Sound Doctrine

Guest (Male): If you think that following a set of rules is the only way to heaven, then you also believe that Jesus died on a cross for nothing. Here's Pastor Jeff.

Jeff Johnson: If we tried to keep the rules living as slaves and not sons, it can make the gospel in vain for nothing. That Jesus died for what? If we're going to try to work our way, if we're going to try to be in that spot of you know, I'm good, I'm good, I'm oh no, I'm bad, I'm bad. We're wrestling then and we're we're striving just to receive his love, receive his grace. And then we respond because that's what we respond to.

Guest (Male): History has shown us that there will always be those who attempt to have a relationship with God based on following a set of rules, but that sort of living doesn't set you free. It actually leads to bondage. The one way to God is by grace through faith. Paul's epistle to the Galatians really drives that point home. And today on Sound Doctrine, we revisit this glorious truth. Pastor Jeff Johnson will be in chapter four as he brings us a message that addresses something that was taking place in Galatia back then and taking place in our society today, a backsliding church.

Jeff Johnson: James 2:10 We are not to let an outward event be a substitute for an inward experience. Did you get it? We're not to let an outward events be a substitute for an inward experience. Special days have nothing to do with salvation. Holy days don't make you holy. Has nothing to do with it. And yet these guys they're into it. Legalism. Listen, we don't need these things that Jesus freed us from. Isn't that great? Just let them fall off your back like water off a duck's back. Don't get into it. Now, verse 11 is interesting. Galatians 4:11 he says, I am afraid of you, Paul says, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain.

Paul felt that he was spending his wheels as he was trying to minister to them. And that attraction to leadership, Paul feared would void out all of his labor towards them. It would just be for nothing. He almost felt like he was losing the battle. It's like a dog going back to its vomit. What are you doing? Stop that. Don't do that. You know, you freak out. It's corruption. Over in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 in verse 10 15:10 but by the grace of God, Paul says, I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain.

Not for nothing, but I labored even more abundantly than they all. Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. So God's grace it always comes through. But I'll tell you this, free grace and it's free, it's a free gift of God, is not laziness. It's a love relationship with God. And there's work to be done. It takes work. It takes work for any relationship, husband, wife, you know, kids and their parents. You got to you got to make an effort, right? You got to talk. You got to communicate. Got to spend time.

So that's a labor of love to desire to choose to live in a free relationship with God as our loving heavenly Father based on what Jesus Christ has done for us and who we are in Christ. We're his sons. And what he's done for us. Or we can try and please God by our own best efforts. And sometimes we pick that up too. I'm going to do devotions from here on out. Oh, I haven't been good, God. I missed two days last week. I failed you. No? I quit. What do you mean you failed it?

What do you think it's you're working your way to heaven? You're working your way to be in his right standing? No, it's already done through Christ. It's a done deal. And we need to bask in that, in our liberty of that and in the blessing us of that freedom. That he just simply loves us. There's nothing to do with us. This can if we tried to do it in our best efforts, keep the rules living as slaves and not sons, it can make the gospel in vain for nothing. That Jesus died for what? If we're going to try to work our way, if we're going to try to you know, be in that that spot of you know, I'm good, I'm good, I'm oh no, I'm bad, I'm bad.

We're wrestling then and we're we're striving. Just receive his love, receive his grace. And then we respond because that's what we respond to. As a husband loves his wife as Christ loved the church, she responds then to that love, right? And it's it's a response of to love. So we respond to our Jesus who loved us so much he gave his life. I like the uh John Wesley's testimony. I was reading it the other day. John Wesley was a son of a pastor. He was a pastor himself. Uh he was orthodox in his faith, very moral man.

He was full of good works. He had many ministries that he was over. He always would give out food to the poor. He was a missionary to America who studied the Bible diligently, prayed continually, fasted many times, and he always gave things to people. Gave to the poor, gave to to whoever had need. And yet he was bound with religious chains. That was his testimony. He was bound with religious change chains. He trusted his righteousness to be his right standing with God. because I do this and because I do that and because I am this and I am that.

That's all he counted on. Not in what Jesus did for him. He eventually got saved, got born again, and he announced at that time, I am crucified with Christ. I have been forgiven and I am a son, a child of God. But looking back to his before BC days, before his salvation, he said, I had the faith as a servant or a slave, but not as a son. That's something interesting. And the faith of a slave. What is the faith of a slave had? He just goes from day to day and is told what to do, how to do it and then you know, he's under bondage.

But the faith of a son who can actually you know, be used and and move under the Father's blessing and and and you know, glorify his father which is in heaven. Unbelievable. There's that freedom there. What does it do? It helps us to be used of God in an awesome way. Finally, verse 12 interesting verse. Brethren, Paul says, Hey brothers, I beseech you, I beg of you, be as I am. For I am as you are. You have not injured me at all. Here we see Paul's personal appeal when he says to my brothers, listen, he said it in chapter 1 of Galatians verse 11.

