Galatians 2:1-5 - Our Freedom that we have in Christ

Oh, how easy man finds it to replace the rich, transformative relationship with Jesus. for a checklist theology of do's and don'ts. In Galatians 2, Paul has much to say about the freedom we have in Christ. and the dangerous tendency to make the law the avenue for finding favor with God. It's not the gospel.

It's not what Jesus has bought for us. See, spirituality is not measured quantifiably. While man tends to look at outward measurable performance, God sees to the heart. and whether it has been covered by his Son's righteousness. transformed by his spirit's work.

Let's listen in. Turn you Bibles to Galatians 1.18. through 2-5. That's this morning's message. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit.

Cephas, and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord's brother. In what I am writing to you before God. I do not lie. Then I went into the regions.

of Syria and Cilicia. and I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea. that are in Christ. They're only Work. They only were hearing it.

Said He Who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith. That. the faith he once tried to destroy. And they glorified God because of me. Then, after 14 years, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas.

taking Titus along with me. I went up because of a revelation. and set before them Though privately before those who seemed influen influen. fluential. The gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles in order to make sure I was not running.

or had not run in vain. But even Titus, who was Who was with me was not forced to be circumcised. Though he was a Greek Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in who slipped. Into spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus.

so that they might they might bring us into slavery. To them we did not yield in submission even for a moment.

so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved. for you. And you can. Let's pray. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this wonderful day.

Thank you for all the family here. Thank you for all the loved ones. Watch over. Speak through, Pastor Rich, this morning and open all our eyes, our ears, and our hearts to receive your wonderful message, your living word. and help us all.

lead and guide us through this week. and watch over our families. the ones that are not with us. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

No.

Okay. Thank you, Richard. Again, good morning, everyone. Copy of the scriptures open to Galatians.

Now, chapter 2. We've completed chapter 1 as we're going through this letter of Paul the Apostle. And our freedom in Christ. And in the text today is the first time that Paul mentions this freedom that we have in Christ. And we will see that as we go through the text.

So, the title for today's message is Our Freedom That We Have in Christ. You will remember that Paul is recounting his conversion and the point that he's making, because he came out really strong against the Galatians in the sense of. You're walking away from grace.

Now you're you're Submitting to those who are saying you have to go back and keep the law. And he says, because of that, you're walking away from grace. And Paul said very boldly, very confidently: if anyone comes, myself, another apostle, even an angel comes and preaches you a different gospel from the one I preach to you, let him be accursed.

Now, that's a pretty bold statement, isn't it? What is the basis for his confidence and authority to say such a thing? That's the argument that Paul is making here.

So he keeps attesting his authority and confidence in this gospel. And first of all, his source, first of all, the argument that he makes is that his source of the gospel, in other words, how Paul heard and learned the gospel, was independent of the apostles and the elders. That's chapter one. In other words, he received it directly from Jesus Christ. What he's arguing to the Galatians is: the gospel that I gave you was a gospel that I received directly from Jesus Christ.

I did not receive it from the other apostles. It's not a man-made gospel. and I did not receive it from any other men. But now, the argument that he's going to make in chapter 2, as we get into chapter 2, is not the source of the gospel, but the content of the gospel. And what he's going to point out in this chapter is that the content of his gospel is in unity with that of the apostles and the elders.

In other words, it's not a different gospel, it's not a new gospel. than that of the Apostles and the Elders. It's in unity with them. And so here he is saying, We began in chapter 1, he says, verse 18: Then, after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, that's Peter. And that's three years after his conversion, right?

He spent all that time in the Arabian desert, back in Damascus, and he was getting to know Christ. He was getting to know the gospel. The Holy Spirit was illuminating the Old Testament to him and showing how all of the Old Testament points to Jesus Christ. And as a result of that, he would go into the synagogues and he would prove to the Jews in the synagogue. from the Old Testament that Christ was the Messiah.

Jesus was the Christ. That's what he was doing in those three years. And then we begin in chapter 2. He says, Then after 14 years. Fourteen years.

