Psalm 150

The last Psalm is a call to praise that is as far-reaching as the Creator and creation allows.  It is praise exclusively for the ONLY Object of praise (v1a) in every place (v1b) for everything about Him (v2) with every means at our disposal (v3-5) by everything that breathes (v6).

·       v1a: It is a call to praise the only true God, Yahweh (the covenant making One Who has come near His creation) and El (God, the Mighty One, transcendent over all).

·       v1b: Praise Him in His sanctuary (the holy place where He is perfectly set-apart) and in His mighty firmament (that aspect of creation that speaks most powerfully of His might).  The Holy Place, where we feel a sense of awe, where we must remove our shoes in deepest respect.  It is the only setting where the Eternal and Holy God will satisfy His desire to dwell with mankind, whether for eternity in His heavenly abode or in the former setting of the Israelite temple or in the spiritual temple of the body of Christ and the temple of the heart for believers.  And what else befuddles the mind of the natural man more than the thought that the unfolding greatness of the majesty of the heavens is the work of God the LORD?  To quote Spurgeon,

It is a blessed thing that in our God holiness and power are united.  Power without righteousness would be oppression, and righteousness without power would be too weak for usefulness; but put the two together in an infinite degree and we have God.

·       v2: He is to be praised for all He does and all He is!  Consider the works of God in creation where He both made and sustains all that exists.  Consider the works of God in your day-to-day life, providentially meeting every need.  Consider the works of God in redemption, in the sending of His Only Son Whom He loved and gave for man’s deepest need.  His works are the “footprint” of His perfections.  Praise Him for His perfections: love, grace, mercy, righteousness, wisdom and power; His eternity, unchangeableness, immensity, omnipresence self-existence and self-sufficiency. 

·       v3-5: He is to be praised with all we are and have, but these verses speak of praise that is “musical”.  It is a marvelous symphony with wind, string and percussion instruments.  The emphasis on music I believe means we are called to give praise and worship that is “in spirit” (John 4:24), something that comes from deep within.  The emphasis on both skillful and vigorous music indicates our praise is to be whole-hearted in the best way we possibly can.  God is deserving of this.

·       v6: If you are breathing give joyful praise to the Lord your God!  In every way.  With every ounce of strength.

Gal. 5:22-26, The Fruit of the Spirit (2)

Ø Longsuffering: “accepting a difficult situation from God without giving Him a deadline to remove it.”  There are two primary “patience” terms in the NT.  This is the one that is used of God, and has to do with provocation by people.  Here is a somewhat lengthy quote from Vine:

Longsuffering is that quality of self-restraint in the face of provocation which does not hastily retaliate or promptly punish; it is the opposite of anger, is associated with mercy, and used of God (Ex. 34:6, Septuagint).

Ø Kindness: this refers to pleasant acts bestowed on others.  It is not a mere thought but requires an expression toward another person.

Ø Goodness: this term is similar to the previous term, but is broader.  Thus it includes what we sometimes call “tough love,” or as Vine says, “the sterner qualities by which doing good to others is not necessarily by gentle means.”

Ø Faithfulness: “fulfilling what I consented to do even if it means unexpected sacrifice.”  The one who is faithful is he who swears to his own hurt and does not change (Ps. 15:4).  The verse goes on to say, he will never be shaken.

Ø Meekness: “yielding my personal rights and expectations to God.”  Many consider meekness to be weakness.  The Biblical idea is anything but that.  Vine says, “meekness … is the fruit of power … the Lord was ‘meek’ because he had the infinite resources of God at His command … meekness is the opposite of self-assertiveness and self-control … is neither elated nor cast down, simply because it is not occupied with self at all.”

Ø Self-control: “instant obedience to the initial promptings of God’s Spirit."  Vine says, “the controlling power of the will under the operation of the Spirit of God.”

Concerning these spiritual graces, Paul concludes with several comments.

·       5:23-24: First, “against such there is no law.”  Those who live by the flesh, doing their best, produce works contrary to the law they are trying to keep.  Those who walk in the Spirit are truly free from the law, because the Spirit produces the life that the law cannot condemn.  Thus they are the ones that, by love, fulfill the law.  The reason they are free is that they have crucified the passions and desires of the flesh that aroused the law to produce the fruit of death (Rom. 7:5). 

·       5:25: Thus, the bottom line is, if we live in the Spirit (we have been born of the Spirit; Christ lives in us) then let us walk in the Spirit.  As he indicated in Gal. 3:3, it is foolish to begin in the Spirit but continue on in the flesh.

·       5:26: This verse applies the teaching to the immediate situation in the churches of Galatia.  They experienced great strife in this matter, ultimately arguing over who was the better Christian: we who walk in the Spirit or we who keep the law?  How conceited!  The point is: Paul has not only solved a theological problem; he has provided what they all need to walk with Christ in oneness.

