Will you please turn to the book of Acts? Acts, Chapter 13. We will read from verse 1.
Now there were in Antioch, in the assembly which was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius the Cyrenian, and Manaen, foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
And as they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Separate Me now Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
Then, having fasted and prayed, and having laid their hands on them, they let them go.
The same chapter, verse 13:
And having sailed from Paphos, Paul and his company came to Perga of Pamphylia. And John separated from them and returned to Jerusalem.
They, passing through from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia.
Then we turn to Acts, Chapter 14. We begin with verse 20.
But while the disciples encircled him, he rose up and entered into the city. And on the morrow he went away with Barnabas to Derbe.
And having announced the glad tidings to that city, and having made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, and Iconium, and Antioch, establishing the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to abide in the faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.
And having chosen them elders in each assembly, having prayed with fasting, they committed them to the Lord on Whom they had believed.
The letter to the Galatians, Chapter 1. We will begin with verse 6 through verse 12.
I wonder that ye do so quickly change from Him that called you in Christ’s grace to a different gospel; which is not another one.
There are some that trouble you, and desire to pervert the glad tidings of the Christ.
But even if we, or an angel out of heaven, announce glad tidings to you anything besides what we have announced as glad tidings to you, let him be accursed.
As we have said before, now also again I say: If anyone announce to you as glad tidings anything besides what ye have received, let him be accursed.
For do I now seek to satisfy man, or God? Or do I seek to please man? If I were yet pleasing man, I would not be Christ’s bondman.
But I let you know, brethren, as to the glad tidings which were announced by me, that they are not according to man. For neither did I receive them from man, neither was I taught them, but by revelation of Jesus Christ.
The same letter, the last chapter, Galatians, Chapter 6. We will read from verse 11 through verse 16.
See how long a letter I have written to you with my own hand.
As many as desire to have a fair appearance in the flesh, these compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not be persecuted because of the cross of Christ.
For neither do they that are circumcised themselves keep the law; but they wish you to be circumcised, that they may boast in your flesh.
But far be it from me to boast, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world.
For in Christ Jesus neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but new creation.
And as many as shall walk by this rule, peace upon them and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
May we look to the Lord in prayer.
Dear Lord, how we want to thank Thee for saving us, for gathering us together unto Thyself, for giving us the right and the privilege, the honor, of being at Thy table, partaking of Thy body that is broken for us and the blood shed for the remission of our sins.
Lord, what can we say? Thou hast shown Thy love to us to the uttermost. Lord, we come to Thee this morning. We do want to submit ourselves to Thee and allow Thee to work out Thy full salvation in us, that Thou mayest be glorified.
We do commit this time into Thy hands, trusting Thy Holy Spirit to speak through Thy word to our hearts. We ask in the name of our Lord Jesus. Amen.
For some time, we have been trying to share together on the life of the body of Christ. We mentioned how the concept of the church, the body of Christ, was conceived in God even before the foundation of the world.
We also shared together on this matter of the birth of the church. We have shared on the first church on earth, the church in Jerusalem: how those who believed in the Lord persevered together in the teaching and fellowship of the apostles, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Then we moved on to share on the church in Antioch. There we find that the Holy Spirit made a new move. The church in Jerusalem, being in Jerusalem and composed of the Jews, somehow was not able to separate itself completely from Judaism. Because of this, the Holy Spirit made a new move.
We remember how the church in Antioch was brought into being, and how the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. Now this morning we would like to continue on.
In Acts, Chapter 13, we find that in the church in Antioch there were five prophets and teachers. They were not the elders of the church, the governing body, but they were those whom the Lord raised up to minister the word of God in the church in Antioch.
If you look at the five of them, I think we are familiar with the first one, Barnabas. That name was actually given by the apostles to him. Formerly he was called Joseph, a Levite of Cyprus, but he was renamed Barnabas because he was a son of consolation. He had such a big heart.
He was the one who was sent by the church in Jerusalem to visit those believers in the Gentile cities. He was a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit. He was also a man who knew his limitations. You remember how he went to Tarsus to find Saul, to bring Saul to Antioch, that together they might serve the brothers and sisters there.
Then you find the second one, Simeon, who was called Niger. Niger means black. Now, we do not know exactly who this person was. There are some suppositions, but one thing we do know is that he was a black person, probably from Africa.
