How Can You Turn Back?

Galatians 4:8-11 and the Danger of Turning Back

Good morning. Open up your Bibles to Galatians chapter 4 and today we're going to be looking at verses 8 through 11. Lord willing we're going to look through all of that. We're halfway a little bit more than halfway through the book.

So I'm already kind of thinking about where we're going to go next. But of course, we're still several months away so. Yeah. Okay, so maybe I shouldn't be looking too hard what we're gonna be doing next.

Let's read we're gonna chapter 4 verse 8 formerly. When you did not know God You were enslaved to those that by nature are not God's. But now that you have come to know God or rather to be known by God How can you turn back again to the weak and worthless?

Elementary principles of the world whose slaves you want to be once more you observe days and months and seasons and years. I Am afraid I may have labored over you in vain. Father in heaven we come to you in Jesus name.

And Lord of mercies, I thank you for the opportunity to be with these men today. I look forward to this every week and I thank you for this blessing. I Pray Lord as we engage the text today that you would first and foremost keep me from error.

For Lord, I am certainly capable of that and don't want to preach error and I pray for the hearts of these men. Lord for those who are Believers, I pray that today would be an encouragement to them and that the preaching of the gospel would be life-to-life for them.

And Lord for those who are not believers. I pray that today would be a challenge To their heart and by the work of the Spirit that they might fall under the conviction of The gospel and that they might go from death to life today.

And Lord God for those who might be teetering on the brink of Recoiling from the gospel those who might be considering going back to an old life. Lord this text speaks directly to them and So Lord, I pray that we would see the the awesome Application of the text today that we would not put our hand to the plow and then look back.

But that we would be as Christ has commanded us those Who put our hand to the plow and stay on? the path. Father I thank you for this opportunity to study your word. May your spirit be the teacher in Christ's name.

Amen. Galatians. Galatians. Galatians 4 verse 8 through 11 verse 8. I want to I want to remind you just for a second of what we've learned so far. Because again, it's easy to forget you guys go through different classes every day.

Different teachers every day and so it's easy to kind of get off track as to where you're at. So we know we are in the book of Galatians, which is Paul's letter first writing of the Apostle Paul. This is the first letter that he wrote that we know of in the New Testament.

And he's writing it as an argument against the Judaizers. The Judaizers were those who had come into the region of Galatia after he had Planted the churches there and they came in preaching that his gospel was insufficient.

The gospel of grace the gospel of justification by faith is not enough. Yes, Jesus is necessary, but Jesus is only Part of the equation. You also must keep the law. You must also hold fast to all of the ceremonial requirements of The nation of Israel that the nation of Israel received from from God on Mount Sinai those are the Rules and that was what was being taught by the Judaizers.

And Paul repudiates that Paul says that is a false Gospel. It is either Christ and nothing else or It's a false gospel. That's it. You cannot add law. You cannot add requirements. You cannot add Anything to the work of Christ.

You either are trusting in him alone, or you're not trusting in him at all. And that is the message of Paul in Galatians. We have seen in the first two chapters. He defends his his Apostleship and his message and then in chapter 3 he explains By way of using scripture and history and the life of Abraham and the example of a Child being raised by a disciplinarian remember we called them the pedagogos.

The what the Bible calls a schoolmaster. That person is in charge of their life. And he said that's what the law was. The law was in charge of Israel until the Son came until Christ came and when Christ came Christ came with the purpose of Giving us the faith, and he says when the faith came That which was held under bondage is no longer in effect.

Now we've had a lot of talks over the last several weeks, and I'm certainly not saying that the law has no purpose. But what did we learn. The law cannot? Save. That's Paul's whole point. Paul's not saying the law doesn't have a purpose.

Paul's not saying the law can't have a benefit. That the law Doesn't show us certain things about the character and nature of God. But the point is this if you believe that you are being saved by adhering to the law Rather than saved by the finished and completed work of Christ, then you are Wrong in fact you are.

As he says in chapter 1 you are cursed. Chapter 1 verses 6 through 9 he says if anyone Teaches a false gospel and the false gospel of the law. Then let him be a curse. So now we come to verse 8 of chapter 4 and Paul is actually ending his argument.

