The Lyrics of "Let It Go" from a Christian Perspective

The Lyrics of “Let It Go” from a Christian Perspective

There were reports that made nationwide news of a couple overly zealous folks, one being a Mormon mother as I recall, who voiced their concerns over the Disney animated movie “Frozen.” One of the concerned commentators claimed that the movie was motivating little girls towards lesbianism. The Mormon mother wrote at least a couple of blog posts on the issue voicing her concerns over the homosexual influences in the movie and more. Those blog posts became all the rage with people from both sides of the argument writing in the comments. And the fascination with the movie and soundtrack have not slacked off.

After hearing some of the commentary, reading some of the actual articles, and receiving some of the reports I judged that they were overreaching in their concerns. The movie gained so much positive notoriety, it seemed that every family with young kids had seen it, that my wife and I rented it to watch with our two year old daughter. We thought the movie was basically innocent. To see some of the things that the antagonists were seeing was outside of our reach. Could someone interpret things negatively? Sure, I can understand what the conservative critics were saying, but I think nothing comes of it, only a shrug of the shoulders and a roll of the eyes. I suppose you can find a boogy-man under every bed and in every closet if you really want to see it.

Yet, there is something that I cannot shake. I do have a beef with the movie. I do have an issue to take up with some folks. There are certain things that I do not want my daughter thinking is acceptable no matter how cute and innocent the overall production may be. What is my issue? Take a look at the lyrics of “Let It Go,” the movie’s hit song. One part in particular immediately caught my attention and raised a red flag:

“It's time to see what I can do

To test the limits and break through

No right, no wrong, no rules for me I'm free!”

The song itself has been called “musical crack” and an “addiction.” “The song sends kids into altered states. . . . Eventually, they’re belting it out with an abandon that borders on hysteria” (Yvonne Abraham of the Boston Globe). Now, that sounds frightening, but it is only a problem if the lyrics are faulty. However, my evaluation is that the lyrics are faulty and dangerous, at least the part that I have quoted above. I do not want my daughter to think that she can “test the limits.” That is not okay. I do not want her to think that there is “no right, no wrong, [and] no rules.” That is poisonous. What happens when all the laughing, smiling, and singing of lyrics like that become reality? Now, I know that some parents will say, Oh, it’s not a big deal. They don’t know exactly what they’re singing. They don’t really believe what the lyrics say. Oh, really? And you know this how? And, by the way, this is just a small issue that is part of an overwhelmingly large issue in our culture. If we give in on small issues, it will only be a matter of time before the snow-ball effect has caused tremendous damage that cannot be reversed.

I am not being a weirdo, nutcase, looney conservative. It is a documented fact from multiple sources that public schools, universities, and media of all sorts are on a mission to do away with Christian values. While Christianity grows in Africa and China, it is in decline in the West. And morals are only part of the issue. There is a philosophical transition that is taking place amongst our population. People are honestly moving into an ideology that sees no right, no wrong, and no rules. In fact, what used to be wrong is now right, and what used to be right is now wrong. Tolerance is no longer tolerance. Truth is no longer truth. There is no standard. There is no certainty.

If you do not protect your kids, no one will. If you do not teach truth to your kids, no one will. I am not necessarily advocating that Christian people should devote all of their time, resources, and energy to battling this issue politically. What I am advocating is that Christian parents and grandparents teach their kids right from wrong; that they share the Scriptures with them; and that they explain the Gospel to them. It is okay to be different. You are called to be different–holy, special, unique, set apart for the things of Christ. You no longer operate in the old system in which everyone else is still enslaved. You have been transferred into a new system. You are operating in the new creation. You are walking in the Spirit of God. Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and He will take care of you and your family.

Galatians 5:22-6:5 Fulfilling the Law of Christ

Galatians 5:22-6:5        Fulfilling the Law of Christ             WC McCarter

*This is a compilation of notes from recent sermons with a few added remarks.

Introduction

To set the scene for today’s sermon, we first need to review the steps of the apostle’s argument which brings us to today’s point: do not follow the legalistic doctrines of false teachers à do not return to slavery à you are free à do not use freedom for the flesh à through love serve one another à to love you must walk in the Spirit and thus produce the fruit of the Spirit à a practical example of walking in the Spirit, of bearing the fruit of the Spirit, and lovingly serving fellow Christians is helping to restore a sinning brother/sister.

At one time, the great apostle Peter decided to head up to see Gentile country. A thriving Christian community, of mostly Gentile believers, had developed in the city of Antioch (of Syria, the third largest city of the Roman Empire at that time). Peter apparently was spending a good bit of time up there. We are told that he was in the habit of eating with the Gentiles. Of course, this was something new for a Jewish man. No Jew would be caught exchanging much of anything or communing in any way with a Gentile. They would not visit in a Gentile’s house, much less eat with them. Not only would they not eat with Gentiles, but they followed the OT law strictly when it came to the food regulations. They even added many regulations to the OT law about eating.

Yet, Jesus had personally taught the apostles that it is not what a man eats that defiles him, but what comes out of his mouth, that is, what truly comes from his heart. Jesus had also demonstrated that a Jewish man could commune with sinners, Samaritans, and Gentiles. He did so on numerous occasions, eating with them, talking with them, teaching and healing them. The Lord had even given Peter a vision. One day while Peter was praying on a rooftop, the Lord gave him a vision of a sheet coming down from heaven with all sorts of animals that were unclean according to the Law, but the Lord said, “Take and eat . . . do not call unclean what I have called clean.”

