MPC
5th June 2017.September 3 - Galatians 5 - "Law or Spirit"
MPC
5th June 2017.
Phil Campbell
There's a question that I know has been on people's minds through our Galatians series. I know it's been a while now. A couple of weeks' break. But if you can take your minds back to what the Apostle Paul's been saying about Christians and the Old Testament law, it raises issues.
There have been questions over morning tea, there have been questions in growth groups, there have been questions in emails.
There's a common perception in the community; or at least there was a generation ago; that being Christian meant following the Ten Commandments. Keeping a bunch of rules. And so people by and large would happily label themselves as Christian because they more or less scored 6 out of 10 in the commandment test.
And yet it seems we've seen in Galatians that Paul's saying no to that idea. Very loudly. And the question people are asking is, with all Paul's talk of being free from the Old Testament law... with all Paul's talk of Christians being free from Old Testament commandments and rules... then what's going to stop you doing wrong? What's going to keep you on the straight and narrow? Probably more to the point, what's going to keep other people. On the straight and narrow. So I can keep them in line.
Because isn't the Old Testament Law a good thing? Aren't laws and commands in general ... good things? To stop bad people doing bad things? And punish them when they do?
Although I want to come at it from a more positive direction. And say there's a bigger question. And that Paul's actually more interested in what's going to make us want to do right. From the heart.
Friends, this is the climax of the letter. This is what makes Paul's heart sing. This is the great news of the gospel. That it's not only about sins forgiven. But a freedom from slavery to old ways and old patterns and old desires. That comes from a whole new heart. By the spirit.
Because there's no doubt the Old Testament law gave the Israelites very clear boundaries. And made the difference between right and wrong very, very clear.
Let me give you a concrete example.
Now I don't know if you'd want to be under this law, but the law of Israel says in Exodus chapter 21 verse 17, "Anyone who curses his Father or Mother must be put to death."
There's no doubt, is there, where the line is. If you're a typical rebellious teenage Jewish kid, you'll be thinking twice before you swear at your mum or your dad, won't you. Because the stakes are high. And that's a good thing, isn't it? Because respecting parents is fundamentally important in a civil society.
Now if you're a gentile, if you're a non-Jew, and you've converted to Christianity, does that mean you're converting to that law? And circumcision? And food rules? And 612 other rules and commands as well?
And Paul says, no, that era is gone. Circumcision; food laws; and all the rest. Because you don't have to Judaize to be Christian.
Which leaves the question, doesn't that just leave you with moral anarchy? A nightmare scenario of unbridled sin? Where are the boundaries?
Paul says, and here's the radical claim of Galatians, by the spirit. When you come to faith in Christ you'll actually want to do the right thing from the heart. And avoid the wrong. There'll be choices. When in the past there was only slavery to sin. Now friends, if you've ever seen someone come to faith and their life change, you'll believe that. If you haven't. You won't.
But take a look what he says in verse 13 of chapter 5, Paul says this. "You my brothers and sisters were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love."
It's all about moving from law... to love. It's all about the change from an Israel living under a law that could only ever limit the sinful nature; into a new age... moved by God's Spirit to do right.
Friends, it's actually what the old testament was promising... all along.
Moses on the border of the promised land. He looks far into the future. He says, the laws God's giving you, you'll disobey. And you'll face the consequences. But then one day... Deuteronomy 30 verse 6; the day will come. When...
6 The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.
And much later on. The prophet Ezekiel says, looking in the same direction:
26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
It's the new covenant the prophet Jeremiah was so excited about. When he said,
"This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
after that time," declares the Lord. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people."
Changed hearts. That was the promise. Not a bunch of laws written on stone tablets. But a bunch of right desires. Written in our deepest places.
And Paul says, that's now! He says when we come to faith in Christ, God's spirit changes us from the inside. In a way the law never could. And never can.
So Paul says to the Galatians, don't fall for it. Don't listen. when the Judaisers come and say you've got to become Jewish first. He says, "If you let yourselves be circumcised," the Jewish entry rite, verse 2, "Christ will be of no value to you at all." Don't fall for any of it. Don't go through that door. Because if you do, what Christ did in dying to absorb the curse of the law in himself, it all counts for nothing. And if you do that, verse 3, you're required to obey the whole law. All or nothing.
Look, I know it's been a few weeks since we've been here in Galatians. And we're not going to go back over Paul's whole argument this morning. But he says, the law is over. Because something better has come. And I want you to notice that the turning point in his argument, the point where the way forward becomes crystal clear, comes in verse 4 and 5.
Although it only becomes crystal clear when you know that in the original language, the same word is hidden in verse 4 and verse 5. That gets translated in our English bibles in two different ways. Because in English, we don't have a verb to match the noun righteousness.
And I know you're not here today to think about nouns and verbs. And you're not here to think about Greek. Which was always the most miserable part of my bible college week.
But to get Paul's point it's worth realising you've got exactly the same Greek. word dikaio behind the verb justified in verse 4 and behind righteousness for which we hope in verse 5.