That he's been making since the beginning of chapter 3. This is sort of the closing statement of his argument because in chapter 3 or chapter 4 verse 12 Look at it with me real quick. He says brothers.

I entreat you become as I am for I also have become as you are. That's what we're going to look at next week and Basically what he's doing in verse 12 is he's he's he's moving from his argument. This is why I'm right.

This is why what I've said is correct. This is the truth based on scripture based on history based on logic this is why I'm right and in verse 12 of chapter 4 he's moving to an Entreaty or what we would call an encouragement.

Okay now that I've told you these things I want to encourage you and So his entire really his entire argument shifts from one of reasoning to one of appealing. You ever been there with someone you reason with them you tell them why they're wrong and you explain all the things and then when?

You're done reasoning you say now. I want you to know I love you, and I want you to change. You know that so that's where the that's where the shift comes in verse 12. He he moves from reason to appeal and we're going to see that more next week.

So today we're looking at the last part of his reasoning argument the last part of this and Basically what he is going to ask them in this section is a very simple question. How can you? Even consider.

Going back to where you were. How can you even consider? Going back. To the condition that you were in prior to coming to Christ. Prior to hearing the gospel. How can you even fathom? Going back. That is the question and That is The shortened version of what he says in verses 8 through 11, so let's look beginning at verse 8.

You know how I normally do this I just go word for word line for line, and I explain it as we go I I teach in sort of a commentary style. So in verse 8 it says this formerly when you did not know God.

You were enslaved to those that by nature are Not gods. Now, when is he talking he says formerly? When is this when is he referring to well this time period that he's talking about is he's talking about the time?

Before they had the gospel the Galatians. Which we know is southern Turkey in the Bible you read about Iconium Lystra Derby all those cities that Paul brought the gospel to on his missionary. That's that's Galatia.

So Paul is saying to the Galatians there was a time when you did not know God. There was a time when you were a pagan. Most likely they lived Under the pagan religions of the day whether it be the Roman pantheon of gods or possibly the Greek Pantheon of gods and there was a lot of overlap between the Roman gods and the Greek gods this idea that there isn't a one single God who created all things but that there is a Pantheon or a group of gods and the sea has his God it's Poseidon and love has its God and that's a star day or Ishtar and then you have the other gods Zeus and Jupiter and depending on whether or not you had a Roman background or a Greek background and there might be Some overlap in those and so that is likely the religious background that these people had.

They had a belief in gods who are much like men because the Greek gods were essentially just very powerful men and and that the reason the why the world was always suffering the Constant turmoil that it was with the gods were at war with one another and you had Ares who is the god of war?

And and of course he would be embattled and that's why there would be. The sea would roar and the and the lightning would strike and that was of course the the lightning of Zeus. You know is the power and so there's this idea of the gods and this was paganism.

And this has always been the default of mankind. Read Romans 1 and what does it say? Men. Know that God exists. They suppress that truth and unrighteousness and they replace the Creator with created things.

They worship animals. Look back at ancient times or not ancient, but but look back at the older times of the Native Americans. What did they worship? The animals and the trees and the and the fields and they said there was the the great spirit.

Right who was over these things and it was always something to do with the created order it was always something to do whether it was worshiping the the animals or worshiping the the The earth itself and you see that today.

Think about how many people today worship the planet. Yeah. You say I've never seen anybody worship the planet. I can show you videos of people that cry out to the trees for forgiveness. They're crying.

Yeah, and they cry out to the trees. Oh forgive us for for cutting you down. That's if the trees are going to say it's cool. You know, it's not. I mean, they're not going to answer. But there's this idea of a spirit world that exists within the natural realm and so this is the paganism that would have been among the Galatians and Paul says formerly that's when he's referring to and then he says when you did not know God understand this all of the people who say Well, my God is in the trees or my God is in the bushes or my God is the great Eagle or my God is Zeus or or Olympus.

They do not know God. They do not know God. I years ago and I I don't know if I've ever told this story before but I know Bobby's heard it when I went into I went into Kmart and That's how to tell how long ago it was.

I didn't even came on anymore. And I was looking for a pair of shoes and as I walked in I used to carry a gospel. I still carry gospel tracks, but I used to carry a gospel track with me that had a optical illusion on the front.

