WEBVTT

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 I pull it up to the house with the keys in it.

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 I go inside, I grab him, I pull him outside,

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 and I show him the new car.

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 I say, all right, pal, it's all yours.

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 Take her for a spin.

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 Enjoy your newfound freedom.

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 But instead of hopping in and peeling off,

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 let's just say he looks at me and he says,

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 thanks, Dad, could you give me a ride

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 to the movie theater in the van, please?

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 If not, that's fine, I can walk.

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 I give him a puzzled look and I say,

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 but I don't think you understand.

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 I bought you a car.

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 It's yours.

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 I got it so that you can use it and enjoy it

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 and help others with it.

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 You have a car now, so get into it and drive it.

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 Why are you choosing not to experience the goodness

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 of the freedom that I've given you?

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 Now, you might be thinking,

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 that is the most unrealistic story ever.

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 No 16-year-old would receive such a gift

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 and not enjoy it.

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 And you would be right.

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 But unthinkably,

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 we as believers

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 can often miss out

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 on the goodness of a much greater gift

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 of freedom

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 that we have been graciously given.

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 Like Samuel,

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 in my rather ridiculous story,

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 those of us who have trusted in Jesus

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 have been given a marvelous gift

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 of freedom.

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 And just as Sammy chose to receive it,

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 but not enjoy the full experience of it,

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 we can do the same.

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 Believers in Jesus

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 can possess the gift of freedom in Christ,

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 but not hop into it,

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 not stand firm in it,

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 not embrace it,

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 and enjoy it,

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 and use it to the full.

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 And that is Paul's major concern

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 in Galatians chapter 5.

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 And actually,

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 it's one of his major concerns

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 in the whole letter.

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 He is simply flabbergasted

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 that these dear people

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 would retreat away

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 from the most precious thing

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 they have ever been given

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 and choose not to fully embrace it

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 and stand firm in it.

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 So to boil the passage

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 we're about to dig into together

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 down to a sentence,

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 this is what the Spirit of God

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 is saying to us.

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 If Jesus has set you free,

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 stand firm in your freedom.

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 If Jesus has set you free,

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 stand firm in your freedom.

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 Well, let's unpack that sentence

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 in the three main parts of this passage.

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 In verse 1,

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 it's the main point.

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 It's the command.

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 Stand firm.

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 So we're going to look at that briefly.

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 The command.

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 And then the next two sections,

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 verses 2 to 6

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 and verses 7 to 12,

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 there are two ways

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 that Paul is giving us

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 to live that command out

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 in real life.

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 To flesh that command out.

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 One of those ways

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 in verses 2 to 6

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 has to do with our hope.

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 And the other way

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 in verses 7 to 12

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 has to do with truth.

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 So the command,

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 something that has to do with hope,

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 and then truth.

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 So let's start in verse 1

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 by looking at this command

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 to stand firm in our freedom.

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 For freedom,

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 Christ has set us free.

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 Stand firm, therefore,

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 and do not submit again

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 to a yoke of slavery.

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 So Paul gives a command here.

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 Actually, it's two commands.

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 They're really just two sides

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 of the same coin.

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 Stand firm,

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 do not submit again

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 to a yoke of slavery.

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 But before we kind of

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 dig into that command,

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 we need to back up

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 and hear the statement

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 that provides the basis

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 for the command

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 at the very beginning

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 of the verse.

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 For freedom,

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 Christ has set you free.

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 Now as 21st century Americans,

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 we hear the word freedom,

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 and we either think

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 of William Wallace

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 riding back and forth

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 on his horse

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 telling the Scottish freedom,

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 or we think of

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 fluttering American flag.

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 We think of human rights,

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 of democratic liberty

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 for individuals.

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 That's what we think of

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 when we think of freedom.

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 That's not what Paul's

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 talking about here.

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 How do we know that?

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 Well, this statement

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 is not just coming out

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 of nowhere.

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 Paul has been mounting

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 a theological juggernaut

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 of an argument

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 in chapters 3 and 4

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 that he's been building

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 momentum towards this point

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 for two chapters

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 that talk about slavery

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 and freedom

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 in a very specific way.

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 It doesn't have to do

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 with democratic human rights.

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 As important as those are.

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 Remember,

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 the whole issue

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 for the Galatian Christians

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 was that some influential

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 Jewish people

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 have been making their rounds

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 in the region of Galatia

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 and the churches there,

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 and they have been

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 patting the backs

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 of the newly minted

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 non-Jewish Christians

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 and saying,

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 oh, I am so happy

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 that you are believing

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 in the God of Israel

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 and his Messiah, Jesus.

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 This is wonderful.

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 Now, you're almost there.

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 You have nearly become

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 a part of God's covenant people,

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 but you're missing something

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 to really be in

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 in order to really join the club

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 and really be okay with God.

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 You need to observe

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 the law of Moses

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 to its full extent.

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 You need to celebrate

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 the Jewish Holy Days

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 and eat kosher food,

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 and if you really want to belong,

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 guys, I'm sorry,

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 but you've got to get circumcised.

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 Then you'll have

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 complete confidence

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 that you are righteous before God

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 and that he approves of you.

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 That's how you're fully in.

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 Well, all of this

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 actually sounded

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 kind of appealing

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 to the Galatian Christians

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 in one sense.

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 They were leaning towards it

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 because those are practical,

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 visible things

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 that you can check off a list

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 and say,

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 okay, I'm good.

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 I know I'm okay

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 because of what I've done

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 to make sure I'm good with God.

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 But the problem with this

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 is that it turns back the clock

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 on what Jesus has done.

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 The whole reason Jesus came

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 was that human beings

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 have never been able

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 to keep God's holy law

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 that he gave to Moses.

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 Israel never once came close

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 to achieving the standard

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 of holiness that God requires.

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 Look back at chapter 3,

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 verse 21.

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 Chapter 3, verse 21.

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 Is the law then contrary

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 to the promises of God?

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 Certainly not.

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 For if a law had been given

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 that could give life,

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 then righteousness would indeed

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 be by the law.

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 So Paul's saying here,

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 the law's not bad.

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 It's not an evil thing.

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 It simply has no power

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 to make you righteous.

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 It can't give you life.

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 It can't give you

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 a right standing with God.

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 In fact,

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 all those who relied on the law,

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 according to chapter 3,

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 verse 10,

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 for all those who rely

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 on works of the law

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 are under a curse.

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 For it is written,

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 cursed be everyone

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 who does not abide

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 by all things written

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 in the book of the law

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 and do them.

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 No one can actually

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 keep the law

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 and so all those

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 who rely on the law

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 were cursed,

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 were doomed

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 to be unrighteous

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 in the law's sight.

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 But when Jesus came,

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 as chapter 4,

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 verse 4 puts it,

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 he was born of a woman

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 and he was born

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 under the law,

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 under which he actually

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 kept it.

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 He's the only one who did.

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 And then he willingly

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 became a curse-removing

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 substitute

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 for those of us

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 who broke the law.

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 And by doing that,

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 he released all of us

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 who were under

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 the curse of the law,

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 who were enslaved

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 under the law,

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 and set us free

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 from its shame

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 and its condemnation

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 and the futile attempts,

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 the hamster wheel

00:07:58.779 --> 00:07:59.699
 we have effect

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 of trying to be right

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 with God on our own.

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 And in the passage

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 immediately before ours,

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 as Pastor Mack

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 preached last week,

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 the Galatians,

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 by trying to go back

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 to the law

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 as a way to be right

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 before God,

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 were denying

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 their true identity

00:08:14.460 --> 00:08:16.400
 as free sons

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 and daughters of God.

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 And they were going

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 back to slavery.

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 So what's the freedom

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 that Paul's talking about?

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 What's the freedom

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 for which Christ

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 has set us free?

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 It's freedom

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 from depending

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 on our own moral efforts

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 to get right

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 and stay right

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 with God.

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 We're free from that.

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 Free from any need

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 to get right

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 and stay right

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 with God

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 on our own,

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 through our own effort.

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 And notice what Paul says.

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 It's for this freedom

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 that you got set free.

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 I mean,

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 it's kind of a

00:08:50.680 --> 00:08:52.320
 redundant statement.

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 He doesn't,

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 it's kind of a duh.

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 You didn't get set free

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 to go back to slavery.

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 You get set free

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 to be free.

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 You are to remain free,

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 to stay free,

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 to fully experience

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 the goodness

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 of that freedom

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 that Jesus purchased

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 for us.

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 It would be unthinkable

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 to go back.

00:09:08.779 --> 00:09:10.339
 So that's what the therefore

00:09:10.339 --> 00:09:11.360
 in verse 1

00:09:11.360 --> 00:09:12.959
 is there for.

00:09:13.879 --> 00:09:15.339
 Because Jesus set you

00:09:15.339 --> 00:09:16.120
 free by grace

00:09:16.120 --> 00:09:16.799
 so you can actually

00:09:16.799 --> 00:09:17.579
 remain free

00:09:17.579 --> 00:09:18.259
 and not return

00:09:18.259 --> 00:09:19.059
 to your own efforts

00:09:19.059 --> 00:09:20.360
 as a way to get right

00:09:20.360 --> 00:09:20.799
 with God,

00:09:21.120 --> 00:09:21.699
 stand firm.

00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:23.039
 Stay in it.

00:09:23.299 --> 00:09:24.000
 Don't go back

00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:25.059
 to a yoke of slavery

00:09:25.059 --> 00:09:27.199
 when Jesus has removed it.

00:09:27.899 --> 00:09:29.039
 So we are free

00:09:29.039 --> 00:09:30.059
 from depending

00:09:30.059 --> 00:09:31.019
 on our own efforts

00:09:31.019 --> 00:09:32.419
 to be right with God

00:09:32.419 --> 00:09:34.339
 and we must stand firm

00:09:34.339 --> 00:09:35.019
 in that freedom

00:09:35.019 --> 00:09:36.199
 and not go back

00:09:36.199 --> 00:09:36.659
 to slavery.

00:09:36.819 --> 00:09:37.679
 That's the command.

00:09:37.679 --> 00:09:39.139
 That's just pretty plain

00:09:39.139 --> 00:09:39.719
 and simple

00:09:39.719 --> 00:09:41.259
 and kind of obvious.

00:09:42.279 --> 00:09:43.519
 But perhaps you're thinking,

00:09:44.019 --> 00:09:44.359
 okay,

00:09:44.819 --> 00:09:45.799
 I think I got that.

00:09:45.899 --> 00:09:46.620
 That makes sense.

00:09:47.579 --> 00:09:48.799
 What does that look like?

00:09:49.199 --> 00:09:50.199
 How do I do that?

00:09:50.279 --> 00:09:51.439
 How do I stand firm

00:09:51.439 --> 00:09:52.439
 in my freedom

00:09:52.439 --> 00:09:53.939
 that Christ has purchased

00:09:53.939 --> 00:09:54.299
 for me?

00:09:54.379 --> 00:09:55.439
 For the rest of the passage,

00:09:55.979 --> 00:09:57.379
 Paul gives us two ways

00:09:57.379 --> 00:09:58.899
 to stand firm

00:09:58.899 --> 00:09:59.699
 in our freedom.

00:10:01.679 --> 00:10:02.639
 First way has to do

00:10:02.639 --> 00:10:03.019
 with hope.

00:10:03.339 --> 00:10:04.199
 Second way has to do

00:10:04.199 --> 00:10:04.699
 with truth.

00:10:05.199 --> 00:10:05.740
 The first way

00:10:05.740 --> 00:10:06.799
 is in verses 2 to 6.

00:10:07.679 --> 00:10:09.519
 It's this.

00:10:10.419 --> 00:10:11.279
 Don't hope

00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:12.899
 in your visible

00:10:12.899 --> 00:10:14.079
 human effort.

00:10:15.299 --> 00:10:15.659
 Hope

00:10:15.659 --> 00:10:17.339
 in Christ's

00:10:17.339 --> 00:10:18.919
 unseen righteousness.

00:10:19.479 --> 00:10:20.459
 Don't hope

00:10:20.459 --> 00:10:21.419
 in your visible

00:10:21.419 --> 00:10:22.620
 human effort.

00:10:23.620 --> 00:10:24.059
 But rather,

00:10:24.339 --> 00:10:26.139
 hope in Christ's

00:10:26.139 --> 00:10:28.120
 unseen righteousness.

00:10:30.019 --> 00:10:31.779
 Right in verse 2,

00:10:31.899 --> 00:10:32.620
 the big issue

00:10:32.620 --> 00:10:33.279
 comes out.

00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:35.159
 for the first time

00:10:35.159 --> 00:10:36.480
 since chapter 2

00:10:36.480 --> 00:10:37.579
 of Galatians,

00:10:38.259 --> 00:10:38.919
 circumcision

00:10:38.919 --> 00:10:40.039
 gets mentioned.

00:10:41.100 --> 00:10:41.740
 And apparently,

00:10:42.019 --> 00:10:42.720
 a whole bunch

00:10:42.720 --> 00:10:43.500
 of the hullabaloo

00:10:43.500 --> 00:10:44.699
 going on in Galatia

00:10:44.699 --> 00:10:45.620
 had to do

00:10:45.620 --> 00:10:46.579
 with this very

00:10:46.579 --> 00:10:47.439
 specific,

00:10:47.839 --> 00:10:48.319
 concrete

00:10:48.319 --> 00:10:49.459
 ritual

00:10:49.459 --> 00:10:50.620
 of getting

00:10:50.620 --> 00:10:51.439
 circumcised.

00:10:51.440 --> 00:10:51.500
 circumcised.

00:10:52.400 --> 00:10:54.600
 The non-Jewish

00:10:54.600 --> 00:10:55.060
 believers

00:10:55.060 --> 00:10:55.880
 are not

00:10:55.880 --> 00:10:56.520
 circumcised.

00:10:56.680 --> 00:10:57.280
 The Jewish

00:10:57.280 --> 00:10:58.400
 people influencing

00:10:58.400 --> 00:10:59.260
 them to get

00:10:59.260 --> 00:10:59.860
 circumcised

00:10:59.860 --> 00:11:00.320
 were saying,

00:11:00.760 --> 00:11:01.120
 in order to

00:11:01.120 --> 00:11:01.920
 really be in,

00:11:02.180 --> 00:11:02.620
 you've got to

00:11:02.620 --> 00:11:03.340
 get circumcised.

00:11:03.420 --> 00:11:03.780
 You've got to

00:11:03.780 --> 00:11:04.520
 go under the

00:11:04.520 --> 00:11:04.840
 knife.

00:11:05.420 --> 00:11:05.820
 At least all

00:11:05.820 --> 00:11:06.100
 the men

00:11:06.100 --> 00:11:06.520
 needed to.

