“Carry Each Other’s Burdens” (Gal 6:1-10) - Galatians: Be Free VII -

“Carry Each Other’s Burdens” (Gal 6:1-10)

- Galatians: Be Free VII -

The Spiritual Person

Who is a spiritual person? One day a Christian brother came to see Watchman Nee, Chinese Christian leader, and whined about his situation. He said, “Teacher, listen. I have a terrible neighbor. You know how much we are all suffering from famine. I work hard all day to irritate my rice paddy. But my neighbor broke down the bank around my paddy to turn the watercourse into his paddy. It already happened two times. I can’t stand this any more.” Watchman Nee said to him, “This time when you go back to your field, irrigate his paddy first before doing yours.” The farmer didn’t understand why he would have to do this. But he decided to follow this instruction. At first, he reluctantly started, but at the end he got filled with joy. That night an unexpected guest came to see him. That was his neighbor. The neighbor said to him, “Forgive me. I desperately needed water but was not able to find time to get it because I had to take care of my sick wife and children.” In his book Watchman Nee says that this Christian farmer who stopped judging his neighbor and carried his burden is a spiritual person.

Carry Each Other’s Burdens

In Galatians 5 the Apostle Paul tells us how we can grow as God’s adopted children. He exhorts us to walk by the Spirit (v.16), to be led by the Spirit (v.18) and to live by the Spirit (v.25). In Galatians 6 Paul expounds what it looks like to live by the Spirit. Today’s scripture is about how life in the Spirit should lead Christians to live out their faith especially in faith community. In Galatians 6:1 he says, “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are spiritual gently and humbly help (restore) that person back onto the right path” (NLT). The Greek translated “restore” here is katartizdo. This was the term used for setting a dislocated bone back into place. A dislocated bone is extremely painful, and to put a bone back in place will inevitably inflict pain, but it is a healing pain. To restore another believer is a painful healing process to both the restorer and restoree, and to the whole body of Christ.

Then, how can we restore another Christian brother or sister gently and humbly? Paul answers this question in the following verse. He continues, “You restore that person by sharing his or her burden together” (v.2). Jesus shows us a perfect example how we may restore someone caught in a sin gently. In John 8 the woman caught in adultery was brought to Jesus. The people wanted to destroy her. But Jesus wanted to restore her. After the accusers left, Jesus says to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She says, “No one, sir.” Jesus declares, “Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.” This statement has a profound meaning. The law is God’s word, so Jesus cannot break the law. Leviticus 20:10 says, “If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death.” According to the law, this woman has to be condemned and put to death. Then, how can Jesus say, “Neither do I condemn you”? Here Jesus is saying, “Woman, I will carry your burden of sin and die in your place. So now you are forgiven. I don’t condemn you. Don't commit adultery any more. Not because you fear stoning. But because you have met God, and have been rescued by his grace.” Jesus restored the woman gently by carrying her burden. Jesus confronts us gently and speaks truth in love. Along with these, he shares our trials and struggles together. This is how God restores us.

The Law of Christ

In verse 2 Paul says, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Then, what is the law of Christ? Galatians 5:14 says, “The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” The law of Christ is the law which is summed up as love-your-neighbor. To love our neighbor, to carry another’s burden, is a big commitment and sacrifice for sure. But actually, by doing this, we live. In Luke 10 a lawyer asks Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus tells him the parable of the good Samaritan. And he says, “Go and do the same, and you will live” (vv. 28, 37). Henry Nouwen, a well-known spiritual writer and Catholic priest, had taught at some of America’s premier universities. But despite his academic success, he left those institutions and became a priest in residence for mentally and physically handicapped people at Daybreak community. In particular, Nouwen became a close friend of Adam, who was profoundly retarded and unable to speak, walk, or dress himself.  Each day Nouwen took almost two hours to finish this task – bathing, shaving, brushing his teeth, combing his hair, helping him eat breakfast, and so on. In his book, Adam: God’s Beloved, Nouwen tells us that it is he, not Adam, who gets the main benefit from their friendship. At first, it was hard for Nouwen to carry Adam’s burden. But as time went by, he had learned to love Adam, truly to love him. In the process he had learned what it must be like for God to love us—spiritually uncoordinated, retarded, able to respond with what must seem to God like inarticulate grunts and groans. In the process Nouwen found his true identity in Christ. He says, “We, like him (Adam), are also precious, graced, and beloved children of God, whether we see ourselves as rich or poor, intelligent or disabled, good-looking or unattractive.” As we carry our Christian brother or sister’s burden within the church, it might be difficult for us at first, but in the process we will benefit from our relationship with that person. And by doing this, we will live.

How can we carry each other’s burdens within the church? That may mean visiting and spending time with our shut-ins or homebound church family members. That may mean helping with transportation. That may mean paying a bill for someone who lost his or her job. That may mean baby-sitting for parents. There are various ways to carry each other’s burdens. But along with all these, the most powerful and effective way to share another’s burden is intercessory prayer. S.D. Gordon said, “The greatest thing anyone can do for God or man is pray.” Samuel promised to the people of Israel and said, “As for me, I will certainly not sin against the LORD by ending my prayers for you. And I will continue to teach you what is good and right” (1Sam 12:23, NLT). This is my prayer and promise to God and to you. I will never cease to pray for you. Oftentimes, when I visit our shut-ins, they say, “I wish I could do more for others. There is almost nothing I can do for the church now.” And I always say to them, “If you pray for your family and for the church, you are doing the greatest thing you can do for them. Please continue to pray for us.” Then, their faces brighten into a smile. Let us carry each other’s burdens by praying for each other.

Carry Your Own Load

In today’s scripture Paul warns us that we will not be able to bear each other’s burdens, unless we have a proper, gospel-based self-view. When we carry another person’s burden, we are easily tempted to fall into pride. We can find a biblical example of this tendency to elevate self in Nehemiah. As the people were working on various parts of the wall, some declined to get involved. The writer says, “Their nobles did not lift a finger to help their supervisors” (Neh 3:5). Pride will create a heart that resists humble service to the church family. That is why in verse 5 Paul says, “Each one should carry his own load.” Now we see there are two different kinds of burdens. Paul uses the term baros in verse 2, meaning a “weight or heavy load.” But he uses the term phortion in verse 5, referring to a “man’s pack.” In other words, some things in life are so heavy we cannot bear them alone. We need help. Other matters in life are like carrying a backpack. Pastor Timothy Keller says, “God has given each of us a different set of difficulties and opportunities, a different set of weaknesses and gifts. These are our “load”—our responsibility before God.” Our load makes it possible for us to bear the burdens of others and to stay humble at the same time.

The Harvest Is Coming!

