[Music]
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[Music]
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--David, right before we're
starting this program, broke the
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slinky.
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--I did.
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I didn't even know that it was
breakable and I've broken it.
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--You broke the slinky.
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You're gonna be tempted to
fix the slinky the whole time.
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--I'll set it on the floor so
that I don't fix it while we're,
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but that's a good illustration
because we're broken.
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--Here we go.
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--And some of us are slinky's
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--But none of us are
set on the floor by God.
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--Amen.
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--He keeps us on the table.
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--This is number 13.
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--I'm glad I broke the slinky.
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--Number 13.
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Isn't that something?
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--It's amazing.
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--This is the righteousness
by faith series and we have now
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come to the
conclusion of this conversation.
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We've decided that in this
particular conversation, we're
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going to pursue an extremely
important line of thinking in
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Galatians chapter 5.
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So, we wanna get our bibles open
to Galatians 5, and we're just
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gonna.
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--Before we go to Galatians 5,
I just have about 19 points I'd
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like to quickly make to
bring this series to close.
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It'll just take a few moments.
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--Let's go to Galatians 5.
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Absolutely not.
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--He is kidding.
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--The slinky is broken, okay.
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--So, Galatians 5, but here's
the title that we've given to
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this conversation, faith that
works by love, and we're gonna
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find this very language in
the passage, but the surrounding
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text, wow.
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The Apostle Paul is
communicating something
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tremendous here, and we just
wanna delve into the text and
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understand it and those who
are sitting in with us on the
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conversation, we wanna encourage
them also to just get the bible
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open and look at it with us.
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We'll just start in verse
1, who wants to take us there?
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--So, just to be clear, we're
gonna go through Galatians 5 in
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the same kind of way that we
went through 2 Corinthians 3.
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Let's do it.
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--I don't know if we'll get all
of the way through, but we'll
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try.
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--If Jeffery reads, he might
have enough time in our hour
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long conversation
to actually read it.
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-The bible is meant to be
read carefully and slowly.
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Verse 1 in Galatians chapter 5.
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Stand fast therefore in the
liberty by which Christ has made
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us free, and do not be entangled
again with a yoke of bondage.
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--Okay, I wanna
pause right there.
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--That's a great place to pause.
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--So, there's a lot in this
text we have here the idea of
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standing in the liberty by which
Christ has, past tense, made us
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free.
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So, clearly in Paul's
understanding, there is an
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objective
foundation to the gospel.
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Do you see that there?
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--That has already taken
place and been a reality.
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Past tense.
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--We've called it, somebody
called it the holy history of
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Jesus.
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--Something that jumps out to
me about this text, we've quoted
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this text before and we
mentioned that in most of the
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modern translations, in fact,
even in my marginal reading
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here, it says, for freedom,
Christ has made us free, stand
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fast therefore, etc. etc.
For freedom, for the purpose of
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freedom, Christ has set us free.
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And the thing that I just
absolutely love about this is
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that he sets that in contrast
with the yoke of bondage.
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So, there's freedom, liberation,
we often talk about salvation,
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but the language that scripture
often uses, especially Jesus,
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for salvation, was the language
of liberation, emancipation,
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beings, if the son shall
make you free, you shall be free
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indeed.
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That's not just freedom from
something, in this case, freedom
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from the yoke of bondage.
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As we're gonna discover, in
Paul's line of reasoning, it's
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freedom for something
or to something, to an end.
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--Freedom to be who
you were created to be.
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Another point of
this is stand fast.
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So, this freedom that we're
given that we experience, we're
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supposed to stand fast in it.
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In other words, there's
some intentionality here.
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There's some focus to make sure
that we're still in the right
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paradigm of what this all means.
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So, stand fast in it and
do not be entangled again.
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--Totally, because we're jumping
in here at Galatians 5, of
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course, there's 5 and 6 and then
the book is done, Paul, in 1, 2,
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3, and 4 has
developed that very point.
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He has made his case
for Christian liberty.
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And he spent a lot of time, by
the way, talking about Abraham,
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which we've spent a lot of time
talking about Abraham, which
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makes me feel really good, that
we're moving in a very biblical
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direction here.
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--So, do you think that with
this language, I don't wanna
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spend too much time, I know we
got a lot to cover, but when we
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talk of righteousness by faith,
we've been emphasizing, it's
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centered in God, it's centered
in God, not in what I do, not in
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what I do.
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Somebody might mishear
that to indicate carelessness.
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Right, it's all about God.
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--License to sin.
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--Because this says that there's
a part to play that the believer
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plays, and that is to be
careful that you don't lose that
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liberty, or to be careful
that you don't lose that thing.
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--The concern that you're
identifying there is the very
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concern that Paul is going to
address in Galatians 5, because
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as he brings this to a close,
he's gonna talk about walking in
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the spirit and staying away from
what he calls the works of the
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flesh.
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--And one of the reasons
why he addresses that concern is
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because he was accused
of preaching cheap grace.
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And I think it's really
interesting, that fact is really
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interesting because how many
of us, how many preachers today
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could be accused
of the same thing?
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Not that we ought to
push ourselves to that t level
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deliberately, but I think it's
important to recognize that Paul
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so emphasized Christ and so
emphasized the gospel and the
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freeing power of the gospel to
take us out of legalism and out
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of righteousness by works
that he was accused of preaching
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cheap grace.
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--But for Paul, there's
not a sharp segregation, it's a
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package, it's an
envelope, it's a continuum.
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Stand fast in the liberty by
which Christ has made you free
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is essentially saying there
is a subjective, that is an
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experiential aspect and there
is an objective aspect that is
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achieved in the historical
Christ event, and for Paul, the
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one generates or
produces the other.
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And when he says do not be
entangled again with the yoke of
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bondage, the most elementary
immediate definition we wanna
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give to that is don't sin.
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But in his context, as David
just pointed out, in chapters
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1-4, but in the immediate
context as well, the yoke of
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bondage is defined and we'll
read it all, but it's defined in
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verse 4 as attempting
to be justified by the law.
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--That's right.
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--That's the yoke of bondage.
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The bondage is an orientation
to God through the law.
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He's trying to shift us in the
gospel to an orientation toward
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God through Christ which gives
a different kind or quality of
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relation to the law, which
he's gonna be bringing out very
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clearly.
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--So, the language that you're
using there, Ty, brings to my
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mind the
picture of a tight rope.
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Paul has to walk a fine line
whereby he draws people out of a
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legal religion, out of a yoke
of bondage, but not pendulously,
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recklessly swing, that was your
word, recklessly swing over into
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lawlessness.
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But then he also has to
emphasize that what Jesus does
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for us does not cause us to
disregard or make obsolete the
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law.
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So, he's walking, and I think
when Paul erred, and this is
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just my hunch from having spent
hours and years reading his
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writings that if he was going
to err, he erred on the side of
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emphasizing Christ, and
here's how we know that.
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The point you just made, James,
is a point that I absolutely
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love, and that is that, let
me just say it from Paul's own
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text, when he's sort of making
his point back in Romans, he
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asked this very interesting
question, he says in verse 31,
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do we then make void the law
through faith, certainly not, we
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establish the law.
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Here's my point, if our
preaching of the gospel doesn't
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generate these kinds of
questions, we're not preaching
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Paul's gospel.
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--So, the questions don't
indicate a lack of balance on
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his part, it indicates
he was hitting the point.
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--And Paul's not even aiming so
much in our current academic way
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of thinking, he's not so much
aiming for balance, even, he's
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aiming for a communication
of a holistic picture.
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So, he's not, for Paul,
he's not thinking, Jesus, Jesus,
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salvation by grace, but
also, you need to get her done.
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You need to obey, you need to,
don't forget that part, no, Paul
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is thinking more like this,
he's saying, if you engage with
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Christ, if your focus is
there, if you participate in the
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storyline of God's covenant
faithfulness, he's saying, you
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will be free and you will
experience liberty, it's not so
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much that obedience is
necessary, it's obedience to the
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law is inevitable in
the light of the gospel.
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--And so, his point is, stand
fast, be careful, not so much to
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do the right thing or to
the letter or to the law, but be
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careful to maintain the
healthiness of how you're
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relating to God.
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It's basically, so I'm talking
to this girl who's wanting a
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boyfriend, and I'm trying to
discourage her from wanting a
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boyfriend, and I tell her that
guys are terrible, that guys
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will break your heart.
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--And you know this firsthand.
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--I'm telling her that, you
know, look around you, look at
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society, look at the media, and
I'm building this up, and she
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looks at me and she says, so,
how in the world do you and your
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wife work?
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And then she just
caught me off guard.
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And I was like, well, I
just threw myself under the bus.
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But, I said...
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--Here's the answer you
should've given, we have a new
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covenant marriage.
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--Essentially,
that's what I told her.
00:10:00.36\00:10:02.30
I said, I don't have to wake up
in the morning before I leave my
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home and try not
to cheat on my wife.
00:10:04.53\00:10:09.23
I'm not trying not to be
unfaithful to my wife, the
00:10:09.23\00:10:14.90
thought is just not really, I
don't glow in the dark, I'm not
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saying...
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--We know this.
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--We know you
don't glow in the dark.
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--You're in love.
00:10:22.76\00:10:23.76
--Absolutely.
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So, to me, I don't have to
focus, if I can stand fast in
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maintaining a healthy
relationship with my wife, I
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don't have to
worry about this thing.
00:10:34.96\00:10:37.53
So, I think that's what
he's saying, stand fast in that
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beautiful thing you have, don't
get entangled with focusing on
00:10:39.73\00:10:43.66
the right thing.
00:10:43.66\00:10:44.53
Okay, we're in verse 2, right?
00:10:44.53\00:10:46.60
--And we're climbing on verses 2
and 3 and 4 and 5, so we need to
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read.
00:10:47.93\00:10:49.16
--Read straight to verse 6,
Jeffrey, without us interrupting
00:10:49.16\00:10:52.16
you.
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--That'll be interesting.
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--Do it, do it, do it.
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-- Indeed I, Paul, say to you
that if you become circumcised,
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Christ will profit you nothing.
00:11:00.26\00:11:02.70
And I testify again to every man
who becomes circumcised that he
00:11:02.70\00:11:05.80
is a debtor to
keep the whole law.
00:11:05.80\00:11:07.66
You have become estranged from
Christ, you who attempt to be
00:11:07.66\00:11:12.33
justified by law; you
have fallen from grace.
00:11:12.33\00:11:16.23
For we through the Spirit
eagerly wait for the hope of
00:11:16.23\00:11:20.30
righteousness by faith.
00:11:20.30\00:11:21.73
For in Christ Jesus, in Christ
Jesus, neither circumcision nor
00:11:21.73\00:11:25.33
uncircumcision avails anything,
but faith working through love.
00:11:25.33\00:11:30.06
--These are
such powerful verses.
00:11:30.06\00:11:33.56
Look at these verses, the
whole focus of this series is
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encapsulated in verse 5, and
it's done in such a way that it
00:11:36.36\00:11:39.93
so beautiful, for we through the
Spirit eagerly wait for the hope
00:11:39.93\00:11:43.20
of righteousness by faith.
