Hello
Friends!
During
this week’s gathering, we’ll continue to work our way through the book written
to the Galatians as we consider
the ONE and ONLY saving “salvation” message of “Jesus Christ” as decreed throughout this excellent
Epistle – “Only ONE Gospel!”
Galatians: Only ONE Gospel! (Chapter 5:7-15)
7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the
truth?
8 This
persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. 9 A
little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will
be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment,
whosoever he be. 11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I
yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
12 I
would they were even cut off which trouble you. 13 For,
brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an
occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14 For
all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself. 15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye
be not consumed one of another – Galatians
5:7-15
OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: The “gospel of salvation” says that “believers” are “saved”
from “sin,” spiritual “death” and eternal “hell”
fire by FAITH in “Jesus Christ”
absolutely ALONE apart from ANY religious
“works” through ceremonies, rituals
or ordinances
of sorts. This is the “gospel”
of God’s great “grace” and ALL glory
goes to Him! Thus, our JUSTIFICATION readily results in a transformed
life through SANCTIFICATION power
of which constantly conforms us unto Christ-likeness powerfully producing
Spirit-empowered “righteous works” unto our
Lord…
For we are his
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before
ordained that we should walk in them – Ephesians
2:10
However,
there are NO required rank religious man-centered “works of the flesh” that directly CONTRIBUTE absolutely
anything
to our soul’s – SALVATION!
Therefore,
this poignant Galatians passage CONTINUES to
make it crystal clear how the “Apostle
Paul” and “God”
Himself deplores fickle “false teachers”
and their fatal “false doctrines” of doom
through aberrant man-made FORMS of so-called “Christianity”
in nimble NAME only. And what Paul
is adequately ATTACKING throughout
this ENTIRE lauded
“letter” is the audacious ANATHEMA that
“anyone” should attempt to TAMPER with
the great “gospel of salvation” unto
our Lord – The GIST of Galatians!
Leaven OR Liberty?
The
Galatians were flourishing
spiritually until “certain” men of the “Jewish” persuasion had brought CORRUPTION upon the scene, following Paul
everywhere
in an attempt to utterly UNDERMINE
the grand “gospel of God” itself. They
were “false apostles” from the “synagogue of Satan” darkly “disguised as ministers of light” but were actually
miserable “ministers of darkness” in
kind.
And unto
the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the
last, which was dead, and is alive. I know thy works, and tribulation, and
poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they
are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan – Revelation
2:8-9
And
it wasn’t that they had introduced an anti-Christian
message in and of itself. However, these menaces mandated a sort of
quasi-Christian directive through a deviant
damning – DECEPTION!
Therefore,
Paul “delivers” an absolutely DEVASTATING all-out spiritual ASSAULT on
the infectious “persuasion” of these
frightful “false teachers” and their “false doctrine” of dooming DISASTROUS proportions…
Ye did
run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you – Galatians 5:7-8
All
“false teachers” highly “hinder” folks from OBEYING the “truth”
of “God” appropriately. And Paul often
employed the metaphor of a rigorous RACE in his practical points of
instruction. WHY? Because “running” was also a very popular
activity in the ancient world. Incidentally, the Greek word “run” refers to “moving
rapidly ahead” in the RIGHT direction. Therefore, Paul rightly says “you” did “run
well” at first BEFORE being highly “hindered”
and blindly “bewitched” by this bogus
brood. And “who” did this? It was the
jaundice “Judaizers” from “Jerusalem” promoting “another
gospel” of damnation and definitely did NOT at all speak FOR God:
For ye, brethren, became
followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye
also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the
Jews: Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have
persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: Forbidding
us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins
alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost – 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16
This
LEGALISTIC lying “persuasion” of measly “men” does NOT
represent the spiritual SUPERNATURAL
effectual “calling” from “God” that divinely accompanies His “soul” saving “message”
unto eternal – SALVATION!