It is not easy to carry our own load and share other believers’ burdens. Our church missions and ministries, especially compassionate ministry, can make us weary. Standing up against injustice can make us exhausted. All of us in this room can become discouraged in doing good deeds. So Paul says in verse 9, “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (NLT). I love the word, “harvest.” The Bible says that the harvest is coming! Some of us may not be satisfied with where we are. Some of us may not feel a sense of family and community in this place yet. But let us not give up. If we sow love today, we will reap the fruit of love. If we sow hope today, we will reap the fruit of hope. So let us diligently keep sowing. Let us continue loving one another. Let us keep bearing one another’s burdens. Let us keep doing good. In His time we will reap what we sow today, although it may take years. Some of us, including myself, may not see fruit, but it is still worth it. Last April my family and I had a chance to visit Washington D.C. For me, personally, the most impressive place was Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. There is a 30 feet-high relief of King named the "Stone of Hope," which stands past two other pieces of granite that symbolize the "mountain of despair." Visitors figuratively "pass through" the Mountain of Despair on the way to the Stone of Hope. Dr. King said, “I have a dream today… with this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.” So by faith let us keep sowing to the Spirit. The harvest is coming! Amen. 

“Walk by the Spirit” (Gal 5:16-26) - Galatians: Be Free VI -

“Walk by the Spirit” (Gal 5:16-26)

- Galatians: Be Free VI -

Spiritual Growth?

Babies grow up. Baby Grace was born on July 30, 2015, weighing 7 pounds. And now she is 6 weeks old, a happy and chubby little girl, weighing 12 pounds. Grace is a good eater. I feel like she eats all the time. In the same way, spiritual growth requires food, exercise, and time – just like human physical growth. At the moment when we receive and believe Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, we are born again (John 1:12). Some of you may clearly remember the exact time and place. Some may not. But as long as we confess that Jesus is my Lord, we are the people who have been born of the Spirit (1 Co 12:3b). There is a great similarity between physical growth and spiritual growth. But at the same time, there are some differences between the two. One of the biggest differences is that our body grows and become mature, as we get older. But that doesn’t apply to our spiritual growth. Spiritual growth does not just happen. It is not automatic. It is intentional. It requires commitment. We must make an intentional effort to grow. Last week we studied Galatians 4 and explored how God adopted us as his sons and daughters. And now in Galatians 5 the Apostle Paul tells us how we can grow as God’s adopted children. What would you say if someone asked how can we grow spiritually? Paul says very plainly about this in verse 16. He says, “But I say, walk by the Spirit” (ESV). But what does it really mean to walk by the Spirit? And how can we walk by the Spirit? Paul tells us three steps to walk by the Spirit.

Say “Yes” to the Spirit!  

First of all, we must say “yes” to the Spirit. When God created man and woman, they had perfect free will. They were able to sin and able not to sin. Unfortunately, they chose to sin and disobey God. After the Fall, natural man is unable not to sin. In Romans 7 Paul describes the state of natural man in this way: “For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing” (19). And he cries out in despair, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” But he continues, “Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!... Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death!” (7:25-8:2) In other words, Christians, who belong to Christ, are now able not to sin! Praise the Lord! Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! 1 John 3:9 says, “Those who have been born into God's family do not make a practice of sinning, because God's life is in them. So they can't keep on sinning, because they are children of God.” (NLT). Now we, as God’s children, have power not to sin! We have freedom to grow! We have freedom to say “yes” to the Spirit!

The thing is that many Christians have a hard time hearing the voice of the Spirit. Some of them even think that God speaks to specially chosen people on special occasions. But in John 10:27 Jesus says, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” If we are Jesus’ sheep, all of us in this room listen to His voice. That is not a special spiritual gift. We can hear His voice all the time. But there is one condition. We must choose to do his will. Jesus says, “If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own” (7:17). There are rare moments when God speaks in very special ways – through vision, prophecy, or audible voice. But most of time in everyday life we hear His inner voice. God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church community to reveal His purposes and His ways. And also there are times when God seems silent. Even in those moments we can still say “yes” to the Spirit. Oswald Chambers asks us the following question, “Can we do our duty when God has shut up heaven?” Then, he says, “We are making a fetish of the moments when God did come and speak, and insisting that He must do it again; whereas what God wants us to do is to walk by faith. How many of us have laid ourselves by, as it were, and said—‘I cannot do any more until God appears to me.’ He never will, and without any inspiration, without any sudden touch of God, we will have to get up. Then comes the surprise—‘Why, He was there all the time, and I never knew it!’ God speaks all the time. Even when He is silent, He reveals Himself, His purposes, and His ways in other ways. Let us never live for the rare moments, but let us say “yes” to the Spirit in our daily lives. 

Say “No” to the Flesh!

Secondly, in order to walk by the Spirit and grow spiritually, not only do we say “yes” to the Spirit, but also we must say “no” to the flesh. By the power of the cross our sinful nature is no longer able to reign us (Col 2:13-15). But we still feel the temptations to sin. That is our on-going battle until Christ comes back. In today’s scripture Paul lists the acts of the sinful nature. This list can be divided into three major categories: the sensual sins, the superstitious sins, and the social sins. It is worth noticing that all of the works of the sinful nature arise from a problem with our hearts. In other words, Satan puts thoughts into our hearts. John 13:2 says, “The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him” (NRSV). What should we do? How can we overcome the enemy’s temptations? How can we crucify our sinful nature? Paul does not tell us to crucify ourselves, because it is impossible. He tells us that the flesh (our sinful nature) has already been crucified. In Galatians 5:24 he says, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.” It’s a present perfect tense. It’s already done. Our old self was crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin (Rom 6:6). Our responsibility is to believe this truth and act on it. When we are tempted, what we must do is not to try harder to suppress our sinful nature but to consider ourselves dead to sin (6:11). By the power of the cross now we have freedom and power to say “no” to our sinful nature. When the enemy puts thoughts into your hearts and minds, immediately rebuke him and his thoughts in the name of Jesus Christ and he will run away because he has no longer authority over you.

Keep in Step with the Spirit!

Thirdly, in order to grow spiritually, we must keep in step with the Spirit. In Galatians 5:25 Paul says, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” And he talks about “fruit” of the Spirit. He doesn’t say “acts” or “works” of the Spirit. The single word “fruit” tells us an important spiritual principle about how the Spirit works. Probably, many of you have a garden. As you know, it takes time to bear fruit. In other words, spiritual growth is unnoticed and gradual. It takes time. Although we say “yes” to the Spirit and “no” to the flesh today, we may not see the results of this tomorrow. But the Apostle Paul encourages us, “Keep going! Do not give up!” In his book, “The Screwtape Letters” written by C.S. Lewis, a senior demon named Screwtape wrote a series of letters to his nephew Wormwood to give him advice how to lure human away from God. One of the advices is like this: “Don’t be afraid of what they say. But don’t make them come to resolution. If that happens, tempt them to do it just for a certain period of time, not continually.” There is a time when our emotion says, “I've had enough! I’m done!” But, we must not obey our emotion. Instead, we must keep in step with the Spirit and keep on doing the good work of the Lord by the act of will.