00:11:07.460 --> 00:11:08.080
 But look at

00:11:08.080 --> 00:11:08.860
 Paul's sharp

00:11:08.860 --> 00:11:09.740
 warning in verse 2.

00:11:10.620 --> 00:11:11.160
 If you get

00:11:11.160 --> 00:11:11.800
 circumcised,

00:11:12.480 --> 00:11:12.980
 then Christ

00:11:12.980 --> 00:11:13.800
 is of no

00:11:13.800 --> 00:11:14.740
 advantage to you

00:11:14.740 --> 00:11:15.360
 at all.

00:11:17.060 --> 00:11:17.680
 The false

00:11:17.680 --> 00:11:18.440
 teachers are saying

00:11:18.440 --> 00:11:19.100
 they could somehow

00:11:19.100 --> 00:11:20.519
 mix the grace

00:11:20.519 --> 00:11:21.220
 of Christ

00:11:21.220 --> 00:11:22.659
 with human

00:11:22.659 --> 00:11:23.840
 effort to

00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:24.759
 produce a recipe

00:11:24.759 --> 00:11:25.259
 of getting

00:11:25.259 --> 00:11:25.899
 right with God.

00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:26.480
 And Paul says,

00:11:26.600 --> 00:11:26.800
 nope.

00:11:28.379 --> 00:11:29.279
 God does not

00:11:29.279 --> 00:11:30.200
 share his glory

00:11:30.200 --> 00:11:31.120
 with human effort.

00:11:32.180 --> 00:11:32.659
 It's either

00:11:32.659 --> 00:11:33.680
 all of grace

00:11:33.680 --> 00:11:35.460
 or not at all.

00:11:35.620 --> 00:11:36.480
 It's all of works.

00:11:37.019 --> 00:11:37.620
 And this is why.

00:11:37.740 --> 00:11:38.420
 Look at verse 3.

00:11:38.519 --> 00:11:39.259
 He gives us the reason.

00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:40.379
 If they get

00:11:40.379 --> 00:11:41.420
 circumcised as a way

00:11:41.420 --> 00:11:42.019
 of getting right

00:11:42.019 --> 00:11:42.600
 with God,

00:11:42.960 --> 00:11:43.620
 what does he say?

00:11:43.820 --> 00:11:44.779
 You're obligated

00:11:44.779 --> 00:11:45.740
 to keep the whole

00:11:45.740 --> 00:11:46.160
 law.

00:11:47.160 --> 00:11:47.680
 It means you

00:11:47.680 --> 00:11:48.620
 have to submit

00:11:48.620 --> 00:11:49.200
 yourself through

00:11:49.200 --> 00:11:50.419
 the entire system

00:11:50.419 --> 00:11:51.320
 of the law

00:11:51.320 --> 00:11:51.759
 of Moses,

00:11:51.759 --> 00:11:52.580
 which requires

00:11:52.580 --> 00:11:53.379
 that they

00:11:53.379 --> 00:11:54.440
 perfectly obey

00:11:54.440 --> 00:11:55.080
 the whole law

00:11:55.080 --> 00:11:55.580
 in order to be

00:11:55.580 --> 00:11:56.460
 righteous before God

00:11:56.460 --> 00:11:57.279
 and no one

00:11:57.279 --> 00:11:58.179
 has ever done

00:11:58.179 --> 00:11:59.700
 that except

00:11:59.700 --> 00:12:00.080
 Jesus,

00:12:00.659 --> 00:12:01.639
 which is the point.

00:12:02.159 --> 00:12:02.580
 It's got to be

00:12:02.580 --> 00:12:03.299
 by faith in him.

00:12:04.320 --> 00:12:04.919
 And he puts it

00:12:04.919 --> 00:12:05.840
 really starkly

00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:06.539
 in verse 4.

00:12:07.500 --> 00:12:08.000
 If you're trying

00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:08.519
 to get right

00:12:08.519 --> 00:12:09.019
 with God

00:12:09.019 --> 00:12:09.519
 through your

00:12:09.519 --> 00:12:10.620
 obedience to the law,

00:12:11.179 --> 00:12:11.779
 then you're

00:12:11.779 --> 00:12:13.060
 severed from Christ.

00:12:14.200 --> 00:12:14.960
 You're fallen

00:12:14.960 --> 00:12:16.680
 away from grace.

00:12:17.259 --> 00:12:17.740
 You've fallen

00:12:17.740 --> 00:12:18.759
 off the grace train.

00:12:19.940 --> 00:12:20.840
 The only one

00:12:20.840 --> 00:12:21.560
 who can save you

00:12:21.560 --> 00:12:22.440
 then is you.

00:12:23.539 --> 00:12:24.039
 And then you're

00:12:24.039 --> 00:12:24.460
 up a creek

00:12:24.460 --> 00:12:25.360
 because you can't.

00:12:27.940 --> 00:12:28.259
 You know,

00:12:28.360 --> 00:12:29.100
 sometimes Paul

00:12:29.100 --> 00:12:29.779
 is a little bit

00:12:29.779 --> 00:12:30.659
 hard to understand.

00:12:31.220 --> 00:12:31.680
 Not here.

00:12:32.519 --> 00:12:33.500
 It's super clear.

00:12:34.419 --> 00:12:35.080
 He's repeating

00:12:35.080 --> 00:12:35.840
 himself over and

00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:36.419
 over and over again.

00:12:36.500 --> 00:12:36.860
 It's like,

00:12:37.600 --> 00:12:38.940
 grace or not grace.

00:12:39.159 --> 00:12:39.680
 I don't think

00:12:39.680 --> 00:12:40.299
 you guys get it.

00:12:40.480 --> 00:12:41.480
 It's this or this.

00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:45.460
 You either go back

00:12:45.460 --> 00:12:46.460
 to a slavish dependence

00:12:46.460 --> 00:12:47.480
 on your own ability

00:12:47.480 --> 00:12:48.540
 and your own effort

00:12:48.540 --> 00:12:49.400
 to get right with God

00:12:49.400 --> 00:12:50.280
 and you hope in that.

00:12:50.980 --> 00:12:51.660
 But if that's true,

00:12:51.740 --> 00:12:52.420
 then you have nothing

00:12:52.420 --> 00:12:53.180
 to do with Christ.

00:12:54.500 --> 00:12:55.080
 One writer

00:12:55.080 --> 00:12:55.780
 puts it this way.

00:12:55.780 --> 00:12:57.120
 If the Galatians

00:12:57.120 --> 00:12:58.100
 get circumcised,

00:12:58.280 --> 00:12:59.080
 they are crossing

00:12:59.080 --> 00:12:59.820
 a border

00:12:59.820 --> 00:13:02.060
 into occupied territory

00:13:02.060 --> 00:13:03.480
 where the law

00:13:03.480 --> 00:13:04.160
 rules

00:13:04.160 --> 00:13:05.500
 and not Christ.

00:13:06.820 --> 00:13:07.519
 The Galatians

00:13:07.519 --> 00:13:08.960
 were in grave danger

00:13:08.960 --> 00:13:10.100
 of seceding

00:13:10.100 --> 00:13:11.340
 from the kingdom

00:13:11.340 --> 00:13:12.139
 of grace

00:13:12.139 --> 00:13:13.360
 and therefore

00:13:13.360 --> 00:13:14.419
 removing themselves

00:13:14.419 --> 00:13:15.659
 from the blessings

00:13:15.659 --> 00:13:16.879
 of the king

00:13:16.879 --> 00:13:17.620
 of grace.

00:13:18.840 --> 00:13:19.360
 So basically,

00:13:19.500 --> 00:13:19.899
 Paul's saying,

00:13:20.100 --> 00:13:20.819
 don't hope

00:13:20.819 --> 00:13:22.019
 in your human effort

00:13:22.019 --> 00:13:23.460
 to get right with God.

00:13:23.519 --> 00:13:24.179
 If you bank

00:13:24.179 --> 00:13:25.360
 on your moral performance,

00:13:25.519 --> 00:13:26.000
 you're sunk

00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:27.720
 because it cuts you off

00:13:27.720 --> 00:13:28.679
 from the only true hope

00:13:28.679 --> 00:13:29.120
 you have,

00:13:29.399 --> 00:13:30.080
 which is Christ.

00:13:30.179 --> 00:13:31.399
 And that's now

00:13:31.399 --> 00:13:32.340
 where he turns

00:13:32.340 --> 00:13:33.259
 in verse 5.

00:13:33.860 --> 00:13:34.779
 He shifts gears

00:13:34.779 --> 00:13:36.000
 and he starts looking

00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:36.960
 at our true hope.

00:13:38.539 --> 00:13:39.100
 Paul throws

00:13:39.100 --> 00:13:40.259
 the drifting Galatians

00:13:40.259 --> 00:13:41.360
 a rescue line

00:13:41.360 --> 00:13:42.000
 of appeal

00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:43.700
 in verse 5.

00:13:45.139 --> 00:13:46.180
 For through the Spirit

00:13:46.180 --> 00:13:47.139
 by faith

00:13:47.139 --> 00:13:49.220
 we ourselves

00:13:49.220 --> 00:13:50.440
 eagerly wait

00:13:50.440 --> 00:13:51.519
 for the hope

00:13:51.519 --> 00:13:52.639
 of righteousness.

00:13:53.740 --> 00:13:54.680
 Notice how he

00:13:54.680 --> 00:13:55.899
 goes from talking

00:13:55.899 --> 00:13:57.279
 directly to the Galatians

00:13:57.279 --> 00:13:58.300
 with you,

00:13:58.560 --> 00:13:59.300
 the you pronoun,

00:13:59.980 --> 00:14:01.580
 and then he shifts

00:14:01.580 --> 00:14:02.500
 by using we.

00:14:03.500 --> 00:14:04.899
 He's inviting them

00:14:04.899 --> 00:14:06.039
 to rejoin

00:14:06.039 --> 00:14:06.620
 the we

00:14:06.620 --> 00:14:07.960
 of all those

00:14:07.960 --> 00:14:08.600
 who have trusted

00:14:08.600 --> 00:14:09.840
 in Christ alone

00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:11.820
 for true righteousness.

00:14:13.180 --> 00:14:13.860
 Don't you love

00:14:13.860 --> 00:14:14.519
 what Paul's

00:14:14.519 --> 00:14:15.300
 implying here?

00:14:16.420 --> 00:14:17.080
 He's saying

00:14:17.080 --> 00:14:18.440
 that our hope

00:14:18.440 --> 00:14:19.759
 is not in a checklist

00:14:19.759 --> 00:14:20.780
 of visible

00:14:20.780 --> 00:14:21.920
 human effort,

00:14:22.440 --> 00:14:23.800
 but in an unseen

00:14:23.800 --> 00:14:24.600
 reality

00:14:24.600 --> 00:14:26.580
 that we participate in

00:14:26.580 --> 00:14:27.740
 and wait for

00:14:27.740 --> 00:14:28.560
 by faith

00:14:28.560 --> 00:14:29.840
 through the Spirit.

00:14:30.620 --> 00:14:31.920
 Let's unpack that

00:14:31.920 --> 00:14:32.560
 for a moment.

00:14:32.559 --> 00:14:35.079
 when you realize

00:14:35.079 --> 00:14:35.719
 that you could

00:14:35.719 --> 00:14:36.539
 only be right

00:14:36.539 --> 00:14:37.159
 with God

00:14:37.159 --> 00:14:38.739
 through Jesus'

00:14:38.939 --> 00:14:40.039
 work on your behalf

00:14:40.039 --> 00:14:40.979
 and you trusted

00:14:40.979 --> 00:14:41.659
 in Jesus,

00:14:42.439 --> 00:14:43.139
 then God

00:14:43.139 --> 00:14:44.039
 effectively

00:14:44.039 --> 00:14:45.299
 and eternally

00:14:45.299 --> 00:14:46.759
 pronounced you

00:14:46.759 --> 00:14:47.559
 to be righteous

00:14:47.559 --> 00:14:48.419
 in his sight.

00:14:48.419 --> 00:14:50.399
 it was a

00:14:50.399 --> 00:14:51.519
 verdict

00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:52.479
 that was

00:14:52.479 --> 00:14:53.959
 pronounced

00:14:53.959 --> 00:14:55.259
 in eternity

00:14:55.259 --> 00:14:57.099
 and it was unseen

00:14:57.099 --> 00:14:58.599
 in one sense

00:14:58.599 --> 00:14:59.439
 in this world.

00:15:00.419 --> 00:15:01.079
 But one day

00:15:01.079 --> 00:15:02.459
 it is our

00:15:02.459 --> 00:15:03.399
 certain hope

00:15:03.399 --> 00:15:04.620
 that our

00:15:04.620 --> 00:15:05.539
 very real

00:15:05.539 --> 00:15:06.079
 righteousness

00:15:06.079 --> 00:15:06.779
 which we

00:15:06.779 --> 00:15:08.099
 is still unseen

00:15:08.099 --> 00:15:08.599
 and we

00:15:08.599 --> 00:15:10.099
 partially experience

00:15:10.099 --> 00:15:11.339
 now in terms of

00:15:11.339 --> 00:15:12.159
 seeing that

00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:12.779
 worked out

00:15:12.779 --> 00:15:13.480
 in our lives,

00:15:13.839 --> 00:15:14.439
 one day

00:15:14.439 --> 00:15:16.139
 it will be

00:15:16.139 --> 00:15:16.839
 on full display.

00:15:16.840 --> 00:15:18.899
 it's totally

00:15:18.899 --> 00:15:19.340
 ours.

00:15:19.980 --> 00:15:20.680
 We have it.

00:15:21.240 --> 00:15:22.019
 We are declared

00:15:22.019 --> 00:15:22.460
 righteous,

00:15:22.680 --> 00:15:22.940
 done

00:15:22.940 --> 00:15:23.920
 from now

00:15:23.920 --> 00:15:24.519
 and forever.

00:15:25.399 --> 00:15:26.019
 And that starts

00:15:26.019 --> 00:15:27.060
 gradually getting

00:15:27.060 --> 00:15:27.800
 worked out

00:15:27.800 --> 00:15:28.740
 in our lives

00:15:28.740 --> 00:15:30.300
 from the present

00:15:30.300 --> 00:15:31.300
 all the way

00:15:31.300 --> 00:15:31.920
 into the future.

00:15:32.019 --> 00:15:32.500
 Let me illustrate

00:15:32.500 --> 00:15:32.980
 it this way.

00:15:33.960 --> 00:15:34.639
 People have often

00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:35.139
 said I look

00:15:35.139 --> 00:15:35.759
 like my dad.

