Trust Not in Rulers

“Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.”

 (Psalm 146:3-4 ESV)

We are truly blessed to live in the United States of America. We have freedoms here that are enjoyed nowhere else in the world. For that, I am truly grateful. And it’s for this reason that we will soon celebrate the Fourth of July.

However, as Christians, we often go to an extreme when it comes to our love of country. For many of us, our nation has become almost an idol. Even though our Constitution guarantees us the freedom of speech, and even though men and women have died defending that freedom, we act as if anything negative said about our nation, or if people express a viewpoint other than our own, they are unpatriotic. We may even question their faith when they do so.

In the same vein, although I use it a great deal from the church standpoint, and although I love to share life with family and friends around the world on this platform, I can barely stomach Facebook any longer. A vast majority of what is posted is political in nature. And, once again, the viewpoints of many Christians border on idolatry.

Many Christians make it seem that our current president is almost equivalent to Christ himself. They make it seem that he is the Savior of our nation. Others, however, make it seem as if he’s equivalent to Satan. They make it seem as though he is drawing us away from the Lord and his will.

For these reasons, we would do well to pay attention to the above verses of Scripture. Even though the Bible does tell us that God appoints people to their positions of authority, we are told here that we are not to put our trust in princes. We are not to put our trust in men. And we are not to do so because, in them, there is no salvation.

Men are very limited. Their power is only temporary. They will one day die. And, on that day, their plans and intentions perish along with them.

Our salvation is found in Christ alone. And in Christ alone is our hope. We must look to him and only to him for the blessings and the salvation that we so desperately need.

And rather than putting so much time and energy into spouting politics, we would do better to point people to Christ. Instead of trying to convert others to our political viewpoint, we would do better to reach out to them with the gospel. As citizens of this nation, it is our God-given duty to vote and to hold the feet of our politicians to the fire. However, our primary focus must always be upon Jesus and the salvation of souls.

The Appearance of Godliness

“See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.”

(Galatians 6:11-13 ESV)

 

The church has often sought to force certain practices upon its members. It has sought to force the law upon its members. And there are countless examples of this.

 

Some churches insist that their members abstain completely from alcohol. It’s from here that we get the jokes about believers who won’t make eye contact in a liquor store. Some churches insist that their members do no work on Sunday, and criticize anyone who may dare to mow the lawn or rake leaves on a Sunday afternoon. Still others insist that their members are not to gamble, shunning even those who buy a raffle ticket to support a children’s baseball team. We could go on and on citing instances of this reality.

 

Their aim, when they do this, seems good. Their aim is that members of their congregation will give the appearance of godliness. They want it to seem as if the members of their church are righteous.

 

Although we're given the impression that it’s a matter of our relationship with God, it’s really about our appearance. It’s because they want us to make a good showing in the flesh. It’s that they might boast in our flesh.

 

There is good reason for this. There is good reason for it because one of the main accusations lobbed at the church is that it’s full of hypocrites. We are accused of being hypocrites because, although we hold up Scripture as truth, we’re unable to live it out. Despite our faith and our love for the Lord, we continue to violate his will.

 

For the Galatians, it was circumcision that was being forced upon them. And those who were pushing this practice, Paul says, did so to make a good showing in the flesh. In other words, they wanted to look good. They wanted to look good even though they, themselves, did not keep the law.

 

No matter their appearance, the simple truth is that they were sinners. And, because they were sinners, they couldn’t keep God’s law. Even if they desired to do so, it was impossible for them.

 

Rather than laboring to look good, our energy is better spent allowing Christ to look good. It’s best that we allow our imperfection to demonstrate the grace and mercy of Christ. It’s best that we highlight not our own righteousness, but that of Jesus.

 

When I say this, I’m not suggesting that we live according to our sinful desires. Nor am I suggesting that we take advantage of the grace of God (as if that were possible). As those who have been saved from sin, our desire is to live for the Lord.

 

However, we must not encourage people to make their performance the focus. We must openly acknowledge our sin and the redemption that’s found in Jesus. And we must allow him the glory for the great salvation he has provided.