Keep Going!

All of our spiritual ancestors walked through the same path, the path of perseverance. Abraham had to wait for 25 years to have the promised son, Isaac. Moses had to wait for 40 year until the Lord delivered his people. William Wilberforce is another good example. He was an English politician, and he was a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade. At the time, a third of the national income was from the slave trade. The majority of the privileged class objected this movement. William Wilberforce had to fight and wait for 30 years to abolish the slave trade. Then, he led campaign for the complete abolition of slavery, and he had to wait for another 26 years. He died just 3 days after hearing the Slavery Abolition Act was assured. We have countless witnesses and spiritual giants to follow, but the greatest and the most perfect example is Jesus Christ our Lord. When he was tempted by the devil, he said “no” to him and drove him out with the word of God (Matt 4:1-11). And he always said “yes” to the Spirit. In 2 Co 1:19 Paul says, “For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between “Yes” and “No… and as God’s ultimate “Yes,” he always does what he says.” Jesus always did keep in step with the Holy Spirit. He walked slowly enough to touch the ill, chat with widows, help for the poor, and embrace children. He walked slowly enough to reach out to us and comfort our pain and suffering. And he was able to say on the cross, “It is finished,” because he always did what God said.

Today the Spirit of Jesus Christ lives within us. By the power of the Spirit we are able not to sin. We have freedom to say “yes” to the Spirit and “no” to our sinful nature. As we keep in step with the Spirit, we will bear much fruit of the Spirit in His time. In the meantime, let us not give up but keep going. Let us keep on praying. Let us keep holding fast God’s word. Let us keep on serving God. Let us keep taking care of others. Let us keeping on encouraging each other. and let us keep on loving each other all the more until we bear the fruit of the Spirit. People around us are starving for love, joy, peace, and all the other fruits of the Spirit. As we bear the fruit of the Spirit, many people will be fed and helped, and God will be glorified. “This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (John 15:8) Amen. 

“Free as Sons and Daughters” (Gal 3:26-4:7) - Galatians: Be Free V -

“Free as Sons and Daughters” (Gal 3:26-4:7)

- Galatians: Be Free V -

Contemporary Picture of Adoption

Adoption is often glorified. We think about sweet, innocent children all over the world just waiting to be adopted by a family. Russell Moore, himself an adoptive parent, makes the following analogy with respect to the contemporary picture of adoption: Imagine for a moment that you’re adopting a child. As you meet with the social worker in the last stage of the process, you’re told that this 12-year-old has been in and out of psychotherapy since he was three. He persists in burning things, and attempting repeatedly to skin animals alive. He acts out sexually. The social worker continues with a little family history. This boy’s father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather all had histories of violence, ranging from spousal abuse to serial murder. Each of them ended their own lives. Think for a minute. Would you want this child? If you did adopt him, wouldn’t you watch nervously as he played with your other children? Would you watch him nervously as he looks at the knife on the kitchen table? Would you leave the room as he watched a movie on TV with your daughter?

Am I Adopted?

Then Moore identifies this potentially problematic 12-year-old: “He’s you. And he’s me. That’s what the Gospel is telling us.” In Ephesians 2 the people who are adopted by God are objects of wrath who follow the ruler of this world, Satan, gratifying the cravings of their sinful nature (vv. 1-3). The Bible says, “You were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world” (2:12). The Bible also says, “Once you were full of darkness” (5:8 NLT). God took a huge risk in order to adopt fallen, rebellious, dangerous children. God adopted us. Some people, particularly the Unitarian Universalists, argue that man is not a fallen sinner. They put an emphasis on humankind's capacity for goodness. They say that God is the Father of all human beings because all humans have been made in His image. And they believe that all human beings gain salvation through personal improvement. According to the Universalists, the mere idea someone might go to hell is not compatible with the character of a loving God. Yes, our God is a loving and compassionate God. He wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth (1 Tim 2:4). Yes, God is the Father of everyone because he made all humans (Acts 17:29). But, the Bible says man is separated from God by sin (Isa 59:2). Man is not good, but sinful, hopelessly lost, and totally depraved. Romans 3:10-12 says, “As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” That is how God sees human beings. But God does not stop there. Our loving God determined to adopt sinful, hopeless, depraved us. God’s adoption of us is not one of many ways, but it is one and only way for us to be saved and reconciled to Him.

Through faith in Christ Jesus

Then, how are we adopted by God? In verse 26 the Apostle Paul says, “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” He also says in 4:4, “God sent his Son… to redeem those under law.” God sent his Son to adopt us so that we may enjoy the full rights of sons. This sonship is not a universal given. We are not “children of God” in some general way, by virtue of having been created by Him. Here Paul is speaking of a much deeper kind of relationship. This sonship only comes “through faith in Christ Jesus.” We are only His sons when we have faith in the Son. If you want to adopt a child, you have to possess the right qualifications. In order to go through a contemporary adoption process, you have to go through screenings, fingerprint tests, background studies, and home studies, all in order to fit the qualifications. About two years ago God gave my wife, Joyce, and me a strong desire to adopt a North Korean child. So we began to do some research and contact adoption agents. We found out that we couldn’t adopt because we are not U.S. citizens. So we tried to adopt a South Korean child. But still, we couldn’t adopt because we live abroad. My wife and I are still praying that the Lord may give us a privilege to adopt a child at the right time.

Adoption requires someone who possesses the right qualifications. In the same way, adoption into God’s family requires the right qualifications. Jesus Christ is the only person who has the right qualifications in history. Then, what are His qualifications? First, Jesus is fully human. Paul tells us Jesus was “born of a woman, born under law” (Gal 4:4). Why is it so important that Jesus is fully human? It is because only human can be crucified and shed blood. Hebrews 9:22 says, “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Jesus has come to us in the flesh to die on the cross and shed his blood, so that he could pay the price for us to be saved. Hebrews 2:14-15 elucidates the point further in this way: “Because God's children are human beings - made of flesh and blood - the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying” (NLT). As the last Adam, the Son of Man, Jesus embraced death to destroy the Devil’s strongest and sharpest weapon, that is, death. Secondly, Jesus is fully divine. Colossians 1:15 says Jesus is “the image of the invisible God.” Then why is it so important that Jesus is fully divine? It is because only God can be raised from the dead. In human history there is no one raised from the dead. Only Christ, the Son of God, the very nature of God, rose again from the dead. By the resurrection of Christ God demonstrated that Christ is righteous and truly the Son of God. And now God counts anyone who believes Jesus’ death and resurrection as righteous. Romans 4:25 says, “Christ was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” Justification means “made righteous.” By the resurrection of the Christ, the Son of God, we become righteous children of God. Jesus has fulfilled the right requirements of divine adoption – fully human and fully divine.

