SLIDES

The Letter to the Galatians

Part 20

(Galatians 5:10-15)

Introduction

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Rev. Billy Graham, known as ‘America’s Pastor,’ died at 99 years old on September 21, 2018. He had a long career that lasted 58 years. He conducted 417 crusades in 185 countries to include 226 in the United States and 195 worldwide in over countries. During his career, he reached 84 million people face to face and 215 million through satellite feed. He was seen by many as a man of God who cared for and loved people. Even though he was beloved by many, his life was not without controversy.

A 1973 controversy involved Billy Graham and the subject of castration, mentioned in the 2005 book The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham. In it, he is quoted as having said: “I think when a person is found guilty of rape, he should be castrated. That would stop him pretty quick” Records exist that show Graham both made and apologized for the early 1970’s remark about castrating convicted rapists.

Graham remarked that a young woman wrote to him in 1974 confessing her love for another woman. “We traffic in homosexuality at the peril of our spiritual welfare.” This was after Graham had claimed homosexuality to be a “sinister form of perversion” that was contributing to the decay of civilization

Someone asked Graham if AIDS was a judgment of God?' Graham asked. 'I could not say for sure, but I think so.'

Shortly after that, Graham said in the telephone interview regarding his AIDS remark, 'I don't believe that and I don't know why I said it.' He said he never intended to make the statement and explained he was tired.

Pastors and other religious leaders are known from time to time to make controversial statements regarding sexual deviants. Now we know that the Apostle was such a godly man that he would never make a controversial or seemingly crass statement about things of this nature. Or would he? Let’s see if in today’s lesson he would dare say anything that would be considered uncouth.

IV. Practical: A Defense of Christian Liberty (5:1–6:10)

A.  A life apart from Law (5:1–12)

 Galatians 5:10

I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.

In our last lesson we discussed that Paul warned the Gentiles in the churches in Galatia that there would be negative eternal consequences for being circumcised with the view that circumcision plus believing in Christ as Justifier and Savior. If they did give into the Judaizers by being circumcised, they would be severed or estranged from Christ. This would demonstrate they were unbelievers.

But Paul puts his trust these men that they will not take that step that would sever them from Christ. There was only one Gospel that God gave to Paul to preach and share with others. This gospel is that Jew and Gentile alike can be justified, saved, and sanctified by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. The phrase ‘in the Lord’ indicates the basis for Paul’s confidence It indicates that Paul’s assurance rests on a relationship to Jesus Christ Paul’s confidence comes from his trust in Christ and from his knowledge that he and his Galatian friends are fellow members of Christ. Paul’s confidence about the Galatians was based on the love of God and the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. Paul firmly believed that the Lord had saved at least some of the Galatians. Paul’s confidence concerns the Galatians, but it is from the Lord

The second part of verse 10 refers to someone who was disturbing them. The word disturbing refers to someone who is causing inward turmoil in the congregations. He continually stirred the pot which is disturbing the congregations. It is interesting that the Paul refers to one person here, “the one who is” and whoever he is.” But in verse 12 Paul refers to a plurality of troublemakers.

The troublemaker referred to in verse 10 will bear his judgement. That means he will be punished in the future for his meddling in these people’s lives concerning the most important decision they will ever make. Either they will follow the gospel that Paul taught them which is that justification, salvation, and sanctification is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Or they will follow the teaching of the Judaizers and be circumcised. This, of course, leads whoever decides to go down this road to a Christless eternity.

This verse shows how important it is to share a clear gospel to those who do not know Christ as Savior. Any requirement added to Paul's direct revelation from Christ about justification and salvation being by Grace along, through faith alone, in Christ alone leads to judgement, not to heaven.

Galatians 5:11 - But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished.

It is clear throughout Paul’s epistles, especially in Romans and Galatians that salvation, justification, and sanctification are received only through faith, not by any work such as circumcision. In Paul’s epistles, especially in Romans, 21 times, and in Galatians, 17 times, that he was not preaching the need to be circumcised. He certainly did not this before his experience on the Road to Damascus and his three years in the Arabian Desert alone with Jesus. It was part of his world to demand circumcision and mikvah for a Gentile who wanted to convert to Judaism. After receiving his Apostleship and the Gospel message Jesus wanted him to preach, he no longer preached or demanded circumcision. Circumcision, or any work of man, was needed to receive justification or salvation.

One way, he mentioned, that one would know that he was not any longer demanding circumcision, was that he was being persecuted by the Judaizers and their followers. The word persecute in this verse means to harass someone, especially because of their beliefs. The Judaizers, mostly Pharisees, and their followers were not only harassing the believers in the churches of Galatia, but they were also harassing Paul who was a former Pharisee.

If Paul was preaching the need for circumcision to be justified and saved instead of just through faith, there would no longer be a stumbling block nor persecution.

Galatians 5:12

I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves.