Gal. 5:22-23; John 15:1-8,16, Fruit of the Spirit

We now turn to the “fruit” of the Spirit.  We are, in effect, a tree full of blessing to the glory of God and the benefit of others.  The fruit of that tree is the result of Christ’s living in us (Gal. 2:20).  Christ lives in those who live in the Spirit (Gal. 5:25).  They have been born again by the Spirit (Jn. 3:8). 

We noted that the works of the flesh were the result of liberty that is not serving others through love.  Many hold that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joined by eight manifestations; or that all together the nine depict love.  The argument is that the word “fruit” is singular and thus there is one kind of fruit on the tree.  It is true, that love fulfills all the law (5:14) and that love is the perfect binding that wraps up all Christian character (Col. 3:14).  But a better way to understand this, I believe, is that there is one type of fruit that includes all nine aspects.  It is hard to think of having love but not peace; or goodness and not faithfulness, and so on.

Let us define these terms here, and then, Lord willing, we will come back in greater detail to study these aspects of love after we finish Galatians.

Ø Love: Love is what God is (1 Jn. 4:16).  Love has in mind the well-being of others.  There are two common ingredients in the Bible’s description of love: giving and sacrifice.  However, in terms of love for Christ, He also says if you love Me, keep my commandments.  Again, This is love, that we walk according to His commandments (2 John 6).  Perhaps the point is that we cannot define love ourselves; we need to walk in His commands to be walking in love (Eph. 5:2).  The Bible defines love by a Person (God) and an action (Christ making propitiation for our sins).  Let me say it now, every one of these “fruit of the Spirit” find the fullest and perfect expression in that same Person.  The life lived by those who walk in the Spirit is the life that our Lord lived on this earth.

Ø Joy: “inner delight,” resulting from harmony with God that demands outward expression.  The Greek term finds its highest fulfillment in the NT.  To Greeks joy was closely associated with amusement and leisure and the like.  But in Christ joy is at its best in trials.

Ø Peace: Strictly speaking, peace is the absence of war, general well-being; contentment; rest from works and/or burden-bearing.  But in the Scriptures we see peace on many levels (internally, externally, spiritually with God).  Here is Vine’s definition of the “rest” we have in Christ:

Christ’s rest is not a rest from work but a rest in work, not the rest of inactivity but of the harmonious working of all the faculties and affections – of will, heart, imagination, conscience – because each has found in God the ideal sphere for its satisfaction and development.

We will conclude this part of our study in our next post, Lord willing.

Gal. 5:19-21; James 4:1-5, Works of the Flesh (3)

The works of the flesh, continued once more. 

·       Egocentric sins.  A dictionary definition of “egocentric” is, thinking only of oneself, without regard for the feelings or desires of others; self-centered.

o   Selfish ambitions: The King James translated this “strife” which can fit.  But here is a definition from the Arndt and Gingrich Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: “electioneering or intriguing for office; apparently, in the NT a courting distinction, a desire to put one’s self forward, a partisan and fractious spirit which does not disdain low arts.”  Philippians 2:3 speaks of this as a contradiction to the humble mind that was in Christ Jesus (2:5-8).  With this work to begin the list you see how we come to the others.

o   Dissensions: This is the word for “divisions.”  In the church, divisions can be traced back to someone who was moved by selfish ambition.  (The Greek word is “dichostasia,” as in “dichotomy.”) 

o   Heresies: The root meaning of this word means “the act of taking, capturing.”  It came to refer to heresy (false doctrine) and heretics (those who hold them).  It is used of the Sadducees (Ac. 5:17) and Pharisees (Ac. 15:5), but was also used by the Jews of Christianity (Ac. 24:5, the “sect” of the Nazarenes).  Again, false teaching revolves around someone driven by selfish ambition.

o   Envy: Jealousy is hating someone because they have been blessed.  Envy is wishing I had the blessing that belongs to another.  Envy is driven by selfish ambition.  On many occasions in the Scriptures envy was the cause of great acts of evil.  The Jews delivered up Jesus because of envy (Mt. 27:28).  Some preached against Paul because of envy (Phil. 1:15).  It is what is being described in James 4:1-5.

·       Lack of self-control sins.  The sins in this list are sins of excess.  It shows what happens when we are in control; something that might be beneficial becomes an issue of evil when it characterizes our lives.

o   Murders: This is evil thoughts and hatred taken to excess.  Remember that Jesus said a person committed murder by his hateful thoughts (Mt. 5:21-26).

o   Drunkenness: This is the sin of excessive use of alcohol.  Drunkenness brings the entire body under control (Eph. 5:18), and not for good.

o   Revelries: This is the sin of excessive partying.  Strong has an interesting description of where this came from: “a nocturnal and riotous procession of half drunken and frolicsome fellows who after supper parade through the streets with torches and music in honor of Bacchus or some other deity, and sing and play before houses of male and female friends; hence used generally of feasts and drinking parties that are protracted till late at night and indulge in revelry.”