Then you find Lucius the Cyrenian. Again, we are not very sure who that person was. Probably he was among those in Acts, Chapter 11, verse 20. You remember, some Cyprians and Cyrenians who were scattered from Jerusalem because of persecution went to Antioch, and they preached to the Greeks. Probably Lucius was one of them.
Or some people say that probably he was a kinsman of Paul, because in Romans 16:21 Paul mentioned some of his kinsmen, and Lucius’s name was mentioned. By kinsman, it simply means a fellow Jew. Probably that was the person, but we really do not know much about it.
There was another one called Manaen, foster brother of Herod the tetrarch. This man was brought up with Herod Antipas, so he came from a higher class. Then finally we have the name Saul, and we are familiar with him because he was the Pharisee who persecuted the church, was met by the Lord on the road to Damascus, was converted, and became a servant of the Lord.
But anyway, you find these five men were raised by God in that local assembly in Antioch to minister God’s word. These were prophets and teachers. They were very different. Their backgrounds were different. Where they came from was different. Yet you find they served together as one.
The wonderful thing we find here was that they were ministering unto the Lord. Now, brothers and sisters, we often think that those who minister the word minister to the saints. Now, that is very true. But before anyone can minister to the saints, they need first to minister unto the Lord.
You find these five waited upon the Lord. They drew near to the Lord. They worshipped the Lord. They waited for the Lord’s word to come upon them before they would go to the people and minister to them.
While they were ministering unto the Lord with fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke. The Holy Spirit said to them, “Separate for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work that I have called them to do.”
When the Holy Spirit spoke, these brothers listened. They obeyed. Even though probably the other three would have liked very much to see Barnabas and Saul stay behind so that they might minister together, yet you find they all obeyed the Holy Spirit. They all obeyed God. The three laid hands on the two and let them go.
So that is the beginning of the apostolic work of the Apostle Paul.
Barnabas and Paul—at that time he was still Saul—went out together. Naturally, the first place they visited was Cyprus, because Barnabas came from Cyprus. They traveled through Cyprus, and after they traveled through the whole island, they crossed the water and came to Perga of Pamphylia.
When they came to Perga of Pamphylia, we find that John Mark left them.
In the first apostolic journey, they spent most of the time in the southern part of Galatia. Probably it was between the years A.D. 47 to 49. They probably spent about two and a half years in this journey.
They came to Perga of Pamphylia, but instead of announcing the gospel in Pamphylia, you find that they left Perga and went north to Antioch of Pisidia. Now, why was that so?
According to Ramsay, he said that probably it was at that time Paul got malaria fever. Because of this, they had to try to go to a higher land. So they went north to Antioch of Pisidia, which is about one hundred miles north and is higher ground, about 3,600 feet above sea level. Probably that was the reason.
So they went into the area of Galatia during the first trip. They spent most of the time in Galatia.
When they arrived in Antioch of Pisidia, as was their custom, first of all they went to the synagogue, because that is where the Jews and worshipping Gentiles were gathered together. It was a ready audience.
You remember, in the synagogue at that time they had much freedom. After the reading of the Prophets and the Torah, if they saw someone who looked like a teacher, even though he might be a stranger, they would ask, “Do you have anything to say?”
So Saul, Paul, and Barnabas went to the synagogue, waiting until the Scripture was read. Sure enough, the ruler of the synagogue came over and said, “Now, strangers, do you have anything to say?” They had quite freedom and liberty in the synagogue.
So Saul stood up, and there he presented the gospel of Jesus Christ. He presented the grace of God to the people. He told them how Jesus Christ is the seed of David. He related to them how the Lord Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead, and how people who were not able to be saved under the law of Moses would be saved by this Man, Jesus Christ.
After he gave his first message, many of the Jews and some of the worshipping Gentiles followed Paul and Barnabas. Paul and Barnabas continued to persuade them to continue in the grace of God.
By the next Sabbath, the whole city seemed to come to hear Paul and Barnabas. Because of this, the Jews became very jealous and began to contradict Paul. Finally, Paul and Barnabas had to tell them, “The gospel of Jesus Christ must first be presented to you, the Jews, because you were the chosen people of God. You were prepared by God for the coming of the Messiah. But if you reject Him, then we will go to the Gentiles, because the Messiah is also the light of the nations.”
When the Gentiles heard about that, they were very happy because they saw the door to salvation was open to them, and many came to the Lord. They separated themselves from the synagogue and continued there for a while. We find that the word of grace spread all over the country.
