The Tagedy of Legalism
Galatians 5:2-4 · Bob Eckel · Sep 5, 2010
Galatians (2010), No. 36
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://www.hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/4926214292561

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

So we're going to read today a section of scripture that really is going to go forward past what the content of the text is today, because we're in kind of a new, if you will, personification of the The history of Isaac and his children of Abraham through Hagar and through Sarah. So the contrast there is now going to be exemplified into this contrast between legalism and grace.

So we're going to begin with verse 2 and chapter 5. We're going to read down through verse 15. And I'm going to be dealing with a couple of verses today and then Randy, I think, begins next week with the rest of this section. So Randy, I think, is on for the next three weeks and he'll continue this theme after we're done today. So let's turn to Galatians chapter 5, verse 2. 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 the whole law.

And Christ has become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law, you are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith, for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love. He did run well, who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth. This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. I have confidence in you through the Lord that ye will be none otherwise minded, but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment whoever he may be.

And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then as the offence of the cross ceased, I would that they were even cut off who trouble you. For, brethren, you have been called unto liberty, only use not 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 ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Tom, it's too early for a question. What is it? When you ran the words together, for and occasion, it came out fornication to the flesh, but it was in the right topic. For and occasion? You said I said fornication? Let's make sure we clarify this. For and occasion. These are different issues, for sure. That's for posterity's sake, I think. All right, good. Always good to have Tom in the class. All right, let's look at what we have here today.

Galatians 5.2, Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.

So let's drill down here and see what we're talking about. Indeed I, what, I mean, that really kind of brings, I think, an atmosphere of authority and leadership and apostleship. And I think it's, as I've personified here, it's more than a soft touch of emphasis. And Paul repeatedly uses indeed I. In other words, to bring additional attention to what follows.

So this is also seen, we don't need to look at those verses today, in 2 Corinthians, in Colossians, Ephesians, 1 Thessalonians. So this is not unique to the epistle to the Galatians. Now notice, importantly, the tense of the verb and the verbs to follow. So the verb language to follow is if you become circumcised.

So this is a third class present passive subjective. So let's partition that apart and see if we can understand that. Third class is probably irrelevant, but present tense is meaning now. Passive means you didn't do it. Circumcision is an act of someone else being done on you. Subjunctive brings up what consideration? Alright, so I've kind of paraphrased this, Tom, to say you may be likely in the future to become circumcised. You're considering it now, but you are potentially going to be circumcised. Not necessarily you are or will be, but you're currently considering the possibility that you may be circumcised.

Now, Christ will profit you nothing. So the concept here is if you're considering to be circumcised, Why don't you think this through a little bit? Because if in fact you do become circumcised, it says Christ will profit you nothing. Future tense, meaning if you do, don't expect anything in terms of Christ.

Active, meaning you are experiencing the life of Christ being lived within. You're the one who in fact, this isn't passive. Remember, the life of Christ is an action on our part based on faith. The principle of faith is always there for God's grace to be made known. If we ignore by faith what God has promised us, Christ promises nothing. I mean, all we have is our position, which is enough.

But I mean, if we in fact decide that the flesh is the way that we're going to be circumcised, meaning in our life experience and or physically, you know, there's nothing of the Lord that profits for us in that regard. I just want to say something here too, that even though Paul could be talking about the actual physical act of circumcision, he is, but he also uses that term many times as an analogy to law. Okay, which is, we're going to bleed that out here as we go forward. No, I'm just saying, he does that many times in his epistles to talk about both things. That it's a physical circumcision, which is the actual act of circumcision. But he uses that term as a Well, the tragedy of illegalism is the topic here, and circumcision of the flesh gathers you nothing in Christ, and then secondly, gathers us nothing in terms of the walk, right? We're going to, again, deal with that in more detail.