Gal. 5:19-21; Deut. 18:10-13, Works of the Flesh (2)

The works of the flesh, continued. 

·       Religious sins (sins that directly reject God).

o   Idolatry: This is not difficult: it refers to service to and honor for a god other than the true God.  In the NT the emphasis is not so much on carved or molten images (although that is what Paul saw and bothered him in Athens, Ac. 17:15).  Twice Paul said coveteousness was idolatry (Eph. 5:5; Col. 3:5).  We are told to flee from this sin (1 Cor. 10:14).  In other words, we are not to think about it, debate it, and so forth.  We are to run from it.

o   Sorcery: The Greek word “pharmakeia” gives us “pharmacy” in English.  Thus, is could involve the use of drugs in a harmful way.  But it also referred to witchcraft which could involve many practices, such as enchantment (Ex. 7:11,22), sorcery (gaining power from evil spirits) or any of the magic arts.  In the OT it was also tied to astrology and stargazing (Isa. 47:9-15) as well as soothsaying, seeking omens, spiritism or use of spells (Deut. 18:10-13).  It stands directly against God because it replaces the word of God.

·       Hatred sins.

o   Hatred: This is the opposite of love.  It is an attitude of enmity and hostility against another person.  It is at the foundation of the other three works of the flesh in this group.

o   Contentions: This describes a state of strife between people.  Contentions existed in the Church at Corinth (1 Cor. 1:11).  In a church it can result from preaching/teaching that is not based in the infallible word of God but in theological arguments, foolish questions or other such topics (1 Tim. 6:4; Titus 3:9).

o   Jealousies: Jealousy is the negative feeling that arises when we see someone else in success of some sort.  It often occurs when we see someone’s possessions.  It is different than envy, as we will note later.  Jealousy leads to action, as you see in John 2:17 in a good sense (Jesus’ “zeal” for God’s house), but most often in a negative sense (the indignation or jealousy of the Jews led to their persecution of Christians, Acts 5:17; 13:45).  It is often used simply of hot anger or a boiling up of passion.  Thus, it leads to what is next.

o   Outbursts of wrath: This is the hot, passionate kind of anger.  We would say, “he lost his temper.”  It is more likely to be evident in an outburst of yelling and obscenity rather than the anger that results in a well thought out attack.

Look back over today’s lists.  Remember, these are the work of those who seek to live their lives in their own intelligence and good intentions.  When we live in the flesh, and these things happen, we have no shortage of excuses and we regularly blame others.  But these things are inevitable when we do not walk in the Spirit.

Gal. 5:16-21, The Works of the Flesh (1)

Let us now turn our attention to the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit.  Our aim is to provide some definition of terms.  After we finish our journey through Galatians we plan to return and give more detailed studies of the fruit of the Spirit.

The Works of the Flesh

In the context there are things to notice.  For example, these are “works.”  These are things done in and produced by the flesh.  These are the work of those who are trying their hardest to do good, as well as by those who seem to have no inclination at all to do good.  It is simply what you get, as a sinful human being, who is unable to separate yourself from the lusts (deep desires) that control you.

Thus, we should also note that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  In other words, this is what you see in the lives of those who have no faith in Christ.  It is not that there can be no forgiveness. But if we come to Christ, He provides forgiveness through His blood and we are born again.  Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires (v24). 

It is clear that this is not an exhaustive list, as the phrase “and the like” indicates (v21).  It is also evident that this list is in groupings.  We will deal with them in that manner.  And one more thing Paul says is evident is the sinfulness of these things.  There is no question.  In the context, these are the result of using liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, rather than serving one another by love (v13).  (We use several sources, including Kenneth Wuest’s Studies in the Greek New Testament.)

·       Sexual/sensual sins.

o   Adultery: This applies to sexual sin by someone already married.  He/she is faithless to his/her spouse.

o   Fornications: On the other hand, this applies to any sexual sin.  It includes adultery but also homosexuality, rape, and so forth.  Any sexual sin.

o   Uncleanness: This is associated with sexual sin.  E.g. uncleanness, fornication and lewdness are joined in 2 Cor. 12:21.  Rom. 1:24 identifies sexual sin of people of the same sex as uncleanness.  In Col. 3:5 it is joined with fornication, passion and evil desire.  It could refer to the sense of guilt one experiences when engaging in sexual sin.  But it can also involve the filling of our minds with pornography. the lust of the heart (Mt. 5:27-30).

o   Lewdness: This refers to the excessiveness that results when sexual sin becomes habitual and sinfully unsatisfying.  It is unbridled lust, the lack of any control.  It is what characterized Sodom and Gomorrah (2 Pet. 2:7) and this sinful world generally (Eph. 4:19).