00:15:37.360 --> 00:15:38.040
 Now my likeness

00:15:38.040 --> 00:15:38.680
 to my dad

00:15:38.680 --> 00:15:39.720
 in one sense

00:15:39.720 --> 00:15:40.680
 it's always been there

00:15:40.680 --> 00:15:42.060
 ever since I was a baby.

00:15:43.019 --> 00:15:43.780
 You would probably

00:15:43.780 --> 00:15:44.480
 be able to spot

00:15:44.480 --> 00:15:45.320
 some similarities

00:15:45.320 --> 00:15:46.639
 perhaps to my dad

00:15:46.639 --> 00:15:47.539
 and my baby pictures

00:15:47.539 --> 00:15:48.659
 and elementary

00:15:48.659 --> 00:15:49.539
 school photos

00:15:49.539 --> 00:15:51.199
 but I was a baby.

00:15:51.699 --> 00:15:52.720
 I was a little kid.

00:15:53.240 --> 00:15:54.059
 I wasn't a spitting

00:15:54.059 --> 00:15:54.840
 image of him

00:15:54.840 --> 00:15:55.720
 as he is now.

00:15:57.319 --> 00:15:58.139
 But as I've grown

00:15:58.139 --> 00:15:58.980
 and matured

00:15:58.980 --> 00:16:00.399
 that likeness

00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:01.159
 has increased

00:16:01.159 --> 00:16:01.980
 in more ways

00:16:01.980 --> 00:16:02.399
 than one.

00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:04.360
 I've taken on

00:16:04.360 --> 00:16:04.919
 his physical

00:16:04.919 --> 00:16:05.620
 characteristics.

00:16:05.779 --> 00:16:06.259
 I'm taller.

00:16:07.399 --> 00:16:08.740
 I'm losing my hair.

00:16:09.279 --> 00:16:10.139
 I even cough

00:16:10.139 --> 00:16:10.720
 like my dad.

00:16:10.759 --> 00:16:11.259
 We have the same

00:16:11.259 --> 00:16:11.639
 cough.

00:16:11.720 --> 00:16:12.120
 It's weird.

00:16:13.419 --> 00:16:13.960
 But also

00:16:13.960 --> 00:16:14.899
 in our character.

00:16:14.899 --> 00:16:16.480
 I've begun

00:16:16.480 --> 00:16:17.480
 to become

00:16:17.480 --> 00:16:17.980
 more and more

00:16:17.980 --> 00:16:18.399
 like him.

00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:19.919
 I'm more patient

00:16:19.919 --> 00:16:20.779
 than I used to be.

00:16:20.980 --> 00:16:21.340
 I hope.

00:16:22.000 --> 00:16:22.799
 I'm wiser

00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:23.579
 than I used to be

00:16:23.579 --> 00:16:24.159
 I think.

00:16:25.199 --> 00:16:26.600
 And in that sense

00:16:26.600 --> 00:16:27.720
 that likeness

00:16:27.720 --> 00:16:28.579
 was slow

00:16:28.579 --> 00:16:29.399
 to emerge

00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:31.860
 and I'm certain

00:16:31.860 --> 00:16:32.079
 though

00:16:32.079 --> 00:16:33.319
 that when I'm 60

00:16:33.319 --> 00:16:34.799
 I will look

00:16:34.799 --> 00:16:35.740
 even more like

00:16:35.740 --> 00:16:36.139
 my dad

00:16:36.139 --> 00:16:36.840
 than I do now.

00:16:37.840 --> 00:16:39.000
 It's in my DNA

00:16:39.000 --> 00:16:40.720
 to become

00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:41.899
 more and more

00:16:41.899 --> 00:16:43.279
 like my dad.

00:16:44.579 --> 00:16:45.220
 That's

00:16:45.220 --> 00:16:46.159
 the hope

00:16:46.159 --> 00:16:47.620
 of our righteousness.

00:16:48.559 --> 00:16:49.740
 It's in our

00:16:49.740 --> 00:16:51.019
 spirit encoded

00:16:51.019 --> 00:16:51.639
 DNA

00:16:51.639 --> 00:16:53.659
 that we are

00:16:53.659 --> 00:16:55.220
 are becoming

00:16:55.220 --> 00:16:56.439
 and forever

00:16:56.439 --> 00:16:57.639
 will be

00:16:57.639 --> 00:16:58.740
 righteous

00:16:58.740 --> 00:17:00.100
 as Jesus

00:17:00.100 --> 00:17:01.100
 is righteous.

00:17:02.259 --> 00:17:03.279
 That's our hope.

00:17:03.399 --> 00:17:04.519
 And it's not a

00:17:04.519 --> 00:17:05.599
 I hope

00:17:05.599 --> 00:17:07.180
 it's a maybe hope

00:17:07.180 --> 00:17:08.839
 it's a certain hope.

00:17:08.839 --> 00:17:10.720
 it's happening

00:17:10.720 --> 00:17:12.339
 now

00:17:12.339 --> 00:17:13.459
 and it will

00:17:13.459 --> 00:17:13.879
 happen

00:17:13.879 --> 00:17:15.139
 in the future.

00:17:15.639 --> 00:17:16.559
 So we wait

00:17:16.559 --> 00:17:17.039
 for it

00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:18.139
 patiently

00:17:18.139 --> 00:17:19.419
 eagerly

00:17:19.419 --> 00:17:20.740
 expectantly

00:17:20.740 --> 00:17:22.199
 actively

00:17:22.199 --> 00:17:24.379
 and Paul

00:17:24.379 --> 00:17:25.059
 clenches it

00:17:25.059 --> 00:17:25.799
 in verse 6

00:17:25.799 --> 00:17:29.039
 for in Christ

00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:29.480
 Jesus

00:17:29.480 --> 00:17:30.159
 neither

00:17:30.159 --> 00:17:31.079
 circumcision

00:17:31.079 --> 00:17:32.639
 nor uncircumcision

00:17:32.639 --> 00:17:33.459
 counts for

00:17:33.459 --> 00:17:34.099
 anything

00:17:34.099 --> 00:17:35.779
 but only

00:17:35.779 --> 00:17:36.379
 faith

00:17:36.379 --> 00:17:37.720
 working through

00:17:37.720 --> 00:17:38.240
 love.

00:17:38.839 --> 00:17:40.419
 So

00:17:40.419 --> 00:17:41.500
 he's saying

00:17:41.500 --> 00:17:41.819
 here

00:17:41.819 --> 00:17:43.519
 whether you're

00:17:43.519 --> 00:17:44.220
 a circumcised

00:17:44.220 --> 00:17:44.919
 Jewish person

00:17:44.919 --> 00:17:45.939
 or an

00:17:45.939 --> 00:17:46.619
 uncircumcised

00:17:46.619 --> 00:17:47.259
 non-Jewish

00:17:47.259 --> 00:17:47.679
 person

00:17:47.679 --> 00:17:48.659
 that's

00:17:48.659 --> 00:17:49.500
 pointing to

00:17:49.500 --> 00:17:50.539
 whether you

00:17:50.539 --> 00:17:51.179
 make this

00:17:51.179 --> 00:17:51.639
 religious

00:17:51.639 --> 00:17:53.019
 checklist

00:17:53.019 --> 00:17:54.319
 or not

00:17:54.319 --> 00:17:55.639
 the only

00:17:55.639 --> 00:17:56.059
 thing that

00:17:56.059 --> 00:17:56.899
 actually brings

00:17:56.899 --> 00:17:57.679
 about righteousness

00:17:57.679 --> 00:17:58.579
 is not the

00:17:58.579 --> 00:17:59.299
 visible human

00:17:59.299 --> 00:17:59.699
 effort

00:17:59.699 --> 00:18:01.059
 but faith

00:18:01.059 --> 00:18:03.119
 and genuine

00:18:03.119 --> 00:18:04.000
 faith in

00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:04.439
 Jesus

00:18:04.439 --> 00:18:05.500
 faith that

00:18:05.500 --> 00:18:06.179
 justifies

00:18:06.180 --> 00:18:07.580
 also brings

00:18:07.580 --> 00:18:08.120
 about the

00:18:08.120 --> 00:18:08.840
 evidence

00:18:08.840 --> 00:18:09.799
 of righteousness

00:18:09.799 --> 00:18:10.960
 which is

00:18:10.960 --> 00:18:11.299
 love.

00:18:12.960 --> 00:18:13.519
 As someone

00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:13.880
 else has

00:18:13.880 --> 00:18:14.100
 said

00:18:14.100 --> 00:18:14.799
 we are

00:18:14.799 --> 00:18:15.240
 justified

00:18:15.240 --> 00:18:15.880
 by faith

00:18:15.880 --> 00:18:16.259
 alone

00:18:16.259 --> 00:18:17.120
 but not

00:18:17.120 --> 00:18:17.680
 by faith

00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:18.560
 that remains

00:18:18.560 --> 00:18:19.140
 alone.

00:18:20.140 --> 00:18:20.840
 As we

00:18:20.840 --> 00:18:21.400
 continue to

00:18:21.400 --> 00:18:22.000
 trust in

00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:23.060
 and rest in

00:18:23.060 --> 00:18:23.759
 and value

00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:24.460
 and get to

00:18:24.460 --> 00:18:25.100
 know Jesus

00:18:25.100 --> 00:18:26.019
 by faith

00:18:26.019 --> 00:18:27.340
 then the

00:18:27.340 --> 00:18:28.320
 family resemblance

00:18:28.320 --> 00:18:29.039
 of truly

00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:29.720
 belonging to

00:18:29.720 --> 00:18:30.380
 Christ starts

00:18:30.380 --> 00:18:31.100
 to emerge

00:18:31.099 --> 00:18:32.199
 in the form

00:18:32.199 --> 00:18:33.159
 of love.

00:18:34.599 --> 00:18:34.879
 I'm not

00:18:34.879 --> 00:18:35.119
 going to

00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:35.579
 steal much

00:18:35.579 --> 00:18:36.000
 from Pastor

00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:36.359
 Mike's

00:18:36.359 --> 00:18:36.819
 sermon next

00:18:36.819 --> 00:18:37.199
 week in

00:18:37.199 --> 00:18:37.839
 verses 13

00:18:37.839 --> 00:18:38.319
 to 15

00:18:38.319 --> 00:18:39.879
 but it's

00:18:39.879 --> 00:18:40.240
 helpful

00:18:40.240 --> 00:18:41.299
 that Paul

00:18:41.299 --> 00:18:42.259
 right here

00:18:42.259 --> 00:18:43.319
 doesn't want

00:18:43.319 --> 00:18:43.839
 the Galatians

00:18:43.839 --> 00:18:44.359
 to think that

00:18:44.359 --> 00:18:44.899
 human effort

00:18:44.899 --> 00:18:45.379
 doesn't have

00:18:45.379 --> 00:18:45.899
 a place.

00:18:46.839 --> 00:18:47.399
 Oh it has

00:18:47.399 --> 00:18:47.859
 a place.

00:18:48.839 --> 00:18:49.519
 We don't

00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:49.980
 just say

00:18:49.980 --> 00:18:50.740
 I believe

00:18:50.740 --> 00:18:51.639
 and then we

00:18:51.639 --> 00:18:52.039
 sit back

00:18:52.039 --> 00:18:52.279
 and do

00:18:52.279 --> 00:18:52.579
 nothing.

00:18:53.859 --> 00:18:54.579
 No we

00:18:54.579 --> 00:18:55.639
 say I

00:18:55.639 --> 00:18:56.159
 trust in

00:18:56.159 --> 00:18:56.799
 Christ alone

00:18:56.799 --> 00:18:57.740
 for being

00:18:57.740 --> 00:18:58.419
 made right

00:18:58.419 --> 00:18:58.839
 with God

00:18:58.839 --> 00:18:59.240
 now and

00:18:59.240 --> 00:18:59.500
 forever.

00:18:59.699 --> 00:19:00.039
 It's nothing

00:19:00.039 --> 00:19:00.500
 I do

00:19:00.500 --> 00:19:01.079
 at all.

00:19:01.099 --> 00:19:01.719
 that makes

00:19:01.719 --> 00:19:02.059
 me right

00:19:02.059 --> 00:19:02.539
 with God.

00:19:02.879 --> 00:19:03.439
 It is only

00:19:03.439 --> 00:19:03.980
 what Christ

00:19:03.980 --> 00:19:04.480
 has done

00:19:04.480 --> 00:19:05.799
 and therefore

00:19:05.799 --> 00:19:07.119
 because of

00:19:07.119 --> 00:19:07.579
 what Jesus

00:19:07.579 --> 00:19:08.079
 has done

00:19:08.079 --> 00:19:09.099
 I'm going

00:19:09.099 --> 00:19:09.619
 to expend

00:19:09.619 --> 00:19:10.399
 all my

00:19:10.399 --> 00:19:10.959
 energy

00:19:10.959 --> 00:19:12.619
 in gratitude

00:19:12.619 --> 00:19:13.459
 fueled

00:19:13.459 --> 00:19:14.139
 obedience

00:19:14.139 --> 00:19:14.619
 to the

00:19:14.619 --> 00:19:15.000
 God of

00:19:15.000 --> 00:19:15.419
 grace

00:19:15.419 --> 00:19:16.539
 by loving

00:19:16.539 --> 00:19:16.939
 the people

00:19:16.939 --> 00:19:17.579
 around me

00:19:17.579 --> 00:19:18.139
 for Jesus

00:19:18.139 --> 00:19:18.679
 sake.

00:19:20.299 --> 00:19:21.139
 So if

00:19:21.139 --> 00:19:22.079
 love is

00:19:22.079 --> 00:19:22.719
 the fruit

00:19:22.719 --> 00:19:24.219
 then faith

00:19:24.219 --> 00:19:25.519
 in God's

00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:25.879
 grace

00:19:25.879 --> 00:19:26.500
 is the

00:19:26.500 --> 00:19:26.759
 root.

00:19:27.939 --> 00:19:28.559
 Our hope

00:19:28.559 --> 00:19:29.319
 is not

00:19:29.319 --> 00:19:30.240
 in the fruit

00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:31.099
 not

00:19:31.099 --> 00:19:31.339
 in what

00:19:31.339 --> 00:19:31.720
 we do.

00:19:33.019 --> 00:19:33.660
 That's not

00:19:33.660 --> 00:19:34.019
 our hope

00:19:34.019 --> 00:19:34.359
 for getting

00:19:34.359 --> 00:19:34.740
 right with

00:19:34.740 --> 00:19:35.039
 God.

