The Lord’s Work – Part 5
Let’s back up there in Galatians 5 (works of the flesh, fruit of the Spirit):
Galatians 5:1-4 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
If you must be circumcised and keep the law, you are still in bondage.
If you must love your neighbor, do humanitarian work, fight for freedom of Religion, build houses for the homeless, go to church, go door-knocking, hand out tracts, teach Sunday school, or even try to, or desire to do these things… If you must be better, if you must WORK, you are seeking to be justified by the works of the law.
Ye are fallen from grace, Christ has profited you nothing, and you are still in bondage under the law.
“But, we don’t do the law”, you say. “No, we don’t do the law of Moses! We just believe in Jesus and try to be like him, to live like Paul. We just try to maintain good works.”
Oh, that’s not “the law”? Remember the 1st commandment? Remember the 2nd commandment – love thy neighbor as thyself? All the law and the prophets hang on those 2 commandments.
The law is nothing but to do “good works”, “good things”. The laws of Moses are really no different than the laws of men.
Romans 2:14-15 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another😉
Who are thou that judgest another… thou that judgest does the same things!
The Gentiles do the SAME THINGS!!! It may not be Moses’ law, but they do have a law.
The work of the law is written in their hearts… by NATURE!! By nature, the law that they are to themselves, the law that their conscience uses to judge and condemn others, says the same things contained in the law of Moses. That is what they are using to judge each other, while they excuse themselves. And while they judge those that do SUCH THINGS, they do the SAME THINGS.
They are a law unto themselves, by nature. I’ll call this law: the natural law – the law of nature.
The whole world seeks to be justified by this law: the natural law. The law of themselves. The law of their conscience.
If I do enough good, and not too much evil, I will be convinced/excused. I will have proved my faith.
In effect, this is not a different law than the law of Moses. The two laws contain the same things.
Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Every false Christian will add works into salvation. Mormons, JWs, Amish, Mennonites, Catholics, Greek Orthodox, Episcopalians, Anglicans, Methodists, Pentecostals, and all other supposed “Christians” who do not simply believe in Jesus Christ ALONE.
But when they see these verses, regarding “the works of the law”, they believe that THOSE works are only contained in the law of Moses, and thus they are exempt from this condemnation of being “justified by the law” and thus “fallen from grace”.
Galatians 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
“Oh no, I don’t believe we are saved by good works, we are saved by Jesus, BUT… AND…”, here comes the leaven!, “…true faith requires, or prompts, or is defined by good works.”
“Oh, but we don’t follow the law!” Yeah, you do.. you follow the natural law.
The work of the law has always been written in the hearts of men. Now is no different.
Any good works that men strive to do are works of the law. They are the same works.
The commandments of that natural law are the against the doing of the SAME THINGS – touch not, taste not, handle not… adultery fornication, idolatry.. and such like! You think you are not under the law of Moses, but you are under the law of yourself which contains the SAME THINGS.
If any good works are required for salvation (to obtain, to keep, or to prove), then one is seeking to be justified by the works of the law. These condemnations do not only apply to justification by the law of Moses. It applies to justification by ALL works of nature – all works of the flesh.
Romans 2:27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?
While the Gentiles were far off and without God.. they had the same things contained in the law of Moses… written in their hearts.
Hypothetically, if the Gentiles, who had not the law of Moses, were able to keep the natural law, they would be saved. They would not be accused of the law as transgressors. The law would not allow them to be stung by sin and death.
Romans 2:25-26 For circumcision [being under the law of Moses] verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. [The law of Moses does not protect you from death if you break it] 26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? [the law of nature is no different!]
Not “if thou break the law”… but “if thou BE a breaker of the law”.
Circumcision (being a Jew) does a man no good if he is a breaker of the law. Circumcision (of the heart, in the Spirit) does US good because we are no longer breakers of the law. We are no longer under the law (the natural law). We are FREE from the law. We are FREE from the flesh. We have LIBERTY from the law, and from the sin and death it allows to sting us.