“I wish” is a introductory phrase that Paul uses to indicate that there is something he wanted to happen, but he knew it’s unlikely it would not. What did he want to happen and to whom did he want it to happen? Paul wanted the Judaizers and their followers who were continually stirring the pot within the churches in Galatia to mutilate themselves. They were causing problems and disturbing people in the churches to the point that it was causing instability.

Paul was so upset with these men that he wanted them to mutilate themselves. The word mutilate means ”to cut off body parts.” Deuteronomy 22:1 clearly give us insight about exactly what Paul wanted.

No one who is emasculated (mutilated) or has his male organ cut off shall enter the assembly of the LORD.

Paul would have been delighted if these men would have made eunuchs of themselves. This issue for Paul was not only serious but as we see from this verse, was emotional. It serious and emotional because justification and salvation are not by believing in Jesus plus circumcision. For the Judaizers and for those in the churches of Galatia, the Judaizer’s message about justification and salvation by circumcision was bad news, not good news. The Judaizers message was heresy while Paul’s message of good news brings forgiveness of sin, justification, salvation, sanctification, and eternal life.

The statements from Billy Graham and from Paul about different current issues show that these biblical issues are not only serious but can also be very emotional.

B. A life apart from license (5:13–15)

Galatians 5:13

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Jesus called the 12 disciples to follow Him and learn from Him. One of the purposes for Jesus calling the twelve was for them to be “fishers of men.” Jesus trained them to be evangelists. One of the purposes for Jesus calling sinners to be believe in Him for eternal life was to set them free. When one believes in Jesus for eternal life, He at the same time sets them free from sin. William Barclay wrote this in his commentary on Galatians concerning freedom.

“A significant part of Paul's message is the correct use of the liberty given by Christ. He admonishes the Galatians not to use their freedom as a ‘base of operation’ for sin. Paul was suggesting that liberty should not serve as a launching pad for indulging in sinful behaviors. Instead, Paul redirects their understanding of freedom towards a higher and nobler goal.”

Instead of turning our freedom into trying to satisfy fleshly desires, the goal that Paul puts forward is for the believer to serve one another through love. Fleshly desires concern the old sinful nature that we are born with. The word love here is agape’ love. Agape’ love is a selfish commitment to others first rather for serving ourselves first. Love or a selfish commitment to others, to the body of Christ first. We are not only responsible to the body of Christ but also to those outside of the body of Christ as seen in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23.

19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more… 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; 21 to those who are without law, as without law… so that I might win those who are without law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. 23 I do all things for the sake of the gospel...

Application

Whether in your neighborhood, out in public shopping, running errands, or at Starbucks drinking coffee, intentionally keep your eyes open to needs around you or people struggling. If possible, try to engage with these people.  A simple compliment or a friendly smile can be a powerful tool in conveying love to people you meet or to your neighbors. But try to go further than this. Try to see if you can help in some way.   Showing that you care can create opportunities to share your Jesus with them or to help them in some way.  You can make a difference in someone's day.

Galatians 5:14

14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”

The Mosaic Law included 613 commandments when God gave it to Israel at Mount Sinai. Jesus then boiled the 613 down to two as we see in Matthew 22: 37-39 after a lawyer asked Jesus which was the greatest commandment.

37 And He said to him, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 38 “This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 “The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’”

He replied that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord … God with all one’s heart … soul, and … mind. He added that the second commandment is to love one’s neighbor as oneself. The first summarizes the first table of the Law, and the second summarizes the second table. Jesus said, All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments, that is, all the Old Testament develops and amplifies these two points: love for God and love for others, who are made in God’s image.

In Galatians 5:14 Paul reduces the two commandments to one.

“YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”

If the Judaizers and their followers insisted on living in slavery, Paul wished that they would enslave themselves to love of one another. If they wanted to live under law, let it be the law of Christ (6:2) impelled by the indwelling Spirit, rather than by an external code. There is no external entity that can enable us to love our neighbors as ourselves, but the Holy Spirit can produce that love within us.

To love our neighbor as yourself means we are to love our neighbor with the same spontaneity and eagerness with which we love ourselves.

In verse 1 Paul spoke of the Christian’s freedom and warned against the danger of lapsing into slavery. Here the apostle again reminded believers of their freedom in Christ and warned against its being converted into license. Specifically, he charged the Galatians not to use their liberty as “a base of operation” for sin to gain a foothold. Rather than liberty being used for lust, the real goal should be love. Rather than being in bondage to the Law or to the sinful nature, the Galatians were to be in bondage to one another.

Galatians 5:15

But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

In verse 15 Paul is contrasting loving and serving one another in the Body of Christ to causing harm to someone and to try to destroy them. That such love needed to be mutually expressed in the Galatian churches is made clear here. As a result of the inroads of the false teachers the church was divided and engaged in bitter strife. The followers of the legalists and those who remained steadfast were biting and devouring each other. This was far from the biblical ideal of believers dwelling together in a loving unity, and threatened the churches with destruction, that is, the loss of their individual and corporate testimony.