But through the jealousy of the Jews, they incited people, and finally the authorities cast these two apostles out of Antioch of Pisidia. They were driven out of the city.
But the disciples who remained there were full of joy and of the Holy Spirit. Now, brothers and sisters, we would think that when they found these two men were cast out, they were left as sheep without shepherds. Probably they would be filled with sorrow: “Now what shall we do? The teachers are gone.” But you find they were full of joy and of the Holy Spirit.
That is the beginning of the church in Antioch of Pisidia.
From there, after they were cast out, they went southeast about ninety miles to Iconium. Iconium was the metropolitan city of the Lycaonian district.
As usual, on the Sabbath they again went into the synagogue, and they presented the gospel of Jesus Christ to these people. You find many of the Jews and the Gentiles believed in the Lord Jesus.
Again, that stirred up the jealousy of the Jews, so there was opposition. But in spite of opposition, the apostles stayed there for a long while and announced the glad tidings of the Lord Jesus with boldness. The Holy Spirit bore witness to their preaching with signs and wonders.
Finally, you find the whole city was divided. Now, brothers and sisters, wherever the gospel is preached, you find it divides. It divides people into the believing and the unbelieving. So the whole city was divided.
Finally, there was a plot. They wanted to stone the apostles. When they heard about that, they fled from Iconium and went further southeast, about forty miles, into another place called Lystra.
Evidently, there was no synagogue in Lystra. It was a heathen city. So probably, instead of going to the synagogue as they usually would, they held an open-air meeting.
There was a man who was born lame. He had never walked before. But when he listened to the gospel of Jesus Christ, Paul saw that there was faith in that person. So he said, “Rise up and walk.” The man got up and walked.
Because of this miracle, being a heathen city, they thought the gods had appeared. They called Barnabas Jupiter, and they called Paul Mercury because he was the one who spoke. The priest of the temple of Jupiter began to come with oxen and flowers, trying to offer sacrifice to them.
You find the subtlety of the enemy. In the former cases, you find opposition and persecution. But here you find they were welcomed and honored as gods.
Thank God, Paul and Barnabas saw through the subtlety of the enemy. They went into their midst, tore their clothes, and even cried out, saying, “We are but men, and it is God Who is calling people to repentance.” They barely were able to stop them from doing such foolish things.
But then you see how the people changed. The Jews coming from Antioch and Iconium stirred up the people, and the same people who wanted to honor these two apostles as gods turned against them. They stoned Paul almost to death.
We do not know whether he was really dead or not, but they thought he was dead. So they pulled him out of the city and threw him there.
But the disciples, those who had believed, gathered around him. Suddenly he stood up and walked back to the city. Now, it was a miracle.
They left the next day and went further southeast to a city called Derbe. Derbe at that time was a Roman frontier city of the province of Galatia. It was a small town, and you find Paul and Barnabas stayed there for a while. It seems everything was quiet there. There was no opposition, and many disciples were made and came to the Lord.
That was their first trip out. After that, the apostles made a return trip. They returned from Derbe back to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch.
In the first outgoing trip, their ministry was preaching the gospel, announcing Jesus Christ and the grace of God. By that, many came to the Lord.
But in their returning, you find their work was a work of establishing the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to abide in the faith, and also helping them to see that we must suffer tribulation in order to enter into the kingdom of God. So it was more a work of establishing them in the Lord.
They also appointed elders for them and committed them to the Lord. That you find in Acts, Chapters 13 and 14. That is the first trip Paul and Barnabas took as apostles sent out by the Holy Spirit.
Now, in these churches of Galatia, you find the Bible says “the churches of Galatia.” Why? Because Galatia is a province, a Roman province. It is not a city; it is composed of many cities. In each city, you find God raised up a testimony to His own name.
So it is never called the church in Galatia; it is always called the churches of Galatia because it is composed of a number of churches. Again, you see that these churches were not a federation. In other words, they were not joined together organizationally. But because they were in the same province and in the vicinity, they had close fellowship one with another. So when Paul wrote the letter, he wrote a letter to the churches of Galatia.
When you look at these churches, number one, you find all these churches came into being through the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the Holy Spirit Who touched the hearts of those who heard the gospel, and they repented and believed in the Lord Jesus.
So these people were the members of the body of Christ in that particular locality. Also, you find that these churches came into being through the travail of the apostles. You find how the apostles suffered while they were preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. But through their tribulation, they were able to bring people to the Lord and gather them unto the Lord.
