For the past few weeks we have looking at the importance of death in the life of the believer in Jesus Christ. In Romans chapter 6, the apostle Paul contrasts what everyone was before salvation, and what believers should be like after salvation. The blessing for the believer is that they no longer have to fear physical death, but now they must die to self – to mortify their members (body parts that can lead to sin) in order to walk in obedience to God. That does not mean believers literally slay their members, but that the believer should set aside their fleshly desires in order to follow God’s desires.

Colossians 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

Note that Paul points out that covetousness is also idolatry and really, all sin is idolatry because the sinner has decided that they know what is the best way for them to go. The believer should flee from sin in order to properly follow God. However, the Christian life is not about NOT doing certain things. The person cannot declare that they are right with God because they do not do certain things or that they DO certain things. The believer must have the right motivation for the things that they do and have the right motivation for the things they do not do. And that motivation must be because they love God and want to honor and glorify Him. A believer cannot do that if they have idols in their life.

Romans 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Thankfully, God has given every believer the means to be able to properly follow God. That means is the Holy Spirit. People are able to mortify their members and the deeds of their body, their people that can lie down on a bed of nails believing that action brings closer to their god. Some people live in monasteries and nunneries and deny themselves marriage and wear uncomfortable clothing believing this brings them closer to God. But God does not require these types of actions by the believers in Jesus Christ. These actions are going beyond what is taught in the Bible. God gives the believer to not sin if they would follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. The believer can have triumph of sin if they would continuously follow the Holy Spirit.

J.N. Darby wrote: For there is power of life in Christ to enable us to triumph over sin and death, and not to live unto ourselves, but unto Him who loved us, and died for us, and is now seated at the right hand of God. We are already risen in Him and to be manifested with Him in the glory. Shall I, then, allow any wretched object or idle vanity to occupy me instead of Christ? It may be perhaps some folly, or some piece of self-importance, or some evil disposition, or even the cares of this life!

Ephesians 4:29-30 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. (30) And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

When believers are not following the Holy Spirit, they are grieving the Holy Spirit. To grieve the Holy Spirit, means to bring pain to Him because we are not following His leading. The Holy Spirit will lead the believer, but the believer must be willing to be led. D.L Moody said, “I believe firmly that the moment our hearts are emptied of pride and selfishness and ambition and everything that is contrary to God’s law, the Holy Spirit will fill every corner of our hearts. But if we are full of pride and conceit and ambition and the world, there is no room for the Spirit of God. We must be emptied before we can be filled.” Think about this: if you take a dog out for a walk, the dog will want to decide where it wants to go. If the dog is big enough and determined enough it will pull the dog walker all over the place even if it has a leash. The dog will dash to one spot because something smells interesting and then will want to quickly run elsewhere because something has caught its attention. But if the dog is properly trained, no matter how big the dog, the dog walker will be able to decide where the dog will walk. And the first thing that happens is that the dog is trained to follow the will of the walker not the desires of the dog. The dog is trained to obey the dog walker. The same is true for the believer in Jesus Christ – the believer must be trained to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading and go where God wants. The believer must humble themselves and walk where God wants, not where the believer wants to go. The believer must be willing to say to God, “Not my will, but thine.”

D.L. Moody was to have a campaign in England. An elderly pastor protested, “Why do we need this ‘Mr. Moody’? He’s uneducated, inexperienced, etc. Who does he think he is anyway? Does he think he has a monopoly on the Holy Spirit?” A younger, wiser pastor rose and responded, “No, but the Holy Spirit has a monopoly on Mr. Moody.” D.L. Moody desired to be sold out for God and he determined to follow God, not fight God.

Each believer in Jesus Christ must not grieve the Holy Spirit, because when that happens they lose discernment. The longer the believer grieves the Holy Spirit, the less and less discernment they will have in their lives. They will have trouble knowing what is right or wrong in the eyes of God, because they will have stopped praying and have stopped reading their Bible. When the believer grieves the Holy Spirit, then sin is working in the believer’s life and makes it more difficult for him or her to follow God. Sin begets sin and the believer’s neck will stiffen and their heart will harden about the things of God. The believer’s spiritual sense will dim and sin will lead the believer further away from God. This is why the believer must daily die to self and humble themselves before God so they can be led by the Holy Spirit and follow God in love and obedience. The believer must decrease so the God can increase.