In the Face of Weariness

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6:9-10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

There are times when I want to give up. There are times when I want to stop trying. I’m tired. I’m burnt out. And I simply don’t want to do it anymore.

The reasons for this are many. I might feel, for example, that my efforts are not appreciated. Although I am doing my best to love and to serve them, others don’t even seem to notice. Worse yet, they seem to take these efforts for granted.

I might feel that my efforts are not being reciprocated. As much as I try to love and serve others, they are not behaving in the same way toward me. It feels completely one sided. 

And I might feel like, as I seek to love and serve others, nothing is being accomplished. I don’t see any fruit from my labor. It seems, in the moment, that my efforts have been wasted.

Whatever the case may be, we’ve all felt this from time to time. And, in these moments, we do sometimes quit. We stop trying and throw in the towel.

In the midst of these feelings, Paul gives to us the encouragement seen above. He tells us that we are not to grow weary of doing good. And he assures us that we will reap a harvest in due season.

Even if it seems slow in coming, we will reap a harvest. Even if it seems that nothing is being accomplished, we will reap a harvest. No matter how it may seem, our labor will not be in vain.

In other words, God is working through us. He is blessing our efforts. He is doing a work that will endure, even if it’s unseen in the present.

For this reason, he tells us that we’re to do good to everyone. And this is especially true of our fellow believers. We are to continue doing all that we can to love and bless others.

Reaping What We Sow

“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”

(Galatians 6:7-8 ESV) 

While we live in these bodies of flesh, our sinful nature will remain a part of us. And they will lure us continually to do those things that are contrary to the will of God. They will lure us, they will entice us, into sin.

At the same time, the Spirit of God lives within us. And he leads us continually to do those things that are pleasing to God. He leads us, and he empowers us, to serve and glorify God.

That being said, many of us, who profess faith in Christ, live for the desires of the flesh. The will of God doesn’t seem to matter to us in the least. Although we have been given a new life through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we continue to live in the old. Our lives remain unchanged as we seek only to satisfy our carnal desires.

In the midst of his instructions to us, on caring for our brothers and sisters in Christ, Paul gives to us a warning. And he begins by saying that God is not mocked. What he means by this is that God cannot and will not be treated with contempt.

I think this is something that many of us fail to realize. By living in sin, by living in unrepentance, we are, quite literally, treating God with contempt. We are thumbing our nose at him while we fully expect his salvation.

However, as Paul goes on to say, whatever we sow, that will we reap. If we sow to the flesh, if we live for the flesh, we’ll reap corruption. If we live under the power and direction of the flesh, we’ll reap destruction. And this, of course, refers to judgment.

This, you see, is the consequence of sin. And while none of us can live perfectly this side of eternity, we cannot live in sin. We cannot live in unrepentance. As Christ has redeemed us from sin, we can remain in it no longer.

However, if we sow to the Spirit, if we live for the Lord, we’ll reap from the Spirit eternal life. If we live under the power and direction of the Spirit of God, we’ll receive salvation. The Spirit of God will bestow upon us the salvation accomplished by Christ Jesus.

This isn’t to say that we’re saved by our own efforts. This is in no way contrary to the gospel. Our salvation is his work, and his work alone. And anything and everything we do for the Lord is the result of God’s grace.

But, if we truly trust in Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and if we trust in his sacrifice for eternal life, we cannot and will not live in sin. As we receive his salvation, we turn from the desires of the flesh. As we receive his deliverance, we leave behind the lusts of our sinful nature.

Faithfully Providing

“Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6:6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

As I graduated seminary, and as I was ordained, I was called to serve as Assistant Pastor of a church in San Diego. In the Lutheran body of which I was then a part, my call had to be reviewed and agreed upon by the presiding pastor of our body. And, when he saw my call, he called the church and told them that they were offering me too much money. He told them that there were pastors who had been serving in ministry for twenty years who weren’t making as much as I was being offered.