What was Paul doing? His name was Saul actually. What was he doing in those 14 years? He was making disciples on his home turf. He was pursuing redemptive opportunities.

And he was making disciples. At home. And he says, then after 14 years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. With Barnabas and Titus.

Now, Barnabas, you remember him, we all know him. I called somebody my Barnabas this morning. He's a huge encouragement to me in so many ways. And it's uh my soul delights when I see this individual. Mm-hmm.

That's what Barnabas was to Saul. And he was the one who took Saul into the fellowship with the apostles. And then Titus, who was Titus? Titus was a Gentile disciple. A convert.

One who had come to faith in Jesus Christ, a young man who is a Gentile, a Greek, he says. And this is the young man who became a disciple, and Paul had mentored him, and he grew in the faith to wear. Paul was able to leave him in Crete. And establish leadership in the churches there. You look farther along in the New Testament, and there's a letter to Titus.

That's this Titus. And Paul writes a letter to him. And he's One who established elders in the church there. And he says then that he went up to Jerusalem again. This is now after 14 years.

I went up again because of a revelation and set before them the gospel that I proclaimed among the Gentiles. Right, so he goes up to Jerusalem. Because of a revelation. We don't know what that revelation was exactly. The point here is that he didn't go at the summons of the apostles.

He went up because of a revelation.

Now, it very well could be that that was because of what happened, and Agabas was a prophet, and he revealed something. I don't normally do this, but turn with me back to Acts chapter 11.

So go backwards in the scripture there, back to Acts. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts. Chapter eleven. And this is right after Saul's conversion. After he was confronted by the risen Jesus Christ.

In Acts chapter 11, and look with me beginning at verse 22. The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas. to Antioch. What is the report? That the gospel was spreading.

Okay. And they smoke of the hell in his preaching that the Lord Jesus, that the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. That report made it back to Jerusalem. All right, look at verse 23. When he came, this is Barnabas, when he came and saw the grace of God.

He was glad. Whoa, stop there. That's good to remember, isn't it? When we see the grace of God, what does the grace of God do? It makes us glad.

God is in the business of transforming lives. And I could look out in this congregation today and look at all kinds of lives that have been transformed. And that makes me glad. Verse 23, And he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose. For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit, and of faith, and of great many people were added to the Lord.

So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul. And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For the whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. In Antioch, the disciples were first called Christians. You've heard that before, haven't you?

I am very sure.

Now, in these days, here it is, prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch, and one of them named Agabas. Probably not a name you would name your son. I don't know. It's okay if you do, but probably not. He stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world, and this took place in the days of Claudius.

So the disciples determined. every one according to his ability to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas. And Saul. This was the I believe.

Not everyone agrees. But I believe this is the occasion that Paul is talking about here. He went up again to Jerusalem. He went with Barnabas, and he took with him Titus. Because they were going to give financial relief to the people, the churches of Judea, which was the hub of the church at this time.

And they were going to give financial relief to those people who were there suffering from the famine. And so Saul and Barnabas go up to Jerusalem. And then while they were there, he goes to the apostles.

Now, it's important that he points something out here. Look here at verse 2 again. He says, I went up because of a revelation and set before them, though privately before those who seemed influential. What did he do? I set before them the gospel that I preached.

Those who seemed influential, those of reputation, other translations say, right? Was he talking about the apostles and the elders? Right. the apostles and the elders and so he set before them The gospel that he preached to the Gentiles. My gospel to the Gentiles.

In other words, the point here is. It was the same gospel. And the text bears that out. They did not push against it, they welcomed it. Later it says they gave them the right hand of fellowship.

We've read that back in Acts chapter 15.

Okay. And he said this, this is interesting that he would point this out at the end of chapter 2, in order to make sure that I was not running or had not run in vain.