00:11:43.20\00:11:44.96
We see that in the scriptures
we see that as the goal, we see
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that as the gift but we also
recognize when we look in the
00:11:49.93\00:11:53.83
mirror, we recognize how far
short we fall, how far we fall
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short.
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--That's not easy to say.
00:11:59.30\00:12:00.46
--Say that 5 times really fast.
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--And I love this, now, I
like the way the King James says
00:12:01.90\00:12:05.26
verse 4, Christ has become of no
effect to you who are justified
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by the law.
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--The word in the New King James
is estranged, or do you have
00:12:12.46\00:12:16.43
estranged in yours?
00:12:16.43\00:12:17.50
--No, it's estranged.
00:12:17.50\00:12:18.76
--It's estranged in the New King
James Version, and the point is
00:12:18.76\00:12:21.36
powerful, the attempt to be made
right with God through the law
00:12:21.36\00:12:30.20
as your primary medium
of self-rectification and
00:12:30.20\00:12:33.23
correction automatically causes
you to be estranged from Christ.
00:12:33.23\00:12:38.80
--I just had a really
fascinating though on that.
00:12:38.80\00:12:41.40
We all know the passage there in
Matthew chapter 7 where Jesus is
00:12:41.40\00:12:45.73
bringing the Sermon on the Mount
to the close, he says, many will
00:12:45.73\00:12:48.26
say to me in that day,
Lord, Lord, didn't we do this?
00:12:48.26\00:12:50.06
And we did this, and we did
this, and we did this, and then
00:12:50.06\00:12:52.36
he says, depart from
me, I don't know you.
00:12:52.36\00:12:54.33
We could say,
you're a stranger to me.
00:12:54.33\00:12:56.83
So, here, it's very
interesting that he says...
00:12:56.83\00:12:59.16
--But they're religious.
00:12:59.16\00:13:00.40
--Well, he's describing
here people that are religious.
00:13:00.40\00:13:02.50
Circumcision is a religious act.
00:13:02.50\00:13:05.16
--Okay, let's stop the meeting
while I take some notes here.
00:13:05.16\00:13:06.90
--Isn't that kind
of a fascinating idea?
00:13:06.90\00:13:08.50
--They're doers.
00:13:08.50\00:13:09.60
Doing, didn't we do this,
that, and the other thing?
00:13:09.60\00:13:12.56
--There's something I have
to, have to, have to say, you go
00:13:12.56\00:13:14.86
ahead first.
00:13:14.86\00:13:16.00
--I do, too, and that is
this, it's really interesting.
00:13:16.00\00:13:17.30
These people are workers
of iniquity, which we can look
00:13:17.30\00:13:20.40
through the bible, we can define
that as people who didn't keep
00:13:20.40\00:13:22.63
the law of God, but at the same
time they are presenting their
00:13:22.63\00:13:27.36
other works of casting out
devils as the reason why they
00:13:27.36\00:13:31.43
should be
entrance into the kingdom.
00:13:31.43\00:13:33.26
They're legalists.
00:13:33.26\00:13:34.16
--That's the point.
00:13:34.16\00:13:35.60
--Even outside of law
keeping, they're legalists.
00:13:35.60\00:13:38.10
--When Paul describes what he
calls here the yoke of bondage,
00:13:38.10\00:13:40.90
especially in the context of
not only Galatians, but all of
00:13:40.90\00:13:43.60
Paul's writings.
00:13:43.60\00:13:44.96
We need to make a very important
point, we had our last program
00:13:44.96\00:13:48.03
on the new covenant, and that
is that the new covenant and the
00:13:48.03\00:13:51.56
old covenant is not
primarily a chronological point.
00:13:51.56\00:13:56.23
It's not, well that was the
1987 model, and this is the 1988
00:13:56.23\00:14:00.16
model, that's
older, this is newer.
00:14:00.16\00:14:03.06
The old covenant, in a sense,
was older, but it's interesting,
00:14:03.06\00:14:06.36
the first covenant that God
made with the archetypal, the
00:14:06.36\00:14:09.76
archetypal covenant was made
with Abraham, but that's the
00:14:09.76\00:14:12.40
oldest covenant in this sense,
and yet, Abraham had a new
00:14:12.40\00:14:15.86
covenant experience
because he believed God.
00:14:15.86\00:14:19.96
--David, your point
is right in Galatians 4.
00:14:19.96\00:14:22.93
Right in Galatian 4, the outline
of the new and the old covenant
00:14:22.93\00:14:28.23
comes from the same person.
00:14:28.23\00:14:30.10
It's not New Testament, Old
Testament, it's Abraham with
00:14:30.10\00:14:33.43
Hagar and Abraham with Sarah.
00:14:33.43\00:14:35.73
--So, let's just say
the obvious thing here.
00:14:35.73\00:14:37.56
People in the Old Testament,
like Abraham, Moses, and others,
00:14:37.56\00:14:40.46
could have a new
covenant experience.
00:14:40.46\00:14:42.30
Of course, the new covenant text
is right out of Jeremiah, which
00:14:42.30\00:14:44.23
is in the Old Testament, but
it's also true that people in
00:14:44.23\00:14:47.36
the New Testament time,
when Paul is writing about these
00:14:47.36\00:14:50.66
people, can have an
old covenant experience.
00:14:50.66\00:14:53.20
--In our very time.
00:14:53.20\00:14:55.03
--2014.
00:14:55.03\00:14:56.16
--In fact, it's entirely
possible and highly likely that
00:14:56.16\00:15:00.80
every one of us have experienced
both an old covenant experience,
00:15:00.80\00:15:07.40
orientation, and a
new covenant orientation.
00:15:07.40\00:15:12.10
And you can literally fluctuate
between the two in a single day.
00:15:12.10\00:15:14.00
[Laughter]
00:15:14.00\00:15:16.53
--In a single conversation.
00:15:16.53\00:15:18.66
--I don't wanna jump too
far ahead, but I think that it's
00:15:18.66\00:15:20.83
important for us to understand,
for our viewers, those who are
00:15:20.83\00:15:24.96
listening in, that there is a
way, again, to identify, one way
00:15:24.96\00:15:29.53
you can identify which covenant
you're under, which is actually
00:15:29.53\00:15:32.70
going to be the central focus
of the verses we're yet to read,
00:15:32.70\00:15:35.93
but going back to chapter 4 of
Galatians, verse 29, when Paul
00:15:35.93\00:15:39.70
outlines these 2 covenants,
these 2 ways of relating to God
00:15:39.70\00:15:43.66
and thinking about God.
00:15:43.66\00:15:44.93
He summarizes the way that we
identify the difference between
00:15:44.93\00:15:48.66
the 2, in verse 29 where he
says, but as then, he that was
00:15:48.66\00:15:53.13
born after the flesh persecuted
him that was born after the
00:15:53.13\00:15:56.13
spirit, even so it is now.
00:15:56.13\00:15:58.00
Those who are under old
covenant were persecuting.
00:15:58.00\00:16:01.50
Luke 18, verse 9, despise,
persecute, look down upon.
00:16:01.50\00:16:07.56
We can know if we're under
new covenant because we have a
00:16:07.56\00:16:09.73
completely different attitude
toward people, we don't see them
00:16:09.73\00:16:13.26
according to the flesh and
toward God, and old covenant we
00:16:13.26\00:16:15.80
persecute and look down on.
00:16:15.80\00:16:17.60
--James, you used
the word legalism.
00:16:17.60\00:16:21.06
That's a word that gets
thrown around quite a bit.
00:16:21.06\00:16:23.73
I wanna just say a
couple of things about legalism.
00:16:23.73\00:16:26.66
First of all, legalism is not
the same as heartfelt obedience.
00:16:26.66\00:16:33.10
So, obedience and legalism
are not one in the same thing,
00:16:33.10\00:16:37.90
right?
00:16:37.90\00:16:38.76
And Paul's
gonna make that clear.
00:16:38.76\00:16:39.83
But I wanna say
something else about legalism.
00:16:39.83\00:16:41.10
Legalism is, again, an
orientation toward God and
00:16:41.10\00:16:46.06
salvation that is self-centered
rather than Christ-centered
00:16:46.06\00:16:50.26
because people tend to
very simplistically think that
00:16:50.26\00:16:54.60
legalism only occurs on
the conservative end of the
00:16:54.60\00:16:57.73
spectrum, on the conservative
end of the religious spectrum.
00:16:57.73\00:17:00.80
The fact is, that it's a
framework, it's a frame of mind,
00:17:00.80\00:17:04.43
and there is liberal legalism,
and there is conservative
00:17:04.43\00:17:08.33
legalism.
00:17:08.33\00:17:09.53
There is what we might call
short list legalism and long
00:17:09.53\00:17:12.16
list legalism.
00:17:12.16\00:17:14.16
But in character and
quality, it is legalism.
00:17:14.16\00:17:17.00
It's the same stuff,
because it's a particular way of
00:17:17.00\00:17:20.26
attempting to relate to God
through law rather than through
00:17:20.26\00:17:24.53
Christ.
00:17:24.53\00:17:25.83
--Can I ask a question here
of the group, what is, for the
00:17:25.83\00:17:31.06
benefit not only of us here at
the table, but for our viewers,
00:17:31.06\00:17:33.20
what is, in verse 5, the
hope of righteousness by faith?
00:17:33.20\00:17:36.86
--That's so powerful.
00:17:36.86\00:17:38.16
--And I have my own thinking on
that, but I think we should just
00:17:38.16\00:17:41.03
address that phrase.
00:17:41.03\00:17:43.03
--I can tell you that the
parallel passage, because Paul
00:17:43.03\00:17:45.03
has written many New Testament
epistles is chapter 5 of Romans,
00:17:45.03\00:17:49.03
and you could hold your hand
there and just go over to Romans
00:17:49.03\00:17:51.10
5, and I'll just read it really
quickly, he says, Therefore,
00:17:51.10\00:17:54.20
having been justified by faith,
verse 1, we have peace with God
00:17:54.20\00:17:57.90
through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom also we have access
00:17:57.90\00:18:01.30
by faith into this grace in
which we stand, and rejoice...
00:18:01.30\00:18:04.96
--There's the word stand.
00:18:04.96\00:18:06.13
--Yeah, stand and rejoice
in hope of the glory of God.
00:18:06.13\00:18:10.00
It's the same basic idea.
00:18:10.00\00:18:12.30
--And then he describes
the process or the sequence.
00:18:12.30\00:18:13.73
--One more verse, I think it's
really clear, and that's Romans
00:18:13.73\00:18:16.30
8 verse 24, and I think
the verse you shared is really
00:18:16.30\00:18:18.43
clear, but here's one
more verse that I really love.
00:18:18.43\00:18:20.23
For we are saved, we're talking
about salvation here, by hope,
00:18:20.23\00:18:24.40
but hope that is seen is not
hope; for what a man sees, why
00:18:24.40\00:18:28.33
does he yet hope for it?
00:18:28.33\00:18:29.63
In other words, when I look
in the mirror, when I look at my
00:18:29.63\00:18:32.46
life, when I look at
myself at the end of the day...