So if you looked at it It sort of had a cool little thing that it would change color and it would look like it was spinning. It was kind of neat to look at and then on the back it would have a gospel message.

And so I walk up and I say hey look at this. It's pretty cool. And by the way, when you get done looking at it on the back, there's a message read it. It was just a nice sort of polite way to hand someone the gospel, right?

So I walked into Kmart and there was a lady who worked at Kmart. And I said, can I give you this to look at it? She said sure and she took it and I walked past her and I walked back to look at the shoes as I was standing there looking at the shoes she Walks up to me.

She found me walks up to me and she shoves it at me. And she says I don't want this. I Said okay. Thank you for not tearing it up because most people who I give tracks to if they don't want it. They'll tear it up throw it away and I have found tracks that I've given away torn up on the ground.

So it's kind of nice to have it back and I can give it to somebody else. So I just said thank you and I went back to looking at the shoes and she stood there. Like hands on her hips like tapping her tough.

Like like she's waiting on me to say something and I'm like, well, I guess this is going to happen. Cuz I I wasn't I wasn't I wasn't in the mood to engage her not that I wasn't well I just didn't want to get into an argument in the middle of Kmart.

Yes. She's tapping her foot and she said don't you want to know why I don't want it. I.

Said I know very well why you don't want it. I.

Know why. I don't have to guess and she said well, I just want you to know that my goddess Would never send anyone to hell. I Said you're right because your goddess doesn't exist. She just I Said your goddess is a figment of your imagination.

She does not exist therefore she doesn't have the power to send anyone to hell I said and the real thing is she's just like you because you've created a god in your image rather than believing the God whom you were made in his image.

The problem is you don't know God and you've created a god in your own mind. Well, what was interesting is we went on to have a very good conversation after that and Toward the end of it. She was writing down Bible verses and things I don't know if she ever got saved pray the Lord she did but the and and and she certainly didn't fall down on her Knees and start praising Jesus, but it was a it was a good interaction because I was I was willing to be honest with her.

You're lying to yourself you were you have you have created a god in your own mind you don't know God. And she knew she did. Yeah.

Manifested in them for God has showed it up. He has showed it under them. Yeah Yes. You Yes.

Well, I'm getting there you jumped ahead of me because that's in my notes but like that's two something two lines down. So you look ahead of it as I and because I'm getting there because I do believe that all men know that God exists.

But not all men know God. Yes. Yeah, well my god wouldn't. Yeah, exactly. It's always it's because they've created an idol. John Calvin said that he said. John Calvin said the the human mind is a factory of idols.

Yeah, it's constantly creating new idols to believe in and and that's the problem. That's what I mean when the Jehovah Witnesses come to my door. They have created an idol. When the Mormons come to my door They have created the.

The goal in conversating with them is to share the gospel with them and to show them their idolatry. You have created a god in your own mind.

Yes, but go ahead. People know they use that lifestyle.

Yeah, well that's Viking right and the the the Norse Norse mythology, yeah. So they believe in the Thor not the Marvel version. But yeah. Yeah, it's interesting. Did you know Thursday is actually Thor's day?

That's where the word yeah, and they I've heard a lot of arguments for that. Well, yeah, we celebrate Thor's day, you know on Thursday. Okay, whatever yeah Saturday Saturn day. A lot of our names come from mythology Greek mythology and Roman.

So so yeah, it's definitely got its influences for certain. But this is I want to show you all a verse because this is very important. I want you to the difference between knowing God exists and knowing God.

Turn turn to Ephesians 2 and look at verse 11. Because what's interesting Ephesians 2 11 is almost the same argument That Paul's making in Galatians 4 8 because Paul is saying formerly you did not know God.

Now look at Ephesians 2 11 he says. Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision. Which is made in the flesh by hands. Remember that you at one time were separated from Christ alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world now.

That's a longer version of what Paul says in Galatians 4 8 when he says formerly you did not know God here He explains what it means to not know God. It means that you're separate from Israel. It means you're separate from the covenants.

It means you have no hope. If you do not know God you have no hope. That's a powerful thought. How many people do you know who live a hopeless existence? Just this past week I got a message from a friend of a friend who had committed suicide.

He committed suicide. What leads a man? To hang himself or to put a gun barrel in his mouth. What leads a man to take an overdose on purpose? Hopelessness. Hopelessness, right and so That is the natural condition of the lost person hopeless.