00:19:36.120 --> 00:19:36.819
 But in

00:19:36.819 --> 00:19:37.460
 the reality

00:19:37.460 --> 00:19:38.420
 of righteousness

00:19:38.420 --> 00:19:39.019
 that God

00:19:39.019 --> 00:19:39.640
 has granted

00:19:39.640 --> 00:19:40.440
 us by faith

00:19:40.440 --> 00:19:41.259
 and through

00:19:41.259 --> 00:19:42.000
 the operation

00:19:42.000 --> 00:19:42.640
 of the Spirit

00:19:42.640 --> 00:19:43.039
 in us

00:19:43.039 --> 00:19:43.799
 to bring out

00:19:43.799 --> 00:19:44.440
 that righteousness

00:19:44.440 --> 00:19:44.980
 DNA.

00:19:46.859 --> 00:19:47.559
 Isn't the

00:19:47.559 --> 00:19:48.140
 irony of

00:19:48.140 --> 00:19:48.819
 this verse

00:19:48.819 --> 00:19:49.420
 beautiful?

00:19:50.799 --> 00:19:51.019
 Our

00:19:51.019 --> 00:19:51.980
 unseen

00:19:51.980 --> 00:19:52.700
 righteousness

00:19:52.700 --> 00:19:54.440
 shows up

00:19:54.440 --> 00:19:55.220
 visibly as

00:19:55.220 --> 00:19:55.640
 love.

00:19:55.640 --> 00:19:55.680
 love.

00:19:56.940 --> 00:19:57.180
 And it's

00:19:57.180 --> 00:19:57.880
 only possible

00:19:57.880 --> 00:19:58.920
 through the

00:19:58.920 --> 00:19:59.860
 non-effort

00:19:59.860 --> 00:20:00.540
 of faith

00:20:00.540 --> 00:20:01.460
 in the

00:20:01.460 --> 00:20:01.780
 effort

00:20:01.780 --> 00:20:02.400
 of another.

00:20:05.060 --> 00:20:05.900
 As the

00:20:05.900 --> 00:20:06.520
 hymn says,

00:20:06.940 --> 00:20:07.460
 my hope

00:20:07.460 --> 00:20:07.960
 is built

00:20:07.960 --> 00:20:08.700
 on nothing

00:20:08.700 --> 00:20:10.340
 less than

00:20:10.340 --> 00:20:10.660
 Jesus'

00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:11.460
 blood and

00:20:11.460 --> 00:20:11.880
 righteousness.

00:20:12.140 --> 00:20:12.680
 I don't

00:20:12.680 --> 00:20:13.300
 trust the

00:20:13.300 --> 00:20:13.800
 sweetest

00:20:13.800 --> 00:20:14.220
 frame,

00:20:14.640 --> 00:20:15.180
 but wholly

00:20:15.180 --> 00:20:16.280
 lean on

00:20:16.280 --> 00:20:16.640
 Jesus'

00:20:16.640 --> 00:20:17.360
 name.

00:20:18.420 --> 00:20:18.660
 Our

00:20:18.660 --> 00:20:19.480
 true hope

00:20:19.480 --> 00:20:19.920
 of being

00:20:19.920 --> 00:20:20.580
 one with

00:20:20.580 --> 00:20:21.200
 Jesus by

00:20:21.200 --> 00:20:21.660
 faith,

00:20:22.240 --> 00:20:22.660
 justified

00:20:22.660 --> 00:20:23.620
 both now

00:20:23.620 --> 00:20:24.220
 and forever

00:20:24.220 --> 00:20:25.279
 is too

00:20:25.279 --> 00:20:26.360
 precious a

00:20:26.360 --> 00:20:27.200
 thing to

00:20:27.200 --> 00:20:27.880
 lose.

00:20:29.640 --> 00:20:30.060
 And Paul

00:20:30.060 --> 00:20:30.540
 is warning

00:20:30.540 --> 00:20:31.100
 us here

00:20:31.100 --> 00:20:32.220
 that if

00:20:32.220 --> 00:20:32.920
 we embrace

00:20:32.920 --> 00:20:33.440
 our own

00:20:33.440 --> 00:20:34.140
 human effort

00:20:34.140 --> 00:20:34.660
 as our

00:20:34.660 --> 00:20:35.019
 hope,

00:20:35.920 --> 00:20:36.259
 then we

00:20:36.259 --> 00:20:36.759
 lose our

00:20:36.759 --> 00:20:37.480
 only certain

00:20:37.480 --> 00:20:38.480
 hope of

00:20:38.480 --> 00:20:39.080
 experiencing

00:20:39.080 --> 00:20:39.779
 true

00:20:39.779 --> 00:20:40.740
 righteousness.

00:20:42.540 --> 00:20:43.200
 Well,

00:20:43.519 --> 00:20:44.340
 we're not

00:20:44.340 --> 00:20:45.100
 Galatians,

00:20:45.700 --> 00:20:46.279
 we're

00:20:46.279 --> 00:20:46.860
 Kenosians,

00:20:47.660 --> 00:20:48.200
 so how

00:20:48.200 --> 00:20:48.620
 does this

00:20:48.620 --> 00:20:49.040
 fit with

00:20:49.040 --> 00:20:49.340
 us?

00:20:50.080 --> 00:20:50.420
 How do

00:20:50.420 --> 00:20:50.980
 we respond

00:20:50.980 --> 00:20:51.480
 to this?

00:20:52.660 --> 00:20:52.980
 Do we

00:20:52.980 --> 00:20:53.460
 just say,

00:20:53.660 --> 00:20:53.840
 oh,

00:20:54.240 --> 00:20:55.140
 glad circumcision

00:20:55.140 --> 00:20:55.580
 isn't a

00:20:55.580 --> 00:20:56.100
 thing anymore?

00:20:57.620 --> 00:20:58.180
 No.

00:20:59.080 --> 00:21:00.019
 We must

00:21:00.019 --> 00:21:01.100
 not distance

00:21:01.100 --> 00:21:01.920
 ourselves too

00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:03.120
 quickly from

00:21:03.120 --> 00:21:03.860
 this text just

00:21:03.860 --> 00:21:04.420
 because of the

00:21:04.420 --> 00:21:05.360
 circumcision language.

00:21:06.259 --> 00:21:06.940
 There's a very

00:21:06.940 --> 00:21:08.380
 important principle

00:21:08.380 --> 00:21:09.060
 here that we've

00:21:09.060 --> 00:21:09.820
 been working on.

00:21:10.140 --> 00:21:10.759
 It's not human

00:21:10.759 --> 00:21:11.060
 effort,

00:21:11.360 --> 00:21:12.019
 it's Christ's

00:21:12.019 --> 00:21:12.300
 grace.

00:21:13.040 --> 00:21:13.580
 And it needs

00:21:13.580 --> 00:21:14.480
 to strike us

00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:15.519
 as bluntly as

00:21:15.519 --> 00:21:16.200
 it struck the

00:21:16.200 --> 00:21:16.680
 Galatians,

00:21:17.019 --> 00:21:17.820
 because we too

00:21:17.820 --> 00:21:18.800
 are very prone

00:21:18.800 --> 00:21:20.380
 to rely on our

00:21:20.380 --> 00:21:21.279
 moral performance

00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:21.900
 and our human

00:21:21.900 --> 00:21:22.640
 effort just as

00:21:22.640 --> 00:21:23.160
 much as they

00:21:23.160 --> 00:21:23.420
 were.

00:21:24.380 --> 00:21:24.960
 How do we

00:21:24.960 --> 00:21:25.560
 do that and

00:21:25.560 --> 00:21:26.080
 why do we

00:21:26.080 --> 00:21:26.480
 do that?

00:21:27.820 --> 00:21:28.020
 Well,

00:21:28.020 --> 00:21:28.380
 it's because

00:21:28.380 --> 00:21:29.240
 moral performance

00:21:29.240 --> 00:21:29.620
 is our

00:21:29.620 --> 00:21:30.080
 default.

00:21:32.680 --> 00:21:33.500
 We know

00:21:33.500 --> 00:21:34.100
 we're not

00:21:34.100 --> 00:21:34.700
 okay.

00:21:35.780 --> 00:21:36.180
 Everyone

00:21:36.180 --> 00:21:37.960
 alive has

00:21:37.960 --> 00:21:38.540
 this sense

00:21:38.540 --> 00:21:38.840
 of,

00:21:39.060 --> 00:21:39.300
 eh,

00:21:39.800 --> 00:21:40.259
 I'm not

00:21:40.259 --> 00:21:40.600
 alright.

00:21:41.360 --> 00:21:41.840
 We do

00:21:41.840 --> 00:21:42.400
 things that

00:21:42.400 --> 00:21:42.680
 are wrong,

00:21:42.740 --> 00:21:43.060
 we feel

00:21:43.060 --> 00:21:43.600
 the shame,

00:21:44.380 --> 00:21:44.560
 and then

00:21:44.560 --> 00:21:44.840
 what do we

00:21:44.840 --> 00:21:45.160
 do with

00:21:45.160 --> 00:21:45.360
 that?

00:21:45.820 --> 00:21:46.100
 We have

00:21:46.100 --> 00:21:46.480
 this sense

00:21:46.480 --> 00:21:46.620
 of,

00:21:46.759 --> 00:21:46.980
 I'm not

00:21:46.980 --> 00:21:47.360
 complete,

00:21:47.460 --> 00:21:47.740
 I'm not

00:21:47.740 --> 00:21:48.040
 okay,

00:21:48.120 --> 00:21:48.280
 there's

00:21:48.280 --> 00:21:48.540
 something

00:21:48.540 --> 00:21:48.920
 missing.

00:21:49.400 --> 00:21:49.820
 Why am

00:21:49.820 --> 00:21:50.100
 I not

00:21:50.100 --> 00:21:50.400
 okay?

00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:50.840
 It's down

00:21:50.840 --> 00:21:51.080
 on the

00:21:51.079 --> 00:21:51.519
 inside of

00:21:51.519 --> 00:21:51.679
 us and

00:21:51.679 --> 00:21:52.139
 we can't

00:21:52.139 --> 00:21:52.699
 escape it.

00:21:54.460 --> 00:21:55.119
 So what

00:21:55.119 --> 00:21:55.599
 did our

00:21:55.599 --> 00:21:56.480
 ancestors do?

00:21:57.220 --> 00:21:57.460
 Well,

00:21:57.519 --> 00:21:57.819
 Adam and

00:21:57.819 --> 00:21:58.519
 Eve in

00:21:58.519 --> 00:21:58.899
 the garden,

00:21:59.500 --> 00:21:59.939
 they messed

00:21:59.939 --> 00:22:00.240
 up,

00:22:00.819 --> 00:22:01.960
 their shame

00:22:01.960 --> 00:22:02.319
 told them

00:22:02.319 --> 00:22:02.720
 that something

00:22:02.720 --> 00:22:03.279
 was wrong,

00:22:03.399 --> 00:22:03.819
 something was

00:22:03.819 --> 00:22:04.159
 off,

00:22:04.259 --> 00:22:04.699
 they weren't

00:22:04.699 --> 00:22:05.099
 okay,

00:22:05.619 --> 00:22:05.960
 told them

00:22:05.960 --> 00:22:06.159
 that they

00:22:06.159 --> 00:22:06.559
 were naked,

00:22:06.679 --> 00:22:06.960
 so what

00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:07.339
 did they

00:22:07.339 --> 00:22:08.299
 do?

00:22:09.299 --> 00:22:10.279
 They stitched

00:22:10.279 --> 00:22:11.099
 some fig leaves

00:22:11.099 --> 00:22:11.480
 together,

00:22:11.759 --> 00:22:12.379
 they covered

00:22:12.379 --> 00:22:13.079
 themselves up,

00:22:13.139 --> 00:22:13.679
 it was a

00:22:13.679 --> 00:22:14.759
 self-salvation

00:22:14.759 --> 00:22:16.179
 project based

00:22:16.179 --> 00:22:16.939
 on human effort

00:22:16.940 --> 00:22:17.240
 and it

00:22:17.240 --> 00:22:18.220
 failed miserably.

00:22:19.460 --> 00:22:19.920
 In our

00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:20.740
 American culture

00:22:20.740 --> 00:22:21.920
 in 21st

00:22:21.920 --> 00:22:22.259
 century,

00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:22.720
 we are

00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:24.160
 exactly the

00:22:24.160 --> 00:22:24.380
 same.

00:22:25.180 --> 00:22:25.500
 We are

00:22:25.500 --> 00:22:26.120
 all about

00:22:26.120 --> 00:22:26.559
 helping

00:22:26.559 --> 00:22:27.100
 ourselves,

00:22:27.779 --> 00:22:28.519
 becoming the

00:22:28.519 --> 00:22:29.100
 best version

00:22:29.100 --> 00:22:29.759
 of ourselves,

00:22:29.940 --> 00:22:30.680
 giving ourselves

00:22:30.680 --> 00:22:32.039
 self-care and

00:22:32.039 --> 00:22:32.940
 self-love to

00:22:32.940 --> 00:22:33.900
 try to address

00:22:33.900 --> 00:22:34.620
 the deep down

00:22:34.620 --> 00:22:35.120
 sense that

00:22:35.120 --> 00:22:35.640
 we're not

00:22:35.640 --> 00:22:36.080
 okay.

00:22:37.240 --> 00:22:37.620
 That's why

00:22:37.620 --> 00:22:38.160
 Oprah is

00:22:38.160 --> 00:22:38.500
 rich,

00:22:39.320 --> 00:22:39.620
 it's the

00:22:39.620 --> 00:22:40.140
 gospel she

00:22:40.140 --> 00:22:40.559
 preaches.

00:22:41.720 --> 00:22:42.259
 But the

00:22:42.259 --> 00:22:42.720
 fact is,

00:22:43.140 --> 00:22:43.880
 we aren't

00:22:43.880 --> 00:22:44.420
 okay.

00:22:44.420 --> 00:22:46.039
 And no

00:22:46.039 --> 00:22:46.420
 amount of

00:22:46.420 --> 00:22:46.980
 telling ourselves

00:22:46.980 --> 00:22:47.340
 that we

00:22:47.340 --> 00:22:47.940
 are okay

00:22:47.940 --> 00:22:48.279
 and we

00:22:48.279 --> 00:22:48.920
 got this

00:22:48.920 --> 00:22:49.519
 can make

00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:50.080
 us okay.

00:22:51.000 --> 00:22:51.800
 If we put

00:22:51.800 --> 00:22:52.180
 our hope

00:22:52.180 --> 00:22:52.740
 in ourselves,

00:22:52.860 --> 00:22:53.240
 we lose

00:22:53.240 --> 00:22:53.700
 our only

00:22:53.700 --> 00:22:54.300
 true hope,

00:22:54.420 --> 00:22:54.620
 which is

00:22:54.620 --> 00:22:55.060
 our true

00:22:55.060 --> 00:22:55.460
 righteousness

00:22:55.460 --> 00:22:55.820
 that we

00:22:55.820 --> 00:22:56.220
 have by

00:22:56.220 --> 00:22:56.980
 faith in

00:22:56.980 --> 00:22:57.620
 Jesus Christ

00:22:57.620 --> 00:22:58.200
 who loved

00:22:58.200 --> 00:22:58.580
 us and

00:22:58.580 --> 00:22:59.200
 gave himself

00:22:59.200 --> 00:23:00.039
 up so we

00:23:00.039 --> 00:23:00.660
 can be

00:23:00.660 --> 00:23:01.060
 okay.

