The Battle to Not Rebuild What the Gospel Tore Down

Kent Pletcher

Galatians • Sermon • Submitted 2 years ago

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Galatians 2:15–21 (ESV)

15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

Opening Prayer

ReCap

Last week, and weeks preceding, we looked at the necessity to not trust in your works to gain you a good standing with God.

There’s no way to make yourself presentable to God, in and of yourself.

Our propensity is to take hope in one self.

The gospel, however, demands that you must come to the end of your self and your hope in self.

So, our battle as Christians is to not do that.

Our battle is to “Stop Rebuilding What the Gospel Tore Down.”

Now, this morning, I want to look at a question that i think could arise regarding this rebuilding...

And, I want us to look a little closer at the battle.

At what we are fighting against in order to biblically prepare us to win the battle...

And be found, at the end, in Jesus.

First the potential question that may arise regarding rebuilding what the gospel tore down.

What About Commands?

Someone may say, but what about all the commands to stop doing this...

And to start doing that?

Colossians 3:5 (ESV)

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Colossians 3:12 (ESV)

12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

If we obey these commands or any commands...

Doesn’t that rebuild what the gospel tore down?

Don’t commands and seeking to keep them rebuild a hope in self?

Absolutely not...

Not if you’re trusting in Christ for justification...

And pursuing obedience out of gratitude, instead of earning.

God gives us commands to help us keep tearing down what is in you that opposes the gospel...

And building, anew, with gospel truth.

Building your life & hope in Jesus…instead of SELF.

God doesn’t give us commands for the purpose of us putting our hope in SELF.

He gives us commands for the purpose of putting our hope in HIM.

Obedience for the Christian...is faith.

Faith expresses itself through obedience to what the faith is in.

Rebuilding what the gospel tore down is not only a problem in our justification...

It is, just as well, a problem in our sanctification.

Dr. Richard Lovelace says,

“Every person’s problem with sanctification is really just a problem with justification.”

He goes on to say,

“The reason you have any troubles with sanctification is you don’t believe or understand your justification; you’re not living out of your justification; you’re not living through it.”

When we don’t trust what God says about our justification we seek to rebuild what the gospel tore down.

Now, with that being said, I want us to look at ways in our Christian life...

That we try to rebuild what the gospel tore down.

Remember, Rebuilding is Seeking Self-Righteousness

Ways in Which We Rebuild What the Gospel Tore Down

This will not be an exhaustive list, but I hope it helps us spot areas in our own heart...

By looking at some more popular ways in which we are tempted to find self-righteousness.

The natural implication is that these areas that we are tempted to rebuild...

Are, also, stumbling blocks that keep people from coming to Christ.

Also, and this is important...

Things that we put our hope in...

Things that we find our security in...

Which are things that make us feel righteous...

The Bible calls them idols.

A well-known preacher rightly stated,

An idol is whatever you look at and say, in your heart of hearts, “If I have that, then I’ll feel my life has meaning, then I’ll know I have value, then I’ll feel significant and secure.”

List of Potential Idols –or– Ways in which seek Self-Righteousness:

Race/Culture

Racism or Prejudice is a way in which we add to Christ.

Economic Status

Classism Or Social Status snobbery is a way in which we add to Christ.

Grades

Degrees

Accomplishments

Job Status

Financial Security

Possessions

Personal Make-up

Morality

Oh, how we love to look down our nose at those who have fallen into immoral living.

–OR–

We make ourselves to feel better than them when we minister to them because it makes us feel sort of powerful by helping them.

–BUT–

When you minister to those who have fallen into immoral lives, and you should minister to them, does it remind you that you are capable of the same...

That there go I outside of the grace of God.

Does it cause you to lean more on, depend more heavily on the person and work of Christ to cleanse you and beautify you...

And make you who you need to be.

To cause you to be fully presentable to God.

Work Ethic vs. Laziness

Compassion vs. Sternness

Generosity vs. Frugality

Timeliness vs. Tardiness

Giftedness (Differences/Comparisons)

Perseverance vs. Giving Up

Parenting

The Methods

The Outcome

Relationships we pursue

Friendships

Are they pursued so that we can be adored?

Are they being pursued so we can be made much of?

–OR–

Are they being pursued so you can serve them?

Are they being pursued so you can honor Christ in the relationship?

Is the relationship deepening your reliance on the person and work of Christ?

The problem with all of these is the temptation to use what we do and what we have...

As a way to compare ourselves with others...