He said, but I certify you, brethren. He called them brothers. He said it in chapter 3 verse 15 says, brethren, I speak after the manner of men. So he called them brethren then. And then here in chapter 4 verse 12 he calls them brothers. There is an old proverb in the Proverbs. It says, open rebuke is better than silent love. And I believe that's true. That if you really love your brother, you'll you'll go to your brother and you'll you'll tell them that this this is happening and bring it meekly, you know, it's Galatians. We're going to get there 6:1 where you go to that brother who's stumbling and falling and in meekness you seek to instruct him and and and pray with him and encourage him that he's going off and he needs to he he needs to you know, get it right cuz you don't know if that brother is going to be talking to you next week and saying, Hey, I've been watching you and what's going on and I'm praying for you, brother.

And And he'll be encouraging you. So that's a neat thing. But here he's encouraging them. He's calling them brothers um as an embrace. He's saying, be like me. You say, well, shouldn't he be saying be like Jesus? What in the world is he doing? Saying, hey, just be like me. Well, in what way? Paul knew that he was the worst sinner there has ever been. He called himself that. I mean, talk about sin. He did it all and that was always plaguing him of what he his old life. It was always on him, but he always had to give it to the Lord, give it to the Lord and what we all do.

I mean, that was the that was BC days. That's old stuff. That's that's history. For me to live as Christ now, to die is gain. I'm crucified with Christ. I mean, that old life done, dead, over. But he was no no way perfect. Paul was not a perfect man. But he did say this. He said, follow me for I am following who? Jesus. See, he knew if he kept his eyes on the Lord that he could actually say that, be like me cuz I'm following Jesus. You also follow Jesus. Then he says, I am as you are.

In other words, Paul said, I don't keep kosher rules. You know, when we were chowing on uh pork chops and stuff over there. Remember that? We talked a lot about meats and stuff and he he he just said, you know what? Forget the whole kosher thing, man. It's out to lunch. You guys got the food down, man. Bacon, bring it. Lobster, bring it, you know. And they had a feast and he was eating like they ate. I became like you. Hey, no law, man. I'm not kosher anymore. I am free. And what a witness that was.

In chapter 5 and verse 1 remember he said in Galatians, stand fast therefore in the liberty where with Christ has made us free and not don't be entangled wherein with the yoke of bondage again. Stay in that liberty. Stay in that freedom. Christ and him alone. Paul was a Acts 2:42 Christian. And for us here in Calvary Downey, we know what that means. What does that mean? It means just what it says, Acts 2:42 and the apostles consistently steadfastly were in the apostles' doctrine, were in prayer, were in fellowship and communion. Paul was consistently steadfast in the things of God.

The Galatians were waffling. They were not doing real well. You guys need to get consistent. You need to get steady here. We need all of us to be consistent. Paul was consistent. Follow me into this liberty. And then I love what uh Jesus says in John 8:36 if the son therefore shall set you free, you shall be free indeed, totally liberated from any kind of wacky thing at all. It's Christ and him alone. That's it. So Paul's saying, I'm not the enemy, guys. Choose freedom in and through Jesus Christ. Be as I am. And Paul was was full of faith and a love and compassion over in Turn with me real quick.

Hold Hold there in Galatians, but turn to uh 1 Corinthians chapter 9. 1 Corinthians 9 in verse 20. And look what Paul says here. 1 Corinthians 9:20 And Paul says, here's how I lived. And unto the Jews, I became as a Jew. Why did you do that? That I might gain the Jews. And to them that were under the law, I was under the law. And that I might gain them that are under the law. I mean, he would do anything, bend over backwards. If If it would stumble his brother, man, he wouldn't eat meat until the end of the world.

That's what he said. I I'm just trying to win some. Notice verse 21. To them that are without the law, the Gentiles, I become as without the law. Pass the pork chops. You eat them. Being not without law to God though, but under the law to Christ. In love with him, following him that I might gain them that are without law. I love this. It's shows his love, his his compassion. He wasn't bound by the Jewish law. I'm like you. I am a Gentile when I'm with you guys, okay? Brothers, Paul knew about legalism. He knew what it was to do works for God in a wrong way, trying to please him by what he did.

He was into that at one time. And he actually went to the extent of getting the okay from the magistrate, from the law makers to go ahead and kill Christians because he is going to do away with this sect. This is disturbing the the Jews. This is disturbing my religion. So I'm going to take them out wherever I see them. I'll take them out. Does that sound like something going on today? We haven't learned anything, have we? Gone right back to the good old days of cutting heads off. It's crazy, absolutely bizarre. But here we are.

So Paul's saying, I I I just I became like you. I I saw the Judaism is not the answer. It's a dead end. All these you know, Jesus yes, but you need to be circumcised. Come on. No way. It's not going to happen. Paul's saying, I've been there, I've done that and that works nothing out. That's horrible. Paul also experienced what it is to be a Gentile slave without the law, you know. He gave up his Judaism totally. Remember over in Philippians, you don't need to turn there. I'll I'll just read it to you. In in Philippians chapter um three.