Now let me tell you what Paul is not saying there. He didn't come to Jerusalem to share his gospel with the apostles. and to check with them just in case he had been mistaken. It's not what he's saying. What he is saying in the context of everything that he's saying here.

in chapter 2. Was that he wanted to make sure? that there was not a gospel for the Jews and a different gospel for the Gentiles. That would have been a major Division in the gospel and would have been self-defeating. for the gospel.

And you want to make sure that that wasn't the case. If the gospel is divided, It is jeopardized. and ultimately becomes no gospel at all.

So that's why he says this in verse 2. And then he comes to a case in point. In verse three. The Titus Test case. Verse 3, but even Titus, who was with me, Titus was a Greek.

Okay, a Gentile. Who is with me? He was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek.

So here he was in the company of all of these Jews. Christians, believers, And here he was a Greek coming into their company.

Now, if you knew anything like we studied under the Old Testament, like we studied in Ephesians, Jews and Gentiles didn't mingle. Particularly when it comes to Worship Or eating.

Okay. But we're in Christ now. Christ has fulfilled the law for us.

So Paul, Saul, brings Titus with him, a Gentile convert, and there was no pressure, there was no pushback, no pressure for Titus, if he's going to be among us, he needs to become a Jew like us. None of that didn't exist, and that's the point that Paul is making. And so he says here, even Titus, who is with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. Yeah. Yet, because of false brothers secretly brought in.

False brothers secretly brought in He says Verse 4. to spy out Our freedom that we have in Christ, in Christ Jesus. Here it is, the first mention of the freedom.

Now he's going to talk a lot about that. in the rest of this letter. We're going to spend a lot of time talking about what that freedom is. The theme, the title for this whole series in Galatians is Our Freedom in Christ. Faith working through love.

And Paul says here, that some false brothers, and that word is pseudo-aldelphas. Pseudo false brothers. These weren't real brothers. These were men who were infiltrating and wanting to cause and they were trying to protect their traditions and saying this new way is a threat to the way of the Jews. And we're not going to put up with it.

And he said, They came in to spy us out, and then he said to bring us, spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery. That's powerful words, folks. If you are under the law, Paul says, Now that Christ has come, if you are under the law, you are a slave. He says, that's not who we are in Christ. Not at all.

Not slaves to the law. And so he says, to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.

So Bondage. They want to bring us back into the bondage. They want to bring us back under the law. In other words, what they're saying is this. Trusting Jesus and keeping the moral code is what makes you acceptable to God.

Trusting Jesus and keeping the moral code is what makes you acceptable to God. Now, stop there for just a minute. You might, there might not be anybody here this morning who really feels like they're struggling with keeping the Mosaic law. Yeah. That's technically what legalism is, technically.

But Every one of us without exception. tends to be A legalist. because we naturally tend to believe That yes, I will trust Jesus, but also. I have to Maintain a moral code If God is going to be pleased with me. If God is going to accept me.

We naturally Think like that. And that's what the gospel liberates us from.

Now listen. That's a lot to chew on right now. That's why we're going to spend the rest of this series unpacking that very truth right there. In Acts chapter 15, verse 1, here's what the Judaizers were saying.

Some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers: here it is: unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved. You can't be right with God unless you're keeping a moral code. And so we naturally tend to think that way. We might not think of it in terms of the Mosaic law, but you and I naturally tend to move, slide into the rut of thinking. That I have to do this and do that, and this whole list, and every one of us can have our whole list of things that we think we ought to be doing in order for God to accept us.

It's a natural way of thinking. That's why this book is so relevant for us today because we're really not struggling with the Mosaic law. But we are still struggling with Legalism. Even in ourselves.

So I don't want you to think about other churches. and other people in other denominations. Let's think about us. What is God for us? forming and fashioning in our hearts to rescue us from the way we have a natural a natural tendency to think.

Paul says here, and these men that came in trying to bring us back into bondage, he says, I didn't budge an inch. Not an inch. I didn't give in one bit. Not for a moment, not at all. I didn't budge.

He says, you guys, it's not going to happen. Because Paul knew There was so much. at stake. There was so much at stake. And what was at stake?