Live as God’s Child, Not as His Servant

God sent His Son to adopt us, and now through faith in Christ Jesus we have become His sons and daughters. We have clothed with Christ (Gal 3:27). Our identity is now found in Christ. This is an objective legal condition. This is done externally to us, so we may not feel it. Our inner being is still sinful and unrighteous, but God counts us as righteous. He sees us in Christ. But there is more! God sent His Spirit to transform our inner being. In verse 6 Paul says, “Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”” Through the Son, we become God’s children legally, and through the Spirit, we become God’s children experientially. Martin Lloyd Jones explains the work of the Spirit in this way: A man and his little child are walking down the road and they are walking hand in hand, and the child knows that he is a child of his father, and he knows that his father loves him, and he rejoices in that, and he is happy in it. There is no uncertainty about it at all, but suddenly the father, moved by some impulse, takes hold of the child and picks him up, fondles him in his arms, kisses him, embraces him, showers his love upon him, and then he puts him down again and they go on walking together. The work of the Spirit helps us not only intellectually know and understand the love of the Father, but also emotionally feel and experience it. Have you experienced, and more importantly, are you experiencing this shower of God’s love?

In today’s Scripture Paul was concern for the Galatians because they intellectually agreed the gospel and did all religious works, but they had no intimacy with God. The conversion of John Wesley is a perfect example. He was active in practical good works. He regularly visited the inmates of prisons. He prayed and fasted and lived an exemplary moral life. He even spent several years as a missionary to American Indians. But on his way home England he confessed in his journal, “I who went to America to convert others was never myself converted to God.” Later reflecting on his preconversion condition, he said, “I had even then the faith of a servant, though not that of a son.” The son obeys out of love, but the servant obeys out of fear. Are you a son? Or are you a servant? In Galatians 4:4 Paul reaches the climax of the gospel: “Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir” (NLT). So live as God’s children and heirs, not as His servants. Put all your trust in Jesus Christ and believe the gospel that you are adopted as God’s sons and daughters in Christ. At all times cry out to Abba Father, and he will shower his love upon you and you will find all of the riches of God hidden in Christ (Col 2:3) moment by moment! Amen. 

“Meet Three VIPs” (Gal 3:1-14) - Galatians: Be Free IV -

“Meet Three VIPs” (Gal 3:1-14)

- Galatians: Be Free IV -

Question of the Day

Who is the most influential person in your life? You may have one or several people who influence you most. For me personally, I would say the most influential person in my life is my maternal grandfather. He is a North Korean defector. He defected from North Korea alone just before the Korean civil war broke out. Since he knew no one and had no family in South Korea, he suffered a lot from the hardships of life. He ended up considering committing suicide. Around that time one Christian friend invited him to an early morning prayer meeting at his church. On the first morning nothing happened. My grandfather said to himself, “I will try one more time, and if nothing happens, I will die.” But by the grace of God, on the second morning he dramatically encountered God in the midst of distress. That morning the pastor preached on repentance. After that, he called a time of corporate prayer. While my grandfather was confessing his sins, he was baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire. And he became a different person. Years later, he was called to ministry and served Christ’s church for life. He touched so many souls and led them to Christ. My uncle and my father were also deeply influenced by his transformed life, and they also became pastors. When I was in Korea, every time I spiritually wondered, I used to stop by my grandfather’s house. Sometimes we watched TV together. Sometime we ate a meal together. Sometimes he shared his life story with me. Sometimes he was busy with preparing a sermon, so I had to spend time by myself there. But every time I was with him, I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. My grandfather is a man of faith. In fact, I talked to him on the phone the day before yesterday. That encouraged me a lot. I think you too may have the people who influence you and shape you most. Today’s scripture tells us that we need to meet at least three VIPs on our pilgrim journey. So, who are they?

Meet Abraham: Grace

The first person we must meet is “Abraham.” In verse 6 the Apostle Paul says, “Consider Abraham: “He believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Who is Abraham? He was a man of faith. But at the same time, he was still actually unrighteous and sinful in his heart and behavior. Abraham lied twice and said that his wife, Sarah, was his sister in order to save his life (cf. Gen 12, 20). As a result, he put his wife in danger. He also got impatient about God’s promise that he would have a son. He took Sarah’s maidservant Hagar and slept with her and had a son Ishmael with his own efforts. But God counted Abraham as righteous because of his faith. In Genesis 15 God makes a covenant with Abraham that all nations will be blessed through Abraham and his seed. God tells him to get a cow, a goat, a ram, a dove and a pigeon. Abraham cuts them in two and arranges the halves opposite each other. This seems strange to us, but in Abraham’s day this was the way a covenant was signed. Each covenant-maker would pass between the halves of the animals. It was a vivid graphic way of those entering a covenant saying: “If I break this agreement, may I be cut up and cut off: I will deserve to die just like these animals did.” What’s astonishing in the covenant between God and Abraham is that Abraham never walks between the halves! The only thing that passes through is “a smoking firepot with a blazing torch,” that is God Himself (vv.17-18). It is a covenant that relies in no way on Abraham, but only on God. Here God is saying to Abraham, “See, I will make this happen for my name!” Indeed, in order to offer blessing to all nations, in the end one particular Abraham’s seed, the man Jesus Christ, did die on a cross (cf. Gal 3:16).

God treated Abraham as righteous, even though he was still sinful and imperfect. All other religions tell us that if we live righteously, then we are pleasing and acceptable to God. If we live unrighteously, we are alienated from God. But Christianity is counter-intuitive. It says that it is possible to be loved and accepted by God while we are ourselves wicked and unrighteous. This is grace! We are accepted by God not because we have reached a certain level of submission and righteousness. No! We are accepted by God simply because we believed him. We have to meet this God, the God of love, the God of grace. I still remember how He delivered me out of the valley of death when I was suffering from an endemic disease in East Timor. I still remember how He sustained me with his righteous right hand when I cried out to him in times of trouble in the army. I still remember how He saved me out of temptations, depression, and spiritual bankruptcy. And I am sure that you have many more powerful stories how God saved you, how He healed you, and how He did hover and deliver you up to this day. So every time you feel unworthy or self-righteous, go back again and again to those moments. And remember who He is and who you are in him.