Indicative tense means what? So the idea here, we're considering being circumcised. that we will have circumcision done unto us if you're male, obviously, in terms of the physical thing, although in certain cultures it's being done unto females too. But all that aside, this is to the male. So we're considering the possibility that we would become circumcised, but we're then told in the future we will experience no benefit of that in terms of Christ's prophetliness. And obviously he's talking to adult non-Jews. Well, is he? I don't know. Well, Jews would be circumcised when they were 8 days old. Right. And they didn't have any choice whether they were going to let themselves be or not.

We're going to look at the example of Timothy in a second. Remember Timothy's heritage? Right. One of his parents was Greek and one was a Jew. Right. And he was uncircumcised. Right. Because his father was Greek. Yeah, so potentially the Gentile would be more applicable if he hadn't been circumcised or perhaps it's a Jew who in fact was outside the Lord and had come to the Lord who in fact had ignored the Jewish tradition and wasn't circumcised. And that would have had to begun with his parents. Correct. So his parents were at fault then according to Jewish tradition and law of not having their child, their male child circumcised. Our lesson is fairly brief in terms of length today. In fact, Randy's next week is two verses. Will profit you nothing conjures in my mind that am I going to lose everything if I get circumcised? But I don't think that's what's real.

Right. We're going to continue. So I'm not going to answer your question because what we're going to be dealing with is that question really addressed in much more detail. All right. So the concept here, are we are we talking here about becoming saved or is this talking about living the Christian life? Circumcision you mean? Right. It seems like a reasonable question. In other words... He's talking to believers. He is talking to believers. Is he? I don't know. I think he is. He's talking to the Galatians. The epistle is being written to the church at Galatia. Galatians, right.

So I think he's talking to believers and he's talking about if you put yourself back under law then all of the promises that you could have the fellowship with Christ is going to be not there. It's nullified. In context I think you're correct. Could it possibly be that there could be a young man who is in fact been exposed to the Galatian error who says, gee, to be saved I must need to be circumcised. true in any church. I mean, you go and there always are people who are unsaved in a church.

Alright, let's read Acts 15.1. Somebody pull that scripture and just read it for me, please.

Now, in Galatians 5.2, I think Margaret is correct. We're applying this to the Christian life. The idea that we need something more than what we have to please God and be made fully righteous.

But Acts 15.1 is relevant here. Somebody. Some came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers, unless you are circumcised according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved. Oops. All right.

So this potential application to the unsaved who has heard about circumcision. And remember the Galatian error here is one in which there's more than simply the grace message. So, I think it could be applied there, but I think in context we're talking about the life. That there's something more than coming to a saving relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ by grace that is needed here.

Okay? Danny, you need a Bible, don't you? I'm sorry we didn't get one from home. No, no, it's fine. We have Bibles. Tom, go get one. Are there some? Okay. Thank you. Would you pay attention please? It doesn't start till tomorrow. Another day. I call that grace.

Alright, so the point here is either way justification by or of works and justification by or of faith are like oil and water. They can't stand together. So we're not. We're not justified in terms of made righteous by works, and we can't be justified by faith, both. I mean, either one is correct or the other, and these don't coexist. It's one or the other, and it's not works. We don't get saved by works. We don't please God by works.

But the Ephesians 2.8 and 9 clear that up. We're saved by faith. Do you want to read that for us, Bud? Ephesians 2, 8, 9.

We're saved by grace through faith, and the Christian life is identical. Our Christian life is by grace through our faith, and that's what I said earlier on. If in fact the grace message is infinite, and ultimately capable under all circumstances, if we don't respond to that by faith, we exist in the flesh.

I mean, it's that simple, right? This is a proactive aspect of the Christian life. It's all by faith. So compare this, I said this whole issue of circumcision, let's bring this into modern times and let's just talk a little bit about the church's view of baptisms. I mean, is that similar in a way here maybe? Sure. Okay, so what are your thoughts about this?

The issue of circumcision before the Church at Galatia was an issue of conversation, clearly an error that had been perceived by Paul. In fact, the whole epistle is kind of based on this error. What about baptism? What are the various views on baptism?

