What was God's objective with Adam in the Garden? What has always, always been God's objective? Has His objective been to enact a Law and have a relationship with a people through that Law? Or has His objective been to set aside a peculiar people, and have a relationship with them by faith?

Some of you who read this are married, will be married, are going to marry, or are thinking about marriage. When you "tie the knot" and take that final step that causes you to be married in the eyes of both God and society, on what will you base your relationship? Will you, as husband and wife, sit down and develop a series of regulations that you both will follow, then approach your married life from that set of laws? Or will you begin to live your married lives in love and in faith with one another? I know many people who tried to reduce marriage to some equation. They started the marriage with prenuptial agreements, and carefully orchestrated how they would live together as lawful man and wife. I guarantee you, those who have not divorced are fast on the way to that sad state! A marriage, in fact, no relationship can be based on a series of Laws, a series of do's and don'ts. Why? Because when you reduce the relationship to a state of law you remove love from the equation. If you remove love from the equation, then you, by your very actions, depersonalize one another. Impersonal nations and governments work well under a system of relationship by law - families do NOT work well under the same conditions.

Having said that, it is true that - though the loving relationship is not governed by a system of written laws - the loving relationship is not lawless, but is under a greater law. I love my wife. Though the Mosaic Law states in the seventh commandment that I shall not commit adultery, I do not commit adultery because I love my wife. The law of love governs my actions, not the Mosaic Law. The Mosaic Law has no use in my marriage. I am not a dog, nor do I need a furry tail to wag! The Mosaic Law is dead in my marriage, of no effect, useless, unneeded because I approach my wife under the law of love, a MUCH greater law. A loving relationship needs no written law. When two love, we treat one another with the same care that we want to be treated with, and this law supersedes any written, lesser law. Those of you who marry, or are contemplating marriage and do not understand this, be prepared - if you do not change soon - to be divorced! Where the law of love is, the relationship blooms and will abide. Where the written and impersonal law is, the relationship never begins - it rots on the vine without ever being tasted.

So it is with God and man. When God created Adam, He created a being that was in His own image and after His own likeness.

(Genesis 1:26 KJV) "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."

When God told man to avoid eating the tree of knowledge of good and evil, He told Adam things that I am certain that man could not understand. God told Adam that if he ate of the tree, then the day that he ate of it, he would die.

(Genesis 2:17 KJV) "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."

In fact, God said "surely die". Die? Die? What's die? Adam was in a perfect environment where there was no death, no sin, no problems. He had never seen death. How could he know that what he was doing (if he partook of the fruit) was a terrible thing? God did not explain what die was, nor did He explain to Adam that the death would be spiritual and not physical. God wanted to be in a loving relationship with Adam. In a sense, He wanted to be in a marriage with Adam, or, if you prefer, in a family unit with Adam. If Adam loved God as God loved Adam, then he would avoid the tree - not because God said "avoid it", but because he loved God. Just as I instinctively avoid some behavior because I love my wife, Adam was to instinctively avoid the tree and its fruit lest he hurt the one whom he loved. He failed the test. Just as many of you who marry and blow the relationship because you love yourselves more than you love your mates, Adam loved himself more than he loved God. Adam blew it! Though God gave him an opportunity for a wonderful, eternal relationship, Adam messed up and destroyed the perfect relationship in a perfect world.

But God wasn't done. Though man is faithless, God is ever faithful.

(1 Thessalonians 5:24 KJV) "Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it."

(Hebrews 10:23 KJV) "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)"

(2 Timothy 2:13 KJV) "If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself."

Though God cast Adam out of the Garden, He still sought a peculiar people that He could establish a family relationship with. God approached Abraham, Moses, Enoch, David ... a number of Old Testament saints, and established a love relationship with them, blessing them as they honored that relationship. Others refused to have a relationship with God by faith, and as a result were placed under the Mosaic Law, the Law for those Outside the Family, the Law for the Incorrigible. God did not want a relationship with anyone through a written Law, no more than a Groom would want his bride to give him a set of written relations on their honeymoon night. The Written Law is for those outside the relationship of Love. The Law of Love is for those within the family unit.

What has God been trying to establish in humanity from the beginning? A family unit, a love unit, a peculiar people who would relate to Him by faith, not just because He wrote it down. Israel blew it, was given the Law, then kept on blowing it. Now we, the Church of Jesus Christ, Jews and Gentiles saved by faith in Christ Jesus, have an opportunity to get it right. I hope we do!

