Text: Galatians 5:7-15 Galatians XVII The Gospel Track 5/15/16 Big Idea: The gospel frees us from sin s penalty and sin s appeal. Purpose: To call believers away from legalism and license to gospel-centrality. [OUTLINE & OVERVIEW] Galatians 5:7-12 7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. 11 But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves! I. If we re serious about the gospel, we won t give legalism a pass. Galatians 5:13-15 13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. II. Loving others is gospel freedom in action. Main Idea: The gospel frees us from sin s penalty and sin s appeal. [MANUSCRIPT] Introduction: 1) Hook: Talking about the gospel track today, and two errors we want to avoid. [Gospel Track Graphic] Track is a fairly simple sport- run. straight. fast. stay on track. 1) You don t want to get slowed down or knocked off. 2) You don t want to run the wrong way.
READ Galatians 5:7-12 7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. 11 But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves! Transition: Woah. A little overboard Paul? In context here, They re trying to cut you off from Christ, I wish they d just cut themselves off. I. If we re serious about the gospel, we won t give legalism a pass. [Legalism Track Graphic] EXP: how to run: o running well means relying on Christ o legalism means relying on self A. He warns of four dangers of legalism. (7-9) 1) Legalism trips up those who need the gospel. (7a) WS: hindered = cut in on you PRV: v. 7: o You were running legalism is friction that works against gospel freedom in the people of God. CXT: Cut in here those focusing on circumcision 3) Legalism wears a truth-mask while derailing gospel obedience. (7b) 3) Legalism plays god, but it s not from God. (8) CXT: In chapter 1 o Paul mentions both the Galatians call from God (salvation) and his call from God (salvation). Call for every Christian is a call to Christ; by God s grace. WS: Persuasion: communication intended to produce action. 4) Legalism spreads like an infectious disease. (9) EXP: don t let it spread o Cut them off before they cut you off and the entire community gets cut off.
CXT: 1 Cor 5:6: o Immorality reigning free in the membership of the Corinthian church: don t be passive deal with this or it will spread APP: How do we combat legalism at LPC? o [Believe] Believe in Christ, believe the gospel (God s word); more than we believe in ourselves. o [Speak] Articulate the gospel clearly, call one another too it. o [Stop] Don t give legalism a pass simply because that s the way we ve always done it, or we don t want to ruffle feathers or we re afraid of what legalistic people will think or say. Transition: What is our hope in this? B. God will preserve His people and judge the imposters. (10) CXT: Trust in God s grace o Paul is confident of God s preserving grace, and that God will work by His Spirit through His word to bring the Galatians back to the gospel. EXP: Trust that God will take care of false teachers o The same God who will save his people will judge the wicked. The false teachers are marching toward God s judgment. o C. The stakes can t get any higher than preserving gospel truth. (11-12) PRV: (v. 11)It s either self-salvation or it is Christ-salvation: o Paul has made clear where he stands and in whom his trust rests; he is making clear here that the battle lines are drawn, these false teachers are not in league with him. PRV: I don t preach self-salvation, I preach the cross. = I m not among them. ILL: Quote Thomas Schreiner 1 Circumcision nullifies the scandal of the cross because it established righteousness based on human ability. EXP: double-entendre here: o Those so concerned with circumcision are actually cutting themselves off from God s people. PRV: v. 12 o Strong language? Yes. Is this him seeking revenge? No. This is righteous indignation. (Gentleness isn t passivity) ILL: Quote John Stott 2 1 Schreiner, Thomas R. Galatians. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010. 2 Stott, John R. W. The Message of Galatians. London: Inter-Varsity P., 1968.
I venture to say that if we were as concerned for God s church and God s word as Paul was, we too would wish that false teachers might cease from the land. Transition: What is he guarding here?; (7-12): Don t lose the gospel (13-15): don t abuse the gospel) This next section begins the last part of the letter: this is life in the Spirit. This is life under the reign of Christ. This is life lived in the gospel. READ Galatians 5:13-15 13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. II. Loving others is gospel freedom in action. [License Track Graphic] EXP: If legalism is getting knocked off course or knocked to the ground, than license is running the wrong direction. 1) Gospel freedom is the result of God s call. (13a) EXP: The desire for freedom This is our deepest desire, the fount of our wildest joy, the place for which we are created Freedom from God for God 2) The gospel frees us from what is natural for what is true. (13b) EXP: The meaning of freedom Self-centered/sin-centered is natural: freedom is absence of restraint. For Paul: freedom in presence of truth/righteousness WS: literally self-slaves to slaves of others (slave to serving/loving others). 3) Gospel freedom makes my best life about your best interests. (14) APP: Focus of the gospel o The gospel believer is not interested in pursuing my best, but others best.
Conclusion PRV: 1 John 4:20: If anyone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. PRV: Philippians 2:3-4: Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. APP: Change of focus o Being the Church means graduating from What can the church do for me? to What can I do AS the Church? 4) Gospel freedom distinguishes the life of the Spirit from the life of the serpent. (15) WS: bite OT used of serpents (10 different texts) EXP: Life in the Spirit vs. life which is demonic (Schreiner) In gospel faith we put both guilt and un-holiness behind us. The gospel frees us from sin, not for sin. Gospel freedom: don t lose it, but don t abuse it. There is no freedom in legalism or license. Believe the gospel, but live it too. Big Idea: The gospel frees us from sin s penalty and sin s appeal.