Was the very gospel itself. Because he says this, he says, if you bring yourself back under the law. Then Christ died for no purpose. That's tragic, isn't it? And how many people are living a Christian walk of faith that makes it useless that Christ died because they forget.

who they are in Christ. They forget the freedom that is theirs in Christ.

Now listen, I know some of probably some of you are s Rich, what is this? Freedom? That's why we're studying Galatians.

So I'm glad you asked. In Christ, we are free. He says here. False brothers secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus. What is that freedom?

Let me begin Now, let me give you the initial Definition of this freedom and understanding of it, which will take us the rest of the book of Galatians to unpack it.

Okay. There's two sides to freedom. You are free from something. But you're not just free from something, and that's where the world gets it so wrong today. Because they think freedom is just the absence of restraint.

Listen, that's not freedom. That is bondage.

Okay. So you are free from something, but you are also free. Two something. You with me? I want you to say this with me, okay?

You are free. From something, and you are also free to something. Because if you're not free to something, you have never been freed from something. First of all, what is our freedom in Christ? In Christ, we are free.

We are free from the law and its requirements. We are free from the law and its requirements. In other words, we are free from a, it is a defined written code. This is what he says. We are free from the law and its requirements.

We are free. Two, and this is This is probably going to be new. I'm not making up something new. I'm just putting the scriptures together. You ready for this?

We are free from the law and its requirements, and we are free to the new way of the Spirit. Those are not my words, I didn't make that up. We are free to the new way of the Spirit. That's going to be unpacked. particularly as we get into chapters five and six of Galatians.

To the new way of the Spirit. Remember what we're called to do, what we're commanded to do? We're commanded to walk. Walk in step with the Spirit. We're commanded to be led by the Spirit.

We're commanded to follow Christ, to walk in his steps. As you are walking in the Spirit, as you are led by the Spirit, it is the same thing as following Christ. and becoming like Christ.

So, the whole point of it is this: you are free from having to follow a list of things you're supposed to do. And you are free to live becoming like Christ. I know this is probably new for some of us. But this is the gospel of grace. You want to see it?

You want to see all of this? In Scripture, here it is, Romans 7:6. It's on the screen. I want you to I want you to look at this, but now. We are released from the law.

And the church said, Yeah. Any questions? Having died to that which held us captive, so that, that's the from, and here's the to, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. Listen to me. I don't want to treat you like kids, but I say to this to my kids: eyes, give me your eyes right now.

Uh Memorize that verse. Because that's the gospel of grace. Memorize that verse. I want you to memorize Galatians 2.20. And Romans 7, 6.

Those two verses encapsulate everything that Paul is arguing in this book. Jesus. said as he was talking to the Samaritan woman at the well. She was talking about going to a place to visit, to worship. And the Jews go to one place and the Samaritans go to another place.

And Jesus said, But the hour is coming and is now here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. For the Father is seeking such people to worship him. In spirit and in truth. Again. All this is going to be unpacked as we go through.

And he said this. He says he didn't budge an inch. This is the freedom. All right.

So we're going to talk a lot about this as we go on. But this is the freedom. And this is where he's moving to towards the end of chapter 2, where he's actually confronting the Apostle Peter for living inconsistently with the truth of the gospel. What an incredible example. But he says he was not going to budge an inch because he knew what was at stake.

So that, as he says, look at the end of verse 5 again, even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you, because that's what was at stake. The truth of the gospel. And what is the gospel preserved for you? First of all, that word, the truth of the gospel preserved for you, Hebrews 1, verses 10 and 11, he says, You, Lord, laid the foundations of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens, and the work of your hands, they will perish, but you remain. That word remain is the same word that is used here, preserved for you.

In other words, it doesn't end, it's unshakable. The gospel. And the only way we can make it end is if we abandon it. Yes. By putting ourselves back under a moral code.

Here is the truth of the gospel. That is preserved for you in four points. Number one, redemption is accomplished. Redemption is accomplished. Christ has sacrificed himself Once For all.

