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Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. Here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida. Clearly declaring the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the Internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the air. You can reach us toll free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made through the Bible-lined website at calvaryoftampa.org. We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s message will be a blessing to you and your family.

As you know, when we started this study in the book of Galatians, Paul says, I marvel that you’re so soon removed from him, that college into the grace of Christ, which is, he says, into another message. He says, you’ve been going into something else that I never taught you. And he says, there’ll be some that would trouble you perverting the gospel. And if you will, very, very quick, look in Galatians in chapter 1, look in verse 7. There’s only one true gospel, and that’s the gospel that saves the saving gospel, that if you believe on Christ, you can have as a free gift everlasting life.

And he says in verse 7, which is not another, those who teach works for salvation, but there be some that trouble you and would pervert or change the gospel of Christ. So in doing so, those who preach that you’re saved by grace, you have to believe in eternal security. If you do not believe in eternal security, you do not really believe salvation is by grace. Because why would you think a person could lose it if it was really free?

If it’s really free, then why do I have to pay a price to keep it? Why do I have to live a673 way to merit it? You don’t. Now, there were those who were teaching totally contrary to this, the saying, yes, you can trust Christ as your Savior, but you’ve got to do this and this and this. So they are in reality putting salvation by works. So Paul says, if this is true, why am I suffering persecution and not you?

You can distinguish the truth from the air by true Christianity is grace this, without works. And all the religions of the world add works to the message. Doesn’t matter who they are. It always boils down to what you have to do, how you have to live, how you have to perform. So Paul says, that is not my message. That is not the message that Jesus Christ gave to me. And that’s why he says in Galatians chapter 1, verse 11, and so on.

He says, I certify your brother that the gospel which was preached to me is not after man. Man did not tell him this message. Look there in Galatians in chapter 5, chapter 5. There were some that because of their false teaching causes a person not to run well. It means it doesn’t matter how well you live if your message is false. It’s like being a missionary and crossing the ocean and leaven those heathen and then you give them a false message and that is being done.

Majority of missionaries aren’t worth a quarter. So he says here in the book of Galatians in chapter 5, if you’ll notice there in verse 7, ye did run well. It means there was a time when they served the Lord, they were walking with the Lord and happy in the Lord and things were doing great. Who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth? Anytime you get into a false gospel. You’re not obeying the truth. You’re not telling the truth.

It is a great sin to say God said when God didn’t say. That’s a great sin. Not to believe in one saved always saved or in eternal security. Not to believe that. There’s a great error. That’s doctrinal error. And the difference is heaven and hell. I’ve got little pamphlets that people have written over the years talking about that damn the old doctor of eternal security and it’s the gospel. So, nobody generally makes fun of those people who add works to the gospel.

They’re not generally under persecution. But you try to teach eternal security. Then they understand what you’re saying, because now you’re saying that you can be saved and not have to serve the Lord and still go to heaven when you die. And that is exactly what I’m saying. You do not have to serve the Lord to go to heaven. And that is contrary to the natural mind. Because we’ve heard all our life, you’ve got to do something, you’ve got to do this, you’ve got to do that, you’ve got to do something.

And so he says down here in verse 10 of chapter 5, he says, I have confidence in you through the Lord that ye will be none otherwise minded. In other words, you’ll believe the truth and you’re going to discard this error, but he that troubleeth you, that has this bad message, shall bear his judgment, whosoever he is. Doesn’t matter who it is. He says, even if an angel was to teach any other message than the message that you have been given, and the test of the gospel is grace.

So we say we believe that salvation is by grace, then why does how I live determine where I go? If salvation is by grace, it cannot affect my destination. But does that mean that I approve of and recommend that people just live like the devil? If you listen to me long enough, you’ll know I want to do everything I possibly can to challenge God’s people. Those that believe that salvation is by grace, to serve the Lord with all your heart, all the days of your life.

Now don’t I teach that? Yes, I do. But if you don’t, are you still saved? Yes, you are. There’s nothing that God can do to change it. And there’s nothing you can do to change it. It cannot be altered. It’s in stone. It’s in the Word of God. It’s written. It’s like in concrete. In the words, it’s not gonna change. A man is saved by grace or he’s not saved at all. And if he is saved by grace, he is saved forever or not saved at all.

Once saved, always saved, once forgiven, always forgiven. Once a child of God, always a child of God. Now, in verse 11, now notice what he says about the problems that he faces, versus what they face. In verse 11 he said, and I brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, or works for salvation, why do I yet suffer persecution? Why am I being persecuted? If I’m preaching works for salvation, He was being persecuted because he didn’t preach works for salvation. He says, why do I yet suffer persecution?

