Stand fast therefore
in the liberty
by which Christ has
made us free,
and do not be
entangled again with
a yoke of bondage.
Indeed I, Paul, say
to you that if you
become circumcised,
Christ will
profit you nothing.
And I testify again
to every man
who becomes
circumcised that
he is a debtor to
keep the whole law.
You have become
estranged from Christ,
you who attempt to be
justified by law;
you have fallen from
grace.
Galatians 5:1–4
We
live in a culture that has become prideful, hedonistic, and seeks to serve
oneself as though life would be wonderfully great and there would be no
problems to face. If only they followed the advice of such men as Dr. Phil (no
slam here) and others who while doing some good for a person points that person
to themselves instead of to the only One who can help: Jesus Christ, the Holy
Spirit, given by the Father. Humbleness is not to be found unless by being
humble a person receives something but this is not being humble: “1. not
proud or arrogant; modest; 2. low in importance, status, or condition; 3.
courteously respectful; 4. insignificant, inferior, submissive; 5. to lower in
condition, importance, or dignity; abase; mortify; 6. to destroy the
independence or will of; or subdue; 7. to make meek, (Random House Webster’s College
Dictionary, 1997; p. 635). Does this sound like what is being promoted
today? No! It is all about self, self-aggrandizement in some form. To not get
political but to point out the obvious; women in combat so that they are like
men: “…Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you”
(Genesis 3:16b). Or men wanting to get in touch with their feminine side:
HUH! It is pejorative to be humble, to
be insignificant, to do housework, or yard work, or just be a wife and to be a
husband for today all this is denigrated.
A substitution has taken place and it is called humanitarianism: “1.
humanitarian principles or practices; 2a. the ethical doctrine of humanity’s
obligations are concerned wholly wit the welfare of the human race; b. the doctrine
that humankind may become perfect without divine aid” ((Random House Webster’s
College Dictionary, 1997; p. 634). Pride is the key word and people, even
Christians are caught up in this culture. Many Christians substitute
humanitarianism and call it serving God, and in many cases it is true that true
faith in Jesus Christ is the driving force and not self, but this is not the
case especially with those who claim to be Christian and have substituted
works, what exactly Paul was writing about, in place of just be Christian. The
Law was appointed for the Israelites who were haughty and this so that they
could not receive the grace of clarity, that is they cannot receive this grace
from God unless they became humble. If there is not grace then any seeking after
it by some humanitarian means apart from this grace is not in any way to
fulfill the precepts of the Law, and the Law was to lead a person to the
knowledge that he was sinful and needed this grace from God and they by this
knowledge would then seed this grace and realize that because they were proud
they could not be saved by their own merits. A person is not just by his own
authority and power, only God who is Just and justifies by His intermediary,
Jesus Christ justifies the unrighteous. Yet many have returned back to the Law,
circumcision, the rites of the Law, and have set aside personal devotion to
Jesus Christ in favor of some humanitarian effort. Our pride is humbled by the
Law for it show us how ill we are and in need of a physician. God in His Mercy
sent the intermediary, Jesus Christ to reconcile God’s children to Himself and
give to His children a new life through Jesus Christ blood sacrificed on the
cross: “Are you washed in the blood, of the lamb,” so goes the old hymn: great
question; what is your answer? Pride must be shattered, destroyed for it is
pride that separates us from the love of God. Our salvation is secure: “As
the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on
Me will live because of Me” (John 6:57). Why are you returning to a gospel
that is not a gospel: “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him
who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel” (Galatians 1:6). It
is disastrous to turn away from the truth and by this turning away fall into
sin, into error, and even into heresy: “For if we sin willfully after we
have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice
for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation
which will devour the adversaries” (Hebrews 10:26). To follow after those men who preach a “New
Age” form of theology, to follow after those who demand that to be in the truth
that you need a second baptism of the Holy Spirit, as if one was not enough,
and to do supernatural works as evidence that you are a Christian and have
God’s favor, RUN, RUN, RUN, as fast as you can back into the arms of the
Savior, there is were peace resides, not in prideful living, but in quiet life:
“…that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and
to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly
toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing’ (1Thessalinians
4:11–12.
Now may the God of peace Himself
Sanctify
you completely;
And may your whole spirit, soul,
And body be preserved
Blameless a the coming of our
Lord Jesus
Christ
1Thessalonians 5:23
Live a quiet and faithful life
Richard L. Crumb
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