When Peter went to visit Antioch, he was routinely going into Gentile houses, eating BBQ with them, and having a great time of friendship. (I don’t know how you cannot be happy while eating BBQ. Of course, I am an eastern NC, vinegar based, chopped kind of guy, but I like it all–even if it is thick, ketchup based sauce, or Lexington style, or SC mustard based!). When men from Jerusalem came to Antioch, Peter changed his tune. This is what we call hypocritical.

The hypocritical nature, the neglect of his brethren, and the overall lack of trust in the true Gospel on the part of Peter caused the apostle Paul to confront him to his face. There was a lot at stake, and Paul took it upon himself to do what was right in calling out his brother. You see, we are all susceptible to weakness and in need of correction, and we are all responsible for one another.

READ Scripture- This is the Word of God

The Fruit of the Spirit (22-24)

In contrast to the things of the flesh, the Spirit produces all things that lead to life, namely love. These things are not by our doing, but the work of the Holy Spirit. There is no Law against these things. If you belong to Christ, you have the Spirit in you, and you have crucified the flesh. The “flesh” is the old, Adamic, sinful, unredeemed nature. We have been transferred from that state into a new state. We now operate in the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is singular which means that there is one fruit that the Spirit seeks to develop in us. So, the fruit of the Spirit is what? Love! “All of the other virtues listed result in some manner from love” (Longnecker). Now, there is no doubt that love (and the rest) come by the working of the Spirit in us, but do not discount the our individual responsibility. V25 says, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” or as the NIV says, “let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

Do Not Become Conceited (25-26)

In 5:26 we get some very practical teaching on the subject. How is it that Christians are to walk in the Spirit? Well, let’s first talk about what it does not mean. To walk in the Spirit is not to be conceited, that is, to “have exaggerated self-conceptions” (BDAG). A literal translation is “vainglory.” Of course, a person with that kind of attitude is going to have trouble getting along with others. As one commentator has said, “Now, when we are conceited, our relationships with other people are bound to be poisoned” (Stott). This attitude causes us to either provoke one another or envy one another.

To provoke someone literally means to call someone forward with the sense of a challenge. To call someone out insinuates that you are better than them, and you want to prove it to everyone around. Some people love to be instigators. Some enjoy dropping a bomb, as it were, and standing back to see how everyone responds. Some are even more straightforward than that and enjoy directly challenging someone. Christian people are not to challenge, provoke, irritate, or rival one another. That is not operating in the Spirit. Those are things of the flesh, the old sin-nature. The Spirit produces none of this sort. His fruit in us is love. On the flip side, not everyone is an instigator, some folks envy others, that is, they are jealous. You see, there are two sides to the “vainglory” issue. In either camp, folks have the wrong view of themselves. They either think too highly of themselves or think to lowly of themselves. Some think they are better than others (not true) and others think that they are not as good as others (not true). The positive command is “Walk in the Spirit” while the negative command is “Do not have an exaggerated view of yourself.”

Restore Gently (1-5)

One very practical part of walking in the Spirit is to look out for your brothers and sisters. For example, if one is sinning, you should restore such a person. I think the reasons for doing this (the why) is obvious, but let me state a few just for discussion’s sake. We should restore fallen brothers and sisters because:

(1) We should pursue holiness in the body of Christ. (2) This protects the church from temptation, sin, and apostasy. (3) This saves a brother/sister from ultimately abandoning Christ and perishing.

What to do: Restore him/her. The word “restore” means to put things in order, to cause something to be in a condition to function well, to restore to a former condition, to fix-adjust-complete-mend. This term was used of a doctor/trainer who would set a broken bone back in its place. It was also used of the disciples who repaired their fishing nets in Matt 4:21/Mark 1:19. The point is that we cannot stand idly by as if a fallen Christian has nothing to do with us. We are accountable to one another. Part of loving one another is getting yourself dirty in service to one another. It is too easy to say, “It does not involve me,” or “He deserves what he is getting.” That is not Christian. We are to step in, do the hard work, and help to make things right.

Who is to do it: Your first thought should not be to take the issue to someone else and make it their problem or to gossip with your friends about it. No, you are to bear the burden of your brother or sister. Restoration is what has to happen, and you are the one responsible for doing it. By the term “spiritual,” Paul is probably referring to those who are walking according to the Spirit. Those mature Christians are the ones who should restore fallen brethren. We should not just go around looking for trouble to confront, neither should just any of us be the ones to confront those who are sinning. But do not take that as an excuse to not confront and restore a brother/sister. Use spiritual discernment about a situation, and do what is right.

How it is to be done: There are two parts to this. First, it must be done gently. Gentleness is a “fruit” of the Spirit (or in my interpretation, an evidence of love which is the fruit of the Spirit). Second, it must be done carefully, that is, without letting yourself become corrupted. We could say, then, that we must restore our brethren while staying on guard ourselves. We must guard against things from within and without. The things that come from within are the things opposite to gentleness, namely, pride, arrogance, anger, and conceit. The things that come from without are those things that our brothers and sisters may have fallen into, and we may be tempted to do. So, we must be gentle, and we must be careful, but the key is that you act! The great reformer, Martin Luther, said of this passage, “Therefore, if you see any brother cast down and afflicted by occasion of sin which he has committed, run to him and, reaching out your hand, raise him up again, comfort him with sweet words, and embrace him with motherly arms.”

