During this election season, we have been looking at a
letter that is recorded for us in the New Testament in our Bibles called the
Book of Galatians. And just as it was for the members of the churches of
Galatia, we discovered that, every day, we cast a ballot in an election for one
of two candidates. Either we choose to live our day to day lives as a
gospel-centered person whose life is driven to respond to what God has done for
us through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection by placing our confident trust
in Jesus and following His message and teachings by faith. Or, we choose to
live our day to day lives as a religious centered person who follows one of two
different forms of religion.
However, as we have seen throughout this series, there
are several reasons why we must vote no on religion. Last week, we discovered that
a religious centered lifestyle that is that is
controlled and influenced by our old nature apart from Christ produces rotten
results when it comes to our sexuality, to our relationship with God, to our
relationship with others, and a lack of self control. By contrast, a gospel centered lifestyle that is influenced and
controlled by the Holy Spirit produces the fruit, or results, that a religious
centered lifestyle could never do, which is to fulfill
the requirements of the Law and reveal and reflect Christ to others.
This week I would like for us to spend our time together
picking up where we left off last week where we see the Apostle Paul continue
to unpack the positive fruit, or results that a gospel centered lifestyle that
is influenced and controlled by the Holy Spirit. And it is in this section of
this letter that we will see Paul reveal for us another timeless reason why we
are to vote no on religion. And that timeless reason is this: We are to vote no
on religion because religion does not produce gospel centered community.
Now maybe you are reading this and a question was raised
in your mind. If we were having a conversation about what you just read, this
question would sound something like this:
“Well Dave, what do you mean that religion does not produce gospel
centered community? I mean, I don’t even know what you mean when you say
‘gospel centered community’. That sounds like church mumbo-jumbo talk. What is
gospel centered community anyways?
Maybe you are wondering why a religious centered
lifestyle does not produce what a gospel centered lifestyle produces. Maybe you
are here and you are wondering what the phrase “gospel centered community” even
means. If those questions are running through your mind, I have some good news
for you. And that good news is that in Galatians 6:1-10, we are going to see
the Apostle Paul reveal for us four timeless aspects of gospel centered
community. And as Paul reveals these aspects of gospel centered community to
us, we will discover why a religious centered lifestyle cannot produce a gospel
centered community. So let’s look together as Paul reveals the first aspect of
a gospel centered community, beginning in Galatians 6:1:
Brethren,
even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a
one in a spirit of gentleness; each
one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.
Paul begins this section of his letter to the members of
the churches of Galatia with a situation: Brethren, even if anyone is caught in
any trespass. What is so interesting is that the word caught literally means to
be surprised and overtaken by something. Paul here is referring to a follower
of Jesus who has been surprised and overtaken by the evil and destructive power
of selfishness and rebellion that results in them acting in a way that hurts
God and others.
This is not a person who has embraced a selfish and rebellious
lifestyle of sin. Instead this is a person who has been caught off guard by the
evil and destructive power of selfishness and rebellion in a way that has
resulted in them getting off track when it comes to their relationship with
God.
After revealing the situation, Paul then provides the
members of the churches of Galatia a command in terms of how they are to
respond to the situation. Paul commands those in the churches who are spiritual
to restore such a one. When Paul refers to those who are spiritual, he is
referring to those who are living a gospel centered lifestyle that is
influenced and controlled by the Holy Spirit. Those who are living
Spirit-filled, gospel centered lives are to restore the person who has gotten
off track as a result of being surprised and overtaken by the evil and
destructive power of selfishness and rebellion so that they can get back on
track when it comes to their relationship with God.
But notice how Paul says that followers of Jesus who are
living Spirit-filled, gospel centered lives are to help those who have gotten
off track get back on track when it comes to their relationship with God.
First, Paul explains that we are to display a spirit of gentleness. In other
words, followers of Jesus are not to use their Bibles like a sledge hammer to
beat the person who has gotten off track back on track.
Instead, for the person who is striving to live a gospel
centered life but has gotten knocked off track by our old nature apart from
Jesus that is dominated by selfishness and rebellion, we are to lovingly and
gently come alongside and guide them and encourage them in a way that results
in them getting back on track.
Second, Paul explains that we are to be “looking to
yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.”
Now if Paul was making this statement in the language we use in our
culture today, this statement would sound something like this: “As you are
helping those who have gotten off track get back on track, pay attention and
look out that you don’t end up being enticed by your old nature apart from
Jesus as well.”
Here we see Paul reveal the reality that gospel centered
communities are focused on helping others stay on track when it comes to their
relationship with Christ. Gospel centered communities practice loving accountability
in community with one another that is focused on the goal of every follower of
Jesus living a gospel centered lifestyle that is influenced and controlled by
the Holy Spirit and that reveals and reflects Jesus in their character and
conduct.
You see, in most cases, the
difference between a gospel centered community and a religious centered
community is not the concept of accountability. The difference between a gospel
centered community and a religious centered community is how accountability is
measured and administered.
Religious centered community
measures accountability by a scorecard of rules that are focused on externals;
gospel centered community measures accountability by Christ like character
focused on the heart. Religious centered community administers accountability
in a legalistic, graceless way where the Bible is used like a sledgehammer;
gospel centered community administers accountability in a progressive manner
that is centered on grace and delivered in a gentle and loving manner.
Tomorrow, we will see Paul
reveal for us a second aspect of gospel centered community…
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