Keep in mind, I say the churches. I didn't say the church. The churches. Denominations. Yeah, denominations. The big difference is in the Baptist church and the Methodist church. In the Methodist church you baptize and obey. A lot of times in the Baptist church they're older, they're adults. There's a difference.

And their concept is different about baptism. Baptists don't believe that if you don't be baptized at an early age, a young child, you still can be saved. But the Methodist church says, we want you to be baptized, we'd like you to be baptized as a child. So, are you not saved if you're not? churches, they prefer to have a child baptized early. But you certainly can be baptized later. Or you don't have to be baptized at all. Well, I like to be baptized. What about the Roman Catholic theology? Baptismal regeneration. Full-fledged. What, Tom? Full-fledged baptismal regeneration in the Catholic season. Stan? Two things.

One, when we went to the Church of Christ, for a short period of time, you had to be baptized in that church. So in other words, that's very similar to what we're talking about here, because if you were not baptized in that denomination or that specific church, you were not saved.

And then the whole issue of immersion comes up too, versus sprinkling, right? And when you go to the Catholic Church, you can't take communion because you are not saved unless you're a Catholic. So you cannot take take communion, and so you're excluded. And that's very similar to circumcision as well. So in other words, what it comes down to, faith and flesh don't mix.

But denominations make flesh more important than faith. And so then you've got a problem. That's a good comment. Other thoughts about this issue? It may not be an exact analogy, but it's one of controversy with a variety of views. Yes? From the Baptists, there's a diversity of belief.

If you're a Southern Baptist, you must be baptized to be saved, by and large. Whereas if you're a Northern or a Conservative or some of the others, that's an option. I mean, you do it based on your faith. because you're living a godly life, or not. And carry that to an extreme if you are a Lutheran, a conservative Lutheran, you're not saved until you're baptized.

And also immersion other than sprinkling is a differential. That's right. Okay, so in a sense the baptism circumcision analogy is not a good one because there are many views on baptism as to what it really means and what's biblical. But secondly, they are similar in that they add an additional value beyond what it means to be biblically saved. So what is the scriptural position on baptism? What is baptism ultimately there for? Sam?

Well, you have to go back to the first example in the New Testament, I think, and that's John the Baptist. He brought the people out to be baptized and then he said, repent. for the kingdom of God is at hand. So you repented first and then you got baptized? Well, he baptized so that they would understand that there was a faith issue involved in this and that you had to repent, change your lifestyle, and agree with God on what God wanted you to do. That's what John the Baptist asked for, but that was for the Jewish people at that time. I understand that. But he was the first one.

Today in the church it's just to show that you have died and buried and risen with Christ. It's supposed to be a picture of the salvation. Right, but I'm not sure that everyone who becomes baptized understands the truth of the co-crucifixion, the burial, and the resurrection, but in a sense I think biblically you're correct. It's an outward sign of an inward change, right?

That's simply what baptism is. It's not necessary. It doesn't add special blessing. It's not required. It's simply a willingness of a person to step forward and say, I'm going to show the people who love me and care about me that I've been changed biblically by being saved. and may reflect, you know, kind of a coming to the end of yourself. It's kind of necessary for me to really realize I'm saved, but yet my life is, I mean, I'm not going to say what motivates people to be baptized, but there's nothing that adds any value to it other than a public example of a person who's come to the Lord and is taking that seriously and willing to make it publicly evident. Of our five kids, only one has been baptized. And I wish they were all, but I mean they're saved, all five of them, but only one has been baptized.

Other thoughts? Bob, on my third baptism, sprinkling and dipping and dunking. I took this to heart. You said it perfectly. That's exactly what it is. So maybe a fourth one is necessary. Well, I'll talk to Vern. We should get it done next week anyway. I'm into that one. I need to do the Jordan. In fact, Margaret and I had the privilege of being up in Galilee this last fall, and we went to actually the River Jordan. Of course, the River Jordan is fairly long, but anyway, there are all kinds of people being baptized there, as if there's something special about being baptized at the River Jordan.

