Friday, July 25, 2008

Letter to the Galatians -- Chapter 1

“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins” (Galatians 1:3-4).

The small phrase of “who gave himself for our sins” is a truly deep and profound truth that we so easily skip over in our hasty readings of Scripture. We see this introduction of Paul and read past it without even a second thought as we are preoccupied with getting to the “meat” of what he is saying. It is in this blind haste that we often miss the true meat of the Gospel message. In these few simple words God dispels all notions of self-merit for all time. No matter what human conceived ways of man getting to God are fabricated in the world we have for all time God’s clear testimony that Jesus Christ gave himself for our sins. When we were incapable of getting to God, God came to us. He did not come to receive any work or merit from us but he came to give Himself for our sins, to close the infinite chasm between us and the Father. So how are sins put away? Not thru any effort of our own but solely by the effort of Jesus Christ who gave Himself for our sins.

The worth of a ransom is determined by the size of the debt. We must learn to reflect on the fact that the Man Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, very God of very God, was given into death for our sins. What is a greater sacrifice? What is a greater ransom than this? What are we against that requires God to give His one and only Son into death in order to make amends? It is sin that is so great within us, consuming and devouring us. The blindness that we are under first manifests itself in our complete misunderstanding of sin. Because we live fully buried and dead in sin we cannot even realize it is there. Does a dead man know he is dead? Does the man who has lived in complete darkness his whole life even realize he is in the dark? Because our sin is so great we are unaware that we are fully enveloped in it. Within our sin we make our own judgments about what is “good” and “evil” all the while thinking that we performing righteous deeds right alongside our occasional sin. No. Sin is greater than this in us; our sin is so great that it requires the very Lamb of God in order to be forgiven and vanquished. No sacrifice from us or from the world could ever pay for any sin. If we do not recognize the true size of this debt we will never appreciate the true awesomeness of the ransom that was paid by our Lord Jesus Christ.

We need to come to appreciate the little word “our” that lies at the heart of Paul’s statement. Do we truly understand that Jesus Christ’s death was for us, for our very own sins? Do we say we acknowledge this but then deep down we gloss over the tangible reality of it? Do we recognize that because of the sin we have done today that Jesus Christ, God and Man, died on the Cross for our sins? Scripture hammers on this point over and over, and we all need to stop and listen to what God is telling us. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). “The glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good” (Titus 2:13-14). “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all” (Romans 8:31-32). “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). It is only when God’s Law and wrath towards sin has cut deep into our heart that we can by the grace of God truly hear and appreciate what the little words “for our sins” really mean.

These few words of “gave himself for our sins” should strike us deeper than any others we may ever hear, and if they do not we need to ask ourselves if we are understanding sin at all. That Christ gave himself for our sins is meaningless if sin is an insignificant trifle we think we can handle on our own or if sin is too great to be overcome by His sacrifice. On the other hand, when we appreciate sin for the utter filth and unbearable corruption that it is nothing will be sweeter news than the fact that Jesus Christ’s sacrifice is great enough to overcome all of our stubbornly ingrained and overwhelmingly hideous sin. As the phrase goes, “without the sour the sweet ain’t as sweet.” It is this concept of polar opposites that we see in the Law and Gospel. The Law points out the utter magnitude and wretchedness of our sin on one end, while the Gospel points out Jesus Christ’s prefect act of love that overcomes our sin on the other end. Without the true sour harshness of the Law against sin we will not see the true sweetness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:20-21).

