Can Christ Become Of No Effect To You?

Galatians 5:4
"4 Christ is become of NO EFFECT unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace."

The Church of Galatia had started out so great.  The gospel had been preached to them and been received with joy. 

Then some folks came along and told them they had to obey the law now that they were saved.  The Bible calls them "Judiazers."

Paul was incredulous at how quickly and easily they had been duped.  So, he wrote the Galatian epistle to correct their wrong doctrine.

According to this verse, Christ can become of NO EFFECT to believers.  It is those who try to be justified by the law that inadvertently find themselves out in the cold, fenced off from the blessings of God.

Earlier on in the same book, Paul clarifies what this means.  He says, "Therefore know that ONLY THOSE WHO ARE OF FAITH ARE SONS OF ABRAHAM. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying,  'In you all the nations shall be blessed.' So then THOSE WHO ARE OF FAITH ARE BLESSED WITH BELIEVING ABRAHAM.

Galatians 3:7-9

AND....in verses 10-12:
"10 For as many as are of THE WORKS OF THE LAW are UNDER THE CURSE; for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue in ALL THINGS WHICH ARE WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, to do them.' 11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for 'the just shall live by faith."  12 Yet THE LAW IS NOT OF FAITH, but “the man who does them shall live by them.”

This attempt to be justified by the law is opposite of this group: "THOSE WHO ARE OF FAITH ARE BLESSED WITH BELIEVING ABRAHAM."  Those who are so blessed find themselves in the place we all want to be:  Where God intended for us to be!

Do these passages say "SIN" is the problem?
No.
Not praying enough?
No. 

Not going to church?

No.
How about “breaking the law?”
Nope.
How about this one: Not living holy lives."
Wrong again.
Does it say, "Not having enough reverence for God. Is that it?"
NOT EVEN CLOSE.

Sin is not a problem to God!  His grace is GREATER THAN ALL OUR SINS!

It says, "THOSE WHO ARE OF THE WORKS OF THE LAW ARE UNDER A CURSE."

So, what does it means to be "of the WORKS of the law?"

Law is all about YOUR performance, YOUR deeds, focused on “YOU, YOU, YOU.  Preachers and teachers who espouse this are endlessly asking YOU how YOU are measuring up and how YOU are doing in any given area.

Are you sensing a pattern here?  They are focused AWAY FROM JESUS toward YOU.  

Those who try to please God by their performance not only don't receive God's blessings, THEY CANNOT receive from God because they are too busy falling from grace.  Remember, grace is UNearned, UNdeserved, UNmerired favor.

THIS IS THE SPIRIT OF ANTICHRIST WORKING IN THE CHURCH.  It causes her people struggle with sin, makes her impotent in the world and causes her people to become licentious. 

The strength of sin is the LAW, remember. Grace is the antidote.

Preachers who teach that we are still under the law, despite the overwhelming evidence of scripture that WE ARE NOT, actually do not have the proper respect for the law.

NEWS FLASH those of you who teach this lie:

YOU MUST OBEY ALL THE LAW with nothing short of ABSOLUTE PERFECTION for your entire life.  No mistakes, no missteps, no deviation, NOT EVEN ONE WRONG THOUGHT for your entire life!

Anything less than that and you have FAILED TO OBEY all the law.

There is no such thing as "doing your best to obey," being forgiven and then being restored.   Nope.  

THAT, Church, is the pristine, unbending, immovable standard of the Law.

It's All.....OR NOTHING!
 

Even if your pastor isn't technically teaching the Ten Commandments, if he...or she...is focused on YOU and YOUR performance, instead of JESUS AND HIS FINISHED WORK, you are hearing the law.  

Once again, Law focuses on YOUR performance; in other words, on SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS.

The dictionary defines the term like this:

Self-Right•eous adj.
1. Piously sure of one's own righteousness; moralistic.
2. Exhibiting pious self-assurance: self-righteous remarks.

Not very complimentary!  It is not possible to perfectly obey the law in every aspect ALL THE TIME, in thought, word and deed.  Break it ONE TIME even in the smallest wrong thought and you are forever TOAST and under the curses of God instead of His blessings.  

That does not mean you lose your salvation.  You just are not walking in His blessings. 

THAT'S WHY WE NEED A SAVIOR, CHURCH.
 

All those curses are documented in graphic, frightening detail in Deuteronomy 28.  Read it sometime.....if you like nightmares, that is.  

This is the #1 problem that is keeping the Church from receiving everything, or more to the point, ANYTHING, that Jesus died to give us.  It makes Christ of "no effect.” 

This is why we don’t see the miracles, healings, breakthroughs and the revival we all want.  

In these last days, this law teaching that has crept back into the church.....AGAIN.....has been a fabulously destructive weapon in the hands of the devil.  It helps him keep the Church right where he wants it:  Stifled, sick, and nowhere near as effective as she could be.....as she wants to be!  We are doing his work for him!  YUK!

Here’s a great example of what this problem looks like lived out in the life of one of Jesus’ disciples.  For the record, it wasn't my idea to pick on poor Peter.  The Holy Spirit has used him to demonstrate this and other things that we shouldn’t do.  Even Jesus Himself singled him out and the Holy Spirit has documented it in Holy writ so that 2,000 years-worth of believers could ALL see.  I'm sure he doesn't mind as along as it helps us better understand Grace!

In Matthew 26:33-35 Peter says to Jesus “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I WILL NEVER BE MADE TO STUMBLE.”

34 Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”  35 Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!”

Do you see how HE BOASTED OF HIS LOVE FOR THE LORD?  And what happened?    He crashed and burned!

The New Covenant model for love is found here, in 1 John 4:10:
"10 Herein is love, NOT THAT WE LOVED GOD, but that HE LOVED US, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."  

PETER IS A PICTURE OF SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS.

JOHN, A PICTURE OF THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST.

This Righteousness is NOT our own.  It's a  GIFT of God, not a reward you can earn.  We did nothing nor can we do anything to earn it.  All we can do is received it by Grace: UN-merited favor, and say, "Thank You."

Let’s end once and for all this performance-based religion, 'cause CHRISTIANTY IT AIN'T!

Let's restore the right belief that we are the Righteousness of God in Christ!

We don’t want to have the problem any more where CHRIST HAS BECOME OF NO EFFECT.