00:18:32.46\00:18:34.83
--You're looking
good, by the way.
00:18:34.83\00:18:36.06
--Physically, thank you.
00:18:36.06\00:18:37.60
--The facial
hair goes over good.
00:18:37.60\00:18:40.40
--We're distracting him.
00:18:40.40\00:18:43.10
--There's a lot of things that I
see at the end of the day that I
00:18:43.10\00:18:46.36
don't like, that are not
righteousness by faith, that are
00:18:46.36\00:18:49.83
not the fruit of
salvation in Jesus Christ.
00:18:49.83\00:18:52.90
So, I don't see it, but I
hope for it, I'm waiting and I'm
00:18:52.90\00:18:56.23
longing for that, I'm
not giving up on that.
00:18:56.23\00:18:57.90
I'm not lowering that standard,
I'm not going to compromise the
00:18:57.90\00:19:01.93
standard of righteousness that
God has given to me as a gift
00:19:01.93\00:19:05.46
just because I fall short of it.
00:19:05.46\00:19:08.26
I hope for it, I wait for it,
and I know that my salvation, my
00:19:08.26\00:19:11.70
title and my fitness for heaven
are found in the righteousness
00:19:11.70\00:19:14.90
of Jesus Christ.
00:19:14.90\00:19:16.16
--I think Paul is describing,
along the lines of what you're
00:19:16.16\00:19:18.26
saying, David's question, I
think that he is describing an
00:19:18.26\00:19:23.46
ongoing process.
00:19:23.46\00:19:24.83
The believer is in a state of
constant eager anticipation of
00:19:24.83\00:19:30.36
righteousness by faith,
experientially, and in verse 6,
00:19:30.36\00:19:35.03
he describes what that process
looks like in action when he
00:19:35.03\00:19:39.26
says, for in Jesus Christ,
neither circumcision avails
00:19:39.26\00:19:42.20
anything nor uncircumcision,
but faith working or faith that
00:19:42.20\00:19:46.13
works by love.
00:19:46.13\00:19:47.93
So, here, just bringing verses 5
and 6 together, he says, what we
00:19:47.93\00:19:51.86
as believers are really hoping
for, eagerly, is righteousness
00:19:51.86\00:19:55.86
by faith, and then he
says, and faith works by love.
00:19:55.86\00:20:00.66
And the word works
there is energeo in the Greek.
00:20:00.66\00:20:04.20
Energy, it's the same, we could
read the verse like this, we
00:20:04.20\00:20:08.10
believe, we hope for
righteousness by faith and
00:20:08.10\00:20:11.33
faith, Paul qualifies,
is energized by love, it's
00:20:11.33\00:20:15.90
activated, it's empowered, it's
brought into action and motion
00:20:15.90\00:20:23.00
by vital
contact with God's love.
00:20:23.00\00:20:24.80
God's love is
the actuating force.
00:20:24.80\00:20:27.76
God's love is the vital energy
that causes our faith to wake up
00:20:27.76\00:20:33.13
to action, because Paul has this
idea that every human being has
00:20:33.13\00:20:37.93
been given a measure of faith.
00:20:37.93\00:20:39.96
It's like a sleeping giant
of possibility right there as a
00:20:39.96\00:20:44.13
gift from God initially.
00:20:44.13\00:20:45.80
--I like that language.
00:20:45.80\00:20:47.03
--We all have faith before
we come into contact with God's
00:20:47.03\00:20:51.10
love in a
dormant state, let's say.
00:20:51.10\00:20:53.26
--Hibernating.
00:20:53.26\00:20:54.00
--Hibernating.
00:20:54.00\00:20:55.13
But then, God's love comes
to us, we see that love, we
00:20:55.13\00:20:59.60
perceive God's love, his
covenantal faithfulness toward
00:20:59.60\00:21:02.93
us, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us.
00:21:02.93\00:21:06.46
And the kiss of God's love wakes
up to action the faith that then
00:21:06.46\00:21:13.26
eagerly hopes for, pursues,
and engages in the process of
00:21:13.26\00:21:17.20
righteousness.
00:21:17.20\00:21:18.36
--I love it.
00:21:18.36\00:21:19.20
I think about
Philippians 3:12, too.
00:21:19.20\00:21:23.73
--Some sleeping
beauty analogy there.
00:21:23.73\00:21:25.86
--The bible says that in Christ,
what is it, mercy and truth
00:21:26.86\00:21:30.06
kiss.
00:21:30.06\00:21:31.13
--I liked it.
00:21:31.13\00:21:31.83
I'll take it.
00:21:31.83\00:21:32.96
--Paul's just giving a record
of his entire history, his
00:21:32.96\00:21:36.83
religious history, I'm a tribe
of the Benjamin, and then he
00:21:36.83\00:21:39.93
says this, not as though I had
already attained, neither were
00:21:39.93\00:21:43.83
already perfect, but I follow
after if that I may apprehend
00:21:43.83\00:21:48.36
that.
00:21:48.36\00:21:49.63
Brethren, I count not myself,
verse 13, to have apprehended,
00:21:49.63\00:21:51.70
but forget but this one
thing I do, this one thing.
00:21:51.70\00:21:55.30
What does he do?
00:21:55.30\00:21:56.86
What things?
00:21:56.86\00:21:58.10
--The past.
00:21:58.10\00:21:59.90
--What past?
00:21:59.90\00:22:00.73
What kind of past.
00:22:00.73\00:22:02.10
--All past,
everything that you've done.
00:22:02.10\00:22:03.63
--But, specifically,
in the context, what past?
00:22:03.63\00:22:04.90
Because we always think about,
we always think about, in this
00:22:04.90\00:22:08.20
context, what kind of past do we
think about when we say, I wanna
00:22:08.20\00:22:10.63
forget those things.
00:22:10.63\00:22:11.66
What do we think about?
00:22:11.66\00:22:12.83
--His efforts to attain
righteousness through the law.
00:22:12.83\00:22:15.86
--He is forgetting the things
that were damaging, which were
00:22:15.86\00:22:19.16
his attainments.
00:22:19.16\00:22:21.10
Now, this is the key, I think,
to righteousness by faith versus
00:22:21.10\00:22:23.83
legalism.
00:22:23.83\00:22:25.06
Legalism does not wanna forget
attainments, and that's the
00:22:25.06\00:22:28.20
greatest competition.
00:22:28.20\00:22:29.66
I remember, when I first came
to Jesus, nothing in my hand I
00:22:29.66\00:22:34.50
bring, simply to
thy cross I cling.
00:22:34.50\00:22:36.73
And I'm telling you what, you
know what first love experience
00:22:36.73\00:22:39.10
is like because you give
him nothing and he gives you
00:22:39.10\00:22:41.93
everything.
00:22:41.93\00:22:43.50
But after a week of being
a Christian, after a month of
00:22:43.50\00:22:45.73
being a Christian, after
a year of being a Christian.
00:22:45.73\00:22:47.46
--You were a legalist,
I remember, automatically.
00:22:47.46\00:22:49.10
--And I was attracted to
other legalists, and together we
00:22:49.10\00:22:54.13
formed a little
hub of legalists.
00:22:54.13\00:22:56.60
Now, but here's the point, it
becomes more difficult to forget
00:22:56.60\00:23:03.60
those things
which we've attained.
00:23:03.60\00:23:05.53
I've been doing this
and this and this and this.
00:23:05.53\00:23:07.60
Paul here is talking about how
that damaged his experience, and
00:23:07.60\00:23:11.53
he says, you know what,
righteousness by faith forgets
00:23:11.53\00:23:13.90
those things which you've
attained to and we press toward
00:23:13.90\00:23:16.96
the mark, and as we see Jesus,
we see a fuller, I wanna say
00:23:16.96\00:23:22.63
standard, a higher standard
than simply the checklist.
00:23:22.63\00:23:26.40
And that's what I believe.
00:23:26.40\00:23:28.33
And so, Paul
sees more of Christ.
00:23:28.33\00:23:29.46
He says, you know what,
I'm waiting in hope for that
00:23:29.46\00:23:32.50
experience, because I know in
me there's no good thing, and at
00:23:32.50\00:23:35.26
the end of his life in a prison
in Rome, he writes to Timothy
00:23:35.26\00:23:38.00
and he says, you know
what, I am the chief of sinners.
00:23:38.00\00:23:42.20
--While you're expounding grace,
I don't want to be, but I'm the
00:23:42.20\00:23:44.96
law, I have to say we take a
break because there's a clock
00:23:44.96\00:23:48.96
that we're watching
so, a little bit of law.
00:23:48.96\00:23:52.33
Pause and we'll come right back
and continue expounding grace.
00:23:52.33\00:23:55.60
[Music]
00:23:56.43\00:23:59.26
--This is the story of Niyima,
who took a bus to the doctor and
00:23:59.26\00:24:03.76
found a piece of paper with
words of hope about Jesus, which
00:24:03.76\00:24:08.60
was left by a church member who
unpacked a box that came from a
00:24:08.60\00:24:13.16
truck which drove in from Durban
where a ship was docked that
00:24:13.16\00:24:17.66
sailed from Seattle, loaded with
containers stacked high with
00:24:17.66\00:24:22.46
millions of tracts, trucked
in from the Light Bearers
00:24:22.46\00:24:26.00
Publishing House, where
more than 600 million pieces of
00:24:26.00\00:24:29.83
gospel literature have
been printed in 42 languages.
00:24:29.83\00:24:34.53
Here's the amazing thing,
Light Bearers distributes this
00:24:34.53\00:24:38.03
literature free of charge all
over the world, and each piece
00:24:38.03\00:24:42.60
costs only 5 pennies to
print, transport, and deliver.
00:24:42.60\00:24:47.80
Every day, millions of people
buy a $5 cup of coffee, $5 a
00:24:47.80\00:24:53.66
cup, 5 days a week.
00:24:53.66\00:24:56.80
It adds up fast.
00:24:56.80\00:24:58.83
But at just 5 cents apiece,
that same $25 can also ship 500
00:24:58.83\00:25:04.03
pieces of literature and give
hope to people like Niyima, who
00:25:04.03\00:25:11.33
shared that paper with a
classmate, who gave it to her
00:25:11.33\00:25:14.33
cousin, who shared it with
his boss, who passed it to her
00:25:14.33\00:25:18.63
grandmother, who left it on
another bus, where it will be
00:25:18.63\00:25:23.46
found by someone else.
00:25:23.46\00:25:25.53
And the story continues.
00:25:25.53\00:25:28.43
Five cents doesn't buy a lot
these days, but in other parts
00:25:28.43\00:25:33.36
of the world, your nickel
could change someone's life.
00:25:33.36\00:25:36.63
Your gift of $25 a month
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Who knew 5 little
pennies could do so much?
00:26:07.80\00:26:11.43
[Music]
00:26:12.20\00:26:18.53
--Working our way through
Galatians 5, we've come to verse
00:26:18.53\00:26:21.10
7, Jeffery's our reader.
00:26:21.10\00:26:23.00
--How far you want me to read?