Oh, but I have to say, I have a picture of this. We're taking pictures of the people getting baptized. Talk about commercialization of the baptism. And they're wearing these white kind of robe things over their bathing suits. And on their bottoms was the picture of Christ.

I am serious. I am serious. And we took pictures of this and it was like, This is just over the top. And by the way, the river, the River Jordan is very muddy. It's an ugly river, at least where we were. It was just hysterical. And I was thinking, you know, I don't think this is what they have. Honey, look at third Thessalonians. Let's get back to the topic here.

So Margaret's favorite verse, Galatians 2.21, I do not set aside the grace of God for righteousness comes through the law which would be circumcision. then Christ died in vain.

Circumcision is just one example of applying legal principles that are driven by the law to the believer. In Hebrews 4, like this verse, for indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them, but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith and those who heard it. I mean, anyway, so the word which they heard didn't profit them, not being mixed with faith and those who heard it. So the gospel is the gospel, but it depends on how you're going to interpret it and how you're going to apply it to your life. So Paul is not condemning circumcision.

I think we need to put that in perspective. There's a history in Israel for circumcision that cannot be denied. And the example I alluded to before is Timothy. And ultimately he was circumcised so he could enter the Jewish synagogues, where in fact there was felt to be a ministry. So let's turn to Acts 16, 1 through 3 and look at that in context.

Whoever gets that, please read it. And behold, a certain disciple was there named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed that his father was Greek. He was well spoken of by the brethren of Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted to have him go on with him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews that were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek. Okay, so for some reason I mean he felt the necessity to become circumcised to be accepted so the ministry could be sustained. Okay, I mean I don't think Timothy expected any additional benefit other than being able now to have doors more widely open to what he might bring in terms of the true gospel message.

So, I mean, again, circumcision, nothing wrong with it. And if, you know, that we continue to, you know, manifest circumcision in Western societies these days, probably for reasons that are quite different than were used by the nation of Israel and times gone by but nevertheless circumcision itself is not not wrong.

It's just the rationale for it that we're dealing with here. Tom? It's possible that there was nobody in that whole area of the male side that was circumcised so they might have needed Timothy here? Yeah, I mean his mother was a Jew but his father was a Greek and so his father presumably set the stage for the spiritual tone of the household. Good point. Other thoughts here about Timothy?

All right. I think what Paul is doing here is he's condemning the thought that there's any sort of right, meaning things one would go through that could gain a person additional standing with God. There's just nothing further that is needed to be done other than coming to a saving relationship, right? I mean, circumcision adds nothing under grace. All right, verse 3. Any other thoughts about verse 2 here?

All right, and I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised. Okay, now there's this potential consideration of being circumcised. It's happened. that he's a debtor to keep the whole law. So the idea here is that if you weren't circumcised and you become, or even if you were circumcised, that ultimately if you're following the law of Moses or the extended law of the nation of Israel, you've got to keep the whole law. Right? I mean, if you're living by legal principles, you've got to do it all.

Again, Paul assumes this position of authority, and I testify, strong language here that Paul comes across to. If you take this path, you've got a big task ahead of you. And there's a couple of verses that are very, very helpful here. So James 2.10, Donna, maybe you can take a look at that.

And Stan, could you do Galatians 3.10 for us, please? Great verses to exemplify this point.

Galatians 3.10 is, all who rely on observing the law are under a curse for it is written. Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the book of the law. Clearly no one is justified before God by the law because the righteous will live by faith. Okay, so this is simply something we know well. And here, again, it gets particularly emphasized in terms of the message that Paul has.

So, remember that trip, I've shared this several times in the class, is that that trip that Margaret and I made to Australia, where in fact the flight from LA to Sydney was a long one. And she was seated next to a woman who probably weighed 400 pounds, took up part of her seat. And I was next to an Orthodox Jew who just finished a year at Yeshiva University in New York City.