Once For all. Done. It is finished. Upon the cross. Paid in full.

That gospel preserved. Redemption is accomplished. Number two, righteousness is declared. Righteousness is declared.

Now, he is speaking here of those who are. in Christ. The gospel, this is what's true of you if you are in Christ. Righteousness is declared.

I'm going to do it again. You ready? Look at me. God, the judge of the universe, sees you in Christ. And he smacks the gaffel.

And he says, You. are righteous. In Christ. Loved ones, do you? Do you understand the profundity of that truth?

You are Righteous. in Christ. You've been declared righteous in Christ. God has declared you righteous, and you are who and what God says you are. Don't abandon that.

Redemption is accomplished, righteousness is declared. Number three, you've been reconciled to God. You are reconciled to God. Because you have been declared righteous. Bye, God.

Therefore, you are now reconciled to God. And listen, that's the whole point of your existence. In other words, you don't have to keep striving. to try to be. Accepted by God.

Because you already are. Yeah. And there is nothing that you can do that can make him love you more. Nothing you can do to make him love love you less. Number four.

Regeneration to new life. is a reality. For those of us who are in Christ. Regeneration to new life. is a reality.

September seventh, nineteen seventy five. when I surrendered myself In faith to Jesus. It was my oldest brother, by the way, that led me to Christ. He was sitting here last week, sitting right down here.

Some of you guys, Rich, who is that guy?

Some of you thought it was Steve Woulette's twin brother. And Steve points at him and says, he's a handsome guy. Yeah. He led me to Christ. He loved me enough.

To speak truth into my life. What was the truth you spoke into my life? He says, Rich, you talk about Christ, you claim Christ, but I don't see Christ in you. And that day I surrendered. And these four things became true of me.

Redemption was accomplished. Righteousness was declared. I've been reconciled to God. And regenerated to new life. In other words, I'm not the same Rich Powell, I'm just forgiven.

You're not just the same old person, but now forgiven. You are new creation in Christ. All of these are realities. This is what Paul's arguing. He says, this is what's at stake.

Really, you want to give this up? And put yourselves back under bondage of a moral code, thinking, I've got to do this and do this and do this and do this to make God accept me. Why would you do that? That's why he says Look at verse 3, chapter 3. O foolish Galatians Who has bewitched you?

It's like you want to put that Rich Powell translation Are you kidding me? Why would you do this? Do you realize who you are? who you are and what you have in Christ. Do you realize the truth and the power of the gospel?

And all of this is true, the truth of the gospel that is preserved for you, and these four things that I brought out: all of this, this righteousness, this reconciliation, the regeneration, the redemption in Christ, all of it is not achieved by me. It's not a reality because of any effort that I've put into it. But it is received. By faith. There's the difference.

Now, here, let's bring this down to a so what today. Let's bring this into today where the rubber meets the road. I'm gonna put this in a phrase. That I hope is really going to challenge you because I think all of us here this morning would believe that we are spiritual people and we're called to be spiritual. We're called to walk in the Spirit, the new way of the Spirit.

Alright, so let's say we're all walking in the new way of the Spirit. And we want people to know: I am Spirit, I am in the Spirit, I am led by the Spirit, I'm walking with the Spirit, I'm becoming more like Christ. That, by the way, is the criteria to determine if somebody is being Spirit-led and filled with the Spirit. They're becoming like Christ. Here's the point.

Spirituality is not. measured quantifiably. You cannot measure your spirituality by things that can be measured. My good friend Steve Green says this a lot. And I think this is This is something that Paul is strongly arguing here.

and in other places in the New Testament.

So let's talk about this. What does this look like?

Well, we all have our lists of what a Christian is supposed to do. Think about that. What is a Christian supposed to do? It's wrong at the very onset when you use terms like that.

Okay. All the things that a Christian is supposed to do. It's kind of like saying, I'm trying to live the Christian life. I'm sorry. But that sounds like a drudgery.