This might seem a dreary exercise, but it is necessary for us to hear God speak.  Thus, we will continue, Lord willing, in our next post.

Romans 13:8-14, Christians Have Obligations

Here is another study from Scripture that relates to the matter of our “freedom” in Christ.  Before we proceed I want to remind you that freedom from sin means we are enslaved to a loving and good Master (Rom. 6:22).  And, Galatians tells us not to use liberty as an opportunity for satisfying the lusts of the flesh.  The key is “love.”  Remember that as you consider this: Christians still have obligations.  Every one of these obligations is an obligation based in love!

1.    Rom. 8:13: Our only obligation is “love.”  “Owe” is the Greek opheilo, which is simply the acknowledgement of a debt.  This family of words is present in each of the passages in this list.  We are indebted or obligated.

2.    John 13:14: We are obligated (we ought to) wash the feet of our brothers and sisters, an obligation of humble love.

3.    Rom. 1:14: Paul was a debtor to the unsaved.  Why would we not consider ourselves indebted to the unsaved around us?  What is more an expression of love for our neighbor than to pray for and seek after his salvation.

4.    Rom. 8:12: We are not debtors to the flesh but to the Spirit.  This is, of course, the message of Galatians.

5.    Rom. 15:1: The strong “ought to” bear with the weaknesses of those around us.  Is this not how God has loved us?

6.    1 Cor. 7:3; Eph. 5:28: Husbands and wives have obligations in their relationship.  Now this might not seem very “romantic” but it is a fact.  They are to “render” to each other what is due or is their obligation.  A husband “ought to” love his wife as his own body.

7.    2 Cor. 12:14: Paul says that parents “ought to” lay up for their children.  This is a parental responsibility.  But of course, in the context, he is speaking of his relationship with the Corinthian Church.  As one used of the Lord to establish this church, he knew he had the obligation of a parent for his children.  Ministry is almost never “one and done.”  It is a long term relationship.

8.    2 Thess. 1:3: Here we are “bound” or obligated to express our thanks to God for those who are a blessing to us.  We sense this when we are seeing God’s work in others and are not being wrapped up in our own accomplishments.

9.    1 John 2:6: If you claim to have an abiding relationship with Christ, then you are obligated to walk as He walked.

10.           1 John 3:16: Christ laid down His love for us.  Thus we “ought” to lay down our lives for the brethren.

11.           3 John 1:8: This is so practical.  We are obligated to care for missionaries and other servants of the Lord whose daily needs are supplied by God’s people.

Again, consider these things in the context of the call to serve one another through love.  This is what happens when we walk in the Spirit!

Psalm 149

    Here is another Psalm of praise to the LORD (Hillel).  This one is a call to praise especially for “His saints” (v9).  The saints or holy ones or those who have been separated to God in the immediate context are Israel, the children of Zion (v2).  Let us not ignore this truth.  Let us pray that today’s nation of Israel, and the Jewish people in every place, will sing this song of praise in spirit and in truth.

          But then let those who by God’s grace have put their faith in Jesus Christ recognize that they have been grafted into the tree and are properly called saints (1 Cor 1:2 and many other places in the New Testament).  Thus let us dwell on this song and be made beautiful in our salvation.   Here are my thoughts.  I beg you, recite your own observations to the LORD.

·       v2: Our Maker is our King.  This is how it must be.  By virtue of His being the Potter, He is Sovereign over the clay.  Note that the same is true of the idolater who makes an idol of wood or precious stones.  He, the worshiper, is in fact the sovereign over that lifeless form.  He gives it what attributes he wants it to have; he assigns to it what answers to prayer he desires.  What foolishness!  Rejoice in your maker; be joyful in your King.

·       v3: Praise should be exuberant.  To join singing with appropriate dance and appropriate instrumentation is simply a means of expressing the greatest command: to love the LORD our God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength.

·       v4: The LORD speaks lovingly of His people.  It is interesting that in Jeremiah frequently God addresses “My people”, and yet the message is one of chastisement.  They never cease to be His treasured possession.  But notice that it is the humble, those who come to the Lord on bended knee, who are made beautiful.  And since praise itself is beautiful (Psalm 33:1), we are most beautiful when we give unhindered praise to our God!

·       v5: Even in the night, when the dread of fear and worry so often seeks to attract our attention, may we rather be joyful in glory, singing aloud.

·       v6-9a:  Does not this remind us of our Lord Jesus Christ who will someday come in judgment with a double-edged sword coming from His mouth (Rev. 1:16; 2:12)?  We often wonder what the saints will do when they come with the returning King of Kings (Rev. 19:14).  Perhaps this is the answer: they will shout the high praises of God while judgment is executed on His enemies.  Let us remember that these “nations” and “kings” are those who have arrogantly stood against God (Psalm 2).  These He “will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming” (2 Thess. 2:9) when He comes to rule the earth in righteousness.