So all these churches came into being through the preaching of the gospel and also through the travail of the apostles.
Secondly, you find that all these churches, except probably Derbe, were born in tribulation. Because wherever the gospel is preached, you find it is so much against the world, so different from the world, that the world will rise up and try to destroy it.
When these churches were born in tribulation, naturally you find a separation from the world was very complete. You can sense that is a good thing, you know. Because if a church begins in peace without any suffering, without any opposition from the world, probably you will find the brothers and sisters will not be so separated from the world. That is the problem we find today.
Thank God that in the early days, when the gospel was preached, it always separated, and that should be. It always raised up the opposition of the world, and that should be. There you find these churches were separated from the world.
Number three, you find that the apostles, after they preached the gospel to them, and even when they remained with them for a while, never organized them into churches. They left them and went to another place. They left them to the Lord. They left them to the Holy Spirit.
Only when they returned after a year or two did they notice that these brothers and sisters had grown in the Lord, and the Holy Spirit had already manifested those who should be elders. The apostles recognized it and appointed them as elders.
So, in other words, you find a church is never organized. It is born. Even though there will be some organization, such as some elders being appointed, you find it is the manifestation of life. It is not something done by man. It is not something mechanical. It is not something technical. You find it is something that grows out of life.
When life begins to grow, an order will come into being. So these are the things you find in the churches of Galatia.
But these churches in Galatia were the first love of the Apostle Paul because they were his first labor. Usually, your first labor will be your first love. He loved these people.
But after about ten years, around A.D. 57, he wrote a letter to the churches of Galatia. If you read that letter, you find that it was a letter of anguish, or sorrow.
Why is this so? The churches of Galatia had a wonderful beginning, and their relationship with the Apostle Paul was so dear. In the letter to them, Paul mentioned that when he first came into their midst, he was in weakness. As we said, he had malaria fever. If you have malarial fever, sometimes you will shake. His eyesight was affected.
They loved him so much that, if possible, they were willing to take out their own eyes and give them to the Apostle Paul. So you find there was such a close, loving relationship between Paul and the churches of Galatia. But ten years later, he had to write such a letter to them. Why?
Because in the time between, some Judaizers entered into their midst. They persuaded these people, “You believe in the Lord Jesus, but if you want to be perfect, you have to keep the law. You must be circumcised. You have to keep days and festivals, and that will complete you.”
These brothers and sisters, in their ignorance—and probably in their desire to be spiritual quickly; you know, we all want to be spiritual quickly—moved on with the Lord and perhaps, after a number of years, found their progress in the Lord very slow. They really desired that they might be perfect.
Suddenly some people came and said, “Well, there is a way to be perfect. You cannot be perfect just by believing in the Lord Jesus. If you want to be perfected, you have to keep the law. You have to be circumcised. Then instantly, you are perfect.”
Of course, that appealed to the flesh. You know, the flesh always wants to do something. Anybody who tells you that the flesh can do nothing—now, that is very degrading. Our flesh always likes to do something, accomplish something, that we may boast of something.
When you come to the Lord Jesus, there is nothing to boast of because there is no righteousness of our own. We have to come to the Lord as sinners and accept the grace of the Lord Jesus completely. There is nothing we can do. We have to depend completely on the grace of the Lord Jesus.
That is very humiliating, and that is the reason why many proud people never come to the Lord.
The proud people will never come to the Lord. I remember the story of Charles Finney. Charles Finney was a lawyer. In studying the law, he found that the law referred to the Bible, so he got a Bible as a reference and began to read the Bible.
At one time, the Spirit of God really convicted him, so he began to read the Bible more, not just as a reference. But whenever he saw somebody enter into his office, he hid his Bible.
One day, when he was going to his office, the burden of his soul was so heavy upon him. Instead of going to the office, he went to the woods. He went deep into the woods because he did not want anybody to see him.
He found a place where there was a fallen tree, so he knelt down and prayed. Before he did that, he made a kind of vow: “Either I die or I get saved. I will never come out.”
He began to pray. He thought he could pray, but whenever he heard some sound or rustling in the forest, he got up and looked around. He did not want anybody to see him kneeling there in prayer. It happened a few times.
He was very sorry because he made such a vow. He could not pray anymore, and there was nothing happening. Now, what should he do? At that time, the Holy Spirit convicted him of his pride: “You are a sinner seeking forgiveness, and yet you are afraid that people may see you there kneeling and asking for forgiveness. What a proud man you are.”
