Why Are You Acting So Foolish? Series

Why Are You Acting So Foolish?

Galatians 3:1-5

Like many children, Little Johnny had certain responsibilities and chores that his parents expected him to accomplish. He was to keep his room clean, his bed made, take the trash out daily and the yard was to be mowed each week. One Friday afternoon the neighborhood boys were out playing football and Johnny wanted to play. He knew that his father would be home soon and that his chores were not finished. He thought about it for a minute and decided he was going to play football. Around 6:00 Johnny’s father came home and noticed that the yard had not been mowed, the trash was overflowing in the kitchen, Johnny’s room was in disarray and his bed had not been made.

These chores were not new; these expectations had been in place for years. Needless to say Johnny’s father was not pleased. Around 7:00 Little Johnny returned home and as he walked in the door his father promptly addressed his foolish decision to play football instead of doing his chores. Afterward his father addressed the issue little Johnny had PLENTY of motivation to do what his father expected!

There are times in the Christian life when we make foolish decisions. And when we do, our Father will promptly address those actions! Some believers in Galatia had made some foolish decisions and here in chapter 3 the Apostle Paul vigorously addressed those actions. There may be some of you who have made some foolish decisions, if so it is very possible that they will be addressed today!

In the first 2 Chapters of Galatians Paul has defended the Gospel of Grace. He has shared with the believers at Galatia that man is “justified in Christ alone”

- This was the message he had received

- This was the message that he was called to share

- This was the message that the people needed to hear.

- This was the message that he had preached to them

- It was the very message that they had heard and accepted

And today people need to hear the message of grace through Jesus Christ. Also true is the fact that there are many who have heard the Gospel, surrendered to Christ and for one reason or another have turned away.

Some have retreated and are living a life of sin once again. Some have been deceived and have become involved in what the Word would describe as a cult. Some who were saved by grace are attempting to stay that way by personal works or obeying the Law. Some have experienced doubt and their faith has begun to waver. Regardless of the specifics, the people that I am speaking of have all returned to the bondage that they have been freed from.

Over the past couple of weeks we have examined the fact that we are free and that we possess victory through Jesus Christ and Him alone! At the close of chapter 2 Paul declared that he was “crucified with Christ and that Christ lived within him” .This should be the case for every child of God. Every person here who has been “born again” has every opportunity to live an abundant life in Christ. But we know that is not the case.

Chances are that there are some people present today who have made the foolish decision to turn from Christ and take control of their own life. Countless times I have seen people (in this church) whether during a church service, in their home or in my office, turn to Christ for salvation. We all have watched these same people stand and make a profession of faith, go through the baptismal waters, begin to walk with the Lord and join this church. We have seen them become active in their walk with Christ, begin to serve the Lord faithfully and even share their faith with others

But somewhere along the way something tragic happened... all of the sudden their church attendance begins to slip, their service for the Lord begins to suffer, they are less willing to witness to others, their personal walk is affected, they no longer read the Word, they rarely if ever pray to the Lord. Then, inevitably they begin to venture back into the sins that they have been delivered from. Just as the Galatian believers returned to the bondage of the Law, some of you have returned to the bondage of sin. This is a tragic situation, and it is far too common.

Paul describes the act of turning away from Christ as “foolish”. He is not referring to the level of intelligence; rather he speaks of a lack of obedience. If you are here and you refuse to obey the TRUE gospel and if you have returned to the bondage of sin… YOU ARE ACTING FOOLISH!