(Gal
5:13) For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use
liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
(Gal 5:14) For all the law is
fulfilled in one word, even in this: “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS
YOURSELF.”
Paul is addressing the brethren
in Gal 5:13-14 not to use their liberty (freedom from the law) as a base of
operations (“opportunity,” Gk, aphorme,
a military term) to be self-serving but to express Divine love in serving
others. This passage isn’t about eternal security, per se, but responsibility
in liberty, not just regionally but globally for all believers. Paul commanded
the Galatian believers to “stay free since Christ set you free” (Gal 5:1, Robertson’s Word Pictures), but the
responsibility of liberty is not found in the flesh but in Divine or agape love (Gal 5:13).
Ironically, Paul declares we are
free from the law (Gal 3:24-25; cf. Rom 6:14) but quotes from Lev 19:18 in Gal
5:14. This is because God’s holy and righteous standards are unchanging,
transcending the ages with Divine authority under the new covenant under the
law of love or “the law of Christ” (Gal 6:2; cf Gal 5:14; Jn 13:34; Rom 13:8,
10).
One of the reasons I chose the passage in Galatians is because in my mind it illustrates the very thing that
critics of eternal security get riled up over; so-called Christians willfully
sinning while claiming once saved always saved (cf. Gal 5:19-21). So what we
have today is one group, provided they are born again, using their liberty from
the penalty of sin as an opportunity for the flesh (sin like the devil and
going to heaven, too!). It’s the best of both worlds mentality, but this is in
no way reflective of how genuine believers should live in light of eternal
security.
In order to address this
mockery, the other group incorrectly disavows the teaching of eternal security
by promoting that you can lose your salvation if you fail to repent. This
actually perverts the Gospel by changing salvation by grace to one of works,
and all those preaching or accepting this “different gospel” (Gal 1:6) are accursed because of it (Gal 1:8-9). It
would be far wiser to allow God to chasten the unfaithful who are guilty of
using their liberty as a license to sin rather than perverting the Gospel for
whatever motive (Gal 1:7). We must not dictate personal expectations on ethics
and morality by twisting the Scriptures. Righteous living never comes by
rules but from a regenerated heart obedient to the Scriptures.
The other reason I selected this
passage is that it provides how should we then live in light of God’s blessings
in our life, eternal security being one of them. It could also be said, “How
should we then live in light of what God has done for us that we know about?”
Well, this passage in Galatians answers that question, and it comes as no
surprise, for it is the very thing that gives legs to the authenticity of our
Christianity, and it orbits around one powerful, heartwarming word, love, not
natural human affection but supernatural agape
or Divine love.
Candidly speaking, the reason
behind the reasons was that I was directed by the Holy Spirit to the text
selection. It may come across as arrogant to some; others may question that the
Holy Spirit led me since there are specific texts related to the discussion on
eternal security that could have been utilized, but it is what it is, the
truth, and hopefully, the reader will see the wisdom behind the selection from Galatians.
This discussion could easily swell, for there is much to say. So, allow me to
point out a couple of things, for the sake of brevity, knowingly not my
trademark, from this passage as we wrap up our series with part 7.
Did you notice in Gal 5:13 Paul saw no friction or
problem between practicing holiness (not abusing our liberty, cf. 1 Pet 1:15-16
where Peter is referring to Lev 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7) and through a lifestyle
of Divine love, continually serving one another? The apostle expected it!
Incidentally, “serve” in Gal 5:13 is the Greek word douleuo (G1398) that comes from a Greek word meaning “slave” (doulos, G1401); from douleuo comes douleia (G1397) translated “bondage,” (or slavery) in Gal 5:1.
So “serve one another” is
slave-like in nature, subjection or subservience to one another. Your gut
response may be, “Hey, slavery is an inflammatory word today! I’m not a slave
to anybody!” Theologically, a person is either a slave to sin or a slave of
Christ. The latter is a literal and precise portrayal of our relationship with
Yahweh, like it or not! The Holy Bible is atypical of the world’s mindset; it is
radical and revolutionary to an earthy way of thinking. Here is the distinctive
qualifier to subjection, “through love (agape).”
Agape raises the bar over human affection and makes serving one another an
honor, for our Lord Himself came to serve
(Gk, diakoneo (G1247), to minister
for the master cannot be a slave, Mt 20:28; Jn 13:14).