00:23:02.800 --> 00:23:03.519
 So dear

00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:03.940
 friend,

00:23:05.060 --> 00:23:06.060
 what are

00:23:06.060 --> 00:23:06.759
 you hoping

00:23:06.759 --> 00:23:07.380
 in?

00:23:09.340 --> 00:23:10.400
 Where is

00:23:10.400 --> 00:23:11.480
 your hope

00:23:11.480 --> 00:23:13.240
 that you're

00:23:13.240 --> 00:23:13.660
 going to be

00:23:13.660 --> 00:23:14.400
 okay somehow?

00:23:14.420 --> 00:23:16.820
 are you

00:23:16.820 --> 00:23:17.940
 assured of

00:23:17.940 --> 00:23:18.660
 and hanging

00:23:18.660 --> 00:23:19.360
 on to

00:23:19.360 --> 00:23:21.440
 the certain

00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:22.160
 hope of

00:23:22.160 --> 00:23:22.680
 righteousness

00:23:22.680 --> 00:23:23.460
 that Jesus

00:23:23.460 --> 00:23:24.080
 accomplished

00:23:24.080 --> 00:23:24.880
 for you?

00:23:27.000 --> 00:23:27.759
 Or are

00:23:27.759 --> 00:23:28.259
 you hoping

00:23:28.259 --> 00:23:28.720
 in a

00:23:28.720 --> 00:23:29.140
 hamster

00:23:29.140 --> 00:23:30.560
 wheel of

00:23:30.560 --> 00:23:31.500
 a maybe

00:23:31.500 --> 00:23:31.920
 hope?

00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:33.720
 Maybe if

00:23:33.720 --> 00:23:34.039
 I run

00:23:34.039 --> 00:23:34.640
 hard enough,

00:23:36.060 --> 00:23:36.460
 maybe if

00:23:36.460 --> 00:23:36.740
 I do

00:23:36.740 --> 00:23:37.200
 well enough

00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:37.640
 today,

00:23:38.700 --> 00:23:40.039
 I don't

00:23:40.039 --> 00:23:40.400
 know about

00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:40.560
 you,

00:23:40.620 --> 00:23:40.900
 but I

00:23:40.900 --> 00:23:41.480
 wake up

00:23:41.480 --> 00:23:41.920
 as this

00:23:41.920 --> 00:23:42.240
 is my

00:23:42.240 --> 00:23:42.600
 default.

00:23:42.599 --> 00:23:42.719
 default.

00:23:43.599 --> 00:23:44.279
 I wake

00:23:44.279 --> 00:23:44.579
 up with

00:23:44.579 --> 00:23:45.099
 this sense

00:23:45.099 --> 00:23:45.359
 of,

00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:46.099
 okay,

00:23:46.119 --> 00:23:46.339
 I've got to

00:23:46.339 --> 00:23:46.679
 make sure

00:23:46.679 --> 00:23:47.659
 I get

00:23:47.659 --> 00:23:48.019
 things in

00:23:48.019 --> 00:23:48.259
 order.

00:23:49.419 --> 00:23:50.019
 However that

00:23:50.019 --> 00:23:50.759
 manifests itself,

00:23:50.839 --> 00:23:51.199
 whether it's

00:23:51.199 --> 00:23:51.839
 in having a

00:23:51.839 --> 00:23:52.259
 long enough

00:23:52.259 --> 00:23:52.679
 devotion,

00:23:52.839 --> 00:23:53.079
 or I'm

00:23:53.079 --> 00:23:53.779
 praying enough,

00:23:53.899 --> 00:23:55.079
 or whether I

00:23:55.079 --> 00:23:55.879
 do a great

00:23:55.879 --> 00:23:56.359
 job as a

00:23:56.359 --> 00:23:56.779
 dad that

00:23:56.779 --> 00:23:57.119
 morning,

00:23:57.119 --> 00:23:57.879
 or if I'm

00:23:57.879 --> 00:23:58.639
 loving toward

00:23:58.639 --> 00:23:59.259
 my wife that

00:23:59.259 --> 00:23:59.480
 morning,

00:23:59.559 --> 00:24:00.179
 but I get

00:24:00.179 --> 00:24:00.919
 this sense

00:24:00.919 --> 00:24:01.919
 default in

00:24:01.919 --> 00:24:02.099
 me,

00:24:02.159 --> 00:24:02.639
 I might be the

00:24:02.639 --> 00:24:03.179
 only one in the

00:24:03.179 --> 00:24:03.299
 room,

00:24:03.339 --> 00:24:03.659
 I don't know,

00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:04.799
 but I get this

00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:05.439
 sense of like,

00:24:05.539 --> 00:24:06.879
 I've got to make

00:24:06.879 --> 00:24:07.399
 sure I'm okay.

00:24:07.400 --> 00:24:09.780
 But what I

00:24:09.780 --> 00:24:10.560
 have to do

00:24:10.560 --> 00:24:11.480
 every morning

00:24:11.480 --> 00:24:11.960
 is I have to

00:24:11.960 --> 00:24:12.140
 say,

00:24:12.360 --> 00:24:13.040
 I'm okay,

00:24:13.220 --> 00:24:13.820
 now and

00:24:13.820 --> 00:24:14.140
 forever,

00:24:14.259 --> 00:24:14.700
 because of

00:24:14.700 --> 00:24:14.960
 Jesus.

00:24:16.620 --> 00:24:17.460
 That's where I

00:24:17.460 --> 00:24:18.000
 rest.

00:24:18.620 --> 00:24:19.380
 It's a deep

00:24:19.380 --> 00:24:20.460
 level sense

00:24:20.460 --> 00:24:21.200
 of trust.

00:24:23.080 --> 00:24:23.920
 It's extremely

00:24:23.920 --> 00:24:24.540
 hard to live

00:24:24.540 --> 00:24:24.780
 there.

00:24:26.920 --> 00:24:27.480
 Depending on

00:24:27.480 --> 00:24:28.019
 who you are,

00:24:28.220 --> 00:24:28.600
 I don't know,

00:24:28.720 --> 00:24:29.500
 that's how it is

00:24:29.500 --> 00:24:29.820
 for me.

00:24:30.220 --> 00:24:30.860
 You might be

00:24:30.860 --> 00:24:31.980
 trying to be

00:24:31.980 --> 00:24:32.920
 okay or stay

00:24:32.920 --> 00:24:34.120
 okay on the

00:24:34.120 --> 00:24:34.680
 basis of whether

00:24:34.680 --> 00:24:35.600
 you're succeeding

00:24:35.599 --> 00:24:36.399
 in your job,

00:24:37.099 --> 00:24:37.399
 or whether

00:24:37.399 --> 00:24:38.339
 people approve

00:24:38.339 --> 00:24:38.779
 of you,

00:24:39.459 --> 00:24:40.259
 whether you're

00:24:40.259 --> 00:24:40.859
 being the best

00:24:40.859 --> 00:24:41.319
 version of

00:24:41.319 --> 00:24:42.240
 yourself today,

00:24:42.399 --> 00:24:43.099
 or whether

00:24:43.099 --> 00:24:43.539
 you're a good

00:24:43.539 --> 00:24:44.019
 parent,

00:24:44.199 --> 00:24:45.500
 or whatever

00:24:45.500 --> 00:24:46.159
 it may be,

00:24:47.240 --> 00:24:48.119
 we all want

00:24:48.119 --> 00:24:49.279
 to be okay,

00:24:49.439 --> 00:24:49.939
 but the fact

00:24:49.939 --> 00:24:50.859
 is we're not.

00:24:52.240 --> 00:24:52.719
 And Jesus

00:24:52.719 --> 00:24:53.539
 has secured

00:24:53.539 --> 00:24:54.659
 our only hope

00:24:54.659 --> 00:24:56.179
 of making us

00:24:56.179 --> 00:24:57.219
 okay through

00:24:57.219 --> 00:24:57.839
 his death and

00:24:57.839 --> 00:24:58.319
 resurrection.

00:24:58.579 --> 00:24:59.379
 So rest.

00:25:00.279 --> 00:25:01.719
 Rest in this

00:25:01.719 --> 00:25:02.480
 certain hope

00:25:02.480 --> 00:25:03.699
 with the Spirit's

00:25:03.699 --> 00:25:04.279
 help and get

00:25:04.279 --> 00:25:05.240
 off the hamster

00:25:05.240 --> 00:25:06.140
 wheel of

00:25:06.140 --> 00:25:07.039
 human effort.

00:25:08.880 --> 00:25:09.480
 But maybe

00:25:09.480 --> 00:25:10.079
 for some of you

00:25:10.079 --> 00:25:10.400
 you've been

00:25:10.400 --> 00:25:10.920
 listening and

00:25:10.920 --> 00:25:11.160
 you're like,

00:25:11.460 --> 00:25:12.200
 that isn't me

00:25:12.200 --> 00:25:12.680
 at all.

00:25:13.319 --> 00:25:13.839
 I'm not feeling

00:25:13.839 --> 00:25:14.099
 that.

00:25:14.200 --> 00:25:14.299
 Well,

00:25:14.400 --> 00:25:15.519
 maybe the other

00:25:15.519 --> 00:25:16.019
 side of the

00:25:16.019 --> 00:25:16.859
 coin that Paul

00:25:16.859 --> 00:25:17.480
 points out in

00:25:17.480 --> 00:25:18.640
 verse 6 needs

00:25:18.640 --> 00:25:19.480
 to hit you.

00:25:20.900 --> 00:25:21.480
 Perhaps your

00:25:21.480 --> 00:25:22.059
 faith is too

00:25:22.059 --> 00:25:22.539
 casual.

00:25:23.859 --> 00:25:24.319
 Perhaps your

00:25:24.319 --> 00:25:25.599
 faith is flippant

00:25:25.599 --> 00:25:27.519
 and it's not

00:25:27.519 --> 00:25:28.359
 showing up as

00:25:28.359 --> 00:25:28.779
 love.

00:25:29.480 --> 00:25:29.859
 You're not

00:25:29.859 --> 00:25:30.720
 taking sin

00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:31.759
 seriously.

00:25:31.759 --> 00:25:34.339
 You are

00:25:34.339 --> 00:25:35.079
 centered on

00:25:35.079 --> 00:25:35.700
 self and

00:25:35.700 --> 00:25:36.279
 you're okay

00:25:36.279 --> 00:25:36.759
 with that.

00:25:38.500 --> 00:25:39.319
 This is not

00:25:39.319 --> 00:25:39.940
 standing firm

00:25:39.940 --> 00:25:40.379
 in freedom.

00:25:41.900 --> 00:25:42.759
 Being free

00:25:42.759 --> 00:25:43.180
 in Christ

00:25:43.180 --> 00:25:43.559
 doesn't mean

00:25:43.559 --> 00:25:43.980
 you're free

00:25:43.980 --> 00:25:44.339
 to do

00:25:44.339 --> 00:25:44.900
 whatever you

00:25:44.900 --> 00:25:45.220
 want.

00:25:45.900 --> 00:25:46.220
 It means

00:25:46.220 --> 00:25:46.619
 you're free

00:25:46.619 --> 00:25:47.019
 to not

00:25:47.019 --> 00:25:47.400
 sin.

00:25:49.140 --> 00:25:49.879
 We need to

00:25:49.879 --> 00:25:50.480
 stay away

00:25:50.480 --> 00:25:50.920
 from the

00:25:50.920 --> 00:25:51.480
 slavery to

00:25:51.480 --> 00:25:52.140
 sin just as

00:25:52.140 --> 00:25:52.440
 much as

00:25:52.440 --> 00:25:52.900
 the slavery

00:25:52.900 --> 00:25:54.000
 depending on

00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:55.299
 our human

00:25:55.299 --> 00:25:55.660
 effort.

00:25:56.460 --> 00:25:56.839
 So if you're

00:25:56.839 --> 00:25:57.319
 not taking

00:25:57.319 --> 00:25:58.079
 sin seriously,

00:25:58.240 --> 00:25:58.859
 then it's

00:25:58.859 --> 00:25:59.599
 worth examining

00:25:59.599 --> 00:26:00.259
 your faith.

00:26:00.959 --> 00:26:01.459
 Is it a

00:26:01.459 --> 00:26:01.899
 true and

00:26:01.899 --> 00:26:02.559
 repentant faith

00:26:02.559 --> 00:26:02.919
 that gets

00:26:02.919 --> 00:26:03.519
 worked out

00:26:03.519 --> 00:26:04.240
 into love?

00:26:04.459 --> 00:26:05.199
 Not perfectly.

00:26:05.619 --> 00:26:06.279
 Don't be under

00:26:06.279 --> 00:26:07.039
 a sense of

00:26:07.039 --> 00:26:07.839
 condemnation here

00:26:07.839 --> 00:26:08.799
 if you have

00:26:08.799 --> 00:26:09.379
 true faith,

00:26:09.639 --> 00:26:11.679
 but it is

00:26:11.679 --> 00:26:12.439
 worth asking,

00:26:12.619 --> 00:26:13.259
 is my faith

00:26:13.259 --> 00:26:13.740
 sincere?

00:26:14.599 --> 00:26:15.139
 Is it getting

00:26:15.139 --> 00:26:15.859
 worked out in

00:26:15.859 --> 00:26:16.740
 love toward

00:26:16.740 --> 00:26:17.219
 God and

00:26:17.219 --> 00:26:17.719
 toward others

00:26:17.719 --> 00:26:18.359
 in my life?

00:26:19.199 --> 00:26:19.539
 Is it

00:26:19.539 --> 00:26:20.119
 producing the

00:26:20.119 --> 00:26:20.879
 fruit of the

00:26:20.879 --> 00:26:21.659
 righteousness that

00:26:21.659 --> 00:26:22.819
 God requires?

00:26:23.980 --> 00:26:24.839
 Only genuine

00:26:24.839 --> 00:26:26.039
 faith latches on

00:26:26.039 --> 00:26:26.619
 to our true

00:26:26.619 --> 00:26:27.179
 hope of being

00:26:27.179 --> 00:26:27.959
 right with God.

00:26:28.759 --> 00:26:29.459
 Flippant faith

00:26:29.460 --> 00:26:30.660
 will ultimately

00:26:30.660 --> 00:26:31.920
 not produce the

00:26:31.920 --> 00:26:32.279
 fruit of

00:26:32.279 --> 00:26:32.640
 righteousness.

