Love Worth Finding

Adrian Rogers: Are you living a liberated life? Satan is not looking for casualties. He's looking for converts that he can enslave. The interesting thing is that we have a world that speaks so much about freedom and knows so little about it. They say, "Hey, don't give me that God stuff, I want to be free." We've gotten rid of God. People want to cast off restraint, but it is Jesus who has come to set us free.

Host (Male): Welcome to Love Worth Finding, featuring the timeless teaching and insightful biblical lessons of Pastor Adrian Rogers. We live in a world that speaks so much about freedom but knows so little about it. Jesus came to set the captives free, to break the power of sin. When we understand the dimensions and dynamics of freedom in Christ, we can live a liberated life. If you have your Bible, turn to Galatians chapter 5 as Adrian Rogers begins part one of "Liberated Living."

Adrian Rogers: Would you turn to Galatians chapter 5? We're in a series of messages entitled "God's Amazing Grace." We have been in the book of Titus. We move now to the book of Galatians, Galatians chapter 5. I want to speak to you today on this subject: liberated living. Now, Jesus came to set the captives free. He breaks the power of canceled sin. He sets the prisoner free.

Satan, on the other hand, wants to enslave and to make you a slave and a servant of sin. Satan is not looking for casualties; he's looking for converts that he can enslave. The interesting thing is that we have a world that speaks so much about freedom and knows so little about it. We speak, for example, about reproductive freedoms. That's a good phrase, isn't it? Reproductive freedoms. You know what they mean by that? The right to live like alley cats and kill babies. And they call that reproductive freedom.

Or they talk about freedom of the press. What they mean by that is the so-called right to print dirt. Not since Manhattan Island was sold for $24 has so much dirt been sold so cheaply in America. Call that freedom. They say, "Hey, don't give me that God stuff, I want to be free." We've gotten rid of God. That reminds me of a man, perhaps on a 747 on a transatlantic flight, who comes out of the cockpit and says to the people, "Good news! I've thrown the pilot out. We're free."

People want to cast off restraint. But it is Jesus who has come to set us free. Look at this passage of scripture, Galatians 5, verse 1: "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." Some translations give that "the yoke of self-effort." Well, let's talk about this freedom that we have in the Lord Jesus Christ. And I want us to talk about the dimensions of a life of liberty and the dynamics of a life of liberty. Can we remember that?

First of all, what are the dimensions of this life? I mean, what are we liberated from? I want to mention three things that Paul talks about here in the book of Galatians. Now, let's just go back to the beginning of this book of Galatians and look, if you will, in chapter 1, and find out that we are free, first of all, from the bondage of legalism, the bondage of legalism. Do you have it? Look in verse 6. Paul says, "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ." Now underscore that phrase, the grace of Christ, "unto another gospel: which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ."

In verse 6, there were some who were deserting the gospel. And in verse 7, there were those who were perverting the gospel. Do you see it? Now, why were they deserting the gospel in verse 6? Because of those who were perverting the gospel in verse 7. There were those who troubled you and would pervert the gospel of Christ. And by the way, Satan is a pervert. He is a pervert. He has no original material. All Satan can do is take that which is good and pure and holy and righteous and pervert it.

Why had the devil rather pervert the gospel than to deny the gospel? Well, if he can pervert the gospel and get you to believing a corrupted gospel rather than the true gospel, you'll be satisfied with a substitute and become a synthetic Christian. What God wants is for you to believe the true gospel. And so Satan has come with a substitute gospel, verse 7, which is not another. That is, it's a substitute, it's an imitation, which is not another, but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

Now look in verse 8: "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." Phillips translates it this way: "let him be damned." Let him be anathema, let him be condemned to hell, let the curse of Almighty God be upon him. Now, that sounds a little narrow-minded, doesn't it? That sounds a little bigoted, doesn't it? That sounds a little restrictive, doesn't it?

But friend, we're not talking about matters of preference. We're talking about matters of eternal destiny. It'd be far better for you to say two and two is five than it would be to jettison or pervert the gospel of Jesus Christ. Anybody who does that is worthy of God's greatest judgment. We're not talking here about denominational preference. We're not talking here about the color of the carpet. We're not talking here about who's going to win a certain football game.

We are talking here about matters of eternal verity. Now I want you to see what he says here. He said, "I'm not trying to please people." Verse 9: "As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." Now learn this. Learn this. It is not the messenger that validates the message. Do you understand what I said? It is not the messenger who validates the message.

How do you know what I say is true today? You say, "Well, Adrian, I think you're a nice guy, you've been to school, I just trust you." Well, listen, friend, I don't validate the message. Suppose from those doors a bona fide, true blue, genuine, holy angel were to step, come down those stairs and come stand here, shining as bright as the noonday sun. I mean, friend, an industrial strength angel. No ifs, ands, and buts about it. Everybody can tell he's an angel.

