, then am I strong. I want you to listen
real carefully. How does one keep a sense of
weakness? It's a mighty good sense. Paul
said, when I'm weak, then am I strong. How does one keep a
sense of weakness? By looking to Christ. That's
the only way. You look to Him, you'll have
a sense of your own weakness, and your own sinfulness, and
your own need of Him. You quit looking, you'll quit
having that sense. Now, if I don't see this clearly
about myself, I've taken my eyes off of him. The only way I'll
keep myself as a weak sinner is by looking to my strong Savior,
and the only way I'll continue to see that I have no personal
righteousness is by looking to him as my only righteousness
before God. You look to Him, you'll know
His righteousness is the only righteousness, and you'll know
that you don't have any personal righteousness. That's just the
way it works. Faith in Christ is everything. Faith is the evidence
of things not seen. Faith is not a evidence. Well, my evidence that I'm saved
is I'm having more freedom in prayer, and I'm witnessing, and
I'm reading the Bible. That's foolishness. That's all
that is. That's foolishness. If that's your evidence of salvation,
you're blind as a bat. The only evidence of salvation
is faith in Christ, resting, resting in Him. It's only when
I have some sufficiency in myself that I don't really see that
his grace is sufficient. It is only when I have some ability
that I remove from the grace of Christ. It's only when I think
I can do something to make myself accepted that acceptance in the
beloved becomes clouded. It really is this simple. Now,
why would Paul place such a curse on the version of the gospel
that they were moving to, and a curse on anybody who preaches
it, and a curse on anybody who believes it? Now, that's strong
language. That wouldn't go over well today. I doubt that many
people have much to say about something like that, but you
look at the language Paul used. Why did he speak so strongly? Why did he pronounce this curse? Let me give you two reasons.
First, because a perverted other gospel doesn't give God the glory. It doesn't give Christ the glory.
And second, it won't save anybody. Those are good reasons, aren't
they? Doesn't give Christ the glory, and it won't save anybody. Lord, enable us to not remove
from the grace of Christ. Why? We're talking about something
stupid. To remove myself from the grace
of Christ? Talking about something that's
spiritual suicide. The only hope I have is the grace
of Christ. Why would I want to remove? The
only motive for wanting to remove is thinking, I live yourself. And what comes right with thinking
highly of yourself is thinking lowly of Him. May we be enabled, me and you,
may we be enabled in this generation in which we're living to preach
clearly the grace of Christ. And may we not be removed from
the grace of Christ. Let's pray together.