Works or Faith?

I. Welcome & Opening Prayer

**Turn to Gal. Ch. 3— V1-5

**Pitch escape room**

!! Open in Prayer !!

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II. Introduction 🎤

One of my favorite sayings,

and I’m sure you’re familiar with it is…

“If it ain’t broke… don’t fix it.”

I GET GUN-SHY ABOUT UPDATES…

PROBABLY HALF the APPS on MY PHONE—NOT UPDATED…

Logos: WORKS GREAT—SOMETIMES UPDATES HAVE BOGGED IT DOWN…

Conclusion: SOMETIMES— UPDATES in EYES of COMPANY — MOVING BACKWARDS in EYES of CONSUMER…

RECIPES

TRUCK ENGINE

etc...

Conclusion: ONE REASON,, THINGS OFTEN GO BAD,, SOMETHINGS ARE VERY HARD to IMPROVE.

📉 UPGRADE = GUARANTEED DOWNGRADE 📉

=> SOME THINGS,, UNIMPROVABLE.

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Focus: TODAY’S TEXT— 📸WE’LL SEE that the GOSPEL of GRACE = = UNIMPROVABLE… 📸

NOT BROKEN.

CAN’T BE FIXED/ UPGRADED

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Transition ➡ INVITE,, LOOK W/ ME @ PASSAGE… GAL. 3… V.1-5

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III. Passage Reading: Galatians 3:1-5

Galatians 3:1–5 ESV

1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—

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Church this is God’s Word for us this morning.

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IV. Context Recap: The Basis for Justification 🏛️

Last Week:

Transitioning away— PAUL’S DEFENSE of “HEAVEN-SENT” GOSPEL.

AFTER PAUL CHALLENGED PETER’S HYPOCRISY:

JEWS DON’T LIVE LIKE JEWS

HOW COULD GENTILES???

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Powerful Assertion: JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH — FOR BOTH JEW & GENTILE!!

Define: ⚖️ JUSTIFICATION = COURT-ROOM CONCEPT⚖️

“NOT GUILTY”

PRONOUNCED JUST/RIGHTEOUS

Conclusion: PRONOUNCED “NOT GUILTY” BECAUSE of CHRIST’S SACRIFICE…

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Powerful Conclusion (2:21): RIGHTEOUSNESS THROUGH the LAW?! CHRIST WOULDN’T HAVE HAD to COME & DIE!

PAUL DIED to the LAW—KEEPING IT’S REQUIREMENTS

Now: CHRIST LIVED WITHIN — A LIFE LIVED BY FAITH in the SON of GOD…

Passage Idea: Justification comes not through works, but through faith in Christ alone.

Focus: 📸TODAY — PAUL WILL TALK ABOUT the CONTINUATION of CHRISTIAN LIFE— SANCTIFICATION… 📸

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Transition ➡ LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 1

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V. Passage Exposition: Galatians 3:1-5 🔍

Thought 1: Paul’s Confrontation of the Galatians (v1) 😠

Galatians 3:1 ESV

1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.

Focus Shifts...: MUCH of GALATIANS— PAUL = DEFENDING HIS MESSAGE “HEAVEN-SENT”

Now: ADDRESSING GALATIANS DIRECTLY AGAIN...

((Recap, Week 1)) GOING AFTER ANOTHER GOSPEL—DESERTING GOD…

Galatians 1:9 ESV

9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

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Revisiting Direct Address

WHO HAS BEWITCHED YOU??

GK: 🪄“USING BLACK MAGIC”🪄 — SPIRITUAL FORCE @ WORK.

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Before their Eyes:

Confounded Paul: B4 THEIR EYES—JESUS PORTRAYED as CRUCIFIED

Meaning: GOSPEL = ABUNDANTLY CLEAR

Last Wk (2:21): RIGHTEOUSNESS THROUGH LAW—CHRIST WOULDN’T HAVE COME

Good News: CROSS of CHRIST = GOSPEL CENTERPIECE!

@ CROSS = GOD,, JUST & JUSTIFIER!!