Adam wasn’t circumcised. He didn’t need to be. We wasn’t a breaker of the law. He was free from the law, until that moment of his eating the fruit, when he was placed under the law. He wasn’t circumcised, and didn’t need to be. His uncircumcision was counted for circumcision because he was righteous… he kept the righteousness of the law.
You can circumcise your heart all you want, but if you ARE a breaker of the law…
Unless the Lord frees you from the law, and then circumcises your heart by the Spirit and births you as a new creature, your self-made circumcision (i.e., repenting from your sin, determining to put away your sins, promising to live the rest of your life for God) is counted for uncircumcision.
Put Simply: Whether circumcised or uncircumcised, if you are a breaker of the law (of Moses or nature) you cannot be counted righteous.
You have to keep the law perfectly in all points, or you’re guilty of all. And since none do so in the flesh.. we are all counted unclean, uncircumcised.
No matter how sincere your “heart change” or how intently you vow to turn from your sin and live your life for Christ, no matter how you try to show your love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance… and no matter how much you sincerely try…
“if thou be a breaker of the law”…
This is what a false Christian does not understand. This is how he messes up true doctrine.
He thinks he can keep the law. He thinks he does better than others. He thinks he does the Lord’s work.
He looks at the fruit, and tries to emulate it. Acting!
He is like a corrupt tree, let’s say a thorn bush, that hears a description of a good tree’s fruit, let’s say an apple tree, and thinks, I can make that! The fruit of the Apple tree is sweet, its juicy, its crisp, just a hint of tart. I can make that! I can look like that! I WILL do that, I promise!
Its dark now, but by morning light, I will have worked those things.
He is LITERALLY like that. That thorn bush can strive and try, and clean himself up, and do as many good works as he wants, he will never make an sweet, crisp juicy apple.
He wants to be good… by being good. If he can just do enough good, then he will be good, right? He wants to do “the Lord’s work”. He wants to obey the righteousness of the law.
Just be a good person, just be what God made us to be! Salvation does that right?
No, salvation makes a NEW man, a NEW creature, in the Spirit. And this carnal creature is completely unchanged and unrighteous.
Back to Galatians 5…
Galatians 5:7-9 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? 8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. 9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
Just a little leaven. Just a little works required. Just do a little of “the Lord’s work”, just to prove you were sincere.
Galatians 5 SUMMARY: A Christian is free from the law. If the law effects you, Christ does not. Get those hypocrites, those hereticks, those false teachers out of the church, they are subverting souls. And if we live in the Spirit, we should walk in the Spirit.
What does a baby Christian have to know?
No matter what I do or have done, no matter what law I break in this life, no matter if I serve the Lord or not, I will have eternal life because of what Jesus Christ did for me.
Without knowing all the doctrine and the Scripture, he knows that he is free from the law.
Without knowing all the doctrine and the Scripture, he knows that God has promised that he will not be counted as “a breaker of the law”.
How awesome is that?! We are not COUNTED as breakers of the law.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute iniquity.
Because we’ve believed only, we are COUNTED righteous.
Romans 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but [ONLY] believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
“Works don’t save us, but works define us.” Fallwell, TRBC – on James 2
1 – that is exactly the opposite of that the passage says.
2 – it does not use the word “define”. That word is not even in the Bible.
Works “define” us? Where? Before men, or before God? In the flesh, or in the spirit? How? As real or fake? Will you know a real Christian based on his works? What if you don’t serve and obey for the rest of your life? What if you do some of those same things that you condemn? How do those works define you?
I’m not sure how a reasonable person listening to this garbage, would not either believe works are required for salvation, or at least be very confused.
Are they saved? We’d need to check their fruit. But it’s very much in question.