Speaking to a large audience, D.L. Moody held up a glass and asked, “How can I get the air out of this glass?” One man shouted, “Suck it out with a pump!” Moody replied, “That would create a vacuum and shatter the glass.” After numerous other suggestions Moody smiled, picked up a pitcher of water, and filled the glass. “There,” he said, “all the air is now removed.” He then went on to explain that victory in the Christian life is not accomplished by “sucking out a sin here and there,” but by being filled with the Holy Spirit. Go back to Romans 6.

Romans 6:12-13 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. (13) Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

In verse 12, Paul warns that believers should not allow sin to control them. Sin is never full for long, once it starts it will continue to grow if the believer does not realize the sin and repent of it. Believers cannot allow sin to control them nor allow it a foothold in their lives. There’s an old story about a man who tried to save the city of Sodom from destruction by warning the citizens. But the people ignored him. One day someone asked, “Why bother everyone? You can’t change them.” “Maybe I can’t,” the man replied, “but I still shout and scream to prevent them from changing me!

In verse 13, Paul warns the believer to decide who or what they are going to yield to: sin or God. Believers have the choice and Paul is urging them to yield to God’s will and not their own will. Believers must look to follow God and not their own desires that are contrary to God. This can only happen when believers humble themselves and do not grieve the Holy Spirit. This means that the believer needs to grow and mature in Jesus Christ and not remain stagnant. J. Vernon McGee wrote: A little girl fell out of bed one night and began to cry. Her mother rushed into her bedroom, picked her up, put her back in bed, and asked her, “Honey, why did you fall out of bed?” And she said, “I think I stayed too close to the place where I got in.” And that’s the reason a great many of us fall, my friend. It is because we are actually yielding ourselves to our old nature. We’re following the dictates of the old nature; that is what gets us into trouble.

Believers are always going to have a sin nature, but believers do not have to choose to yield to it. Remember that: we choose to sin, but we do not have to sin. Romans 6:4-6 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (5) For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: (6) Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

The believer’s old man is his or her sin nature – that desire to please the flesh – but the believer does not have to be the servant of sin. Please remember that sin does not serve us, because sin does not have our best interests at heart. We become servants of sin because once we start, we desire to add to it and build it up. Sin becomes our every thought and our every imagination.

Please remember that the Christian life is not a matter of simply following certain rules and avoiding certain things. Keeping the Law that Moses delivered does not save anyone. J. Vernon McGee wrote: The Christian life is not following certain rules; you can follow rules and regulations and still not be living the Christian life. Somebody asks,”The what is the Christian life?” The Christian life is to be obedient unto Christ. It means communication with Christ. It is not how you walk, but where you walk – are you walking in the light, walking in fellowship with Christ? Sin will break the fellowship, of course, and then we are to confess our sin. The Lord Jesus said to Peter in the upper room, “If I wash you not, you have no part with me (John 13:8)”. We do not have fellowship with Him unless we confess our sins to Him as we go along. Our part is confession; His part is cleansing (see 1 John 1:9). The important thing for you and me is to have fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ and to obey Him. Then we will be living the Christian life.

Romans 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

When the believer is dead to sin, then they are free from sin. Why? Because a dead man cannot sin! Furthermore, because the believer has died with Jesus Christ on the cross, was buried, and rose with Jesus Christ, the believer is no longer under the penalty for sin. God looks upon the believer has has declared him or her righteous. The believer is declared not guilty, why? Because Jesus Christ has paid the penalty for the believer.

Romans 6:8-9 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: (9) Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

Remember, the three steps for the believer: rejected, slain, risen. Every believer must go through those steps, just as Jesus Christ did for the believer. If the believer died with Jesus Christ then they will also be risen with Him. The believer has newness of life now and the believer will be resurrected one day after they have physically died. Look at verse 9 – what is the first word? Knowing, not hoping, not maybe, not possibly, but KNOWING. Paul wants the believer to realize that they should KNOW death no more has dominion and that Jesus Christ forever lives. As Jesus Christ told the apostle John: Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Romans 6:10-12 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. (11) Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (12) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

Jesus Christ died once and will never die again. The believer has the same promise. The believer must realize that they are dead to sin and do not have to choose to sin. If the believer chooses to not sin, then they will live a fuller life following God in love and obedience. That does not mean they will live an easier life, but it will be a life more satisfying. Charles Spurgeon wrote: We are one with Jesus being both dead with Him, and risen in Him; ours therefore it is to live the new life, and view ourselves as dead to all the sinful joys of our former lives. Of for grace to carry this out to the full.