This is an appropriate example of burden-bearing: catching someone sinning and doing something about it (ex. baby/puppy). The apostle summarizes the law of Christ in one phrase, “Bear one another’s burdens.” That phrase teaches us a whole lot about the Christian life that we should all hear and understand. First, we all have burdens. Second, there are certain burdens that we cannot bear alone. Third, we are responsible for supporting one another in burden-bearing.

Now, if you are not willing to help others or to ask for help yourself, then you are thinking too highly of yourself. None of us are above helping others or being helped by others. Instead of having an exaggerated/faulty view of oneself, everyone should test his/her own work. Here is a key point: you should not compare your situation with the situation of another person. You can always find someone who is doing worse than you, and then you think that you are doing well. We should consider ourselves in comparison to God’s standards and remember His grace. What does it mean that we should bear our own load? Is this not in contradiction to bearing one another’s burdens? No, it does not contradict what has previously been said. Verse five refers to you answering for yourself on the Day of Judgment (Moo, Stott). On that Day, you will not be compared to others but to God’s standard. Part of what will be considered is how you related to your brethren.

Conclusion and Christian Application

For more reading on this subject, go see what the Lord says in Matt 18:15-17.

(1) Walk in the Spirit, pursuing the fruit that He produces and crucifying the things of the flesh such as vainglory, provocation, and envy.

(2) Gently restore sinning believers for the good of the brother and the church.

(3) Bear one another’s burdens even if it gets dirty and difficult.

(4) Examine yourself and come to an accurate self-image.

Let me leave you with a quote from one of my favorite writers, John Stott, “Further, if we obeyed this apostolic instruction as we should, much unkind gossip would be avoided, more serious backsliding prevented, the good of the church advanced, and the name of Christ glorified.”

Galatians 6:1-18 Walk According to the Rule

Galatians 6:1-18           Walk According to the Rule            WC McCarter

Introduction

This entire sermon contains several points of application. We have made it to the end of the book of Galatians, and, as usual, the apostle now gives several final exhortations. Sometimes it feels like a letter like this ends like a machine gun with rapid fire of things to do and not do. If you are the type that likes to hear the dos and don’ts, here they are for you! If you think these sound like a lot of rules, don’t be mistaken: we are not saved by keeping a list of dos and don’ts, but there are proper responses to the Gospel and godly ways to live in this world.

READ Scripture- This is the Word of God

Do Not Become Conceited (5:25-26)

In 5:25 the apostle said, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” In 5:26 we get some very practical teaching on the subject. How is it that Christians are to walk in the Spirit? Well, let’s first talk about what it does not mean. To walk in the Spirit is not to be conceited, that is, to “have exaggerated self-conceptions” (BDAG). Another good translation is “vainglory.” Of course, a person with that kind of attitude is going to have trouble getting along with others. As one commentator has said, “Now, when we are conceited, our relationships with other people are bound to be poisoned” (Stott). This attitude causes us to either provoke one another or envy one another.

To provoke someone literally means to call someone forward with the sense of a challenge. To call someone out insinuates that you are better than them, and you want to prove it to everyone around. Some people love to be instigators. Some love to drop a bomb and stand back to see how everyone responds. Some are even more straightforward than that and enjoy directly challenging someone. Christian people are not to challenge, provoke, irritate, or rival one another. That is not operating in the Spirit. Those are things of the flesh, the old sin-nature. The Spirit produces none of this sort. His fruit in us is love. On the flip side, not everyone is an instigator, some folks envy others, that is, they are jealous. So, you see, there are two sides to the “vainglory” issue. In either camp, folks have the wrong view of themselves. They are either thinking too highly of themselves or thinking to lowly of themselves. Some think they are better than others (which is not true) and others think that they are not as good as others (which is not true). The positive command is “Walk in the Spirit” while the negative command is “Do not have an exaggerated view of yourself.”

Restore Gently (1-5)

One very practical part of walking in the Spirit is to look out for your brothers and sisters. For example, if one is sinning, you should restore such a person.

What to do: Restore him/her. The word “restore” means to put things in order, to cause something to be in a condition to function well, to restore to a former condition, to fix-adjust-complete-mend. This term was used of a doctor/trainer who would set a broken bone back in its place. It was also used of the disciples who repaired their fishing nets in Matt 4:21/Mark 1:19. The point is that we cannot stand idly by as if a fallen Christian has nothing to do with us. We are accountable to one another. Part of loving one another is getting yourself dirty in service to one another. It is too easy to say, “It does not involve me” or “He deserves what he is getting.” That is not Christian. We are to step in, do the hard work, and help to make things right.

