Between Self-Righteousness and Self-Gratification

I just finished teaching a short series from the book of Galatians at church. The main point that Paul is trying to communicate is that there are two extremes that are aberrations of a true relationship with Christ.

The first is self-righteousness, seen as presented by the Judaizers. These folks were telling the Galatians that the simple belief that they had in Christ was not enough for salvation. True believers, according to the Judaizers, had to be circumcised if they were male and all people had to obey the Jewish Law - festivals, sabbaths, etc in order to be saved. The Judaizers were requiring standards that they couldn't keep but, like all self-righteousness people, have followed just enough external rules so they LOOK like they are righteousness. The problem here is that there is no real heart change - just exercises in outward behavior. Righteousness can not be gained by obeying The Law.

The second extreme is self-gratification. These folks were Galatians who behaved as if their freedom in Christ meant that they could do whatever they wanted and there were no consequences. They took grace as a license to act any way that they wanted. The logic goes like this: Since I cannot work for my salvation, and righteousness cannot be gained through rules and behavior, it is not kept by good behavior. Ergo, salvation is free and not affected by my behavior. Paul asked them to be careful that their freedom wasn't used to hurt others - remember the construct that Jesus communicated - "Love God, Love Others." That was the freedom that we are welcomed into. The point being this; why, if we can now live like we were never able to - in love, in relationship with God, in true community - would we go back and live like we were? Kind of stupid, huh?

OK, that being said, one of the things that I was pointing out was, if I had to choose, I would rather move toward the "free middle" from a position of self-gratification than from self-righteousness. The reason being that if you are gratifying self, you are much easier to admit that you have been behaving stupidly and destructively - since for the most part you and everybody else knows this, and realizes that there is a higher road to take - morally speaking.

However, moving toward the "free middle" from a position of self-righteousness means admitting that you have been wrong when you are portraying yourself as "right". You have put others down, manipulated others from a position of "truth possessor", and portrayed yourself as the EXAMPLE of righteousness. This makes you vulnerable to those whom you have been oppressing and correcting. You can get pretty beat up. You have to eat WAY MORE humble pie. Think about Paul after his conversion, he had some problems integrating with the church - Barney helped him a great deal back then.

The really good news is that no matter which side you mat be on, we are all invited to the "free middle" - an experience of bringing life into our relationships, community, job, whatever realm we are living in. That is what the "fruit of the Spirit" is like. Life giving. Love giving. Self Giving.

At the end of the Galatian letter Paul writes, "Can’t you see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do—submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing, and he is creating something totally new, a free life!" (Gal. 6:15 - The Message) This is the "free middle". The wide place where we can enjoy the freedom that God has given us and share that freedom with others in practical ways - being kind, patient, self-controlled, finishing what we start, compassion, among other things.

What an invitation. I'm all in.

WH