Joshua 8:30-35 Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal, (31) As Moses the servant of the Lord commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lifted up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings. (32) And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel. (33) And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel. (34) And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law. (35) There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.

At this point in history, the Israelites have conquered Jericho and marched on to Ai. Sadly, at Ai, they fell in battle because of the sin of Achan. Furthermore, they had not talked to God first before deciding to go to battle. When we plan to do something, the first thing we should do is pray to God for guidance before attempting the task. Too often we get ahead of God or do not do what God wanted in the first place. After the Israelites separated out the sin that was in their camp, they went to God and He guided them to victory over the people of Ai. Now they have come to Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal and will do what Moses had directed the Israelites to do.

Where are Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim? About twenty miles north of Ai, which is just a few miles north of Jericho. These two mounts form a valley and in the center of the valley is the city of Shechem. It was in Shechem that 600 years earlier, Abraham stopped as he traveled from Ur and built his first altar to God. Jacob had gone to Shechem during his escape from his father-in-law, Laban. Joseph looked for his brothers in Shechem before they had sold him to the Midianites and into slavery. Jacob also dug a Shechem – the same well that Jesus Christ sat at as He talked to the Samaritan woman in John chapter 4.

Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim are about a mile and a half apart at the top, but are only 500 yards apart at the bottom. Mount Ebal is taller than Mount Gerizim. Francis Schaeffer wrote: There are two interesting things about there mountains. First from the top of Ebal or Gerizim we can see a great deal of the promised land. Second, at one place a natural ampitheater exists, and as we stand on the top or on the sides of these mountains, we can see and hear everything occurring on both of the mountains and in the valley below. Through the years many people have tested this. They have stood on one of the mountains and had other people stand on other parts of the two mountains or in the valley. As they read something in a loud voice but without amplification, the other persons were able to hear all that was spoken. This is God’s own ampitheater.

Deuteronomy 11:29 And it shall come to pass, when the LORD thy God hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal.

Every one of the Israelites was to be at one of the two mountain sites – not just the men. Mount Gerizim was to be the place of blessing and Mount Ebal – the taller mountain – was to be the place of curses. This was to be a very real lesson to the Israelites as they were in the land that God promised to them: were they going to choose to live in the blessings announced on Mount Gerizim by keeping God’s Law or were they going to be in the curses announced on Mount Ebal because of their rejection of God. They had a choice to make and God wanted to be sure that they understood the consequences of their decision. When the Israelites arrived at Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, they had to build an altar. What is very interesting is on which mountain the altar was built.

Deuteronomy 27:1-8 And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you this day. (2) And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaster them with plaster: (3) And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee. (4) Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaster them with plaster. (5) And there shalt thou build an altar unto the LORD thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them. (6) Thou shalt build the altar of the LORD thy God of whole stones: and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD thy God: (7) And thou shalt offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice before the LORD thy God. (8) And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly.

The altar was built on Mount Ebal – the mountain where the curses were going to be proclaimed. Note that God’s Word was going to be prominently displayed on the altar, just as God’s Word was to be placed on the doorposts of each home as taught earlier in Deuteronomy. The Word of God had been written down so it could be read and re-read – this was not oral tradition as some will try to teach. Oral tradition always changes something along the way through time, but the written word does not change.

In 2 Corinthians chapter 9, Paul is teaching the Corinthians the importance of Christian giving. Let me start off by stating that Paul is not only teaching about financial giving – he is also teaching the importance of giving all of yourself to God and to others. I read the whole chapter to provide the context for what Paul is teaching, but we see in the first five verses that Paul was exhorting the Corinthians to make good on the pledge they had made in providing relief to the believers in Jerusalem. It was not easy to be a Christian in Jerusalem at this time. Just because Paul was no longer persecuting the Christians does not mean that others had not continued the persecution. The Corinthians had pledged to help and Paul reminding them the importance of keeping a pledge or promise. God takes vows very seriously and we need to very careful about promises we make to God.