In Christ Jesus God turns Satan’s greatest attack into sweet reassurance; God in fact uses Satan’s attack to our ultimate good. Without Christ in our life Satan’s accusation of us being a damned sinner is a crushing blow that leaves us despairing and broken; but it is in this despair that God’s grace in Christ Jesus comes to us and saves us, proclaiming that we are forgiven in spite of our utter sinfulness. It is in fact because we are sinners that we are saved in the Cross of Jesus Christ and when Satan unwittingly points out our sinfulness he is in fact helping God’s cause. It is for this reason that Satan changes his attack once we know Christ. If we are aware of Christ’s sacrifice then Satan tries to convince us that we aren’t sinners and that we aren’t damned in order that we don’t cling to God’s grace on the Cross in faith. If Satan can convince us we aren’t damned sinners then Jesus Christ will be “worthless” to us. Therefore we must use God’s holy Law to rebuke Satan, pointing out that we are wretched sinners who have broken and continue to break all of God’s perfect Law and it is for the sake of Jesus Christ that we are saved and forgiven in spite of this. God’s Law isn’t what saves us; it shows us our helplessness and need for Jesus Christ, “I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" (Galatians 2:21).

It is important that we occasionally take a step back and stop thinking about Christ’s death in only the universal sense. He absolutely did die for all sin and for all men, but we also need to appreciate that He died specifically for “me.” Don’t undermine this personal sacrifice by thinking that He only died for “me” because there were enough others to die for also. Appreciate that if you were the only sinner in the whole world that He would still have died just for you. This seems like an arrogant and haughty view, but for us to appreciate what Jesus Christ really did on the Cross then we must see it this way. “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent” (Luke 15:4-7). Here in the parable of the lost sheep we see this idea illustrated perfectly. Jesus Christ was willing to die for you; He left heaven to come down here to save specifically you, a single lost sinner in need of salvation. Each of us is the lost sheep that He goes out of His way to seek after individually and we should rejoice greatly at this fact. Let us pray that we come to acknowledge that God’s Word tells us that Christ came down to earth to specifically suffer, die, and rise again for “me.” “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18). “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24).

“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father” (Galatians 1:3-4).

We often forget that this world is the dominion of Satan, “The whole world is under the control of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). It is because of this that it is not in this life but in the next that we look for righteousness to dwell. “In keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13). Being born into this world we are by nature objects of wrath and we are fully enslaved into the sin and ways of the devil. We are pressed into his service and the ways of the world and our flesh work right into his desires. “I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin” (Romans 7:14). Sadly, there is not a single person who is born apart from this slavery and we are all helpless to free ourselves. “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath” (Ephesians 2:1-3). The completeness of our slavery and evil is stunning and yet in our blindness we ignorantly do not see what God clearly does. “The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time” (Genesis 6:5).

It is the “good” and “great” qualities of this world which in fact oppose Christ the fiercest. Those who are the wisest and full of the most integrity by this world’s standards are in fact living in complete opposition to the Gospel because of their self-righteousness. They believe in their own intelligence and will and rely on their own good and righteous acts. “Such ‘wisdom’ does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil” (James 3:15). To our eyes they may even look the part of righteous followers of Christ, but we must not be deceived. “Such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). We must be wary of the tools that Satan uses to deceive us in this life; he uses the qualities that have lots of power, pomp, and are seemingly desirable. Look at how things have not changed at all, “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it” (Genesis 3:6). Satan still uses the things of this world that are pleasing to the eye, desirable to our flesh, and have the look of wisdom. God however has decided to use the weak and foolish things of this world in order to bring Himself to us. “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate’…God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:18-19, 27-30).

When our eyes are opened up to the truth, what we are up against in this world can seem very overwhelming. However, Paul tells us very clearly that Christ has delivered us from the evil of this world according to the will and purpose of our Father in heaven. We have not been delivered from the evil of this age because we sought Christ and chose to partake in this, but solely because God the Father has willed it. Scripture makes no mention whatsoever of our will in regards to salvation since it knows that our will is fully enslaved in the ways of the devil. “The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so” (Romans 8:7). It is thru God’s will and promises that we are freed in Christ Jesus. “He has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:4). Where we reject God and are unfaithful, He remains faithful and loving in Christ Jesus. “But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one” (2 Thessalonians 3:3). Let us pray that we appreciate the evil forces that we are up against in this life and then fiercely cling to God’s promises in Christ Jesus. It is only thru His giving of Himself for our sins that we are delivered from the devil, death, the world, and the flesh. The evil and sin of the world is insurmountable for us, but the sacrifice of the Lamb of God is far greater than the greatest evil. With John the Baptist let us proclaim in awe, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:6-7).