**GALATIANS RECEIVED GOSPEL FROM PAUL HIMSELF!! 😱YET DECEIVED...**

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Addressing Spiritual Darkness:

ALLUDED TO— BEWITCHED “BLACK MAGIC” 🪄— DARK SPIRITUAL FORCES… 🪄

Exhort: CANNOT FORGET WE HAVE an ENEMY

STEAL

KILL

DESTROY

=> HE DOESN’T NEED FLAT-OUT REBELLION—HE JUST NEEDS to DECEIVE

Exhort: NARROW is the WAY THAT LEADS to LIFE

Controversial, Exclusivity: JESUS is THE WAY, TRUTH, LIFE…

If Christianity is true, every other world religion is false.

=> Harsh Truth: IF SATAN COULD TAKE PEOPLE DOWN ANY OTHER PATH—THEY’RE HIS.

Works-based-salvation

Universalism

Islam

Buddhism

Hinduism

Atheism

Takeaway: HE DOESN’T CARE—SO LONG AS YOU MISS JESUS.

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FATHER of LIES

DECEIVER:

**NEED to KEEP the LAW of MOSES—JESUS WASN’T ENOUGH…

**ALL RELIGIONS SERVING SAME GOD**

COEXIST STICKER = DEVIL’S IDEA.

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Warning: LIES = OFTENTIMES HARD to DETECT…

HE DOESN’T PARADE W/ RED HORNS & PITCHFORK

**BUT as an ANGEL of LIGHT**

💡**GOAL of TRUE DECEPTION—YOU DON’T KNOW YOU’RE DECEIVED**💡

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SATAN—ATTEMPTING to GET GOD’S PEOPLE to MISS GRACE in FAVOR of WORKS!

Devil loves the message: GOOD PEOPLE GO TO HEAVEN—BECAUSE IT’S NOT TRUE!

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WE MUST BE WATCHFUL:

1 Peter 5:8 ESV

8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

WE MUST BE DILIGENT in the STUDY of GOD’S WORD,, AS BEREANS.

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Returning to Context:

GALATIANS KNEW BETTER

GOT the GOSPEL from PAUL

YET THEY WERE BEWITCHED—TRICKED—DECEIVED…

JESUS’ SACRIFICE WASN’T ENOUGH—THEY HAD to FOLLOW JEWISH DISTINCTIVES…

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Transition ➡ TO PROVE FOLLY of THEIR POSITION,, PAUL WILL ASK a QUESTION

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 2

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Thought 2: The Reception of God’s Holy Spirit (v2) 🔥

Galatians 3:2 ESV

2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?

Today’s Text: PAUL TRANSITIONS:

FROM VALIDITY of MESSAGE— “HEAVEN-SENT”

TO VALIDITY of MESSAGE— “LIFE-CHANGING”

WHAT BROUGHT the SPIRIT INTO YOUR LIFE??

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Background: N.C. Promise of Holy Spirit

Ezekiel 36:26–27 ESV

26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

O.T. LAW: GOD’S EXPECTATIONS of HIS “HOLY, DISTINCT” COVENANT PEOPLE

Problem... LAW = REQUIREMENTS WITHOUT POWER — SHOWS OUR NEED

INSTRUCTION MANUAL WITHOUT TOOLS/POWER to COMPLETE the TASK…

Illustration: WORKING on MY XTERRA—REMOVING STEM for LOWER CONTROL ARM

🔧**SIMPLE to UNDERSTAND** .… HOURS to DO🔧

God’s Moral Law = EASY to UNDERSTAND, HARD to DO — HUMAN BEINGS FALLEN— SINFUL TENDENCIES.

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HOLY SPIRIT—THE NECESSARY POWER to OBEY GOD— CAME W/ NEW COVENANT

**O.T. SPIRIT CAME UPON SOMEONE**

NOW HE INDWELLS US—PERMANENTLY.

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Exhortation: No Spiritless Christians...

THAT SAID— HOLY SPIRIT = COVENANT PROMISE for BELIEVER.

SOME BRANCHES: “SPIRIT-FILLED” = SECOND TIER— NOT ALL HAVE.

Romans 8:9 ESV

9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

Exhort: YOU CANNOT BE a BORN-AGAIN BELIEVER & NOT HAVE the HOLY SPIRIT.

Theology: HOLY SPIRIT = DOWNPAYMENT/GUARANTEE (2 Cor. 1 & 5; Eph. 1).

Illustration: IMAGINE BUYING HOUSE on PROMISE… WITHOUT ANY PROMISED MONEY

“I’LL PAY YOU… SOMEDAY!.… “I PROMISE!”

