Only One Gospel That Saves
Notes
Transcript
Only One Gospel That Saves
Only One Gospel That Saves
Preliminary Information
Author: The Apostle Paul
Genre: Epistle or letter
(Direct teaching, Making a point)
Fatherly heart
Time taken to preach the gospel to them
Cares for them
Aggravated with them
Chapter 3 “Foolish Galatians”
Fatherly Chastisement/Afghan Fathers on Road
Recipients: Churches in South Galatia ( Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe?)
Churches Planted on 1st Missionary Journey (Acts Chapter 13-14)
Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe
Date: 48-49 AD (Prior to Jerusalem Council)
Purpose: To refute false teaching, and to clarify the doctrine of Justification
(Direct teaching, Making a point)
Importance of Theological Triage Message
What Paul is arguing against in Galatians is a First Order Doctrine
Phillip Ryken
The Church’s greatest danger is not the anti-gospel outside the church, it is the counterfeit gospel inside the church
If we teach that we are are not saved by grace alone through faith alone, we are not holding fast to the apostolic word
These two doctrines cannot be reconciled, either we are saved by faith alone, or we are saved by what we can do.
They are mutually exclusive
So it is within this seriousness, this defense of the gospel to very young churches that we open to chapter 1
Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— and all the brothers who are with me,
To the churches of Galatia:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 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.
Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— and all the brothers who are with me,
To the churches of Galatia:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 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.
For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Galatians 1:1-9
Pray
Vs 1
Paul’s authority
The Gospel that Paul preached and the false gospel that the Judiazers preached were not alternates on the same level
Invokes the Power of God
“The same one who raised Christ from the dead made me an apostle”
vs 2
vs 3
vs 4
Jesus did not come just to teach but to rescue
This separates Jesus from every other faith leader
John Stott
The Message of Galatians b. Christ Died to Rescue Us from This Present Age
The purpose of Christ’s death, therefore, was not only to bring us forgiveness, but that, having been forgiven, we should live a new life, the life of the age to come. Christ gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age
vs 5
Verse 1-5 a summary of the Gospel message
Power of God (1)
Our sin and evil age (4)
Christ’s sacrifice to deliver us (4)
According to the Will of God (4)
To the Glory of God alone (5)
vs 6
Turning to a different gospel = Military word for soldiers who would go fight for the other side
Literally desertion
“are turning”
This in in progress, but not completed
Therefore Paul is writing to correct them
To deviate from the Gospel is to deviate from Christ
(Direct teaching, Making a point)
vs 7
No other true Gospel
Distortion, not blatant falsehood
Distortion = Reverses
vs 8
“But we”
Paul does not assume that even he is immune from this
Paul’s Gospel is not the true Gospel because Paul preached it, but because Christ Himself gave it to Paul.
The authority of the message is not in the messenger, it is in the message
The seriousness of the transgression
“Let him be accursed”
vs 9
The had already received the truth of the Gospel
They had believed the truth of the Gospel
Martin Luther
Christian Righteousness and Works-righteousness
Between these two there is no middle ground
Any addition to the Gospel of Christ creates a false gospel
Conclusion
Gospel
Out of His power, God spoke into nothingness to create everything in the universe
That same God formed man from the dust of the ground, and the woman from the rib of the man
He created both man and women in His image and placed them in the garden
They responded to His grace by choosing to disobey him and eating the fruit of the forbidden tree
Their sin separated mankind from God
But because of His great grace and according to His plan
Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, fully man and fully God
Is born of a virgin
Lives a sinless life
And willingly sacrifices His life on the cross to pay for our sins
Taking our place under the wrath of God
And removing the separation between God and man
Three days later, Jesus Christ is risen from the dead
Declaring his power and authority over death and hell
So that all those who repent of their sin, and put their faith in Christ’s sacrifice
Will live with Him forever
Do you believe that this morning?
Paul teaches us this morning that there is no other Gospel
There is no other good news
So let us examine ourselves this morning
Have we believed in the Gospel? The real Gospel?
Have we repented of our sin and put our faith only in Jesus for Salvation?
If you aren’t sure, come talk to me this morning
Because there is only one Gospel that Saves.