Jul 26 2020
The Lord’s Work – Part 5
Downloadable Word document:
The Lord’s Work – Part 5
The Lord’s Work – Part 5
Let’s back up there in Galatians 5 (works of the flesh, fruit of the Spirit):
Galatians 5:1-4 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
If you must be circumcised and keep the law, you are still in bondage.
If you must love your neighbor, do humanitarian work, fight for freedom of Religion, build houses for the homeless, go to church, go door-knocking, hand out tracts, teach Sunday school, or even try to, or desire to do these things… If you must be better, if you must WORK, you are seeking to be justified by the works of the law.
Ye are fallen from grace, Christ has profited you nothing, and you are still in bondage under the law.
“But, we don’t do the law”, you say. “No, we don’t do the law of Moses! We just believe in Jesus and try to be like him, to live like Paul. We just try to maintain good works.”
Oh, that’s not “the law”? Remember the 1st commandment? Remember the 2nd commandment – love thy neighbor as thyself? All the law and the prophets hang on those 2 commandments.
The law is nothing but to do “good works”, “good things”. The laws of Moses are really no different than the laws of men.
Romans 2:14-15 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another😉
Who are thou that judgest another… thou that judgest does the same things!
The Gentiles do the SAME THINGS!!! It may not be Moses’ law, but they do have a law.
The work of the law is written in their hearts… by NATURE!! By nature, the law that they are to themselves, the law that their conscience uses to judge and condemn others, says the same things contained in the law of Moses. That is what they are using to judge each other, while they excuse themselves. And while they judge those that do SUCH THINGS, they do the SAME THINGS.
They are a law unto themselves, by nature. I’ll call this law: the natural law – the law of nature.
The whole world seeks to be justified by this law: the natural law. The law of themselves. The law of their conscience.
If I do enough good, and not too much evil, I will be convinced/excused. I will have proved my faith.
In effect, this is not a different law than the law of Moses. The two laws contain the same things.
Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Every false Christian will add works into salvation. Mormons, JWs, Amish, Mennonites, Catholics, Greek Orthodox, Episcopalians, Anglicans, Methodists, Pentecostals, and all other supposed “Christians” who do not simply believe in Jesus Christ ALONE.
But when they see these verses, regarding “the works of the law”, they believe that THOSE works are only contained in the law of Moses, and thus they are exempt from this condemnation of being “justified by the law” and thus “fallen from grace”.
Galatians 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
“Oh no, I don’t believe we are saved by good works, we are saved by Jesus, BUT… AND…”, here comes the leaven!, “…true faith requires, or prompts, or is defined by good works.”
“Oh, but we don’t follow the law!” Yeah, you do.. you follow the natural law.
The work of the law has always been written in the hearts of men. Now is no different.
Any good works that men strive to do are works of the law. They are the same works.
The commandments of that natural law are the against the doing of the SAME THINGS – touch not, taste not, handle not… adultery fornication, idolatry.. and such like! You think you are not under the law of Moses, but you are under the law of yourself which contains the SAME THINGS.
If any good works are required for salvation (to obtain, to keep, or to prove), then one is seeking to be justified by the works of the law. These condemnations do not only apply to justification by the law of Moses. It applies to justification by ALL works of nature – all works of the flesh.
Romans 2:27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?
While the Gentiles were far off and without God.. they had the same things contained in the law of Moses… written in their hearts.
Hypothetically, if the Gentiles, who had not the law of Moses, were able to keep the natural law, they would be saved. They would not be accused of the law as transgressors. The law would not allow them to be stung by sin and death.
Romans 2:25-26 For circumcision [being under the law of Moses] verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. [The law of Moses does not protect you from death if you break it] 26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? [the law of nature is no different!]
Not “if thou break the law”… but “if thou BE a breaker of the law”.
Circumcision (being a Jew) does a man no good if he is a breaker of the law. Circumcision (of the heart, in the Spirit) does US good because we are no longer breakers of the law. We are no longer under the law (the natural law). We are FREE from the law. We are FREE from the flesh. We have LIBERTY from the law, and from the sin and death it allows to sting us.