I don’t want you to get a wrong impression. The first thing, which the presiding pastor failed to consider, is that the cost of living in San Diego was very different than it was in a small midwestern town. The salary and benefits they offered me were not lavish, but fair. They would take care of my needs and allow me to live comfortably as a single man, starting out in his first church, in Southern California.

As I was being called to a congregation more than ten years later, and by this time I was married with four children and another on the way, I was offered a small, run-down parsonage and an extremely small salary. It was so small, in fact, that there was no way I could support my family. No benefits were to be provided. And they were upset when I turned down the call. 

The mindset that I’m describing was once prevalent. Pastors were not well paid. They were, more or less, expected to be poor. 

When I was starting out in ministry, pastors were not always provided with health insurance. They were not always provided with a retirement plan. They were oftentimes given a parsonage in which they would live, and a small salary. And they were simply expected to trust God.

Please don’t misunderstand me. Pastors should absolutely trust God. But this shouldn’t be an excuse for a congregation’s failure to care for their pastor. It’s safe to say that no one, in a congregation like this, would accept a job under these circumstances.

In the verse above, Paul makes a very simple statement. He says that the one who is taught is to share all good things with the one who teaches. In other words, those who are taught are to bless and care for the one who teaches them.

Members of the congregation, then, are called to bless and to provide for their pastor(s). They are to recognize his work, they are to recognize his service among them, and care for him. They are not to be stingy or miserly in their provision.

I believe that things have improved over the years. Churches are doing a much better job at providing for those who serve them. My current congregation treats me very well and has been very generous with my family. But, as believers, this is something we must take to heart. We must faithfully care for those who teach us. We must faithfully provide for those who minister among us.

Viewing Ourselves Realistically

“For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.”

(Galatians 6:3-5 ESV)

 

We have a natural tendency to compare ourselves with others. We have a tendency to measure our success, and even our goodness, by comparing ourselves with one another. Even when we fall short, we tend to think highly of ourselves because we’re not as bad, because we’re not as sinful, as others.

 

This is true of us, even in the church. It’s true of us, who confess that we’re saved by the grace of God alone. It’s true of us who believe that we are, by nature, corrupt and deserving of God’s judgment.

 

In the two prior verses, Paul encouraged us to correct our erring brother, while keeping watch over ourselves. He encouraged us to bear one another’s burdens and, in this way, to fulfill the law of Christ. Yet, in the above verses, he recognizes how this tendency can come into play.

 

We can, in this way, unintentionally deceive ourselves. We can do so by thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought. We can do so by thinking that we’re something when, in reality, we’re nothing. And this, of course, can influence our behavior toward others.

 

It can lead us to look down our nose at our neighbor. It can lead us to a critical attitude of our neighbor. In fact, it can lead us to disassociate ourselves from them altogether.

 

Paul encourages us to test our own work. In essence, he’s calling us to a healthy self-examination. He’s calling us to give a sincere assessment of ourselves and our actions.

 

In this way, our reason to boast is not in our neighbor. We’re boasting not because our brother is more sinful than we are. We’re boasting not because our sister’s behavior makes us look good by comparison.

 

The reason for this, Paul says, is that each will have to bear his own load. Initially, this may seem to contradict his prior statement, in verse 2, where he says that we’re to bear one another’s burdens. However, it’s not contradictory in the least.

 

Paul is telling us that we will not be judged by the actions of others. We will not be judged in comparison to our brother or sister in Christ. We are responsible for our own behavior.

 

Realizing this will make us all the more willing to bear our brother’s burdens. It will do so because we’re not in competition with them. Our basis of comparison is not our brother. And, for this reason, we’ll desire nothing more than their repentance and faith in Christ.

Our Brother's Keeper

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

(Galatians 6:2 ESV)

“Am I my brother’s keeper?” This is the question that Cain posed to God after murdering his brother, Abel. In this way, he was implying that his brother’s welfare was not his responsibility.

Although we may phrase it differently, we tend to think the same way. We say that our brother’s problems are none of our business. We tell ourselves that people need to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps. And we tell ourselves that we will not interfere in the lives of others.