In this clause, “through love serve
one another,” the verb is present active imperative. Meaning that we are being
commanded to literally be slaves to one another in Divine love, not slaves to
legalism (Gal 5:1)! This is not just for the Galatian Christians; it is for the
whole body of Christ. The present tense indicates that it is to be a lifestyle
of Christlike love (Rom 13:8-10; cf. Jn 13:34; 15:12; Rom 12:10; 1 Corinthians
13; Php 2:3-4; 1Thes 4:9; Heb 13:1; 2 Pet 1:7; 1 Jn 3:11; 4:7, 11-12). This also extends
beyond the brotherhood (Gal 6:10).
Today, there seems to be a greater emphasis on human
affection trumping holiness. Agape
love and being holy as He is holy are unrecognizable. Religious humanism is
bulldozing its way into the body of Christ and setting up a base of operations;
spiritual leaders acquiesce and call it “the future” as if inevitable and of
God. What if the “break these chains” mantra leads to the anchoring of God’s Word?
Are we wanting to break from the establishment of God’s Word for a pagan
ideology?
This would clearly be in violation of the first and
second commandments, for we cannot love God apart from His Word (cf. Jn 14:15)!
The telltale signs of something bad is on its way is the foreshadowing of failing
to see the visibility of the great commandment (Mt 22:37-38) and its companion (Mt
22:39) in our midst as a lifestyle (Mt 22:40, note that the verb “hang” is in the
present tense).
Speaking of the second commandment, Paul cites the moral
law in Lev 19:18 in the following verse, Gal 5:14, to establish “through love
serve one another,”
For all the law is fulfilled in one word [or one
commandment], even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Whenever we read of the second
commandment in the NT (Lev 19:18; cf. Mt 19:19; 22:39; Mk 12:31; Lk 10:27; Rom 13:9, 10; Gal 5:14), we cannot say, “We are no longer under the law,” for “the
ethics of the OT law are the same as those of the NT gospel” (JM on Gal 5:14).
The ruling principle of Christian freedom is “faith working through love” (Gal
5:6), and it is through love we serve one another (Gal 5:13), right?
The power and the pattern behind
the second command, no matter where it surfaces, is found in the first and
great commandment, our prime directive (Mt 22:38) – to love God with all that
we have: heart, soul, and mind, or the totality of our being
(Mt 22:37). We can quickly deduce from this that half-heartedness is
unacceptable. God only deals in the wholeness of the heart (cf. Jer 29:13). Half-heartedness or
lukewarmness (cf. Rev 3:16) gets us nowhere with God! It is interesting that we are seeing nothing tangible in nature in this prime directive!
The second command is
inextricably linked to the first, “and the
second is like it” (Mt 22:39). I love
the literalness of what follows, “On these two
commandments hang [or depend] all the Law and the Prophets” (Mt 22:40). Yes,
Jesus counted them as two, but He did not separate them because they are
inseparable – “and the second is like it.” Quickly note the connection,
And this commandment we have from
Him: that he who loves God must [emphasis
mine] love his brother also (1 Jn 4:21).
I find it interesting that James,
the half-brother of Jesus, referred to the second command (Lev 19:18) as “the
royal law” (Jas 2:8). I agree with MacArthur that it is best to understand this
expression as “sovereign law,” supreme or binding. Henry Alford [1810-1871],
Dean of Canterbury, calls it “the law which is the king of all laws” (The Greek Testament).
Agape love fulfills the whole law
(Rom 13:8- 10; Mt 7:12). Jesus used Lev 19:18 along with Deut 6:4-5 as a
summation for the whole law (cf. Mt 22:36-40). The theological order is to love
God first and others second. We see this order in the Decalogue; the first four
are vertical in orientation (cf. Ex 20:3-11) preceding the last six which are
horizontal in nature (cf. Ex 20:12-17).
These two commands are inseparable; for
the second command to be a reality, the prime command must be intellectually,
emotionally, and willfully experienced, providing the impetus for the second.
It is similar to the pattern of the Decalogue or the Ten Commandments. We do
not base our love for God on the first or great commandment by the second one.
A right vertical relationship is seen in a horizontal expression of love (agape) for others. Ever hear of the definition of
joy? J.O.Y. = Jesus first, others second, yourself last. There is no doubt that Divine love is superior to human affection and
can be misunderstood or unappreciated even by the brethren (2 Cor 12:15, NASB).