Adam wasn’t circumcised. He didn’t need to be. We wasn’t a breaker of the law. He was free from the law, until that moment of his eating the fruit, when he was placed under the law. He wasn’t circumcised, and didn’t need to be. His uncircumcision was counted for circumcision because he was righteous… he kept the righteousness of the law.
You can circumcise your heart all you want, but if you ARE a breaker of the law…
Unless the Lord frees you from the law, and then circumcises your heart by the Spirit and births you as a new creature, your self-made circumcision (i.e., repenting from your sin, determining to put away your sins, promising to live the rest of your life for God) is counted for uncircumcision.
Put Simply: Whether circumcised or uncircumcised, if you are a breaker of the law (of Moses or nature) you cannot be counted righteous.
You have to keep the law perfectly in all points, or you’re guilty of all. And since none do so in the flesh.. we are all counted unclean, uncircumcised.
No matter how sincere your “heart change” or how intently you vow to turn from your sin and live your life for Christ, no matter how you try to show your love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance… and no matter how much you sincerely try…
“if thou be a breaker of the law”…
This is what a false Christian does not understand. This is how he messes up true doctrine.
He thinks he can keep the law. He thinks he does better than others. He thinks he does the Lord’s work.
He looks at the fruit, and tries to emulate it. Acting!
He is like a corrupt tree, let’s say a thorn bush, that hears a description of a good tree’s fruit, let’s say an apple tree, and thinks, I can make that! The fruit of the Apple tree is sweet, its juicy, its crisp, just a hint of tart. I can make that! I can look like that! I WILL do that, I promise!
Its dark now, but by morning light, I will have worked those things.
He is LITERALLY like that. That thorn bush can strive and try, and clean himself up, and do as many good works as he wants, he will never make an sweet, crisp juicy apple.
He wants to be good… by being good. If he can just do enough good, then he will be good, right? He wants to do “the Lord’s work”. He wants to obey the righteousness of the law.
Just be a good person, just be what God made us to be! Salvation does that right?
No, salvation makes a NEW man, a NEW creature, in the Spirit. And this carnal creature is completely unchanged and unrighteous.
Back to Galatians 5…
Galatians 5:7-9 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? 8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. 9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
Just a little leaven. Just a little works required. Just do a little of “the Lord’s work”, just to prove you were sincere.
Galatians 5 SUMMARY: A Christian is free from the law. If the law effects you, Christ does not. Get those hypocrites, those hereticks, those false teachers out of the church, they are subverting souls. And if we live in the Spirit, we should walk in the Spirit.
What does a baby Christian have to know?
No matter what I do or have done, no matter what law I break in this life, no matter if I serve the Lord or not, I will have eternal life because of what Jesus Christ did for me.
Without knowing all the doctrine and the Scripture, he knows that he is free from the law.
Without knowing all the doctrine and the Scripture, he knows that God has promised that he will not be counted as “a breaker of the law”.
How awesome is that?! We are not COUNTED as breakers of the law.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute iniquity.
Because we’ve believed only, we are COUNTED righteous.
Romans 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but [ONLY] believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
“Works don’t save us, but works define us.” Fallwell, TRBC – on James 2
1 – that is exactly the opposite of that the passage says.
2 – it does not use the word “define”. That word is not even in the Bible.
Works “define” us? Where? Before men, or before God? In the flesh, or in the spirit? How? As real or fake? Will you know a real Christian based on his works? What if you don’t serve and obey for the rest of your life? What if you do some of those same things that you condemn? How do those works define you?
I’m not sure how a reasonable person listening to this garbage, would not either believe works are required for salvation, or at least be very confused.
Are they saved? We’d need to check their fruit. But it’s very much in question.
By Pastor • Individual Lessons, Salvation • 0