00:26:23.00\00:26:25.83
--I think you can go all
the way to verse 15 this time.
00:26:25.83\00:26:26.86
--You think so?
00:26:26.86\00:26:27.83
--We won't stop
you, do it, 7-15.
00:26:27.83\00:26:30.86
--If the spirit
stops me, that's okay.
00:26:30.86\00:26:32.50
--I think we should stop in
verse 14, that's a good stopping
00:26:32.50\00:26:34.46
point.
00:26:34.46\00:26:36.26
--Yeah, that's a
good point, stop at 14.
00:26:36.26\00:26:38.53
--Verse 7, you ran well.
00:26:38.53\00:26:41.43
Who hindered you
from obeying the truth?
00:26:41.43\00:26:44.53
This persuasion does not
come from Him who calls you.
00:26:44.53\00:26:48.33
A little leaven
leavens the whole lump.
00:26:48.33\00:26:51.30
I have confidence in you, in
the Lord, that you will have no
00:26:51.30\00:26:54.53
other mind, but he who troubles
you shall bear his judgment,
00:26:54.53\00:26:58.86
whoever he is.
00:26:58.86\00:26:59.90
I love that.
00:26:59.90\00:27:01.90
And I, brethren, if I still
preach circumcision, why do I
00:27:01.90\00:27:05.76
still suffer persecution?
00:27:05.76\00:27:08.30
Then the offense of
the cross has ceased.
00:27:08.30\00:27:11.90
I could wish that those
who trouble you would even cut
00:27:11.90\00:27:14.73
themselves off.
00:27:14.73\00:27:16.26
--Mercy.
00:27:16.26\00:27:17.53
--For you, brethren, have been
called to liberty, only do not
00:27:17.53\00:27:22.43
use liberty as an opportunity
for the flesh, but through love
00:27:22.43\00:27:26.63
serve one another.
00:27:26.63\00:27:28.90
For all the law is fulfilled
in one word, even in this, you
00:27:28.90\00:27:31.63
shall love your
neighbor as yourself.
00:27:31.63\00:27:35.10
--We're stopping right
there, but the next word is but.
00:27:35.10\00:27:38.30
--But if you bite and devour
one another, beware lest you be
00:27:38.30\00:27:42.06
consumed by one another.
00:27:42.06\00:27:43.80
--That's the vital contrast, but
anyway, going back to verse 7,
00:27:43.80\00:27:47.00
there's a lot here.
00:27:47.00\00:27:48.56
--There's a whole lot
here, and we can say, safely...
00:27:48.56\00:27:51.20
--He was flexing
his muscles there.
00:27:51.20\00:27:52.70
--Well, verse 12 is brutal.
00:27:52.70\00:27:55.46
--Paul is not a wimp.
00:27:55.46\00:27:57.03
--Verse 12 is one of the most
brutal passages, I don't know if
00:27:57.03\00:28:01.56
brutal is the word, but that's
some straight talk, because I
00:28:01.56\00:28:03.96
don't know if everybody in the
conversation is catching it, but
00:28:03.96\00:28:07.33
he's saying
something strong here.
00:28:07.33\00:28:09.20
--What he's saying is, is if
they're so sold on circumcision
00:28:09.20\00:28:16.23
and they're trying to persuade
you that that's the way to be in
00:28:16.23\00:28:18.70
a right relationship with
God, the next time they're
00:28:18.70\00:28:20.36
circumcising, say, themself,
I hope the knife slips, is
00:28:20.36\00:28:25.36
basically what he's saying,
he's saying, they mutilate
00:28:25.36\00:28:27.33
themselves.
00:28:27.33\00:28:28.46
This is strong
language, basically.
00:28:28.46\00:28:30.60
But he's not saying this for
any vengeful purpose or anything
00:28:30.60\00:28:33.60
like, but he is
deeply concerned.
00:28:33.60\00:28:35.76
He's like, look, if anybody's
preaching another gospel to you,
00:28:35.76\00:28:39.66
even an angel or anybody
preaches another gospel to you
00:28:39.66\00:28:44.13
than the gospel that you've
heard, which is the life, death,
00:28:44.13\00:28:45.96
and resurrection of Jesus,
he's like, may they be cursed.
00:28:45.96\00:28:49.96
--Which is actually
stronger than the circumcision.
00:28:49.96\00:28:52.76
--I got the phrase that cut off
is, yeah, it's a curse, is like,
00:28:52.76\00:28:55.90
cut off like lost.
00:28:55.90\00:28:57.46
--It literally means mutilated.
00:28:57.46\00:28:59.83
--The context here is he's
talking about circumcision and
00:28:59.83\00:29:02.80
he's, yeah.
00:29:02.80\00:29:04.20
--The margin of the reference...
00:29:04.20\00:29:06.86
--You were about to say,
we don't have to dwell on that
00:29:06.86\00:29:10.13
point.
00:29:10.13\00:29:11.13
--It's a physical
thing, not a spiritual thing.
00:29:11.13\00:29:12.43
--Well, obviously, it had
spiritual implications, but he's
00:29:12.43\00:29:14.50
basically speaking as a man
here, I mean, he's just kinda
00:29:14.50\00:29:18.36
fired up.
00:29:18.36\00:29:19.23
You see this in
the Psalms with David.
00:29:19.23\00:29:21.56
You know, David will say,
may the evildoers be eaten by
00:29:21.56\00:29:23.96
jackals or whatever it might be.
00:29:23.96\00:29:25.56
And you know, for us, for those
of us that have the teddy bear
00:29:25.56\00:29:29.23
view of God and all is, that's
not a biblical view of God.
00:29:29.23\00:29:32.63
God is angry at sin.
00:29:32.63\00:29:34.46
He's not angry at sinners.
00:29:34.46\00:29:35.90
--Let's open this up just a
little bit more, because I like
00:29:35.90\00:29:38.20
the way that you
brought in David.
00:29:38.20\00:29:39.66
David did say that, in fact,
he specifically said that about
00:29:39.66\00:29:42.30
Saul, at times when Saul was
chasing and trying to kill him,
00:29:42.30\00:29:46.40
but when he encountered Saul, it
was a little bit different, but
00:29:46.40\00:29:49.83
the point I'm
making here is this.
00:29:49.83\00:29:52.13
I think that Paul is qualified
to say this, I want our viewers
00:29:52.13\00:29:54.66
to understand, I want us
to look at this a little bit.
00:29:54.66\00:29:56.73
I think he qualifies himself
in saying this, not because he's
00:29:56.73\00:29:59.13
being mean and anti-Christian,
which sometimes, a fundamental
00:29:59.13\00:30:03.10
aspect, I mean a fundamentalist
approach and perspective of
00:30:03.10\00:30:08.06
Christians, the way that we're
viewed and the way that we come
00:30:08.06\00:30:10.43
across is, yeah, we wish you
just were cursed, but the idea
00:30:10.43\00:30:13.46
that you get in the context
for example of Romans 9 is where
00:30:13.46\00:30:17.73
Paul says, I have great
heaviness and continual sorrow
00:30:17.73\00:30:21.20
in my heart for I could wish
that myself were accursed from
00:30:21.20\00:30:24.70
Christ, for my kinsmen, and my
breath according to the flesh.
00:30:24.70\00:30:28.33
In other words, the only way
that Paul, I think, qualifies
00:30:28.33\00:30:31.46
himself to be able to say this
in Christian grace is that he
00:30:31.46\00:30:35.86
has a love that
would sacrifice himself.
00:30:35.86\00:30:39.36
Jesus was the same way.
00:30:39.36\00:30:40.73
Jesus could say very hard
things, Steven could say very
00:30:40.73\00:30:44.33
hard things, Paul can say very
hard things to the Jews who want
00:30:44.33\00:30:49.03
these guys to be in the
bondage of circumcision, etc.
00:30:49.03\00:30:52.53
--Not all Jews, but these ones.
00:30:52.53\00:30:53.86
--Because he was
willing to die for them.
00:30:53.86\00:30:56.66
I think he was
qualified in that sense.
00:30:56.66\00:30:58.50
--It's implicit in the actual
text, too, verse 13 at the end,
00:30:58.50\00:31:02.26
serve through love, serve one
another, verse 15, don't bite
00:31:02.26\00:31:06.70
and devour one another, so
he's obviously not setting a...
00:31:06.70\00:31:10.00
--I might be stepping out on
a limb, I think everything that
00:31:10.00\00:31:12.60
James said is true and I think
that's Paul's heart, but I think
00:31:12.60\00:31:15.53
Paul is also a real
person, a real man who has been
00:31:15.53\00:31:20.86
shepherding this flock and
he sees them threatened and he's
00:31:20.86\00:31:25.33
very protective and I don't
think he is wishing that anybody
00:31:25.33\00:31:29.10
be eternally lost, and I think
that he's speaking, he's doing
00:31:29.10\00:31:33.26
what we often do, people do,
he's speaking with exaggeration
00:31:33.26\00:31:38.23
for effect.
00:31:38.23\00:31:39.43
He's not going after anybody
with a knife, he's basically
00:31:39.43\00:31:43.13
just saying, in this way, I feel
very strongly about this that
00:31:43.13\00:31:46.36
this whole orientation of
approaching God through the law
00:31:46.36\00:31:51.90
is very damaging and I feel so
strong about it and I think it's
00:31:51.90\00:31:55.36
just that simple.
00:31:55.36\00:31:56.66
But I think that everything
you said, that's his heart.
00:31:56.66\00:31:59.83
--To transition away from that,
to go to verse 13, for me, the
00:31:59.83\00:32:02.33
entire book of Galatians is
summarized in that one verse.
00:32:02.33\00:32:05.73
--Really?
00:32:05.73\00:32:06.60
The whole book?
00:32:06.60\00:32:07.60
--The whole book is 5:13.
00:32:07.60\00:32:08.63
For, you brethren,
have been called to liberty.
00:32:08.63\00:32:11.06
That's what Christ has called us
to, only do not use that liberty
00:32:11.06\00:32:15.13
as an opportunity for the flesh,
but through love, serve one
00:32:15.13\00:32:19.13
another.
00:32:19.13\00:32:20.36
That takes us all the way back
to the Garden of Eden if you
00:32:20.36\00:32:21.66
wanted to go back that far.
00:32:21.66\00:32:22.93
God could've easily said to Adam
and Eve, children, you have been
00:32:22.93\00:32:25.93
called to liberty.
00:32:25.93\00:32:27.20
Only, don't use this liberty
as an opportunity for the flesh.
00:32:27.20\00:32:31.13
For the things that I'm
actually steering you from.
00:32:31.13\00:32:34.06
But, through love, Adam, Eve,
and your descendants that are to
00:32:34.06\00:32:37.00
come, serve one another.
00:32:37.00\00:32:38.40
Here, in the gospel context,
he's basically saying, if Christ
00:32:38.40\00:32:42.06
has made you free, you will be
free indeed, but freedom is not
00:32:42.06\00:32:46.80
a freedom to disobey.
00:32:46.80\00:32:48.86
This goes back to the question
you were asking in our last
00:32:48.86\00:32:50.53
presentation.