The Gospel is by human standards weak. It does not conquer by force, wisdom, or argument, but solely by the humble work of Jesus Christ. The world’s messages will always be better received and they will flourish far easier than the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. While we are hard at work for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Satan is also working just as hard sowing his false gospels amongst the world and even the Church. Christ clearly warns us that the church will always be polluted with unbelievers who think they know Him all while they adhere to humanly twisted and fleshly-contrived gospels. It is for this reason that we must always be centered and focused on the clear Gospel of Scripture, for if we lose sight of it in the least bit we will be subject to being overgrown by the weeds that surround us. We also need to be careful that we don’t go “weed-hunting,” or in other words “false-gospel-hunting.” We certainly need to expose the weeds and false gospels for what they are but we must not try to “cleanse” them by force for we may destroy and uproot God’s wheat in the process. We need to simply keep proclaiming God’s Word faithfully and without ceasing, being on watch at all times for the devil who is constantly trying to sow his false gospels amongst us. If we let our guard down for even a moment there is no doubt that he will jump at the opportunity to scatter his weeds amongst us. “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner's servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn’” (Matthew 13:24-30).

Having been enlightened and awakened by the Gospel it is so hard to understand how we ever lived without it and how the world continues to reject its clear Truth. In order to understand this we need to recognize how completely blind man is apart from the Spirit. “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). “The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him” (John 14:17). In this dark world apart from Christ men are blinded by Satan so that they cannot see the Gospel truth. It is our duty to faithfully proclaim this Gospel Truth clearly and simply, relying on the grace of God to work thru the Word. If we alter the True Gospel at all we are blaspheming Christ and His work, even if we think it is more “friendly” to the world. As soon as the smallest bit of the Gospel is perverted for the sake of “presentation” we have become Satan’s workmen. At all costs we must keep the Gospel free from deception and distortion. “We have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:2-4). We also need to be very conscious of continuing to proclaim this True Gospel clearly to our fellow believers. The work of proclaiming the Gospel is never done, we must continue to plant seeds and to water them as long as we are on this earth. If we cease in proclaiming the Gospel we will find that men are quickly led astray by false gospels that appeal to their human nature. Men much prefer a false gospel that makes more “sense” and that is “easier” for them to follow, letting them continue in their sin. “But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough” (2 Corinthians 11:3-4). It is our bold duty to proclaim the Gospel to all men, from birth to death, without ceasing. Believers need the Gospel just as much as unbelievers.

Christ tells us very plainly that we are going out into the world amongst liars who work under the façade of being on our side. “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves” (Matthew 7:15). These liars will not tell you they are liars (and they themselves may not even know it!) and so we must not fall subject to any false word that sounds pleasing and desirable to us. In fact, we need to be especially wary of what “sounds good” to us; the more appealing it is to our nature the more we should doubt and question its origin thru comparison to God’s clear Word. This recognition of false gospels requires us to be very shrewd and perceptive as we face the overwhelming adversarial force of false prophets in the world. “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16). The True Gospel is choked out by the false gospels of the world; the false gospel that claims that Christ’s way must adhere to our human reasoning, the false gospel that claims that Christ’s way is free from trouble, suffering, and persecution, the false gospel that claims that Christ’s way can coexist with our love of money, sin, and worldly ways, and on and on. “When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown” (Matthew 13:19-23). Let us pray that keep watch for all the dangerous false gospels of the world that are prowling around trying to devour us and pull us away from the One Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The most dangerous false prophets and the devil’s most stringent efforts will always come under the flag of God’s name. It is those who come as “apostles of Christ” and in the name of Jesus Christ that we must be most wary of. “Such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). Our instinct is to trust these men and call them “friend” because they insist they are on the side of Christ; we must not be deceived! It is to their fruit that we must look to see if they are what they claim they are. But what is their fruit? Cannot anyone play the part of being loving, kind, well-behaved, and moral? What is the true and unique fruit of a disciple of Christ? It is a pure and endless proclamation of the One Gospel of Jesus Christ thru life and word. This cannot be faked; no man is able to imitate the true fruit of faith in Jesus Christ. Miracles, healing, prophesying, and moral-living can all be imitated by false spirits; but the proclamation of Jesus Christ’s sufficient suffering, death, and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins by grace thru faith is and always will be the One True Gospel. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:21-23).