And
these “false teachers” caustically CONTAMINATE the
true “church of God” itself:
A little
leaven leaveneth the whole lump – Galatians
5:9
Our
“Lord Jesus Christ” also referred to “leaven” as a metaphor
akin to a common PROVERB derived from the
“Scripture” representing permeation
in the EXPOSING of fickle “false doctrine”
associated with the “hypocrisy”
of the “Pharisees”
and “Sadducees” in their promotion
of an EVIL infectious influence
on the soul…
Then Jesus said
unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees – Matthew 16:6
How is it that
ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye
should beware of the leaven of
the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Then understood they how that he bade them
not beware of the leaven of
bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees – Matthew 16:11-12
And he charged
them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod – Mark 8:15
In the meantime,
when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch
that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of
all, Beware ye of the leaven of
the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy – Luke 12:1
Your glorying is not good. Know
ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the
old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ
our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with
old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the
unleavened bread of sincerity and truth – 1 Corinthians
5:6-8
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: Before the “seven days” of “unleavened
bread” the “Jews”
would REMOVE every particle of “leaven”
from their homes. And part of that fanciful “feast”
was to RECOGNIZE that they must “put
away” the permeating influence of “sin” from their lives:
Seven days shall
ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for
whosoever eateth leavened
bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from
Israel – Exodus 12:15
Seven days shall
there be no leaven found
in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of
Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land. Ye shall eat
nothing leavened; in all
your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread – Exodus 12:19-20
Therefore,
“leaven” operated on the principle of fermentation
and thus was a good ILLUSTRATION concerning
the moral
and spiritual
carnal CORRUPTION of the “heart”
itself. And these “false teachers” consistently
CONTAMINATE and
CORRUPT the
“church” and will thus “bear” the divine “judgment” of the “Lord” Himself:
I have
confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but
he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be – Galatians 5:10
In
other words, Paul says: “I’m confident the
Lord will lead you unto a full commitment for the gospel!”
Incidentally, the Greek term “troubleth”
refers to being “thrown into confusion” and when
“someone” comes along and claims
they are a true “believer” but actually “makes merchandise” of folks by introducing
evil ERROR into
the “church” of God, HE
is very SERIOUS in His – RIGHTEOUS Response!
But there were false prophets
also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who
privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought
them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their
pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you:
whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth
not – 2 Peter 2:1-3
And
their “damnation” awaits! However,
it doesn’t end there. WHY?
Because these “false teachers” also
pragmatically PERSECUTE the true “preachers”
of God’s Word:
And I,
brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is
the offence of the cross ceased – Galatians
5:11
In
other words, Paul says: “If I was preaching
circumcision, the Jews wouldn’t be stumbling over the cross!” And Paul himself had originally “persecuted” the true “church”
with fierce OPPOSITION force. However, AFTER his spiritual “conversion”
in “Jesus Christ” our Lord, Paul would
seriously “suffer”
pressing “persecution”
as well:
For I will shew
him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake – Acts 9:16
And
the PRIMARY source
of this “persecution” came from the
heinous “religious” hands of the
jealous “Jews” themselves – Religious OPPOSITION!
CONTEXTUAL COMMENTS: Further along in the book of Acts Paul
came to meet a “young” man and “certain disciple” by the name of “Timothy” and was impressed by his “righteous” life and “godliness”
as a true “believer” in “Jesus Christ” our Lord. Incidentally, his
“mother” was a “Jewess” and his “father”
was of “Greek” descent:
Then came he to Derbe and Lystra:
and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a
certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:
Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Him
would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of
the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a
Greek. And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for
to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem – Acts
16:1-4
At
that time, “Timothy” had NEVER been
physically “circumcised” since his CONVERSION as a “Christian”
became a reality. Thus, Paul required “Timothy”
to be promptly “circumcised” in the flesh. WHY? Because if not, “Timothy”
would have had NO access to the “synagogues”
themselves. And it would have been the natural thought of the “Jews” that since “Timothy”
was born of a “Gentile” father and a “Jewish” mother but was NOT ceremonially “circumcised”
he must thus be a PAGAN simply taking his
father’s RELIGIOUS position. This would have made it very DIFFICULT for
pastor “Timothy” to mightily “minister” alongside of Paul – POWERFUL preaching!
