Today’s the day we bring it home. Perfectionism stops here.
Our text today is Galatians 5-6. (Specifically 5:1-8, 13,
15-18, 25-26; 6:1-3, 7-8, 14-18)
Read as much as you can and we’ll begin.
Galatians 5:1-2 “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you.” NLT
Now replace “circumcision” with something on your list. (If
you’re just joining us, read about the list here)
Look closely again at Galatians 5:2 and 5:6. Do you see the
contrast?
It’s either one or the other. You can’t have such a focus on
being perfect all the time- if we rely on one good thing (i.e. church going,
good deeds, serving in poor countries, etc) to give us good brownie points with
God, then Christ is no benefit to us. According to verse 3, if we are counting
on good things to give us good standing with God, then we would have to uphold
every. part. of. it. Every single rule. And let’s face it. We will fail.
On our own.
So would we rather try (and inevitably fail?) or would we
rather choose to humbly accept (and know that it’s fail-proof)? Sounds like a
no-brainer to me.
We are called to
the latter. Called to freedom.
I don’t believe in destiny, but this is the closest thing to
it in my opinion – God’s will.
Galatians 5:13 “For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.” NLT
1 Timothy 2:3-4 “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” NASB
2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” NKJV
So how do we pull it all in to the reality that is the
every-day of this flawed world?
We will be tempted. Tempted to try to carry it on our own.
Do perfection by ourselves. It will likely even be second nature to many of us
– especially people pleasers, checklist people, and those with OCD tendencies.
Just remember (as God does, thank Heaven! Psalm 103:14) that
we are human and we will fail. Others around us will fail.
Enter grace.
Enter Holy Spirit – for any holy living – actual holy-living comes from the overflow;
comes from the Holy Spirit in us. Choose to surrender to His desires.
Galatians 5:16 “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.” NLT
Your natural human tendencies will likely be opposite that
of the Spirit. Actually, there is no ‘likely’ about it. They will be. God says
so. (5:17)
See our flesh-tendencies in verses 19-21 and contrast them
to the Spirit-tendencies in 22-23.
2 Corinthians 5:17 “Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation. The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence.” NLT
Indeed, we are new. Because it’s not us anymore.
If we keep our focus on our actions being prodded by Christ,
keep in mind that it is the Spirit doing it. Picture yourself the latex glove,
and God and His Spirit the careful surgeon. The glove doesn’t get the credit or
the blame, does it?
Galatians 5:26 “Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.” NLT
Galatians 6:3 “For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” NASB
Keep a careful watch this week on our actions. If it is
better this week to push pause on a particular ministry until you can determine
your motive, I think God would honor that decision. He hates pride (Prov
6:16-17), and so if you need to take a step back to determine whether your
service to Him is done out of pride or not, please do. Because you’re not
fooling God. Galatians 6:7-8
Q: Do you think
that self-imposed standards are always
a matter of pride?
Q: Why or why
not? Explain. (Use the space in your journal and share in the comments here.)
In my opinion I
don’t think they always are.
Sometimes we can set up rules to protect ourselves or others, just because we
know our own flaws and tendencies and sometimes it is easier to draw the line
at a safe distance from the actual breaking point.
Just bear in mind this picture. We are branded by faith.
What we do because of that (or in spite of that) does not define us. It may
show others Christ’s work in us, to God be the glory, but it does not make us
who we are. Christ’s brand alone does.
We are His, and we are covered by His grace.
Let’s act like it; let’s allow that grace for ourselves and
let’s allow that grace for others.
Galatians 5:14 “For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”” NLT
John 13:35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”” NASB
Galatians 6:17 “From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus.” NASB
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