Philippians 3 verse 7 and 8 he said, but what things were gained to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea and doubtless I count all things but lost for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things. And do count them but dung that I might win Christ. He let everything go. Everything. He was a Hebrew of Hebrews, a Pharisee of Pharisees. He dropped it all. He burned his diploma. He said that's that was dumb. I counted it all but like dung, like poo poo.

All my education sitting under Gamaliel's feet all was stupid. It's dumb. I got caught up in it all. I let it go. I suffered the loss of all things in my life, but not Christ. That's my gain. That's my blessing. Paul also experienced that. No Jewish shackles on Paul. And he's telling the the brethren here in Galatia, don't be like the Jews. Don't Don't get caught up in in traditions. Don't get caught up in religion. You haven't personally hurt me, okay guys? I don't take this personally. I don't take it that you're attacking me. I want you to know that.

I love you guys. It's an incredible soft spot here by the great apostle Paul, you know, that so just study on, you know. But he but he reaches out to these guys and says, you haven't you haven't bummed me out. Don't worry about it. I'm not angry. I'm not vengeful. Guys, don't get right with God for me. But would you do it for yourselves? Would you come back, you prodigals? Would you stop doing what you're doing, getting ripped off by works and all this stuff that's coming back at these Judaizers? They're so good at what they were doing.

They got the whole region upset. Again, they had great strong leadership. But what they were spewing out of their mouths were nothing of God. Was all of works. It was all of man. Was all religious. Wasn't good. Do it for yourselves. Choose you this day who you will serve. You can't serve them both. You can't serve man and and God at the same time. You'll love one and hate the other. And remember what Moses said, cross the line. Those of you that want to go with God, you cross that line and as you cross that line, know this that God will bless you.

He said, you come. And those that come will be blessed of the Lord. I I like that. What a call. You want to be blessed of God? You want to experience the abundant life, what it is to have him and him alone, your your focus and not allow anything in this world to sway you, to get you thinking if you just do this and if you're good enough, forget it. It's amazing grace that saved a wretch like me. He just loves me. Here Paul reveals his emotions as a man, as a pastor, as a brother to these guys who had a passionate love for souls and are not to see anybody ripped off because of religion, because of being deceived.

In 1 Corinthians 9:22 he says, to the weak became I as weak that I might gain the weak. I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some. I just want to win some for Jesus. I'm going to do whatever it takes to win some. God help us to relate and to have compassion. Do you remember what Jesus said when he came out and it was over in Matthew uh chapter 9 in verse 36. And when the villagers came out of their village to Jesus, it says that when he saw when Jesus saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them because they had fainted and were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd.

He saw them as as sheep that are astray. And he's the good shepherd. He saw them as as we that was ready for harvest. He's the harvester. And he's looking at your heart, your life and he's saying, what what are you doing? He has compassion on you. He came and he died for you to prove that he loves you and that God loves you. That's why he sent his son to prove his love to all of us. And that he has an awesome life for you, a life of liberty, life of just enjoying the grace of God in your life and getting deeper into the knowledge and grace of your God.

If you're going to glory, glory in this that you know and understand your God and you understand his grace and you're basking in it cuz it's it's awesome. So the call is on and God is calling many of you to come. And just to let go of all the tentacles. Let go of all the religiosity and you know and recommit your lives to the Lord. It's a good call. It's a It's a call where we need to wake up to some of the things that we put in our minds of what a Christian is. No no no no.

And we're harder on ourselves than God has ever been. And we will hurt ourselves. It's not good because we're under condemnation most of the time. We shouldn't be under condemnation. We should be under his grace and walking in his grace. That's what he desired.

Guest (Male): The world tells us one thing and God's word tells us something completely different. We're not living under condemnation. We've been set free from the chains of sin by the blood of Jesus Christ. Pastor Jeff Johnson will return at a moment to wrap things up for today on Sound Doctrine. If you enjoyed today's message from Pastor Jeff Johnson from the book of Galatians, I'd like to remind you that you can hear it again on several different venues. First, you can go online to sounddoctrine radio.org where you can hear today's study and more as well as make a donation to this radio outreach.

That's sounddoctrine radio.org. You can also listen to us at oneplace.com and through the sounddoctrine radio podcast app. And of course, speaking of podcast, Sound Doctrine can be heard wherever you enjoy podcasts including Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Now, let's hand things back over to Pastor Jeff for these closing thoughts.

Jeff Johnson: So let's just let him wash us, cleanse us and and free us from those things that are hanging us up to enjoy him and to have a day just keeping our eyes upon him, thanking him for all that he's given to us in and through his son. And uh that we can have this relationship, that we can pray for our family, for our loved ones and he hears our prayers and he is for us. So who can be against us, right? Who? Who? Well, we know who. And it's a spiritual warfare, but greater is he in us than he that is in the world.

We have the victory.

Guest (Male): Be sure to join us again next time we meet for another encouraging and challenging study from Pastor Jeff in the book of Galatians. You're on Sound Doctrine presented each day by Calvary Chapel Downey.