Who is to do it: Your first thought should not be to take the issue to someone else and make it their problem or to gossip with your friends about it. No, you are to bear the burden of your brother or sister. Restoration is what has to happen, and you are the one responsible for doing it. By the term “spiritual,” Paul is probably referring to those who are walking according to the Spirit. Those mature Christians are the ones who should restore fallen brethren. We should not just go around looking for trouble to confront, neither should just any of us be the ones to confront those who are sinning. But do not take that as an excuse to not confront and restore a brother/sister. Use spiritual discernment about a situation, and do what is right.

How it is to be done: There are two parts to this. First, it must be done gently. Gentleness is a “fruit” of the Spirit (or in my interpretation, an evidence of love which is the fruit of the Spirit). Second, it must be done carefully, that is, without letting yourself become corrupted. We could say, then, that we must restore our brethren while staying on guard ourselves. We must guard against things from within and without. The things that come from within are the things opposite to gentleness, namely, pride, arrogance, anger, and conceit. The things that come from without are those things that our brothers and sisters may have fallen into, and we may be tempted to do. So, we must be gentle, and we must be careful, but the key is that you act! The great reformer, Martin Luther, said of this passage, “Therefore, if you see any brother cast down and afflicted by occasion of sin which he has committed, run to him and, reaching out your hand, raise him up again, comfort him with sweet words, and embrace him with motherly arms.”

This is an appropriate example of burden-bearing: catching someone sinning and doing something about it (ex. baby/puppy). The apostle summarizes the law of Christ and what he has been saying here at the end of Galatians in one phrase, “Bear one another’s burdens.” That phrase teaches us a lot about the Christian life. First, we all have burdens. Second, there are certain burdens that we cannot bear alone. Third, we are responsible for supporting one another in burden-bearing.

Now, if you are not willing to help others or to ask for help yourself, then you are thinking too highly of yourself. None of us are above helping others or being helped by others. Instead of having an exaggerated/faulty view of oneself, everyone should test his/her own work. Here is a key point: you should not compare your situation with the situation of another person. You can always find someone who is doing worse than you, and then you think that you are doing well. We should consider ourselves in comparison to God’s standards and remember His grace. What does it mean that we should bear our own load? Is this not in contradiction to bearing one another’s burdens? No, it does not contradict what has previously been said. Verse five refers to you answering for yourself on the Day of Judgment (Moo, Stott). On that Day, you will not be compared to others but to God’s standard. Part of what will be considered is how you related to your brethren.

As John Stott has written, “Further, if we obeyed this apostolic instruction as we should, much unkind gossip would be avoided, more serious backsliding prevented, the good of the church advanced, and the name of Christ glorified.

Do Good to All (6-10)

The reason for verse six is hard to discern because we do not know everything about the Galatian situation. The overwhelming majority of interpreters believe that verse six means that the churches are to financially support their teachers (Moo), but why does Paul say that here? It could be that this is a stand-alone statement that Paul wanted to make a point of here. Although, it is likely that since, “Paul has just put a strong emphasis on individual responsibility” he then assumed that it could, “easily be misinterpreted as a reason to hold back from supporting those who teach” (Moo). We know that the Lord Jesus taught in Luke 10:7 that a “laborer is worthy of his wages,” and the apostle echoed that statement in 1 Cor 9:14 by saying, “the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.” Whatever reason it may have been for Paul to say this, verse six makes clear, as one commentator has said, “. . . there was in the Galatia churches a recognized group of people engaged in gospel instruction, and . . . it was incumbent on those taught by these people to provide the instructors with financial support” (Moo). This is part of obeying the command to bear one another’s burdens, but it is a sharing exercise. The teacher shares spiritual/biblical things with his congregation, and the congregation shares material things with their teacher.

Of the sowing and reaping idea, I think we all can understand it. This is a straightforward principle of life whether we are talking about a farmer and his crops or a person’s spiritual life. If you plant a rose bush, you will not have an apple tree to bloom. Likewise, if you sow to the flesh you will not bear the fruit of the Spirit. This is what you get: if you sow to the flesh, you reap corruption, but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap everlasting life. Our focus must be on the good. We must not grow weary in doing good.

A farmer works hard, often from sun-up to sun-down. He does not see the fruit of his labor for a long period of time, but it does eventually come. Likewise, we must not be impatient. In due time we will reap what we have sown. We have all sorts of opportunities of which we should take advantage to do good. Let us look for those opportunities and act when the times comes. We should do good to all, especially to the household of faith, that is, our Christian brethren.

Boast Only in the Lord (11-18)

Paul now makes things personal as he comes to the very end of the letter to the Galatians. Paul has apparently been using a secretary to write the letter as he dictated it to him, but now he grabs the pen and writes the last paragraph himself. He reiterates the fact that the Judaizers, the false teachers, were only wanting the Galatians to be circumcised. Why? They wanted the Galatians circumcised for two reasons. First, so that they would not be persecuted because of the offensiveness of the cross of Christ, and, second, so that they could boast in their number of law-abiding disciples. How does Paul respond? He says, “God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” If any boasting is going to be done, it is boasting only in the Lord. The cross is our atonement, renewal, and salvation. If you are in Christ, then circumcision or non-circumcision means anything. Why? Because we are a new creation. We have died to the world. We have died to the Law. We have died to the flesh, our old person. We are new in Christ.