I invite you. to delight in God. And to walk in His Spirit in the freedom that He has for you. But we have those lists. Do this or don't do this.

We have the things that we're supposed to be doing, and all the things that we're not supposed to be doing. And we tend to have those lists, don't we? And oftentimes the word that comes up is standards. I've heard that used against me even, right? And it'll listen, I'm gonna list some things here, okay?

And some of them might make you uncomfortable. You ready for this? Alcohol. Christians don't drink alcohol. Do you find that anywhere in scripture?

The point is, no, that's not the point of this message, okay? Yeah. And I hope you're not derailed for the rest of the message.

Some of you maybe already are. But you see how we can have our standards and then we start judging other people because they're not living up to our standards. Here's another one. This is an old one, right? An old one, but this is how I grew up, okay?

Movies. Christians don't go to movies. What was the main argument for not going to movies? Abstain from All appearance of the See, we know that. Colossal misinterpretation of that verse.

Christians don't go to movies. And somebody was just saying the other day, they were talking about, you know, you couldn't dance or anything like that. They feel like, oh man, we just missed out. Because Christians don't dance. And all that is just simply a reaction against the culture.

That's all that was. Anybody uncomfortable yet? That's okay. Stick with us. Music.

Do you know how many churches have been split over music? The worship wars We've had our struggles here with it. Wasn't the music this morning just awesome? And it always is on Sunday morning for us. When I started college, I was a King James only fundamentalist.

How rich, I never knew. Also was and still am an introvert. Right? But I was that. Met some people at college, people I became friends with.

A good friend right now is Russ Weddington down here. We graduated from Piedmont together in 1987. Met people like him. who listened to the music that I did not listen to. But I also had to be brutally honest with myself and say, those people love God more than I do.

Not because of the music they listened to, but they were free. They didn't have the standards that I did, but I had to admit they loved God more than I did. That was an eye-opener for me. Let's be careful how we throw around this concept of standards. Cards.

I could ask you, Ray, how many of you think it's bad to play cards? Listen to me, they are just pieces of paper for Pete's sake. I'm going to tell you something really radical right now, but it's absolutely true. There is no material substance that is inherently evil. You with me on that?

There is no material substance that is inherently evil. Evil resides in the heart. It originates in the heart and the mind. You see where I'm going with all this? This is why Jesus transforms us at the level of attitude and affection.

Okay. Days. We all have certain The Bible specifically mentions this one. Don't judge each other in terms of certain days. Whew, we could spend a long time on that one.

But you know what's interesting? These are These are the way that the secular world perceives us. Oh, you're a Christian, so you do this and this and this and this, and you don't do this and this and this and this. And do you realize what a tragedy it is when the world perceives our faith in terms of what we don't do? and what we do.

Mostly what we don't do. Because that's how so many people perceive Christianity.

Well, if I'm going to become a Christian, I'm going to have to give up this and this and this and this. Uh That's the way, you know, here in church we can say, come as you are, just don't stay that way. Christ is in the business of transforming, and too often we try to usurp the role of the Holy Spirit by forcing someone to change. That's his role to transform a life, not yours. You're in Galatians.

Turn ahead a few pages to Colossians. Chapter two. Colossians 2, look at with me beginning at verse 20. If Christ. If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, what is he talking about?

The elemental spirits of the world is like kids in elementary, they learn rote memory. They learn lists. That's what he's talking about.

So, the written code. Why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations? Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch, referring to things that all perish as they are used. What is he saying? His argument is what I just said: there is no material substance that is inherently evil, evil resides in the heart of man.

According to human precepts and teachings. Here it is, this is the kicker. Verse 23: These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but here it is. They are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh. Oh.

No.

Let me paraphrase this for you. And this is what Paul was arguing against. And this is why he was, this is what was at stake. You can keep a moral code all day long. But it doesn't change your heart.

The gospel does. The gospel transforms you. at the level of your affections and your attitudes. That's what Paul's arguing for. And these beatitudes that Jesus was talking about, this is what God's forming in you, and He's dealing with the heart.