Numbers 30:2 If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.

In the Book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon warns about making foolish vows.

Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. (5) Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

How often do you hear about someone in troubles that prays to God, “God if you will do this for me, then I will do this ___.” But when the trial or trouble is over and passed, the person does not keep his end of the bargain. That is why we are warned that it is better to not make a promise rather than make a promise and not keep it.

The Corinthian church had been very blessed by God. They were in a fairly wealthy city and they had all the spiritual gifts given to them by God. They made a pledge and when we make a promise, it is between us and God and God keeps His promises and He expects us to keep ours. Note that is verse 5 of 2 Corinthians 9, Paul uses the word “bounty” twice. Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness. Bounty is more than a paper towel, a bounty is a generous gift given from the overflow of blessings from God. J. Vernon McGee wrote: I know a wealthy man who was asked, “How in the world did you become so rich when you give so much of it away?” “Well,” he answered, “The Lord shovels it in and I shovel it out and God has the bigger shovel.” My friend, we can never outgive God.

Please see that Paul says at the end of verse 5: that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness,meaning that Paul wanted the Corinthians to give willingly and not greedily hold onto the bounty.

A woman took her two small boys and a daughter to see Peter Pan at the matinee one Saturday afternoon. The tickets were two dollars and fifty cents each. The young daughter watched as the mother pushed ten one dollar bills under the window and received four tickets.

The next day the same mother and daughter were at church. When the collection was taken the child saw her mother open her purse, take out a quarter, and put it in the plate as it passed them.

The little girl looked up at her mother and in a clear stage whisper which everyone around could hear said, “Mother, church is a lot cheaper than a movie, isn’t it?”

2 Corinthians 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

In the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, Paul is giving his final message to the church of Ephesus and he tells them a similar statement.

Act 20:35 I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Interestingly, the four gospels do not record Jesus Christ ever saying, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” However, the gospel writers do not claim to have recorded everything said by Jesus Christ during His time here on earth. What this does show is the thought that the apostle Paul was personally taught by Jesus Christ after his conversion on the road to Damascus. How often do we hear that phrase today, “It is better to give than to receive” but how little it is practiced. It truly is a blessing when we give and the word “blessed” means “happy.” We have been blessed with a bounty, even if we do not realize it and we should be willing to share it with others. Dr Dan reed wrote:

Serving others was what our Lord fed upon. Giving His life for us was His meat! The discontentment of our age shows a change in the way we view service. We want to be served. But happiness and contentment was in looking after the welfare of others and getting our focus off of ourselves and onto others. I find that when I am down, a visit to a hospital room helps me. I find that when I am down, visits to some bus children help me. I find that when I am depressed and feeling blue, some phone calls to sick and hurting people help me. I find that it is not the gift you give to me that helps me most, but it is the gift I give to you (Dr. Dan Reed).

On the other hand, Paul also warned the Galatians:

Gal 6:7-8 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (8) For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

What is sowed, is what will be reaped. That can be applied to all areas of our lives, not in just financial matters. If a farmer plants corn in the ground, he will reap corn. If that farmer plants very few kernels of corn, then he will reap very few ears of corn. If he plants many kernels, then he will have a bounty. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he reap. If that same farmer that has just gained a bountiful harvest, not only plants half as much corn the next season, then he will only receive half as much corn. It is the same concept in how we treat ourselves physically and spiritually. If I only eat Twinkies morning, noon, and night, then I will reap a large weight gain and poor health. If I seldom read my Bible, then I will not grow spiritually and will remain a babe in Christ. If I am not planting the seed of the word of God in my heart, then I will not be able to withstand the wiles of the devil.