(Galatians 4:8 KJV) "Howbeit then, when ye knew not (oida {pronounced oy’-da} Perfect (Active Participle) tense used as Present tense + (ouk {pronounced ook}), negative = had no knowledge of the true God) God, ye did service (Aorist Active Indicative douleuo {pronounced dool-yoo’-o}, did slave service to) unto them which by nature (phusis {pronounced foo’-sis}, in essence) are no gods."

(1 Corinthians 2:16 KJV) "For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ."

Every person shows whom they believe in by their life works. The Irish Evangelist C.H. MacKintosh preached a sermon called "Life Works" that I found very enlightening. A brief quotation will, like the morning sun, shed light on our topic at hand:

"As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all, especially unto them who are of the household of faith" (Gal. 6:10). If aught could enhance the value of these lovely words, it would be the fact of their being found at the close of the Epistle to the Galatians In the progress of this very remarkable writing, the inspired apostle cuts up by the roots the entire system of legal righteousness. He proves, in the most unanswerable way, that by works of law, of any sort, moral or ceremonial, no man can be justified in the sight of God. He declares that believers are not under law in any way whatsoever, either for life, for justification, or for walk--that if we are under law, we must give up Christ; must must give up the Spirit of God; we must give up faith; we must give up the promises. In short, if we take up legal ground, in any shape whatever, we must give up Christianity and lie under the actual curse of the law.

We do not attempt to quote the passages or to go into this side of the question at all, just now. We merely call the earnest attention of the Christian reader to the golden words which stand at the head of this paper--words which, we cannot but feel, come in with incomparable beauty and peculiar moral force at the close of an Epistle in which all human righteousness is withered up and flung into the winds. It is always needful to take in both sides of a subject. We are all so terribly prone to one-sidedness, that is is morally healthful for us to have our hearts brought under the full action of the truth. It is, alas, possible for grace itself to be abused; and we may sometimes forget that, while we are justified in the sight of God by faith alone, a real faith must be evidenced by works. We have, all of us, to bear in mind that while law-works are denounced and demolished, in the most unqualified manner, in manifold parts of Holy Scripture, yet that life-works are diligently and constantly maintained and insisted upon."

It would be impossible to state the Biblical truth any clearer than our blessed Brother did. Law works are forbidden to the Christian, though Life works are demanded of the true adherent to Christianity. The Christian must, I repeat must live a life - though not perfect and sinless, for we are yet human - but must live a life that shows the reality of Christ in that life. One of my favorite movies is one called "Sergeant York". This movie was one that was made when Hollywood was much less degenerate than they are now. Alvin York was a rough, frightening individual who lived in the mountains of Tennessee in the early 1900's. One night, as he rode his mule toward an enemy's house to kill him, lightening struck him and knocked him from his mount. When he arose unhurt he realized that the Lord God had saved him and, as our Father controls all things, York was within walking distance of the local Church. He entered that Church and gave his life to Christ. From that day onward York became a changed man. Where he had fostered fear in others, he apologized and made friends. Though York was drafted into the Army during World War I, he went as a conscientious objector, for he believed that the Bible taught that "Thou Shalt Not Kill", and he believed that to take any human life was to go "against the Book". On one fateful occasion York and his men were surrounded by the enemy, and those in his charge were being killed right and left. York left his men and, using the talents that he honed in the mountains of Tennessee, he killed or disabled 25 machine gun nests, and took over 125 men captive. He was later asked why he went against his convictions and took human life on that fateful day. York replied that he knew that these machine gunners would kill hundreds or thousands of people if they were left alone. The only way he knew to save life was to take life, and that was what he did - but not indiscriminately. One of York's friends remarked that he had the "living kind of faith, not the meeting house kind of faith".

York became one of the highest decorated soldiers that our country ever produced. A Christian who thoughtfully, and without compromise, lived his faith to the honor and glory of God. God honors those who honor Him and His Word.

Brothers and sisters, we need believers who have the "living kind of faith, not the meeting house kind of faith". Our Churches are packed to the gills with believers who thee and thou God in their high and holy prayers, who walk the aisle of these sanctified facilities as if they were spotless from the world, who vigorously defend their denomination as if Jesus Himself came down and founded it - and yet who leave Church and walk in this life no better than any of the heathen. Christian employers starve their employees on scant wages, while their coffers overfill and their children live lives of luxury. Christian teachers in Sunday School go to work and turn a blind ear and eye to the curses of the unsaved, often joining in in laughter at coarse sexual jokes or innuendo. Christian deacons blend into the work environment, never telling others of the hellfire that is coming or of Christ who can save them from this awful fate. Christians of all callings change like chameleons, being dark when they enter the world, but light when they walk the aisle of the Church building. My brothers and sisters, these things must not be!