Why do you think there has been a tremendous rise not only in drugs and alcohol, but in the participation in the Over the not over-the-counter but a Prescription medications to try to numb the senses to try to get to a point where I can feel some Happiness because all I have is hopelessness that is the state of the unbelieving world.

It is a hopeless state all men know God exists, but not all men know God. And Knowing God exists and knowing God are two different things. So going back to Galatians 4. Formerly when you did not know God.

So in a longer you could say formerly when you were hopeless when you're outside of Israel when you're outside of the covenants when you? Didn't have any hope formerly when you did not know God was a brother you were enslaved.

To those that by nature are not gods. A pagan person May think he is free. But in actuality he's a slut. You ever heard somebody say I'm a I'm. I don't need your God. I'm a free thinker. I was outside of a Trump rally.

Back when he was running for president. So 2016 ish and we went there just to hand out tracts, and I wasn't. I wasn't there because it was Trump. I was there because there's thousands of people and I got gospel tracts, and I want to hand them out right.

So I'm walking down the line of all these people that are waiting to see Donald Trump. And I'm handing out gospel tracts and most of them nice people taking them from me. Thank you reading it as I go by I'm looking back, and I'm seeing people reading the gospel tracts.

I get to this one old boy, and I go to hand it. I don't want it. Okay. Don't you want to know why. I know why I? Always know why. Need you to explain your sin. No, I didn't I'm saying in my heart. I'm screaming.

I know. And he starts telling me how much of a free thinker is and how I needed to give up this whole religion. Because I needed to learn to be a free thinker like him. And and and this this cat was he was something else.

He just looked like just a really strange fellow. I don't know if you've ever seen well nevermind. He looked strange. I was gonna mention a movie, but we'll leave it up leave it be just look kind of weird.

And he's all up in my face yelling about how much of a free thinker. He is and behind me there's a woman who had been selling like flags or something and She apparently agreed with him, so she is now behind me, so I'm the meat in an idiot sandwich.

I'm I got I'm surrounded. And she's behind me, and if I'm lying I'm dying. This is exactly what happened. She goes. We're all he's talking and I was like This this this could be the best story of my life.

I don't know this is it and I tried to reason with him. You can't reason with someone who's unreasonable, and he wasn't reasonable. But the point of the matter is these people were where I'm so free. No, you're not you're enslaved to sin.

You are so enslaved and you don't even realize the bounds that hold you a Pagan thinks he is free, but he's actually enslaved. He is enslaved to sin and he is enslaved to the spiritual forces of this world.

Look at what it says. It says you are enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. What is he talking about the Galatians were pagans and because they were pagans. They were enslaved to their pagan religions.

They were enslaved to the pagan spirits and Paul tells us in first Corinthians behind those pagan deities are actually demonic spirits. Do you realize that that the the Bible tells us that we don't wrestle against flesh and blood but against rulers authorities and Cosmic powers over the present darkness against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

There is real spiritual evil in this world. People don't believe that all that spiritual if you believe the Bible you can't help but believe that. That there are spiritual forces in this world there are spiritual forces that whose purpose it is to be opposed to the things of God and He in what Paul is saying.

He's saying Galatians understand this before you knew God. You were slaves to those who were not gods and who are not gods demons. That's what he's talking about. He said you were actually enslaved to them in fact Paul says this in first Corinthians 10, you don't have to turn there but verses 19 and 20.

He says that the food that is offered to idols is actually offered to demons and not to God. And I don't want you to participate in the table of demons. That's what he was in that context he's talking about because they would go Christians in his day would go into the pagan temples and eat and They would say well, I'm free in Christ.

Can I just go in here and just enjoy this paganism? I mean, it's good meat it's cheap and the meat was cheap because the meat was used to sacrifice to the false gods and then they would take that meat and They would sell it as meals.

And so the meat was cheaper. And so the Christians would go and enjoy the cheap meat and And maybe there was a some kind of an event happening they would go into the temple and They would enjoy the food and Paul saying don't you understand that you're sitting at the table of a demon.

Yes, you have Liberty in Christ. But why would you use that Liberty to go enjoy the table of a demon. You know a lot of people tell me all the time. I have freedom in Christ. I can do whatever I want.

