Why Mixing Law and Grace Cancels the Work of the Cross

Hello and welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick. An Oklahoma rancher and farmer, Les Feldick has been teaching homestyle Bible classes for 20 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les is teaching, it's so interesting that people say time just seems to fly by. And now, here is Les Feldick. There we go. Okay, good to have everybody back with us. And once more, we're going to go right back into the book of Acts and carry on on our study on this book of transition. And again, we'd like to welcome our television audience. And I always have to express my thanks for your letters and your financial help, for your prayers and everything. We couldn't do it without you. And we always appreciate the folk that come in for these studio classes. And again, we could never talk to just a camera. That was one of the first things when they asked me to teach on television. I said, well, one thing I have to have is a class in front of me. I can't just talk to a bare room and a camera. And number two, I will not wear a suit and tie. So I laid down some things that a lot of people had to agree to. I said, I'll never appeal for money. And that kind of shook them up. And they said, you can't stay on the air if you don't beg for money. Well, then I won't even start. And those of you who know now, we've been going on five years. And we've never yet asked for a dime. And we've never had to. The Lord is always supplied. And we trust He will. And any time He stops, I've said it before and I'll say it again, then the cows will get my full-time attention. But until that time, why, we trust we can stay on the air until the Lord meets us in the air. And again, we like to always let folk know that we have videotapes as well as now the printed booklets of all the past programs coming all the way up from Genesis 1-1, clear through the Old Testament, the Gospels, and now we're this far into the book of Acts. I don't know how many it's going to take to finish the whole book. But I'm hoping around 25 we'll do it. All right, now in Acts chapter 15, I told you that when we were back in Acts chapter 10 and Peter was by a sovereign God sent up to the Gentile house of Cornelius, that God had more in mind than just that little group of people in Caesarea. God had in mind the whole sphere of Christianity. And now in Acts chapter 15, which as I've said before is a parallel chapter to Galatians chapter 2, and Paul has now been out amongst the Gentiles for several years establishing the churches up there in Asia Minor, and especially up there in Antioch. And the Jews down at Jerusalem are still not accepting that. They still can't, even the believing Jews. Now I'm not talking about the Pharisees. I'm talking about Jews who had embraced Jesus as their Messiah. But they were still law keeping, and they still had that mentality that nobody should be going to the Jews unless they had the King and the Kingdom. So here in Acts chapter 15, and we'll be touching on it more in detail when we get to the chapter several weeks down the road. But here in verse 1 of Acts 15, Now get the setting. These were Jewish believers who came from Jerusalem to Antioch. Now like I've said so often, our terminology is since they were going north, we normally would say they went up to Antioch. But the Scripture writes in elevation. And so from Jerusalem at about 1400 feet above sea level down to Antioch at sea level, it was down, but it was up north. So they got them up there at Antioch, and they said, except you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved. That's what the Book says. Now this is 51 A.D. 51 A.D. is when Acts 15 is taking place. That's 33 years after Pentecost. Am I right? Or 23? 23. 23 years after Pentecost. And these believing Jews are still picking at these Gentiles up there at Antioch, saying, hey you can't be saved unless you keep the Mosaic Law. You have to be circumcised. Now verse 2. And so when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension, now again what does that mean? Argument. Paul and Barnabas literally had to dig in and say, look fellas, you're wrong. You cannot put circumcision and legalism on these Gentile believers. But they couldn't settle the question, so they said, well then you've got to come up to Jerusalem and deal with the wheels up there. Now when I say the wheels, I'm not saying that with any malice. Who were they? Well the twelve and the other elders of the believing element that we call the church at Jerusalem. So verse 3. So being brought on their way by the church, that is the congregation at Antioch, they passed through Phenis and Samaria, all their way down from Antioch going to Jerusalem, and they declared the conversion of the Gentiles. See that? Up there at Antioch. And they caused great joy unto all the brethren. And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, that is that believing element of Jews. And of the apostles and elders, that would be Peter, James and John and the rest of them. No, James is already beheaded. He's gone. And so they declared all things that God had done with them, that is amongst the Gentiles. Now verse 5. But again even in Jerusalem there arose up certain of the sect of Pharisees, but not the whited sepulchers that Jesus had to deal