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The Amish Voice 3
2. STAND FIRM BECAUSE THE LAW IS NOT GOD’S WAY
FOR A MAN TO BE JUSTIFIED (vv.2-4).
Three significant warnings are strongly issued.
1. If a person is ritualized, Christ shall profit him nothing.
Ritualized means a person is depending upon some religious thing to
make him acceptable to God. In the case of the Galatians, it was the
ritual of circumcision; but it can apply to anything: ritual, ceremony,
works, law, goodness, church membership, baptism, last rites, prayer,
religious services, ministry, even religion itself. If a person
approaches God and tries to secure God’s acceptance by any means
other than Christ, then Christ shall profit him nothing. This means
that what Christ has done for man is of no benefit to the person. What
Christ has done for man will have no effect upon the man whatsoever.
The righteousness and death of Jesus Christ will be of no avail to the
man, for the man is trusting his own works and goodness, not the
righteousness and death of Jesus Christ.
2. If a person is ritualized, he has to do the whole law. Think for a
moment: if a person trusts a ritual to save him, really depends upon a
ritual to make him acceptable to God, then he had better keep the
whole law. Why? Because he is accepting the law (works, religion) as
the way to approach God. He is subjecting himself to ritual, walking
the way of law in order to approach God. Therefore, he must continue
to approach God by law. He must keep the whole law.
In a summary statement: if a person approaches God by ritual, any
ritual, he assumes responsibility for doing the whole law.
3. If a person seeks to be justified by law, Christ can have no
effect upon him—he is fallen from grace. What does this mean?
Remember: Paul is warning the Galatian believers by issuing a
strong warning. False teachers were saying this: a person could be
saved only by obeying the law and by doing as much good as
possible. They were teaching that the righteousness and death of Jesus
Christ was not what it took to approach God and to receive eternal
life. They said more than Christ was needed: one’s own righteousness
and goodness, works and effort, were also needed.
Keep this in mind: we can readily see why Paul issued such a
severe warning to the Galatian believers. They must not follow the
false teachers, must not turn away from Christ and become apostates.
The point is this: not only the Galatians, but we also, must heed
the warning lest we begin to deny Christ. To deny Christ, His
righteousness and death, is bound to lead to the doom of the apostate.
We must always remember: Paul himself said that he was to be
accursed if he ever preached any other gospel than that of God’s
glorious love in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Eternal security is not
the issue here, as it is so often made to be. The issue is God’s own
dear Son, His righteousness and death—His very life and work—His
honor and Person. No person is living or ever will live who will be
allowed to tamper with the righteousness and death of God’s dear
Son. We are fools to think so, even if we are trying to defend and
explain a doctrinal position. This was certainly the thought and
position of Paul when he said he was to be cursed if he became
apostate.
“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we
not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out
devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And
then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart
from me, ye that work iniquity” (Mt. 7:22-23).
“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be
justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of
sin” (Ro. 3:20).
ILLUSTRATION:
Accepting the grace of God at face-value is difficult for many
Christians: “How can God be that good to us? What is the catch?
Surely, we have to add something to what God has done to be saved.”
J. Vernon McGee illustrates this point for us:
Years ago a tonic called Hadacol was advertised. I don’t think
it is sold any more. I am not sure of the details, but they found it
was about seventy-five percent alcohol. A lot of people were using
it. The company that made it was giving out glowing testimonials
about its product.
Now suppose a testimonial read something like this: “I took
513 bottles of your medicine. Before I began using Hadacol, I
could not walk. Now I am able to run. . . . I really have improved.
But I think you ought to know that during that time I also
concocted a bottle of my own medicine and used it also.”
Now, my friend, that final sentence certainly muddied the
water. There is no way to tell if it was the 513 bottles of Hadacol
that cured him or his own oncoction. The minute you put
something else into the formula, you are not sure.
Now notice carefully what Paul is saying. If you trust Christ
plus something else you are not saved...How can He profit you
anything when you have made up a bottle of your own concoction
rather than trusting Him alone for your salvation?
3.
STAND
FIRM
BECAUSE
THE
HOPE
OF
RIGHTEOUSNESS IS BY FAITH (vv.5-6).
The hope of the believer is for righteousness. Hope does not mean the
uncertainty of worldly hope, that the believer might—but then again
he might not—secure righteousness before God. The believer’s hope
is in Jesus Christ, and it is as assured as God exists. Hope in the Bible
means the focus, the concentration, the longing, the craving, the
desire for righteousness—the privilege of being redeemed and
spending eternity with God. Note the source of such an assurance and
secured hope.
1. The hope for righteousness comes through the Spirit of God. It
is the presence of the Spirit who dwells within the believer that stirs
the hope. The Holy Spirit stirs hope and gives absolute assurance that
God will take His faith and count it for righteousness.
2. The hope for righteousness comes through Jesus Christ alone,
not by a ritual (circumcision, law) nor by the lack of a ritual. Note
exactly what this is saying:
QUESTIONS
:
1. What warnings does Paul issue in these verses? Why is it
important for you to heed these warnings also?
2. What does it mean to “fall from grace”?
3. Can you remember a time when you fell from grace? How did
you recover?
4. What practical things can you do to prevent a future fall from
grace?