Jesus said, “On these two
commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Mt 22:40). In this we see the
value of not only the Old Testament but the New Testament as well for it
develops and amplifies the whole moral duty of man to love God with all that he
has and to love his neighbor made in the image of God as himself.
This is the prime directive of
all of Scripture and definitely not the way of legalists. As Albert Barnes
(1798-1870, an American theologian) explains, “Such behavior is not natural; it
is supernatural. Only those who have been born again can do it, and then only
by allowing Christ to do it through them” (BBC on Mt 22:39-40). Ah, there’s
that helpless concept again! We cannot love God or others without the Holy
Spirit’s enablement!
Perhaps there is a gross failure
within the body of Christ to execute the top two commandments simply because we
are too busy grieving the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:30) rather than walking in the
Spirit (Gal 5:16; Rom 8:14). This is the nature of spiritual warfare, light
versus darkness (Gal 5:17-18), manifesting itself in unrighteous behavior (Gal
5:19-21) or righteous behavior (Gal 5:22-29).
For the true believer, liberty,
service, and love are very important nouns in a spiritual life pleasing to God; indeed, they are not
inert words. There is a responsibility and a responsive action to be in love with Yahweh and
through that same love (agape) serve others (Gal 5:14). Those who have a correct understanding
of eternal security understand that liberty or freedom is not a license to sin
or an opportunity for the flesh (Gal 5:19-21), for it is not the way of agape
love and invites chastening. Those truly born again embrace the responsibility
to be holy, living a life in the Spirit (Gal 5:16, 18; cf. Rom 8:8, 14). I
agree with Dr. Barnes; only a true believer can experience this holy life
because he or she received the Holy Spirit at regeneration (Acts 2:38-41; Rom
8:9; 1 Cor 12:13;1 Jn 3:24).
Those who teach or speak out
against the doctrine of eternal security proclaim by their own words and
actions that Christ’s death was in vain; that is, He died for nothing (Gal
2:21), and walking in the Spirit was being rejected for keeping the law! This
is very serious stuff, folks; for such a similar abrogation resulted in the ire
of the Holy Spirit through Paul during inspiration of the letter to the
Galatians (read Gal 1:8-9; cf. Gal 4:20).
I know I will sound like a
dinosaur, but being lovey-dovey (natural love, not agape or supernatural love) with
anyone opposing the way of salvation is not going to cut it. We are not to
have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness” but rebuke them (Eph
5:11). Selective obedience falls under the same category as being halfhearted
or lukewarm. Agape love does not dismiss the holiness of God and the call to a
holy standard for living according to the Word. We should not be fellowshipping
with those opposed to salvation by grace through faith alone; they are the
enemy of the Gospel, and “accursed” (Gal 1:8-9).
Listen, those who reject eternal
security are declaring that Christ's death was insufficient, and the work of the
Holy Spirit is woefully inadequate to control sinful behavior. Thus, they take
the position that it takes Christ’s death plus man doing something in order to
satisfy the penalty for sin to “secure” salvation. They may even claim to
believe in salvation by grace through faith but add some kind of work element
to the equation. The anti-eternal security school is so caught up in other
people’s spiritual failures as to render all lost who do not meet their spiritual standards.
Ironically, they fail to see the gross theological problems of their own
position because they are spiritually blinded (2 Cor 4:4). Mamby-pamby
Christianity is for those who lack a spiritual backbone.
So,
how should we then live in light of eternal security, brethren? Never stop
supernaturally loving God before all and all things and subsequently supernaturally
loving others. How important is this? Read Jesus’ words, “there is no other
commandment greater than these” (Mk 12:31b) to be found in the Old or New
Testament; I might add. Or as Kenneth Wuest would translate, “Greater than these, another commandment there is not.”
Those who supernaturally love (agapao) God with the totality of their
being and supernaturally love (agapao)
others as themselves understand the nucleus of the Christian life; it’s the very
core of all that is Christianity. Jesus bought our freedom from the Mosaic law
with His great sacrifice on Calvary and propitiated the penalty of man’s sin
against God. The Holy Spirit came at Pentecost to live forever in the hearts of believers. Being holy, loving God, and
loving and serving others are earmarks of those who understand that their
security in Christ alone is eternal only because of Him (Rom 8:37-38, 39)! How
should we then live in light of eternal security? Why, we should live it to the
hilt in light of His Word, knowing that we are forever secure in Christ and not by a different gospel!
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