with. What kind of Pharisees? Believers. See? They were Pharisees, but they had believed that Jesus was the Christ. They were members of that Jerusalem church. And these Pharisees said that it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the Law of Moses. That's what it says. Not just in my Bible, it says it in yours. And this remember is 23, 22 years after Pentecost. Time has been going by. Paul has been out amongst the Gentiles now ever since 40 A.D., that's after he's three years down in the desert. So for 12 years Paul has been laboring amongst the Gentiles. So verse 6. The apostles and the elders came together to consider the matter. Now verse 7. And when there had been much disputing, now I don't know how long this had been going on, but I think several hours. And they just couldn't come to any agreement. The Jewish believers of Jerusalem said, you have to circumcise the Gentiles, and command them to keep the Law. And Paul and Barnabas said, no way. So after a long amount of disputing, Peter rose up. Now I don't want to read anything in here that isn't there, but on the other hand I can envision some things. I think most of this dissension and discussion would have been on their feet, don't you? I think they were just standing there in some large room and having all this discussion. But while all this was going on, I picture Peter kind of off to the side, sitting down, maybe even sulking a little bit. Because you have to understand that by now Peter has lost his role as the head honcho. He's not even the moderator of this meeting. James, the half brother of Jesus, is the moderator. And he wasn't even one of the twelve. Now all of this just shows how that Jewish system was slipping, and slipping, and slipping. But they didn't know it. And you pick this up so graphically in Galatians chapter 2. But whatever. After there had been much disputing, Peter stands up and he takes the floor. And now look what he says. Men and brethren, you know how that a good while ago, how long ago? From 51 to 38. 23 years? 13. This is the AD 51, and in 38 he went to Cornelius. Yeah, 13 years. Still a pretty good chunk of time. Peter says, you know how that a good while ago, 13 years ago, God made choice among us, that is among the twelve, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel and believe. What's he referring to? Cornelius, see. And God who knoweth the hearts, bear them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as He did us. Remember last program? The Holy Spirit came upon them before they were even baptized, and they were all shook up. This is what Peter is referring to. Verse 9. And put no difference between us as Jews, and them, the Gentiles, purifying their hearts, not by becoming proselytes of Judaism, but how? By faith. See, by faith. Verse 10. Now Peter says, Therefore why tempt God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, that is the Gentile believers up there at Antioch, why put a yoke upon the neck of those disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? What's he saying? Hey, even Israel couldn't handle the law. The law was severe. It was a yoke. It was bondage. And so Peter says, Why try to put something on those Gentiles that even we Jews couldn't comprehend? Now then, verse 11. But Peter says, We believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they. Verse 12. Now here's the secret to the whole thing. Then, after Peter stood up and made his little spiel, then the multitude kept silence. They all shut up, and they gave audience to the Gentiles by them. Alright, now let's go to Galatians chapter 2 and see what Paul says about this situation. Same thing, it's the same event, and here's how you figure out the chronology on some of these things. In Galatians chapter 2, verse 1, Paul writes, Then 14 years after, and he's just been rehearsing his apostleship and how he was commissioned on the road to Damascus, and we've placed that event as A.D. 37. 14 years after A.D. 37, what do you get? A.D. 51. It's the same event. Alright, so he says, 14 years after, that is after his conversion, I went up by revelation, that is to Jerusalem, and communicated unto them, that is the Jewish believers at Jerusalem, and I communicated unto them that gospel, see how he identifies it, that gospel which I preach where? Among the Gentiles. See how he's differentiating? But privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or I'd run in vain. Now you come all the way down to verse 5. He says, 15. To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour. What's he talking about? The same thing that Acts 15 said. There was much disputation, and these Jewish believers were coming down on him. You cannot expect those Gentiles to be saved if they don't keep the Law and are circumcised. But Paul says, 16. We didn't give in. We did not back down. Why? 17. That the truth of the gospel might continue with you, that is Gentiles such as Galatians. Alright, now here's what I'm trying to say. Why really did God send Peter to the house of Cornelius for this event right here? Because you see, if Peter would not have come to Paul and Barnabas' defense, the rest of those Jews would have simply squashed them, and it would have stopped Christianity in its tracks, and they'd have been no longer able to go to the Gentile world with