However, as we see in the above verse, we are our brother’s keeper. His welfare is our responsibility. Paul tells us clearly that we are to bear one another’s burdens. 

What does this mean, to bear one another’s burdens? Thinking again of God’s question to Cain, it related to his brother’s physical state. And I believe that we  are to be concerned with our brother’s physical needs. 

We should be concerned with his health. We should be concerned about his ability to work and to provide for himself and his family. And we should do all that we can to ensure that his needs are provided for. As Martin Luther says in his explanation of the Seventh Commandment, we are to help him to improve and protect his property and living. 

However, that being said, the context of this passage speaks to our brother’s spiritual state. As we saw in the prior verse, if anyone is caught in any transgression, we are to restore him in a spirit of gentleness. If he has fallen into sin, that should concern us. If he’s turned from his faith in the Lord, that should concern us.

And not only are we to be concerned. We are to act on that concern. We are to reach out to him. We are to show him his need for repentance. We’re to faithfully proclaim to him the gospel in his time of need. And we are to be a support for him in his time of weakness.

We are, then, to get involved in the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Their problems are our business. And by doing so, Paul says, we fulfill the law of Christ.

What is this law, to which he’s referring? It clearly refers to Jesus’ command, to love our neighbor as ourselves. It refers to his command to love one another as he has loved us. 

Loving our brother means being concerned for him. It means serving him sacrificially. And it means getting our hands dirty as we seek his welfare.

When a Brother Falls

“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.”

(Galatians 6:1 ESV)

 

It’s not uncommon for a fellow believer to fall into sin. It’s not uncommon for a fellow believer to turn from his faith and to walk in unrepentance. We read stories about such people in the news. And, sadly, we witness this even in our own congregations.

 

But how do we respond in the face of this reality? How do we respond when a brother in Christ falls into sin? How do we respond when a sister in Christ is caught in sin?

 

For most of us, I believe, the answer is plain. When this happens, we tend to respond by condemning the fallen. We tend to respond by looking down our nose at them. We tend to respond by cutting all ties and disassociating from them.

 

However, in the above verse, Paul calls us to a different response. He calls upon us, not to shun them, but to restore them. We are to seek their repentance and for them to receive, once again, the grace of God.

 

Jesus describes this in detail in Matthew 18:15-20. I won’t get into this now. But I encourage you to read it and to meditate upon it.

 

We’re to restore them in a spirit of gentleness, Paul tells us. In other words, this isn’t to be conducted in a messy way. Nor is it to be mean spirited or combative.

 

This flows from our love for our fellow believer. We do not want them to suffer the deserved wrath for their sin. We want them, instead, to receive the undeserved blessing of God, provided by Jesus on the cross.

 

However, that being said, he also tells us to keep watch on ourselves. We’re to do so lest we ourselves be tempted. We’re to so lest we, ourselves, be lured into sin.

 

While seeking the restoration of another, while correcting another, we must take care that we do not become prideful. We must never begin to think that we are greater than the person who has fallen. And we must never think that we’re incapable of falling into the same sin.

 

And not only is that true. As we seek the restoration of our brother or sister in Christ, we must take care that we are not caught up in the same sin. We must take care that we do not fall into the same behavior. We must ensure that we do not begin to justify this sinful pattern as they have. No matter how mature in faith we may be, we are not above any sinful practice.

                                                                                                                  

True to Yourself?

“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:19-26‬ ‭ESV‬

We live in a time when we are encouraged to be true to ourselves. We live in a time when we are encouraged to follow our heart. And we live in a time when we’re told that God wants only for us to be happy.

We, then, are encouraged to gratify our desires. If we desire these things, we are told, they cannot be sinful. In fact, we’re told these desires have been given to us by God.

According to Scripture, however, we do have sinful impulses. And, because they are sinful, we are encouraged to resist them. We are encouraged to flee from them.

Paul had encouraged the Galatians to walk by the Spirit. If they did so, he said, they would not gratify the desires of the flesh. If they did so, they would not gratify the desires of their sinful nature.