Our main focus today is going to be verses 11 through 18, but I wanted to give the context of the passage by reading the first 18 verses of Galatians 5. After Paul had started the churches in Galatia, he left to start churches elsewhere. Sadly, Judaizers came in and began teachings the Galatians that aspects of the Law that was given to Moses had to be followed as well. Essentially, they were teaching another Gospel that required works as well as faith for salvation. Paul was saddened and distressed at how quickly the Galatians chose to listen to these false teachers and follow what they taught, rather than cling to the teachings that Paul had founded their churches upon. Go to Galatians 1:

Galatians 1:6-9 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: (7) Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. (8) But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. (9) As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

These are very strong words condemning the misuse of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul does not mince words here, the Gospel cannot be changed or added to or have things taken from it, because then it turns the Gospel into a lie. In Galatians chapter 5, Paul is showing that circumcision or no circumcision does not bring a person into a right standing with God.

Galatians 5:3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

Once a person decides that they need to keep part of the Law, then they are required to keep all of the Law – there is no picking and choosing. We cannot state that we will keep the dietary portions of the Law and ignore the rest. We cannot state that we will keep the Sabbath, but ignore the Feasts of the Lord. James 2:8-12 If ye fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well: (9) But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. (10) For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. (11) For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. (12) So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

People will say that The Book of James and the Books that Paul wrote are contradictory, but note what James wrote in verses 8, 9: If ye fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well: (9) But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. And what Paul wrote in Galatians: For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. (15) But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. Both verses discuss loving your neighbor and point out the proper way of treating them. The point is that believers need to choose to live in the liberty of God’s grace or live in the bondage of the Law.

Galatians 5:11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offense of the cross ceased.

Paul is pointing the position that he is being put into: if Paul preaches that circumcision and other works of the Law doing nothing for salvation, then he is persecuted; and if he were to preach for circumcision, then he is persecuted. The problem is this: the Gospel of Jesus Christ offends the natural man – the unbeliever, the lost person. Whether it is the idea of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross or His shed blood or His burial and resurrection, the truth of the Gospel upsets people. John the Baptist’s message from the wilderness was not, “Smile, God loves you.” It was “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come.” Jeremiah was not put into a miry pit for preaching, “You can have your best life now.” It was for crying against the adultery, idolatry and other wickedness of his nation. Noah’s message from the steps of the ark was not, “Something good is going to happen to you.” He condemned the world and was a preacher of righteousness. Jesus Christ was not crucified for saying, “Consider the lilies, how they grow,” but for saying, “Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites…children of hell …fools and blind guides … whited sepulchers…generation of vipers.”

then is the offense of the cross ceased. What does that phrase mean? It means that the cross of Jesus Christ is offensive to those who do not truly believe in Him. It is offensive to man because the cross was something that only Jesus Christ could do, and man believes that he has to do something in order to be saved. Billy Sunday told of a man who came to him and said, “I will cut out the booze and get on the water wagon,” “Good; what else?” “Of course, I am a gambler; I will quit gambling and I will never touch a pack of cards.” “All right; what else?” “I am a bad man, and I will live a clean life.” “Good; what else?” He said, “If I quit these things, I think they cover about all. I will quit drinking, swearing, stop gambling, and I will quit being impure.” Billy said, “Good. Give me your hand and say you will accept Jesus Christ as your Savior,” He said, “No, I will not. If I stop those things, I won’t need to do that.” The cross is offensive to man’s pride because God accepts those that are meek and lowly and humble and mankind is not naturally any of those things. The cross is offensive to man because shows him his sinfulness and need for salvation.

Galatians 5:12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you. The Apostle Paul desires that the Judaizers would have nothing to do with the Galatians.

Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

There are three methods of trying to live the Christian life – two of them will not work. One is a life of legalism, which Paul has been discussing. The other is the life of license, which Paul discussed in Romans 6: After we are saved by grace, can we live in sin? Paul’s answer is:”God forbid.” You cannot live in sin and be a Christian. Now you may fall into sin, but you will get out of it. The Prodigal Son can get in the pig pen, but he won’t settle down there – the pig pen won’t be his forwarding address. He will leave it. The Christian life is neither the life of legalism nor the life of license. (J. Vernon McGee)

This passage takes place right after Jesus Christ has fed the five thousand and more people and has walked on the water to the boat the the apostles were in. The people have seen the miracles that He has performed and they still want more. But that is human nature: when we see or experience something sensational, we want to see it and experience it again and usually bigger the second time. The spectators had been looking for Jesus and had now found Him on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. They knew that He had not left with the apostles on the boat, and could not figure out how He got there.