He was going back to Sydney and he was keeping the entire law. All 613, is it 613, 623, 613, I think, components of the law. He's keeping them all. and we talked for hours about this. It was just a fascinating trip. So she's finding room to put her small little body next to this huge woman here. I am carrying on this very intellectual conversation with this orthodoxy. The Lord had me purposely distracted.

All right, Romans 4.4.

Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace, but as debt. So we're talking about being debtors now. And we are totally free from the law. Law is condemnation. Remember, the purpose of the law wasn't to live by it, it was to condemn us, to show us how short-changed we are in terms of living it. is the manner of receiving. So we're totally free from the law which is there to condemn us. It's manner of receiving God's blessing is wrong and ultimately obedience to its statutes is impossible for us to achieve.

So we're totally free from the law with its three principles. Well what I was going to say too is usually Paul is also saying it's not always, I mean even though it's the law, the law of Moses, all those 613 laws. He's also talking about any law system. Right. How many times did you pray this week? What's your refrigerator list? How many times did you, did you tithe? Did you do all these things? I mean, he's talking about all that stuff. Now, it's funny.

In verse four, which is what we're, no, we're on verse three. My text says the whole law. Do people have an article before it in their versions? In verse 3? Do you? Okay. The whole law. It's interesting, in the interlinear Greek there's no article. So, applied to what Margaret says, any legal system, but King James says the. What version do you have, Don? Mine's King James. Anybody have a New American Standard? I do. Does it say the? It says whole law. The, just say hola, which would imply it. The hola. The hola, yeah, okay. So it's interesting, the inner linear Greek has no the.

So it's not always true, but in general, when there's an article that applies more specifically, when there's no article, it has more broader implications. But I don't want to die for that statement. So any legal system is, in fact, a legal system we've imposed upon ourselves. Or our churches impose on us. Right. I mean, it's being taught out of every pulpit.

Did you show up? Don't you feel guilty because you weren't at church last week? You haven't been here in a month. And I think there's no better example of this than the offering plate being passed. I mean, I really love this church in terms of a cheerful giver, really scripturally content. I mean, it's just an example of the fact that there's no law to pass the plate. People give because the Lord leads them to give. I think Vern talked about that a few weeks ago.

I missed that. Debtor. What do you think about when you're a debtor? Well, you're bound, right? And debt implies a contract. So if we've got a contract with the law, we're debtors because we must in fact be obedient to the contract. Yes, Tom? And another scripture says the debtor is a slave to the lender. Well, one who is bound, right? A bond slave, if you will.

And that's why I think in general that the Bible tends to promote being debt free. We all generally carry a little bit, some of us anyway, and we always justify our homes because they're accruing interest. I'm not sure that's true right now. Right over time, our homes are worth more, so therefore being in debt to our home, we can always regain that debt, right? Wrong? No comment on that. All right. And, you know, we too are debtors, but we're not debtors to the flesh. And let's turn to Romans and look at this there, because I think this is the freedom from the debt to any legal system. So Romans 8, 9 through 14, and I'll just read that from here.

But you're not in the flesh, but in the spirit. And if so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you, now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also give life to your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you. Therefore, brethren, we are detours, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die, but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. Let me read that again. But if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many are as led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

So what does it mean in verse 12? Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. So what are we debtors to? It says we're debtors, but not to the flesh. Okay, so why are we called debtors in Romans 8? We were bought with a price. Okay, so what's the principle of the debt?

The life that Jesus paid. The death that he suffered. Okay, what were you going to say? The walk of faith. I think it's the principle of grace applied to the spirit-led life. We're debtors to the cross and that at the time of the crucifixion, co-burial and co-resurrection, actually our debt is the Calvary and everything it stands for. And so our debt, because it's received by grace, is no longer perceived by God as a debt. The application of that, I think, is when we live by the flesh, in fact, we don't experience the debt that's been paid.