Verse 16 says, “And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.” What rule is he referring to? The word “rule” refers to a standard, a principle, and a philosophy. In this context, the apostle must be referring to the “new creation” idea. Of course, this is a “big idea” (Moo). The old age is marked by wickedness, sin, the flesh, circumcision, and the Law while the new age is inaugurated by the cross of Christ and the things associated with Him such as the Spirit, faith, and love. Those who are new creatures, operating in the new creation will experience the peace and mercy of God as the new Israel. Christians are the chosen people. We are those who experience the blessings of God. We are the ones who will inherit His kingdom and all His promises.

Paul no longer wants the agitators to trouble him, and he no longer wants the Galatians to listen and follow their heresies. Paul must have had several scars that he attained from persecutions from various rivals to the cross of Christ. He reckoned those scars to be the marks of the Lord Jesus in his body. There was no question of Paul’s loyalty. His allegiance was with Christ.

Paul ends the epistle the same way he started it (1:3) “Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ” and (6:18) “Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” If there is anything that the Galatians needed it was the grace of Christ with their spirit. They needed to know it, and they needed to trust it. There is no justification before God or satisfaction in this life or the next without the grace and peace of God.

Conclusion and Christian Application

In Galatians 6, we have a list of Paul’s final exhortations. Like a machine-gun, he fires numerous direct applications.

(1) Gently restore sinning believers.

(2) Bear one another’s burdens.

(3) Examine yourself and come to an accurate self-image.

(4) Support your true, Gospel ministers.

(5) Do good to all, especially other Christians.

(6) Boast only in the Lord and His cross.

(7) Walk (live) according to the standard of the new creation.

(8) Do not trouble your spiritual overseers by following false teachers.

Romans 4:1-8 Justification by Faith

Romans 4:1-8      Justification by Faith

Paul has previously affirmed in Romans that his Gospel is taught by the Law and the Prophets (3:21). He then asserted that his teaching on faith establishes the Law (3:31). Now he personifies this teaching by using Abraham as his supreme model and a glance at David. Abraham is in the books of the Law, but chronologically came before the Law. David is also referred to in vv6-8, and now the three divisions of the Hebrew Bible have been represented: the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. Thus Paul is demonstrating that the entire Old Testament, the “Scriptures,” teaches that righteousness is accounted by faith and not by works.

Why reference Abraham at this point in the flow of the argument?

1. The Jews considered Abraham to be the founder of the race and the representation of everything that a godly man should be.

2. Despite Jews thinking that this Gospel contradicted everything they knew, it is actually as old as the Jewish faith. This is the basis of Jewish religion.

3. The teaching on faith is now personified in a major religious figure.

4. Paul has sought to explain that righteousness comes apart from Law and works. There is no better way to prove that point than by Abraham who was accepted by God some 430 years before Law.

Abraham, the father of Judaism, was not accepted by God because of the works he had accomplished. He had nothing to boast of before God. And that verse supports my definition of works as “anything that one would place before God in order to be accepted by Him.” There is no human on this earth or in history that can boast before God, not even Abraham. Abraham found that his believing God was accounted to him for righteousness (Genesis 15:6).

If we truly worked to “earn” right standing before God, then God would owe us something. But when there is nothing we can do before God, and He justifies us anyway, then it is called grace. The Christian life is created and continued by grace. We deserve nothing but death, yet God in Christ has called us, justified us, adopted us, is sanctifying us, and will glorify us.

Abraham found these things to be true and so did David. David understood that righteousness was attainable through repentance and faith (of course if you are repentant then you must believe). David believed that when he confessed his transgressions to the Lord he was forgiven (Psalm 32).

Galatians 5:16-26 Walk in the Spirit

Galatians 5:16-26         Walk in the Spirit                            WC McCarter

Introduction

Pastors and churches all across America have been attempting to diagnose the culture. They want to watch the trends and the various forms of media in order to see how they may either accommodate the culture or battle the culture. Yet, a passage like we find in Galatians five today is fundamental to understanding ourselves and the culture. We need to focus on our spiritual battle before we can take on the culture.

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The Command (16)

Verse 16 is a clear command to walk in the Spirit. In the NT, to “walk” means to live. It refers to a lifestyle commitment. Do we all sin? I believe so. I do not think anyone attains perfection in this age. We are only made completely perfect when Christ returns and we are glorified. So, we all sin from time to time and must ask forgiveness for it, but that does not mean that we live in our sins. The danger is found in a lifestyle of sin. The apostle says to, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” A person walks in either of two categories: the Spirit or the flesh. To walk in the Spirit is to submit to the will of God, obey His commands, pursue righteousness, and be changed from the inside-out. The Spirit has been sent forth from the Father and Son to indwell all Christians. He has come into our lives in order to regenerate us, that is, give us new birth and to put to death the deeds of the flesh, that is, to progressively make us holy. The Spirit longs for us to bear witness to Christ, and He enables us to live a life worthy of the calling we have in Christ Jesus.

The “flesh,” on the other hand, refers to the unredeemed nature. It is what has been called the Adamic nature, the sin nature, the unregenerated nature, and more. Thus, the “flesh” does not only refer to physical sins, but it refers to all those things apart from Christ. The apostle says that if a person walks in the Spirit he/she will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.

