Turning Again To The Beggarly Elements

Temple Baptist Church - 8-5-2009

Galatians 4:8-11

Introduction:

A. We need to remember that Galatians is all about faith and works in order to properly render the interpretation of these verses tonight. The Holy Spirit is not referring to God’s people turning back to a sinful life.

B. It is possible for the saint to become sinful. It is possible for the saint to even quit. Two things come to mind when I think of quitting:

1. Loving this present world - 2 Timothy 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. (The Bible says to “love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.” I love living, but the Bible is speaking of the world system and sinfulness that so allures each of us.)

2. Looking back to the old life - Hebrews 11:15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. (Israel said that it was better for them in Egypt! The Lord delivered them because their cries came up into His ears by reason of their taskmasters. They forgot why they wanted out.)

C. These verses tonight deal with the believer who, once truly saved, goes back under the Law in order to stay saved. Not everyone who believes that they must keep their salvation is lost according to Galatians. I have heard people say, “If you think you have to keep your salvation, you are depending upon works and are lost.” These Galatian believers had been bewitched. They were now keeping the Law in order to stay saved. (Galatians 3:1-3.)

D. Many people, through satanic deception, have become involved with churches who teach faith plus works for staying saved. Not for being saved. These believers knew how they got saved according to chapter 3:1-3. If you have ever gotten saved, you understand that salvation is all of grace! Some have missed biblical salvation because they have added works to salvation. It is all of grace or it is not true salvation!

E. Let us look at these verses within their context to see what the Holy Spirit is trying to teach us in a day when most denominations believe that once saved you can still lose your salvation.

1. They Had Been Delivered – vs. 8

Ephesians 2:1-6 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (Notice with me the tense changes from present to past to present to past.)

2. They Had Known God And Been Known Of God – vs. 9

a. When they knew God, they glorified Him as God – just the opposite of the heathen in Romans 1. What a thrill to know God. They knew Him in His holiness so why did they think that they could approach unto Him outside of Christ now?

1 Timothy 6:16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

b. God knew them!

1 Timothy 6:16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

3. They Had Gone From Law To Grace And Back To Law – vs. 9-10 (Paul called them “weak and beggarly elements.”

a. Weak because they could not give life, righteousness, peace, joy, comfort, and salvation!

Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

b. Beggarly because they brought bondage!

1) Bondage instead of liberty – We are not servants! We are sons! We do not serve because we have to but because we love Him. Those who believe that they can lose their salvation serve because it is essential to remaining saved.

2) Fear instead of peace - How could you ever know that you had done enough. How could you know when you had done TOO much!

3) Self-esteem instead glorification – We are now going to Heaven because we are living right? We now are made perfect by the flesh? It is still not only of God but all of God!

4. God’s Salvation Becomes Vanity – vs. 11

a. Their salvation became vain – Denomination that fear the loss of salvation do not greatly work in the harvest! They become proselyters and make disciples. Their worship became a vain show of the flesh. Sounds like the Charismatic Movement!

b. Paul preaching became vain – He preached grace while they followed those who taught works. What a heart break! I have preached the truth to people and then watch as they go into liberal churches.