  

Meet Moses: Law

The second person we must meet in our pilgrim journey is “Moses.” Moses is a representative of God’s law. Some of you may ask, “If we are free from the law by God’s grace, why do we need the law?” “What is then the purpose of the law?” (v.19) In verse 24 Paul answers this question: “So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith” (NIV). The law shows us how sinful and rebellious we are. It shows us how much we fall short of the glory of God. I used to have a white winter jacket. One day I went for a walk the snowfield. I just realized that my white jacket didn’t look like a white color at all compared to pure white snow. Our righteousness is like a dirty rag compared to God’s righteousness. In 2008 revival came to my seminary. At first, God placed spiritual hunger and burden upon five Korean students. We began to get together and have a prayer meeting every night. We sang hymns, read the Scriptures and had a time of corporate prayer. About a week later, more students started joining us. The meeting grew in number. Every night about 30 seminarians cried out to God and sought his face. One night on the way to the prayer meeting one of my friends said to me, “Victor, until now, I thought I was a good man. But now I know how sinful I am and how much I fall short of the glory of God.” I was shocked because at that moment I felt the exact same way. God brought deep conviction of sin and a holy hear of God and genuine repentance among us. Every night we mourned over our sin. We also mourned over other’s sin.

When we encounter God’s law, the God of justice, we see how helpless and profoundly sinful we are. In 2 Kings 22 King Josiah found the Book of the Law in the temple of the LORD. When he heard the words of the law, he tore his robes. And he cried out, “Great is the Lord’s anger that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book.” In Nehemiah 8, when the wall was completed, the Israelites asked Ezra to bring the Book of the Law of Moses. As Ezra opened the book, the people all stood up. As the people listened to the words of the law, they wept! The law brutally shows us who we really are and then leads us to Christ. John Stott says, “We must never bypass the law and come straight to the gospel… No man has ever appreciated the gospel until the law has first revealed him to himself. It is only against the inky blackness of the night sky that the stars begin to appear, and it is only against the dark background of sin and judgment that the gospel shines forth.” Many people want a sense of joy and acceptance, but they don’t want to hear about the seriousness of their sin. But unless we see how helpless and sinful we are, the message of salvation will be not heart-throbbing and liberating. Unless we encounter Moses, we will think that we are not all that bad and good people will be saved by their good deeds. Only after we meet Moses, we will see Christ clearly.

Meet Christ

Through Abraham we learn that God counts us as righteous no matter who we are if we put our trust in him. Through Moses we see who we really are – how sinful and helpless we are, how easily bewildered and bewitched we are, and now we are guided to see who Christ really is. Christ is the last but not least VIP. In fact, he is the most important person we must meet. Who is Jesus? There are many ways to describe him. But most of all, we have to meet Jesus Christ “crucified.” In verse 1 Paul says, “Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.” Yes, he is our Savior, the One who obeyed the law on our behalf and then was crucified in our place so that we might have real and eternal life in his name. When God seems silent in our life, we often say, “God, show me your love!” Then, God takes us to Calvary and says, “I love you this much!” It is important to remember when he showed this love. He showed this great love while we were still sinners (Rom 5:8). A Christian is not someone who knows about Jesus and his words, but one who has seen Him on the cross. Our hearts are moved and melt when we see not just that He died, but that He died for us. Fanny J. Crosby wrote many of the hymns what we know so well today. When she was six weeks old, she became blind by the mistake of her doctor. Reflecting on this incident, Crosby said, “I have not, for a moment, in more than eighty-five years, felt a spark of resentment against him.” How is it possible? We can find out the secret of this in her hymn, “I’m thine, O Lord”:

I am thine, O Lord, I have heard thy voice, and it told thy love to me;

But I long to rise in the arms of faith and be closer drawn to thee.

Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, to the cross where thou has died.

Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord, to thy precious, bleeding side.

Every time darkness throws a shadow over her outer vision, she ran to Calvary and remembered how she had been blessed. Are you anxious? Are you afraid? Are you depressed? Are you lost? Go back again and again to Calvary and look to Jesus Christ crucified, and there your hearts will be renewed and you will soar on wings like eagle again. Amen. 

“Freed through Faith” (Gal 2:11-21) - Galatians: Be Free III –

“Freed through Faith” (Gal 2:11-21)

- Galatians: Be Free III –

Why Powerless?

One of the most amazing truths and the greatest gifts in human history is that the eternal God became man in Jesus Christ and lives in us by his Holy Spirit. If Jesus, Almighty God, truly lives in those who believe in him, Christians should always live a victorious life. But in reality, so many Christians seem to live a joyless, powerless, and fruitless life. Have you ever wondered why? In John 2, Jesus was invited to the wedding with his disciples. Although Jesus was there at the banquet, everything didn’t go smoothly. The wine, a symbol of “joy,” was gone in the middle of the banquet. That was a very embarrassing situation. In John 21 Jesus’ disciples worked very hard to catch fish throughout the night. Jesus was right there and watching them, but they caught nothing. The same thing happens in our lives today. Jesus is here with us and lives within us, but there is a time when our joy is gone. And there is a time when we have no fruit even though we work very hard. So, why is this happening? Today’s scripture, Galatians 2, helps us answer this question. It shows us three different ways to live a Christian life. The first two pictures are the reasons why many Christians live a powerless life. And the third picture helps us to understand what it means to live a victorious Christian life.

“Legalism”: Right Behavior with Wrong Belief (2:1-10)

The first picture in verses 1-10 we see legalism, right behavior with wrong belief. In the Galatian churches at that time the most controversial question was this: “How are we saved?” “How do we please God?” Some false teachers were trying to please God by human effort (3:3). They were saying that in order to be saved, we needed to follow the Jewish law, particularly, the requirement of circumcision. So they argued that Titus, a Gentile believer, needed to be circumcised to be fully accepted by God. The rationale behind this is that one can earn merit before God by observing God’s law. In fact, the Bible says, “The law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good” (Rom 7:12). None of Old Testament laws are bad in and of themselves. But the problem is that laws become “legalistic” when we begin to believe that we can actually earn God’s favor by keeping the law. Today we easily fall into this legalism, right behavior with wrong belief category: having a quiet time, studying the Bible, avoiding certain sins, coming to worship, helping other people. All these are good things of themselves, but when we do them thinking that we are earning God’s favor, we are becoming legalistic. If we try to live a good life and to please God by our efforts, by doing certain things, we will always feel insecure and not enough.

In his early life Martin Luther became a monk because he thought the life of a monk would make him easier to attain salvation. He made every effort to do good works and serve others to please God. He devoted himself to fasts, long hours in prayer, and constant confession. But he had no peace with God. The more he tried to do for God, the more aware he became of his sinfulness. Later, while he was studying the Book of Romans, he discovered the truth that a man is justified only by the righteousness of Christ, not by our righteousness (3:26, 28). He said, “I felt that I was altogether born again and had entered paradise itself through open gates.” So how do we please God? The answer is we can’t. We need Christ to please God. God’s pleasure in us is not based on our performance for him; instead, God’s pleasure in us is based on Christ’s performance for us. Legalism is the first stumbling block to living a victorious life.