Okay. But why why would you want to enjoy that for which Christ died? Why would you want to fill your minds and hearts with the things that Christ died over? Why do we love sin so much? So Paul is saying you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.

Essentially, I I understand this to mean you were enslaved to the demonic forces of the world. So Paul is reminding them where they were spiritually before Christ. You did not know God and you were enslaved to your idolatry, which was ultimately demonic.

From Pagan Slavery to Knowing God

Verse 9. But now don't you love that word? The adversity but. You guys got shirts that say but God right? Well, but now is a very similar to Huh Love but Okay, I didn't hear I just I just you kind of said it kind of fast I had to I had to think about what you were saying.

Okay? Yes. Love the word but. But now that you have come to know God or rather to be known by God I Love it when Paul corrects himself. Because The Bible and hear me now because this is very important.

This is a theological Statement that I'm about to make and it's very important. The whole Bible is true. The whole Bible is God-breathed. It is without error and it is infallible. I believe that but it is written through the agency of men whose Styles and whose language and vocabulary are not removed from the text.

Paul writes differently than John. John writes much differently than the writer of Hebrews. John has the simplest of the Greek. Hebrews has the highest of Greek. And so there is a much different Vocabulary and style which is used and that is not removed simply because it's superintended by the Holy Spirit and what's interesting in text like this.

Paul says something and then he says. Well, actually. And it's almost as if he's correcting himself. Both statements are true. Neither statement is false. But he wants to make sure we understand he says but now that you have come to know God or actually That God knows you.

Because let me ask you a question. What's more important, you know, God or God knows you. Very important that God knows you and you say well God knows everything. Yes God knows everything in the sense that God has all knowledge.

But when the Bible uses the word no K &O doesn't. When the Bible uses the word no, it's always in the sense of a relationship. Go back to Adam and Eve. Adam knew Eve and they conceived and bore a child.

What is the word no there does it just mean he knew who she was. No, it speaks of intimacy. Amos chapter 3 and verse 2 God is speaking to Israel through the prophet Amos and he says Oh Israel. You have I known of all the nations of the world?

Does that mean that he didn't know all the other nations? No, what it means is God had said his affection upon Israel. God's Relationship and covenants was with Israel. So there was a different Understanding of the word.

No, it doesn't simply mean taking in knowledge because God knows everything. God never takes in knowledge. God never learns. You ever thought of that God doesn't learn because he who knows all things cannot learn.

He cannot not know. So when he says you above all I have known of all the nations he's speaking of relationship. Jesus said this he said on that day many will come to me and say Lord Lord. We did we not do many mighty works in your name and miracles in your name and cast out demons in your name.

And he said depart from me. I never knew you. See that's why I say it's more important that God knows you than you know God. Because if you face Christ and he says I never knew you you got a problem. You Say well, I knew you those people said Lord Lord, they thought they knew him, but he didn't know them.

So Paul is in a sense correcting him his own statement here to help them understand. That the most important thing is not that they know God, but that God knows them. Now that you have come to know God or rather to be known by God.

How can you turn back again to the weak and worthless Empty or excuse me elementary principles of the world whose slaves You want to be once more how can you turn back now? Here's the here's the here's the very interesting part of this.

When Paul is talking about them turning back. He's not talking about him turning back to paganism. Because even though that's where they came from that's not what they're being tempted by the Judaizers aren't coming and tempting them with paganism.

The Judaizers are coming and Tempting them with law keeping but notice Paul is comparing their former life of paganism and The life the Judaizers are calling them to a life which seeks to keep the law for salvation.

He calls it the weak and worthless elementary principles of The world and you say wait a minute. How can he how could he say that the the I mean goodness that the law is weak and the law is Elementary he's already said those things go back and read verse 3.

He calls it the elementary principles. Go back to chapter 2 and and he talks about the law as being weak and unable to save. This is the context of what he's saying. And so here he's saying if you go to the law for salvation it would be at the same as if you went back to your paganism because Judaizing is nothing but a Biblically steeped version of the same paganism that you've always had.

Trying to find salvation in what you do rather than what Christ has done. I want to read a quote By Martin Luther. Now you guys remember this not Martin Luther King. Martin Luther 15 or 16th century German reformer.