He's not giving us a list of do's and don'ts. He's saying, I am in the process of transforming you at the core of your being.

So, measurable things, duty, and this is what happens when we submit ourselves to these elemental principles of the way he means when we have written codes, and like elementary students, we have to just go down the list and memorize this and this and this and this. What that promotes in us is duty. We just have to do what we're supposed to do. Listen, there's no transformation in that. It also promotes keeping up appearances.

Well, I just when I go out in public, I got to make sure I watch my testimony. I love that kind of language. Because it's not the gospel. Ask yourself the question: Do I love God? Am I following Christ?

Do I delight? in my Saviour and my Redeemer. Worse. It's duty and it's keeping up appearances, but what it promotes is comparing ourselves among ourselves. And there are some churches that are this way, even today.

And I've heard living picture testimony given from right here saying in churches like that, it is almost impossible to develop deep, meaningful relationships because it's all about keeping up appearances, lest you be judged because you're not keeping the standards that other people think you ought to keep. Any new bender? Quite a number of you have.

Now let's take Sol, for example. What did Saul say about himself? What was he before? What was Saul? What was his position before he was confronted by Christ?

What was he? He was a Pharisee. He was a Pharisee. He had probably almost all, if not all, of the Old Testament memorized. He was a master at the Old Testament scriptures.

And he says to the Philippians concerning the law, I was what? Blameless.

Now what does he say about himself to Timothy? He says I was a violent Blasphemous, insolent man. What is Paul saying? He's repeating exactly what Jesus said to the religious leaders who are all about keeping up appearances and following the law code.

so that other people would notice them. They were whitewashed tombs. And what's in a tomb? Rotting bones. Have any of you been there?

You've been in a place where you're doing, you're checking all the boxes externally, you're dressed right? Your hair is right. Skirts aren't too short. Hair's not too long, guys. Wearing the right kind of clothes to the house of the Lord.

And you can be doing all those things and you can be at church every time the doors are open and all of these things can be true of you while you're rotting at the inside. And this is what Paul is fighting against. Because that's what he was doing. Even in his zeal, To arrest Christians, he was rotten at the core, and he was the first one to admit it. Even though outwardly He checked all the boxes.

This is what the gospel rescues us from. It's not about checking the boxes. It's not about a moral code. It's about being transformed into the image of Christ, beginning at the core of my being. We could talk about a lot of things.

Things that are measurable, like hair, dress, How about amount of time? Do you think God's going to be more accepting of you if you read the Bible more time than somebody else? or you're praying longer than somebody else. Is the reading Bible good? Absolutely it's good, but if you see it and you're watching your watch saying, okay, I've read the Bible this long, I think God's going to be okay with that now.

May God rescue you from that. Number of times, number of times you're at church. You here are you here this morning because of a sense of guilt? that if you don't come here, God's going to be unhappy with you? Is coming to church a good thing?

Yeah. Absolutely it is. But don't see it as a means of making yourself acceptable to God. Because that's not what it is. You can tell we have a lot to unpack, don't we?

We have a lot to unpack. Number of numbers, number of times, you got church, number of times you go to a Bible study. I've seen, listen, I've seen it, people who go to Bible study after Bible study after Bible study, and it doesn't change their lives. They still act in the flesh. Number of people, number of people you've served, number of people you've Number of souls you won.

How many of you I just triggered you? Mm-hmm. Is winning souls, is leading people to Christ a beautiful, wonderful thing? Absolutely. But it doesn't make you one bit more acceptable to God if you've won.

10 and the person next to you is only one two. You see where I'm going with this? Paul was a whitewash tomb. He had acceptable externals, the mechanics, the appearance, but he was rotting on the inside. He was experiencing spiritual declay.

spiritual decay.

So let me go back to the original point. Spirituality is not measured quantifiably, but by the recognized character of Christ. Spirituality is not measured quantifiably but by the recognized character of Christ. You don't quantify. the character of Christ.

