IT is supposed that this is the first Epistle that Paul wrote. We find the occasion for writing it in the 15th chapter of Acts, first verse: “And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said, except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.” They were Judaizers. That is, they were of the opinion that at least some of the rites of the Mosaic Dispensation should be kept and added to the Gospel ordinances. But their opinion was contrary to the spirit and letter of the newly inaugurated dispensation. They had only the shadows of “good things to come” which were to pass away for ever, when He that was typified should come, as it is written: “But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down at the right hand of God” (Heb. x., 12) Christ, Himself, declared, “It is finished.” It would be most sacrilegious to add anything to the perfectly finished work of the Son of God. Paul knew that, and therefore, he hastens to write the Galatian converts, not to listen to men that should remove them from the liberty, and simplicity of the Gospel.
When men (however much of the letter of the Word of God may be in their minds) are not clean cut away from the covenant of works, you may notice that such have tried in all ages of the Church to add to the public worship of God, that which is foreign to it, and even expressly forbidden. The Church had always to contend with such men, and will have to fight “the wild beasts of Ephesus”; they are quite numerous today, the same “wild beasts,” only under different names. Fight the good fight of faith.
I. We shall consider “the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free.”
The Galatians were like the rest of the fallen race of Adam. They were ruined in their state and natures. The sin of Adam brought the curse of God on the whole family of Adam. Men may try to deny it, and evade the fact of it for a short time in this life, or belittle it so that sin may not appear at all what it really is in the light of God’s Word, and in the experience of the Lord’s people. But sin remains sin for all that, and men shall find out the bitterness of it here or here-after. We are the servants of sin in our natures, in our motives, in our words and in our actions. The whole person of man is under the curse and wrath of God. We are the children of wrath, “for sin made us liable to all the miseries of this life, to death itself and to the pains of hell for ever.” We are the slaves of our own lusts. We are dead spiritually. We are not dead to sin, only dead to God. We live in sin, move in it, and act according to its motions; except in the measure we are kept by the providence of God from outward transgressions. When the sinner is arrested and his or her sins brought to bear on the conscience it is then that the awfulness of sin appears to the awakened soul. “I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me; refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul” (Ps. cxlii., 4). When the blessed Spirit of God takes hold of, and enters into the soul through the Word of God it is then that sin appears in its dark, and gruesome nature. Sin is an infinite evil as it is against Infinite Goodness. “Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight” (Ps. li., 4). Sin is a bitter thing as well as being painful. “The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me; I found trouble and sorrow” (Ps. cxvi., 3). They saw themselves going down into hell for ever, and could not see any other place suitable for them but hell. Heaven was closed against them; they were a curse to themselves, and the world did not want them, and cared less for them, and the poor guilty sinner could not see any other place fit for him but that place where there is weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth forever. “For our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. xii., 29).
They tried hard to reconcile themselves to God, but failed. They would do anything to have peace with God, pray, weep, and promise all manner of reforms; “make me as one of Thy hired servants.” They were asking for time and opportunities to become good, and upright, so that they would show the Most High how perfect they would be in a short time. But when the commandment came with that divine power, glory and majesty, demanding obedience in thought, word and action the best efforts of the poor sinner went as it is written:—”Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney” (Hosea xiii., 3). They cried out that they were lost, undone for ever, and gave up the last breath of being saved at all. “Sin revived and I died.” “I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes.” “These words the Lord spake to all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice, and He added no more” (Deut. v., 20). It was not necessary for the Most High to add any more as the false hopes, and refuges of the sinner perished for ever—he died. It was a complete death. It was not the Law that died. It was the sinner that died to the Law as a covenant. The Law continued the same, and shall remain the same. The sinner was as dead to the Law as a way of redemption from hell, and death, as man is when the breath leaves the body, before the sinner was married to Christ. “Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another even to Him that is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God” (Rom. vii. 4). It is the work of almighty power and grace drawing them to Jesus Christ, by His Word and Spirit, although they are dead in themselves, yet they are made willing to embrace Christ offered to them in the Gospel. Thus they are justified, because God pardons all their sins for Christ’s sake. Their justification is of free grace. They are pardoned for Christ’s sake. His righteousness imputed to them, faith in them accepting it, and faith itself is His gift to them; so that it is all of grace. Faith is a saving grace. It is wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. Saving faith accepteth Christ in the promise of the Gospel; and rests upon Him alone for salvation, righteousness, pardon of all sins, and his only hope for eternity. The sinner is not justified in himself. He is justified in Christ. The Lord is his righteousness. Faith justifies a sinner in the sight of God; not that it is the grace of faith that justifies, but as it is an instrument by which he receiveth Christ and His righteousness. The grace of faith is the gift of God. When this blessed grace is given, and applied by the Holy Spirit, there is a willingness wrought in the soul which enables the poor sinner to rest on Christ alone and His finished work. There is a willingness to be saved by Christ, and by Him alone. The blessed Spirit sheds abroad in the soul the love of God. It is a time of love, “love unspeakable and full of glory.” “He brought me to the banqueting house, and His banner over me was love.” The poor soul could say, “My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand . . . His mouth is most sweet: yea, He is altogether lovely. This is my beloved and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.”