“Hypocrisy”: Right Belief with Wrong Behavior (2:11-14)

The second stumbling block is found in verses 11-14. It is called, “hypocrisy”: right belief with wrong behavior. Peter knew the gospel and believed the gospel, but his actions didn’t reflect the gospel, so Paul confronted him. Peter used to eat with the Gentiles. But when the Jewish circumcision group came, he feared them and began separating himself from the Gentiles. The implication of Peter’s actions was that the Gentiles may not be fully acceptable before God. That was right belief with wrong behavior, hypocrisy. Today we find plenty of inconsistencies in our lifestyle that is not in line with the truth of the gospel. Most of the time we are even not aware of our hypocrisy just like Peter and Barnabas. Oftentimes we don’t live in line with the gospel because of our cultural pressure, peer pressure, group pressure, and family tradition. Particularly, we need to examine who we are at home, who we are to our spouse, who we are to our parents, and who we are to our children. For me personally, I see my hypocrisy and struggle most in my relationship with my children. What we need today is to pray that God may open our eyes to see our inconsistencies within us and give us courage and power to live in line with the gospel of the truth. Galatians reminds us how easily we drift toward both “legalism” and “hypocrisy.” On the one hand, we think that by doing good things we earn God’s favor, legalism. On the other hand, we claim to have the gospel of grace but live just like the rest of the world, hypocrisy. These two have in common that they live by the power of self and the flesh. They are the major stumbling blocks to living a victorious life.

“Faith”: Right Belief with Right Behavior (2:15-21)

And now we come to the third picture in today’s passage that shows us how to live a victorious life. It is simple and crystal clear. The Bible says, “By faith” we live a victorious life. Then, what kind of faith? It is the faith that we are dead to self and alive to Christ. In verse 20 Paul says, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” For non-Christians, dying to self means the end of the world because self is the center of the universe. As for Christians, dying to self is the beginning of a new victorious life because self is a slave to sin (Rom 6:6). In the Book of Judges we see the vicious circle: The Israelites forget God. -> They serve other gods. -> They are defeated by enemies. -> They cry to God. -> God sends judges to deliver them. And they forget God and serve other gods again. At the heart of this vicious circle is the power of self and the flesh. Our old self – our knowledge, our affection, our will, and every area of self – is polluted by sin. At the end of the Book of Judges the author diagnoses the cause of the vicious circle in one sentence: “In those days there was no king in Israel; all the people did what was right in their own eyes” (21:25, NRSV). God was with the Israelites all the time, but the life of the Israelite was a mass, because they lived by the power of self, not by the power of God.

Then, how do we die to self? The Bible doesn’t say, “Try to die to self.” Instead, it says, “Consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Rom 6:11, NRSV). In other words, through baptism when Christ was crucified, our old self was also crucified with him. When Christ died, we also died and buried with him. When Christ was raised from the dead, we too may live a new life (Rom 6:3-6). By faith we have been crucified and died with Christ and by faith now we live a new life with Christ. This faith that considers ourselves dead to sin (our old self) and alive to Christ, is the key to the Christian faith. Only when we die to self with Christ, we live a new life with him. John Hyde (1865-1912) was an extraordinary man of God who became known as “Praying Hyde” in India. John graduated in 1892 and only months later he set sail for India. He was proud of himself by the fact that he was from a godly family and now became a missionary. On board the ship, he found a letter from a high respected family friend he greatly loved and admired. The letter was short and read: “I shall not cease praying for you, dear John, until you are filled with the Holy Spirit.” John’s pride was touched and he reacted in anger at the implication that he wasn’t filled with the Holy Spirit. Yet, the conviction grew stronger and after a few days he surrendered. He wrote, “At last, in a kind of despair, I asked the Lord to fill me with the Holy Spirit, and the moment I did this, the whole atmosphere seemed to clear up. I began to see myself, and what a selfish ambition I had… I was determined… that whatever would be the cost, I would be really filled with the Spirit… I was willing even to fail in my language examinations in India, and be a missionary working quietly out of sight… I would do anything and be anything, but the Holy Spirit I would have at any cost.” That day John (his old self) was crucified with Christ and was born again with him.

Freed through Faith  

George Müller cared for 10,024 orphans and established 117 schools in his life. Many people asked him, “What is the secret of such a fruitful life?” Pastor Müller shared his story with them and said, “There was a day when I died, utterly died . . . died to George Müller, his opinions, preferences, tastes and will— died to the world, its approval or censure— died to the approval or blame even of my brethren and friends— and since then I have studied only to show myself approved unto God.” The Apostle Paul pronounced his death day by day. In 1 Corinthians 15:31 he said, “I die every day! That is as certain, brothers and sisters, as my boasting of you--a boast that I make in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Let us pronounce the death of our old self everyday! Let us say, “Lord Jesus, I have been crucified with you. I died to my opinions, preferences, tastes and will. I died to the approval or blame of the world.” And we will live a new life, a victorious life, with Christ who loved us and gave himself for us. Amen.

“My Gospel” (Gal 1:11-24) - Galatians: Be Free II -

“My Gospel” (Gal 1:11-24)

- Galatians: Be Free II -

Defining Conversion

How do you define “conversion”? In the magazine of the Naval Institute, Frank Koch shares his experience as battleship captain. One night he was serving on the lead battleship. The visibility was poor with thick fog. Shortly after dark, the lookout on the wing reported, "Light, bearing on the starboard bow." The captain called out, "Is it steady or moving astern?" The lookout replied, "Steady, Captain," which meant they were on a dangerous collision course with that ship. The captain then called to the signalman, "Signal that ship: 'We are on a collision course, advise you change course twenty degrees.'" The signal came back, "Advisable for you to change course twenty degrees." The captain said, "Send: "I'm a captain, change course twenty degrees.'" The reply came, "I'm a seaman second-class. You had better change course twenty degrees." By that time the captain was furious. He spat out, "Send: 'I'm a battleship. Change course twenty degrees.'" Back came the flashing light, "I'm a lighthouse." The captain changed course. Conversion is a change of mind and change of life, a turning towards God by the result of a personal encounter with the risen Christ. In the beginning of the letter the Apostle Paul declares there is no other gospel than the gospel of Jesus Christ. Then, he shares his own conversion in order to prove that only the gospel of Christ is the scripture way of salvation and transforms people from the inside out. The gospel transformed Paul from terrorist to evangelist. So let us look at his pre-conversion, his conversion, and his post-conversion.