00:26:32.900 --> 00:26:33.579
 So if that's

00:26:33.579 --> 00:26:34.700
 you, then hear

00:26:34.700 --> 00:26:35.779
 and obey Paul's

00:26:35.779 --> 00:26:36.160
 words to

00:26:36.160 --> 00:26:37.539
 Timothy and

00:26:37.539 --> 00:26:38.420
 2 Timothy 2.

00:26:39.220 --> 00:26:40.120
 Flee youthful

00:26:40.120 --> 00:26:40.539
 passions.

00:26:41.340 --> 00:26:41.779
 Pursue

00:26:41.779 --> 00:26:42.380
 righteousness,

00:26:43.000 --> 00:26:44.000
 faith, love,

00:26:44.120 --> 00:26:45.259
 and peace along

00:26:45.259 --> 00:26:45.940
 with all those

00:26:45.940 --> 00:26:46.740
 who call on the

00:26:46.740 --> 00:26:47.640
 Lord from a pure

00:26:47.640 --> 00:26:48.079
 heart.

00:26:50.440 --> 00:26:51.279
 So that's the

00:26:51.279 --> 00:26:52.480
 first way that we

00:26:52.480 --> 00:26:53.240
 can live out what

00:26:53.240 --> 00:26:53.960
 it means to stand

00:26:53.960 --> 00:26:54.660
 firm in our

00:26:54.660 --> 00:26:54.940
 freedom.

00:26:55.759 --> 00:26:56.720
 We have to latch

00:26:56.720 --> 00:26:57.740
 on to the only

00:26:57.740 --> 00:26:58.920
 hope of Christ's

00:26:58.920 --> 00:27:00.120
 unseen righteousness

00:27:00.120 --> 00:27:02.620
 both now and

00:27:02.620 --> 00:27:02.940
 forever.

00:27:03.080 --> 00:27:04.100
 So what's the

00:27:04.100 --> 00:27:04.560
 second way?

00:27:05.820 --> 00:27:06.460
 The second way

00:27:06.460 --> 00:27:07.240
 that we can stand

00:27:07.240 --> 00:27:07.820
 firm in our

00:27:07.820 --> 00:27:08.640
 freedom in Christ

00:27:08.640 --> 00:27:09.300
 that Paul points

00:27:09.300 --> 00:27:11.100
 us to is this,

00:27:11.200 --> 00:27:11.720
 has to do with

00:27:11.720 --> 00:27:12.240
 truth.

00:27:13.380 --> 00:27:15.120
 Zealously hold to

00:27:15.120 --> 00:27:16.960
 the exclusive truth

00:27:16.960 --> 00:27:18.160
 of the cross.

00:27:19.160 --> 00:27:21.380
 Zealously hold to

00:27:21.380 --> 00:27:23.259
 the exclusive truth

00:27:23.259 --> 00:27:24.519
 of the cross.

00:27:24.519 --> 00:27:26.900
 look at verse 7.

00:27:28.500 --> 00:27:29.019
 You were running

00:27:29.019 --> 00:27:29.420
 well.

00:27:29.579 --> 00:27:30.139
 Who hindered you

00:27:30.139 --> 00:27:30.879
 from obeying the

00:27:30.879 --> 00:27:31.240
 truth?

00:27:32.059 --> 00:27:32.599
 Something had

00:27:32.599 --> 00:27:33.400
 happened to the

00:27:33.400 --> 00:27:33.920
 Galatians.

00:27:34.660 --> 00:27:35.299
 They were on a

00:27:35.299 --> 00:27:35.900
 good course.

00:27:36.480 --> 00:27:37.019
 They were running

00:27:37.019 --> 00:27:37.819
 the race well,

00:27:38.400 --> 00:27:39.440
 but someone got in

00:27:39.440 --> 00:27:39.920
 their way.

00:27:40.940 --> 00:27:41.579
 And instead of

00:27:41.579 --> 00:27:42.680
 pushing them over

00:27:42.680 --> 00:27:43.319
 and keep running

00:27:43.319 --> 00:27:44.000
 the right way,

00:27:44.440 --> 00:27:45.379
 they diverged.

00:27:47.420 --> 00:27:47.980
 Paul wants to

00:27:47.980 --> 00:27:48.660
 know who is

00:27:48.660 --> 00:27:50.259
 responsible for

00:27:50.259 --> 00:27:51.579
 hindering them

00:27:51.579 --> 00:27:52.240
 from following

00:27:52.240 --> 00:27:53.960
 the truth of

00:27:53.960 --> 00:27:54.679
 the good news

00:27:54.679 --> 00:27:55.599
 of the gospel

00:27:55.599 --> 00:27:56.579
 of the cross.

00:27:57.039 --> 00:27:57.720
 And it's not

00:27:57.720 --> 00:27:58.399
 because he's

00:27:58.399 --> 00:27:58.779
 curious.

00:27:59.399 --> 00:28:00.279
 It's because he's

00:28:00.279 --> 00:28:00.799
 ticked.

00:28:02.399 --> 00:28:03.019
 In fact, this

00:28:03.019 --> 00:28:03.859
 whole section on

00:28:03.859 --> 00:28:04.419
 the surface,

00:28:04.939 --> 00:28:06.699
 Paul's kind of

00:28:06.699 --> 00:28:07.899
 off his usual

00:28:07.899 --> 00:28:08.460
 style.

00:28:09.399 --> 00:28:10.220
 It appears a

00:28:10.220 --> 00:28:10.779
 little bit like

00:28:10.779 --> 00:28:11.839
 disjointed at

00:28:11.839 --> 00:28:12.179
 first.

00:28:12.359 --> 00:28:12.839
 It's not his

00:28:12.839 --> 00:28:14.039
 kind of usual

00:28:14.039 --> 00:28:15.000
 steady logical

00:28:15.000 --> 00:28:15.439
 self.

00:28:15.539 --> 00:28:16.039
 As one writer

00:28:16.039 --> 00:28:16.519
 puts it, it's

00:28:16.519 --> 00:28:17.159
 like Paul is

00:28:17.159 --> 00:28:18.439
 uttering snorts

00:28:18.439 --> 00:28:19.339
 of indignation.

00:28:20.259 --> 00:28:21.099
 His temperature

00:28:21.099 --> 00:28:21.500
 is running

00:28:21.500 --> 00:28:22.200
 hot, but it's

00:28:22.200 --> 00:28:22.559
 not the

00:28:22.559 --> 00:28:23.039
 Galatians.

00:28:23.859 --> 00:28:24.400
 It's at those

00:28:24.400 --> 00:28:24.920
 who steered

00:28:24.920 --> 00:28:26.180
 them away from

00:28:26.180 --> 00:28:27.200
 the truth of

00:28:27.200 --> 00:28:27.779
 the cross.

00:28:28.920 --> 00:28:29.400
 Paul wants

00:28:29.400 --> 00:28:29.980
 them to know

00:28:29.980 --> 00:28:30.740
 in verse 8

00:28:30.740 --> 00:28:31.880
 that this line

00:28:31.880 --> 00:28:32.480
 of thinking,

00:28:33.180 --> 00:28:34.259
 this persuasion

00:28:34.259 --> 00:28:35.000
 that they need

00:28:35.000 --> 00:28:35.859
 to get circumcised

00:28:35.859 --> 00:28:36.440
 to get right

00:28:36.440 --> 00:28:36.900
 with God,

00:28:36.980 --> 00:28:37.779
 it's not from

00:28:37.779 --> 00:28:38.119
 God.

00:28:39.000 --> 00:28:39.619
 It's not from

00:28:39.619 --> 00:28:40.299
 him who calls

00:28:40.299 --> 00:28:40.519
 you.

00:28:41.680 --> 00:28:42.180
 God called

00:28:42.180 --> 00:28:42.660
 them to be

00:28:42.660 --> 00:28:43.279
 free from

00:28:43.279 --> 00:28:43.819
 the curse of

00:28:43.819 --> 00:28:44.180
 the law,

00:28:44.559 --> 00:28:45.200
 free from

00:28:45.200 --> 00:28:45.779
 futile,

00:28:46.079 --> 00:28:46.740
 hamster wheel,

00:28:47.019 --> 00:28:47.680
 human effort.

00:28:48.900 --> 00:28:49.519
 God called

00:28:49.519 --> 00:28:49.900
 them to

00:28:49.900 --> 00:28:50.900
 experience and

00:28:50.900 --> 00:28:51.880
 to enjoy and

00:28:51.880 --> 00:28:52.880
 stand firm in

00:28:52.880 --> 00:28:53.560
 the freedom of

00:28:53.560 --> 00:28:53.880
 a right

00:28:53.880 --> 00:28:54.660
 relationship with

00:28:54.660 --> 00:28:55.740
 God through

00:28:55.740 --> 00:28:56.180
 faith in

00:28:56.180 --> 00:28:56.519
 Christ.

00:28:56.600 --> 00:28:57.100
 He did not

00:28:57.100 --> 00:28:58.140
 call them to

00:28:58.140 --> 00:28:59.259
 go back into

00:28:59.259 --> 00:29:00.120
 slavery again.

00:29:01.040 --> 00:29:01.280
 He called

00:29:01.280 --> 00:29:01.759
 them to hop

00:29:01.759 --> 00:29:02.440
 into the car

00:29:02.440 --> 00:29:02.840
 and take

00:29:02.840 --> 00:29:03.220
 off.

00:29:05.080 --> 00:29:05.280
 And in

00:29:05.280 --> 00:29:05.980
 verse 9, we

00:29:05.980 --> 00:29:06.480
 see that this

00:29:06.480 --> 00:29:07.200
 thinking has the

00:29:07.200 --> 00:29:07.780
 potential to

00:29:07.780 --> 00:29:08.800
 spread and

00:29:08.800 --> 00:29:09.480
 corrupt the

00:29:09.480 --> 00:29:10.440
 whole region of

00:29:10.440 --> 00:29:11.040
 Galatia and

00:29:11.040 --> 00:29:11.780
 affect all the

00:29:11.780 --> 00:29:12.440
 churches there.

00:29:12.780 --> 00:29:12.940
 And the

00:29:12.940 --> 00:29:13.519
 Galatians need

00:29:13.519 --> 00:29:14.259
 to be aware of

00:29:14.259 --> 00:29:14.600
 this.

00:29:15.019 --> 00:29:15.320
 A little

00:29:15.320 --> 00:29:16.060
 leaven leavens

00:29:16.059 --> 00:29:16.399
 the whole

00:29:16.399 --> 00:29:16.779
 lump.

00:29:19.379 --> 00:29:20.139
 Almost in

00:29:20.139 --> 00:29:20.460
 the same

00:29:20.460 --> 00:29:20.899
 breath in

00:29:20.899 --> 00:29:21.460
 verse 10, he

00:29:21.460 --> 00:29:21.919
 appears to

00:29:21.919 --> 00:29:23.339
 calm down and

00:29:23.339 --> 00:29:24.119
 communicate a

00:29:24.119 --> 00:29:25.099
 real confidence

00:29:25.099 --> 00:29:26.179
 in the Galatians.

00:29:26.319 --> 00:29:26.819
 You can tell

00:29:26.819 --> 00:29:27.839
 of his affection

00:29:27.839 --> 00:29:28.359
 for them.

00:29:29.619 --> 00:29:30.859
 He is not so

00:29:30.859 --> 00:29:31.720
 concerned about

00:29:31.720 --> 00:29:32.279
 them that they

00:29:32.279 --> 00:29:32.779
 are going to

00:29:32.779 --> 00:29:33.359
 abandon their

00:29:33.359 --> 00:29:33.940
 freedom in the

00:29:33.940 --> 00:29:34.179
 end.

00:29:34.899 --> 00:29:35.839
 He is persuaded

00:29:35.839 --> 00:29:36.779
 in the Lord,

00:29:36.919 --> 00:29:37.639
 helpful phrase,

00:29:37.759 --> 00:29:38.259
 in the Lord,

00:29:38.559 --> 00:29:39.000
 that their

00:29:39.000 --> 00:29:39.599
 thinking will

00:29:39.599 --> 00:29:40.659
 line back up

00:29:40.659 --> 00:29:41.960
 with the truth.

00:29:42.639 --> 00:29:43.579
 That phrase in

00:29:43.579 --> 00:29:44.179
 the Lord is

00:29:44.179 --> 00:29:44.980
 very helpful.

00:29:44.980 --> 00:29:46.339
 Paul isn't

00:29:46.339 --> 00:29:46.819
 necessarily

00:29:46.819 --> 00:29:47.539
 confident in

00:29:47.539 --> 00:29:48.059
 the Galatians

00:29:48.059 --> 00:29:49.920
 themselves, but

00:29:49.920 --> 00:29:50.460
 in God's

00:29:50.460 --> 00:29:51.059
 ability to

00:29:51.059 --> 00:29:51.640
 protect his

00:29:51.640 --> 00:29:52.140
 people from

00:29:52.140 --> 00:29:53.180
 error and

00:29:53.180 --> 00:29:53.779
 to persuade

00:29:53.779 --> 00:29:54.620
 his people of

00:29:54.620 --> 00:29:55.940
 the truth from

00:29:55.940 --> 00:29:56.460
 the heart.

00:29:57.720 --> 00:29:58.380
 But the

00:29:58.380 --> 00:29:59.079
 opposite is

00:29:59.079 --> 00:30:00.360
 true for

00:30:00.360 --> 00:30:00.860
 those who

00:30:00.860 --> 00:30:01.480
 are persuading

00:30:01.480 --> 00:30:02.759
 his people to

00:30:02.759 --> 00:30:03.319
 abandon their

00:30:03.319 --> 00:30:03.620
 freedom.

00:30:04.180 --> 00:30:04.539
 Look at the

00:30:04.539 --> 00:30:05.000
 last half of

00:30:05.000 --> 00:30:05.460
 verse 10.

00:30:08.220 --> 00:30:08.500
 And the

00:30:08.500 --> 00:30:08.960
 one who is

00:30:08.960 --> 00:30:09.640
 troubling you

00:30:09.640 --> 00:30:10.319
 will bear the

00:30:10.319 --> 00:30:11.460
 penalty, whoever

00:30:11.460 --> 00:30:12.039
 he is.

00:30:13.360 --> 00:30:14.099
 This is a

00:30:14.099 --> 00:30:14.519
 reference to

00:30:14.519 --> 00:30:14.960
 God's judgment

00:30:14.980 --> 00:30:15.099
 judgment.