They were brought into a new Kingdom, and Christ spoke to their souls language that they never heard before: “Thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast dove’s eyes within thy locks” (Song iv., 1). “Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.” The power of sin and Satan was broken for ever: “Kings of armies did flee apace.” It was the light of the atoning death of Christ that broke for ever the power of sin in the soul. “Sin will have no dominion over you.” They are received into the number of His children, and the Spirit of Christ given to them, and they have admission to all the liberties and privileges of the sons of God—”made heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ”—of all the promises of the everlasting Gospel. The seeds of all the graces necessary for their eternal redemption are planted in their hearts, and the blessed Spirit quickens those graces according to their needs on their pilgrimage journey to the land of promise. They are not liberated in order to sin, but to die unto sin, and it pains them to find all that is in them of its corruptions; and the strength of its dying lusts. “Then ye shall remember your own evil ways and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities, and for your abominations” (Ezek. xxxvi. 31). How true in the experience of the Lord’s people! The wrath and curse were removed far from them in the day of their justification and adoption; but indwelling sin abides in every part of them, and the perpetual lusting of the flesh against the Spirit, which causes them to fall into many sins; so that they find imperfection and defilement in their best works in the sight of God. It is not what appears in the sight of men at all, but what they see in the light of the truth and the holiness of God. They are freed from the world, and its love. They are afraid of the world: that they may be entangled in it and ensnared by it. They live in the world but they do not belong to it. Through the grace of God they are separated from it, and do not wish to be of it again. They got enough of the world as the children of Israel got of Egypt. There are some Christians so-called who are outwardly called by the ministry of the Word, and have some common operations of the Spirit who seek back into Egypt as some of the children of Israel did in the wilderness, because they never came out of Egypt in their hearts. That class of Christian professors brings the cause of Christ into contempt in the eyes of the outward, profane world. But they are not the children of God. They are of the world. They take up the Christian religion for worldly gain, and would have even the Holy Ghost if they should gain more of the world by receiving Him. “And when Simon saw that through laying on of the Apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money.” No wonder though Peter said to him: “Thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” But “if the Son shall make you free ye are free indeed.” The regenerated soul cannot fall from a state of grace, because there is an inseparable union with Christ. We have said already that the seed of God was in their soul; and they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. Although they cannot fall from a state of grace, yet by reason of the continuing lusting of the flesh against the Spirit they may fall, and do fall into many sins, but the blessed Spirit revives, and quickens the grace of repentance in their souls, so that they are renewed again in the inner man, and thereby enabled to die unto sin and live unto righteousness. The proud Pharisee never falls into any temptation in his own estimation, and sneers at the weaknesses of the Lord’s people and sets up a standard of perfection for the weak believer, and if the believer falls short of the Pharisee’s standard he cuts him down as one of the greatest hypocrites that ever lived. But the Pharisees are like “the cruel ostriches in the wilderness.”
