We had a great sermon at church today. I'd like to post the preparation notes that our church sent out before the sermon, as it was very impactful to me (then I'll post my thoughts)...

In-Line with the Gospel
(Galatians 2:11-16)

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Paul is showing that we never “get beyond the gospel” in our Christian life to something more “advanced.” It is not just the A-B-C’s but the A to Z of Christianity. The gospel is not just the minimum required doctrine for entrance into the kingdom, but the way we make all of our progress in the kingdom. We are not made right with God through faith in the gospel and then sanctified and matured through mere moral effort. Faith in the gospel is also the way to grow (Gal.3:1-3; Col. 1:3-6). It is common to think, “The gospel is for non-Christians. But once we are saved, we grow through work and obedience.” But work that is not “in line” with the gospel not will sanctify — it will strangle. All our problems come from a failure to apply the gospel. The gospel changes every area of our lives. How?

Since Paul speaks of being “in line” with the gospel, we can extend the metaphor by saying that gospel renewal occurs when we keep from walking “off-line” either to the right or to the left. The key to understanding the implications of the gospel is to see the gospel as a “third” way between two mistaken opposites. However, this does not mean that the gospel is a compromise midway between two poles. It does not produce something in the middle, but something different from both. Specifically, the gospel critiques both religion and irreligion (Matt.21:31; 22:10).

Tertullian said, “Just as Christ was crucified between two thieves, so this doctrine of justification is ever crucified between two opposite errors.” Tertullian meant that there were two basic false ways of thinking, each of which steals the power and the
distinctiveness of the gospel by pulling us “off the gospel line” to one side or the other. These “thieves” can be called moralism or legalism on the one hand, and hedonism or relativism on the other. Another way to put it is that the gospel opposes both religion and irreligion. On the one hand, “moralism/religion” stresses truth without grace, for it says that we must obey the truth in order to be saved. On the other hand, “relativists/irreligion” stress grace without truth, for they say that we are all acceptable and have to decide what is true for us. But truth without grace is not really truth, and grace without truth is not really grace. Jesus was “full of grace andtruth.” Any philosophy of life that de-emphasizes or loses one or the other falls into legalism or license. Either way, the joy, power, and release of the gospel is stolen by one thief or the other.

The gospel teaches us to say:
“I am more sinful and flawed than I ever dared believe” (vs. antinomianism).
“I am more accepted and loved than I ever dared hope” (vs. legalism).

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