Father in heaven, my Maker and my King, truly I have no honor but to praise You!  May it be so this day!  Praise the LORD!

Rom. 14:14-23, Through Love Serve One Another

Perhaps you are excited to move on to the “fruit of the Spirit.”  It is truly a wonderful study in Scripture.  But I have some things I want to share related to what we have seen to this point in Gal. 5. 

For example, 5:13 says do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  How do I know when I need to limit my freedom to serve others?  Romans 14 presents me with a number of questions I ought to ask concerning my actions. 

1.    14:6-9: Am I performing this act TO THE LORD?  In Galatians terminology, when we are controlled by the flesh, and thus serving ourselves, that is the time when we must limit our liberty.  We are not walking in the Spirit.

2.    14:13-15: Am I hindering the growth of a brother by this action? When my action will likely cause a brother to stumble love calls me to serve him rather than exercise my right to freedom.

3.    14:16,18: Am I fostering a poor reputation?  It is important that we be acceptable to God and, as much as possible, approved by men.  Reputation can do a lot to open or close doors for the gospel.  Remember: Paul is not saying here that we live for the love of men, only that we seek not to have unnecessary roadblocks to the work of the gospel.

4.    14:17: Am I sacrificing a higher priority for a lesser priority?  Eating and drinking is part of life.  But it is not our life consuming priority. 

5.    14:19: Am I encouraging peace in the fellowship?  Any body of believers is a collection of people at every marker along the road to spiritual maturity.  Thus, the limitation of liberty in deference to others must be considered.  In addition, our liberties are not necessarily the liberties of others.  For the sake of oneness in the Body of Christ we may have to defer or tolerate for the basis of peace.

6.    14:19: Am I building up a brother by this act?  In the Body of Christ, edification is what it is all about.  Our gatherings provide opportunities for each individual believer to use his or her gifts for the sake of others.  We must be willing to accommodate the times and interests and needs of others.

7.    14:22-23: Am I convinced (free of doubt) about this action?  This is a principle for all our actions.  Whatever is not of faith is sin. 

All of these questions, indeed the entire 14^th chapter of Romans, can be seen to fit under the principle of serving one another through love.  They fit the command to love your neighbor as yourself.  And they are fundamental to walking in the Spirit. 

Gal. 5:16-26, Walk in the Spirit

Back in Gal. 3:3 Paul asked the rhetorical question, Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?  He mentioned the Spirit in 5:5, that we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.  Now we come to this major truth, that the way we live the Christian life is to walk in the Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is given to the believer by God the Father at the request of and in the name of God the Son (John 14:16,26).  He indwells every believer.  Now Paul is saying to walk in the sphere of the Spirit, in the realm of His influence.  It speaks of being yielded and submitted to the Spirit. 

It may sound like believers have a choice in this, that if you walk in the Spirit you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh.  But actually, “walk in the Spirit” is a command; it is in the Greek “imperative” mood.  The person who seeks to live a good life by keeping the law considers the command to be: don’t fulfill the desires of the flesh!  So he might say things like, “I’m going to do better;” or “I can do this;” or “I’m going to turn over a new leaf.”  However, remember this clear statement from Rom. 8:8: So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

When the Spirit controls us (i.e. when we are yielded to Him) He influences everything about us.  That is what Eph. 5:18 says: the same way wine controls the actions of a drunk person, so the Spirit controls the one who is walking in the Spirit. 

Romans 8:8 tells us what it means, day to day, to walk in the Spirit: those who live according to the Spirit (set their minds on) the things of the Spirit.  The “things” of the Spirit are the Living/Written Word.  The Spirit glorifies Christ (Jn. 16:14).  The issue is that our minds must be renewed; we must put off the old way of thinking and put on the truth that is in Christ.  If we do not do this, as Christians, we find ourselves in the conflict described in Gal. 5:17.  There is conflict within that leaves us unable to do the good things we want to do.  (Rom. 7:15-20 describes this paralysis clearly.)

In the end we must understand: there can be no “two ways” in our lives.  We cannot live by the law and the Spirit.  The command is to walk in the Spirit.  If He is leading us then we are not under law!

Perhaps you have been a Christian for a long time.  I commend this passage to you, and urge you to ask the Lord to help you see its truth and also to see the truth of how you are living your life.  The life lived in the strength of the flesh is described in 5:19-21; the life lived in the power of the Spirit is described in 5:22-23.  We will look at this in more detail, but for now some Spirit-led honesty is necessary for those whose confession is the gospel of Christ, myself included. 