When we were in the world, lost and undone, we automatically served the gods that all of our fellow heathen brethren served. Though money is not a god, only a thing, we served it like it was a god. Though prestige is not a god, we sought it as if it were a god. Though sex is not a god, we strove after it, driven by primal urges of our old Sin Nature. These things we did because we were lost and undone. We lived like heathen because we were heathen, and our life works reflected our heathen estate. As heathen we did not have the mind of Christ. We were not born again, nor did we have the capacity to understand the Scripture through the ministry of God the Holy Spirit. As heathen our only empowerment was to be good heathen. Yet now we are Christians, and our life works should reflect our new empowerment.

This is the whole point of the Book of Galatians. As Christians our life works should reflect who and what we are. We have a unique way of life as believers in Jesus. The things that we do should be honoring to the God who saved us.

(1 Corinthians 10:16-21 KJV) "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? {17} For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. {18} Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? {19} What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? {20} But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. {21} Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils."

(2 Corinthians 11:13-15 KJV) "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. {14} And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. {15} Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."

(Acts 14:10-13 KJV) "Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. {11} And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. {12} And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. {13} Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people."

The unsaved are heathen, they are not like you and I. Though liberalism would lump all of humanity under one great big brotherhood umbrella, the Scripture is careful to show that there is a distinction between Christians and everyone else. Christians are those who are saved by faith in the historic Christ of the Scripture. Everyone else is not. When Christians celebrate the sacrament that we call "The Lord's Table", we celebrate Jesus Christ who came and died for us. The heathen have no capacity to celebrate the Lord's Table, for their celebrations and worshippings are to other than God. As Paul said, "they sacrifice to devils, and not to God". They are a different kind of person from us. We witness Christ to them in prayerful hope that they accept Christ and become like us. But, Beloved, unless they accept Christ as Savior by faith, they and their useless worshippings will one day sink into the abyss of eternal damnation. That's Scriptural truth, whether you like it or not.

(Galatians 4:9 KJV) "But now, after that ye have known (ginosko:G1097, Aorist Active Participle, literally, known by experience) God, or rather are known (Aorist Passive Participle, are known) of God, how turn ye again to the weak (asthenes {pronounced as-then-ace’}, weak, sickly, without strength, unable to save. Judaism cannot produce blessing in eternity) and beggarly (ptochos {pto-khos’}, poor, unable to provide riches. Judaism cannot produce blessing in time) elements, whereunto ye desire (thelo {pronounced thel’-o}, Present Indicative Active, keep on desiring, keep on living by your emotions) again to be in bondage?"

(Galatians 4:10 KJV) "Ye observe (paratereo {pronounced par-at-ay-reh’-o}, Present Middle Indicative, you yourselves keep on observing or following) days, (refers to Sabbaths – they became Sabbath keepers) and months, (refers to four fasts: Tamuz, the fast of the fourth month; the fast of the fifth Month; fast of the Seventh Month; fast of the Tenth Month. Just because religious activity impresses us, don’t assume God is impressed) and times, (refers to the Feasts of Israel, which taught of Christ who was to come. We no longer need the shadows, for we now have Christ: Passover, Unleavened Bread, First fruits, Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles) and years. (Refers to Sabbatical Year, and Year of Jubilee)"

The Mosaic Law was given to a unsaved and faithless people. Though God was before their very eyes in a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire, they held the armies of Egypt in higher esteem than Almighty God. Though God caused water to flow from solid rock, they looked backward to the wells of Egypt, preferring slavery under Pharaoh to freedom under God. Though God fed them with manna from Heaven, they cursed Him for not giving them the variety that Egypt gave, even though God did not beat them with whips. They refused to believe God, to have faith in God, to love God as He is - so He set a mechanical set of laws over this unbelieving people. The Law, with its feasts and celebrations and regulations and sacrifices, existed to point all of Israel to faith in God, specifically faith in Christ. The Law was a weak and beggarly element that put the people under bondage. The Law looked backwards to great events in Israel's history, times when God blessed them with salvation, or when God abandoned them to punishment.