This is necessary because, as believers, we live continually with a tension between the two. Our sinful nature pulls us to do things that will gratify its desires. And, in the same way, the Spirit of God leads us to do those things that will glorify God.

In the above passage, he goes on to give several examples of the works of the flesh. He lists several works that are contrary to the desires of the Spirit. And, as we look at this list, we can each find ourselves in several of them.

Paul says that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. And we have to be careful with this. Paul isn’t saying that if we’ve ever fallen into any of these sins, even once, we stand condemned.

He’s referring to those who keep doing these things. He’s referring to those who make a practice of doing these things. He’s referring to those who perform these actions repeatedly or habitually. In essence, he’s referring to those who are living in unrepentance. He’s saying that, if we defy God ongoingly, if we violate his will without remorse, we stand condemned. 

He then goes on to list for us the fruit of the Spirit. In other words, these are the qualities that the Spirit of God will produce in our life. And it’s in these qualities that we are called to live.

Those who belong to Christ, he says, have crucified the flesh along with its passions and desires. In other words, they have sacrificed their flesh. They have put their sinful desires to death. They have rejected these desires, casting them aside, in favor of the Spirit’s leading.

If we live by the Spirit, we’re to keep in step with the Spirit. If he’s the source of our life, we will follow his leading. If he is our life, we will follow his guidance.

In short, Paul is calling us to a life of repentance and faith. Even though our sinful nature is a part of us, and will remain a part of us until the end, we are to turn from its desires. We’re to turn from its desires and live according to the Spirit of God. 

The Battle Within

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:16-18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Inside of the Christian, a war is being fought. And it's not a one time battle. It’s a daily experience. The desires of the flesh battle against the desires of the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit battle against the desires of the flesh.

As Christians, we generally know how God has called us to live. There are some exceptions to this, of course, where we seek his will in his Word. But, generally speaking, this is true. And we also, generally, want to live for him. We want to live for the desires of the Spirit.

Yet, that being true, we are continually tempted. We are continually lured by our sinful nature to do that which is wrong. And, at times, we give in to the desires of the flesh.

This reality often causes us to question our faith. Worse yet, it causes us to question our salvation. We think that, if we were truly saved, if we had a strong enough faith, this wouldn’t be the case.

This, however, is fiction. The reality of our situation is that, although we have faith, and although the Spirit of God dwells within us, we also possess a sinful nature. And this sinful nature will remain a part of us until we meet Jesus face to face. It will remain part of us until we are made to be like Christ.

This battle, then, reveals not a lack of faith. It reveals that we do, in fact, have faith. It reveals to us that we have received the grace of God.

I say this because, apart from faith, this battle would not be fought. We would care nothing about the desires of the Spirit. Our only interest would be the desires of the flesh.

As we’re born in sin, as our natural condition is one of rebellion against God, we would live that out. We would do anything and everything that we wanted to do. And we would do so with no regrets.

Rest assured, this battle is the normal experience of a Christian. It reveals that the Lord is at work in us. And, because this is true, we are not under law. Because this is true, we do not stand condemned before God.

Living in Freedom

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.”

(Galatians 5:13-15 ESV)

What a blessing it is to know that we’ve been freed from the law. No longer must we live according to the regulations of the Old Testament ceremonial law. And no longer are we bound to the teachings of men, in their efforts to ensure that the law is followed.

We are free to worship on Sunday, rather than Saturday (the Sabbath). We are free to mow our lawn on Sunday. We are free to eat pulled pork, for which I am extremely thankful. And we’re free to wear clothing made of a cotton/polyester blend.

None of these things will condemn us. And none of these things contribute to our salvation in any way. Our salvation is found in Christ alone and is received through faith alone.

However, that being said, care must yet be taken. As with anything, there are two extremes to which we can go. Just as we can easily fall into legalism, we can also fall easily into antinomianism.

I realize that many of you may not be familiar with that term. It literally means “no law.” And what I’m saying is that, because of the freedom given to us in Christ, many of us go to the extreme of believing that we can do anything and everything our heart desires.