II. “Stand fast”—”Quit yourselves like men.”
It is through many temptations that the people of God shall escape to their eternal haven of rest. Paul said to Timothy, fight the good fight of faith, which means that Timothy had to meet with enemies; yea, and many of them. The young believer cannot understand why men, women, and devils are against him. While the sinner was in the kingdom of Satan he was not tempted by them at all. They were all for him. But every regenerated soul shall have to experience the enmity that is between the Seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. The devil is enraged for losing one out of his kingdom. Satan shall try all that is permitted him to do to bring that sinner back to his service: if one means fail him, other means are ready at hand, and even prepared beforehand to draw the soul into his meshes once more. The hearts of the ungodly are at Satan’s disposal, and Satan will make use of them to tempt the poor believer back to do his will. If Satan was all-knowing he would give up his wicked work, but Satan is a creature, limited in knowledge, and, therefore, he does not know but he may undo the work of grace in their souls. They are to stand fast in the faith, against all opposition and the cavillings of men. We are to stand fast for our privileges. The Galatians were mere infants in the faith, and in the practice of Christianity. We have near two thousand years behind us, but we are in as great a danger as they were unless we are kept by the power of God. The Free Presbyterians must be as vigilant to-day as they were thirty-five years ago. When a man grows up in years he is not so much in danger from outside enemies as he is from internal enemies. That is the way with us as a Church. We have our experience as far as outside enemies are to be considered, and watched. But if enemies shall arise from within the Church, introducing foreign goods into the Church, then it is equally essential to stand against them, and to “quit ourselves like men.” It will not do to stand aloof and look on, or flee away from them. No! they must be brought into subjection, and if they refuse to submit, “and to give up foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law, for they are unprofitable and vain. A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject. Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself” (Titus iii. 9, 10, 11). “But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom neither the Churches of God” (I. Cor. xi. 16).
You in Winnipeg must “stand fast” to the Word of God. It is obvious that the enemy got in among you. When the dog goes among the flock he scatters the sheep, but it is the work of the shepherd to gather the scattered sheep together; although that may be very difficult at times yet it can be done. Christ can do it. We as a Church are few in numbers, but we do not escape the notice of the Devil, and his enmity too. “Stand fast” to the Word of God, “to the law and to the testimony.” We must not encourage the wicked. Let us show them the best possible example in walk, life, and conversation. Let us “stand fast” for the holy Sabbath. If we give in on this most vital question, and submit to the theories of men, and act according to the world, we sin against God and bring judgment on ourselves, and on our children. Let us “stand fast” against loose opinions about sin and its terrible results even in this life itself. The truth of God is of infinite value and must be kept at all costs. The worship of God in this world is of the greatest importance, and nothing must be added to it or taken from it.
We as a Church are called by many fancy names, such as “schismatics” and “ignorant folk.” “They think that none can go to heaven but themselves, and their ministers are always speaking about other Churches, and finding fault with people that are doing their best, and there are good and honest people in every Church: yes, some say, even in the Church of Rome; but these Seceders they are just a pest and their ministers spoil them.” Now, that may appear simple enough and their opinion harmless, but let the Most High permit that spirit to wreak itself on us and then the Free Presbyterians shall find out the sting that is in the tail of that scorpion! What Church could you go to in the land and have a clean conscience? You had in this country a union of Churches, and their whole aim is to be creedless. The Word of God is not their rule of faith and practice, but the sentiments of men; and the theories of scientists; accommodating their theology to suit the views of the atheist and the infidel. But what about the Continuing Presbyterian Church? They have their organs, their hymns, and their politics. What has that to do with the Gospel? The ordinances of the Gospel are administered to the poor people whether they know it or not. Baptism given to parents who by their walk and life prove that they do not know what it means even in the letter. They can work at their usual occupation on the Lord’s Day, building houses, gathering in the harvest etc., and the following Sabbath sit at, what they call, the Lord’s Table. Parents receiving baptism for their children can go to