H.S. = DOWNPAYMENT of FUTURE HEAVENLY INHERITANCE.

A FORETASTE of GLORY to COME.

The Holy Spirit is a promise...

Not just the reward for a select few....

...or those who are hyper spiritual.

THE SPIRIT MAKES US NEW.

SPIRIT GROWS US...

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Back to Paul’s Argument:

“WHAT CHANGED YOUR LIFE?!”

Quote, E. Peterson: “Let me put this question to you: How did your new life begin? Was it by working your heads off to please God? Or was it by responding to God’s Message to you?”

WAS IT CIRCUMCISION, FOOD LAWS, SABBATH,, JEWISH DISTINCTIVES?

OR BELIEVING the GOSPEL???

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Exhort: RELIGION NEVER MADE ANYONE NEW—SIMPLY BRINGS BONDAGE.

NEW LISTS of TO-DO’S DON’T CHANGE the HEART.

THROUGH FAITH—GOSPEL TRANSFORMS LIVES

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IF WORKS DIDN’T TRANSFORM YOU INTO a NEW CREATION—BUT CHRIST DID— 🤔THEN DOESN’T THAT SAY SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT IS TRUE?? 🤔

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Transition ➡ SHOWCASE FOLLY EVEN MORE…

PAUL CHARGES W/ ANOTHER QUESTION...

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 3

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Thought 3: The Folly of Finishing by the Flesh (v3) 🤦‍♂️

Galatians 3:3 ESV

3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

2ND TIME—PAUL CALLS THEM FOOLISH.

**REF. ANIME VIDEO: ARM COMING OUT of LETTER & SLAPPING the GUY AROUND**

SOMETIMES TRUTH HURTS.

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IF SPIRIT = LIFE-SOURCE to YOUR LIFE W/ GOD—

— WHY WOULD YOU COMPLETE IT in YOUR OWN POWER??

Background: “FLESH” in PAUL— REFERS to NATURAL HUMAN STATE APART from GOD—SINFUL HUMANITY…

** IF WE COULDN’T SAVE OURSELVES,, 🤔

COULD WE REALLY FINISH the JOB??** 🤔

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Exhortation: WE DON’T GRADUATE from GRACE

CHRIST = AUTHOR & FINISHER of OUR FAITH

GOD KEEPS US — BY HIS POWER— THROUGH FAITH

Last Week: CLEAR—JUSTIFICATION (BEGINNING of CHRISTIAN LIFE) = BY GRACE

This Week: CLEAR — SANCTIFICATION (GROWTH in CHRISTIAN LIFE) = BY GRACE.

WHOLE CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE => DUE to GOD’S CREDIT, NOT OUR OWN.

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SAVED BY GOD

KEPT BY GOD

ONE DAY,, GLORIFIED BY GOD

Takeaway: 🎒IT’S GOD’S WORK THROUGH & THROUGH!!🎒

**DOESN’T MEAN WE DO NOTHING** —

DOES MEAN,, GOD = BEHIND ALL OUR GOODNESS

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Transition ➡ APOSTLE FRUSTRATED… HAS THIS ALL BEEN in VAIN??

LOOK W// ME @ VS. 4

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Thought 4: Suffering in Vain (v4) ⛓️

Galatians 3:4 ESV

4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?

**YOUR TRANSLATION MIGHT HAVE “EXPERIENCED” — SAME GK WORD—

GK: PASCHO NORMALLY MEANS SUFFER

**GAL. 4:29 POINTS OUT SUFFERING on BEHALF of GOSPEL**

Paul’s Charge: IF MESSAGE CAN CHANGE—WHY SUFFER FOR IT?❓❓ WHY NOT JUST COMPROMISE??**

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Reminder: CHRISTIANITY WASN’T POPULAR—CAME W/ THREATS…

JEWS OPPOSED CHRISTIANS — CHRIST = STUMBLING BLOCK

PAGANS OPPOSED CHRISTIANS — CHRIST = FOLLY

ROMANS — SYNCRETISM — CAESAR is LORD

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CHRISTIAN RESPONSE: JESUS CHRIST ALONE = LORD.

GOT THEM FED to LIONS & BURNED ALIVE.

