Freedom in Christ: The Fruit of Faith: Gal. 3:1-14

I. We Are Saved by Faith vs. 1-2, 6-9

A. Paul wants to know who bewitched them, so that they followed after the law. Some say that Paul is being mean for calling them foolish, or fools, since Jesus said not to call someone a fool in Matt. 5:22. The Bible says that the fool is a person who rebels against God. They may not say it out loud, but they say it in their heart. Psalms 14:1

Psalm 14:1 NASB95

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good.

B. Jesus was publicly humiliated, and these morons (that’s the English equivalent of the Greek word for fools) were saying that Jesus’ public death, burial, and resurrection is NOT enough!

C. Paul asks, did you receive the Holy Spirit by faith, or by works? We are saved by faith, not works. Abraham proves this.

D. They were bragging about ancestry, Paul is talking about Spiritual heritage.

II. We Are Sanctified by Faith vs. 3-5, 10-11

A. Sanctification is to be made perfect. Is it done through faith or works? It is through faith!

B. The Old Testament proves that it is impossible to be made perfect through works, because our works aren’t perfect! The first quote is from Deut. 27:26, the second from Hab. 2:4.

C. If we get the Holy Spirit by faith, then sanctification is a work of faith! Phil. 1:6

Philippians 1:6 NASB95

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

Galatians 2:20 NASB95

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

III. We Are Set Free by Faith vs. 12-14

A. Jesus did the work for us, so that we can be saved, sanctified, and set free.

B. Jesus became a curse in order to be a blessing. Don’t let anyone take a blessing and make it a curse. “The Bible clearly tells us that any kind of legalism-Judaic, Christian, or any other variety- cannot replace a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. There is a very strong pressure of legalism today. If one does the right things, belongs to the right organization, has the right kind of family and the right kind of physical attributes, and has gone through certain rituals or belongs to the right church, then that’s all that is necessary. The Bible stand before God for himself”- Jimmy Draper.