And then look at these areas and find areas in which we can be better than others...

And, then find our identity in those things...

Like race, economic status, personal accomplishments, personal giftedness, relationships.

And we give into putting our hope in them.

We chase the delusional thought that somehow these things are our security, hope, refuge.

That they are what will cleanse us and beautify us.

That they will somehow make us presentable...

Not only to others, but to God.

And, because we live in a fallen world we face this temptation every day.

Every day we’re faced with a system that finds its security in things rather than God.

Every day we live in a system that tempts you to rebuild what the gospel tore down.

We are constantly using:

Careers to prove our worth.

Relationships to allow others to prove our worth.

Cultural/familial heritage to prove our inherent worth.

Money/power to allow us to force our worth on others.

All of these things are potential idols that we allow to replace God in our worship.

And we’re immersed in it every day.

And the proper anti-dote, or the proper method to win this battle...

Is NOT to remove yourself from the world.

It is not to seclude or isolate yourself as much as you can from the world.

The solution is to go into the world and make disciples of men...

All the while leaning and clinging desperately to the cross...

To depend upon, cry out to, run to, cling to…Jesus.

To pray daily that God will keep your eyes fixed upon Jesus.

Here’s the reason you’re rebuilding what the gospel tore down.

The reason, is you are trying to find something besides Jesus Christ as a way of cleansing and beautifying yourself.

You’re adding something.

Jesus isn’t enough for you, and you have to get a leg up.

You’re not in line with the gospel.

You’re forgetting you’re a sinner saved by grace.

You’ve turned your gaze from Jesus to something else.

Do you remember when you were first saved?

Or maybe when you fell away for a time...

When you were living in sin and God gripped your heart?

When you felt the removal of guilt and the forgiveness of sin?

When you felt accepted in the loving arms of God?

Do you remember that zeal?

That urgency to praise Him?

That time when you could barely meditate on anything else?

Do you remember being enamored with Jesus?

What happened?

You’ve turned your gaze from Jesus to something else.

Something other than Jesus has gripped your heart.

Something or some things have taken preeminence in your heart.

What must we do when we find our self in this condition?

Short-term or in the immediate...

Repent. Get alone with God, confess it to Him and repent.

Pray for repentance. Pray for restoration.

Pray that Jesus would capture your gaze.

Pray that Jesus and the gospel would stir your heart to joy, once again.

And, long-term...

Be a Student of Your Own Heart

We need to be sensitive to the gleanings of our heart.

What are we prizing and treasuring in the context of what we’re going through currently?

That will give us insight into what we are treasuring.

That will give us insight into whether we are leaning/depending on Christ...

Finding our hope in Christ...

Or whether we’re hoping in something else...

And, rebuilding what the gospel tore down.

What is your prayer life like?

If it is not good, not steady, not consistent...

Look for what is taking its place.

Sometimes busyness.

What can you cut out in order for prayer to take place?

Prayer is a lifeline to being enthralled with Jesus.

What is your Bible reading like?

If it is not good, not steady, not consistent...

Again, look for what is taking its place.

Feasting on God’s Word is a lifeline to being enthralled with Jesus and His gospel.

What is your church attendance like?

If it is not good, not steady, not consistent...

Look for reasons why?

There may be hardships, providential road blocks...

Its understandable, but don’t let it be permanent.

The people of God gathered is a lifeline to having your love of Christ stirred to the surface.

Look for fruits of the Spirit.

Do you see yourself behaving towards others with love, patience, compassion, generosity?

Do you see those behaviors growing or diminishing?

Look in all these things and learn to quickly see deficiencies...

And examine your heart at the early stages.

Confess to God your leanings and weaknesses early.

Cry out to God for His strength early.

Ask God to work in you to do according to His good pleasure early.

Take the deficiencies and go deeper.

Don’t just stop with the external expressions of sinful behavior.

Take the sinful behavior and find out why?

Find out what has gained more importance in your life than Jesus.

Find out what in your life is more important to obey than Jesus.

What has taken the place of Jesus in the worship of your heart?

And, ask God to search your heart and reveal what has taken His place.

And, repent, and preach the gospel to yourself.

Remember the good news of your acceptance in Jesus.

Remember what you deserve.

Remember what Jesus did on your behalf.

Remember what Jesus granted you through His work.

And have the pain of sin in your life...

Turn into joy that has you excited to:

Speak to Him

Speak of Him

Sing to Him

Rejoice in Him

Gather with Him in the assembly of His people.

Closing Prayer

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