The Conflict (17-18)

How is it that walking in the Spirit keeps a person from fulfilling the lusts of the flesh? These two are in conflict with one another. You cannot walk in both. You either operate according to the Spirit or you operate according to the flesh. In verse 17 we find the explanation for our inner struggles. Do you feel from time to time that you are torn? Do you feel like you want to do what you know is right, and yet you do the complete opposite? Do you know why you cannot do what you want to do? It is because the flesh haunts you from the dead. Remember, Paul has said in 2:20 what is true of all believers, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. . . .” The old “ego” is dead. The old “I” has been put away. Yet, the old you haunts you from the grave so that Paul can say what he says in Rom 7:15-25 (turn there). Toward the end of his life the apostle said in 1 Tim 1:15, “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.”

You see, there is within us two agents operating, the Spirit and the flesh. These two are constantly battling it out inside us. This is the great Christian conflict. What you want to do, you don’t do; and what you do not want to do is exactly what you actually do. This is a frustrating thing, but it is the Christian life. Slowly but surely, we are conquering the lusts of the flesh. Day by day, we are suppressing the flesh so that one day we will have ultimate victory over it. This is the process of maturity. Do we attain sinlessness in this life? As I have already said, I do not believe so. Yet, I do believe that we can reach a certain level of Christian maturity when we do not sin very often or grievously. We can master the flesh to a certain extent in this life and that should be our goal. The problem is that so many Christians are not at war with the Adamic nature. We have to stop submitting to sinful and selfish desires and go to battle with those things. Do not let the sinful nature master you.

The last point that Paul wants to make before turning to the contrasts between the Spirit and flesh comes in verse 18. He says that those who are led by the Spirit are not under the Law. Why is that? Is the Law not necessary to keep the Christian in check? We do not need the Law because the Holy Spirit is our guide. He is the one who convicts us of sin, righteousness, and judgment. We do not need some external Law because we have the Spirit of God leading us internally to do those things which are right, good, and holy.

The Consequences of the Flesh (19-21)

We are obviously not free to fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Verses 19-21 give a lengthy list of the works of the flesh and conclude with “those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” The flesh can only produce things that do not lead us into the kingdom of God. What I see is that this list is the product of self-reliance. Those are truly our works whether we are “winging it” all through life or submitting to the Mosaic Law. The Law only makes these things known and condemns them with no remedy. There are at least four categories of sins here, those things pertaining to: sexual sins, religious sins, and also sins of culture and alcohol. Of course, this list of sins is not exhaustive, so he ends by saying “and the like.” If someone practices these things, that is, if they think that these things are acceptable, if they do not repent of such things, if they walk in these things, if any of these things become a lifestyle, then that person will not inherit the kingdom of God.

The Consequences of the Spirit (22-26)

In contrast, the Spirit produces all things that lead to life, namely love. The contrast here is between “works of the flesh” in v19 and “fruit of the Spirit” in v22. Two lists are given. The second list is the product of the Spirit working in us. These things are not by our doing. The fruit of the Spirit is singular which means that there is one fruit that the Spirit seeks to develop in us. So, the fruit of the Spirit is what? Love! “All of the other virtues listed result in some manner from love” (Longnecker). Now there is no doubt that love and the rest come by the working of the Spirit in us, but do not discount the individual responsibility each of us has. V25 says, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” or as the NIV says, “let us keep in step with the Spirit.” V26 is a final plea against Judaizer behavior in the church. If the Spirit is working then the things of the flesh will deteriorate, but if the things of the flesh persist then the church will deteriorate.

Conclusion and Christian Application

“1. I am not what I ought to be. Ah! how imperfect and deficient. 2. Not what I might be, considering my privileges and opportunities. 3. Not what I wish to be. God, who knows my heart, knows I wish to be like him. 4. I am not what I hope to be; ere long to drop this clay tabernacle, to be like him and see him as He is. 5. Not what I once was, a child of sin, and slave of the devil. Though not all these, not what I ought to be, not what I might be, not what I wish or hope to be, and not what I once was, I think I can truly say with the apostle, ‘By the grace of God I am what I am.’” --John Newton, Based on the words of 1 Cor 15:10, (Quoted from Letters by the Rev. John Newton, authored by Josiah Bull, p. 400).

We are not yet perfect, but we no longer operate in the flesh. Slowly but surely we are pressing on in the Spirit toward holiness.

The Need for Bible Study: Part 2

The Need for Bible Study: Part 2 Personally

In May of 2014 we posted an article concerning the value of studying the Bible together. There is a critical need for good teaching and preaching in the church today, and folks do not need to neglect the assembling of themselves together. Hopefully you were encouraged in that article to be more intent on getting to church gatherings where the people of God gather around the word of God. If you have not read that article, please go back and do so. If you did read it but need to be refreshed on the subject, please go back and read it again. I am absolutely convinced of the need for the church to study the Scriptures together. Music is good, singing is encouraging, worship is necessary, prayers should be offered, the Lord’s Supper should be celebrated, meals ought to be shared, fellowship is needed, but none of those things are worthwhile if they are not flowing out of a clear and convincing understanding of God’s word. The Bible informs us of all these wonderful things.