Then is the offense of the cross ceased. In other words, if I was to teach works for salvation, then the cross of preaching about the cross, there is no offense. I mean, there’s nothing to go forward with. There’s no message there. It won’t offend anybody. Why is what I’m preaching so offensive? Paul offended people everywhere he went because if you’re saved by grace then saved by religion won’t work. See the truth or it’s false. And so he says in verse 12, I would that they were cut off which trouble you.

And there’s a lot of people that’s causing a lot of trouble. You see what kind of trouble you’re talking about? Just hold your place right here but look there in the book of Acts in chapter 15. In Acts chapter 15 they had convened in Jerusalem at the church there and the apostles were all there. Paul was there. So we had all the big shots there and they had a consensus on what is the gospel? And Paul says they didn’t have anything to add to my message.

had no corrections on what I would preach it. And so he says here in verse 24 of Acts 15, 4, as much as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, causing them trouble, saying ye must be circumcised and and keep the law to whom we gave what? No such commandment. We never told them that. And they were not of us. This is not the same message that we have.

So they were troubling them with the words. The same thing that Paul is talking about over here in the book of Galatians. Now go to Galatians in chapter 6. So as believers in the Lord, He tells us not to become weak in well-doing. For in due season you shall reap if you don’t quit, if you faint not. The Lord just keep serving the Lord, even if you are persecuted for it. So he says in verse 10, and as we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are the household of faith.

I mean, you ought to be nice to everybody, but especially those who live under your roof. I mean, it would be nice to everybody else, but you’re always at war with those that are under your roof. No. And the God says those that are in the same family. Shouldn’t we get along? The only reason Christians can’t get longer is because of sin. Now I’m not saying who is, who’s fault, but it’s always because of sin. And that generally comes because of pride.

Somebody isn’t listening to the Lord. Could be both, but at least one in every argument. Somebody isn’t listening to the Lord. So he says here, in verse 11, ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine on hands. Now, I don’t believe he’s talking about the size of the letter because six chapters has nothing to do with the book of Romans and the first and second Corinthians. I believe he wrote Hebrews, but that’s beside the point.

So it’s not the size of the book, but I believe it because he wrote it with his own hands. And he says, and I believe because he had eye trouble, he made the letters very big so they could really see it good. So he says, you see how large a letter I have written unto you with my own hand. there also in Galatians in chapter 4, he talks about the problem that he was having. See there in verse 15, where is then the blessedness you speak of?

For I bear you record that if it had been possible, he would have plucked out your own eyes and have given them to me. Now, do I become your enemy because I tell you the truth? He said, when I first came there and I believe Paul had some bad eye problem. But whatever else he had, he had afflictions in the flesh. And somebody that went along and just to beat him up all the time. And whether or not it was just the devil working through various things or whatever, but Paul was under constant bombardment of the things of this world.

And I mean that he was just persecuted all the time. He says, I pay a price for this message that I have. And that’s why he says, don’t bother me. Don’t trouble me. Now see there in verse 17, from henceforth, he says, let no man trouble me. In the words, all these things that they have to say, whatever, it’s not gonna change me, it’s not gonna move me, I will not be altered. I have my face sent like a flint, I will not be moved.

He is committed to the gospel and the other is works for salvation. And he says, this is it. And this is where I stand at live or die. Leave me alone. Because I’m not changing. And all the persecution wouldn’t change the apostle Paul. You ever think about what Paul went through just to defend the gospel, the salvation by grace message. Let me ask you a question. How many of you have the scars in your body? where people have thrown stones at you for preaching the gospel.

I’m talking about where you have literally been stoned. See, living in America, we can freely worship and do what we want without persecution. Isn’t it wonderful? But you know, there’s some places, some countries, you don’t have that freedom. And there’s a great price to pay. Just to come together as a body of believers, and in many countries they have to do it to do it underground, but they can’t tell anybody. And then they infiltrate the group to find out who’s doing what, where, and then they come in and take the pastor and either arrest him or shoot him and some of the leaders in the church.

And this is going on all over the world. But we live in America. We haven’t really had to suffer for our belief. If you want to believe in eternal security, go ahead, because nobody else really cares. Does really people around care what you believe? No. And for the most part, you don’t really care how other people believe, do you? So we just said, as long as I get my own little pinkies inside the pearly gates, everything’s going to be fine.

And as long as the United States stays free until the rapture, everything will be okay with me. Did you know that that might not happen? And we could suffer persecution for what we believe. How many of you would like to have all five of the crowns? You’ve heard about the crowns, the five crowns? I mean, you’ve heard of five crowns. All right. How many of y’all would like to have all five crowns? Let me see. Now, one of those is called a martyr’s crown.