You recognize it. You recognize it. New mode is radically new. It comes from the heart and mind, and you live in the outflow of the changes that God is doing. Because, as I said, as you walk with God, as you follow Christ, you're starting to think His thoughts.

And you're starting to love what he loves. And your desires are Very much in line now with his desires because you want what he wants and you want to please him. These are radically new motives and means. I've gone over. You've been very patient.

I got on a soapbox this morning. Um I'm passionate about this stuff. I want you to read a verse with me. Would you stand, please? Yes, what I've already put up here.

Romans chapter 7, verse 6. And I am asking you, I am asking you to memorize this verse. Romans chapter 7 verse 6. Let's read this together.

Now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. Serve that word serve, look at that word serve. We serve in the new way of the Spirit. What did Jesus say? Take my what?

Take my yoke upon you. In other words, surrender yourself to me. Serve me. For my yoke is Easy and my burden is and you will find Rest unto your souls. Folks, let's resolve in our hearts and minds.

to find that rest that Jesus promises us. to find that rest. His yoke is easy and his burden is light. Have a seat now for a moment, please. We want to spend some time.

Praying over what we just heard. contemplating how we are freed from something and free To something, so I have invited a couple people and myself to pray in your hearts as you sit there. Think of the ways that you have allowed, maybe. the law or legalism. to shape Who you are in Christ.

Let's pray together. Lord, thank you for the great liberty there is in your love. Um Thank you for the beauty and the transforming nature of the gospel. Thank you that it is a wider place than we can ever imagine. Lord, I pray that you would make us aware of the standards that we put in place for ourselves and for others.

Yeah. that hinders your great work that you want to do in us. Lord, make us aware of those things. Forgive us. Mm.

of our pride. of our judgment of others. Lord, help us to move out into that wider place and into. the best that you have for us, Lord, as we Rest in you as we place our trust in you, and as we stand on your faithfulness and your righteousness. Yeah.

Heavenly Father, thank you for this time we've had today. Rich's message has hit me right between the eyes. I have struggled with legalism my entire life. And I just and I guess we all do because he said it is the natural thing. It comes natural to us.

A verse that is uh stood out to me In the last couple months, is from Psalm 147. It says That Father, you take pleasure in and those who fear you, who hope in your steadfast love. And Father, your steadfast love. was made perfectly manifest to us.

Okay. In the life Yeah. and resurrection. of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And it gives you pleasure.

When we place our hope in in Jesus Christ. We all know that. But as Rich said we just naturally tend toward legalism. The pro legalism As many dangers. I think the greatest danger of legalism, Father.

is that it breeds self-righteousness. I believe that Charles Spurgeon is exactly right when he said that nothing is more deadly than self righteousness, and nothing more hopeful than repentance. I believe That the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. perfectly represents The truthfulness Of what Spurgeon said, the Pharisee tried to justify himself. But Avoiding Bad things.

He compared himself favorably with to the tax collector, And then he tried to justify himself with two minor Uh good works. The tax collector, on the other hand, father, could not even look up to you. In heaven. He could only beat his breast. And cry out for you to be merciful to him, a sinner.

And he is the one. that walked away justified. not the Pharisee.

So, placing our hope in your steadfast love. and not in our works. is the difference between life and death. Deliver us. From legalism, father.

Help us trust only in Jesus. and not ourselves. Thank you.

Okay. Father. Thank you.

Jesus, thank you for Freeing us. From the law And freeing us too. Walk in the Spirit. And to produce fruit. Thank you.

for freeing us. From death.

So that we might live. an abundant life. Father. Thank you for freeing us from death. and making us your children.

Those who Because we're your son, because we're your daughter. Delight to serve you. In Jesus' name, amen. What an encouraging reminder of what it means to follow Jesus. This message from Galatians 2, 1 through 5 is titled, Our Freedom That We Have in Christ.

It was first preached at Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem on March 23rd, 2025. Join us here again next Monday for the next message in this series.