We’re now in week 3 of our DNA series where we’re discovering what the church is designed to be by God, and why we do some of the things we do. We’ve looked at local church membership and baptism the last two weeks, and this week we’ll look at probably the most important trait of a biblical church; the practice of preaching God’s Word in our gatherings. This is the one trait of a biblical church that determines everything else in a church. If a church gets this one wrong, it’s only a matter of time before it falls apart or drifts away from Jesus’ design for His Bride. This ancient practice is absolutely critical for any church to be what God desires for her to be. At New Life, we’re committed to being a word-rooted community!

Last week we launched into our new series on the DNA of the church! We saw that church is not a building, institution or an event that happens on Sunday AM. God’s design from the beginning for believers was and is for them to commit to and flourish in a local church, which becomes their spiritual family. This week we take a look at something that has marked the people of Jesus from the very beginning, and that’s baptism. As we dig into the Scriptures we see a clear picture emerge about what baptism is, who it’s for and why it’s so important for the follower of Jesus!

This week we launch into our brand new series on the DNA of the church. So many people seem to have the misconception that church is a place, a building, a social club or an event. But the Scriptures paint a far deeper and more compelling picture of what the Bride of Christ is designed to be. Paul teaches us in his letter to a local church in a city called Ephesus that the church is a spiritual family and that it’s members need one another. In Hebrews, we see how critical it is for the believer to belong to a local church body and the reason why it’s so important. At the end of the day, God’s design for His people is to belong to a local church for their good and His glory!

This week we finish our 12 week study through the book of Galatians. Paul puts the finishing touches on this powerful little letter by summarizing the entire letter and challenging his readers to stick to the gospel of Jesus. Paul warns us, as he has before, of the dangers of following false teachers peddling half-truths and false gospels. He also encourages us to find our identity in nothing but the cross of Jesus. He is everything to the Christ-follower, we boast in nothing but Him because of what He’s done for us! In Jesus, we are set free to live free!

Last week Paul contrasted the fruits of the flesh that lead to death with the fruit of the Spirit that leads to freedom and life. This week, Paul is going to show us what the Spirit-filled life looks like, practically speaking. He leaves us with 4 marks that should characterize the life of the person who has been set free by Jesus. We are to be marked by restoring those trapped in the brokenness of sin, by bearing one another’s burdens and pain, by living lives of generosity, and by doing good to people. If every believer began to live out these 4 principles in their everyday lives, our neighborhoods, city and world would never be the same!

Paul wraps up chapter 5 by moving from the freedom that we have through the simple gospel of Jesus, to the fruits that freedom produces in the life of the follower of Jesus. At the end of the day, we all desire change/transformation in our lives. Especially at the heart level where our secret sins live. Change at this level is possible, but we can’t get there through sheer willpower or just trying harder. We’re too weak, and the pull of our flesh is too strong. Rooting our hearts in the simple gospel and walking in the Spirit as we focus on falling more in love with Jesus, is the key to unlocking good fruit in our lives in an organic way. Only Jesus can transform us in this way!

In this section of his letter to the new Christians in Galatia, Paul emphasizes the freedom we have in Christ. He encourages them not to return to the slavery of religion and trying to earn salvation, since Jesus had already accomplished all of that for them. He also warns them of the danger of buying into even a small amount of false teaching, as even a small amount of toxic belief can corrupt the whole. He finishes this section of his letter by encouraging the Galatians to live out their freedom in such a way that their lives would produce unity and love for one another rather than using their freedom for license/sin. In other words, Jesus has set you free to live in true freedom!

Legalism and Grace - Steve Harris, Guest Teacher 07.29.18 by New Life of Asheville

In this section of his letter to the churches in Galatia, the Apostle Paul dives into an incredibly deep and liberating truth that separates the Christian faith from every other religion and spiritual philosophy in the world. The doctrine of God’s fatherhood to His children, the truth of rebels adopted as loved sons and daughters seems almost too good to be true. And yet, because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, we can all go from orphans to cherished children of God by placing our faith in Jesus!

The whole purpose of this letter from the Apostle Paul to the young believers in Galatia is to draw a line in the sand and make a clear distinction between the gospel of Jesus and false gospels that either add to or subtract from salvation by grace, through faith in Jesus alone. In this portion of his letter, Paul reinforces the truth that God has always saved people by faith in the Messiah, even in Old Testament times. This promise, Paul argues, was not changed by the Mosaic Law given several hundred years after His promise to Abraham in Genesis. Rather, the law was given to us as a temporary guardian/tutor/nanny for several good purposes until such time as the Messiah would burst onto the scene and change history forever.