00:32:50.53\00:32:51.76
What would the world look like,
what would Christianity look
00:32:51.76\00:32:53.63
like if the law were literally
actually done away with as some
00:32:53.63\00:32:56.86
confusingly maintain?
00:32:56.86\00:32:59.60
It's just absurd.
00:32:59.60\00:33:00.93
It doesn't make any sense, and
Paul's point here is this, yes,
00:33:00.93\00:33:03.50
you're free, not just free
from sin, and not just free from
00:33:03.50\00:33:06.80
death, but you're free to do the
thing that you were created to
00:33:06.80\00:33:10.30
do, that's to love and to serve.
00:33:10.30\00:33:13.00
You're a social being, love.
00:33:13.00\00:33:15.93
--He's making it very clear,
because he's saying, don't use
00:33:15.93\00:33:21.16
your liberty as an
occasion for the flesh.
00:33:21.16\00:33:23.63
In other words, don't take the
grace of God as license to sin,
00:33:23.63\00:33:27.63
it's not.
00:33:27.63\00:33:28.60
It's actually the
exact opposite, isn't it?
00:33:28.60\00:33:31.80
--It's freedom to obey.
00:33:31.80\00:33:33.06
--But you went all the way to
verse 13, can I back up to verse
00:33:33.06\00:33:37.26
7?
00:33:37.26\00:33:38.16
Where Jeffery
began in this segment?
00:33:38.16\00:33:39.63
And that is that Paul uses very
fascinating language here, he
00:33:39.63\00:33:43.36
says, you ran well, who hindered
you from obeying the truth?
00:33:43.36\00:33:48.53
I wanna make a point because
Paul, in other places, speaks of
00:33:48.53\00:33:52.86
obedience to the
gospel or obeying the gospel.
00:33:52.86\00:33:57.53
How do you obey truth?
00:33:57.53\00:34:00.56
How do you obey the gospel?
00:34:00.56\00:34:02.83
He's, later on, in verse 10,
saying that he is hoping that we
00:34:02.83\00:34:07.40
will be of the same mind and
he speaks in verse 11 about the
00:34:07.40\00:34:11.56
offense of the cross.
00:34:11.56\00:34:14.50
So, it's not an obedience that
is merely an outward obedience
00:34:14.50\00:34:20.36
that is rendered to the letter
of the law that he's concerned
00:34:20.36\00:34:23.46
with, it's an inward
obedience of theology.
00:34:23.46\00:34:26.26
It's an
obedience of orientation.
00:34:26.26\00:34:29.56
It's an obedience of mind, yeah,
think this way about God and
00:34:29.56\00:34:35.00
Christ and salvation and
yourself and the relation
00:34:35.00\00:34:37.30
between the two.
00:34:37.30\00:34:38.30
The gospel can be
obeyed in the way we think.
00:34:38.30\00:34:42.30
The truth can be obeyed.
00:34:42.30\00:34:43.40
--And disobeyed
in the way we think.
00:34:43.40\00:34:45.96
--And there's another passage
where Paul actually talks about
00:34:45.96\00:34:48.46
that he prays that every thought
would be brought into captivity
00:34:48.46\00:34:53.93
to the obedience of Christ.
00:34:53.93\00:34:55.86
Where is it?
00:34:55.86\00:34:56.50
--2 Corinthians 10.
00:34:56.50\00:34:57.73
--Yeah, so, thoughts can be
brought into obedience and he,
00:34:57.73\00:35:00.73
in that same context, talks
about the fact that there are
00:35:00.73\00:35:04.16
those who are coming up with
arguments against the gospel.
00:35:04.16\00:35:09.40
--That exalt themselves against
the good news of the gospel of
00:35:09.40\00:35:12.13
Christ.
00:35:12.13\00:35:12.96
--So, this is powerful.
00:35:12.96\00:35:14.56
Obedience to the gospel produces
the only kind of obedience to
00:35:14.56\00:35:17.53
the law that's worth anything.
00:35:17.53\00:35:19.60
--And you were saying that it's
theological obedience in your
00:35:19.60\00:35:22.80
mind and obviously, the reason
that's such a great concern is
00:35:22.80\00:35:26.63
because what you think in your
head will manifest itself in
00:35:26.63\00:35:30.90
life, and that's what
he's dealing with here.
00:35:30.90\00:35:33.03
Because you're of this mindset,
now I have to deal with all your
00:35:33.03\00:35:36.30
bitterness and all your, you
know, consuming and devouring
00:35:36.30\00:35:39.26
one another, it's
because of the way they think.
00:35:39.26\00:35:41.90
--He's going to spell that out.
00:35:41.90\00:35:43.56
--Maybe, in fact, we should just
read, if we're done with that,
00:35:43.56\00:35:45.66
because he's going to spell out
expressly those things that end
00:35:45.66\00:35:49.33
up in the fingers and the toes
and the mouths of people who are
00:35:49.33\00:35:52.50
thinking wrong.
00:35:52.50\00:35:53.66
--You mean beyond verse 16?
00:35:53.66\00:35:55.33
What about...
00:35:55.33\00:35:56.46
--No, just starting in verse 16.
00:35:56.46\00:35:57.76
--Well, we should comment,
though, on, this is pretty
00:35:57.76\00:36:00.50
amazing here in
verses 14 and 15.
00:36:00.50\00:36:03.26
--Yeah, go ahead, yeah.
00:36:03.26\00:36:04.73
--I mean, here, Paul is
basically saying that the whole
00:36:04.73\00:36:08.90
law, verse 14, is summarized
in a single idea and that is to
00:36:08.90\00:36:14.60
love your neighbor as yourself
and he says that if you don't
00:36:14.60\00:36:17.80
have this kind of relationship
with God that is grounded in
00:36:17.80\00:36:21.16
love and an obedience that is
basically love, he says, you're
00:36:21.16\00:36:25.03
going to bite and devour one
another and, as a result, you're
00:36:25.03\00:36:30.33
gonna consume one another.
00:36:30.33\00:36:31.70
Not literally with our teeth,
but with our words and our
00:36:31.70\00:36:34.60
attitudes.
00:36:34.60\00:36:35.86
Have you ever been in a social
circle, have you ever been in a
00:36:35.86\00:36:38.13
community, have you
ever been in a church?
00:36:38.13\00:36:41.23
Have you ever been in any
kind of spiritual setting where
00:36:41.23\00:36:43.60
people are biting and devouring
one another kind of a spiritual
00:36:43.60\00:36:47.06
or religious cannibalism.
00:36:47.06\00:36:49.23
--Those very words you just
said, this is a bit of a theme
00:36:49.23\00:36:52.43
in Paul in Romans 13, he
says, to love one another is to
00:36:52.43\00:36:57.76
fulfill the law.
00:36:57.76\00:36:59.03
He lists the commandments, and
then he says, love does no harm,
00:36:59.03\00:37:01.90
verse 10, Romans 13, to a
neighbor, love does no harm to a
00:37:01.90\00:37:05.83
neighbor, therefore, love
is the fulfillment of the law.
00:37:05.83\00:37:08.46
It's a common theme in this.
00:37:08.46\00:37:09.60
--And by the way, that's
an Old Testament truth, an Old
00:37:09.60\00:37:11.56
Testament reality comes
right out of Leviticus 19.
00:37:11.56\00:37:14.16
The whole concept is right
there, but I love this because,
00:37:14.16\00:37:16.70
you asked the question, Ty, have
you ever been in an atmosphere,
00:37:16.70\00:37:20.36
have you ever been in an
environment, and I would have to
00:37:20.36\00:37:22.46
say yes and participated in it.
00:37:22.46\00:37:24.83
And sometimes, in a joking way,
sometimes in a, but then later
00:37:24.83\00:37:28.83
reflecting on it and
thinking, why did I say that?
00:37:28.83\00:37:31.16
Why was I, you know, and many
times I think it is as natural
00:37:31.16\00:37:36.40
for us as breathing.
00:37:36.40\00:37:38.70
I'm not aware of my
breathing, I just do it.
00:37:38.70\00:37:40.60
--Because it's all
about self-preservation.
00:37:40.60\00:37:41.96
--It's self-preservation,
it's, and it's just part of the
00:37:41.96\00:37:44.33
atmosphere, you wanna fit in,
you know, you wanna be part, so
00:37:44.33\00:37:46.63
one person gets started, pretty
soon, you're just taking chunks
00:37:46.63\00:37:50.36
out of it.
00:37:50.36\00:37:51.50
--I have a sermon that I
preached called because of those
00:37:51.50\00:37:53.23
who sat, and in there, I talk
about how peer pressure should
00:37:53.23\00:37:56.73
be called peerless
pressure because there's nothing
00:37:56.73\00:37:59.36
stronger.
00:37:59.36\00:38:00.36
It has no peer.
00:38:00.36\00:38:01.86
It is the strongest pressure
that can be brought to bear upon
00:38:01.86\00:38:04.96
a person because we long
to fit in, we don't like to be
00:38:04.96\00:38:08.43
naturally the one that's
standing out, the one that's by
00:38:08.43\00:38:10.80
himself, the one that's alone.
00:38:10.80\00:38:12.10
So, when the crowd goes this
way, whether it's smoking or
00:38:12.10\00:38:14.00
drinking or gossip, our natural
inclination that has to be
00:38:14.00\00:38:17.86
resisted and it's a difficult
thing to resist, is to fit in,
00:38:17.86\00:38:20.83
we wanna fit in.
00:38:20.83\00:38:22.36
You mentioned that this is a
theme in Paul's writings, you
00:38:22.36\00:38:25.40
mentioned that this is a
theme in the Old Testament.
00:38:25.40\00:38:26.90
Jesus says the exact same thing
in Matthew 7:12, therefore,
00:38:26.90\00:38:31.63
whatever you want men to do to
you, do also to them, and then
00:38:31.63\00:38:35.36
he says, because this
is the law in the prophets.
00:38:35.36\00:38:38.23
Translation,
that's the Old Testament.
00:38:38.23\00:38:40.33
The Old Testament is to do unto
others as you would have them do
00:38:40.33\00:38:44.43
unto you.
00:38:44.43\00:38:45.26
--Contrary to popular opinion.
00:38:45.26\00:38:47.63
--That's right, the more secure
and free I am in Christ, the
00:38:47.63\00:38:52.43
less inclined I am going to be
to bite and devour others with
00:38:52.43\00:38:55.80
criticism and
condemnation and judgment.
00:38:55.80\00:38:58.93
Condemnation dissipates
precisely to the degree that I
00:38:58.93\00:39:04.90
am filled up with a sense
of God's love for me, right?
00:39:04.90\00:39:08.06
And that's the remedy.
00:39:08.06\00:39:10.33
The remedy isn't simply to try
hard never to cute anyone down,
00:39:10.33\00:39:14.16
the remedy is to drink in the
good news of the gospel, right?
00:39:14.16\00:39:17.76
And that's the remedy.
00:39:17.76\00:39:20.33
--I hope that that's
what we've been communicating.
00:39:20.33\00:39:21.90
--I think we have, I
really do think we have.