We use the word justify as the verb form. Literally means to righteousify something, which doesn't make for a very elegant sounding word: to make righteous. But to keep the symmetry in the two verses, we'll do it this way. And you can see it on the screen.
I want you to notice how the two verses balance. How the two verses spell out the two very different pathways to the same goal. Which is living right lives. With right hearts. Through being right with god.
You who are trying to be made righteous by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. But by faith we eagerly await through the spiritthe righteousness for which we hope.
Here. I'm going to show you how to be righteous. I've got this beaut list of Jewish laws for you. You'll have to earn it.
Or here. I'm going to show you how to be righteous. Trust Jesus. And let the spirit get to work on your heart. It's a gift.
Which one are you going to pick? Because the law's never going to do it. I mean, you can't make a law that says love people. You can't make a law that says be kind hearted. It doesn't work. But the Holy Spirit can. And does. And will. Grow in us the righteousness we're longing for. Paul says, here it is: "But by faith we eagerly await through the spirit the righteousness for which we hope."
Not by living under laws and rules. But by living under the Holy Spirit. Having a whole change of heart.
Which is what the world so desperately desperately needs. Watch the news sometime; full of people doing unspeakably inhuman things to one another. The problem is, it's not actually inhuman at all. That's what humanity actually looks like.
And Paul's saying the only solution... is for the human heart to change. And the only way for the human heart to change is by the work of the Spirit who brings holiness. Real righteousness. You who want to get your righteousness through the law, says Paul, you're walking away from Christ. You've fallen away from grace.
Now I don't know if you're hungry and thirsty for righteousness here this morning. But if you are - if you know there's stuff in your life that shouldn't be there, you know there's stuff in your life that's offensive to God; you probably catch a glimpse of it, because it's probably offensive to the people close to you as well... you need to pay attention to what Paul's saying here. Because here's the answer. The answer is the spirit. And the answer is never going to be in trying harder to be more religious. And certainly not in the case Paul's talking to, certainly not in being circumcised and becoming a fully fledged Jew.
Look what he says in verse 6. "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value - Jew, non Jew, whatever - the only thing that counts... . the only thing that counts... is faith... expressing itself through love."
Trust Jesus. And with the help of the Spirit, express it in love. Too simple? Wouldn't work? I wonder if it's been tried yet? The only thing that counts, is faith... expressed through love. See what he's talking about is a transformation that starts on the inside and works its way out.
Same in verse 13. Because it's there again. "You my brothers, were called to be free. But don't use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature... rather, serve one another in love. The entire law - and Jesus said this, didn't he - the entire law is summed up in a single command... love your neighbour as yourself."
I mean, what if it's actually possible to love the guy who's road raging you on the way to work? Instead of wanting revenge? That you're thinking, poor guy, he must be having a terrible day to be so frustrated. What if your heart's moved with compassion for your neighbour to the point where instead of wanting to steal from him because he's left his door open... you want to give to him instead. If you're loving your neighbour as yourself then you're not going to need the Old Testament law telling you how not to mistreat him.
Paul makes it very clear. The Galatians have got a choice. Two paths. They can walk with the Holy Spirit. Or they can walk with the flesh. The sinful human nature. And try to limit it with rules. After rules. After rules.
Not that being Christian means it's easy to do the right thing. Just the opposite. There's a war on. And you'll see he paints a picture of a struggle that any of us who are Christians know first hand. It's not as if suddenly all your temptations go flying out the window and everything's suddenly easy.
Because what Paul calls your flesh, the selfish, self-absorbed, do-whatever-feels-good part of you is suddenly very much at war... with the Holy Spirit. Which is pulling the other way.
I want to say to you, if you know that sort of conflict, if you live with that sort of conflict, if you're a Christian and you've got the urge to do wrong fighting it out with the urge to do right... good news. That's exactly what the Christian life looks like. And at every point in the battle, you've got a simple choice to make. And you've actually got the resources to do it.
Pick up in verse 16. Read what he says.
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh; our humanity; desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. they are in conflict with each other; so that you're not to do whatever you want.
He's saying it's only the Holy Spirit; pushing back on our natural desires; to take, to shout, to push, to fight; it's only the Spirit contending with our humanity. That enables us. To not just do whatever we feel like. To not just follow our every lust and desire. And sink into oblivion.
The Judaisers are saying, we'll give you laws to live by. And Paul says you're missing the point of Jesus. Who's poured out the spirit the prophets had been waiting for.
And so Verse 18... "if you're led by the spirit, says Paul, then you're not under law."
Because this is a fight on the inside. This is a fight for the heart. And Paul says, when it all comes down to it, what you've got to do is walk by the spirit. And keep on putting the flesh... to death.
And it's obvious, isn't it, which is which. Not as if we need it spelt out. And look, you can see it all around us.
Verse 19. The acts of the flesh are obvious. You don't need the law to point it out. It's Fortitude Valley on a Saturday night. Sexual immorality. Impurity and debauchery. Wild sex parties.
