Galatians 5:16-25 “Don’t Be Deceived!” 3/17/2024

I will never apologize for what the Word of God says.
I will apologize for my delivery of it…if I don’t tell the truth tempered with love.
But please understand that the most loving thing I can do as a pastor is tell you the truth.
The truth is that the study we are about to embark on may be scary to some of you.
But I would rather it scare you now…and wakes you up…than you wake from the sleep of death and find out you were never saved!
We have already established that you cannot lose your salvation once you are saved…
But what if you have been lulled into a false sense of security believing you are saved?
Paul wrote a letter to the Corinthian believers…to those who believed they were saved.
But they were showing up drunk to the communion meal…which was just one of the problems they were dealing with.
So, he tells them to examine themselves and test themselves to see if they are of the faith.
Because the way they were acting wasn’t showing evidence (fruit) of the new life they had in Christ.
He goes on to write: “Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you unless, of course, you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5)
If the persons he was addressing were genuinely of the faith, meaning if they were believing Christians…
Then there would be evidence…(fruit) that Jesus Christ lived inside them.
There would be evidence that the Holy Spirit was working within them, sanctifying them...and leading and guiding them.
But if their lives showed no evidence of the Spirit’s activity, then Jesus Christ was not dwelling within them.
And if Christ was not in them…then they failed the test…they weren’t of the faith…meaning they weren't saved!
We are going to read some very scary verses today…if they convict you…feel blessed…the Holy Spirit is working in you to teach you something.
If you are offended, be warned…the Holy Spirit is trying to tell you something and you need to heed His warning.
So, buckle your seat-belts…this ride may get a little bumpy.
Let's dig in!