Overcoming the Spirit of Legalism
Introduction:
A It’s easier to live by someone’s set of rules than to obey and follow the Holy Spirit.
1 Every denominational (even non-denominational) have their own set of behaviors or actions they expect their members (or attenders) to practice.
a In some churches the issue is women wearing slacks, men wearing beards, make-up, jewelry.
b I’ve heard stories of Christians who went to a conference in Europe and overhead some women talking about how Christian women in America wear excessive make-up, the decline of standards of Christianity in America and wept great tears into their classes of beer.
2 How to prevent our churches from tainting the message of God with pharisaical rules that only hinder the work of God?
a Have we cluttered up the message with our own tastes, preferences, unique customs.
b Where do we draw the line at what God requires and what man prefers?
B One of the most insidious demons warring against the church, dividing the church, and hindering revival is legalism.
1 Legalism simply defined is when men & women try to substitute their own works for God’s plan of salvation (and it can be related to the laws of the Old Testament)
a Some want to add something to the simple Gospel of Christ’s death, resurrection, and our own faith in our salvation.
aa This is the heart of legalism.
bb Some want to add denominational distinctives to the definition of Spirituality.
cc Don’t drink, smoke, dance. Some churches do not allow ladies to speak.
dd Don’t listen to rock music, watch T.V., no electricity, tatoos, no Halloween, Christmas trees, etc.
b Some have added things like this to the Gospel!
2 I don’t think the world has rejected our message but they have rejected our caricature of the message.
a We are known for more what we’re against that what we’re for.
b There are over 1 billion muslims in the world who are in bondage to false religion and the excess of legalism.
aa If we’re going to reach them with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then we better have more to offer them than a long set of rules and guidelines to live by.
bb Anything added to the gospel is another gospel and is unacceptable in God’s eyes.
I Paul Addresses Legalism
A When Jesus entered the world the Jewish faith had disintegrated into extreme legalism (Rules had replaced relationships with God.)
1 Legalism had made slaves out of the Jewish people & Jesus came to set them free.
a In Galatians 3, Paul gives his argument contrasting law & faith.
b Many Jews who had been saved were slipping back into the legalism of Judaism, going back under the law.
aa Gal. 3.7, “Know ye therefore taht they which are faith, the same are the children of Abraham.”
bb A true “jew” who is part of God’s family is one who is “of faith.”
2 In a sense, all who believe are sons of Abraham. (Grafted into the olive tree)
B Paul gives his argument by appealing from two bases: The Spiritual and the Scriptural appeal
1 Spiritual Appeal
a Paul appeals to the Galatians on the basis of their personal experience (Gal. 3.1-5)
aa Three times is mentioned that the Galatians had had an experience with the Holy Spirit.
b “Are you foolish?” Paul asks. Lit. “Without sense.” They had lost their common sense!
b You can see how legalism and a spirit of rigidity can make a Christian “senseless” when you study its spiritual implications.
2 Implication One: Legalism is demonic deception.
a “Who has betwitched you . . .” The word means “to cast a spell.”
b It’s an obvious reference to a deceiving spirit that had led Christians into error.
c Many of the trappings we’ve added to th the practice of Christianity are there because of Satan’s deceptions or “spells.”
3 Implication Two: Legalism disobeys the truth.
a “ . . . that you should not obey the truth . . .” The followed blind deception right into disobedience.
b When the truth of God is twisted, perverted the whole church can live a life God disobedience to God’s will for them.
c IL. Driving north to get to St. Louis. Not gonna make it to where you need to be.
4 Implication Three: Legalism dishonors the cross.
a “ . . . before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?”
aa The cross had been preached accurately, powerfully, with authority at Galatia and lives where changed. (Atonement, Grace, Mercy)
bb Fulfillment of the law.
b They turned their back on the power of the cross to resume the slave master of the law.
c In doing so they dishonored the sacrifice Jesus made for them on the cross.
5 Implication Four: Legalism disclaims the Spirit.
a “Did you receive the Spirit . . .”
aa They had received the Holy Ghost & He began to work in them. Seen what He could do!
bb After a while they tried to go back to the old way, law of legalism, flesh.
b The Holy Spirit makes it possible to offer our lives as a living sacrifice to God.
aa We can’t finish with the flesh what is begun in the Spirit.
bb It’s sad to see people get saved by the work of God’s Spirit only to go on to try to live the Christian life according tow what man says is proper.