John 6:25, 26 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? (26) Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.

Jesus Christ looks past their question of how and when He arrived and goes to their true motivation: they want more food. They want to experience something sensational and, as we will see, they want to do it without any effort on their part. They want full stomachs and they want it for free. They want to be able to come to the table and be fed without any work. That is how many people approach the Christian life: they expect to come to church and be fed without any work or preparation on their part. Believers need to be in prayer before coming to church. Believers need to be in prayer before going to work. Believers need to be in prayer every day in preparation for the day. Believers need to be in the Word of God daily to be ready for the challenges of the day. The Word of God is our armor and our sword and our defense against spiritual darkness! The Word of God is the answer to people’s problems and the Word of God is their hope!

1Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

The people in John chapter 6 were looking to get their bellies filled again without any effort on their part. They wanted to come up to the table and be fed without doing anything ahead of time to prepare for it. Someone once called a preacher to say he wanted to place church membership. But, he went on to explain that he did not want to worship every week, study the Bible, visit the sick, or serve as a leader or teacher. The minister commended him for his desire to be a member, but told him the church he sought was located in another section of town. The man took the address and directions and hung up. When he arrived at that address, the man came face to face with the logical result of his own apathetic attitude. There stood an abandoned church building boarded up and ready for demolition.

John 6:27 Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

Jesus Christ is telling these people to stop trying to get food that will expire and to stop trying to get food that will not last. Instead, He is encouraging the people to get food that will last eternally, to get food that is everlasting. Jesus Christ is telling these people to stop seeking the stuff for today and focus on the eternal. That kind of nourishment can only come from Jesus Christ Himself. That is the meal that will endure for eternity. People need to stop focusing their lives on pleasing themselves right now and look to the Bread of Life. Paul wrote to Timothy that same concept:

1Timothy 4:7-8 But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. (8) For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

People need to get their spiritual lives in order first before focusing on their physical lives. On body without a spirit is just as dead as a spirit without a body. Jesus Christ is telling these people that they need to spiritually feed on Him and they will have eternal life. In John chapter 4, Jesus Christ tells the woman at the well that He is the living Water and in chapter 6 He tells the people that He is the Bread of Life. Water and Bread are two essentials for people to live. A person can live on one for a while, but they will not be fully nourished and will not grow. Man needs both bread and water to fully live physically and man needs Jesus Christ – the Living Water and the Bread of Life – to be able to fully live spiritually. How is He able to do this? Because He is the Word.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Jesus Christ came down from the glory of Heaven and took on the form of man. He is 100 percent man and He is 100 percent God and He is the only source of truth and life.

John 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

The people are asking Him, “What can we do so that we can do the same things?” They are looking to find out what they must do. People are always looking for something to do and eternal life is no different. People are looking to find out what is the minimum that they need to do to be saved. They wonder, “What is the least I can do to go to Heaven?” Again, people must put the spiritual before the physical. A certain family had two sons. The older said he must make a name for his family, so turned his face toward Parliament and fame. The younger decided to give his life to the service of Christ and turned his face toward China and duty. He was Hudson Taylor, the missionary, who died beloved and known on every continent. “But,” someone wrote, “when I looked in the encyclopedia to see what the other son had done, I found these words, ‘the brother of Hudson Taylor.’ ” It may be that some were inclined to ridicule him when he went to the mission field, but in the end, he was respected and admired. His mercifulness had not been in vain, even as far as the world was concerned. But the merciful also receive recognition and reward from God Himself. This takes place both in this world and, in its full measure, in the world to come.

John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

This is where so many people get mixed in their beliefs: they believe that they must do something first for salvation. They believe that they must first be good enough or that they must pay enough or that they must go to church enough or that they must do enough good deeds to be saved. What they fail to realize is that they must see that salvation is a work of God FIRST, and then believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. A man once rose up in a meeting to give his testimony to the saving grace of God. He told how the Lord had won his heart and given deliverance from the guilt and power of sin. He spoke of Christ and His work but said nothing of any efforts of his own. The leader of the meeting was of a legalistic mind, and when this man’s testimony was ended he said, “Our brother has only told us of the Lord’s part in his salvation. When I was converted, there was a whole lot I had to do myself before I could expect the Lord to do anything for me. Brother, didn’t you do your part first before God did His?” The other was on his feet in an instant and replied, “Yes, sir, I clean forgot. I didn’t tell you about my part, did I? Well, I did my part for over 30 years, running away from God as fast as ever my sins could carry me. That was my part. And God took after me till He ran me down. That was His part.”