Pre-Conversion: Prevenient Grace (vv. 13-14)

Paul was a terrorist. He tried to destroy the church. He approved the martyrdom of Stephen. He went from house to house, dragging men and women off to jail. He even got a permission letter from the high priest to arrest Christians who lived outside of Jerusalem (Acts 9:1-2). In 1 Timothy 1:13 he referred to himself as a “blasphemer,” “persecutor,” “violent man,” and “the worst” of sinners. The thing is that before Paul’s conversion, he thought he was a righteous man. He thought he was doing the right thing before God by persecuting Christians. He was extremely zealous for his ancestors’ traditions. Paul probably saw himself as a modern day hero of the Pharisees. He might compare himself to Old Testament characters like Phinehas (Num 25:11), who pierced an Israelite man and Midianite woman with a spear in God’s zeal. He might also compare himself to Elijah, who displayed zeal by slaying the prophets of Baal (1 Kgs 19:10, 14). Paul was sincere in his beliefs, but he was sincerely wrong. He was beyond the hope of the gospel. John Stott says, Now a man in that mental and emotional state is in no mood to change his mind, or even to have it changed for him by men. No conditioned reflex or other psychological device could convert a man in that state. Only God could reach him— and God did!”

As he looks back, Paul now recognizes God’s grace was working in his life long before his actual conversion. As you look back, probably you have “aha” moments or turning points in your life. In verse 15 he says God “set me apart from birth.” Not only Paul but also each one of us in this room God set apart from birth for his glory. Do you believe this? John Wesley describes God’s grace as threefold: prevenient (preparing) grace, justifying grace, and sanctifying grace. In this case we call it prevenient grace, which is God’s grace coming before we believe in Christ. It is God’s grace given to every human being. God always takes the initiative in relating to humanity. We do not have to beg and plead for God’s love and grace. God actively seeks us. It was not Paul but God who did seek. God found Paul and transformed him from terrorist to evangelist. No one is so bad that they can’t receive the gospel of grace, nor so good that they don’t need the gospel of grace.

Conversion: Justifying Grace (vv. 15-16a)

If you are a Christian, you have your own conversion experience. You may not have a Damascus Road experience. But the heart of the conversion experience is to personally encounter with Jesus Christ. So, as we examine ourselves to see whether we are converted (cf. 2 Co 13:5a), the most crucial question we have to ask ourselves is this: “Who is Jesus to me?” 1 Corinthians 12:3 says, “Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.” If you believe in your heart that you are made right with God through Jesus Christ and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, you already encountered Christ and he lives in you! (cf. Rom 10:10; 2Co 13:5b) The heart of marriage is “oneness” between bridegroom and bride. How was the weather on the wedding day? How many people did come to the wedding? How was the wedding food? Those are only secondary and soon forgotten. In the same way, some may have dramatic conversion, others gradual. Some may see visions or hear audible voices, others not. But the heart of our conversion is a personal encounter with Jesus. In today’s Scripture Paul describes his conversion in this way, “God was pleased to reveal his Son in me.” At that time, Paul was against God. He was an enemy of God. But God was pleased to reveal Christ in him. God set his grace on Paul not because he was worthy of it, but simply because God was please to do so. This is grace. Moses tells God’s people in Deuteronomy 7:7-8: “The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you.” God does not love us because we are worthy. He loves us simply because he loves us. This is God’s love toward us in Christ. Have you experienced this love?

Post-Conversion: Sanctifying Grace (vv. 16b-24)

When we experience God’s unconditional love, we are transformed. We are converted. However, this is not the end but the beginning. Conversion is a lifetime experience. When we are converted and sense a personal relationship with Jesus, God gives us a new mission, that is to reveal Christ through what we are, do, and say. In verses 15-16 Paul says, “God was pleased to reveal his Son in me, so that I might preach him among the Gentiles.” Paul was not converted just for his own benefit. His conversion came with a commission. And so does ours! 1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (NIV). Before our conversion, we either don’t have purpose of life or have self-centered one. But after our conversion, our purpose of life turns into other-centered and God-centered one.  Paul had a difficult life, but his life was meaningful in God’s eyes.

I still remember when I was a senior in college, I rededicated my life to Christ. At that time, I was a youth group teacher at my home church in Korea. In my group there were several high school students who wanted to go to college but couldn’t because of their personal or family circumstances. God gave me a desire to set up “Vision Study Club.” I began to teach the students both the Bible and academic subjects. By the grace of God they started to discover purpose of their lives and eventually entered college they aimed at. I clearly witnessed how God’s grace transformed their lives. More importantly, God transformed me. I encountered Christ who was at work within and among us. I also sensed that God was calling me to ministry. I still remember the day I responded to God’s call and decided to become a pastor. When I shared my decision with my parents, they were so happy. And particularly, my father who is a Korean Methodist pastor, wrote me a letter. He wrote: "My son, I pray that the Lord will make your paths straight. I still remember the moment when you shared with me that you would want to be a pastor. That was the happiest moment in my entire life. I am still always grateful to God who called you to ministry. It is such a narrow path. You will have hardships ahead, but our Lord will give you all strength and wisdom to overcome them. I believe that you will be a good and faithful servant of God and turn many to Christ!" Whether we are clergy or laity, all Christians are called for one mission. God calls us and converts us and reveals Christ in us, so that we may proclaim him to others.

“Now” Is the Time!

We are called to proclaim Jesus because he is the only way of salvation. The gospel of Christ is not good advice from man. It is good news from God. Before his conversion, Paul was a fanatic headed in the wrong direction. But God already set him apart from birth and was calling him and pleased to reveal Christ in him. Paul’s conversion is all of God’s grace from beginning to end. After his conversion, Paul’s life was not easy, but it was purposeful and meaningful. How about you? Have you found Jesus, the fountain of living water? The Bible says, “Now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (2 Co 6:2b). God already set you apart from birth and has a wonderful plan for you. Christ is calling you. Come and drink now!

“A Different Gospel” (Galatians 1:1-10) - Galatians: Be Free I –

“A Different Gospel” (Galatians 1:1-10)

- Galatians: Be Free I –

Grace!

Today we begin a new sermon series, Paul's letter to the Galatians. The reason I have chosen to preach from Galatians over the next several weeks is that more than any other New Testament letter, this one is full of the gospel of grace. Over the past year, as Joyce and I went through another pregnancy and childbirth, and as we were anxiously waiting for the baby, one word was always in our minds – “Grace,” the free and unmerited favor of God. From beginning to end every step of the way was God’s grace. Actually, there was nothing I could do in pregnancy and childbirth. All that I could do was to wait, pray, and thank him. The term “grace” appears seven times throughout Galatians (cf. 1:3,6,15; 2:9,21; 5:4; 6:18), and it’s one of Paul’s favorite words throughout his writings. He uses it 100 times in the New Testament. Over the next several weeks, we will explore what the gospel of grace really means.