Our concern lies in the fact that the Jesus Christ crucified of Scripture is being preached, every other judgment is left up to God. It is when the proclamations of this Gospel are perverted that we must stand firm and condemn false preachers sternly and without relenting. It is not our place to judge the motives and sins of another (that place is God’s alone!) but we are called to adhere to the Gospel of Jesus Christ that has been handed down to us thru God’s Word. “It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice” (Philippians 1:15-18). When Christ is accurately preached we rejoice like Paul, but when the Gospel is perverted we must condemn like Paul. These wars of doctrine over the Gospel of Jesus Christ were waged 2000 years ago and continue to be waged today. To the average Christian and casual observer these disputes seem petty and divisive. They certainly are divisive but 9 times out of 10 they are not petty. The fight for the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a war of detail; as the saying goes, “the devil is in the details.” It is in semantics, the details, and the “fine print” that the devil undermines the Gospel and robs men of Jesus Christ. So it is here, along with Paul, that we must battle for God’s Truth in Christ Jesus always falling back onto His reassuring Words, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). God’s grace is sufficient and it will win out. “I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:18).

The proper distinction of Law and Gospel (commands and promises) is fundamental to the truthful proclamation of Jesus Christ. The Law (the conditional commands and demands of God) do not bring salvation, they instead show us our sin and utter need for salvation. The Gospel (the unconditional promises of God) brings us salvation through faith in Jesus Christ’s redeeming work. The Gospel is not a command, it is the proclamation of the free promise of salvation that all men have in Christ Jesus. The Law serves very important purposes of showing us sin and God’s will but it cannot save us. “No one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin” (Romans 3:20). By grace it is the simple faith in God’s promise in Christ Jesus that justifies man. “For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law” (Romans 3:28). “Be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ” (Philippians 3:9). Let us pray that we, like Paul, are willing to fight for the clear Gospel of Jesus Christ that is apart from any observation of the Law. It is on the unconditional promises of God that we stake our lives and we must not let the flesh, the world, or the devil convince us otherwise. We are saved apart from any action, work, desire, or will of our own; we are saved by Jesus Christ crucified. “For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last” (Romans 1:17).

“But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:8-10).

Here we see Paul in a very passionate and zealous state. What is the reason to get so worked up, we might ask? Everything that Paul has worked for is on the line; the Sacred Scriptures, the Gospel, and nothing other than Jesus Christ Himself. Paul realizes the utter importance of his fight in this moment and urges the Galatians to forget the messengers altogether and focus on the message. No matter how glorious, wise, knowledgeable, charismatic, celestial, or powerful the preacher is we must only adhere to the One Gospel of Jesus Christ, cursing all preachers who teach contrary to the Scriptures of Jesus Christ. The Sacred Scriptures are the only norm for all doctrine and teaching about Jesus Christ; Jesus Himself told us that they testify about Him, “These are the Scriptures that testify about me” (John 5:39). “…the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). No angel, man, or power of any kind is master and judge over Scripture, but all must fall into submission before what is the plain, clear, and authoritative Word of God Almighty. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). “We have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:19-21).