John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

Jesus Christ is declaring that God is providing the Bread and the Water. God has prepared the meal, people need to accept it through repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. People need to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and follow Him. They must trust Him to provide rather than attempt to do things on their own. The point is that believers will trust in Jesus Christ in some areas, when they should be trusting Him in ALL areas. One night when an ambassador and his valet were obliged to sleep in the same room in a hotel, the valet noticed his master tossing and turning in bed. “Sir, what bothers you?” he asked. “Oh, I have so many things on my mind. The burden of my responsibility is hard to bear.” “Forgive me, sir, but do you think God has been governing the world up till now?” “Of course.” “And do you think He’ll manage even after you’ve left this world?” “Undoubtedly.” “Then don’t you think it’s possible for you to trust Him to do it even during your lifetime?” The ambassador got the point and was soon fast asleep.

When people rely on their own efforts and the efforts of others rather than rely on God, then all is in vain. God will not be glorified and the person will not be found obedient to God. Salvation is much than an outward act, it is recognizing God for who He is and what Jesus Christ has done on the cross for our sins. It is placing faith in Him and repenting of your sins and continuing to exercise that faith and repentance even after salvation.

The program committee for a national barber’s convention devised a graphic means of demonstrating the effectiveness of their profession. They found a social derelict on skid row with long, dirty hair. His face was unshaven and his clothes were ragged and filthy. His body reeked with odors of cheap liquor and filth. The barbers cleaned him up. They gave him a bath, shampoo, shave, haircut and manicure. They liberally sprinkled talcum powder on him and added spicy cologne. He was dressed in a new suit and was presented before the convention as a changed man. He certainly looked the part. However, within a week the man was back on skid row, back in the gutter, back in his former pattern of living. The barbers altered his appearance, but their tonsorial services had not changed his inward nature. Anyone who has the money to spend can put a man in a new suit, but only Christ can put a new man in the suit. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.” Christ alters us from the inside out.

John 6:30 They said therefore unto him, What sign showest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?

This is perhaps the saddest verse of the passage we have read today. These people have seen the feeding of the five thousand – that alone should have been sufficient for these people to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. They were not really interested in believing in the Jesus Christ, they just wanted to be fed some more. They wanted more evidence from Jesus Christ, as if miraculously feeding them was not enough. People are still that way today: they want to see more, they want to feel more, and they want to experience more. They focus on feelings rather than simple faith. They say, “It feels right therefore it must be right.” But that is not faith. Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

A man once defined faith by saying, “Faith means Forsaking All, I Take Him.” Saving faith is leaving the spot where we are now standing and jumping into the arms of Jesus with full confidence that He is able to bear us up. It is like trying to swim. Swimming is work as we know. Before we can swim, we must believe that the water is able to bear us up; saving faith is believing on the Lord Jesus Christ first and then swimming in the great sea of His love and everlasting mercy. This is a faith that saves. As believers we must continue to exercise that faith daily in order to grow in the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is not seeing, but still believing. Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Our faith grows by hearing God’s Word not by feelings or experiences. As I speak to you, you do not see the words coming from my mouth. When I am reading something, I hear my voice in my head reading the words as I read. Faith comes from following God’s Word and believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, not through the actions that others do or that we do.

Psalm 100:1-5

The Best Thanksgiving Day
As we gather ’round our firesides
On this new Thanksgiving Day,
Time would fail to count the blessings
That have followed all our way;
Grace sufficient, help and healing,
Prayer oft answered at our call;
And the best of all our blessings,
Christ Himself, our all in all.
While we love to “count the blessings,”
Grateful for the year that’s gone,
Faith would sweep a wider vision,
Hope would gaze yet further on.
For the signals all around us
Seem with one accord to say,
“Christ is coming soon to bring us
Earth’s last, best Thanksgiving Day!”

