Knowing that a man is
not justified by
the works of law but
by faith in Jesus Christ,
even we have believed
in Christ Jesus,
that we might be
justified by faith in Christ
and not by the works
of the law; for by the works
of the law no flesh
shall be justified.
But if, while we seek
to be justified by Christ,
we ourselves also are
found sinners,
is Christ therefore a
minister of sin?
Certainly not! For if
I build again those things
which I destroyed, I
make myself a transgressor.
For I through the law
died to the law
that I might life to
God.
Galatians 2:16–19
How often
has a person come to faith in Jesus Christ only to become a slave to works, to
be content in their voyage that has left behind original faith in Jesus Christ
only to now have faith in works? How
religiosity has taken hold of a person and they become more interested in works
than in true faith Jesus Christ? There
is a feeling of piety when a person leans on some experience, some emotional
reaction that has more to do with some supposed supernatural work than in the
simple gospel of Jesus Christ. These
Christians have left the true gospel for a perverted form of Christianity. This corrupted gospel tickles the ears,
sounds so good, so real, so, so, so, so, and on and on and on; yet it is only a
man’s supposition that has no basis in true faith in Jesus Christ. The letter to the Galatians is purported to
be a letter about freedom; and it is about freedom, but what meaning are we to
understand about this freedom? The
doctrine that Paul sets forth in this letter is the gospel of faith. Blessing that we all desire from God are
from God based on faith, not the law.
The freedom that Paul speaks about is from law, not works, so why do you
or any Christian rely on doing works.
Works outside of faith is not faith causing works; rather these works
may seem pleasing to God; they are not necessarily so, rather these works are
more pleasing to the person doing the works.
Our faith is what drives a person to do good works and to please
oneself, rather to please God who has called us to good works. We are doing just what our Father in heaven
requires. It is no different in this
world whereby we do what our superior, or boss, orders us to do, that part of
the job description we are doing. We do
have any right to some special attendance for doing what we are supposed to
do. Do you say you have faith? Listen to James: “What does it profit, my
brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and
destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be
warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for
the body what does it profit/? Thus
also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say,
‘You have faith, and I have works,’ show me your faith without your works, and
I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do
will. Even the demons believe–and tremble!
But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is
dead” (James 2:14–20)?
We have
freedom in Jesus Christ, a liberty and this liberty is not license, a license
to do whatever we so desire for we have been: “For you were bought at a
price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s”
(1Corinthians 6:20). If you truly
believe in Jesus Christ and have converted to Him, not just decide that He is
better than not to believe in hope of eternal life, then you are not your own,
you are owned by God. This is not
bondage for we are free, free to even life as we so desire, and to by
autonomous, to live in antinomy, but this is not the freedom in Jesus
Christ. Freedom in Jesus Christ means
something entirely different, it is not what this world, in this post–modern,
pluralistic society teaches, that we all have truth, it is our truth and we are
not to judge against that truth, that we are free to do whatever pleases us,
and entitlement mentality. We are not free
to do what we want because we are elected, chosen by God before we even were
alive; no! This freedom is that we
produce fruit; fruit of righteousness and this is able to happen if we lead a
Spirit led lifestyle. You may shout to the top of your lungs that you are free
and you do good works. Great! Are you
doing these works by means of your faith?
Or to make you feel pious, acceptable to God, that you are doing God a
favor by doing some work. This work may
be in the Church, to feed to poor and downtrodden. To work in clinic to aid pregnant women to not get an abortion,
to help in a recover program for alcoholics, or drug addicted persons:
Great! Is this so that you work so
hard, so faithfully, because you are a servant of Jesus Christ and you are producing
works of righteousness? Is your faith
is based upon Him that you are a child of God, a member of the bride of Christ?
Are you doing this work for man’s
approval, nor even the approval of God? Are you working for God because you have faith in Him? Do you live, and are devoted to God who saved
you, called you, enabled you? Are you
doing all because the mercy of God, before time chose you and loves you enough
to die for you? All this by His Wisdom,
the Second Person of the Trinity, the Only Begotten Son, on a cross, for your
sin, for sin, and will one day take you home to be with Him, not temporarily,
rather forever and forever, no time limit.
We are
free, we are chosen, we have eternal life in Jesus Christ, our faith drives our
works, and by our works, we reap a harvest of fruit, the fruit of
righteousness. We are active in our
Churches aiding our brothers and sisters in Christ, we care for our families,
we live what we preach. WE ARE FREE!
There is therefore now no condemnation
To those
who are in Christ Jesus,
Who do not walk according to the flesh,
But according
to the Spirit.
Romans 8:1
Let your Faith shine today!
Richard L. Crumb
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