00:30:16.380 --> 00:30:17.000
 In the end,

00:30:17.339 --> 00:30:17.720
 those who

00:30:17.720 --> 00:30:18.519
 persist in

00:30:18.519 --> 00:30:19.460
 persuading God's

00:30:19.460 --> 00:30:21.000
 people away

00:30:21.000 --> 00:30:21.759
 from the truth

00:30:21.759 --> 00:30:22.519
 of the cross

00:30:22.519 --> 00:30:23.079
 will be the

00:30:23.079 --> 00:30:23.980
 recipients of

00:30:23.980 --> 00:30:24.900
 God's hot

00:30:24.900 --> 00:30:25.519
 judgment.

00:30:26.400 --> 00:30:26.920
 This is a

00:30:26.920 --> 00:30:28.160
 big deal in

00:30:28.160 --> 00:30:28.839
 Paul's mind.

00:30:29.200 --> 00:30:29.720
 And we get to

00:30:29.720 --> 00:30:30.500
 the crux of

00:30:30.500 --> 00:30:31.460
 the matter in

00:30:31.460 --> 00:30:32.000
 verse 11.

00:30:32.740 --> 00:30:33.160
 Apparently,

00:30:33.279 --> 00:30:33.700
 these false

00:30:33.700 --> 00:30:34.240
 teachers were

00:30:34.240 --> 00:30:34.779
 saying that

00:30:34.779 --> 00:30:35.680
 Paul himself

00:30:35.680 --> 00:30:36.720
 was preaching

00:30:36.720 --> 00:30:37.620
 that circumcision

00:30:37.620 --> 00:30:38.200
 was a way to

00:30:38.200 --> 00:30:38.640
 get right with

00:30:38.640 --> 00:30:38.860
 God.

00:30:38.940 --> 00:30:39.200
 I guess,

00:30:39.620 --> 00:30:40.160
 even though

00:30:40.160 --> 00:30:40.420
 this is a

00:30:40.420 --> 00:30:41.019
 flat lie,

00:30:41.120 --> 00:30:41.559
 perhaps it

00:30:41.559 --> 00:30:42.900
 was potentially

00:30:42.900 --> 00:30:43.559
 to add more

00:30:43.559 --> 00:30:44.440
 credibility to

00:30:44.440 --> 00:30:44.740
 what they

00:30:44.740 --> 00:30:45.240
 were saying.

00:30:45.759 --> 00:30:46.120
 And Paul

00:30:46.120 --> 00:30:47.360
 totally denies

00:30:47.360 --> 00:30:48.340
 this, but he

00:30:48.340 --> 00:30:48.779
 gets at the

00:30:48.779 --> 00:30:49.220
 heart of the

00:30:49.220 --> 00:30:49.799
 issue as

00:30:49.799 --> 00:30:50.019
 well.

00:30:51.100 --> 00:30:51.720
 If I still

00:30:51.720 --> 00:30:52.680
 preach circumcision,

00:30:52.840 --> 00:30:53.320
 why am I

00:30:53.320 --> 00:30:53.880
 still being

00:30:53.880 --> 00:30:54.420
 persecuted?

00:30:55.860 --> 00:30:56.620
 Later on in

00:30:56.620 --> 00:30:57.220
 chapter 6, he's

00:30:57.220 --> 00:30:57.900
 saying, I bear

00:30:57.900 --> 00:30:58.720
 on my body the

00:30:58.720 --> 00:30:59.400
 marks of Jesus.

00:30:59.559 --> 00:30:59.880
 Let everyone

00:30:59.880 --> 00:31:00.400
 else leave me

00:31:00.400 --> 00:31:00.700
 alone.

00:31:02.480 --> 00:31:03.120
 He's like,

00:31:03.519 --> 00:31:04.880
 my message of

00:31:04.880 --> 00:31:05.400
 the truth is

00:31:05.400 --> 00:31:06.120
 real, and I

00:31:06.120 --> 00:31:06.880
 have the marks

00:31:06.880 --> 00:31:07.480
 to prove it.

00:31:09.039 --> 00:31:09.559
 These false

00:31:09.559 --> 00:31:10.299
 teachers were

00:31:10.299 --> 00:31:12.619
 offended by

00:31:12.619 --> 00:31:13.299
 the cross.

00:31:14.659 --> 00:31:15.579
 They did not

00:31:15.579 --> 00:31:16.539
 like the idea

00:31:16.539 --> 00:31:17.079
 of being

00:31:17.079 --> 00:31:19.119
 persecuted, and

00:31:19.119 --> 00:31:19.539
 so therefore

00:31:19.539 --> 00:31:20.299
 they watered

00:31:20.299 --> 00:31:20.740
 down the

00:31:20.740 --> 00:31:22.139
 message, the

00:31:22.139 --> 00:31:23.299
 exclusive truth

00:31:23.299 --> 00:31:24.680
 of the cross.

00:31:25.539 --> 00:31:26.259
 Look at that

00:31:26.259 --> 00:31:27.099
 in verse 11.

00:31:27.220 --> 00:31:27.879
 In that case,

00:31:27.960 --> 00:31:28.680
 the offense of

00:31:28.680 --> 00:31:29.539
 the cross has

00:31:29.539 --> 00:31:31.000
 been removed.

00:31:32.599 --> 00:31:33.259
 Apparently, they

00:31:33.259 --> 00:31:33.919
 were okay with

00:31:33.919 --> 00:31:34.379
 the crucified

00:31:34.379 --> 00:31:35.240
 Messiah, but

00:31:35.240 --> 00:31:36.339
 they didn't like

00:31:36.339 --> 00:31:37.019
 the fact that it

00:31:37.019 --> 00:31:37.720
 was grace and

00:31:37.720 --> 00:31:38.519
 grace alone that

00:31:38.519 --> 00:31:39.480
 justifies a person

00:31:39.480 --> 00:31:40.180
 through the cross

00:31:40.180 --> 00:31:40.700
 of Christ.

00:31:41.360 --> 00:31:41.799
 They were

00:31:41.799 --> 00:31:42.140
 offended.

00:31:42.279 --> 00:31:42.740
 They couldn't

00:31:42.740 --> 00:31:43.620
 add to the

00:31:43.620 --> 00:31:44.019
 cross.

00:31:45.220 --> 00:31:45.740
 And here's where

00:31:45.740 --> 00:31:46.559
 we come to the

00:31:46.559 --> 00:31:47.480
 heart of all

00:31:47.480 --> 00:31:48.180
 kinds of false

00:31:48.180 --> 00:31:48.519
 teaching.

00:31:49.360 --> 00:31:50.059
 There have been

00:31:50.059 --> 00:31:52.319
 scores, hundreds

00:31:52.319 --> 00:31:53.160
 perhaps, of

00:31:53.160 --> 00:31:54.539
 deceptive false

00:31:54.539 --> 00:31:55.980
 messages, false

00:31:55.980 --> 00:31:57.940
 gospels, which

00:31:57.940 --> 00:31:59.299
 sound very similar

00:31:59.299 --> 00:32:00.180
 to true

00:32:00.180 --> 00:32:01.180
 Christianity from

00:32:01.180 --> 00:32:02.299
 the very first

00:32:02.299 --> 00:32:03.120
 century all the

00:32:03.120 --> 00:32:03.740
 way to now.

00:32:05.220 --> 00:32:05.700
 How are you

00:32:05.700 --> 00:32:06.160
 supposed to tell

00:32:06.160 --> 00:32:06.660
 the difference?

00:32:06.819 --> 00:32:07.299
 What's at the

00:32:07.299 --> 00:32:07.900
 heart of all

00:32:07.900 --> 00:32:08.620
 false teaching?

00:32:09.480 --> 00:32:09.880
 Well, it's

00:32:09.880 --> 00:32:10.420
 verse 11.

00:32:11.259 --> 00:32:11.640
 It's any

00:32:11.640 --> 00:32:12.140
 teaching that

00:32:12.140 --> 00:32:12.900
 takes offense

00:32:12.900 --> 00:32:13.339
 at the

00:32:13.339 --> 00:32:14.980
 exclusive claims

00:32:14.980 --> 00:32:15.839
 of a crucified

00:32:15.839 --> 00:32:16.460
 Messiah.

00:32:17.500 --> 00:32:18.299
 That's how you

00:32:18.299 --> 00:32:19.099
 can tell false

00:32:19.099 --> 00:32:20.000
 gospel from real

00:32:20.000 --> 00:32:20.400
 gospel.

00:32:21.460 --> 00:32:22.200
 Anything that

00:32:22.200 --> 00:32:22.660
 says,

00:32:23.460 --> 00:32:23.880
 eek,

00:32:24.759 --> 00:32:25.839
 crucified Jesus,

00:32:26.420 --> 00:32:26.819
 I have to

00:32:26.819 --> 00:32:27.380
 follow him?

00:32:28.099 --> 00:32:28.799
 He's the only

00:32:28.799 --> 00:32:29.120
 way?

00:32:29.940 --> 00:32:30.500
 He paid it

00:32:30.500 --> 00:32:30.779
 all?

00:32:31.559 --> 00:32:32.019
 Eh.

00:32:32.940 --> 00:32:33.720
 Anything that

00:32:33.720 --> 00:32:34.559
 flinches in the

00:32:34.559 --> 00:32:35.740
 face of the cross

00:32:35.740 --> 00:32:36.960
 is false teaching.

00:32:36.960 --> 00:32:37.660
 So whether it's

00:32:37.660 --> 00:32:38.880
 Jehovah's Witnesses

00:32:38.880 --> 00:32:39.360
 teaching or

00:32:39.360 --> 00:32:40.559
 Mormon teaching or

00:32:40.559 --> 00:32:41.740
 Roman Catholicism or

00:32:41.740 --> 00:32:42.860
 the prosperity gospel

00:32:42.860 --> 00:32:43.940
 or the self-help

00:32:43.940 --> 00:32:44.920
 gospel, they all

00:32:44.920 --> 00:32:45.900
 have one thing in

00:32:45.900 --> 00:32:46.240
 common.

00:32:47.380 --> 00:32:48.340
 That the message of

00:32:48.340 --> 00:32:49.480
 Christ crucified is

00:32:49.480 --> 00:32:50.420
 not enough to

00:32:50.420 --> 00:32:51.360
 justify a sinner

00:32:51.360 --> 00:32:53.120
 before God.

00:32:54.240 --> 00:32:55.039
 All of them

00:32:55.039 --> 00:32:56.039
 smuggle in some

00:32:56.039 --> 00:32:56.940
 form of human

00:32:56.940 --> 00:32:58.019
 effort as a

00:32:58.019 --> 00:32:58.600
 condition to

00:32:58.600 --> 00:32:59.640
 benefit from God's

00:32:59.640 --> 00:33:00.380
 grace to us in

00:33:00.380 --> 00:33:00.740
 Christ.

00:33:01.640 --> 00:33:02.240
 And in case we

00:33:02.240 --> 00:33:03.180
 were in any doubt

00:33:03.180 --> 00:33:04.480
 how Paul feels

00:33:04.480 --> 00:33:05.079
 about this.

00:33:05.759 --> 00:33:06.220
 Look at verse

00:33:06.220 --> 00:33:06.559
 12.

00:33:09.140 --> 00:33:10.019
 I wish those who

00:33:10.019 --> 00:33:11.000
 unsettle you would

00:33:11.000 --> 00:33:12.220
 emasculate themselves.

00:33:14.380 --> 00:33:14.559
 Wait.

00:33:17.099 --> 00:33:18.039
 Did Paul just say

00:33:18.039 --> 00:33:18.940
 that he wished these

00:33:18.940 --> 00:33:19.940
 false teachers would

00:33:19.940 --> 00:33:21.019
 castrate themselves?

00:33:22.599 --> 00:33:23.120
 Yes.

00:33:23.360 --> 00:33:24.039
 Yes, he did.

00:33:24.579 --> 00:33:25.620
 He just said that.

00:33:26.860 --> 00:33:27.620
 That's in our

00:33:27.620 --> 00:33:27.880
 Bible.

00:33:29.480 --> 00:33:30.420
 You think reading the

00:33:30.420 --> 00:33:31.120
 Bible is boring.

00:33:31.519 --> 00:33:31.920
 No, there's

00:33:31.920 --> 00:33:33.259
 castration in the

00:33:33.259 --> 00:33:33.460
 Bible.

00:33:34.480 --> 00:33:35.640
 Wow.

00:33:37.200 --> 00:33:38.220
 Why is he saying

00:33:38.220 --> 00:33:38.620
 that?

00:33:39.779 --> 00:33:40.900
 Well, as we've

00:33:40.900 --> 00:33:41.839
 said before, he's

00:33:41.839 --> 00:33:42.200
 ticked.

00:33:42.900 --> 00:33:43.700
 He's feeling pretty

00:33:43.700 --> 00:33:44.279
 hot under the

00:33:44.279 --> 00:33:44.799
 collar here.

00:33:45.079 --> 00:33:45.920
 There is righteous

00:33:45.920 --> 00:33:47.480
 anger in Paul

00:33:47.480 --> 00:33:49.019
 towards these false

00:33:49.019 --> 00:33:49.380
 teachers.

00:33:50.420 --> 00:33:50.860
 And he's basically

00:33:50.860 --> 00:33:51.440
 saying this.

00:33:51.819 --> 00:33:52.480
 If these guys are

00:33:52.480 --> 00:33:53.299
 so obsessed with

00:33:53.299 --> 00:33:54.160
 cutting off pieces

00:33:54.160 --> 00:33:54.960
 of flesh from that

00:33:54.960 --> 00:33:55.660
 part of the body,

00:33:56.000 --> 00:33:56.400
 then why don't they

00:33:56.400 --> 00:33:57.000
 just go all the way

00:33:57.000 --> 00:33:57.620
 and cut everything

00:33:57.620 --> 00:33:58.000
 off?

00:33:58.960 --> 00:33:59.720
 At least that would

00:33:59.720 --> 00:34:00.599
 expose them for the

00:34:00.599 --> 00:34:01.660
 frauds that they are,

00:34:02.180 --> 00:34:02.880
 thinking that the more

00:34:02.880 --> 00:34:03.680
 they cut off, the more

00:34:03.680 --> 00:34:04.539
 righteous they'll be.

00:34:06.440 --> 00:34:07.560
 I just love that this

00:34:07.560 --> 00:34:08.340
 is part of my Bible.

00:34:11.320 --> 00:34:12.539
 But let's feel how it

00:34:12.539 --> 00:34:12.960
 hits us.