“I do not have to thank anyone for anything I have,” an old miser grumbled. “Everything I have I got the hard way-by the sweat of my own brow.”
“But who gave you the sweat?” asked his neighbor.
The old miser hung his head in guilty silence. He could not ignore the fact that God had given the “sweat,” the strength to work hard and gain material wealth.
Yes, everything that we are or that we possess is because of God’s lovingkindness. Therefore, it is good for us all to pause at least once a year and say, “Thank You, God.” Actually, everyday should be one of thanksgiving. Why? Because of spiritual and material blessings. Charles Dickens said that we are somewhat mixed up here in America. He told an audience that instead of having one Thanksgiving Day each year we should have 364. “Use that one day just for complaining and griping,” he said. “Use the other 364 days to thank God each day for the many blessings He has showered upon you.”

Daniel 1:9-10 Now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. (10) And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.

Daniel was favored by the prince of eunuchs and we see God’s hand in this, as He intervenes for His children. The eunuch feared for his own life if Daniel and his friends looked less healthy than the rest of the captive Israelites.

Daniel 1:11-13 Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, (12) Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. (13) Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.

The four young men did not want to defile themselves and asked the prince of the eunuchs to provide them with diet of vegetables and grains. They asked Melzar to give them ten days on the diet of pulse and if they looked worse than the other young men that ate of the king’s meat, then they would eat from the king’s meat as well.

Daniel 1:14-15 So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days. (15) And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.

After ten days of eating pulse, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah looked healthier than the men who ate the portion of the king’s meat. Harry Ironside wrote: Some who read the account in our day may also consider it all a mere quibble on the part of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. But it brings out a principle of great force and beauty that should appeal to every Christian’s heart and conscience. The only way to grow in the Lord is by being faithful in little things. He who honors the Lord by conscientious adherence to His Word in what some would call minor details is likely to be exercised about greater things.

The believer in Jesus Christ must determine in their heart to follow in love and obedience Jesus Christ. It may be a case of rejecting things that bring us pleasure in order to please Jesus Christ. Believers need to understand that they will need to deny themselves some things in order to come closer to Jesus Christ. It must be a conscience decision on the believer’s part. Barnabas encouraged the people of Antioch to do this:

Act 11:22-23 Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. (23) Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.

The believer must purpose in his or her heart to not defile themselves. There can be no compromise with the world and the things that defile the believer. Truth is truth – it is as simple as that. God’s Word is truth and we must follow it and show its truth to others. The other Hebrews with Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, chose to compromise the values that God gave them. They chose to eat the portion of the king’s meat and they were not rewarded by God, unlike Daniel and his friends.

Daniel 1:17-20 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. (18) Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. (19) And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. (20) And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.

God’s hand was upon the four men because they chose to follow God despite the consequences that were before them. Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. When we allow something into our life that will defile us, it may seem small at first, but the sin will grow. As the sin grows in our life, it will darken our view of God and it will deaden our sensitivity to the things of God. God no longer becomes a light unto our feet and we will stumble and choose to go deeper into sin. Proverb 4:18-19 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. (19) The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

When an individual has the attitude of compromise in regard to spiritual values and truths, dark days are ahead. All who strive to be Christians feel a certain amount of pressure from the world. Through the strength that Christ gives, we can overcome the world and its temptations.

A man starting a fish business put out his sign that read, “Fresh Fish For Sale Today” and invited all to visit his place of business on opening day. Many came and congratulated him on his new business, but one suggested that he change his sign. “Why the ‘Today’? It is today.” So he removed the “Today”.

Someone else said, “Why, ‘For Sale’? Everybody knows you have fish for sale-or else why the store?” The words “For Sale” came off the sign. Another said, “Why the word ‘Fresh’? You are a man of integrity, that guarantees your fish to be fresh.” “Fresh” came off the sign. Only one word was left, “Fish” and one complained about it. “I smelled your fish two blocks away.”

The individual that tries to satisfy everybody ends up by pleasing nobody. If we start compromising, we will end up serving the devil. The man should have put up his sign and then stood by it. This is what we are to do in life. Accept God’s will for our lives and stand on His promises. Believers must purpose in their hearts to follow God.