Our freedom, Paul tells us, is not to be used as an opportunity for the flesh. In other words, our freedom is not to be used as an excuse to indulge our sinful desires. Instead, he says, we’re to use our freedom to serve one another through love.

Loving others, then, is a stark contrast to the indulging of our sinful desires. Loving others means denying the self. It means repenting of selfishness that we might live selflessly.

We're free from the burden of the law, we're free from the burden of trying to earn our salvation, that we might love one another. Our freedom is given that we might serve one another. Our freedom is given that we might bless one another.

Loving others as we love ourselves fulfills the law. If we love our neighbor, we will seek not to harm him. If we love our neighbor, we will seek only his blessing.

Point Them to Jesus

“The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.”

(John 1:35-37 ESV)

Ministry can take on many different forms. And people, churches, and church bodies tend to focus their ministry in specific ways. Some will focus on feeding the poor. Others will focus on providing medical care. Some will focus on providing clothing or shoes. Some will focus on ministry to abused women. Some will seek to provide clean water for those who do not have it. And others will focus on the ministry of the Word.



For many, ministry and mission work is nothing more than the “social gospel.” It’s nothing more than demonstrating love for others in a tangible way. There is nothing, in their ministry, that sets them apart from a government funded social service agency.



Please don’t misunderstand what I’m trying to say. This type of ministry is needed and should be carried out. We see, in the New Testament, how the early church took collections for the poor. However, as the church, as a people called by Christ, the primary focus of our ministry must be something more.



The focus of our ministry is seen in the above passage. As John the Baptist looked at Jesus walking by, he said: “Behold, the Lamb of God!” In saying this, he was declaring Jesus to be the Savior. He was declaring Jesus to be the sacrifice who would redeem us from our sin.



Two of John’s disciples, who heard this statement, then followed Jesus. One of these men is not identified. Some believe him to be the apostle John. However, the other was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter.



John the Baptist pointed people to Jesus. He testified to others regarding Jesus’ identity and purpose. And these men, then, followed Jesus.



This, you see, must be the primary focus of our ministry. While we can and should meet the needs of our neighbors, and while we should reach out to them in a spirit of love, this cannot be the extent of our ministry. Our love for others should be demonstrated as we, first and foremost, point people to Jesus.



We cannot lose sight of this. We cannot lose sight of this because the greatest need of mankind is salvation. We can meet every worldly need people may have. But, apart from Jesus, it will mean nothing. It will mean nothing because, as Jesus asks in Matthew 16:26, what will it profit a man if he gains the world and loses his soul?

The Offense of the Cross

“You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:7-12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

We think of an offense as a bad thing. None of us like to be offended. And, for this reason, we try not to offend others.

It happens, usually unintentionally. But, again, it’s never our goal. And when we do offend others, we try to make it right. We try to make it right by either explaining ourselves or apologizing.

This mindset creeps even into our life of faith. We don’t want to offend anyone. And, for this reason, we try to soften the message of Scripture. For this reason, we explain away the clear teaching of Scripture.

The message of the cross, however, naturally offends. And, as we see in the above passage, this is a good thing. The offense of the cross is absolutely necessary.

Anything else hinders us from obeying the truth. Anything else is not from God. And the one who brings another message will bear the penalty. Paul was so adamant about this that he wished those who preached circumcision would emasculate themselves. 

Why is the cross so offensive? It’s offensive because it reveals to us our sin. It’s offensive because it reveals to us the penalty we deserve. And it’s offensive because it reveals that we can do nothing to save ourselves.

In other words, it reveals to us that we’re not good people. It reveals to us that we are undeserving of God’s blessings. In fact, it reveals to us that we’re deserving of death and hell.

It reveals to us our helplessness. It reveals to us that we can do nothing to attain our salvation. It reveals to us that we can’t play even a partial role. 

This message is offensive to us. No one wants to believe these things about themselves. But, if we’re to be saved, we must.

We must be offended in this way because it’s only then that we’re able to receive the message of the gospel. It’s only then that we will trust in Jesus. And it’s only then that we will rely on his atoning work.

It’s for this reason that others must be offended as well. If they’re to be saved, they must. So we must not soften the gospel message nor explain it away.

