1 God doesn’t need our good works But our neighbors do

2 5:1 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.

3 What sort of freedom is Christian freedom? Christ has set our conscience free from the guilt of sin. Christian freedom is freedom from the condemnation of God. Christian freedom is based on the acceptance of God through Christ.

4 Real Christians live and do things from acceptance and not for acceptance. They live and do things from being love and not for love. They live and do things from salvation and not for salvation.

5 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. Circumcision is a theological symbol. It is a type of religion that teaches salvation is by work.

6 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 the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. religion of law; religion of grace. one is false and one is true.

7 “I love Jesus but I hate religion.” “Christianity is not a religion it is a relationship.” But Christianity is a religion.

8 Jas 1:27, Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world … 2:18, show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

9 5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.

10 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Circumcision represents morality among legalistic Christians. Uncircumcision represents moral failures among pagans.

11 Neither morality nor immorality counts for anything. The only thing that counts is faith that expresses in loving deeds. We didn’t earn our salvation by our behavior and we can’t un- earn it by our behavior.

12 When Christians say I am doing this (good work) for God They are either doing it to be accepted by God or trying to pay God back for what Christ did for us. God doesn’t need this kind of good work.

13 13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Does the emphasis on freedom mean we can live and act as we please? Why should anyone serve in church ministry and do good works in the community?

15 His love for us produces love from us; we are objects of his love before we can become subjects who love.

When a Christian is uncertain of God’s acceptance, his obedience will be for gaining God’s love and acceptance. The Christian who is absolutely certain of God’s acceptance pray and read the Bible for directions on how to best serve his neighbors.

17 Two seniors Wayne and Dave applied for early admission to the same college. Wayne was accepted but Dave was deferred.

The next four months, they were in the same classes and had the same homework load but they were two different people.

Wayne no longer concern with college admission started a band and got into rock climbing and even started a program teaching underprivileged kids in the underserved community how to climb. 19

Dave got involved in a bunch of extracurricular stuff he thought might boost his chances at getting into his dream college.

Dave was exhausted but Wayne was full of energy. Being accepted sets Wayne free to enjoy his last semester in school and to serve others. Being uncertain of his acceptance, Dave worked anxiously and didn’t enjoy his last semester in school.

22 You are fully accepted and set free to go and love your neighbors and share the gospel with them. God does not need your good works but our unsaved neighbors do.