Galatians 3:6-14
Freedom in Christ • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 3 viewsNotes
Transcript
The Righteous Shall Live by Faith
The Righteous Shall Live by Faith
just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?
Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.
And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.”
So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.”
Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”
But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.”
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—
so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
Pray
Map of the Middle East. Specifically showing the region of Galatia
1. Paul was on the road to Damascus to persecute the church
2. Paul was stopped by Jesus Christ and blinded
3. After Paul was healed, he went to Arabia and Damascus
4. Paul traveled to Syria and Cilicia (Judea, in the south, only knew Paul through word-of-mouth)
5. Went to Jerusalem
6. Sometime within the travels of Paul, he brought the Gospel to Galatia. Churches were established.
7. The Judaizers came in and distorted the message of the cross and questioned the apostleship of Paul.
8. The Judaizers said Christ was not sufficient, they must observe the Law.
9. Paul’s letter affirms his authority and apostleship.
10. Paul’s letter presents the truth of the Gospel. That they were justified by faith and had freedom in Christ. They were no longer slaves and under a curse from the Law.
Today, we can receive this same message and apply it to our lives. First,
yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Secondly,
To help you steer clear of “Modern-Day Judaizers.”
Those who say Christ is not the way to Salvation. Or, Christ is not sufficient. Or, you must earn your way to eternity.
All other religions and belief systems hold these things to be true in some variation. Namely, that Christ is not sufficient or you must earn your eternity.
For Example:
The Mormon church bears no crosses, inside or outside their churches. Why? Because Christ is not central to their doctrine. If you have seen any Tabernacle, you will note the statue of Moroni with the trumpet.
Now, to be sure Mormonism has blurred the lines for many regarding the role of Christ. Some of the differences are so subtle, that to an unsuspecting person, you would never know the truth. This is why it is important to research and discover what the truth is. What it always has been.
Just like the Judaizers, they believe in Jesus. And, just like the Judaizers, they do not believe He is the only means of salvation, or that salvation is through Him.
There are many differences between Mormonism, Islam, Hinduism, New Agesim, etc., that we not have time to go through the nuances today.
Ultimately, you have to decide what is absolutely true. Either salvation is only through Jesus Christ or He is not.
The Bible teaches it is only through Him. All other religions give a “hodge-podge” of alternatives and none of them involve Christ alone.
It is through the blood of an sinless man, God in flesh. Or, it is through human effort. You have to earn it.
Think about that for a moment?
Today’s passage focuses on Paul’s central argument.
If salvation is received through faith, then it is not dependent on works or adherence to the Law.
Paul argued against the teachings and pseudo-authority of the Judaizers. They did not have authority over the Scriptures or truth.
Paul also showed the Galatians why following the Law (doing works) is irrelevant to obtaining salvation.
just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?
Abraham had Faith
In verse 6-9, Abraham is mentioned in all 4 verses, then in the last we will be covering
Why is this important to the Gentiles? They were not Jewish and would not really concern themselves with Abraham.
It was an appeal to the Gentiles about the Jewish faith. How following the Law never led to salvation. The Jews considered Abraham as their Father.
“Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance;
and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham.
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,
and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”
Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.
The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you.
I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”
They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did,
Paul taught that salvation comes through faith
λογίζομαι - count, take into account
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Used the same Greek were for what is being taken into account.
“It was usually an accounting term that meant that money was being received and counted as payment toward some end. In general, the English term ‘credited’ means the same thing - to confer a status on something that was not there before…
When God ‘credits righteousness’, He is conferring a legal status on someone. He treats them as actually righteous and free from condemnation, even though they are still actually unrighteous in the heart and behavior…
Paul (and Abraham) are showing that it is possible to be loved and accepted by God while we are ourselves sinful and imperfect.” - Timothy Keller
“Abraham’s God made him righteous, by accounting his faith to him for righteousness…” - David Guzik
Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.
Those ‘of’ faith are sons of Abraham, heir according to promise (Gal. 3:29).
If the Judaizers were going to talk about the Law, about Abraham. So was Paul and he was going to set the record straight.
Paul pointed back to Abraham, not to the Law. It was the promise to Abraham that made the pivotal declaration of faith.
The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.”
The OT had the Gospel message. “All nations” will be blessed in Abraham. Not just the Israelites. Not sure how the Israelites missed that one.
And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”
So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.
Those “of” faith are blessed with Abraham. Abraham believed and lived it out.
Who has faith? All who believe that Christ died for their sins, was buried, and rose again. Who call Him Lord and no one else.
The Christian faith points to Christ, the One true God. It points to His accomplished work on the cross and the forgiveness of sins through His blood.