00:39:21.90\00:39:24.53
The secret to this whole faith
and works equation is not the
00:39:24.53\00:39:29.43
absence of a thing.
00:39:29.43\00:39:31.83
It's not, you're stopping that
and you stopped that and you
00:39:31.83\00:39:33.70
stopped that and you stopped
that and you stopped that.
00:39:33.70\00:39:35.16
That's a part of it, but it's
because of the presence of a
00:39:35.16\00:39:37.90
person.
00:39:37.90\00:39:39.00
And that person is Jesus.
00:39:39.00\00:39:41.03
I loved a couple conversations
ago, they all blur together now,
00:39:41.03\00:39:44.26
you used this great illustration
about how it just takes up the
00:39:44.26\00:39:46.80
space.
00:39:46.80\00:39:47.96
--All the emotional
space, all the mental space.
00:39:47.96\00:39:49.60
--When Jesus is in our hearts,
it just squeezes out like a
00:39:49.60\00:39:53.03
balloon that's filling up a
space, it just squeezes out the
00:39:53.03\00:39:56.03
adjacent, that's what we want.
00:39:56.03\00:39:58.66
We want Christ in us.
00:39:58.66\00:40:00.23
--That's why I love this
title, with this emphasis.
00:40:00.23\00:40:02.30
Faith works by love.
00:40:02.30\00:40:04.86
--We have to take a break, one
more break, we're coming back.
00:40:04.86\00:40:08.26
--For our final
session of the series.
00:40:08.26\00:40:12.26
--That's right.
00:40:12.26\00:40:12.73
[Music]
00:40:12.73\00:40:13.36
--The Light Bearers Story is
a short award-winning video that
00:40:14.63\00:40:18.00
gives an inside look at one of
the boldest and most effective
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missionary ventures of our time.
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You will see how multiple
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are flooding the nations free
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means.
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For your free copy of
the Light Bearers Story, call
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877-585-1111, or write to Light
Bearers, 37457 Jasper Lowell
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Road, Jasper, Oregon 97438.
00:40:41.03\00:40:45.10
Once again, for your free copy
of the Light Bearers Story, call
00:40:45.10\00:40:48.86
877-585-1111 or write to Light
Bearers 37457 Jasper Lowell
00:40:48.86\00:40:56.76
Road, Jasper, Oregon 97438.
00:40:56.76\00:41:00.63
Simply ask for the
Light Bearers Story.
00:41:00.63\00:41:03.40
[Music]
00:41:07.80\00:41:08.43
--We're coming back on verse 16
of Galatians 5, David, why don't
00:41:11.36\00:41:14.26
you take us and just read
through the whole passage to
00:41:14.26\00:41:16.60
verse 26.
00:41:16.60\00:41:17.56
--Sixteen to 26?
00:41:17.56\00:41:18.53
--Yeah.
00:41:18.53\00:41:19.60
--Not too fast, though, please.
00:41:19.60\00:41:20.76
--Okay, so like, medium fast.
00:41:20.76\00:41:22.00
--Half the people you preach
to don't understand what you're
00:41:22.00\00:41:23.73
saying.
00:41:23.73\00:41:24.60
I'm your boy, I
gotta tell you that.
00:41:24.60\00:41:26.50
Go ahead.
00:41:26.50\00:41:27.60
--I'll take it.
00:41:27.60\00:41:28.63
Hey, give me some love.
00:41:28.63\00:41:29.90
I say then: Walk in the Spirit,
and you shall not fulfill the
00:41:29.90\00:41:31.96
lust of the flesh.
00:41:31.96\00:41:33.33
For the flesh lusts against the
Spirit, and the Spirit against
00:41:33.33\00:41:36.43
the flesh; and these are
contrary to one another, so that
00:41:36.43\00:41:39.70
you do not do the
things that you wish.
00:41:39.70\00:41:41.90
But if you are led by the
Spirit, you are not under the
00:41:41.90\00:41:44.06
law.
00:41:44.06\00:41:45.33
Now the works of the flesh are
evident, which are: adultery,
00:41:45.33\00:41:48.23
fornication, uncleanness,
lewdness, idolatry, sorcery,
00:41:48.23\00:41:52.13
hatred, contentions, jealousies,
outbursts of wrath, selfish
00:41:52.13\00:41:56.76
ambitions, dissensions,
heresies, envy, murders,
00:41:56.76\00:42:00.26
drunkenness, revelries, and
the like; of which I tell you
00:42:00.26\00:42:04.26
beforehand, just as I also told
you in time past, that those who
00:42:04.26\00:42:07.30
practice such things will
not inherit the kingdom of God.
00:42:07.30\00:42:10.53
But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
00:42:10.53\00:42:15.76
kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness,
00:42:15.76\00:42:19.33
self-control.
00:42:19.33\00:42:20.70
Against such there is no law.
00:42:20.70\00:42:22.20
And those who are Christ's have
crucified the flesh with its
00:42:22.20\00:42:24.83
passions and desires.
00:42:24.83\00:42:26.36
If we live in the Spirit,
let us also walk in the Spirit.
00:42:26.36\00:42:29.33
Let us not become conceited,
provoking one another, envying
00:42:29.33\00:42:32.20
one another.
00:42:32.20\00:42:33.46
--Powerful.
00:42:33.46\00:42:34.70
--Okay, something jumped out
at me immediately when you said
00:42:34.70\00:42:37.20
your first thing.
00:42:37.20\00:42:38.23
I had underlined
4 words in verse 16.
00:42:38.23\00:42:42.63
--I wonder if
they're the same as mine.
00:42:42.63\00:42:43.76
--If it is, too bad, because...
00:42:43.76\00:42:45.30
--No, I just wanna know
if we're on the same page.
00:42:45.30\00:42:48.16
I know we're on the same page.
00:42:48.16\00:42:49.33
--And you shall not.
00:42:49.33\00:42:51.00
--That's it, that's what I had.
00:42:51.00\00:42:52.26
--So, the powerful thing here,
do you remember, I forget what
00:42:52.26\00:42:55.73
our conversation was, we
were talking about the 10
00:42:55.73\00:42:57.43
commandments and how.
00:42:57.43\00:42:58.96
--Conversation 7, section 2.
00:42:58.96\00:43:01.16
--We were talking about the 10
commandments and how the prelude
00:43:01.16\00:43:04.66
is actually, not even the
prelude, it's part of the code,
00:43:04.66\00:43:08.33
right?
00:43:08.33\00:43:09.53
I am the Lord thy God who
brought you out of the land of
00:43:09.53\00:43:10.93
Egypt.
00:43:10.93\00:43:11.96
So, something God does
now produces something.
00:43:11.96\00:43:15.06
We also spoke about this idea
of prophesying, how the gospel
00:43:15.06\00:43:19.33
prophesies into our souls and
basically creates us into what
00:43:19.33\00:43:24.83
God, remember that whole thing?
00:43:24.83\00:43:26.36
It's right there, right?
00:43:26.36\00:43:27.86
Walk in the spirit, and then try
really hard not to, it says, and
00:43:27.86\00:43:31.40
you shall not.
00:43:31.40\00:43:32.60
So, all the
commandments, somebody said...
00:43:32.60\00:43:36.43
--Are promises.
00:43:36.43\00:43:37.70
--You shall not kill, you shall
not commit adultery, as we were
00:43:37.70\00:43:40.30
mentioning.
00:43:40.30\00:43:41.30
So, that's powerful.
00:43:41.30\00:43:42.50
--And the liberty factor
is there, because in the 10
00:43:42.50\00:43:44.70
commandments, as you just said,
the 10 commandments don't begin
00:43:44.70\00:43:47.00
with thou shalt not have
no other gods before me or you
00:43:47.00\00:43:50.10
shall have no other gods before
me, the 10 commandments begin
00:43:50.10\00:43:52.66
with, I am the Lord your God
who brought you out of the land.
00:43:52.66\00:43:55.63
--I have liberated you.
00:43:55.63\00:43:56.76
--I've set you free, and
this is what freedom looks like.
00:43:56.76\00:43:58.86
--So, stand in the liberty
where with I made you free.
00:43:58.86\00:44:02.23
Paul is almost quoting from that
whole concept of Exodus chapter
00:44:02.23\00:44:06.33
20 verses 1 and 2.
00:44:06.33\00:44:08.90
--You could actually put a
tone to it to make the point.
00:44:08.90\00:44:12.00
Either you hear the law of God
with old covenant ears or you
00:44:12.00\00:44:15.36
hear the law of God
with new covenant ears.
00:44:15.36\00:44:17.76
You hear the law of God saying
thou shalt not, you had better
00:44:17.76\00:44:21.43
not, don't, don't, don't, or you
hear the law of God saying, I've
00:44:21.43\00:44:24.83
liberated you, I've set you
free, so I promise you, you will
00:44:24.83\00:44:31.80
not, you will not, you will not.
00:44:31.80\00:44:34.03
It's 2 totally
different tones, isn't it?
00:44:34.03\00:44:36.30
--That first verse is enough
for me, like, that, we could've
00:44:36.30\00:44:39.26
ended it with that.
00:44:39.26\00:44:40.33
That's beautiful.
00:44:40.33\00:44:41.33
--Okay, so, I'm
a Christian, okay?
00:44:41.33\00:44:44.26
And I'm in love with Christ and
then I encounter Adventists and
00:44:44.26\00:44:47.90
I encounter these guys that
go to church on Saturday of all
00:44:47.90\00:44:50.13
days, I mean, I'm a raised
Catholic, I don't, never heard
00:44:50.13\00:44:52.43
of this before.
00:44:52.43\00:44:53.70
But I study the bible, I find
out the change, I find out about
00:44:53.70\00:44:56.43
prophecy, I find out
about everything I look on the
00:44:56.43\00:44:58.60
calendar, indeed the seventh day
is the Sabbath, so I'm convinced
00:44:58.60\00:45:01.56
intellectually.
00:45:01.56\00:45:03.53
So, I start keeping the law.
00:45:03.53\00:45:05.66
Years go by as I'm law
keeping and doing the things I'm
00:45:05.66\00:45:09.20
supposed to do, etc., because I
love Christ, okay, then I read,
00:45:09.20\00:45:14.03
as I'm studying the bible, I
read Galatians chapter 5, I've
00:45:14.03\00:45:17.10
been keeping the law for years,
I read Galatians chapter 5 and I
00:45:17.10\00:45:21.06
start reading all of the
manifestations of the spirit in
00:45:21.06\00:45:24.83
the language of verses 19
and 20 and 21 in contrast to, of
00:45:24.83\00:45:29.66
course, 22.
00:45:29.66\00:45:31.13
In other words, I start reading
the specifics and I start
00:45:31.13\00:45:35.60
recognizing in me these
manifestations of the flesh.
00:45:35.60\00:45:41.40
Not that I haven't kept the
fourth commandment or kept the
00:45:41.40\00:45:44.50
third commandment or
kept, you know what I'm saying?
00:45:44.50\00:45:47.36
But I've got envy and...
00:45:47.36\00:45:49.00
--Outbursts of wrath, jealous.