Gal. 5:13-15; Matt. 11:28-30, The Yoke of Christ

Let us take one more opportunity to deal with this passage.  It is crucial to a true perspective about the Christian life.  The “law of liberty” (as James calls it, Jas. 2:12) keeps the believer from the evil of either extreme.

LICENSE	LIBERTY	LEGALISM
“an opportunity for the flesh (Gal. 5:13b)	“you were called to freedom” (Gal. 5:13a)	“a yoke of slavery” (Gal. 5:1)

We have noted that the believer in Christ does not live the Christian life by his best efforts.  He walks in faith, dependent on the Word of God and the Spirit of God to enable him to live out the love of God.  Truly, Christ lives in the believer and the life he lives he lives by the faith of the Son of God (Gal. 2:20).

What does this mean in practice?  Does the Christian just sit on his couch with his Bible in hand, waiting for God to pick him up and drop him into a situation where he is then manipulated like a puppet?  That is as ridiculous as it sounds.  Scripture tells us the body of sin has been crucified along with its passions and desires (Gal. 5:24).  The Christian presents his body to Christ as a living sacrifice.  As God leads through His Word/Spirit the Christian serves Him.  Again, in Gal. 2:20 Paul says: nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ lives in me.  In Phil. 4:13 he says, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  The believer has taken on the yoke of Christ.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from me … for My yoke is easy and My burden is light (Mt. 11:28-30).  We are not free to do whatever we want (antinomianism, no law); we are His servants, the servants of a gentle Master.

This “yoke” is in Galatians 5.  We have been called to liberty, only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  The yoke reminds us that if we live according to the flesh we return to the miserable life from which we fled when we came to Christ.  Life according to the flesh is always lived out in the culture of death into which we were born.  By the new birth we have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (2 Pt. 1:4).  Thus we are called to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul (1 Pt. 2:11). 

Christ’s yoke calls us to serve one another through love.  This is not the only place we see this call.  Our life in the world is lived as people who have freedom in Christ; yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God (1 Pt. 2:15-16).  Likewise, our life in the fellowship of believers is lived the same way: But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak (1 Cor. 8:9).  And by the way, the alternative is that we bite and devour one another, ultimately to be consumed by one another.  That is not the eternal life that God has gifted to us but is the miserable life of the flesh.

Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me!

Gal. 5:5-6,13-15, The Way of Walking

A second result of standing fast in the liberty in which Christ has made us free.

2.    5:6: Faith working through love.  The Jewish approach to righteousness was to try to identify a rule for every situation in life.  This, of course, took them well beyond the Torah.  The “Halakha,” literally meaning “the way to behave” or “the way of walking” was provided the myriad of rules necessary.  Jesus showed how this approach was terribly abused by the Jews.  For example, read Mark 7:8-13 where he showed how their traditions actually caused them to lay aside the commandment of God.  Not to mention the impossibility of knowing every rule for every event in life. 

a.     What does Christ offer to us in terms of how we are to walk? 

                   i.      The answer begins with our faith: As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him (Col. 2:6).  

                ii.      Then He gives to us the indwelling Spirit.  When we are filled with the Spirit (i.e. when He controls us; when we have yielded ourselves to Christ, Rom. 12:1) He leads and empowers us to walk: that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man (Eph. 3:16). 

             iii.      He calls us then to His Word, to set our minds on the things of the Spirit: For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

              iv.      And there we find one command: to LOVE.  To love God!  To love our enemy! To love our brother in Christ! To love our neighbor!  Did you see this in Gal. 5:14: for all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’.  Let me remind you of something so very crucial.  This is not a call to self-effort.  Remember, 1) God is love; 2) God’s love has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5); and 3) this love of God in us generates love for those around us: But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another (1 Thess. 4:9).

Now reflect on Paul’s words in 5:13: liberty describes the grace by which we live our lives; love keeps us from taking advantage of others (i.e. living by the flesh) and instead leads us to serve others.  When we immerse ourselves in the Word of God, and yield ourselves to the Spirit, we will grow in love.  More and more we will mature and understand how to act and react in life’s adventures.  And we will not just “know” what to do.  We will long to do it because of the hope of righteousness.  And we will be empowered to do it by the Spirit of God. 

No doubt about it: faith works, and it works hard!  But it works by the love of God shed abroad in our hearts, not by the flesh.

Gal. 5:5-6; 1 John 3:1-3, The Hope of Righteousness

We have taken time to consider the results of trying to live the Christian life by law-keeping.  These are serious matters and must be considered thoughtfully.  But now from the same passage (Gal. 5:1-11) let us consider two magnificent positives that result from holding fast the freedom we have in Christ and living the Christian life by grace and the Holy Spirit.  (In advance I will acknowledge the wonderful help I received from W. E. Vine’s Expository Commentary on Galatians.)