Remember, Paul in Romans 8 has come out of Romans 7. What's the difference between Romans 6 and Romans 8 in terms of what Paul has experienced and the truth he's proclaiming in Romans 8? He was trying to live under the law, still, in Romans 6, and then he realizes... No, Romans 6, remember, is just the statement of the identification, right?

And 7, he's trying to ultimately have that truth exemplified through the power of the flesh. He's failing. In eight now, he's been, if you will, transformed by the power of the Spirit in his life. We're going to come back to this at the end of the lesson, although the end is coming quicker than I thought. We're called debtors because we're debted to God for what he's done and the price he's paid and that debt is ultimately to live a life by faith. Same principle. Faith is the mechanism. Grace is the foundation.

Okay, let's go on to verse 4 then. You've become estranged from Christ. Boy, that's strong language. We're estranged from Christ. You attempt to be justified by the law. You have fallen from grace. My good, a strong language. Notice how being under the law for our justification makes Christ become of no effect and also to translate that in other ways estranged or made void of Isn't it amazing that when we put law on either to become saved or ultimately being saved in the day-to-day existence, ultimately we've estranged Christ, made him void?

Boy, that's really tough language. Do you think about that when you're living by the flesh? And I live there too often. I've in fact made the cross void in terms of my life. Our position never changes. Position's always secure. But we, in fact, when we live by the flesh and the power of the flesh, we make the existence and new creation we are in Christ Jesus void.

Boy, what does it mean to have fallen from grace? Does that mean that there's, you know, there we, anyway, Tom, you're no longer a beneficiary of the grace system. Okay, fallen from grace. Is that kind of something permanent here? No, just day to day, moment by moment, until Christ calls you home. Well, we're out of fellowship too. We're totally out of fellowship with the Lord.

So what is the principle of grace? Why have we fallen from this? Let's define it first. What is the principle of grace? If somebody who never heard of the term before, how would you explain grace to them? Roy, what would you say to this ignorant soul who comes to you and says, gee, Mr. Smith, what is grace?

It's an eternal life. Well, that's part of it. It is the unlimited favor of God based on the work of Christ. And it's not just unlimited, it's inexhaustible. into recognizing that, hey, you've lost your position right now in condition, I should use the word condition, and I'm rambling, I'm not good at saying this kind of thing. The bottom line is, grace is infinite. Grace cannot be exhausted. Grace is all based on the work of Christ, not on my work.

And therefore, though I can fall from the experiencing that grace. I'm still in that grace. I just don't know about it. I'm just living under a law system now that's continually telling me how bad I am. Versus the grace system which tells me how good I am in grace. And it's unmerited. It's unmerited. For sure. Chastises would best be lifted up and encouraged and schooled. Yeah, Tom? And one thing totally driving home is that Price's work was totally adequate for this to happen.

So what does God demand of all of us for all time throughout all of history? To believe. Right? And when we don't believe that God's grace is sufficient, we've fallen from grace because ultimately that's what he's asked us to do, believe what grace is for. And that's for not only bringing us to salvation, but sustaining our salvation throughout our earthly existence. Donna?

I was just thinking, you know, debtor to the law. Now notice too that it says you have fallen from grace. It doesn't say God has withheld grace. The emphasis is on our response to put ourselves under legal principles. When we do that, we've fallen from the grace principle. It has nothing to do with legal applications to our lives. Would it be adequate to say our debt is to believe God? Well, I think we kind of dealt with that in different terms earlier, but yes, to believe God. Our debt is ultimately to respond to the grace message, which is still faith. Stan?

That goes back to what Jesus said about the child. He said, unless you believe like one of these, are not saved. I mean, you have to have the belief of a child. And you can tell a child a fictitious story and they'll believe it as it's true. We have to have, with reason, because we're older. And we have to be able to accept what God's telling us as true. And you can go back to right, R-I-T-E, does not make write R-I-G-H-T. I like that. That's good. Because anything you do doesn't make righteousness.

