 | Teaching:
'The Offense of the Cross' |
| Jesus Christ is Lord!
Andrew Shreeve Ministries
Partner Letter – November 2008
‘Bringing good tidings, publishing peace and salvation’
(Isaiah 52:7, Romans 10:15)
Sow a financial seed this month and partner with Andrew in proclaiming peace and salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ to all nations.
Seed Amount $... | Contents
- Welcome
- Teaching - "The Offense of the Cross"
- Itinerary
| Welcome
| Greetings in the almighty name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! I pray the anointing of the Lord enlightens you to know His calling on your life, revealing to you the riches of the glory of His inheritance, and the exceeding greatness of His power available to you (Ephesians 1:17-19)!
I am presently in an undisclosed location (will let you know next month). I can say the grace of the Lord continues to abound abundantly. So I give praise and thanks to our God who does exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us (Ephesians 3:20).
A key to the blessing of the Lord is two-fold. Firstly, we must be full of faith. This is achieved through daily meditation of His exceeding great and precious promisespray always… in the Spirit (2 Peter 1:4). The second is to be led by the Holy Spirit. We are greatly assisted in discerning His leading as we (Ephesians 6:18). Praying ‘in the Spirit’ is praying in unknown tongues (see: 1 Corinthians 14:14-15). Through praying in the Spirit we edify ourselves (1 Corinthians 14:4) enabling us to more easily distinguish the leading of the Spirit of God (Romans 8:14). As we are full of faith and sensitive to the Holy Spirit, the Lord can effortlessly lead us into our blessing - Hallelujah!
| | | | | | Teaching
Copyright © Andrew J. Shreeve 2008
‘The Offense of the Cross’
| In Paul’s letter to the Galatians he presents a compelling argument for the Gospel of God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ, contrasted against seeking to be justified before God through obedience to the Law of Moses. To those who seek to be justified before God through their own obedience to law, the Cross of Christ is offensive:
And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the offense of the cross ceased.
Galatians 5:11
As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. Galatians 6:12
Let’s review Pauls teaching in the first few chapters of the Letter to the Galatians, with the themes of grace, law, and the Cross in mind.
1:6-7 we were called into the grace of Christ. The word ‘grace’ carries the idea of God’s gift and favour. Grace is not something we deserve or attain through our own merit. Paul also refers to another gospel. He is talking about a perversion of the true gospel, which is not really the gospel at all. The perversion is to move away from grace and to come under law.
1:8-9 Paul’s language is very strong in saying let those who pervert the gospel to be accursed.
2:3-5 false brethren came into the church and tried to bring the church back under the Law of Moses. Paul did not submit to these false teachers, not even for one hour so that the truth of the gospel might continue.
2:16 a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
2:19 for I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. Jesus was a prophet under the Law of Moses (Mark 6:4, Galatians 4:4). Jesus perfectly obeyed every aspect of the Law, being without sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). Through Jesus’ death on the cross the law was fulfilled (Matthew 5:17). ‘In Christ’ we have become dead to the law. We now live by the Spirit, and are no longer under the law.
2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. When we think our obedience to law makes us acceptable to God we come against the work of Christ, saying Christ’s death was without significance and unnecessary. This frustrates God’s grace in our lives. The fact that God needed to send Christ to the earth to die on our behalf proves that nobody could attain righteousness through law. The Scripture is clear that nobody is without sin (1 John 1:8). When we think we ‘deserve’ God’s blessing due to our obedience to law we frustrate (set aside, disesteem, neutralize, cast off, despise, disannul, bring to naught, reject) the grace of God. Those under law have no grace or power of God working in their lives. The true gospel of grace is offensive to those who want to be justified by their own effort. They think God will not bless His people though faith alone. They want people to do something in addition to faith, to merit the blessings of God. This legalistic attitude not only denies the finished work of Christ, but prohibits believers receiving God’s power and blessing in their lives. God’s power comes by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). A works-righteousness mentality can never receive by grace through faith, as they never feel good enough to merit God’s blessing. Their sin is always condemning them, and they therefore cannot have confidence before God to exercise true faith (1 John 3:21-23).
3:1 Paul calls the Galatians foolish (unintelligent and unwise). He said they had been bewitched (maligned, fascinated by false representation). Paul then appeals to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as evidence that we cannot be justified by our obedience to law.
3:2-3 Paul argues; as we initially received the Spirit of God through faith, we should continue as Christians in the same manner. We do not perfect ourselves through the works of the law. Many seem to fall into the trap of sanctification by works. They may understand that Christ is received by faith alone, but think that once a person is born again God’s blessing comes through the works of the law. This is precisely what Paul is arguing against! Paul is saying it is Christ’s work through the Cross which justifies us from start to finish. We will always be dependant upon the work of the Cross every day of our lives. It will always be God’s mercy and grace that makes us acceptable to God. The emphasis for righteousness will always be on faith in Christ, and not on our own imperfect efforts of obedience to the law.
Say with me, “Lord, I thank you Christ is my righteousness. I am not ashamed of the Cross of Christ. I am not too proud to receive your blessings by grace, through faith. I accept that Jesus has fulfilled the Law. I am now ‘in Christ’, and therefore dead to the law. I have been set free to live and walk with you, by the Spirit. Hallelujah, thank you for the wonderful liberty I now have in Christ.”
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Itinerary
| Nov 16 Church meeting, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Nov 18 Pastor and leader training - two sessions, HCMC, Vietnam
Nov 20 Pastor and leader Training - four sessions, HCMC, Vietnam
Nov 23 Two Church meetings, HCMC, Vietnam
Nov 30 Church meeting, HCMC, Vietnam Dec 4 Leadership Training, Hanoi, Vietnam
Dec Undisclosed Country
Jan 10 7 p.m. Upper Room Fellowship, Serangoon Gardens Country Club, Singapore
Jan 11 10.30 a.m. Rivers of Life Church, The Civil Service College, 31 North Buona Vista Road, Singapore
Jan 13 1 p.m. Orchard Fellowship, Orchard Towers, 400 Orchard Road, (238875) #07-01, Singapore
Jan 15 12.30 p.m. RHEMA Prayer School, Haven Room, Paya Lebar Methodist Church, 5 Boundry Road, Singapore
Jan 18 10 a.m. River of Life Community Church, 19 Ponggol, 24th Avenue, Singapore
Jan 21 7.30 p.m. Park Mall Fellowship, Park Mall 9, Penang Rd 13sty Oasis Theatrette, Singapore
Jan 25 10 a.m. Gloroius Church, 469 McPherson Road #03-01, Gnoh Hock Building, Singapore
Feb 2009 Undisclosed country
| | ANDREW SHREEVE MINISTRIES
‘Bringing good tidings, publishing peace and salvation’ (Isaiah 52:7, Romans 10:15) | |
