Some years ago I had a few teen boys working for me on the farm. Each one of those young men are now graduated from school and employed in various trades, and in respect to their working careers, I believe all doing well. It has always been exciting for me to see boys who are becoming men, get serious about working. It's pretty clear that the ones who worked the hardest, were the one's that set goals for themselves. Typically those goals were to make some "major purchase." Regardless of those goals, there was so much for these young men to learn on the farm.
Typically I found myself repeating the same instructions, over and over again. That's understandable, especially when you're dealing with teenagers, and boys in particular. But, one instance that comes to mind was teaching one of these young men how to trellis tomatoes. The method that we have used for years now is called the "Florida weave." It's pretty simple to do, but there's more to it than just simply weaving the string to stakes. The primary goal is to give the tomato plant structural integrity so that it will continue growing upright, and also to support the fruit that will be growing as the plant matures.
The training session began with me simply showing the boy "how it's done". It seemed simple enough to this boy, and he started up the row. For a minute or two I watched and gave a few pointers, and then left him to get the job done while I moved on to another task. After an hour or so, I returned to see how things were going, and much to my disappointment, it was not going well. I stopped him, took him back to where he began, and asked him if he could see the difference. He obviously could, and thankfully he did much better from that point forward.
Getting off course in the chores of life has varying degrees of consequence. However, concerning our spiritual condition, getting off course could prove eternally detrimental. The Apostle Paul, with the support of some unnamed brothers in Christ (Gal. 1:2) labored exhaustively with the church of Galatia because of one critical problem. That was, how their relationship in Christ began, compared to how it was now going did not look the same. After expounding in great detail the doctrine of justification by faith alone, Paul points the Galatians back to where they started. He said, You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth (Gal. 5:7 ESV)? The Galatian church had fallen prey to the false gospel of faith plus works (circumcision & law keeping) as the only way to be justified.
The Apostle Paul knew how the Galatian church began because Paul was the preacher who proclaimed the gospel to them in the first place. However, it didn't take long for the false teachers, specifically Judaizers, to come along and pervert the gospel of grace into a man-centered, works based message of Jesus plus. What's interesting is that Paul, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, identifies that it wasn't "what" hindered them, but "who". Who hindered you from obeying the truth?
To put it metaphorically, someone came along and "pulled the wool" over the Galatian's eyes. They had started off in grace, but were led to works as the necessary means of salvation. When Paul says that they were hindered from obeying the truth, we understand that the truth is stated clearly earlier in the letter. Paul declared, we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified (Gal 2:16).
This shift in the Galatian church is one that I believe is more common in the church than we realize. The reality is this, preaching the law is both necessary and good, but preaching the gospel of Christ crucified for sinners, is best. The law of God is a servant to Christ and His gospel. In other words, when we preach law, it serves to point us to Christ for justification, not good works for justification.
The major identifier of a shift from the gospel of grace to a false gospel of faith plus works is seen in the way the law is applied in preaching. It's clear to me that law preaching scratches a certain itch in many people, and it's somewhat strange. If a preacher preaches a sermon that focuses primarily on our failure to keep the law of God, many who hear the message will leave with the mentality of, "the preacher really stepped on our toes today!" What they mean by that is, I've really failed in my obedience to God and I need to work harder and do better. Taking things to another degree, many of those same people will think to themselves, "Am I even a Christian? It seems like the only thing I am good at is failing to be good!"
Now at this point, hopefully someone is uncomfortable. Uncomfortable with the thought that a Christian shouldn't feel conviction for their sin. If that's your thought, you are very seriously misunderstanding me, and worse yet, misunderstanding the gospel. Everyone, everywhere should feel conviction concerning their sin. But, feeling bad about how big of a sinner you are is not the gospel. Doing better and being better is not the gospel either. As a matter of fact, that's the very message that Paul says is damnable.
What's on the line? Well, I'm glad you asked. Back up for a moment. If you are or have been one of those who walk out of church after hearing a message about how sinful you are, and think, "I've got to do better." Then friend, may I encourage you? You're probably going to be disappointed. You may "do better" in your own eyes, or in the eyes of someone around you, for a little while, but at the end of the day, you'll have sinned far more than you have any idea, and your righteousness will be as glorious as a cow patty.
The one true gospel is so much more encouraging and beyond that, brings God so much glory in Christ. So, how should we wake up, go to bed, and walk out of church? The way the Galatians started. That is to say, with a heart and mind that is fixed upon the goodness of God's grace, demonstrated to us through the finished work of Jesus Christ. Jesus is our salvation. Jesus is our righteousness. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. You cannot save yourself, but if you trust in Jesus Christ and His perfect obedience in life and death, He will save you!
The grace of God is the entry point in the Christian life, but it's also the middle and the end! John Newton helpfully captured this reality in his timeless hynm, Amazing Grace. He wrote, "Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; 'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home."
Through grace we have been set free. Don't go back to trying to earn God's love. In Christ, you are loved infinitely more than you deserve and far greater than you can imagine! Rest in Christ's works, and walk by the power of the Holy Spirit.
We'll talk more about walking in the Spirit in the next post. Until then, God bless and keep pressing on!
J.M.