And he comes and he says, "You are most blessed. I have been dispatched from heaven to tell you that I have a new revelation. There is a new gospel." Paul said, "Let him be accursed." That's what he said. Or, Paul says, "Perhaps I were to stand before you and say, 'Hey folks, remember that old gospel that I used to preach to you? Well, that was good for its day, but now we've got a new and a modern gospel for a new and a modern age.'" Paul said, "If I were to tell you I've changed my mind, if I were to tell you I've got new revelation, the wrath of God, the anathema of God, the judgment of God would be upon me."

Now look in verse 10: "For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." Paul said, "I'm an ambassador, not a politician. I did not come to tickle your ears, I did not come to please you." There is but one gospel. Not two, not three. Jesus Christ, my friend, is the only way to heaven. Call it narrow if you will. I want my banker to be narrow-minded. I certainly want my pilot to be narrow-minded.

I really want my doctor and my pharmacist to be narrow-minded. But somehow in the matters that matter the most, our eternal destiny, people say, "Well, it just doesn't matter what you believe. All roads lead to heaven." No, they do not. There is one gospel. It is the gospel of the grace of God. Do you agree with that? I hope you do, because that's what we're talking about. Now, what authenticates the gospel? How can we tell whether or not it is the true gospel?

Well, Paul gives us three tests right here. First of all, the source of the gospel. Where did it come from? Look in verse 11: "But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." This gospel is not the invention of man. It is not something that Paul thought up; it was something that God gave. It is not in man's invention, but in God's revelation. Paul said this is direct and divine revelation.

And so, friend, the very first thing: any true gospel has to come from God himself. Now, very frequently we'll pass a supermarket or shopping center and on the marquee, they will say some nice words like "Go to the church of your choice this Sunday." Well, that sounds good and I understand the intent. But you know, really, we don't go to the church of our choice. We go to the place where they preach God's word, where they preach God's word.

I mean, who are we? Do we decide what is right? Do we decide what is wrong? Or is there a God who has spoken? Paul said this gospel, "I didn't get it from man, it wasn't something I learned while my buddies and I were drinking coffee. God gave this gospel." The gospel is authenticated by its source. Secondly, by its salvation. How are we saved? Look in verse 6: "For I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel."

Any gospel that is not the gospel of grace is not the true gospel. How are we saved? "For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves." You can't beg it, you can't buy it, you can't borrow it, you can't steal it, you can't learn it, you can't earn it. It is the grace of God, and it was bought by Christ on the cross. And friend, when he finished, it was accomplished and you cannot deplete it, you cannot add to it. It is the supernatural work of God.

The third test: not only the source test and the salvation test, but the subject test. Notice in verse 6, "It is the grace of Christ." He is the subject of the gospel. It is about him. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15, this is the gospel that we preached unto you, how that Christ died for our sins, how that he was buried, how that he was raised again the third day. That is the gospel.

Nothing else but the gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins. He is the subject. Not a gospel that speaks about him or alludes to him, but a gospel that centers in Jesus Christ. What is Christianity? What is the gospel? It's the gospel of Christ, the grace of Christ. What is salvation? Not a creed, not saying "I believe certain things." You say, "Well, I believe the plan of salvation." You can believe the plan of salvation and go straight to hell because you're not saved by the plan of salvation, you're saved by the man of salvation.

It's not a creed. It's not a code. You say, "Well, I believe in living right. I believe if you live right, you'll go to heaven." Paul says in this book, "If righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." If you could be saved by living right, then Calvary was a blunder. That's what he says in this book, and I'll show you in a few moments where he said that. It's not a creed, it's not a code, it's not a cause.

You say, "Well, I just believe in loving people. I just believe that if I love everybody, God will say, 'Come on into heaven.'" But it's not a cause. You say, "Well, I'm a member of a good, fundamental, Bible-believing church." But it's not a church. It's not a creed, not a code, not a cause, not a church. It's Christ. It's Christ. Do you know why we have so much religious mayhem in the world today? Because people have met creeds and not Christ.

They've entered into codes of living but not met Christ. They've joined churches without meeting Christ. Salvation is not believing something; it is receiving someone. The true gospel, the source, it is of God. The salvation, it is by grace. The subject, it is the grace of Christ. He's the only way to heaven. The Bible says in Acts 4:12, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Does that offend you that Jesus is the only way? Well, I'm sorry, but friend, that is the truth of Almighty God.

Any other gospel is a false gospel. The wrath of God, the judgment of God is upon it. Now, how does that liberate us? Well, if you don't understand that you're saved by the grace of God, you'll always be in bondage to legalism. You'll never be able to say, "Praise God, I know I'm saved." But if you understand you're saved by the grace of God, then you're free from the bondage of legalism and self-effort. You're not entangled again in the yoke of self-effort.