00:45:49.00\00:45:52.46
--I'm thinking, whoa,
am I or aren't I walking?
00:45:52.46\00:45:56.63
Paul is going deep here.
00:45:56.63\00:45:58.83
The word of God is going deep
here, and that's what I think
00:45:58.83\00:46:01.90
Paul's been talking about in the
context of the letter versus the
00:46:01.90\00:46:04.70
spirit.
00:46:04.70\00:46:05.96
--Watch this trajectory in the
light of what you just shared,
00:46:05.96\00:46:09.16
James, and the way that Jeffry
just unpacked verse 16, notice
00:46:09.16\00:46:14.03
how this reads and see if you
agree with this interpretation,
00:46:14.03\00:46:16.83
verses 16 and 17
again and watch the grammar.
00:46:16.83\00:46:19.83
I say then, walk in the spirit
and you shall not fulfill the
00:46:19.83\00:46:24.36
lust of the flesh, for the flesh
lusts against the spirit and the
00:46:24.36\00:46:31.86
spirit against the flesh
and these are contrary to one
00:46:31.86\00:46:35.90
another, so that you do not
do the things that you would or
00:46:35.90\00:46:40.93
wish.
00:46:40.93\00:46:43.06
Question, that last phrase,
is he saying that as this
00:46:43.06\00:46:45.83
conflict between spirit and
flesh is waged inside of us.
00:46:45.83\00:46:51.00
When he says, you will not do
the things that you would, but
00:46:51.00\00:46:54.43
you wish, is he talking about
you will not do the things of
00:46:54.43\00:46:58.70
the flesh or you will not
do the things of the spirit?
00:46:58.70\00:47:01.00
--Yes
00:47:01.00\00:47:02.20
--I think it's both.
00:47:02.20\00:47:05.33
--Is it?
00:47:05.33\00:47:06.40
--That's my answer, yes,
what do you think, David?
00:47:06.40\00:47:09.00
--I think, in the context, I'm
not sure I even fully understand
00:47:09.00\00:47:12.30
the question.
00:47:12.30\00:47:13.56
--Here's the question, David,
here's the question, there's a
00:47:13.56\00:47:15.86
war in verse 17 between
the flesh and the spirit and he
00:47:15.86\00:47:19.03
says, essentially that if you're
in the spirit, you shall not do
00:47:19.03\00:47:26.83
the things of the flesh or you
will not do the things of the
00:47:26.83\00:47:31.16
spirit if you're not in?
00:47:31.16\00:47:32.86
--The emphasis is the spirit.
00:47:32.86\00:47:36.73
--Grammatically and in verse 16,
he seems to be saying to me that
00:47:36.73\00:47:41.80
if you walk in the spirit, you
will not fulfill the lust of the
00:47:41.80\00:47:44.66
flesh, right, if you walk in the
spirit, there's gonna be a war,
00:47:44.66\00:47:47.26
but you're not going to be able
to go contrary to the promptings
00:47:47.26\00:47:52.36
of the spirit, I mean, you will,
you have freedom of choice, of
00:47:52.36\00:47:55.76
course, but he's saying...
00:47:55.76\00:47:57.16
--Something's constraining you.
00:47:57.16\00:47:58.30
--I now understand the question.
00:47:58.30\00:47:59.86
--So, the love of
Christ is constraining you.
00:47:59.86\00:48:02.93
--That's completely consistent
with the thing that Jeffery
00:48:02.93\00:48:05.76
brought up in
verse 16, you will not.
00:48:05.76\00:48:07.70
--But sometimes people will say,
and if you walk in the lust of
00:48:07.70\00:48:10.73
the flesh, you cannot do the
things of the spirit, which is
00:48:10.73\00:48:14.20
true in a sense, but
that's not his emphasis.
00:48:14.20\00:48:15.90
That's not his emphasis.
00:48:18.43\00:48:19.70
His emphasis, and I think that
it's an important emphasis, his
00:48:19.70\00:48:21.23
emphasis is on freedom.
00:48:21.23\00:48:22.60
--You're about to say verse 18
already covers that, therefore,
00:48:22.60\00:48:26.06
verse 17 is not talking
about the flesh or the spirit, I
00:48:26.06\00:48:29.73
agree.
00:48:29.73\00:48:31.00
Verse 18, but if you're led
by the spirit, you are not under
00:48:31.00\00:48:33.56
the law.
00:48:33.56\00:48:35.13
So...
00:48:35.13\00:48:36.63
--Not under, you go ahead.
00:48:36.63\00:48:38.20
--No, you go ahead.
00:48:38.20\00:48:39.13
--No, you go ahead.
00:48:39.13\00:48:40.06
--No, you go ahead.
00:48:40.06\00:48:41.33
--I think that, and this is just
now occurring in my thinking,
00:48:41.33\00:48:47.26
when I first asked the question
and James said yes as in both, I
00:48:47.26\00:48:50.90
think both are true.
00:48:50.90\00:48:52.40
Both are true, but the emphasis,
the point that Paul is making is
00:48:52.40\00:48:56.53
that the new covenant
establishes an obedience, a
00:48:56.53\00:49:01.56
fruitfulness in relation to God
that's solid and you begin to
00:49:01.56\00:49:06.46
move toward God.
00:49:06.46\00:49:08.66
--Was it by design that you
just used the word fruitfulness?
00:49:08.66\00:49:11.26
Because that's the very language
that Paul will use here when he
00:49:11.26\00:49:14.63
speaks of the
fruit of the spirit.
00:49:14.63\00:49:16.30
--Actually, it was an
accident, but yeah, it's there.
00:49:16.30\00:49:17.56
--That's awesome, I'm glad
it was an accident, because that
00:49:17.56\00:49:19.63
shows that the way that you're
thinking is, when you're in this
00:49:19.63\00:49:22.80
kind of a relationship,
it's fruitfulness and Paul is
00:49:22.80\00:49:27.06
thinking in the same way, I
mean, not that, you know, Paul
00:49:27.06\00:49:29.60
is obviously not emulating your
thinking since he's sleeping in
00:49:29.60\00:49:31.60
the grave, but the idea is that
that's the natural way to think
00:49:31.60\00:49:34.80
about how works happen.
00:49:34.80\00:49:37.26
As fruit.
00:49:37.26\00:49:38.53
I mean, it really takes us back
to John 15 and there's many of
00:49:38.53\00:49:40.83
these sort of agricultural
examples in the Old Testament,
00:49:40.83\00:49:44.63
you know, if you're in the vine,
Jesus says, you can do things,
00:49:44.63\00:49:47.93
you grow, you're fruitful.
00:49:47.93\00:49:49.30
But if you're detached from the
vine, without me, you can't do
00:49:49.30\00:49:52.10
anything.
00:49:52.10\00:49:53.23
--A bad tree doesn't bear
good fruit and all of those
00:49:53.23\00:49:55.26
analogies.
00:49:55.26\00:49:56.53
--How much effort does it take
for a pear tree to bear pears,
00:49:56.53\00:49:59.43
to create pears?
00:49:59.43\00:50:00.66
Well, the answer would be, well,
I don't know, I'm not a pear
00:50:00.66\00:50:04.43
tree, of course, but it would
be natural, that's the point.
00:50:04.43\00:50:05.20
It's a natural think.
00:50:05.20\00:50:08.36
That's a different story.
00:50:08.36\00:50:09.46
It's a natural thing.
00:50:09.46\00:50:12.06
If you cut the branch off and
set it over here and say, okay,
00:50:12.06\00:50:15.06
now, produce pears,
that's not gonna happen.
00:50:15.06\00:50:17.00
If it's not
connected, it can't do it.
00:50:17.00\00:50:19.10
But when we are connected to
Christ, the natural fruit, and
00:50:19.10\00:50:21.46
then he goes to this
list of 9 characteristics.
00:50:21.46\00:50:25.00
My point, the reason I was kind
of confused on the 17, 18, I was
00:50:25.00\00:50:27.40
reading over and over again 22,
23 because I wanted to make a
00:50:27.40\00:50:30.90
point there, but
we'll get there eventually.
00:50:30.90\00:50:32.40
--Go there right now.
00:50:32.40\00:50:33.56
I made the point on 16 and 17.
00:50:33.56\00:50:36.43
--Okay, something that I really
like about this is that there
00:50:36.43\00:50:39.50
are 9 characteristics that
identify the fruit of the spirit
00:50:39.50\00:50:43.10
and maybe you've heard it said
before, and I think it's a valid
00:50:43.10\00:50:45.03
point, that it's not the fruits
of the spirit in the plural,
00:50:45.03\00:50:47.60
whereby, I'll take 1 and 3, 6
and 7, but I don't want any 2,
00:50:47.60\00:50:52.26
4, you know
that kind of a thing.
00:50:52.26\00:50:54.16
If you have this, you have
all of the characteristics.
00:50:54.16\00:50:56.63
The thing that I love here is
that I think you have 3 groups
00:50:56.63\00:51:00.93
of 3, okay, you have a triad
here, and tell me if you follow
00:51:00.93\00:51:05.96
this, the triad consists of 3
directions of the fruit of the
00:51:05.96\00:51:11.10
spirit.
00:51:11.10\00:51:12.03
I think Paul is
being intentional here.
00:51:12.03\00:51:13.26
The first is largely toward God,
the second is largely toward
00:51:13.26\00:51:17.50
others and the third triad
is largely toward ourselves, and
00:51:17.50\00:51:21.80
these are not hard and fast
categories, but watch how this
00:51:21.80\00:51:24.00
works, the fruit of the spirit
is love, joy, peace, right?
00:51:24.00\00:51:27.20
We relate to God with love, he
is the joy and rejoicing in our
00:51:27.20\00:51:31.03
heart and we have peace
with God through Christ.
00:51:31.03\00:51:32.96
Now, I'm gonna treat others with
longsuffering, kindness, and
00:51:32.96\00:51:36.93
goodness, and that will produce
in me faithfulness, gentleness,
00:51:36.93\00:51:42.10
and self-control.
00:51:42.10\00:51:43.36
--I like it.
00:51:43.36\00:51:44.20
--It's cool, isn't it?
00:51:44.20\00:51:45.56
It's always helped me when
I studied this years and years
00:51:45.56\00:51:47.80
ago.
00:51:47.80\00:51:49.03
I was trying to think of some
way whereby I could remember
00:51:49.03\00:51:51.26
what they were.
00:51:51.26\00:51:52.56
And I said, man, there's a bit
of a triad here, the way that I
00:51:52.56\00:51:54.40
relate to God, the way that I
relate to others, and the virtue
00:51:54.40\00:51:58.03
that actually happens in myself,
temperance, faithfulness,
00:51:58.03\00:52:01.13
gentleness.
00:52:01.13\00:52:02.33
--And then the last part of
verse 23 is very fascinating
00:52:02.33\00:52:05.83
language.
00:52:05.83\00:52:07.10
Paul has said so much in these
words after listing the fruit of
00:52:07.10\00:52:11.73
the spirit, he says,
against such there is no law.