Thankfully,
there is NO obligation for “believers”
to adamantly adhere to the “Mosaic”
ordinances. However, in this instance, Paul accommodates the “Jewish” mindset by having “Timothy” go through this surgery
of the “flesh” providing him equal ACCEPTANCE as
one who has acknowledged their “Judaism”
as did Paul. Therefore, together they could more
mightily MINISTER God’s great – GOSPEL unto JEWS!
Paul
then continues
with a FIERCE statement that surmises his ENTIRE point thus far:
I would
they were even cut off which trouble you – Galatians
5:12
QUIZZING QUESTIONS: We can speculate about
the context
of Paul’s “cut off”
comment in connection to “circumcision”
itself. But, WHAT is
Paul referring to concerning these “false teachers”
of physical “Jewish” descent? The region
of “Galatia” was adjacent to “Phrygia” of which was well-known for the
“worship” of Cybele,
a so-called PAGAN goddess. In fact, the priests and the
very devout
followers of Cybele
actually had themselves physically CASTRATED.
Thus, they became self-inflicted EUNUCHS for the purpose of “worshipping”
within this demonic “religious”
cult. And when the “Judaizers” heard Paul make
this cutting
comment, it must have INFURIATED them! WHY?
Because they prided themselves as being God’s ONLY redeemed representatives on earth.
However… PERHAPS these jaundice “Jews” were more akin to those “caught up” in “fleshly”
full-fledged – PAGANISM!
Liberty OR License?
Next,
Paul pronounces
one of the most DEFINING passages of “Scripture”
regarding FREEDOM in the “life”
of a “Christian” in Christ:
For,
brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an
occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another – Galatians 5:13
Our
“liberty” in Jesus Christ, “brethren,” is NOT a fickle fancy to outright WILLINGLY savor
“sin” all we want. NO!
Our loving “liberty” in “Jesus Christ” is a fabulous freedom
to DILIGENTLY follow
God’s WILL through a “righteous”
life IN Him.
Do we occasionally “sin” in our fallenness? YES! However,
the ADDICTION to
serious “sin” through a habitual
on-going “occasion to the
flesh” is absolutely BROKEN and “we”
are now eternally “called”
to deeply ENJOY a heart-felt DESIRE to
lavishly “love” and “serve” each other and to DO what
pleasantly – PLEASES
God!
POIGNANT POINT: When “we”
were “saved” by God’s great “grace” alone, “we”
were NOT simply
freed from the “law of God” to “go on sinning” as though it doesn’t MATTER to Him HOW we “live”
our lives. Rather, “we” are NOW freed from “sin”
to rightly OBEY the “law of God” unto HIS
glory! And the harsh, blunt REALITY
is that a complacent TOLERANCE
of unheeded “sin” actually CELEBRATES a blatant “bondage” to satanic “sin”
itself. Beloved, “we” are NOT exempt from right RESPONSIBILITY and diligent DUTY unto God’s HOLY
standards – Lord HELP us!
Love IN Law!
God’s
luminous “law”
is absolutely essential in terms of the Biblical definition of a
true “Christian” with an EAGERNESS and
hungry “heart” lived out in a lavish
“love” of their “neighbour” unto the
Lord:
For all
the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour
as thyself – Galatians 5:14
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: The Bible is crystal CLEAR throughout its pages concerning ONE critical cause. WHAT?
If “thou” truly “love” the “Lord thy God” with “all thy heart” there will be a deep DESIRE
to rightly “keep” God’s loving “commandments” and to “obey”
God’s “Word” succinctly:
And thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might – Deuteronomy 6:5
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and
great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself – Matthew 22:37-39
And thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment – Mark 12:30
And he answering
said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with
all thy heart, and
with all thy soul, and
with all thy strength,
and with all thy mind;
and thy neighbour as thyself – Luke 10:27
And
this supernatural Agape true “love”
of “God” is the highest and most sacrificial
of all, reflecting humble selflessness. Therefore, Paul
proclaims that “we” must be mindfully MOTIVATED by
this “one word” of which is the “love” of “God”
itself. Thus, “we” will highly HONOR God,
willingly WORSHIP God and bring great GLORY
to God. True “Christians” rightly – LOVE God!
