By Faith or Works of the Law?
Notes
Transcript
Reading
Reading
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— 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?
7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 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.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
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Sermon
Sermon
Context Review
Context Review
Justified by Faith
Jesus’ Death & Resurrection Sufficient for Salvation from Sin
Not Justified by Works
The Law shines light on Sin
Works, outward signs, cannot save you from Sin
Galatians 3:1-6
Galatians 3:1-6
1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.
The New King James Version Chapter 3
O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?
Paul addresses believers, who seek after justification by works of the law
Galatians = Believers
Relying On their own obedience
Foolish = Unsuspecting, irrational or lacking judgement
Spiritual things are spiritually discerned (1 Cor 2:14)
Our eyes are opened by God to His Word leading us to conversion
Theology - when reading scripture, follow ordinary rules of grammar and logic
Bewitched = hurt through deception (or even fascinated)
Deceived by the seduction and eliquence of false teachers
Jesus warns Matthew 24:3–14
“many false prophets will arise and lead many astray”
“The on who endures to the end will be saved”s
That you should not obey the truth
Erasmus (humanist) - translated as believe
was against the freedom of faith
promoted works of the law
Luther (reformer) - translated as obey
Jesus’ the Messiah is publically portrayed as crucified
Paul’s Teaching - Clear & Simple
Reminds them of their conversion
The Messiah has been the sacrificial Lamb (sacrifice for personal sin)
2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?
Paul poses a question to elicit an answer
Receive Spirit - By Works of the Law? No
Hearing the news of the Gospel and accepting the promised gift by faith
Faith translated - State of security or feeling of assurance
Faith - Trust in the reliable, from which there is feeling of assurance
3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
Paul reminds them of the doctrine by which they had been converted
Shows they now reject that doctrine
Questions how they can now believe that they are able to earn God’s Grace
4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?
“suffer” - original word means to experience something
Was it in vain?
Paul shows that true faith and experience is not in vain, and that true believers will turn back to the Truth of the Gospel.
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— 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?
Does God work miracles among you by works of the law? Or by faith?
Paul reminds us of Abraham (first convert)
Greatest Miracle - Salvation
Basis upon which God goes on to fulfill His Promises
Righteous - ‘right standing’ with God
Basis upon which God does other miracles
Fruit of the Spirit
God answers Prayer
The alternative to Righteouness
stubborn pride & self-righteousness
7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.
Sons of Abraham = Real true Abrahams
Likeness of and lays claim to the legal rights
Paul makes a clear declaration of the faithful are heirs
8 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.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
The scriptures say = God says
Jews did not presume to declare what God says or intends off their ownback
Justify - present tense not future
it was common to view Abraham as ‘a prophet’ because of the decendants being of faith
Paul makes an undeniable case of the spiritual link to Abraham
Conclusion
Conclusion
The faithful are heirs of Abraham
Their faith is based not on their own works of the law but solely through Christ’s Death
By Faith vs Works of the Law (now, far worse, self proclaimed Works/Gifts of “the Spirit”)