He repented of his pride, and he could be saved. Wonderful! So, brothers and sisters, you find that we naturally are very proud. We want to do something.
Even after we are saved, we still want to do something. Now, is that not true? As Paul said in the letter to the Galatians, we begin with the Spirit and try to be completed, perfected, with the flesh. I believe, brothers and sisters, that every one of us has done that, or is doing that.
You believe in the Lord Jesus. You receive His grace. But, brothers and sisters, very soon you will find that you begin to move into the area of the law. You begin to move back into your flesh. You begin to try to do something to be perfect.
Maybe you say, “To be justified, you have to depend upon the Lord; but to be holy, you have to depend on yourself.” So you try to be holy. You try to be a good Christian. You try to do everything. You try to overcome sin, and you try to please the Lord.
Brothers and sisters, the heart is right. But how subtle is the enemy, that unconsciously he is moving us away from Christ into ourselves, away from grace into law. We make law for ourselves. Away from the Holy Spirit to the flesh.
So these believers were enticed by these Judaizers. They went back into the law so that they had something to boast in their flesh. They did not see the subtlety of the enemy.
But thank God for Paul. He saw through the subtlety of the enemy. He saw that this was not a small thing, because this perverted the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
What is the gospel of Jesus Christ? The gospel of Jesus Christ is the gospel of grace. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the gospel of faith. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the gospel of the Holy Spirit.
In other words, the self, the flesh, is crucified on the cross. There is no good in the flesh. You cannot in any way depend upon the flesh. If anything you try to do is done on your own without the Holy Spirit, you are being enticed away from Christ.
Paul saw through the subtlety of the enemy. When he heard about these things, it hurt him so deeply that he wrote a letter to them.
Usually Paul, because of his eyesight, would dictate, and somebody would write it down. Finally, he would sign his name there. But this letter to the Galatians, he wrote himself. He said, “See how long a letter I have written to you with my own hand.” Now, to him it was really long, because he wrote it himself.
He was so disturbed. He was so in anguish. He loved these people so much. He wanted to deliver them from the enemy. So you find he used very strong words.
He said, “The gospel that you are supposed to receive now is not the gospel. There is only one gospel: the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is everything.”
From the beginning to the very end, He is the door. He is the way. He is the beginning, and He is the perfection. Everything is in Christ Jesus. You cannot try to find anything outside of the Lord Jesus.
This is what the church is. This is what a Christian is. This is what the gospel is. Anything that is outside of Christ leads us away from Christ. The law, works, and the flesh are another gospel.
Paul said it is not another of the same kind. The word another there means another of a different kind. He said, “It is not the gospel.”
Whoever preaches that kind of gospel, even if it is me, or even an angel from heaven, is to be accursed. Now, that is very strong.
Paul said, “If I come back to you and preach another gospel, mixing law with grace, I am to be accursed.” Even an angel would be accursed.
Brothers and sisters, today we find some so-called Christianity that hears voices supposedly from angels. The angels give a message, but it is very different from what the word of God is.
There is only one gospel, and the gospel is Jesus Christ. He is the beginning and He is the end. He is all. He is everything.
So the Apostle Paul wrote a very strong letter to them. He told them that the gospel he preached to them was not from men. He did not receive it from man. It was by revelation of Jesus Christ.
He even mentioned how subtle the enemy is. Even Peter, when Peter came to Antioch, before some brothers from James in Jerusalem came to Antioch, ate with the brothers and sisters—the Gentiles. But when those from James came, Peter got frightened and separated himself from the Gentiles.
The Jews also did that, and even Barnabas was affected. So you find Paul, even though he was younger, faced Peter publicly and said, “You did something against the gospel.”
Thank God for Peter, that he accepted his younger brother’s word. If you read 2 Peter, you find he even said, “Beloved Paul, he wrote something that is hard to understand.” So that is the word of God.
Within about ten years, you find the whole situation in Galatia was changed. We do not know what was the result of that letter. We hope that the letter came to them as an eye-opening experience, that they really saw through the subtlety of the enemy, were delivered, and returned to Christ Jesus.
Now, brothers and sisters, what are the lessons that we can learn from these churches of Galatia?
Number one: a good beginning does not guarantee a happy ending. This is not only true individually; this is also true corporately. We may begin right, but it is the ending that is important.
The churches in Galatia began gloriously, but the end was shameful. So we must never give up watchfulness. Be vigilant. Never be too sure. Never have any confidence in ourselves.