It is our solemn duty to proclaim the doctrine of Scripture as Scripture proclaims and interprets itself. This is the only preaching which is ultimately out to seek the approval of God and not men. Many proclaim Scripture in accordance with their own doctrine in order to please their own desires or the desires of their hearers, but we instead need to proclaim the doctrine of Scripture in accordance to the Cross of Jesus Christ despite any desire of our own. Every selfish and human desire that fights against what seems to be the “foolishness” of the Cross must be crucified and held captive to Jesus Christ. “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). It is in the sometimes harsh and unpopular doctrines of Scripture where true joy, peace, grace, and comfort lie. God tells us just how important doctrine is, “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Timothy 4:16). Doctrine isn’t just something that we “argue over” because we have nothing better to do; we fight for the Gospel and doctrine of Jesus Christ for the very same reason that Paul did, because the very souls and salvation of men are at stake.

Worldly peace, harmony, and security have sadly taken the place of sound doctrine. Men are more concerned with church attendance, interchurch fellowship, and doctrines that suit the ears of their selfish flesh than the Gospel and call to discipleship of Jesus Christ. “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Christ Himself asked a very pointed question to men who preach false gospels in order to please the masses, “How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?” (John 5:44). Like Paul we must become the humble servants of Christ and His Gospel, willingly forsaking the approval and praises of men for the sake of Jesus Christ. We must diligently and faithfully fight against the false prophets and gospels of men which breed complacence and send men sliding to their eternal demise “fat, dumb, and happy.” God’s word of warning to us about these false teachers and how they deceive their hearers is strong and firm, “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute…For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him” (2 Peter 2:1-2, 18-19). It is our duty to stir up this stagnant pond of death and false gospels that the world has become with the Truth of Jesus Christ crucified. We do this in obedience to Christ and also out of love and concern for the souls of our fellow man. “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction” (2 Timothy 4:2). Let us pray that by the grace of God’s Word we are made servants of Jesus Christ who bring the light of His Gospel to the world and our fellow man with life, limbs, and lips.

“I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:11-12).

Against the bold declarations and claims of the false apostles, who were deceiving the Galatians, Paul is forced to use his “trump card.” Paul was the chosen instrument of God to bear witness to Jesus Christ. God Himself said of Paul, “This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name” (Acts 9:15-16). Ananias relayed this very message to Paul, “The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard” (Acts 22:14-15). Paul stands apart from men in that he was the chosen vessel of God’s Word to all men; he was chosen to receive the Gospel in a different way than every other man, by direct revelation from Jesus Christ Himself. However, it is in this special honor that Paul is also humbled below all men; he is made to be nothing but a jar of clay who has been called to toil and suffer endlessly for the name of Jesus Christ. By way of the Gospel that has come to us thru Paul’s words we too have been chosen to bear the fruit of Christ’s Gospel in the world. It is thru the Sacred Scriptures and Baptism (just like Jesus and Paul) that we too are called and chosen. “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last” (John 15:16). Whenever we face trials in this world because of the Gospel we can rest easy that great martyrs of faith have gone before us and that Jesus Christ is also leading us by grace unto life everlasting. “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. It is written: ‘I believed; therefore I have spoken.’ With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:7-18).

Paul’s letter to the Galatians serves as a warning to us today. We need to be on guard against the weakness of ourselves and our flesh. There is a real tendency and danger for man to become complacent in the Gospel; for him to think that he “sure is a good Christian” and “sure has his act together.” It is in this moment that we are relying on ourselves again and no longer on Jesus Christ’s Cross alone. We must never haughtily think that we are safe from our frail nature, and Scripture warns us accordingly. “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12). This is not cause to doubt, but it is cause to cling evermore fiercely to the grace of our Lord and Savior, hearing His Words, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). It is in our constant acknowledgement of our own weakness that grace makes us stand firm and unwavering. Thru the Cross alone we are made to stand firm in this life, “he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand” (Romans 14:4). So let us be wary of becoming complacent in our own standing realizing that we are nothing but frail, weak, foolish, and lowly creatures that need the Cross of Jesus Christ in every moment of our lives. “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:27-30).

