When Christians get caught up in a system of works righteousness, failure is their only ultimate option. It all feels good and holy and even smug at the beginning.
“We’re the Christians who don’t do this, or this, or this, or this. We’re the ones with self-discipline. We’re the most committed, the least sinful, the truly spiritual.”
This series is from the Leader’s Guide I’m developing for the discipleship manual I wrote and have been using for fifteen years: Beginning In Grace
Commitment and capacity require constant attention. Without commitment this process stalls. This requires balance and discernment from God’s Spirit. Asking for too much or moving too quickly will overwhelm and discourage those who need extra care. Asking for too little or moving too slowly will bore and frustrate those who are on fire to become disciplemakers.
Galatians 2:16 is a foundational verse to the history of the church. Martin Luther wrote of this verse, “That is why faith alone makes someone just and fulfills the law.”
“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified” (Galatians 2:16).
We are justified by faith in Christ because Christ was faithful!
Here’s the link to the sermon, study notes, and discussion notes from last Sunday:
This is from the Leader’s Guide I’m developing for the discipleship manual I wrote and have been using for fifteen years: Beginning In Grace
Warning: Do Not Skip to Lesson One!
Right now you are wondering whether you should take the time to read through all the introductory material. You just want to get at it! Please, do not skip this section. These principles for success are vital. Read them carefully and prayerfully. Remember, you are going to be telling another person about the Lord Jesus Christ. You owe it to your disciple to be thoroughly prepared.
Ever think about Who sent Jesus?Some Christians I know think of Jesus as the Friend of sinners, but His Father as the Judge of sinners.
It’s true that God will judge sinners. But Which Person of the Godhead will be the Judge at the Great White Throne? Jesus, not His Father is the Judge of all humanity (John 5:22, 27).
It’s also true that all sinners need to be judged. But what will they be judged for? Not for failing in life, but for failing to trust in Christ during their life (John 3:18).
God the Father isn’t mad at you and waiting to get you. He’s not the God religious people tell you He is. He’s not sitting up there waiting for you to mess up so He can show you a thing or two. He’s not passive and disinterested.
God the Father loves you passionately and pursues you relentlessly with His love.
He’s not impressed with your performance, but He is asking you to trust Him.
If you belong to Him through faith in His Son, fear should never explain your relationship with Him. As John said in his first letter, His love drives out fear (1 John 4:18).
“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (I John 4:10).
Uh Oh, Galatians???!!!When I talk about our theme next year at Church of the Open Door—Trusting Grace; Releasing Life, and add that our text is Galatians, churched-up people raise an eyebrow and say something like, “You better be careful with that grace stuff in Galatians. It can be dangerous.”
Most Christians have been taught to mistrust grace.
There’s always some wildly popular Christian book telling us that grace is dangerous and if someone isn’t “really committed” he or she isn’t a Christian.
I don’t know all of the reasons Christians mistrust grace, but I know one of them.
We’ve never seen it work in the context of community!
One of my favorite passages in the Bible is Ephesians 2:8-10.
I love it because it clearly identifies the relationship between grace and good works.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Verses 8 and 9 emphatically tell us that we have been delivered from sin—its penalty and power—by the grace of God by faith, or trust in the Lord Jesus. We have especially not been saved through our own works, so that we can never boast.
Verse 10 explains that when we believed in Jesus, we became God’s masterpiece—His absolutely unique creation in Christ Jesus for the purpose of accomplishing the good works He prepared in eternity past.
What Tempts You?What would you consider the most serious and debilitating temptation to a true Christian?
Sexual sin?
Lying?
Spiritual laziness?
How about none of the above?
The most serious temptation that derails Christians is the temptation to return to the law once they’ve received new life by trusting in Jesus. It’s a “Now that Jesus saved me, I better get to work to clean up my life and make Him proud of me!” temptation. And the so-called Christian culture cheers them on, “That’s right. Get to work for Jesus you sorry-little-sinner. That’s what we’re doing!”
I’m convinced that eternal life is a gift freely given to all who believe in Jesus.
Whenever I say this someone will protest, “That’s cheap grace!”
Really?
What’s cheap about an absolutely innocent 33 year-old man in the prime of life walking up a hill with a cross on his bloody shoulders?
What’s cheap about this man who could have called down legions of angels submitting to the Roman soldier who pounded stakes into his limbs?
What’s cheap about this man hanging on that cross while religious people spit on him and shouted insults?
What’s cheap about this man calling out to His Father in heaven to forgive his tormentors?
What’s cheap about this man crying out to His Father that it is finished?
What’s cheap about the tears and wailing of his mother and followers at the foot of that cross?
And what’s cheap about God and His Son, Jesus, agreeing in eternity past that this is what would have to happen if they wanted to express their love and offer their life to sinners?
Being around professional ballplayers during Spring Training last year reminded me of one of the toughest lessons I had to learn growing up: I will never play for the Dodgers.
My problem wasn’t that I didn’t dream of playing for the Dodgers. That was just about all I thought about during my little league years. I took extra infield practice, worked on my hitting, and may have been the most enthusiastic and dedicated little blossoming first basemen ever.
But, by the time I went to high school, it became very obvious. I would never play first base for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Shoot, I couldn’t even play first base for the South High Rebels.