The feasts and the sacrifices that the Law established over Israel looked backward to a weaker time in that nation's history. It looked back on a faithless people. It looked back on a disobedient people. It looked back on a people who had rejected a relationship by faith in God, a people who - when God said He would be their King - demanded that they have a human king like the other nations had. Law works are feeble works, unempowered works, undelivered works. Paul wanted the Galatians to - not go backward to the old powerless ways, but to move forward by Grace and by Faith in Christ Jesus.

(Galatians 4:11 KJV) "I am afraid (phobeo {pronounced fob-eh’-o}, Present Middle Indicative, I myself am constantly afraid) of you, (humas {pronounced hoo-mas’}, for your sakes) lest I have bestowed upon you labor (kopiao {pronounced kop-ee-ah’-o}, Perfect Indicative + eis + humas, I have labored until exhaustion for your sakes) in vain."

(Galatians 4:12 KJV) "Brethren, I beseech (deomai {pronounced deh’-om-ahee}, Present Middle Indicative, keep on beseeching, begging, desiring) you, be (ginomai {pronounced ghin’-om-ahee}, Present Middle Imperative, keep on becoming) as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all. (Idiomatic meaning “I’m not the issue, you are”, i.e. I am concerned for your walk in God)"

Until you have been a pastor, you cannot know the agony that the office entails. We are concerned to teach the truths that God has given us to your benefit. But we are also painfully aware of the human condition, and aware that many of you will, often blindly, continue to stumble down the wrong path regardless as to how diligently we attend to our calling. Such was the case of Paul. He had invested a great deal of his life, life that could not be redeemed or returned to him, in the Galatian Christians. He had, as God the Spirit gave him utterance, led these Gentiles away from certain damnation and into the knowledge of salvation by faith in Christ. The Church was growing and going places for Christ. Then, once Paul left the area, the wolves came in. The ministers of darkness, unsaved theologians, followers of the Law but not of God who gave the Law. They flashed a little of the glitter, a little of the "fad", a little of an old thing packaged in a new and shiny exterior, and the Galatians stumbled after their teaching as if Christ Himself had beckoned.

Such behavior shatters a pastor, breaks his heart. When so much time is invested in the flock, but the flock refuses to stay in the pathway of truth, it causes the pastor to question his own calling. Paul was not questioning his calling, though he was driven to the point of begging the Galatians to return to the truths that he had taught them at the beginning. Believers need to be fixed on their own pastors, and need to heed that which these men teach with all diligence and sincerity. The deeper Christian walk cannot be attained if the believer, like a butterfly, flits from church to church and from ministry to ministry each time some new fangled teaching becomes popular and published. I listen with dismay to so called Christian television and Christian radio, watching people who obviously seek to line their pockets at the expense of the gullible Christian trot out some "new idea". Many of these latter day prophets do not hesitate to demand your tithe or your "suggested donation" in order that they send you a copy of their latest and greatest book or tape. Many are blatant in their pitches, sitting in thousand dollar suits on thrones laced with gold and velvet. When did you see Jesus sit on a posh cushion, or even lay on a pillow while He walked this earth? How can these gold diggers be concerned for your souls, Beloved of God? The concerned minister does not sell his wares like clay pots, nor does he dress in fine clothing and wear rich jewelry and fancy hair styles while his listeners foot the bill. If you want the deeper Christian walk you must learn to distinguish between the charlatan and the genuine. You must learn when the fancy speaker is from Satan or from the world. If not, you will never grow beyond the pabulum stage of Christianity,

Paul was a minister of God by faith in Jesus Christ.

(1 Timothy 1:12-16 KJV) "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; {13} Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. {14} And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. {15} This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. {16} Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting."

(1 Corinthians 15:7-10 KJV) "After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. {8} And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. {9} For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. {10} But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."

Paul never sold his message to the highest bidder, nor did he ever request a "suggested donation" before he would minister to any and all. Paul recognized that he was a sinner saved by Grace, and lived his life to reflect his faith. The Bible is the Christian's Book, but the Christian's life is the world's Bible. Unless you live your faith as if it is true, how will others come to know Christ? From the moment of Paul's salvation and calling as an Apostle he threw himself into the work of God. Though he had a number of physical ailments, Paul drove himself forward to serve and honor the Christ who loved him, and gave His life for him.

(Galatians 4:13 KJV) "Ye know (eido {pronounced i’-do}, Perfect Active Indicative, know experientially, to perceive with the eyes or the senses) how through (Dia + Accusative = because of the infirmity of the flesh) infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first."