Christ and

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.”

Galatians 5:1-6 ESV

As much as we speak against legalism, Christians, today, tend to be very legalistic. Although we confess that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, this is not how we teach the Christian faith. And this is not where our confidence lies.

Our faith tends to be in Jesus and. I realize that’s an incomplete sentence, but hear me out. We tend to add to Christ other factors on which we believe our salvation to be dependent.

We tend to believe that, in addition to Jesus, our salvation is dependent upon works. It may even be one specific aspect of the law. It may be the way in which we keep the Sabbath. It may be a certain worship practice. It may be the amount of time we spend in prayer and Bible reading. It could even be the types of recreation we enjoy.

This, you see, is exactly what the Galatians were doing. By accepting circumcision as a condition of salvation, they were placing it alongside Christ. And, in this way, they were perverting the gospel.

Paul told them that, if they accepted circumcision, Christ would be of no advantage to them. He told them that, by relying on the law in addition to Christ, they had fallen from grace. He told them that, in this way, they were severed from Christ.

He’s telling them that, if they rely on anything other than Christ, they are not saved. He’s telling them that, if they rely on anything in addition to Christ, they are not saved. Requiring circumcision, in addition to faith in Christ, is not the gospel.

The same is true for us as well. If we rely on anything other than Christ, we are not saved. And if we rely on anything in addition to Christ, we are not saved.

If we rely on a certain worship style or practice, we are severed from Christ. If we rely on our practice of reading Scripture and prayer,  Christ is of no advantage to us. If we rely on our method of observing the Sabbath,  we have fallen from grace.

Our salvation is not dependent upon Christ and. It’s dependent upon Christ alone. Anything else places all or a part of the burden of our salvation upon ourselves rather than Christ. 

Cherishing the Assembly

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” 

(Hebrews 10:23-25 ESV)

I think it’s safe to say that, when this situation with Covid-19 blows over, and when life begins to feel more like normal, we will never look at the above verses in the same way again. Let’s face it, before this virus upended our lives, we took the gathering together with other believers for granted. We felt and acted as if it’s no big deal.

We told ourselves, repeatedly, that going to church is not what makes us a Christian. We did so, often, to alleviate our guilt for our failure to go. We took for granted that, when things were less busy, when we were less tired, when the kids were a little older, or whatever the case might be, we’d go to church more often.

In the meantime, however, we neglected to meet together with the church. We may have done so on special days, days like Christmas, Easter, or Mother’s Day. We may have done so when special events were happening in the life of a family member, things like a baptism, a confirmation, or a performance in the Christmas play. But going to church every Sunday, not to mention participation in things like Bible studies, was out of the question.

We’ve always had something more important going on. We’ve always had needs that were a greater priority. And, quite frankly, going to church just didn’t compare.

But now, in the midst of a season of isolation, we’re beginning to understand that need. We’re beginning to understand the need to gather together with our fellow believers. We’re beginning to see what we’ve been missing.

As we hold to our confession and hope, we need the encouragement of our fellow believers. We need them to speak into our lives with the hope of the gospel. We need to see examples of how we can live in faith in the face of hardship. We need those who will weep with us when we weep. And we need those who will rejoice with us in our rejoicing.

We also need to be stirred up to love and good works. We need to be stirred up because our natural tendency is anything but that. Our natural tendency is selfishness. Our natural tendency is laziness.

And not only do we need these things to be provided for us by our fellow believers. Our fellow believers need us to provide these things for them as well. As we interact together, as a body, we’re able to minister to one another with the grace that we, ourselves, have received from Christ.

In the meantime, however, continue to watch our services as they’re shared on YouTube and Facebook. Continue to take part in our Sunday School classes on Go-to-Meeting. Continue to call or to send a message to your fellow church members in their loneliness.  And, above all, anticipate the day that we can come together, once again, as the assembly of believers.

Slave or Free?

“Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written, "Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than those of the one who has a husband."