00:52:11.73\00:52:16.53
--I'd like to comment
on that when you're done.
00:52:16.53\00:52:18.00
--Please do.
00:52:18.00\00:52:19.23
--Well, that verse, to me, verse
23, hooks back to verse 18.
00:52:19.23\00:52:22.26
In verse 18, but if you are led
by the spirit, you are not under
00:52:22.26\00:52:25.96
the law, a very
misunderstood phrase.
00:52:25.96\00:52:28.90
Paul is either saying that
you're not under the law as in
00:52:28.90\00:52:32.33
you're not saved by keeping the
law, you don't have to be under
00:52:32.33\00:52:35.53
the obligation to keep the law,
which doesn't seem to be what
00:52:35.53\00:52:38.63
we've come to in the whole
picture that we've been looking
00:52:38.63\00:52:41.30
at, or he's saying, if you were
led by the spirit, you're not
00:52:41.30\00:52:44.20
under the
condemnation of the law.
00:52:44.20\00:52:46.56
Now, if you see it that
way, you're not under the
00:52:46.56\00:52:48.33
condemnation of the law, and you
go back to verse 23, meekness,
00:52:48.33\00:52:51.80
temperance, against
such, there is no law.
00:52:51.80\00:52:54.90
There's no law against that.
00:52:54.90\00:52:56.56
There is a law against various
and heresy and strife and
00:52:56.56\00:53:01.76
murdering, there's
a law against that.
00:53:01.76\00:53:03.63
And when you do those things,
you come under the condemnation
00:53:03.63\00:53:06.60
of that law, but when you reveal
the fruit of the spirit, there's
00:53:06.60\00:53:09.20
no law against that, so you're
not under any condemnation.
00:53:09.20\00:53:12.00
--That's good.
00:53:12.00\00:53:13.26
--Yeah, think of it like this,
against such, there is no law,
00:53:13.26\00:53:15.40
in God's kingdom, in God's
universe, in God's character and
00:53:15.40\00:53:21.33
his relationship, there is no
you shall not love, no peace, no
00:53:21.33\00:53:27.06
joy, no kindness, no
self-control allowed in my
00:53:27.06\00:53:33.23
universe.
00:53:33.23\00:53:34.20
--I love that.
00:53:34.20\00:53:35.46
Let me go straight to this way,
I'm driving down the road, this
00:53:35.46\00:53:38.03
is in my early Christian
experience, I'm driving down the
00:53:38.03\00:53:41.00
road and I see a police car and
I immediately, can anyone tell
00:53:41.00\00:53:45.00
me what I do when
I see a police car?
00:53:45.00\00:53:46.23
--You press on the brakes.
00:53:46.23\00:53:47.50
--I immediately take my foot off
the gas and put my foot on the
00:53:47.50\00:53:49.46
brake pedal.
00:53:49.46\00:53:50.66
For years that
happened, year after year.
00:53:50.66\00:53:52.03
And then finally, I realized,
there's no law against driving
00:53:52.03\00:53:55.50
the speed limit, so quit
taking your foot off the gas and
00:53:55.50\00:53:59.06
putting it on the brake pedal.
00:53:59.06\00:54:01.10
You are under, you are
not breaking the law, you are
00:54:01.10\00:54:04.53
walking in the spirit and
so there's, you are no longer
00:54:04.53\00:54:07.63
under, you're no longer under
the condemnation of the law.
00:54:07.63\00:54:11.43
There's no law against that.
00:54:11.43\00:54:12.70
--I'm glad you're there, James,
I'm still in process on this.
00:54:12.70\00:54:15.76
--I was gonna say, I've
not reached that level of
00:54:15.76\00:54:18.40
sanctification.
00:54:18.40\00:54:19.66
--My wife has a Prius and even
in the Prius, I can get up some
00:54:19.66\00:54:21.66
speed.
00:54:21.66\00:54:22.93
--It's awesome to be driving and
just be like, here's something
00:54:22.93\00:54:27.30
that's really funny.
00:54:27.30\00:54:28.46
Have you ever experienced this?
00:54:28.46\00:54:30.23
--You drive
under the speed limit.
00:54:30.23\00:54:32.93
--I know, I'm a slow driver.
00:54:32.93\00:54:34.53
--You're driving down the
freeway and all these cars are
00:54:34.53\00:54:36.73
passing you and you're
driving the speed limit.
00:54:36.73\00:54:38.36
Let's say I'm
driving 57 in a 55.
00:54:38.36\00:54:41.20
Okay, I'm driving, so I'm
driving along and all these cars
00:54:41.20\00:54:44.26
are passing me and then all of a
sudden, they all slow down, and
00:54:44.26\00:54:46.76
they're like, pulling over into
my lane, and so, I pull over
00:54:46.76\00:54:50.53
into the fast lane, and I keep
driving my 57 or 58 past all
00:54:50.53\00:54:54.50
these cars that were passing
me and then down the road, I see
00:54:54.50\00:54:57.23
why they're all slowing down,
there's a police officer right
00:54:57.23\00:54:59.63
there, and I just cruise on by.
00:54:59.63\00:55:01.00
Have you ever experienced that?
00:55:01.00\00:55:02.40
They're all slowing down
and you just keep on going.
00:55:02.40\00:55:04.73
--You're rebuking my conscience.
00:55:04.73\00:55:07.86
I, this probably isn't good
reasoning, but I've always seen
00:55:07.86\00:55:10.80
myself as a new covenant driver.
00:55:10.80\00:55:13.16
I obey the spirit of the
law not the letter of the law
00:55:13.16\00:55:17.63
necessarily because the spirit
of the law is safety, right?
00:55:17.63\00:55:20.96
And so safety is the issue.
00:55:20.96\00:55:23.36
I don't wanna go there.
00:55:23.36\00:55:24.56
But here we are, we have 3
minutes left, maybe 4 minutes
00:55:24.56\00:55:28.60
left and we've had this
incredible discussion about
00:55:28.60\00:55:32.53
righteousness by faith.
00:55:32.53\00:55:34.23
What's the takeaway for you
guys, is there anything that
00:55:34.23\00:55:37.60
stands out in the moments
that remain from the series?
00:55:37.60\00:55:40.96
--Like a highlight?
00:55:40.96\00:55:41.83
--Yeah.
00:55:41.83\00:55:43.03
--Personally, to me, many
highlights, obviously, but the
00:55:43.03\00:55:48.26
one thing that I really
appreciate is this whole idea
00:55:48.26\00:55:51.53
that the truth of righteousness
by faith helps us properly
00:55:51.53\00:55:58.13
understand who God is and by
properly understanding who God
00:55:58.13\00:56:02.86
is and what he's like, we're
able to understand who we are.
00:56:02.86\00:56:07.23
To me, I don't know why, but to
me, that's just so, to me that
00:56:07.23\00:56:13.03
just hits home for me.
00:56:13.03\00:56:15.20
I need to know who I am, I
need to understand who I am.
00:56:15.20\00:56:18.33
--I can see what's hit me in
very short phrase, I mean, it's
00:56:18.33\00:56:22.53
a lot, but the main thing that's
hit me is that the Old Testament
00:56:22.53\00:56:26.43
and the New Testament is
a continuum of one story.
00:56:26.43\00:56:32.40
That's been huge
for me in seeing that.
00:56:32.40\00:56:34.96
--You know, when I look
back, I loved those 2 or 3
00:56:37.66\00:56:41.56
conversations, I love them
all, but that we had about the
00:56:41.56\00:56:44.50
gospels themselves that the time
that we spent walking through
00:56:44.50\00:56:48.23
Jesus's recapitulation,
his history, I just loved that,
00:56:48.23\00:56:52.73
especially when we looked at,
you know, how he's just leaning
00:56:52.73\00:56:56.00
so strongly on Daniel and the
parable of Matthew 21 there and
00:56:56.00\00:56:59.93
just that transition because
sometimes the transition for the
00:56:59.93\00:57:03.36
believer out of the Old
Testament and into the New
00:57:03.36\00:57:06.06
Testament is, it feels awkward,
but in this conversation, it
00:57:06.06\00:57:11.03
just felt exactly as I think
it was intended to feel, as the
00:57:11.03\00:57:15.00
natural outgrowth of the
religion that God had given to
00:57:15.00\00:57:18.96
Abraham, that God
had given to Moses.
00:57:18.96\00:57:20.73
I loved that language there when
we had the page between the Old
00:57:20.73\00:57:24.00
and the New Testaments and we're
saying, you know, this is just
00:57:24.00\00:57:26.16
the most useless page in the
scripture, and I feel like we
00:57:26.16\00:57:28.53
didn't just say that, but in
those conversations, we modeled
00:57:28.53\00:57:32.66
it.
00:57:32.66\00:57:33.86
There really is the natural
flow from the Old Testament, so
00:57:33.86\00:57:38.30
called Old into the New.
00:57:38.30\00:57:39.66
So, that's, for
me, that's a highlight.
00:57:39.66\00:57:41.50
--There's a lot that stands
out to me, but the idea that is
00:57:41.50\00:57:47.66
looming large in my mind and in
my heart is the idea that when
00:57:47.66\00:57:52.40
we speak of the righteousness
of God, we're talking about
00:57:52.40\00:57:56.43
covenant faithfulness.
00:57:56.43\00:57:58.40
We're talking
about faithful love.
00:57:58.40\00:58:01.26
God is a God who makes and keeps
promises and the big colossal
00:58:01.26\00:58:08.10
massive promise that the God of
the universe has made to us as
00:58:08.10\00:58:13.56
fallen human beings is to
save us at any cost to himself.
00:58:13.56\00:58:18.53
And in Christ, that covenant
faithfulness came to complete
00:58:18.53\00:58:23.26
manifestation.
00:58:23.26\00:58:24.60
Jesus at the cross proves beyond
all shadow of a doubt that God
00:58:24.60\00:58:30.23
literally loves the likes of you
and me more than his own life,
00:58:30.23\00:58:34.70
more than his own existence.
00:58:34.70\00:58:37.36
He loves us to
the point of death.
00:58:37.36\00:58:40.30
In John 13, it says, I think
in verse 2 that he loved them to
00:58:40.30\00:58:46.26
the end, to the end of himself.
00:58:46.26\00:58:48.63
This is powerful and suddenly,
you're in a position where
00:58:48.63\00:58:54.83
you're attracted to God.
00:58:54.83\00:58:56.63
You're drawn, there's something
powerful that's taking place in
00:58:56.63\00:59:00.70
your heart and...
00:59:00.70\00:59:01.66
--It's voluntary,
it's not obligatory.
00:59:01.66\00:59:03.93
--I love that, not just that you
love God, and you do, but you
00:59:03.93\00:59:09.83
like what you see in his
character and now you're in a
00:59:09.83\00:59:13.16
voluntary love
relationship with him.
00:59:13.16\00:59:15.26
That's powerful, and that really
is the bottom line when we talk
00:59:15.26\00:59:19.20
about righteousness by faith.
00:59:19.20\00:59:22.76
--Hallelujah.
00:59:22.76\00:59:23.86
[Music]
00:59:23.86\00:59:24.86