The Lutheran Church is named after Martin Luther. He said this. Paul seems to think rather ill of the law. He calls it the elements of the world the weak and beggarly elements of the world. Was it not irreverent for him to speak that way about the holy law of God?

The law ought to prepare the way for Christ into the hearts of men. That is the true purpose and function of the law. But if the law listen to this. This is key if the law presumes to usurp the place and function of the gospel.

It is no longer the holy law of God, but a false gospel. If the law Seeks to usurp Christ as the way of salvation then the law itself becomes a false gospel. That's a powerful thought. Because we're not saying the law is bad when it's used lawfully and Paul himself says that the law is good when it's used lawfully.

But what is an unlawful use of the law? Trying to find your salvation in it trying to believe That in some way that is how you were saved or that is how you maintain your salvation. It's somehow by your law keeping.

I'm going to tell you this I got saved in 1999 and I am just as much dependent on the grace of Christ. Today as I was in 1999 more so today Than I was in 1999. I Didn't go from Christ to law keeping. I went from Christ to Christ to Christ to Christ and every day.

It's a relationship with God that is based on Christ not on the law. Every day that I live it's a relationship that is based on grace through faith. Not on what I have done when I face God at the end of my life.

And I look at him and he says why should I let you into heaven if I say anything other than Jesus Christ? I will be damned if I say it's because I was a pastor. Damn you if I say it was because I gave to the church damn you if I say it's because I went and preached It set free damn you but if I say it is Christ in Christ alone.

Then I will be welcomed into the kingdom that is the difference and So the law When it is set up as a Savior becomes a false gospel and Therefore he says how can you turn back? to a false gospel, how can you turn back to the weak and worthless elementary principles.

When you have Christ. You know God more. So you are known by God. How can you go back now? Verse 10 seems to come up out of nowhere. But verse 10 and 11 are huge. Because verse 10 proves my point. Verse 10 he says you observe days and months and seasons and years that is a euphemism a Euphemism is a expression or a way of speaking and the euphemism there is days and months and seasons and years was a way that the that the Jewish people would describe their Keeping of the law because they kept their days the Sabbath.

They kept their months which were their new moons and their festivals. They kept their seasons which were their annual festivals and that and also their years. And so when it talks about the days and months of seasons and years, he's referring to the annual Jewish calendar.

There was something that happened every week. That was a Sabbath. There was something that happened every month. There was something that happened during the season. There was something that happened annually, which was Yom Kippur the Day of Atonement.

Right. So when he says days and months and seasons and years, he's very specifically addressing the fact that look at what you've done. You've gone from Christ. Back under the old law you've gone from Christ to the keeping of these Requirements very quickly turn in your Bibles if you will.

To Colossians 2 this is the sister passage to this Colossians 2 16. You know Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians General Electric Power Company if you have trouble those four kind of come in a row.

Yeah, deep General Electric Power Company. Okay, Colossians 2 16 The Apostle Paul says this therefore let no one pass judgment on you in question of food and drink or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.

These are a shadow of the things to come but the substance belongs to Christ so All of the Old Testament Feasts Festivals and all of the calendar of the Old Testament were shadows That find their substance in Christ.

Every one of the feasts points to the work of Christ. Every one of the sacrifices points to Christ even the Sabbath day. Points to Jesus Christ. I'm talking about this on Sunday mornings. I'm preaching for those of you who come on Sunday morning.

I'm preaching through Genesis. We're in Genesis chapter 2 where God makes the Sabbath holy that seventh day later. He's going to give it to Israel to observe and then when it comes to the church What do we have.

Jesus says come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you Sabbath. I will give you rest not one day in seven. But a rest for your soul. You will go from works to rest because you will rest in me.

He is the substance of All of those shadows of the Old Covenant. Remember this if somebody says you have to keep the law you have to keep the whole law. That's why he says here observe days and months and seasons and years because it wasn't just they were saying you have to be circumcised.

It wasn't just them saying you have to have the the dietary restriction. They weren't just saying you have to keep this out. But they were saying you have to keep everything and at this point the Galatians were doing it all because the Judaizers had come in and Demanded of them a strict adherence to the ceremonies of the Old Covenant and Paul says you You are turning back.