00:34:13.300 --> 00:34:14.940
 If Paul took this so

00:34:14.940 --> 00:34:17.440
 seriously, and he was

00:34:17.440 --> 00:34:18.780
 so zealous for the

00:34:18.780 --> 00:34:20.980
 truth of the cross, and

00:34:20.980 --> 00:34:21.980
 for God's people's

00:34:21.980 --> 00:34:23.139
 trust in that message,

00:34:23.220 --> 00:34:24.240
 then how much more so

00:34:24.240 --> 00:34:25.519
 does God take it

00:34:25.519 --> 00:34:26.760
 seriously when people

00:34:26.760 --> 00:34:27.780
 mess with his gospel

00:34:27.780 --> 00:34:28.579
 and with his bride?

00:34:28.579 --> 00:34:32.920
 We must zealously hold

00:34:32.920 --> 00:34:35.360
 to the exclusive truth

00:34:35.360 --> 00:34:36.519
 of the cross.

00:34:37.219 --> 00:34:38.420
 Because any other

00:34:38.420 --> 00:34:40.019
 persuasion is false.

00:34:40.799 --> 00:34:41.980
 And it's opposed not

00:34:41.980 --> 00:34:44.119
 only by Paul, but by the

00:34:44.119 --> 00:34:44.880
 God of truth.

00:34:45.599 --> 00:34:46.819
 And he fiercely loves

00:34:46.819 --> 00:34:47.400
 his church.

00:34:48.400 --> 00:34:49.639
 This is how to stand

00:34:49.639 --> 00:34:50.519
 firm in our freedom.

00:34:50.679 --> 00:34:52.059
 By assuming a firm,

00:34:52.219 --> 00:34:53.719
 defensive position around

00:34:53.719 --> 00:34:55.500
 the exclusive truth of

00:34:55.500 --> 00:34:56.059
 the cross.

00:34:56.159 --> 00:34:57.599
 Like Matt said last

00:34:57.599 --> 00:34:59.019
 week, like a coach,

00:34:59.099 --> 00:34:59.900
 football coach, holding

00:34:59.900 --> 00:35:01.380
 up a blocking pad, and

00:35:01.380 --> 00:35:02.559
 with a good physical

00:35:02.559 --> 00:35:03.739
 firm stance.

00:35:04.219 --> 00:35:04.920
 We need to do that

00:35:04.920 --> 00:35:06.519
 around the truth of

00:35:06.519 --> 00:35:06.980
 the cross.

00:35:07.099 --> 00:35:09.019
 Well, how should we do

00:35:09.019 --> 00:35:09.340
 this?

00:35:10.559 --> 00:35:12.860
 Well, personally, we need

00:35:12.860 --> 00:35:14.039
 to savor the cross.

00:35:15.840 --> 00:35:17.179
 We need to ask ourselves

00:35:17.179 --> 00:35:20.440
 the question, what if

00:35:20.440 --> 00:35:21.340
 there was no cross?

00:35:21.340 --> 00:35:25.000
 What if Jesus had said

00:35:25.000 --> 00:35:26.900
 no to the Father in

00:35:26.900 --> 00:35:27.539
 Gethsemane?

00:35:28.700 --> 00:35:30.160
 What if Jesus had never

00:35:30.160 --> 00:35:31.880
 gone to the cross?

00:35:31.940 --> 00:35:32.780
 What would that mean for

00:35:32.780 --> 00:35:33.840
 my current relationship

00:35:33.840 --> 00:35:34.920
 with God?

00:35:35.059 --> 00:35:36.200
 The answer to that is

00:35:36.200 --> 00:35:36.740
 chilling.

00:35:38.960 --> 00:35:40.059
 It would mean that I

00:35:40.059 --> 00:35:41.039
 would be under the

00:35:41.039 --> 00:35:42.180
 righteous wrath of God

00:35:42.180 --> 00:35:43.820
 now, in real time,

00:35:44.420 --> 00:35:45.880
 because of my rebellion

00:35:45.880 --> 00:35:46.539
 against him.

00:35:46.760 --> 00:35:47.760
 Because my sin is that

00:35:47.760 --> 00:35:49.180
 bad, and God is that

00:35:49.180 --> 00:35:49.519
 good.

00:35:49.519 --> 00:35:51.019
 It would mean there

00:35:51.019 --> 00:35:52.000
 is no way out.

00:35:52.119 --> 00:35:53.400
 There's no other way

00:35:53.400 --> 00:35:55.500
 out except through the

00:35:55.500 --> 00:35:55.900
 cross.

00:35:57.099 --> 00:35:58.139
 It would mean that God

00:35:58.139 --> 00:35:59.639
 is against me, not for

00:35:59.639 --> 00:35:59.880
 me.

00:36:00.820 --> 00:36:01.619
 It would mean that I

00:36:01.619 --> 00:36:02.880
 await an eternity of

00:36:02.880 --> 00:36:04.179
 experiencing God's holy

00:36:04.179 --> 00:36:05.780
 anger and hot judgment.

00:36:07.000 --> 00:36:08.259
 We need to savor the

00:36:08.259 --> 00:36:08.679
 cross.

00:36:10.259 --> 00:36:10.980
 And that would make us

00:36:10.980 --> 00:36:13.159
 assume a firm defensive

00:36:13.159 --> 00:36:14.400
 stance against it.

00:36:15.300 --> 00:36:16.440
 But not only should we

00:36:16.440 --> 00:36:18.460
 seek to zealously hold

00:36:18.460 --> 00:36:20.380
 fast to the truth of

00:36:20.380 --> 00:36:21.480
 the cross personally,

00:36:21.639 --> 00:36:23.240
 but we should also,

00:36:23.519 --> 00:36:24.780
 as the church, take the

00:36:24.780 --> 00:36:26.019
 truth very seriously.

00:36:28.260 --> 00:36:30.639
 It's truth that's built

00:36:30.639 --> 00:36:32.280
 around the cross.

00:36:33.559 --> 00:36:34.480
 In verse 7, it's evident

00:36:34.480 --> 00:36:35.480
 that Paul was ticked,

00:36:35.519 --> 00:36:36.440
 really ticked, about how

00:36:36.440 --> 00:36:37.900
 this twisted teaching of

00:36:37.900 --> 00:36:39.659
 self-salvation had

00:36:39.659 --> 00:36:40.920
 infiltrated the church and

00:36:40.920 --> 00:36:41.960
 turned the Galatians away

00:36:41.960 --> 00:36:44.380
 from the truth, from

00:36:44.380 --> 00:36:45.800
 obeying the truth.

00:36:45.800 --> 00:36:46.700
 And we should be too.

00:36:48.340 --> 00:36:49.180
 That doesn't mean we go

00:36:49.180 --> 00:36:50.140
 around with knives in our

00:36:50.140 --> 00:36:50.760
 hands and threaten

00:36:50.760 --> 00:36:51.900
 encastration for anyone

00:36:51.900 --> 00:36:52.600
 who says something

00:36:52.600 --> 00:36:53.320
 differently than the

00:36:53.320 --> 00:36:53.560
 Bible.

00:36:54.519 --> 00:36:55.440
 That's not the point of

00:36:55.440 --> 00:36:55.920
 the passage.

00:36:57.039 --> 00:36:58.560
 It does mean that we

00:36:58.560 --> 00:36:59.580
 must speak the truth,

00:36:59.920 --> 00:37:00.860
 even if the truth

00:37:00.860 --> 00:37:01.539
 offends.

00:37:02.720 --> 00:37:03.760
 The message of the cross

00:37:03.760 --> 00:37:04.640
 is offensive.

00:37:07.519 --> 00:37:09.180
 It offends human pride.

00:37:10.720 --> 00:37:11.740
 It offends a human

00:37:11.740 --> 00:37:12.980
 sense of control.

00:37:12.980 --> 00:37:15.719
 And we must try to do

00:37:15.719 --> 00:37:16.860
 speak that truth in an

00:37:16.860 --> 00:37:19.280
 inoffensive way, always

00:37:19.280 --> 00:37:21.059
 with love, but like yeast,

00:37:22.039 --> 00:37:23.360
 falsehood can spread and

00:37:23.360 --> 00:37:24.179
 infect quickly.

00:37:24.400 --> 00:37:25.619
 So we must take the truth

00:37:25.619 --> 00:37:26.179
 seriously.

00:37:27.199 --> 00:37:28.579
 Not get floppy on it.

00:37:29.380 --> 00:37:30.179
 We must pray for

00:37:30.179 --> 00:37:32.099
 discernment to be able to

00:37:32.099 --> 00:37:33.800
 recognize falsehood and

00:37:33.800 --> 00:37:35.880
 pray for humility as we

00:37:35.880 --> 00:37:36.579
 address it.

00:37:37.099 --> 00:37:39.519
 But address it we must, as a

00:37:39.519 --> 00:37:39.800
 church.

00:37:40.400 --> 00:37:41.139
 And it's not just for

00:37:41.139 --> 00:37:42.139
 pastors and leaders to do

00:37:42.139 --> 00:37:42.400
 that.

00:37:43.019 --> 00:37:44.299
 Paul tells Timothy in

00:37:44.299 --> 00:37:46.000
 first Timothy, the church

00:37:46.000 --> 00:37:47.279
 of the living God is the

00:37:47.279 --> 00:37:49.019
 pillar and buttress of the

00:37:49.019 --> 00:37:49.639
 truth.

00:37:50.440 --> 00:37:51.299
 It's not just pastors.

00:37:51.759 --> 00:37:52.559
 It's everybody.

00:37:55.000 --> 00:37:58.559
 So we must stand firm in

00:37:58.559 --> 00:38:01.839
 the zealously so in the

00:38:01.839 --> 00:38:04.159
 exclusive truth of the

00:38:04.159 --> 00:38:05.000
 cross of Christ.

00:38:05.480 --> 00:38:07.299
 It is our certain hope and

00:38:07.299 --> 00:38:07.799
 our freedom.

00:38:07.800 --> 00:38:10.220
 And we must stand firm in it.

00:38:11.840 --> 00:38:13.960
 This last week, Brass

00:38:13.960 --> 00:38:15.140
 Community School, which is

00:38:15.140 --> 00:38:16.060
 where my kids go to school,

00:38:17.320 --> 00:38:19.100
 hosted a commemoration of

00:38:19.100 --> 00:38:20.400
 the arrival of African

00:38:20.400 --> 00:38:22.260
 slaves in the Americas, which

00:38:22.260 --> 00:38:24.100
 occurred 400 years ago in

00:38:24.100 --> 00:38:24.900
 1619.

00:38:25.740 --> 00:38:27.920
 It was a great way to build

00:38:27.920 --> 00:38:29.519
 an awareness of our history,

00:38:29.680 --> 00:38:30.340
 our nation's history.

00:38:31.200 --> 00:38:32.640
 Jess and two of my kids went

00:38:32.640 --> 00:38:34.100
 to it, and they learned a

00:38:34.100 --> 00:38:36.220
 lot about the stage in our

00:38:36.220 --> 00:38:36.920
 nation's past.

00:38:37.420 --> 00:38:38.559
 And at the event, there were

00:38:38.559 --> 00:38:40.360
 quotes by African slaves

00:38:40.360 --> 00:38:42.200
 posted on the walls.

00:38:42.860 --> 00:38:44.019
 And one of them was a quote by

00:38:44.019 --> 00:38:45.620
 Elizabeth Freeman, who was a

00:38:45.620 --> 00:38:46.340
 former slave.

00:38:48.100 --> 00:38:49.360
 It's a powerful quote.

00:38:49.360 --> 00:38:54.420
 Any time, any time while I was a

00:38:54.420 --> 00:38:57.820
 slave, if one minute's freedom

00:38:57.820 --> 00:39:00.180
 had been offered to me, and I

00:39:00.180 --> 00:39:02.160
 had been told that I must die at

00:39:02.160 --> 00:39:04.700
 the end of that minute, I would

00:39:04.700 --> 00:39:05.320
 have taken it.

00:39:06.360 --> 00:39:09.420
 Just to stand one minute on God's

00:39:09.420 --> 00:39:12.640
 earth, a free woman, I would.

00:39:12.639 --> 00:39:20.219
 What if, church, what if true

00:39:20.219 --> 00:39:21.719
 freedom in Christ were as

00:39:21.719 --> 00:39:24.879
 precious to us as earthly freedom

00:39:24.879 --> 00:39:26.440
 was to Elizabeth Freeman?

00:39:27.819 --> 00:39:29.420
 Let's take the keys.

00:39:30.539 --> 00:39:32.239
 Let's hop into our freedom of

00:39:32.239 --> 00:39:34.480
 knowing and belonging to Christ

00:39:34.480 --> 00:39:38.239
 by faith, hoping only in him, and

00:39:38.239 --> 00:39:40.339
 guarding the truth of the gospel,

00:39:40.340 --> 00:39:42.900
 faithful, and enjoy and experience

00:39:42.900 --> 00:39:45.100
 and stand firm in our freedom,

00:39:45.340 --> 00:39:46.960
 because that's why he set us free.

00:39:48.120 --> 00:39:48.820
 Let's pray.

00:39:59.539 --> 00:40:01.920
 Father, you know how hard it is for

00:40:01.920 --> 00:40:03.680
 us to live in the freedom that

00:40:03.680 --> 00:40:05.079
 Jesus purchased for us.

00:40:05.079 --> 00:40:10.159
 Lord, we ask that you would help

00:40:10.159 --> 00:40:15.840
 us to identify false hopes and to

00:40:15.840 --> 00:40:19.039
 shift all of our real and true

00:40:19.039 --> 00:40:20.239
 hope onto Christ.

00:40:21.440 --> 00:40:24.000
 Help us to do that not just now on

00:40:24.000 --> 00:40:24.619
 Sunday morning.

00:40:25.380 --> 00:40:26.460
 Help us to do it tomorrow.

00:40:27.259 --> 00:40:28.340
 Help us to do it the rest of this

00:40:28.340 --> 00:40:28.639
 week.

00:40:30.360 --> 00:40:32.019
 Help us, Lord, not to lose our joy

00:40:32.019 --> 00:40:33.199
 in the freedom that you've

00:40:33.199 --> 00:40:33.980
 purchased for us.

00:40:33.980 --> 00:40:36.500
 Guard us from hamster wheels of

00:40:36.500 --> 00:40:37.079
 human effort.

00:40:38.760 --> 00:40:40.380
 Help us, Lord, to speak the truth

00:40:40.380 --> 00:40:41.920
 to one another, to remind us to

00:40:41.920 --> 00:40:43.940
 place our hope where it belongs.

00:40:45.199 --> 00:40:46.780
 Give us the grace, God, to zealously

00:40:46.780 --> 00:40:47.840
 hold to your truth.

00:40:50.559 --> 00:40:51.699
 We need your help, God.

00:40:52.579 --> 00:40:54.119
 Help us to delight in your amazing

00:40:54.119 --> 00:40:54.559
 grace.

00:40:55.360 --> 00:40:56.360
 In Jesus' name, amen.