The perseverance of the saints is not by the saints themselves. They are kept by the grace of God. We are what we are by the grace of God.
If we move away from grace and begin to trust in our flesh, we will fall from grace, because we are not able to keep ourselves. It is God Who is able to keep us to the very end.
So, brothers and sisters, how we need to commit ourselves to Him for Him to keep us. Just like the Apostle Paul said:
I know Whom I have believed, and am fully persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him.
Brothers and sisters, you know Whom you have believed, but have you committed yourself to Him? That is the only way that you can be kept.
If you have not committed yourself to Him, give yourself completely to Him. Put yourself in His hand. Allow Him to take care of you.
Brothers and sisters, there is no assurance that we will be able to come to the very end. It is the grace of God only that keeps us. So we need commitment.
Many brothers and sisters believe in the Lord, but there is no commitment. We still want to be our own master. We still want to take ourselves in our own hands and run our own life. Now, if you do that, brothers and sisters, there is a great danger there.
We need to be a people fully committed to Him, because He is the only One Who is able to keep us to the very end. So, brothers and sisters, first of all, I think the lesson to learn is: be vigilant.
In 1 Corinthians, Chapter 16, verse 13, the Apostle Paul said:
Be vigilant; stand fast in the faith; quit yourselves like men; be strong.
Then in 1 Peter, Chapter 5, verses 8 and 9:
Be vigilant. Watch. Your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about seeking whom he may devour.
Whom resist steadfast in faith, knowing that the selfsame sufferings are accomplished in your brotherhood which is in the world.
So the exhortation to us, as we think of the life of the churches of Galatia, is this: never be too sure of ourselves. Our confidence is in God. Be vigilant. Watch. Stand fast in faith. Quit yourselves like men. Be strong. The enemy is a roaring lion. He is walking over the whole world, trying to see whom he can devour.
That is the first lesson we need to learn.
Then the second lesson: never mix law with grace. Mixing law with grace changes the very nature of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We find this was not only true in the first century. You find it is even more true today. There are many groups that mix law with grace. There are many who may not officially or publicly mix law with grace, but unconsciously we are mixing law with grace.
How do we know this is law and not grace? How do we know it is not our work?
I think the easiest thing is to see the difference: are we doing it ourselves, or are we doing it by the power of the Holy Spirit?
If we do a thing by ourselves, we will find we are keeping the law—a regulation, a rule, a creed, a method. It becomes legalistic because we are doing it.
But if we see that without Him we can do nothing, and it is only by Him that we are able to do it, now that is the work of faith. Not just works, but the work of faith.
The work of faith is the work that is done by the life and the power of the Holy Spirit within us. Outwardly, you may not be able to see the difference. You are doing something, but the source is different, and the result will be different.
If you are doing it by yourself, the result is boasting in the flesh. If you are doing it by the life of Christ in you, the result is that God is glorified. So, brothers and sisters, we need to be very careful about it.
Law, works, and flesh always join hands together, just as grace, faith, and the Holy Spirit all join together. So never try to mix up law with grace. We need always to remember that our whole life is a life of grace. We depend upon Him and Him alone.
Thirdly, anything or anyone that leads us away from Christ needs to be avoided.
You know, these Judaizers, when they came in among the brothers, believed in the Lord Jesus, yes, but they said it was not enough. Christ is not sufficient. You have to have Christ plus something—plus your keeping the law. Then you are perfect.
Furthermore, you find they tried to draw people away from Paul unto themselves.
So anyone, anything, that draws us away from Christ into something else or into someone else—brothers and sisters, we need to be very, very careful. The danger is there.
We know that only Christ is all. This is the will of God: the all-sufficiency of Christ. Brothers and sisters, not Christ plus something else; not Christ plus someone else. It is Christ—Christ alone.
This is the gospel. May the Lord keep us.
Let us pray.
Dear heavenly Father, we do want to thank Thee for giving us these examples of the churches of Galatia, and thank Thee for giving us that letter, the letter to the Galatians.
Lord, we do pray that these examples and these words will really help us and deliver us from the danger that we are all exposed to.
Oh, dear Lord, we pray that Thou wilt search our hearts, that we will not, by any means, by any way, by any people, be drawn away from Thyself.
Lord, we pray that we may maintain such a living relationship with Thyself that we see nothing but Jesus only. Oh, keep us. Keep the truth of the gospel in the midst of Thy people.
We ask in Thy precious name. Amen.