“But” one of the horrible heights
that “fleshly” carnal “Christians” can climb is to THINK they
have every RIGHT to dauntingly “do”
whatever THEY wanly want, regardless of the ultimate outcome.
Thus, they careen through life leaving a trail of BROKEN lives
behind. HOW? They brazenly “bite” and “devour”
other “brethren” within the “faithful” family of God. It is for this reason
Paul provides this stern WARNING for these pompous people:
But if ye
bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another – Galatians 5:15
The
Greek word for “bite” is daknete and references a poisonous snake.
And the Greek word for “devour”
is analōthēte from which we get “annihilate” meaning “to
gulp down” ferociously. Thus, Paul says: “Don’t
LIVE like that!” The lovelessness and indifference
of “sin” caustically “consumes” Biblical UNITY and
literally causes chaotic CONFLICT everywhere! Conversely, when the true Agape empowered “love of God”
is manifest through sacrificial SERVICE
unto others, dire conflict disappears. “But” as Paul proclaims, if “we” selfishly “bite and devour one another” at
will, that simply DISOBEYS the caring “commandments”
of God. And that most certainly is NOT
at all – Loving!
Beloved,
HOW in
the world is it possible for “us”
to rightly “live” out a LOVING life
like this? Take a sneak-peek at verse 16
for God’s answer…
But I say, walk by the Spirit,
and you’ll not carry out the desire of the flesh – Galatians
5:16
We
are “not” under the EXTERNAL control of “law”
and license
to indecently indulge in the “desires of the
flesh” unabated. Rather, we are under the INTERNAL supernatural
control of the “Spirit”
Himself within our wonderful “walk”
with Him – The POWER of SANCTIFICATION!
In closing:
There
are a plethora of “other gospels” propagated TODAY of which do NOT simply summon a seemingly SMALL group of “religious”
folks. Rather, they literally represent a markedly MASSIVE population
of darkly DECIEVED souls…
In
fact, the early “church” shepherd Chrysostom once said:
“For even the cross, which was a stumbling
block to the Jews, was not so much so as the failure to require obedience to
the ancestral laws and traditions; for when they attacked Stephen they said not
that he was worshiping the crucified, but that he was speaking against the laws
and the Holy Place.”
And
pastor Charles Spurgeon once said:
“Holiness is essentially voluntary. It’s not
the external law, it’s voluntary in the sense that it’s the work of the Spirit
on your heart. The Holy Spirit educates from the Scripture as He operates on
the mind. Hence when the understanding is enlightened to see the beauty of
holiness, the will is certain to seek after it, and the heart is induced to
obey.”
Thus,
one could argue that a hybrid sappy “salvation” achieved by “faith” combined WITH
our “works” direly defines the LARGEST number
of so-called “Christians” in the
professing “church” today. HOW? By
eagerly ENCOMPASSING the Eastern Orthodoxy and the Roman
Catholic system along with MANY other Evangelical fickle FORMS of a sudo “Christianity”
per-se’. Therefore, Paul wants “us”
to rightly “understand” the great SERIOUSNESS concerning
these fraudulent “false teachers” at large – BEWARE!
REAL REFLECTIONS: Beloved, may God give US the courage and boldness
to “contend earnestly for the faith”
that was signed, sealed and delivered
some – 2000 years ago…
Beloved,
when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was
needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly
contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints – Jude 3
Praise the Lord Jesus Christ!
With
these thoughts in consideration towards your own personal studies, please read
through verses 7-15 in the fifth chapter of
the excellent book to the Galatians.
We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
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Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><
Encouraging Concepts
Truth for Today
"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"Lighthouse Publications <><