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Charge??: MISSIONARY SHARING ABOUT BIBLE SMUGGLING,, MOST of the CHURCH @ HOME & COMFORTABLE.

SPOILED ROTTEN in AMERICA… BECAUSE OUR FAITH VERY RARELY COSTS US.

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IF OUR FAITH ENDS UP COSTING US…

😬WILL WE CHANGE OUR MESSAGE & COMPROMISE?😬

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Transition ➡ PAUL HAS ONE FINAL CHARGE…

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 5…

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Thought 5: Evidence of Power (v5) ✨

Galatians 3:5 ESV

5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—

CLIMAXING HIS ARGUMENT: PAUL ASKS, “WHICH MESSAGE DID GOD BACK UP?”

DID GOD VALIDATE CIRCUMCISION/LAW-KEEPING W/ MIRACLES?

DID GOD VALIDATE HIS GOSPEL W/ MIRACLES?

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CONSIDER: FATHER VALIDATED CHRIST’S DEATH W/ RESURRECTION…

VALIDATED APOSTLES PREACHING W/ MIRACLES

EUTYCHUS DEATH & RESURRECTION

PAUL & the SHIPWRECK/VIPER/ETC.

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Transition ➡ GOD PROVED HIS MESSAGE W/ HIS WORK.

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Gospel Invitation 📣

GOSPEL = GOD’S MESSAGE.

GOOD NEWS FROM GOD.

WE CAN BE RECONCILED to OUR CREATOR

(Q) EVER OFFEND SOMEONE & THEY WOULDN’T FORGIVE YOU? PEOPLE AREN’T OBLIGATED to FORGIVE YOU… LET ALONE BE RECONCILED TO YOU.

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SINS = AGAINST GOD...DIRECTED @ HIM.

HE = OFFENDED PARTY

WE = OFFENDERS

YET—HE OPENS the DOOR to US AGAIN…

💥**GOD WASN’T OBLIGATED to FORGIVE US OUR SINS**💥

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Romans 5:1 ESV

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

I DON’T HAVE to FEAR JUDGMENT DAY—BECAUSE of JESUS CHRIST.

🤯I CAN STAND BEFORE MY MAKER—WITHOUT FEAR🤯

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HE MAKES the TERMS of RECONCILIATION.

HIS TERMS ARE the CROSS of JESUS CHRIST.

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Gospel Presentation:

WE COULDN’T EARN OUR WAY to HEAVEN

HEAVEN CAME DOWN

WE COULDN’T BE GOOD ENOUGH, BUT CHRIST WAS.

HE PAID OUR PENALTY

ROSE to LIFE AGAIN

BY GRACE...THROUGH FAITH:

WE CAN BE SAVED...

RECONCILED to GOD

FORGIVEN

CLEANSED

MADE NEW

HAVE HOPE of ETERNITY in NEW CREATION…

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ONLY ONE WAY—JESUS.

QUESTIONS—TALK to ME AFTER SERVICE.

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VI. Application

Passage Idea: New life comes through God’s message and God’s grace, not human striving.

PAUL ARGUES: WE MUST STICK W/ WHAT BROUGHT US.

=> IF SAVED BY GRACE...??

=> => CONTINUE BY GRACE.

**ALL OUR GOOD WORKS/RIGHTEOUSNESS = FRUIT, NOT the ROOT of OUR SALVATION**

THEY’RE ALWAYS EFFECTS—NEVER the CAUSE.

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WE DON’T GRADUATE FROM GRACE.

WE CANNOT UPGRADE the MESSAGE of CHRIST-CRUCIFIED.

WE NEVER DESERVE ANYTHING FROM GOD…

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Exhort: WE AREN’T SAVED BY GRACE & KEPT BY WORKS.

WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE—JUSTIFICATION

KEPT BY GRACE—SANCTIFICATION

FINISHED BY GRACE—GLORIFICATION

Philippians 1:6 ESV

6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

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Closing:

The gospel is an unimprovable message.

WE DON’T MOVE BEYOND the NEED for GRACE.

Grace should cause us to walk in humility and thanksgiving.

All I have is Christ.

I’M SAVED… KEPT… GLORIFIED… BY GRACE…

FOR THAT, I AM ETERNALLY THANKFUL. AMEN?

!! Close in Prayer !!