For me personally, Galatians is one of my favorite books in the Bible. Pastor Tim Keller says the book of Galatians is “dynamite,” because it brings us face to face with the gospel. In Galatians Paul is at his most vigorous. You can’t read the first ten verses without feeling that something utterly important is at stake. I strongly encourage you to take time to read the entire letter at one sitting, and as you read, note Paul’s emotional force. You will feel like you have a live coal with your bare hands. Galatians exalts two essential things: the cross of Christ as the only way a person can get right with God, and the Spirit of Christ as the only way a person can obey God. My prayer is that as we study this book together, we will fall in love afresh with the magnificent Christ of Galatians.

A “Different” Gospel?

First of all, let me explain a little bit about the historical context of the book. Most scholars agree that this letter was written by Paul around AD 50. At that time there was a social and racial division in the churches of Galatia. The first Christians in Jerusalem were Jewish, but as the gospel spread out, more and more Gentiles began to receive Christ. But then, a group of teachers in Galatia were now teaching that in order to be saved, the Gentile Christians had to believe in Christ plus they had to follow the laws of Moses, including circumcision. In other words, they were insisting on Christ-plus-anything-else as a requirement for the full acceptance by God. Paul calls this a “different’ gospel. In verse 6 he says to the Galatian Christians, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel, which is really no gospel at all.” Then, what is the gospel? That’s our next question.

What Is the Gospel?

The gospel is all about Christ Jesus. In verse 4 Paul tells us what the gospel is in a nutshell: “He (Jesus) gave himself for our sins in order to rescue us from this present evil age according to the will of our God and Father” (ISV). I would like to specifically draw your attention to the word “rescue.” This word implies who we are. It implies that we are in a lost state and a helpless condition. We are helpless and lost in the present evil world. Then, what was God’s plan? How did he rescue us? God gave himself for our sins in Jesus Christ. Christ is God’s plan, God’s method, and God’s wisdom for our salvation from the creation of the world. In the Old Testament God made a covenant with Abraham, saying “To your seed I will give this land” (Gen 12:7; 13:15; 24:7). The Scripture does not say “seeds,” meaning many people, but “seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ (Gal 3:16). God made a covenant with David, saying, “I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Sam 7:12-13; NKJV). On the surface, this promise seems to apply to Solomon, but ultimately, it refers to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and his eternal kingdom. And finally, God made a new covenant with Israel, saying, “I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws” (Ezekiel 36:26; cf. Jeremiah 31:31-34). This promise finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. According to the will of God the Father, Jesus gave himself for our sins to rescue us and was raised from the dead to make us right with God and put his Spirit in us to seek after his kingdom and his righteousness. This is the good news that we have to hear each and everyday.   

One Gospel from First to Last

We normally think that this gospel is something mainly for non-Christians. We often assume that once we’re converted, we don’t need to hear the gospel but need more advanced material. But we have to remember Paul was now writing this letter not to the unchurched but to the professing Christians of Galatia. Pastor Tim Keller rightly comments, “The gospel is not just the ABC of Christianity, but the A to Z of the Christian life.” It is not only the way to enter the kingdom, but also it is the way Christ transforms people, churches, and communities. By the gospel of Christ we are saved. By the gospel of Christ we continue to grow and be transformed. Much of the teaching of the false teachers in Galatia sounded biblical. They acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah, and they even acknowledged his death on the cross. They certainly weren’t telling people that they denied the gospel. Instead, they were improving it, adding requirements. But the reality is that as soon as you add anything to grace, you lose grace altogether. Think about it: If you were about to drink a glass of clean water, and then someone added a drop of poison to it, would you still drink it? It’s close to pure, right? No, it’s totally contaminated and undrinkable as soon as that drop of poison hits the water. It’s the same way with the gospel. If you add anything to grace, you lose the whole gospel. We can be creative the way we deliver the gospel message, but we cannot change the content of it, because the gospel is not invented by men, but it is revealed by God.

A Different Gospel Today

The false teachers were insisting that we had to believe in Christ plus do certain things in order to be saved. Then, what would be contemporary forms of a different gospel? First, in some churches, it is taught that we are all on different roads to heaven, but our destination is the same. It is called, religious pluralism or universalism. This view teaches that all good people, regardless of their religion will find God. This sounds open-minded and tolerant on the surface, but it is actually intolerant of God’s grace. It teaches that good works are enough to get to God. If all good people can know God and be saved, then Jesus’ death was not necessary. All it takes is virtue. But there is no biblical teaching that a person can go on rejecting the gospel of Christ and still be saved. There are other religions besides Christianity, and there are other leaders besides Jesus Christ, but there is no other gospel, no other good news of salvation. Second, in other churches, it is taught that we are saved by grace, and then we live the Christian life in our own strength, essentially leaving grace behind. It is called, legalism. This view teaches that if we are reading the Bible, praying, going to worship, and doing a number of other good things, then we have favor before God. But when we miss days in prayer or time in the Word, or if we don’t attend worship, then we can start to think that God is not pleased with us. This approach makes our performance the savior. But the truth is that God’s pleasure is not based on our performance, but on the performance of Christ, who gave himself for our sins.

By nature the gospel of the cross is offensive to the human heart (Gal 5:11-12; cf. 1 Co 1:23), because it tells us that we are too weak and sinful to do anything to contribute to our salvation. The gospel is offensive to liberal-minded people, because it states that the only way to be saved is through the cross. The gospel is offensive to conservative-minded people, because it states that, without the cross, “good” people are in as much trouble as “bad” people. The gospel is offensive because the cross stands against all schemes of self-salvation. The world is offended by the cross. So people who love the cross are persecuted (Gal 5:11).

Freedom in the Gospel of Grace

Is our gospel the true gospel? Paul provides guidelines on how to judge all truth claims. The standard is the gospel that Paul and all the other Apostles received from Christ found in this letter and throughout the rest of the Bible. Paul teaches us that God’s favor is free. His salvation is free. His love, his mercy, his provision is free. The gospel is free. Not only is the gospel free, but also it is freeing. The gospel rescues us from the power of our present evil world. We still live in the world, but we no longer have to live like this world. The gospel liberates us from having to pursue what this world pursues, love what this world loves. It transforms our worldly values, actions, and everything. It frees us from having to worry about pleasing one person here and another person there. In verse 10 Paul shares this liberty in the gospel of grace with us: “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” When we live to please only one person, everything we do is integrated. Shall I meet this person? Watch this movie? Make this purchase? Our relationship, time, and money become integrated. So embrace the one true gospel, and not only are all your sins are forgiven, but also joy and liberty will come into your life because there is only one person to please, Jesus Christ. And he will make you free. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). Amen.