System Failure

I remember an area-wide preacher’s meeting where we were discussing a seminar (really more of a debate) sponsored by one of our schools presenting several different perspectives on the role of women in the church. One of the preacher’s made the statement in his presentation, “It’s not that women can’t preach; I’ve heard several women speakers…” I couldn't resist asking him (in a good natured way, of course), “How do you know that women can preach; have you ever listened to women preach?” He assured me he had—on tape from women’s retreats and such. Someone asked him, “If you can listen to a woman preach on tape; could you listen to her while she was being taped?” (OK, that was me asking that question too; I was a bit testy that day). He thought for a minute and said, “That would be OK if you sat in the cry room and listened over the P.A. system… as long as you pilled the curtain and couldn’t see her.” He said it with such finality that I knew that no further inquiry was welcomed or needed.  The ex cathedra pronouncement had been given.

I think a lot of our church rules and traditions have been arrived at with just about that much thought and every bit as much finality. Church traditions OK— in fact, they are unavoidable. Any time you do the same thing the same way twice, you are creating a tradition. And even if you intentionally did every different every time, then THAT would be your tradition. I like church traditions—old and new, formal and informal. The only problem with our church traditions is when we start attributing them to God and acting like loyalty to the tradition is what saves us.

That was the problem in Galatia. The Judaizing teachers were converted Pharisees who insisted that Gentile Christians proselyte to Judaism and keep the Old Testament Law as a condition of being Christian (See Acts 15:5). They came to these new Gentile church with what they claimed was “The List” of practices and procedures that all real Christians had to follow. To fail to follow the list was to fail to be really Christian. The more credence the Galatians gave to the list, the more freedom and joy they relinquished. By accepting the legalism of these false teachers, they gave up their freedom in Christ for slavery. In our reading for today, Paul lays it out pretty plainly—

1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. 2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5 But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope.

Paul sums up his point in verses 6, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” What is lost if the Galatians give in and follow the Law in order to better follow Christ? Paul thinks they lose quite a bit--

• First, Christ becomes of no value (5:2). Jesus came to save those who could not save themselves. If you can be good on your own by following the rules and keeping the traditions, then you don’t need Christ. The more you value your works the less you value His grace.
  
  
• Second, we are committed pretty much to perfection (5:3). The Judaizers handled the Old Testament like an all you can eat smorgasbord— they liked the part about circumcision, Sabbath observance, and kosher foods. But the part about animal sacrifices and yearly pilgrimages was a bit messy (and maybe the part about tithing too?). But if you want to be justified by the law, then you have to keep the whole law (See James 2:10). If we’re to make it to heaven through the right rites, then you have to be right all the time! Yikes!
  
  
• Third, we fall away from grace (5:4). The ultimate result of seeking salvation through law-keeping is that you will be lost! You can’t save yourself; ig you try to do so, that is the ultimate FAIL! A stress your works takes the focus off of God’s grace.

The problem of the Judaizers' system of salvation by works wasn’t really the works. Paul didn’t care about circumcision. In fact, he had Timothy (who was Jewish) circumcised so that he could have full access to ministry in the synagogues where Paul often preached. Paul himself did Jewish stuff when the situation called for it (see Acts 21:20ff). The problem wasn’t the works—it was the system. It was the idea that keeping the right system of works somehow ingratiated us more to God than just believing in Jesus, loving Him and seeking to obey Him.

The Judaizers weren’t heretics because of all their Jewish stuff. They were heretics because of their insistence that the Galatians needed a system to add to the gospel in order to be saved.

Of course, there is no lesson here for us today.  Forget I brought it up.