1.    5:5: We eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.  “Righteousness” refers, of course, to that which is right and just.  It is used of good works in general, of all that God requires of man, of religious duties, and with other nuances in Scripture. 

a.     In our “justification” we have been declared righteous by God, in response to faith.  What happened with Abraham is true of us: Abraham believed God and it was accounted/reckoned as righteousness (Gen. 15:6).  The believer has nothing to qualify himself for this in his past.  At the same time, in his future he has no ability within himself to become righteous.  But by the work of Christ, in whom he has put his faith, two things can be said: 1) no one can condemn him for his past because Christ has died for his sins; and 2) he has the assurance of being conformed into the image of Christ because Christ is risen from the dead.  In other words, he has the hope of righteousness and he eagerly waits for the fulfillment of this hope.

b.    This is why the Scripture tells us:

… being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6).

Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.  And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure (1 John 3:2-3).

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren (Ro. 8:29).

c.     This is momentous in the dispute between Paul and the Judaizers.  Paul’s accusers said his approach was, in effect, licentiousness.  They accused him of promoting sin rather than righteousness.  But now we see that believers have within them the Holy Spirit, who quickens us daily with the hope of righteousness.  It is not the failed “yoke of bondage” we left behind and must leave behind now.  It is the prime motivation of the believer as he longs for and eagerly awaits the return of Christ.  This is the hope that purifies!

Gal. 3:6-11; Acts 16:1-3, The Offence of the Cross

And finally, the last thing that happens when we seek to grow by law-keeping:

7.    5:11: the offense of the cross has ceased.  The offence or stumbling block of the cross exists in that the cross is against man’s pride and ambition, for man does not like to think that he needs salvation or that he cannot work for it (Vos, Everyman’s Bible Commentary).  Paul was regularly criticized for his “gospel of the grace of God.”  Why not say, ‘Let us do evil that good may come’? – as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say.  Their condemnation is just (Rom. 3:8).  When you tell someone they cannot earn justification before God by doing their best, the assumption is that what you do doesn’t matter at all: “You can just do what you want because, after all, it’s all of God’s grace.”  That, of course, is not true.  The point is that the ONLY way you can live the Christian life is by the principle of grace and by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

a.     Verse 11 indicates that someone was telling the Galatian believers that even Paul believed in the necessity of circumcision.  Why would they think that?  You may remember that when Timothy joined the team (Ac. 16:1-3), Paul had Timothy circumcised.  But the reason was not because Paul thought it necessary to the Christian life.  He did this because of love for people.  He did not want any unnecessary stumbling blocks to keep Jews from coming to Christ.  This principle is in 1 Cor. 9:20: To those that are under the law I become like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so as to win those under the law.  Paul said in Gal. 3:6: In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything (cf. Gal. 6:15).  In a trip to Jerusalem, he had pointed out that not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised (Gal. 2:3).

b.    Now what we just said is that Paul wanted no unnecessary stumbling blocks.  What this passage says is that the gospel of the grace of God (the message of the cross) involves a necessary stumbling block.  In 1 Cor. 1:23 Paul said: We preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness.  Greeks resist the gospel because it makes no sense; to them coming to God always requires work.  Jews stumble at the thought of the Messiah dying, even though they know the OT predicted a suffering Savior.  During our times in Israel we learned that both Jews and Muslims resisted this.  However, there is no good news without the cross.  Therefore, it is an offence that cannot be removed.  In many churches today we see, it seems, the attempt to remove this stumbling block by making the gospel more pleasant.  Some deny propitiation, the idea that Jesus took the wrath of His Father, in our place, on the cross.  But without propitiation there is no good news!  We need to be like Paul and actually boast in the cross (Gal. 6:14).

Psalm 148

How thrilling, better yet, how edifying, these Hillel Psalms that speak of God’s praiseworthiness in every setting.  Today it is a call to all “heaven and earth”. Here are my reflections.  Take time to record your own today!

Heaven, v1-6

·       v2: We are now in Jerusalem.  The latest Israel/Gaza conflict has an “angel” story in it.  Whether we see them or not they are real and perfectly serve their Creator.

·       v3: Around 2AM the morning of July 20 was the last time I saw the magnificence of the night sky that Montana offers.  I was with my son and granddaughter at Becker Lake in the Beartooth Mtns.  I stepped out of the tent on that moonless night.  The Milky Way glistened with brilliance.  The desire to praise the Creator was instantaneous and fulfilled.

·       v4: Much of this I don’t understand.  I need to visit again with our friend Mark Amunrud who always has well-thought-out ideas about these things.  But the glory of it all is the mystery of the Creator of heaven and earth.

Why are the heavens called to such praise?  Because the LORD commanded them into existence.  They are His handiwork and simply by their existence and function they declare His glory.