Let me ask that question. How many of y’all would like to have all five crowns? Let me see your hand. I always wanted to raise his hand. That’s because he’s so old he don’t care anymore. But see, we’re talking about the possibilities that you may have the honor. of getting a martyr’s crown where you literally died for your faith. You really suffer to death. Now, since you haven’t been stoned lately, have any of you had the cat of nine tales applied to your back.

How many of you have a black eye here this morning? Some scars from some knives or something that were somebody because of your faith in Christ, not because you did something stupid. I’m talking about because you are serving the Lord and you’ve suffered the consequences for it. Now, the apostle Paul could say that. See there in verse 17? He says, from henceforth, let no man trouble me, for I bear in your onlineness in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

Now, not just the ones that Christ had when he was crucified to the cross, but he says, I, I in my body, marks from my belief, because I suffered and I’ve been persecuted for taking a stand for the clarity of the gospel. See, the clarity of the gospel is an issue. And just because somebody else wants to add a little this and add a little that and so forth to them, he didn’t let it go. So that’s wrong. You see, when you believe the gospel, you defend the gospel.

There’s a offense and a defense as it goes forth it offends But we’re supposed to defend our offense for the simple reason that we want people to know This is what we believe and this is why we believe it and this is what’s wrong And so when you study phases to 894 by grace are you saved? through faith and that not of yourself. So it’s not on what it is, it’s what it is not. It is not of works.

It is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast. So salvation is the gift of God. And the gospel is without works only by grace. And if I do really believe that salvation is by grace, then I would have absolutely no problem with God saving me forever. You see, if I believe how bad I am, think of how bad a man can be. If God can save him at any point, what’s the problem with God keeping him saved?

If Christ did pay for all of his sins, why would he have to go to hell and pay for any sin if they’ve all been paid? Somehow there’s people not able to think. They They can’t say that. They can’t understand. And I have a problem with people who have a problem with grace. Anyway, in verse 12, he says, now these people that preach that you’re saved by your works or kept saved by your works, they’re not interested in you.

They don’t really care about the people. That just gives them a following and look at me. I got all those people to change their lives. If you got a man who drinks to quit his drinking in order to be saved, did you get him saved? If you get a girl to stop being a prostitute in order for God to save her, then she didn’t trust the Lord. She trusted in her quitting what she was doing, as though she had to stop that in order to qualify for God to save her.

Salvation is by grace and grace alone, but there’s people who make merchandise of the people and look how great a job I’m doing because look how many people believe me. Are there a lot of people in the Mormon religion? Well then they must be right. Look how many believe it. Are there a lot of people in Catholicism? Why? They must be right. Look how many there are. What about the religion of Islam? They have to be right. Look how many people believe it.

So if something is right or wrong based upon how many people believe it, we’re in a heap of trouble boy. So I happen to believe I guess in a message that maybe most people don’t believe. Look what he says here in verse 12. As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh because of what they can get you to stop or start. That’s what they glory in. Look how many people we have. Look, I mean people stopped doing this and started doing that and it’s looking upon the differences and the changes made in a person’s life.

Did you know a man can come to church as a literal bum, guilty of every sin in the book, trust Christ is to save your happy eternal life and never change one thing in his life. You could have another person who come to church, totally changes his life, doesn’t drink, smoke, dip and chew and go with the girls who do. his Bible, sing to the choir, and could be as lost as a hound dog on the end of a soup bone.

And that guy that never made one change in his life, but he trusts Christ as a Savior. Now which one is justified before God? That man that simply just trusted Christ as his Savior never made a change in his life. He’ll go to heaven and that man will go to hell. But see, they revel in this because see, this is my convert. This is my fruit. So it’s not because you’re in love with them. It’s because you’re in love with yourself and they make you look.

The Bible is simple and clear. God loves us all the same. All that we have to do, all that we can. It’s trust Christ as our Savior. Now you preach the clear gospel. It’ll cause you more trouble. Because you can tell people, you gotta turn from your sins. Well, they expect that. You gotta live right. You gotta commit your life to Christ. Well, they expect that. Why? Because they believe works has something to do. And how you live has something to do with it.

So why should they persecute you? But what? This is what Paul’s talking about. He says, if that’s the truth, if I was teaching that, why am I persecured? And then the offense of the cross is ceased. This message on the salvation by grace is an offensive message. And the only way you can really prove that you really believe in salvation by grace is that you believe in eternal security. Once you’re saved, you’re saved forever and you can never lose it.

But if you believe you can lose it, you don’t really believe it’s free. You don’t believe it’s a real gift. And that it will maybe alone to you and it’s probation, but not salvation. Sorry you made the statement here. They want to make a fair show in the flesh. show in the flesh. They constrain you to be circumcised only last day should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. If they preach what Paul preached, they get persecuted. They’d be stoning them.