the Gospel of Grace. But Paul says, 18. I did not give in. I stood my ground. Now read on. 19. But by subjection, he says, 20. I did not give in for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you, but of these who seemed to be somewhat. Now what does he mean by that? Now that's Holy Spirit inspired. Paul isn't being nitpicky. They were not realizing that the whole Jewish program was slipping away from them, and the Gentile program was ascending. Transition. But they didn't realize it, and that's exactly what Paul is saying. They seemed to be somewhat. They thought they were still in control, but they weren't, because it was falling apart. We've looked at this a few weeks ago, and I don't like to repeat things unnecessarily. But he says in verse 6, 21. God accepteth no man's person, for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference. Now what does that mean? When they really started to compare everything that had been unfolding. All of the Old Testament covenant promises, the revelations of Saul now, and his commission to go to the Gentile with the gospel of grace. They put all this together, and they compared notes. And especially after Peter remembered that yes God would save Gentiles outside of Judaism. And so he says, when we had conference they added nothing to me. Well what does he mean? Well they didn't have the revelations that he had, so they couldn't add. He had more than they did. Verse 7, but contrary wise. But on the other hand, when they saw, that is the Jewish leaders of Jerusalem, Peter and all the rest of them. When they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision, that gospel in verse 2, which I preach among the Gentiles. When they saw that that gospel was to Peter, then verse 8, for he that wrought effectually in Peter, the apostleship of the Jew, the same was mighty in me toward whom? The Gentiles. How plain that is. And so when Peter, and James, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived or understood the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go to the heathen, or the Gentiles, and they would go through circumcision. Now this was all decided in 51 A .D., 13 years after Peter had gone to Cornelius. And all this time, those Jewish believers of Jerusalem are still maintaining that Gentiles can't be saved unless they become proselytes of Judaism. And Paul just stood his ground. And you and I can thank God tonight, that we have this tremendous gospel of grace, because the apostle Paul did not give in. And that's where it's all at. Alright, now you get the picture? Now I have another little analogy that God does something way back in time for something that will come much later. And while we're looking at it, go over to Galatians chapter 4 just a second. Because I think the two tie together. Now I've got time to do this. Now in Galatians chapter 4, this same little book, this little letter written to the Gentile churches up in Asia Minor for the purpose of trying to tell them that they're not under the Law, they're under grace. Because the Judaizers were following Paul everywhere he went. And they're not going to give up. They're still going to maintain that these Gentiles can't be saved unless they embrace Judaism and keep the Law. And so he had to hurriedly write this little letter to the Galatians to admonish them not to give in, because you're not under the Law, you're under grace. Alright, so you come into chapter 4, and it's one of my favorite studies. If I were ever given an opportunity to just off the cuff give a 30 or 40 minute Bible study, this would be my first choice. And here Paul says in verse 19, or verse 22 rather, it is written, Galatians 4 verse 22, it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman. Now who were they? Hagar the Egyptian slave girl, Sarai his legitimate wife. Hagar had Ishmael, Sarai had Isaac. Now those are the two boys that he's going to use as an allegory. Verse 23, He who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh. Now you remember this was Sarah's idea, not God's. And so he was of the flesh. But you see, God had been promising Isaac for 20 some years, and they had to patiently wait, and even when they were past time for childbearing, either one of them, God miraculously gave them Isaac. Alright, now read on. So he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh, but he of the free woman was by promise. God had promised that they were having a child, even though they were 90 and 100. Verse 24, These things are an allegory, they are just a picture. But see God set it all up. Paul couldn't write this if it hadn't happened, but it did happen. It's an allegory. Verse 25, For these are the two covenants, the one from Mount Sinai, with gendereth to bondage, and that's Hagar. Now what covenant is the covenant of bondage? Law. The Mosaic Law, of which Ishmael is the picture. For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia. That's where I get the idea that Sinai is not over close to Egypt, it's out in Arabia. And this is where I get the idea that that's where Paul went, because he said he went to Arabia. Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. Now remember Paul is writing this before the Temple is destroyed. The Temple in Jerusalem is going full speed ahead at this point in time. And so he says, Jerusalem which now is, the practitioning of the Law. But, verse 26, Jerusalem which is above is free. Now what's that? Oh that's the heavenly situation of which you and I are now citizens. We're citizens of the heavenlies, Paul writes. And so, Isaac is a picture of that. Grace. And then you come down to verse 28. Now we brethren, see, believing Gentiles. Now we brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of what? Promise. Well where does the promises come in? God promised Christ, that as a result of His going to that Roman cross, and dying, and shedding His blood, and being raised from the dead, this multitude of believers would be brought in. They were promised to Him, see, from the very beginning. Alright, so now he says, as Isaac was, we are the children of promise. And then verse 29, in Galatians 4, But as then, even as it was between Isaac and Ishmael, and you know the circumstances, he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now, in other words, so it's always been between the believing element and the unbelievers. And then verse 30, nevertheless, what saith the Scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son. And what do they picture? The Law and Legalism. Now, let's go back in our minds at least, to Genesis. All the way back to Genesis. Do you remember when Hagar was first pregnant? She hadn't even had her child yet. What did she start doing to poor old Sarah? Taunting her, making life miserable, ha ha, you know, I'm pregnant, you can't be. Until finally poor old Sarah couldn't take it another minute, and she goes to Abraham, and she says, get rid of her, get her out of my sight, I can't stand it. And Abraham did, he sent her away. But see, God intervened. Out there in the desert someplace, God went out to Hagar, and she says, Hagar, you go right back to Sarah's tent, and you just stay there. Now what did God know? Thirteen years later, God would tell Hagar and Ishmael to go right back where He brought her from in the first place, out in the desert. Now why? Well you see, if they hadn't gone back to Abraham and Sarah's tent, if Ishmael had not been on the scene when Isaac came, Paul would not have the allegory. You got the picture? So you see, way back there in Genesis, God set the stage for the two boys, Ishmael and Isaac, to be raised at least for a little bit in proximity, and then to be sent apart. So that Paul could say, now look, this is exactly what we have to do with the Law. We have to treat the Law and Legalism the same way that Abraham treated Ishmael. And you know, in my classes I've said it over and over, God didn't tell Abraham and Sarah, well give Hagar a tent next door. He didn't say, well why don't you just give them a little tent out behind or a half mile down the line. But where did He send them? Clear out into the desert. What was the purpose? Long grace won't mix. Long grace can't mix. You have to cast out the bond woman and her son. And you see, this is what Paul had to contend for then. I think it just about drove him up the wall that he was not going to give in and command his Gentile converts to embrace any kind of Legalism. It just won't work. Now while you're still in Galatians 4, we do this usually, and I think I did it in one of the other classes the other night. In Galatians 4, so then he says, Galatians 4, verse 30 So then brethren, we are not children of the bond woman, but of the free. Then go into chapter 5, verse 1. Galatians 5, verse 1 You know I always qualify that, liberty is not license. Liberty is not license. That doesn't mean that we are free to do as we please, not at all, but we are free. We are under the full exercise eyes of our free will. And so he says, "...stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free. Be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage," or legalism in any shape or form. Whenever somebody comes along and says, you have to do that to be a child of God, you just run, because that is false teaching. And then verse 2 of Galatians 5, "...Behold, I, Paul, say unto you, If ye be circumcised," that is for salvation, see, "...if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you how much?" Nothing! Now that's scary. That tells me that every individual, whether he's a church member, devout and sincere, and just like Cornelius, he prays and he gives. If he is doing something to fulfill his salvation, or put the frosting on the cake, however you want to put it, they're lost as lost can be because the Book says so. Christ can profit you nothing, and the only way you and I are ever going to get into God's heaven is because of what Christ profits us on our behalf. So we have to warn people, don't depend on something that you can do. I don't care what it is. In this case, yes it was circumcision, but it can be anything. It can be church membership, it can be a baptism, it can be anything that you can do in the flesh, and when you do it as part of salvation, then we cancel the work of the cross. Always remember that. That when Christ said, ìIt's finished,î He meant what He said. Everything that we need was accomplished on that cross. That's Route 1, Box 760, Kinta, OK 74552. Through the Bible with Les Feldick is viewer supported, and your gift is appreciated. Thank you, and be sure to tune in next time for Through the Bible with Les Feldick. Amen.