I. It’s all about

I. It’s All About Justification Vs. 1-5

A. “I, Paul” - Paul is reminding us he is a Jew and considered himself as a Hebrew of Hebrews… It amazes me that God called someone like Paul to tear down the religious man centered merit based salvation.

*B. The theme of this passage is not about the security of the believer, but rather the regeneration of sinful man… it’s about justification. *

a. I am going to go out on a limb here and say that you can replace

with any fleshly work and have the same result… Paul is not preaching against circumcision as sin, but rather trusting in it to complete justification.

i. church attendance, giving tithe, serving the homeless, our worship, baptism… are all the result of a regenerate heart of a becoming a new creation. 

ii. This week in my study a thought crossed my mind.... the only difference between the publicly depraved (those who openly and unashamedly sin) and the church member who is trusting in their works to be saved is public perception (one’s life looks nice and tidy while the other looks to be falling apart) …because their destination is the same.

*Acts 16:1–3 NASB95
Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. And a disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek, and he was well spoken of by the brethren who were in Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted this man to go with him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.*

C. Paul is using a play on words with he says you have been severed from Christ. You have chosen the

over Christ … therefore you must keep the whole law.

i. you have fallen from grace…ekpipto greek word to mean lose ones grip  once again Paul is talking about establishing of salvation and not the retaining of salvation.   If you try to cling to both the law and grace you will lose your grip on grace. 

**John 6:39 NASB95
“This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.

*1 John 2:19 NASB95
They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.*

ii. If people can lose their salvation, then according John 6:39 if Jesus loses some then He is failing to the will of the Father. 

II. Keep Pressing into the

! Vs. 7-12

A. Know the truth for yourself!!! We have trained church members to sit, listen, and leave… I want to challenge you to immerse yourself in the word and 

  

    
       
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 your mind with the truths of God.

    i. Do not be hindered by false teachings seek the truth… a small lie or false teaching can leaven your whole view of who God is.  

B. Judiazers were saying that Paul preached circumcision…Probably because of 

  

    
       
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. 

    i. The Cross was a stumbling block to the many of the Jew because it robbed them of their religious merit.  

C. Paul's passion for the Gospel and 

  

    
       
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 for False teachers is seen in Vs. 12… as he says if they want circumcision.. why stop there…You understand what he is saying...

III. Freedom in Christ, not in the

. Vs. 13-15

A. Do not misunderstand the freedom we have..

Romans 6:1–2 NASB95
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

B. We are not free to do whatever we want with our flesh, but “through love serve one another”....

    i. I WANT YOU TO REALLY THINK ABOUT AND CONSIDER WHAT PAUL SAYS IN VERSE 14.... 

THE WHOLE LAW IS

IN THIS ONE WORD, IN THE STATEMENT…
“YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF”

    ii. Paul is echoing the teachings of Jesus

Matthew 22:36–40 NASB95
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ “This is the great and foremost commandment. “The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

C. Your 

  

    
       
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 is empty and meaningless if you do not love your neighbor… as yourself

    i. Your 

  

    
       
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 and you upbringing are meaningless if you do not love your neighbor as yourself

    ii. Your 

  

    
       
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 and witness to the glory of God does not meaning anything if you do not love your neighbor. 

Romans 6:22 NASB95
But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.

When we are freed from sin, we voluntarily enslave ourselves to God and His desire for our lives… He wants us to love Him above all else and love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves.

A church that does not love and serve one another will devour itself.