Well, that don’t sound too enticing to me. I mean, they just laugh at the beach with a cat of nine tales and throw you in a prison. Well, maybe you ought to just do a little bit of work, huh? So they changed the message. Look in verse 13, for neither They themselves who are circumcised keep the law, but desire to have you circumcised that they make glory near flesh. They’re not concerned about them spiritually. It’s what makes me look good.

Look at my converts. I saw a person not long ago. I supposedly led him to the Lord 40 years ago. He’s a mess. I said, I think that might be one of my converts. Not the Lord. It might be one of mine. But salvation is a gift and you cannot discern whether or not a man is saved or lost by how he lives. You take, for example, and this is the truth. How many of you in here, if it was up to me to choose, are really saved?

If I had to be the judge, who’s really saved? I haven’t got a clue. Well, Mike works in the office. He has to be saved. No, he doesn’t. I mean, Fred over here. I mean, he teaches in Sunday school. He has to be saved. No, he doesn’t. You take Dan and he plays the guitar. Well, if I know the play the guitar, you ought to go to heaven.

I mean, he rejoices over the stringed instruments. That’s scriptural. I play the harmonica. So, I mean, God talks about, you know, the harps in glory land. Ha, you can’t go if you can’t play the harp. I must be saved. I can’t guarantee that any person in this room is. But I believe that you are because of what you tell me, that you’re trusting in Christ and Christ alone. But you see, the only one who knows the truth is the Lord.

Now why would you want to deceive Him? Because you’re deceiving yourself. Now if a man tells me I believe in salvation is my grace, but if I don’t live right, okay, you can’t teach a son’s school class and you can’t sing in the choir. But you can come to church, but you can’t be a leader unless you believe the same thing Salvation is a gift and that’s what blows most people’s mind because it’s just that’s that’s too good to be true That’s that’s too easy.

You got to do something and you don’t have to do anything Hmm It is verse 14. I love this verse because Paul talks about I am dead to the world and the world is dead to me Why? Because I was crucified with Christ in chapter two, remember? He says, but God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the only thing that I’m trusting in. Not into law, not in circumcision. I’m only trusting in that payment He made on that cross for me.

And look at this. He says, by whom? the world is crucified on the mane or dead to me because when you crucify your dead. And I unto the world. So when I died on the cross because Christ did it for me, he says, as far as I am concerned, the world is dead to me. I live only for Christ. I am dead to the world. The world is dead to me, but I’m alive unto God and he’s alive unto me.

Did you see that? You understand what I’m saying? Sometimes I never know if I’m getting across. I hope I do. Because I can talk. I ain’t talk on it all. on and on and on. When God told me, He says, boy, how you do go on and on and on. He says, for in 1st 15, He says, for in Christ, He says, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision, profit at anything, but a new creation, a new birth. It’s the new birth that makes the difference.

So when I trusted Christ as my Savior, I got a new birth. But if I trust in my work, I can’t get the new birth. You can trust into church, but you can’t get a new birth that way. The new birth comes only from Him. And you only get it from Him when you trust Him for it. And He says, if you trust Him, He gives you a new birth. But see, that’s life coming from life. And dead works can’t give life.

So you can’t earn eternal life by dead works of flesh. So he says in verse 16, for as many as walk according to this rule, in other words, you ought to understand I am saved by grace and I live from henceforth believing that I am crucified or dead to the world and the world is dead in the me. That’s not why I’m alive. I’m 11th of the Lord to do what God wants me to do with my life. That sounds like pretty good reasons to me.

And then he says in verse 17, for I’m henceforth now on, let no men trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of our Lord Jesus Christ. Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, be with your spirit, amen, and amen, and amen, and amen. We have finally finished the book of Galatians. You didn’t think we were gonna do it, but there’s so much good in this book of Galatians that it did take us quite awhile. Let’s pray, shall we?

Our Father, we do thank you so much for your love to us, for giving us the most wonderful message in all the world, because you love us. We didn’t deserve to be saved, so how can we deserve to stay saved? You saved us by grace, we’re kept by grace. And Father, we have a message that, yes, it’s offensive to a lot of people. But help us to present it with love and care and compassion. Help us to win as many as we can while we can.

And Lord, it’s the only way to really show how much you really love us, to do something for us that we do not deserve. As you said in your word, God so loved the world that it gave us only begotten Son. The whosoever, believe it, then him should not perish, but have everlasting life. We thank you for that. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr.

Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing toll free 1-800-576-3771. That’s 1-800-576-3771. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to Download a free MP3 of today’s or any previous Bibleline program. Go to BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our homepage.

If you’re in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. Our Sunday morning services begin at 1030 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. broadcast of our services may be seen by going to our church website, Calvary of Tampa dot O-R-G. Thanks for joining us on Bible Live. And now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound. We will be changed.

Caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day believing that the Lord is coming soon. Just keep looking up.