So, if we have grown weary of this long study, let us be reminded of the stakes that are involved when the 'church' preaches another (the Greek word heteros means "different") gospel than the one that Paul and the other apostles preached (as proven in our previous studies in this series).
Let us now look a little more closely at Paul's letter to the Galatians.
Indeed, as Paul intimates, the gospel of grace does indeed save us for freedom (Gal. 5:1). However, he equally asserts that those who are truly saved will not abuse God's grace in order that they may have an excuse for a lifestyle of unrepentant sin (cf. Rom. 6:1). No. God forbid! As Paul writes, "You were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another" (Gal. 5:13). As we have seen earlier, overcoming our innate proclivity to live solely for the advancement & comfort of ourselves requires the divine gift of a heart transplant. While the old, natural heart gratified the desires & lusts of the flesh, the new heart "from above" makes war against it, seeking to kill it (cf. Rom. 7; 8:13).
This is precisely what Paul iterates in Gal. 5:16-17, wherein we read:
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh (NIV, NLT = "sinful nature", NJB = "self-indulgence"). For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.Moreover, those who live in the flesh, regardless of their profession, must heed Paul's warning in the final chapter: "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life" (6:7-8). Those who bear no fruit of the Spirit should not expect eternal life, since there is no evidence that they belong to Christ.
If you have not read any of the previous posts, you might be asking, "What is the evidence, or fruit of true conversion?" May the words of Paul answer your question: "And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (5:24). Those who have not crucified their flesh still live in the flesh. You never crucify what you love. You crucify your enemies, not your friends.
You might further ask, "What does such a person look like, in real life?" Again, let Paul satisfy your query:
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God" (5:19-21)Those who live "according to the flesh" are not alive, but dead (cf. Rom. 8:13). Regardless of what they think, such professors of Christ's name are not possessors of Christ's kingdom. Unless such people truly are born from above to truly see both Jesus and themselves, they will never truly repent and believe the gospel. Despite hearing many a comforting word from pastors who are content to let them fill their pews and membership roles, they will go on this life deceiving others, having themselves been deceived, only to die one day and stand before the Lord Jesus Christ on Judgement Day. What words will they hear? "I never knew you. Depart from Me, your who practice lawlessness." This is sobering stuff.
This is no mere game, dear reader. For those who belong to churches that make much of numbers, remember this: it is not the number of people who raise a hand or sign a card that matters to God, but those whom are truly saved (again, see above for the portrait Paul paints of what such people look like). Before we confer salvation upon someone, let us remember how conversion is defined biblically, as well as what it looks like practically. How unmerciful the evangelical church at large is to many of its unregenerate members! How often do we, for selfish reasons, let them come to our church, and yet never confront them of their unrepenant, and thus unforgiven, sins? We laugh with them, coddle them, encourage them, but never confront them. And then they go to Hell. Is this love?
Finally, let us remember that although Paul repeatedly fought to defend that salvation is freely by faith alone in the finished work of Christ (2:16, 20-21; 3:2-14, 22-26; 5:5-6; cf. Eph. 2:5, 8-9), he also reminds us that those who have been saved by faith alone also (must!) have God the Holy Spirit dwelling within them, enabling them to bear fruit as Christ's new creation. Or, in Paul's own words:
"Neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation" (5:16)Regardless of what anyone says, the only thing that counts is that a person is a new creation. As we will see in our next post, those whom God has created us in Christ Jesus has created them "for good works, that they might walk in them" (Eph. 2:10).
As harsh as some of these studies may appear, I hope they are received in love. I love people too much to lie to them. I believe that eternal condemnation is a reality that is repeatedly set forth in the Word of God. As a pastor, I personally feel the temptation to make people feel safe and secure even when they're not. That way, they keep coming to 'my' church, which thus makes me look 'successful'. But like Paul, I believe that pastors who do this are "hucksters" who "peddle" God's Word for profit. May God remind us that those of us who teach have to give a much stricter judgment on that Day!
In Christ, and for His eternal glory,
Pastor Ryan
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