GRACE GAZETTE
Volume XIXIssue39
/Published occasionally for mourners in Zion/
/Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;And
make straight pathsfor your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out
of the way; but let it rather be healed.Hebrews 12::12-13/
WEAK AND BEGGARLY ELEMENTS////
//
/But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how
turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire
again to be in bondage?Galatians 4:9/
The apostle Paul was steeped in Jewish law and practice. As a young and
eager student, he had sat at the feet of Gamaliel (see Acts 22:3), the
most renowned and eminent Bible teacher of his time.He had become a
Pharisee and gloried in his lineage as a descendant of Abraham./“Though
I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh
that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised
the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an
Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal,
persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law,
blameless.” (Php 3:4-6/)
He had much to be proud of as he rejoiced in the religion and tradition
of his forefathers.To say that he was the epitome of a religious Jew
would be an understatement.To question his adherence and reverence for
the Mosaic Law would be sheer folly.There was not one jot or tittle of
the Ten Commandments which he outwardly despised and we can see quite
clearly his willingness and zeal to destroy any upstarts that might be
deemed a threat to that tradition which he believed was synonymous with
righteousness. (see Acts 22:4,5)
In his awakening on the Damascus road, we see one of the truly amazing
displays of the Sovereign Grace of GOD in the salvation of sinners that
can be found in the Word of GOD.If you were going to pick out the most
likely candidate for becoming the chief spokesman of GOD in the
declaration of the Gospel of HIS glory in JESUS CHRIST, Saul of Tarsus
would not have been mentioned at all.Yet we see the LORD demonstrate
that HIS hand is not shortened to save by many or by few nor is HE in
anywise hindered in calling one, whom HE has set HIS love upon, out of
darkness and into the LIGHT of the glory of GOD in the face of JESUS
CHRIST.HE is able, in a moment of time, to sweep away all impediments
that might exist in the mind of HIS elect, even as the Psalmist said,
/“Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power.” (Psa 110:3/)This
is in keeping with Peter’s declaration on the Day of Pentecost, /“For
the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar
off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” (Acts 2:39/) This
also demonstrates exactly what the LORD said, “/All that the Father
giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise
cast out.” (John 6:37)“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they
follow me.” (John 10:27/)
The same LORD who spoke to HIM on the Damascus Road also directed him to
the house of Judas, in Damascus, where he was led in his blindness.The
LORD sent Ananias, a disciple of the LORD, to minister sight to the
blind and awakened Saul of Tarsus.In this we are reminded that the LORD
uses the gospel to bring “/life and immortality to _light_/”.These same
men whom Saul had letters of reprisal against, meaning to do them harm,
were those whom the LORD used to minister unto him.How glorious are the
works and ways of HIM who sits upon the throne of Heaven and shows mercy
to whom HE will show mercy.Who is sufficient for such things?
It seems that very soon after these events the LORD sent him away into
the deserts of Arabia.We have little information as to what he did while
there, but we do know that during this time the LORD gave him direct
revelation of the TRUTH of the gospel by the very teachings of the risen
CHRIST, even as he testified, being an apostle who witnessed the risen
SAVIOR./“And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of
due time.” (1Cor 15:8/)(see Acts 22:14-17; II Cor. 12:1-6)None could
teach HIM but CHRIST who unfolded the mysteries hidden from many.
One can only imagine the consternation that gripped his mind and heart
as the LORD stripped away layer upon layer of the thought process that
had been ingrained in him by that religious tradition which he so highly
valued and followed with sincere zeal.By the grace of GOD he came to see
the utter folly of all that he had lived for up until that time.“/But
what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea
doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the
knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of
all things, _and do count them but dung_, that I may win Christ, And be
found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law,
but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which
is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his
resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made
conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the
resurrection of the dead.” (Php 3:7-11/)His whole perspective changed in
a short time.
He was not an immoral man (by man’s standards) and yet he came to
understand that “/he was the chief of sinners/”.It is often difficult
for naturally religious men to realize the separation between that which
they might deem “morally upright” and the embracing of the true
RIGHTEOUSNESS which is only found in CHRIST. Paul was given “laser
vision” on these matters, so much so that he was accused by the
Judaizers of preaching that men may “/sin that grace may abound/.”This
line of thinking still exists among those who would define sin as moral
and practical choices rather than seeing sin as the condition of the
flesh, more so in mind than practice.
Whatever a man values, promotes, and admonishes others to seek and
follow which is not the righteousness of CHRIST is not the message which
Paul preached.This is exactly what he confronted the Galatians with as
he said, “/I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you
into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but
there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.”
(Gal 1:6-7/)To preach any other message than JESUS CHRIST and HIM
crucified is a “perversion” of the TRUTH, however morally upright those
may be who declare it or how otherwise scriptural their teaching may be.
He was specifically confronting those who sought to perpetuate “Judaism”
as being compatible with the freedom of the sons of GOD, from the law of
sin and death.Yet there is, even today, a form of “Judaism” which seeks
to equate moral practice with righteousness before GOD.This equation
does not exist.“/For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the
spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and _have no confidence in the
flesh_.” (Php 3:3/) /“For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly;
neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a
Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in
the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of
God.” (Rom 2:28-29/)
Paul admonished the Galatians for wavering from the message of free
grace and entertaining the teaching of those who would bring them back
under that from which they had been set free.His warning to them was
that to go back to that from which they had been delivered was to deny
the gospel which they professed to believe.There were those then and
there are those today, who are fearful that the message of a full and
free salvation in JESUS CHRIST will cause men to embrace their sinful
flesh and promote its base desires.Yet he says, how can such things be?
“/God forbid. _How shall we, that are dead to sin_, live any longer
therein?” (Rom 6:2/)
The clearer that the born-again child of GOD, sees that all of his
righteousness is found in CHRIST, the more desirous he becomes to be
found “/in CHRIST/”.Those who trouble the sons of GOD in all ages are
those who would seek to bring them back under the law from which CHRIST
has forever set them free.Thus, Paul upbraids these Galatians for
returning to the observance of times, days, and seasons which he
describes as “weak and beggarly elements.”The observance of a time or a
day is most certainly not a sin for the sons of GOD, but then neither is
the disregard of such.The weak and beggarly aspect of such is when men
seek to bind such observances upon those who rest in CHRIST alone.Carnal
sabbath keeping is often pressed upon the children of GOD under the
guise of “following the law”, yet Paul clearly says to do so is to press
the children of GOD to walk in foolishness.Let every man in CHRIST walk
as CHRIST walked, giving glory to HIM alone and giving no place for the
flesh to glory.//mam