the dance, theatre, can gamble, can indulge in Sabbath desecration, have no family worship and neither the Word of God read nor believed. But no wonder when the minister is seen on the golf course on the Lord’s Day! How could you associate with such congregations and Churches? It is a common thing for so-called Protestant clergymen to accept the infidel teaching of atheists that Christ was a mere man. The present “Continuing Presbyterian Church” of Canada harbour those with higher critical views, and have modern practices foreign to the Church of God, and contrary to the Word of God. The same is true of the home Churches in England and Scotland. Their creed is to be creedless. That is quite plain. The Church of Rome has become their “sister,” but it looks more like that the Church of Rome will be their mother ere long. Thousands of the people of England seeking re-union with Rome. Ministers of the Church of Scotland writing of the “Middle State” of the dead after death. That is the “purgatory” of Rome. The Union of the United Free Church and the Church of Scotland is based on human sentiment in order to gain more political power: and to have State emoluments. The said Churches have disregarded the Word of God long ago. They do not believe in the new birth, regeneration, nor in election; justification by faith is not in their creed at all, nor the work of the Spirit acknowledged. They live by works not by faith, and that surely shall lead to Rome. The other Churches in Scotland are professing one thing and practising very often contrary to what they preach. The general aim of the Free Church of Scotland is to have the Free Presbyterian abolished out of the land. The discipline of the Free Church is very lax; particularly in administering the ordinances of the Lord’s Supper and Baptism. They pay lip service in public for keeping the Sabbath, but they do not practice what they preach, nor even try it. Their people can work on the Sabbath: doing what is absolutely unnecessary—to wit, working on the railways, on city tram cars, and in the Post-Office. How can they in conscience be honest before God, and protest against other men doing the very thing that they themselves allow? The only difference between the present Free Church and the other modern Churches is this: that the Free Church adheres to the Bible as the Word of God, and to the Confession of Faith, and Subordinate Standards, and also to the form of worship, but, otherwise, the Free Church does not differ as far as discipline and faithfulness is concerned from the other Churches. The Honorary degree of Doctors of Divinity that have been lavished on Free Church ministers in recent years is very significant. It will not be out of place to point out who are the custodians of the suppositional honours. It is the Senatus of the Universities that bestow the honour on the worthy recipient. But the painful aspect of this matter is that the most of the men who are members of the Senatus are men who do not believe in the Divinity of Christ—who revealed the Father, nor in the Bible—men of higher critical views, evolutionists, and rationalistic infidels. How could Free Church ministers accept the honour from men who deny the Divinity of Christ? When the Church of Rome was afraid that Martin Luther was to leave the Church they made a Doctor of Divinity of him. If the Church of Rome had known beforehand what havoc Luther was to make of them they would not have made the Monk Luther a Doctor of Divinity. May the Most High in mercy open the eyes of the Free Church Doctors of Divinity to thunder out against the infidels that bestowed the honours on them as the Monk Luther did on the Church of Rome.
III. The admonition: “And be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
Many efforts have been made to entangle the Free Presbyterian Church since the last thirty-five years. At times one would think that all was gone. Ministers leaving the Church and doing all the mischief they could before leaving the Church to wreck it for ever. The Lord in His love and pity stood by the Church and as yet saved it from being ruined. It was a great relief to the godly when they got away from the “Declaratory Act Church” in 1893. It was a time of love, joy, and much happiness because they got the Lord’s presence and the consolations that are in Christ Jesus. The most of them are at their eternal rest. They fought the good fight of faith; they kept the faith too, and handed it down to us. We are in duty bound to tell our children what our fathers told us. Well, our fathers told us about the Declaratory Act what it meant, and how men forsook the Lord in His Word, ordinances, and worship. Our children must be instructed in these things, so that they shall not fall into the snares of the devil. For if they do that let it be with their eyes open that they shall do it. The children of Israel were never to forget how the Lord delivered them out of Egypt. They were to tell their children, generation after generation, that it was the Lord that saved them. The same is enjoined on us. Through the grace of God let us not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage. May the Lord keep us from all evil.