In Part 1 of this discussion we did a little math and concluded that if we were to spend three hours in the corporate assembly each week setting our minds on the things of Christ, then we only have three hours to combat the remaining 109 waking hours of the week that we spend in the “world” with all of its struggles. I would hope that you would take advantage of those three hours per week and make the most of them that you can. Come to church gatherings prepared to engage with the Lord, His word, and His people. I would also recommend that you take advantage of what the Lord has made available to us today for personal Bible study.

We have been blessed beyond the wildest dreams of those from yesteryear. Bibles are affordable and prevalent. They are all around us. We have superb English translations and all sorts of tools to use to understand the Bible’s meaning. In the homes of most Christians, and even the homes of many unbelievers, there are numerous Bibles. Personally, I have about 20 different Bibles in my office; some are leatherbound and others hardback, there are several different translations, and there are several different study Bibles. Of course, I do not even open many of those Bibles anymore because almost all of them are offered online for free at places like www.biblegateway.com. There are even several different study tools and commentaries available online for free. Honestly, there is no excuse for Christians to not read and study the Bible.

I am convinced from reading the Scriptures themselves that God has always wanted His people to hear, read, understand, and meditate on His revealed word. God is a personal God and has wanted to make Himself known. To do so, he has raised up prophets and apostles to speak and write His holy word. So, Moses says, “Set your hearts on all the words. . . . For it is not a futile thing for you, because it is your life” (Deuteronomy 32). The psalmist also says, “Blessed is the man . . . [whose] delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1). “Law” there means “instruction.” The Lord Jesus Himself even quoted Moses saying, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4). Finally, let me add the apostle Paul’s famous statement about the importance of Scripture, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God [or “God-breathed”], and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3). The Bible is useful for all sorts of things. For the Christian, it is our life and salvation.

While the saints of ancient times and many around the world today did/do not have Bibles in their hands, they were intent on hearing, learning, and memorizing it so that they could live it. If they could put forth that much effort, we should at the very least be willing to read the Scriptures outside of the church. We can and probably should read the Scriptures in the morning, during our lunch break, with our families in the evenings, and before we lay our heads down to sleep. There are all sorts of ways to go about personal Bible study. You can read through certain books of the Bible, or you could read a brief passage in the morning and meditate on it throughout the day. If you don’t know where to start, why don’t you take the sermon text from the previous Sunday and read it again, think about it, and pray about it?

Spending personal time in God’s word outside of church gatherings is beneficial to your Christian growth. It will encourage you, strengthen you, protect you, and motivate you. Christians know from the inner-witness of the Holy Spirit that we should be in the word. The prophets, psalmists, apostles, and the Lord Jesus Himself have made it clear that believers should hear, study, and meditate on the Scriptures. Lastly, there is no excuse for neglecting personal and family devotions because of the resources that the Lord has made available today through print and internet.

Galatians 5:1-15 Stand in Liberty and Love

Galatians 5:1-15           Stand in Liberty and Love               WC McCarter

Introduction

Independence Day, or July 4^th, is the holiday that marks our adoption of the document commonly referred to as the Declaration of Independence. That document announced our freedom from the control of Great Britain and declared our independence as a newly formed nation, the United States of America. We all have been born into that freedom, by no triumph of our own. Of course, many have had to fight to secure and defend our freedom. To them we are grateful. Now, can you imagine abandoning our freedom? Can you imagine yourself desiring dictatorship, communism, or any of the like? We would be fools to want something other than American freedom. We are willing to go to war to defend our freedom and send our children to fight. At any hint of losing even a small liberty, Americans are up in arms about it. We are right to enjoy our freedoms and passionately defend them.

What a fitting illustration it is to consider losing our American liberties, even on this Independence weekend, but especially as we continue our study in Galatians. Let me say losing our American freedoms is nothing compared to losing our freedom in Christ. We are talking about atonement for sin, a relationship with the Creator, and our eternal destiny. Thus, it is astounding that the Galatians were leaving the Gospel, they were leaving freedom in Christ in order to bear the burden of the Law. They were too easily persuaded.

READ Scripture- This is the Word of God

Stand in Liberty (1-4)

Notice the contrast in verse one between standing and entanglement. This is a wonderful picture in itself for what Christ has done for us. The word “entangled” in the NKJV also means, “to experience constraint, be subject to, be loaded down with” (BDAG). So, the Law is a burden that loads us down. It is a bondage that constrains us. What is the burden? It is the guilt of our sin. How are we constrain? The Law offers no true atonement. You can picture an animal like an ox with a yoke on its neck in order to carry a heavy load or a man with a very heavy load on his shoulders that stoops him over. One of the hardest things I have done is work as a laborer to roof a house. Putting a load of shingles on your shoulders and heading up a ladder is an exhausting and painful thing. It is hard to stand up straight for a few days. In contrast, the freedom that Christ gives us allows for the man or woman of God to stand up straight. For the Christian, there is no heavy yoke. There is no burden to stoop us over. Spiritually speaking, we can stand up straight. What is Paul’s point with this contrast? He says, Stand up straight and enjoy it; don’t go back to the exhausting and painful burden. The Christian life is not just about standing up for Jesus as the hymn says, but it is standing up because of Jesus, because of the freedom He has given us.