One of the most difficult things for us to come to grips with in this life is that our minds, reason, and intelligence must be held captive to God’s Word. So many churches make their doctrines and teachings conform to their reason and logic, while the real Gospel demands complete and utter submission from our intelligence and reason. “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate” (1 Corinthians 1:19). Looking at the false gospels of the world shows inevitably that these teachings are rooted in man trusting his reason over God’s plain Word. Satan convinces man that he has freewill and reason that is able to discern God, while in fact we are completely dead and enslaved in sin and our reason is utterly fallen and corrupted. God’s Word tells us this so clearly, “The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so” (Romans 8:6-7). Our sinful mind (our reason, wisdom, and intelligence) is death and is hostile towards God; it does not submit to the ways of God and neither can it do so. It is for this reason that God’s Message of our salvation in Christ Jesus by grace alone is so sweet. For the human mind and will to know about Jesus Christ and to cling to Him in faith it takes an act of God, an act of grace; it takes the Cross. It is thru God’s Word, which is the power of God unto salvation, that we come to know Jesus Christ. This Word brings us to faith and sustains us in faith, and it is for this reason that being in Christ Jesus we must daily strive to remain steadfast in the Word. Jesus Christ has taken hold of us by grace, so let us press on in the Word, focused on the Cross of Jesus Christ ever before us. “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14).

“For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus. Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him fifteen days. I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord's brother. I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie. Later I went to Syria and Cilicia. I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only heard the report: ‘The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.’ And they praised God because of me” (Galatians 1:13-24).

The grace of God makes willing men out of the unwilling thru conversion. Just like Paul and Luther, we too were reborn, remade in the Gospel, washed and renewed by the Holy Spirit. “At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:3-6). We went from rejecters of God to gracious acceptors of Jesus Christ all by an act of grace. Paul’s conversion is the model for all of us, not in the fact that it was a very clear “landmark” conversion but instead in that a single moment the grace of God changed us too from despisers of God into faithful servants of God. This conversion will have no standard or common outward sign; it may be as humble and hidden as an infant Baptized into the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, or as blatant and grand as Paul’s run-in on the road to Damascus. But this we do know for sure: while we were still sinners and the enemies of God in the midst of our frenzy of hatred against Him, He came to us and saved us by the grace of Jesus Christ His Son. “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” (Romans 5:8-10).

The life of the self-righteous “Pharisee” seems the “most pleasing” to God from a human perspective when in reality it is the farthest from it. Both Luther and Paul were self-righteous and sanctimonious hypocrites before the grace of God transformed their lives. They looked the part of perfect obedient men but inwardly they despised and rejected God with every breath; Paul as a Christian-hunting Pharisee, and Luther as a works-touting monk. Christ’s words are plain and clear, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces...You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are...You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness” (Matthew 23:27-28). Even the blatant sinners that the world so eagerly condemns are closer to the Kingdom of God then the self-righteous hypocrites, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did” (Matthew 21:31-32).

Paul’s conversion and call was completely “uncalled for.” Let us look at the story of Paul (while he was still called Saul), “Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. ‘Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.’ The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything” (Acts 9:1-9). There was nothing in Paul that caused this, no reason, no decision, no choice, no righteousness, no goodness; it was pure, unadulterated, unconditional grace. Paul did not put himself in a position for this grace; in fact he did quite the opposite as he was killing Christians and doing everything in utter rejection of Christ, both outwardly and inwardly! “‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these men know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him’” (Acts 22:19-20). It is just as God’s Word proclaims, “So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy” (Romans 9:16). Let us praise God that by the blood of Christ we have been chosen to know and believe on Him. “‘You are my witnesses,’ declares the LORD, ‘and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he’” (Isaiah 43:10). “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus...our righteousness, holiness and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30).

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