He says, it's idolatry and witchcraft. Pagan spiritualities. That's what they've come out of.
He says, it's hatred. Discord. Jealousy. The stuff that's all around you at the office; or on Facebook. But was in the Galatian church as well. Along with dissensions, factions and envy,
Closer to home. It's fits of rage, selfish ambition. Is that you? Drunkenness and orgies. and the like. Which means maybe your Internet porn habits.
All those things. That's us. That's the stuff our flesh wants more and more of. That's the stuff our world says you've got to be free to indulge. "Don't criticise us. It's fun."
Or that's the stuff Anthony Lynham has been trying to legislate to fix so emergency wards aren't full of people waiting to have their fractured skulls put back together on a Monday morning. After a weekend of alcohol fuelled violence. Paul says it's obvious where that stuff comes from. That's human nature. That's the flesh.
Paul says, that's us. And the other guys say, we can fix it. Here are some laws. But Paul says, the problem is more profound than that. And the solution has to run deeper.
See, if you think when Paul's saying no to the law option he means you're just free to do what you like, you've completely misunderstood. Just the opposite. He's saying you've finally been set free not to! There's finally a solution.
And if you want to just keep living the way you were, you're not heading for your Kingdom inheritance at all.
The end of verse 21. I warn you as I did before, says Paul, that those who live like this... will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Funny, isn't it? The guys who want to live under the law. They're still lusting, they still can't control their drinking, they're still torn apart by jealousy, they're heading, says Paul, for a future hell; laws and all. Which they're not expecting.
What they need instead... is a good solid crop of the fruit of the spirit. This is the righteousness by the spirit he was talking about back in verse 5. This is where the love comes from.
Because what they need is not more law, but more love in verse 22. The first fruit of the holy spirit at work.
Remember back in verse 13. Serve one another in love. Remember verse 14. One rule. The entire law in five words. "Love your neighbour as yourself." Here's where the love's going to come from. The fruit of the Spirit ... is love. And then joy. An internal change. From the heart. That's going to profoundly effect the way you live on the outside.
Where's the jealousy and the dissension when you've got hearts full of love and joy? Where are the fits of rage; when you've got hearts full of peace? And patience? We're in verse 22. But the fruit of the Spirit... is those things. Growing the personality of Jesus... in you.
That's what it looks like. To be growing as a follower of Jesus. That's what it looks like. To keep in step with the spirit. This is what Paul's talking about when he says, "For through the spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope."
The marks of the Holy Spirit... producing love. And joy. And peace. And forbearance. And kindness. And goodness. And faithfulness. And gentleness. And self control. Qualities, says Paul, against which there is no law. Because if you're like that from the inside, you don't need the law to fence you in.
The day Jeremiah was looking forward to. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people."
Now can I ask you to think for a minute, is that how it is with you? Not that you're suddenly perfect when you become a Christian. But that there's evidence of fruit growing. That maybe brings a tension with the way you were. Because now, you're not just going to be ordered around by your flesh.
Paul says, those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
And so since we live by the Spirit he says, let's keep in step with the Spirit. It's that stoicheia word we saw last time. Let us be kept in line not by the law. And not by the old empty religious principles of our idolatry. Our principle. Our alignment. We keep in step with. the spirit. Not all at once. But one step at a time. Refusing to be conceited. One challenge at a time.
When you're tempted to provoke. Or can feel a surge of envy. With the Spirit's help, one step at a time.
Since we live by the spirit, verse 26, let us keep in step with the spirit.
Now will you do that? Every step? Every day? I said last time, I reckon the Charismatic churches have kind of claimed the high ground in talking about the Spirit all the time. But I suspect sometimes they're missing the point. It's this stuff. One small step at a time. the daily battle. This is what it means to be living by the spirit.
In your personal life. In your family life. In your church life. One step, one decision. At a time.
Back in verse 15 Paul has to say to them if you keep on biting and devouring each other; you'll be just like the tigers that ate each other in the Little Black Sambo story we used to read to our kids. Remember it? They bit one another's tails and chased each other round and round the tree until they'd eaten each other. Wouldn't it be terrible if church was like that?
Paul says, that's you guys. Be careful; or there'll be nothing left. Verse 26 says the same. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. Or it'll be disaster.
So here's what to do instead. keep in step with the Spirit. If you're caught up in bitterness. Let it go. One bitter thought at a time. And keep every thought. In step. With the Spirit. If you're trusting Jesus, here's the thing. You really can do it.
If you're caught up in sexual immorality - step it back. Hit pause. And get into step with the Spirit.
If you're someone who knows just how to provoke a good argument. Paul says, walk away... and keep in step with the Spirit instead. And grow in love and joy. And peace. And forbearance. And kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. And finally, but most profoundly, self control.
Not living by a bunch of rules. But with the freedom of the gospel. And with work of the Holy Spirit. Specialist in making people holy.
Because it's not laws and rules that are going to make you righteous. It's the freedom of keeping in step with the Spirit. As we grow in the kind of fruit that's going to help us to serve one another. In love.