Beginning in verse two, we get to some specifics. The false teachers were persuading the Galatian Christians to become circumcised. Paul makes it personal by stating his name in this plea. Circumcision was only a surgical procedure for the men, but it was a mark of the covenant. The symbolism of that act had huge significance. Paul says that if the Galatians were to submit to circumcision, which is to say, if they were to submit to the Mosaic Law as a means of righteousness then: (1) Christ would profit them nothing, (2) they must keep the whole law, (3) they would be estranged from Christ, and (4) they will fall from grace. Paul says, Mark my words these will be your consequences. If you look to the law or rules or traditions of men for right standing with God, you forfeit what you have in Christ. There is no Christ plus anything. There is no faith plus something else. Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ.

Faith Working through Love (5-6)

Paul has been speaking of those who either have or were considering or will follow the false teachers back into bondage. He has said, “You. . .You. . .You.” Now, in verses five and six he turns to the true believers and uses, “We.” What is it that true believers, those of the apostolic community, do for righteousness? We do not work; we wait. We wait in faith for the full benefits of Christ’s accomplishments. We do this through the Spirit meaning that we submit to the authority and work of the Holy Spirit of God rather than the Law. We constantly submit to the preferences of the Spirit, continually trusting in Christ. In the morning, we trust. In the evening, we trust. When we are young, we trust. When we are old, we trust. On the bad days, we trust. On the good days, we trust. We live our lives by faith. We stand up straight in freedom, and we wait for all of the promises of God in Christ to be fulfilled.

Verse six gives an overarching principle: whether you have or don’t have the outward sign of circumcision, it does not matter. The only things that matters is faith working through love. Therefore, the Christian life does have fruit. There are things to do in love. Yet, those things are not what justifies us before God. Loving deeds are not what save us. We stand in love because of the freedom we have been given. We continue by faith and working love because Christ has already purchased our salvation and His righteousness has been imputed to us. Faith makes love for our brethren and neighbors possible.

Leavening the Lump (7-12)

Paul knew that the Galatians had started off well. He had proclaimed the Gospel in their towns and established the churches in the grace of God. They had been trusting in Christ. They were running the race of faith well, but someone threw a high hurdle onto the track which tripped up many of them. The truth is what believers must search for and submit to. The Galatians were convinced that what Paul proclaimed was the truth, that is, the Gospel of Christ crucified and raised again. Now they were not obeying that message, and Paul says that new opinion did not come from God.

In the midst of pulling the Galatians back into freedom with great encouragements, Paul makes some sharp jabs at the agitators. Yeast was a symbol of sin in the Jewish culture. Here, Paul uses it of the false teachers. It was and is common knowledge that only a small bit of yeast spreads through the whole lump of dough. In the same way, it only took a little persuasion away from the truth, only a hint of doubt, to ruin the whole Galatian community. Of course, Paul wants the Galatians to have the same view of the Judaizers that he has of them. He wants them to have “no other mind.” I can tell you that the person who causes unity in the church to be disrupted will certainly endure the judgment of God. The Lord does not take lightly those who disturb the church. This is a serious matter.

Verse eleven is an oddly placed verse, but a subject that Paul feels he must address, and there is no better time than now. Apparently some of the Judaizers were claiming that Paul still taught circumcision. This must have been a ploy to help persuade the Galatians to follow their teachings. Paul states emphatically that this claim is utterly false. If it were true, why was he being persecuted so violently? Paul proclaimed Christ crucified, the cross as salvation. Circumcision and the proclamation of the Judaizers takes the offense of the cross away. What is the offense of the cross? You have sinned against God Almighty and cannot save yourself from His wrath, but Christ’s sacrifice is a means of righteousness and salvation if only you will believe in Him and receive His benefits. In an outburst of passion, frustration, and defense of the Gospel, Paul says in verse twelve what may make some blush, “I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off!” The NIV is even more vivid, “As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!” Paul plays off of their insistence on circumcision–why not cut it all off?

Through Love Serve One Another (13-15)

In the last paragraph of our sermon text today, Paul brings it back home to the situation of the true believers, the brethren. He says, “You have been called to liberty.” Yet, this freedom is not something of which we should take advantage. Far be it from us to take for granted what Christ has done for us by continuing in sin. The word “flesh” often refers to the unredeemed, sinful nature. So many, too many Christians in America have devalued the grace of God in Christ. If you continue is sin, you take His name through the mud of this world. You should take this Christian liberty as an opportunity to serve others in love. Paul teaches exactly what the Lord Jesus taught during His ministry. If you want to fulfill the whole law, then fulfill Lev 19:18 which sums up the whole.

The opposite of love is stated in verse 15. Paul has probably heard that the Galatians were “biting and devouring” one another over this issue. The way to repair relationships and the health of the church is to reject the false teachers, continue to trust in Christ, and lovingly serve one another. When there is infighting, the health and witness of the church is in danger (Fee/Moo).

Conclusion and Christian Application

(1) Biting and devouring one another is destructive to all involved and all those associated with the situation.

(2) Paul instructs Christians to stand up straight, unencumbered, unburdened, and without constraint in liberty and love. This is our privilege. This is part of the benefits of the Christian life. We are free from the burden of sin’s guilt. We should use this freedom to serve others in love, especially one another.

(3) If you turn to anything other than Christ for righteousness, then you lose Christ. Salvation and a relationship with God is Fath + Nothing. You forfeit your identity, status, and life as a Christian if you add anything to Christ.