6 Implication Five: Legalism disregards the miraculous.
a Paul ministered in the Spirit at Galatia and miracles were performed there by that same power of the Spirit. (The people were moving from the Spirit back to the Law)
aa The Law has no supernatural power.
bb Miracles happen when the Word of God is preached under the power of the Spirit and the people receive it in faith.
b Preaching is only effective if it receives the “hearing of faith.”
aa Some people listen to preaching and are very critical, prejudicially, to hear points of disagreement. SOME DON’T LISTEN AT ALL!
bb Hebrews 3 warns us about refusing to hear preaching w/o faith. (We become hardened)
cc Hebrews 4.2, If listener doesn’t mix faith with his/her hearing, the preaching is unprofitable.
C The church at Galatia had lost its senses.
1 Faith had been replaced by works & grace replaced by the law.
2 The next appeal Paul would make would come straight from the pages of the Old Testament.
II The Scriptural Appeal
A Paul felt the need to underline the importance of the doctrine of Salvation by grace with proof from the Old Testament.
1 Gal. 3.6-7, Paul cites Abraham’s conversionas the OT proof of salvation by faith.
a Gen 15.6,
b God saved people in the Old Testament in the same way he saves us now.
2 Galatians 3, continues on from conversion of Abraham to the covenant God made with him: Gal. 3.8-9.
a This covenant included both Jews & Gentiles.
b The whole world has been promised blessing through the seed of Abraham.
c Gal. 3.10-12
3 The Law cannot save you . . . only curse. (If you can’t keep it all, he falls under he curse of the law.)
a The only way out of the curse is the life of faith. (We don’t live under the restraint of the law but by the power of grace.)
aa Gal. 3.11 quotes Habakkuk 2.4
bb If a man chooses the Law, he lives under both the blessing and the curse of the Law.
cc Since all men have sinned, we rest under the curse of the Law until we receive Christ, who bore our curse.
b Christ came to set us free, redeem us, from the awful curse of bondage to sin. (Gal. 3.13-14)
aa Paul quotes Deuteronomy 21.23, reminding us that hanging on a tree was an outward sign to the Jew that a man was cursed before God.
bb Christ took that curse for us (1 Peter 2.24)
c When Christ cried out, “My God, My God, why has thou forsaken me) (Mark 15.34, KJV) He was bearing our curse taht we might go free!
aa It was through the death of Christ on a cross that God’s promise of blessing the world through Abraham was fulfilled.
bb When we believe on Him, we receive the promise of the Spirit, and we can live in the freedom of faith.
4 At the end of Galatians 3, Paul sums up his argument by contrasting the Law and promise..
a First, Paul emphasizes that the Law came after the promise..
aa God made a promise to Abraham four hundred years before God came to Moses and gave the nation of Israel the Law. (The Law didn’t cancel the promise.)
bb Paul also reminds us that the Law was added because of wickedness: (Gal. 3.19-20)
b The Law came through a mediator to the people (Moses). The promise of salvation given to Abraham was brought through the mediator Jesus Christ!
c The Law also exposes sin (Gal. 3.21-22, 24.)
5 The Law can display sin, but cannot deliver us from sin.
a Some translations use the word “schoolmaster” to describe the role that the Law has on our hearts.
b In the Bible days, this was person (usually a slave) who was assigned to a boy to train him to be a man.
aa In ancient artwork, this tutor is depicted with a rod in his right hand.
bb The tutor was generally harsh, drill sergeant like.
6 The Laws purpose is to bring us to terms with our lostness, lost condition.
a Force us to see that we are hopeless, helpless and unable to save ourselves.
b We are imprisoned & guarded by the Law . . . but the Law leads us to Jesus!
c He frees us and makes us His family.
Conclusion:
A As believers, we stand together in Christ in full equality of fellowship.
1 We are sharers in the promise given to Abraham.
a We are God’s heirs!
b All the ground at the cross is level.
2 Let’s not be divided over cultural preferences, denominational distinctive, or millennial positions.
a The same blood that saved us, saves everyone!
b Pray
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