‘“For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”’ Galatians 2:19-21
This week, Pastor Jemery Smith of Crosspoint Church in Niceville, Florida, picked up on the sermon series Freedom. An examination of the Book of Galatians. The link below is the notes from the first sermon:
If I have heard this once, I have listened to it many times, “There is no way God can forgive me for what I have done.”
When Jesus died on the cross, it was that sacrifice that when we accept Jesus as our Savior, we have been set free from our sins, all sins: past, present, and future.
‘The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. ‘ Psalms 103:8-12
The Galatian church was struggling with this idea. Others came into the church trying to add works to their salvation. These “teachers” came into the church and looked to add conditions to God’s saving grace.
The Apostle Peter was the first to introduce salvation to the Gentiles. A centurion from the Italian Regiment named Cornelious had the vision to send for Peter.
At the same time, Peter had a vision that showed heaven opening up and a sheet dropping down that showed animals forbidden to be eaten by the law-abiding Jewish believers.
‘It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven. ‘ Acts 10:11-16
Just as Peter was pondering this vision, Cornelious’s people had arrived.
‘The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.” While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?” ‘ Acts 10:24-29
Guided by God’s Spirit, Peter gave the Good News to these Gentiles, and he baptized these new believers into the Christian faith.
But Peter had to answer for what he had done.
‘The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.” ‘ Acts 11:1-3
Peter explained his vision to those criticizing him for eating with uncircumcised men.
‘“As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?” When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.” ‘ Acts 11:15-18
A heart submitted to Jesus is far from “religion.” Religion is about rules, sacraments, and conditions to be followed to be saved or maintain salvation. When others come into a congregation and start to teach these principles, they exercise power over the people.
‘Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. ‘ Galatians 2:3-5
The best defense against “false” teaching is a knowledge of sound doctrine; without this, people are subject to the false teaching that can and will lead them to hell.
The only way to accomplish this is to read the Bible as often as possible while maintaining a practical life for you and those who depend on you. And to get into a faithful church that preaches the Word of God.
‘Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. ‘ Joshua 1:8
Peter came to visit the church in Galatia, and he spent time with the Gentile believers enjoying meals and fellowship until a group of Jewish believers came, and he no longer spent time eating with them.
‘When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. ‘ Galatians 2:11-13
This should give us a few things to consider. Peter was the chosen leader of the church by Jesus, and he fell victim to peer pressure. Thankfully Paul was there who called out the truth in love to Peter.
Paul handled this directly with Peter.
‘When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? “We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. “But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker. ‘ Galatians 2:14-18
Christians are “justified” by the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Nothing else. We can do nothing to enhance this or take away from it.
Sometimes, we feel that we have to “justify” our actions. This used to be my way of apologizing to others. “Sorry for blowing at you the other day, but blah, blah.” And the blah, blah was every excuse in the book.
The cross FREED us from the never-ending work of trying to be good enough for God.
There is nothing that we can do to “justify” our salvation.
‘All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. ‘ Isaiah 64:6
When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit works in our hearts to bring about a natural desire to do things He asks us to do. If that is not happening in your heart, get on your knees before the Lord and start praying until you desire to do His will.
Let this be the position of your heart:
‘Brothers and sisters, 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 3:13-14
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word.
Thank You for the work of Jesus Christ on the cross and the grace, mercy, and salvation that this work provided to those who believe in His name.
I pray that You give us the power to stand firm in the face of persecution while being an effective witness to Your saving grace.
In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen!! 🙏❤️