Adrian Rogers, are you certain you're going to heaven? Yes, I am. Well, you have a lot of confidence in yourself. You're wrong. That's the way I know I'm going to heaven. I have no confidence in myself. You see, if I had any confidence in myself, then I couldn't know, because I'd have to ask myself, "Am I good enough?" Well, I think I am. I don't lie, I don't steal, I don't curse, I don't get drunk, I don't—but I did lose my temper the other day.

Well, I sure hope I'm saved. You see, if one particle of it depends upon me, I am in bondage. I can never know. Praise God, hallelujah, I am saved! But when I'm saved by the grace of God, it all depends upon him. I don't have to be a question mark with my head bent over. I can be an exclamation point standing up straight and saying, "Praise God, I'm saved!" Now friend, we are the sons of God, not the slaves of God.

Let me show you something over here. Turn if you will to Galatians 4 and look in verse 7, Galatians 4 and verse 7. I'm talking to you about the liberty that we have. "Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son." Now, if you're trying to be saved by the law, by being good, you're a servant. But if you're saved by grace, you're a son. You see, a servant is accepted on the basis of what he does. But a son is accepted on the basis of who he is.

The servant is anxious that he might please his master and be accepted. The son is resting in his father's love and knows that he is accepted. The servant is accepted because of his workmanship. The son is accepted because of his relationship. The servant is accepted in his own eyes because of his productivity, but the son because of his position. Now, the servant knows if he fails, he may lose his position. But the son knows if he fails, he may be lovingly corrected, but he is still the father's son. He is still in the family.

Let me tell you about the grace of God. Grace is God's love shown to us where there is no merit on our behalf. It doesn't depend upon anything we do. God does not say, "I love you because," or "I love you since," or "I love you if," or "I will love you when," or "I will love you after." All of those are conditions. But God's love for us is unconditional. Say that word with me: unconditional. Say it again: unconditional.

You see, if God's love for you depended upon conditions, if God's love for you depended upon your faithfulness, your goodness, your gentleness, your mercy, or anything else, if it depended upon anything in you, then if that thing in you changed, then God's love toward you would change. Do you see? But if it depends upon God, and God does not change, his love toward you will not change. There's nothing you can do to stop God from loving you.

Now listen to this. God's love is an action toward us, not a reaction to us. It is an action toward us. It comes out of God's nature. It is not based on what we are, but on who he is. He is love. Therefore, we don't try to put ourselves in a position where God can love us. We react to the love of God that is there. I've told you many times, God does not change you so he can love you. He loves you so he can change you.

And there's nothing that will change you and liberate you like the grace of God. And when you finally understand this, how wonderful it is. And so, first of all, you're free from self-effort. This is something you put on yourself. So many people are going from day to day to day to day trying to make God love them, trying to be good enough to earn the love of God, and that is a bondage out of hell, and Jesus came to set you free by his grace.

Free first of all from legalism. Secondly, he came to set you free from criticism. Now let me show you something else. Look if you will in chapter 2, verses 4 and 5, Galatians 2, verses 4 and 5: "And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you."

Now what's this all talking about? Well, there were some high mucky-mucks from denominational headquarters who came down there and found out that these people were living in the grace of God, rejoicing in the grace of God. And they came down there as grace busters. They came down there with their list of rules and rituals and regulations. You know the Bible tells us in the Gospel of John that the law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Now, what was the law? The law was rules, regulations, rituals, requirements, and restrictions. That's what the law was. And that came by Moses. And all the law was, was to show us how what kind of sinners we are, that we could not be saved by keeping the law. And Paul says, "I do not frustrate the grace of God: if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain."

The law could never have saved us. If the law could have saved us, why did Jesus come? The law came to show us that we needed to be saved. Well, the law came, and the Pharisees studied the law and this long list of rules, rituals, regulations, restraints, and requirements, and then they made their own list. They added to the list. They had a list longer than your arm, 613 requirements they had. And they were making a list and checking it twice, trying to find out who's naughty or nice.

Everywhere they would go, they had their list. And they came to check old Paul out and check out those he'd led to Christ. And Paul called them false brethren. The list-makers don't come from outside the church, friend, they come from inside the church. They are false brethren. And they would like to put you into subjection. They have been off to hear some guru, they've been off to hear some seminar leader, they've been off to some Bible study. They've been off here, there, and they have been told by somebody that this is the way you're supposed to live, this is what you're supposed to do and what you're not supposed to do.

I'm not talking about God's genuine holy commandments and God's righteous decrees coming from the Bible. I am talking about external matters of preference and so forth that people try to put on us and put us in their little box and make us subject to criticism. And Paul was a freedom fighter. Paul said, "I didn't give space, not an hour!" As a matter of fact, if you find out, look in verse 11, he jumped on Simon Peter because Simon Peter let these people—