The infirmity of the flesh that Paul labored under is described in the following verse when he says that the Galatians would have "plucked out their own eyes and given them to him". The Apostle was afflicted with chronic eye trouble, though we do not know what specific disease he labored under. Paul's infirmity was advanced to the degree that he usually dictated his letters to a secretary or clerk, then signed the letter by writing a few verses at the end. Such is found in 1 Corinthians 16:21:

1 Corinthians 16:21 {Authorized King James Version} (21) The salutation of [me] Paul with mine own hand.

1 Corinthians 16:21 {Contemporary English Version (21) I am signing this letter myself: PAUL.

1 Corinthians 16:21 {Young's Literal Translation} (21) The salutation of me Paul with my hand;

And in Galatians 6:11:

Galatians 6:11 {Authorized King James Version} Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.

Galatians 6:11 {Contemporary English Version You can see what big letters I make when I write with my own hand.

Galatians 6:11 {Young's Literal Translation} Ye see in how large letters I have written to you with my own hand;

And in 2 Thessalonians 3:17:

2 Thessalonians 3:17 {Authorized King James Version} (17) The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write.

2 Thessalonians 3:17 {Contemporary English Version (17) I always sign my letters as I am now doing: PAUL.

2 Thessalonians 3:17 {Young's Literal Translation} (17) The salutation by the hand of me, Paul, which is a sign in every letter; thus I write;

And in Philemon 1:19:

Philemon 1:19 {Authorized King James Version} I Paul have written [it] with mine own hand, I will repay [it]: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.

Philemon 1:19 {Contemporary English Version} With my own hand I write: I, PAUL, WILL PAY YOU BACK. But don't forget that you owe me your life.

Philemon 1:19 {Young's Literal Translation} I, Paul did write with my hand, I--I will repay; that I may not say that also thyself, besides, to me thou dost owe.

(Galatians 4:15 KJV) "Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me."

(Galatians 4:14 KJV) "And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus."

(Galatians 4:16 KJV) "Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you (aletheuo {pronounced al-ayth-yoo’-o}, Present Active Participle, keep on telling you) the truth?"

When Paul started to minister among the Galatians, they so loved him for the Gospel which he selflessly taught that they would have, if possible, pulled out their eyes and donated them to him for his relief. Yet after the Judaizers come on the scene their attitude changes. Suddenly they do not want to pull out their eyes for Paul, but they want to pull Paul's eyes out! This is what happens when worldliness enters the Church. The Gospel of Christ teaches us that we are all sinners saved by the precious Blood of Jesus. The Gospel of Christ brings a sense of brotherhood and sharing into the Church. The Gospel of Christ crosses racial boundaries ... it is impossible to be a racist or a separatist if you understand the Gospel of Christ. Jesus our Lord was a Jew, and He died for us! Paul was a Jew, but he stood up for we who are Gentiles! Once we begin to understand that the Grace of God by which we live and breath, by which we enter the very Throneroom of Heaven is undeserved, unearned, and without any merit on our part, our foolish pride and separatism begins to fall away. We become, like Paul, immensely aware of how truly sinful and undeserving we are that God should love worms such as us. Racism and hate mongering begin with the inner concept of superiority. I am better than you because I have a little more or a little less skin tone. I am better than you because I have a little more or a little less education. I am better than you because I have a little more testosterone, or a little more estrogen. Beloved, the harsh truth is that we all deserve eternal damnation and separation from God. Though we may not have been in the Garden with Adam, there is not a one of us who would not have did the same thing that Adam did. None of us are guiltless, whether Liberal or Conservative. None of us are perfect, whether Republican or Democrat. We are all sinners, saved by Grace.

The message that the Judaizers taught was dangerous, just as all legalistic methods of approaching God are dangerous, because it gave the impression that some of us are inherently better than others because we have the fortitude and the drive to work within that system. I had a dear friend ask me this question last week, and a very good question it was. My friend said, "David, what do you think God got out of those burnt offerings?" Now think about that for a minute. What do you think that God got out of those burnt offerings that He demanded Israel make in the Old Testament? Do you think God just wanted a little barbecue, and the burnt offering was a means of providing that? Think about it! I mean, really think!