Earth, v7-14

·       v8: In these summer months in Jerusalem the gentle breeze calls for constant thanks to our good Creator and Sustainer.  Recently there was a well-attested story of a sudden wind blowing a Hamas rocket off course so it landed in the ocean rather than a populated area.  Israel’s Iron Dome failed to destroy it in 2 or 3 attempts.  Praise to the sovereign LORD.

·       v9: Walking around the Garden Tomb, we now have signs identifying many of the trees.  There are several fruit trees here that bear fruit at differing times of the year.  It is a joy when in the Arab and Jewish markets to always have an abundance and variety of Israel-produced fruit. Praise to our wise Creator.

·       v10: In the afore-mentioned backpacking trip in the Beartooths we were thankful to see one moose at first light Sunday morning.  While in Bryce Nat’l Park Cindy captured wonderful pictures of a deer, and even a crow (not my favorite bird).  ALL give unique praise to their exalted Creator.

·       v11: Oh, that the rulers of the nations would acknowledge the Creator and His decreed Anointed One, our Lord Jesus.  The phrase “wars and rumors of wars” so fits our world today and especially Israel.  But all any of them talk about it seems are their armies, their weapons, their plans, their negotiations, their… Where is the glory due His Name?!

·       v12: Here at the Garden the praise of the LORD is so evident in the staff.  There are Palestinians and Israelis who work together in full honor of His Name.  And even in this slow time the praise of many who come into this Garden is evident.  The sound of songs of praise in many languages is a staple here.  Last night at dinner we shared with our fellow volunteers the joys of worship at Central Bible Church.  The little orchestra and the congregation just filled that auditorium with the sounds of joyful praise.  And well we remember on our way through Montana meeting with the small gathering of believers in a home in Lewistown; how their praise filled that home, praise for the exalted LORD. 

Why should everything on earth praise the LORD?  Because He alone is exalted!  His glory is above the heavens and earth.  AND … do not miss it … He HAS exalted the horn of His people Israel, the greater Son of David, Jesus the Anointed One.  He is now in the heavenlies, at the right hand of the Majesty on High.  How I/we give great praise for the faith of Abraham, exercised by all believers today.  We praise You, our God, that in Christ we have been grafted in to the tree.  We are your saints.  May our praise this day reflect that reality!

Gal. 5:7-12, Lying Troublemakers!

Continuing seven consequences if I try to grow in Christ by law-keeping.

5.    5:7-9: you have been hindered … from obeying the truth.  Vine explains that the term “hindered” means to cut into or break up someone’s journey.  Satan hindered Paul’s desire to journey to see the Thessalonians (1 Th. 2:18).  So here, the Galatian believers were on the path of truth but someone has come in, and broken up the path, obscuring the truth, so that they no longer obey the truth.  They would say they are obeying; but they are obeying something that is not true.  That is a dangerous place to be.  A person who is working hard at what they have been told is the thing to do is hard to convince that they need to stop the effort.  This is why, of course, being renewed in our minds is essential to being conformed to the image of Christ.  We have to think God’s thoughts in order to obediently walk the path of truth.  We must test the spirits whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 Jn. 4:1).  We must test all things and hold fast what is good (1 Th. 5:21).  If they did this the Galatians would know this persuasion does not come from Him who calls you (v8).  The reference to “leaven” (v9) fits this idea.  The lie of self-effort (law-keeping) must be stopped at the beginning.  Otherwise it spreads and ruins the entire body of believer.

6.    5:10,12: you are being troubled by someone deserving of judgment.  Paul expresses confidence in you, in the Lord, an attitude he often expresses in his letters (e.g. Phil. 1:6; 2 Cor. 7:16; 8:22).  The confidence here is that, with the Lord’s help, they will return to the truth of walking by faith, growing through the grace of God.  This attitude is contrasted with Paul’s loathing of those who are causing all the trouble.  The extent of Paul’s loathing is expressed in v12: he wishes that these people who demand circumcision would slip with the knife and cut themselves.  Everett Harrison (Expositors Bible Commentary) put it this way: As an emasculated man has lost the power of propagation, so should these agitators be reduced to impotence in spreading their false doctrine.  Such is the fervent wish to which the Apostle Paul gives expression here. 

Perhaps you are a little surprised to hear the Apostle speak in such strong terms.  But the surprise is probably from our own willingness to tolerate the lies of false teachers rather than stir up trouble.  But as Paul says, they are the ones stirring up the trouble.  When any form of “self-effort” works its way into our theology we are doomed to failure in following Christ.  Were you not led to Christ by the frustration of sin and guilt and the desire for a right relationship with God?  Of the sinner, Scripture says there is none that does good, no not one (Ps. 14:1; 53:1; Rom. 3:12).  Apart from Christ, that will always be the case.  As Christians we will sense the same frustration and failure if it is not Christ living in us (Gal. 2:20)!