I think a potential analogy might, I mean we live in the Rocky Mountain region so we know that people every year fall from cliffs and die. And so has the cliff changed because of their death? I mean, if you will, that rock of the Rocky Mountains, in fact, is still there, so the grace principle never changes. We fall off, we may or may not die, but in a sense, the principle of the rock of grace never changes. But the fall, the fallen from grace is like falling off some cliff on Long's Peak. That cliff, you know, is still there. That rock you fell off of is still there. So God's grace, unchanging. But we fall from that grace by putting ourselves under legal principles. Because remember, we've got to keep the whole law if we're going to put ourselves under one component of it. I love it. Don't you like that one coming up real slow? Did you just discover that one? No, I did. I was playing around with ways to bring it to you. I like that one. It takes a lot of time and I need to slow down.

Okay, so I'm saying here in context it has nothing to do with those who have performed horrendous sins. This isn't what falling from grace means. I mean, if pray tell one of us would decide to, you know, rob the 7-Eleven down at the corner tonight. We're not talking about falling from grace in the sense that it is, but that's what we're talking about here.

But it really applies to those who are trying to be good with their own strength and power. In context, that's what we're talking about here. We're not talking about sins, although sins in their own right are the power of the flesh. We're talking about a much broader principle here, that I'm going to please God by doing A, B, and C because it falls within the legal demands of the Jewish faith. I mean, it could apply to sins, but sin is part of the whole nature, and we all have that existence in all of us that's going to extend until we're taken home. We're not talking about here a white lie or talking about a wrong thought. We're talking about the attempt of man to please God through an outward act.

All right, let's kind of get into application more clearly as we end up here. This is not an abandonment of morals but of doctrine. I like that. That kind of came to my mind. We're not abandoning our moral grounds because again, God sees us in Christ anyway. I'm not saying again that sins are not part of this, but in effect this is talking about doctrine. It's not talking about, you know, sins of the flesh. It's talking about doctrine. So this is the Galatian Era. We don't need to look at that.

Let's look at Galatians 1.6.

I'll just have to turn back a couple of pages for Galatians 1.6. Whoever gets that, please read it for us. The marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you unto the grace of Christ unto another gospel.

Okay, this is that other gospel, and Galatians 3.3 says, Are ye so foolish, having begun in the Spirit? Are ye now made perfect by the flesh? So the Galatian error now puts the believer under a whole new system, which was unintended and in error. But Christ is the end of the law for everyone that believes.

Romans 10, 3, and 4, Romans 11, 6. Let's not look at that now. You can look at that there. And this is the concept of works versus faith. So let's do turn to Romans 4, 4, and 5 here. And here it says, now to him that works is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. Oh, interesting. It deals with several of the concepts we've been talking about.

But to him that works not, but believes on him that justified the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Oil and water, right? Debt versus righteousness. And so for debtors, we're debtors to righteousness by response to what God has revealed. Remember faith is very simply defined. Love Scofield's definition, faith is believing what God has revealed. So do we believe what is revealed and live by faith?

Or in fact we're going to turn things over to our own ability to ultimately do right things to please ourselves and by the way those around us. Our motive may seems to be pleasing everyone around us, but ultimately it's our self that becomes so satisfied. I like what Merriman has said here.

He said it's impossible for a believer to fall out of grace. For instance, to lose his salvation. It is possible for him to fall away from grace provision for successful Christian living. Okay with that? So we fall away from grace, which is really the principle of the Christian life. That's a death. Right. So make sure we understand it's impossible for us to fall out of grace. Grace is infinite. We never fall out of grace. The principle of grace is for the believer. That's God's unmerited favor he extends to everyone who comes to a saving relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, but by the power of the flesh and our doubting by faith what God has revealed, we can fall away from grace or fall from grace.