In order to perform a burnt offering, you needed four things. First, someone to do the offering. Second, an altar, which was not that difficult to make. Third, you needed an animal. Fourth, you needed fire and something to feed the fire to make it hot. The person making the offering, the Priest, took the animal and tied it so it could not escape from the altar. Next the priest took a knife and slashed the throat of the animal. The animal squealed, gushed blood, and often the blood splattered over the priest and the people nearby. Once the animal was dead wood was stacked around the body, and the animal was burnt. Though the entire process took a fairly strong stomach (for the animal did not "neatly" die, and burnt meat stinks), any fool could do the job. In other words, the sacrificer didn't have to be a brain surgeon!

What did God get out of this? Not a thing. Let me shout that. NOT A THING! The purpose of the sacrifice was to teach Israel and all who saw it that:

1. God demanded that Someone pay for the sins of the people.
2. An Innocent had to pay for the sins of the people. The people, who were sinners, could not pay - they were tainted with sin.
3. The animal was the closest thing the people had to an Innocent.
4. The animal was not effective, for the sacrifice was accomplished again and again, year after year. To make complete restitution Man should pay the penalty, for Man caused the offense.
5. The violent death of the animal emphasized God's attitude toward sin. Sin is extremely offensive to God. The penalty for sin is extreme judgment and the shedding of blood.
6. The burning of the animal produced smoke, which went up to Heaven (as viewed by the ancient Israelites). Whoever paid the penalty for sin would have to ascend to Heaven. Their payment would have to remain not on earth, but be in Heaven where the Offended God was.
7. The splattered blood taught that "without shedding of Blood there is no remission - removal of sin". Whoever paid the penalty for our sin would have to shed blood for us.

What did God get out of the burnt offering? Not a thing! What was God doing by the burnt offering? Teaching Israel that the Messiah, Jesus Christ, was coming. The animal sacrificed was representative of Jesus. The smoke going Heavenward was representative of His resurrection. The Blood splattering was representative of Jesus' shed blood for us on the Cross. The Blood splattering on the Israelites was representative of those who accepted the sacrifice of Christ being under the Blood of Christ. God received nothing from the animal sacrifices, but He did teach the Israelites about the coming Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord. God taught Israel that there was nothing that they could do to earn or deserve their salvation, that Messiah would do it all. Just as the animal was brought to the altar by sinful man, sinners would crucify Jesus on a terrible bloody tree. Just as the animal was pierced through to die, Christ would be pierced through for us. Just as the animal's smoke ascended to Heaven, Jesus would ascend to the Father on the third day, and would remain in Heaven to make intercession for us. Unlike the animal, though, since Christ is both perfect Man and perfect God, He would not need to be sacrificed over and over again. Christ represented us to God, and continues to represent us to God the Father, ever making intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25).

What a laugh that the Judaizers came in and demanded that the Galatians return to the old ways of Israel, ways that were not a blessing to God, but were a teaching aid for His people. What a laugh that there are Christians today who head back to the old rites and rituals, thinking that these things are a blessing to God. Foolish Galatian, why return to kindergarten from high school? Why return to the old "See Spot run" readers of your youth from the advanced English courses of today? Why graduate from steak to pabulum? God gets nothing from burnt offerings, Beloved, nothing at all.

(Galatians 4:17 KJV) "They zealously affect (zeloo {pronounced dzay-lo’-o}, Present Active Indicative, Linear Aktionsart, keep on courting, flattering, wooing) you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them."

(Galatians 4:18 KJV) "But it is good to be zealously affect (zeloo {pronounced dzay-lo’-o}, Present Passive Infinitive, to be properly courted or wooed) always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you."

(Galatians 4:19 KJV) "My little children, of whom I travail in birth (odino {pronounced o-dee’-no}, Present Active Indicative, constantly in labor or birth pangs) again until Christ be formed in you,"