All other religions and false doctrine, points to self effort. Sure, they may have an all-supreme ruler of some kind and they may even call him god, but he is no real god.
Rahab
For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction.
And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.
Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father’s house, and give me a sure sign
Roman Centurion
When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him,
“Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.”
And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.”
But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.
For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.
Those who have faith are blessed and receive the same blessings Abraham received, the same promises.
Paul taught that reliance on the Law results in a curse.
For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.”
Those who live by the works of the Law are under a curse, if you do not follow all of them. And, if you break just one, you are guilty of breaking all of them.
Paul established a fact about being cursed, if you are under the Law and not Christ.
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
There are 613 Laws, they are called the Mitzvot
The Law ought to still be followed, but it is not required for salvation.
All 613?! No, when we go through the NT we see the ones Jesus referred to and helped clarify.
At the end of Moses’ life he was given curses to share with the people and they were to repeat it and swear by it. The people affirmed they would be cursed if they did not follow the Law.
‘Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”
We have already established that one cannot be made righteous by observing the Law. The Law is simply a guardian for mankind. One that speaks to the heart of mans sinfulness and shows them just how treacherous we really are.
The evidence is plain. The simple fact that the Law cannot save one, make one righteous, is evidenced in the story of Abraham and is supported through the arguments supplied by Christ, Paul, and other writers of the New Testament.
And, anyone who has ever added to the requirements of the Scripture, is guilty of a false Gospel. This is what the Judaizers did in Paul’s day. This is what happens today, outside of a Bible Believing Church.
What is a Bible Believing church? One that adheres to the inerrant and absolute truth of the OT and NT Scriptures as written and accepted. All 66 Books, no more, no less.
A church that preaches the only way to salvation is through the blood of Jesus Christ. That He was crucified, died on the cross, was buried, rose again, and will return for His saints.
“Salvation is either by faith or by works. There are no alternatives, and these are mutually exclusive--they cannot be mixed because they are poles apart. Add even one deed of human effort to salvation, and you pass from faith to works…
from grace to Law…from a divine gift to a human wage. More than that, you move from life to death, from being blessed to being condemned. …Christianity is a religion of ‘done,’ and all other faiths are religions of ‘do.’” - Charles Swindoll
But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.”
If you seek to practice the Law you will live by them. Since, the Law cannot impart righteousness, you are striving in vain.
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them.
Christ Redeemed Us by Becoming a Curse
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—
so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
“If a man has committed a sin worthy of death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree,
his corpse shall not hang all night on the tree, but you shall surely bury him on the same day (for he who is hanged is accursed of God), so that you do not defile your land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance.
Jesus committed no sin, and no sin worthy of death. He was innocent.
Joseph of Arimathea took the body down and had Jesus buried that day, in accordance with Law.
Therefore, He took on the punishment for our sins.
This Scripture, written by the prophet Isaiah, about 700-800 years prior to the death of Christ, is about Jesus.
Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted.
But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.
He bore our griefs, sorrows, and transgressions (sins).
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
Sanctification is a Lifelong Process
We are to be obedient, holy children of God.
Like obedient children, do not comply with the evil urges you used to follow in your ignorance,
but, like the Holy One who called you, become holy yourselves in all of your conduct,
for it is written, “You shall be holy, because I am holy.”
It took a moment for you to receive the Spirit, by it will take a lifetime to go through sanctification. Each day we are being sanctified.
“It took one day for Israel to get out of Egypt, and it took 40 years to get Egypt out of Israel.” - Frank Turek
If Time Permits read the following passage
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,
and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,
so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.
Christ died once to bear the sins of many. When He returns for salvation, there will be no reference to sin.
Paul made an argument that through the death of Jesus, the blessing would come to the Gentiles. That they too, through faith, would receive the Spirit.
Today, many people know about Christ, they know about Jesus, they just refuse to follow Him because they are more comfortable following their personal ideal of what constitutes good and evil. They do not want to truly believe their is objective morality and an Objective Lawgiver. They believe they can get to heaven on their own efforts. (Galatians 2:16, 3:11; Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Historical examples, such as Abraham, Rahab, the Roman soldier, and Paul show that salvation has always been granted through faith, regardless of one’s background.
Your life is an example of how faith has transformed you.
If salvation is received through faith, then it is not dependent on works or adherence to the Law.
Paul taught that salvation comes through faith (Galatians 3:6-9) and that reliance on the Law results in a curse (Galatians 3:10-14).
Historical examples, such as Rahab and the Roman soldier, show that salvation has always been granted through faith, regardless of one’s background (Hebrews 11:31; Matthew 8:10).
Faith brings sanctification, which is a lifelong process.
Conclusion: Therefore, salvation is a gift available to all through faith in Christ, independent of the Law.