In a condition. That's all condition. has nothing to do with position. So how do you know whether or not you're living by grace or by law? And a related question, what are the metrics here? Stan, you got the answer, good. No, to me, my answer is do I feel obligated to God or do I feel thankful to God for what He's given me?

The obligated I think is the Because once I feel like I have to do something or I'm obligated to do something, not because you still have your focus on God, but it's how you get there. If I have to take these steps to get there, and I'm obligated to do these things before I get to God, then I have a problem. But if I'm thankful, and I have this relationship and this fellowship through the Spirit, I think that's the key. Not through me following certain steps, but me through the Spirit being thankful to God. That's what it means to me. Could we call that an attitude perhaps? Attitude to me is what stands between asking and receiving. That's what I thought attitude was. And in a sense that's true.

Other thoughts? What are the metrics? How do we know we're living by faith It comes to mind about that our spirit witnesses with his spirit that we are the children of God. It is a spiritual recognition. It is not physical. As so often, of course, my answer is there, which is something I frequently place. The grace principle begins at the throne. We're positioned at the throne and we're actually humbled by being heirs and sons of God in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so often when I teach, it seems like the hungry heart for that day is perfect for the lesson I'm teaching.

Maybe that's because there's a lot of repetition in here as there is in the messages we can convey here in the scriptures. Let me read today's. This will just take a minute. So the title today is Christ Our Position, and the verse shared is, in freedom Christ has made us free, completely liberated us, stand fast then.

That's Galatians 5.1 in the Amplified Version. Now I'm reading from Miles's Hungry Heart series from today.

We are never going to be able to stand before our Father in prayer and fellowship because we are fit in ourselves. We finally come to see that we are in his presence because of our position in his Son. The ground upon which our Father deals with us is grace. Every blessing we receive of Him as His children is undeserved. In all of our spiritual existence we are debtors to the rich, free, sovereign grace of our Father. And what is it we are privileged to enjoy on that ground when we enter into this grace wherein we stand? We then have a new position, and that position is the glorified Lord Jesus Christ. We are not only pardoned but justified, made righteous, and this is not merely by that which he has done or by what he has procured or bestows, but what he is.

As he is, so are we in this world, it says in 1 John 4.17. The believer must never lose sight of this fundamental truth, that the basis of his fellowship, meaning our fellowship with the Father, is not his own personal holiness, or what the Lord Jesus is in him, but his judicial position before the Father, or what the Lord Jesus Christ is, for him. He, the Lord our righteousness, is the foundation and source of everything, of walk as well as position. Most look to get victory in order to get peace, but it is peace already made by the Lord Jesus' work and risen life that is ours. Conflict we shall find, but we know that the Father is for us, and not only for us, but in us, and that makes all the difference. And Miles ends with, of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God He has made unto us His righteousness.

So, I don't have a metric for you. I sense that the Spirit-led life is one in which we don't pay attention to it. We are solidly based in doctrine, and the life we live by the Spirit is one that empowers the new nature to bring glory to God. And I can look at Donna and see whether that's being reflected by the power of the Spirit in me, hopefully to make some thoughts and potential judgments the wrong term. But I mean, in other words, we can metric one another's walk to see if it's glorifying to God. But if I'm looking at myself, seeing if I'm glorifying to God, I'm focusing on my own performance. So sound doctrine is a walk lived by faith that exemplifies God's glory without our taking credit for what comes out. A fellow I used to know, Ed Sundin, remember what he used to say to me? How you doing today, Ed? I'm grateful. That's it. Bud, that's an attitude. Understand? I mean, I'm grateful, it's kind of an attitude.

You know, our citizenship's in heaven, and I think when our citizenship's in heaven, we put, you know, the earthly circumstances in which we exist ultimately into that perspective. And sometimes we fail. But ultimately, that life led by the Spirit is one that's powered from above. And that's where we need to be present and focused as we live the Christian life. Roy, would you close us in prayer, please? Amen.