What does God get out of burnt offerings? Nothing at all, nothing at all. What God wants is what Paul wanted, what every Pastor wants of his flock: to have the nature of Christ formed in them. The greatest detriment, greatest distracter to the spread of the Church of Jesus Christ in the world today is NOT Communism, nor Socialism, nor Liberalism, nor martyrdoms, nor Hollywood, nor the entertainment industry, nor alcohol, nor free-sex and pornography, nor worldliness, nor drugs, nor experientiality, nor denominationalism, nor churchianity, nor cultism, nor nationalism, nor feminism, nor abortion, nor Catholicism, nor Reformed faith, nor Calvinism, nor modalism, nor any other thing that readily comes to your mind as that which could inhibit the Church that Christ died for. The greatest distracter, greatest inhibitor to the spread of the Church of Christ is - are you ready? - believers who testify to the truth of the Gospel with their mouth, but then go out into the world and act like every heathen and unbeliever around them acts. The world doesn't understand that, Beloved. We testify that Christ, by His sacrifice, saved us from our sins. We testify that Jesus and our faith in Jesus brings perfect peace and harmony. We say these things with our lips. Then we leave Church, go into the workplace, and immediately worry about everything that we can worry about. We say that God is love, and that Jesus brought us to a place of love, and yet we separate and divide, hacking one another to bits in the process. Certainly I do not mean to say that doctrinal error should not be confronted in a brother or a sister. But if doctrinal error is to be confronted, then do so with the Word of God. Do so using the resources that our Savior used, the Scripture, perfect and true. Satan attacked Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4), and Jesus responded with "it is written". The Pharisees, Saducees and Scribes attacked Jesus in His ministry, and Jesus responded with "it is written". The Word of God must be our buckler and shield, our Guide, our Reason. We must not degenerate into personal opinion, into what I think apart from what God thinks.

The very nature of Christ must be formed in every believer by faith, and by judicious application of the truths of the Word of God, the Bible. As Christ becomes formed in the believer we become more like our Savior. No, Beloved, we will never reach a point of sinlessness in this life, but we can reach a point where we walk graciously as Christ walked. Our lives should reflect the peace of God that passes all understanding. Our goals should reflect our desire to be like Jesus, to be a good ambassador for Him, to honor Him in our daily relationships.

Our failure as believers in pursuing Christian behavior, that is, being like Jesus in all that we say and do - or at least striving toward this goal - has driven many far away from the Church of Christ. Look what Paul emphasized in his prayers for the Church:

(Ephesians 3:16-17 KJV) "That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; {17} That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,"

And what Paul emphasized in his prayers for himself:

(Philippians 1:20 KJV) "According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death."

Christ cannot be magnified in our bodies by looking backwards and following the old rites and sacrifices Christ cannot be magnified in our bodies by chasing after every fad, every Prayer of Jabez and Gracewalk. Christ is magnified in our bodies when we study the Word of God prayerfully, relying on the Spirit of God that indwells us to apply these truths to our lives. Christ is magnified in our bodies when we, as believers, respond to the trials of life as Jesus did, without murmuring or complaining, but fully relying on God. Christ is magnified in our bodies when we stop playing Church and start acting like Jesus, no matter what our current situation. We who are believers by faith in Jesus Christ are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God, are equipped with the perfect and sure Word of God, are watched over by Christ, the Son of God, and are fully in the Plan of God our Father. As a Church saved by Grace we need to stop charging for our services, and start loving one another as family. When family members get out of line we need to follow the procedures that Jesus laid out in Scripture (Matthew 18), and always approach heresy with the Word of God and not fallible human opinion.

We are spiritual beings formed by the power of God, sustained by the Word of God, indwelt by the Spirit of God, saved by the Son of God. Let's start acting like spiritual beings, Precious Ones. The world will flock to the Church once they see victorious, changed lives in the members of the Church. We don't need bigger buildings, increased services, or a multitude of fellowship dinners. We need Christ formed in us for all the world to see.

1. How do I come to know and have a deeper relationship with God? (Gal 4:8) See also 1 Corinthians 2:16; 1 Corinthians 10:16-21; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15; Acts 14:10-13_______________________________________
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2. How can experiences and experimentalism fool the believer? _______________________________________
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3. Ritualism and experimentalism bind the believer (Galatians 4:9-10). How? _____________________________
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4. Past experiences can also bless the believer. How? _____________________________________________
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5. Paul started in Grace, and wanted to remain in Grace. He also wanted the Galatians to stay under Grace. (Galatians 4:11-12). Why? _________________________________________________________________
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6. Paul used his life experience as a pattern to help others (1 Timothy 1:12-16; 1 Corinthians 15:7-10). Shouldn't we all follow his example, being an example for one another? Why or why not? ____________________________
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7. What was Paul’s sickness (Galatians 4:13-15; 6:11)? ____________________________________________

8. The Galatians originally received Paul with honor, but because of the Judaizers now regarded Paul as ________
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The preacher’s wish is that Christ “be formed in you”, in the flock that he is entrusted with. What does that mean?
(Galatians 4:17-19; Ephesians 3:16-17; Philippians 1:20) ___________________________________________
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