Salvation by Faith pr 1
Notes
Transcript
Intro:
What is Faith? Heb 1 talks about faith as being the substance of things unseen and an assurance of things hoped for. But what does that mean to you, what is faith? If we are saved by faith then whose faith? Faith sometimes in Christianity can be a very obscure concept. We can feel it, we taste the fruit of our faith and we know of what lies ahead, but what really is faith? Gal 3 asks the question in verse 2 when it says:
This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
Prayer
I had a big fact dose of faith from the Church over the last week. I mean wow, the things God brought about over the last few days. If you were there, then you know what I am talking about. The amazing people, talents and faith that God brought forth to the willing over the last few days of VBS. I just wanna show you a few pics and a video that will give you guys just a taste.
Deception
Deception
A. The Foolish Galatians
1. They had heard the Gospel from Paul
This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
a. They received by hearing
b. They received by believing through the Spirit
2. Yet, they were eager to add to it
a. As if someone had cast a spell
b. We call them influencers
B. The fool
Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
1. Not unintelligent
a. They were educated in the Gospel, having, most of them either witnessing or getting first hand knowledge of Christ’s crucifixion
b. They were given the gospel directly from Paul on his missionary journeys
2. But one who willingly puts away logic
a. They are trading the Spirit for the Flesh
b. They are putting away faith for works, even though they know they were not saved by works
3. They were putting away the logic of the Gospel for the rules of men
We see many putting away simple logic today for the falicy of a feeling. Too many fools, even in the so called Church trading in the easy logic of the Gospel for the spell binding words of the forked tongue. Pay close attention to what you listen to, what you read and what you see. For it isn’t a feeling that saved you but faith in Christ Jesus.
Abraham
Abraham
Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?
So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.
A. Belief and Faith
1. Belief
a. Understanding and accepting something as true
Money in the bank example
b. Abraham or Abram at the time believed God’s words
The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
“I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”
c. Belief is purely an acceptance of a statement
2. Faith
a. Faith is what happens after, it is the action
Genesis 12:4 (NASB95)
So Abram went forth as the Lord had spoken to him; and Lot went with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.
b. Belief if the motivator of faith
i. faith is the doing
B. Faith then Saves
Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.
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.”
So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.
1. The Faith of Christ
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
a. His work on the Cross
b. His ability to be resurrected
2. Our Faith comes after we believe
a. First we believe, repent, baptized
b. Belief in Christ’s work and faith
i. Then our repentance we are called to
ii. Our baptism as physical obedience to God
Cursed
Cursed
For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.”
Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “The righteous man shall live by faith.”
However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “He who practices them shall live by them.”
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”—
A. Those who live by the Law
1. Cannot keep the Law
a. tried for thousands of years
b. God knew this, it was no surprise
2. Law cannot make righteous
a. Works cannot fix what we broke
b. So the Law was written for Christ, to point us to Christ
c. So we fall under the curse of the Law
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
B. Jesus
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”—
1. Through faith became the curse
Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins,
And faithfulness the belt about His waist.
a. Fulfilled the Laws demand
i. Lived the sinless life
ii. Did everything the Father called Him to
iii. Paid the debt which is death
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
b. Freed us from sin
2. Men are free if they believe in Jesus
in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
a. so the Gentiles may have faith
i. Didn’t have this free access before
ii. The sojourner or alien must become like the Jew
iii. Jews weren’t being mean - at least some
iv. Trying to still follow the Law
b. Brought to Christ
i. Christ has freed us from those requirements
ii. The new Circumcision is of the heart not the body
For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh.
But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.
c. So that It isn’t about the Law but Christ
i. God didn’t want us to follow rules
ii. He wanted a relationship
iii. The Law has matured us and given us the reason
iv. The Reason now is sin
v. The Cure is Christ
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,
so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Conclusion:
In this first part we are beginning to see, it isn’t about the works before Christ, it is only about Christ. We who would believe in Jesus and His saving work will be saved. Then we are measured to us the faith for which we have, which is the doing of belief. This is why when we believe we are baptized, for we are called to be like Christ in death and in life. So, therefore, we are baptized into the death of Christ and resurrected with Him into the new life. This is the faith of our belief in the Faith of Christ, which brought sinless man to bear the sins of the world in order that we might believe, have faith and come into a relationship with Him.