(Gal 4:21-27 ESV)

Our tendency is to believe that we are the children of God. We believe so because of our actions. The people of God, we believe, are those who live according to God’s law. And those who do not live according to his law are clearly not his children.



We tell ourselves, therefore, that if we’re to be assured of our salvation, we have to pay attention to our life and see if we’re obedient to God’s law. We have to pay attention to our life to see if we’re growing in faith. If we are good people, then we are God’s children. If we are avoiding outward sin, then we are God’s children. But if we fall into sin, or if we struggle with sin, we are not his children.



This is the mindset that Paul is addressing in the above passage. And he does it in a way that would have made the Jews of his day cringe. In fact, he does it in a way that makes many of us cringe. He addresses it by looking at the two children born to Abraham by two different women.



The son of the slave woman, he says, was born according to the flesh. In other words, he was born in the natural way. His conception is easily explained by our knowledge of the birds and the bees.



The son of the free woman, however, was born through a promise. Sarah, you recall, was past the age of childbearing. It’s safe to say, I believe, that she was way past the age of childbearing. But God had promised to Abraham a son, who would be born of Sarah. And, in their old age, God miraculously enabled this pregnancy and birth.



He goes on to say that the present Jerusalem corresponds with Hagar, the slave woman, and is therefore in slavery. But the new Jerusalem, the heavenly Jerusalem, is free. And she is the mother of those who believe.



This, then, put the Jews in a place they never expected to find themselves. It was also putting those who clung to their own righteousness in a place they never expected to find themselves. Paul was classing them not with the free woman, but with the slave woman. They were classed with the slave woman because they sought to attain salvation by the law rather than the promise of God.



The child of God, then, is not the one who seeks salvation by the law. It’s not the one who seeks salvation by his own obedience. He is the one who seeks salvation by the promise of God. He is the one who seeks salvation through faith.



As Christians, this gives to us a true assurance of salvation. It does so because, if we measure our spiritual state by our obedience to the law, we’ll always come up short. But, through faith in Jesus, we can be absolutely certain. We can be certain because it’s not dependent upon us in any way, but upon Christ himself. It’s dependent upon Jesus, who bore our sin on the cross, that we might receive his righteousness by faith.

Not About Us

“They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭4:17-20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

False teachers have always been found among the church. And that was no less true in New Testament times than it is today. There will always be teachers among us proclaiming that which is false, attempting to mislead those who are in Christ.

This is what Paul found among the Galatians. Although they had received the gospel and trusted in Christ, false teachers slipped in among them in his absence. And this upended their relationship with him.

While the primary test for any teacher is how well he holds to the truth of Scripture, we see something more in Paul’s description for which we ought to be on the lookout. We also see something to which we must pay attention in our own lives as we seek to carry out the Lord’s work.

Paul mentions that these false teachers make much of them. And this is something to which we all gravitate. After all, we all like to be made much of. But, to what end?

The false teachers, being described by Paul, made much of the Galatians. But they did so that the people would make much of them. Their aim, you see, was selfish in nature. Their ministry was not ultimately about the people, it was about themselves. They sought the attention and admiration of the people.

If this is the goal of teachers among us, we should flee. If their end is selfish in nature, if they are ministering for their own sake rather than for that of the people, we should run. And we should do so because this desire will corrupt their ministry.

We should, instead, follow those who seek the welfare of the congregation. We should follow those who desire the salvation of souls. We should follow those who minister with the attitude of Christ.

That being said, even faithful ministers possess a sinful nature. And this desire creeps in even among us. So, we must watch ourselves. We must confess and repent each time we see this desire welling up in our own heart.

Many pastors, for example, will use one church as a stepping stone to another. Their aim isn’t, so much, about ministry where they are currently serving. They simply want to move on to bigger and better. They seek more and more influence and, perhaps, more and more wealth.

Many of us aren’t content to shepherd a small flock. We want the mega-church. We want the book deals. We want the TV and radio programs. Ultimately, it’s all about us.

Ministry, you see, is not about us. It’s about Jesus. It’s about the congregation. It’s about the lost. And to faithfully carry out the ministry is not to be selfish, but selfless.