Feb. 6, 2022 - Faith Alone
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· Today, we continue making our way through chapter 2 of Galatians…
· And today’s text is going to continue where Paul left off last week.
· Paul, as we know by now – has been REMINDING the Galatians of how he EARLIER had handled the GOSPEL…
· FOR THEIR benefit!
How IN THE PAST – when he and Titus had come back to Jerusalem, they didn’t GIVE IN to Titus getting physically circumcised.
· AND THEN – How Paul had OPPOSED Peter – to his face…
· BECAUSE – Peter – when he came to Antioch…
· Had found - OPEN-TABLE eating between Jew and Greek…and INITIALLY…he joined in!
But THEN – when more Jews came – Peter BACKED away…
· He DREW back – and SEPARATED himself…FROM the Gentiles.
· And what we saw last week – was that PETER DID exactly the opposite of what God had done for Paul!
· God had SEPARATED Paul – out from the world and called him into ministry – And not just ANY ministry…
· BUT the ministry TO THE GENTILES!!
· Peter comes along – STARTS OUT ministering to the Gentiles…in how he handles eating with them…
· BUT THEN – SEPARATES Himself – FROM the Gentiles…due to …
The FEAR of Man…
And so Peter had gone from –
· Living out the Gospel…
· To
· Fearing Man
He went from OFFERING Grace…to offering – Law…!
· Where Christ had – TORN DOWN the dividing wall of Hostility BETWEEN Jew and Greek…
· Peter decided to REBUILD THAT dividing wall…
Paul sees this – and PUBLICLY opposes Peter…BECAUSE Peter’s actions had TAUGHT those around him WATCHING this – a False Gospel!
· Our passage last week let us know the RESULT of that TEACHING…by Peter
13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.
· This tells us that the same Jews who had been LIVING OUT the Gospel in dining with the Gentiles BEFORE Peter showed up – had been PERSUADED to TURN from the true Gospel to EMBRACE the false gospel that Peter taught them by his actions!
And so Paul – takes his own action
· He opposes Peter to his face…
· Let’s read that text, and then flow RIGHT INTO our text for today…
14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners;
16 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.
17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!
18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor.
19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.
20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.
· There’s CERTAINLY a lot here today –
but I want us to see the entire picture here
as opposed to zooming in on a grouping of pixels
– where we lose sight of the context of Paul’s argument (the picture)
So Peter’s ERROR – lead to Paul RE-teaching Peter (reminding) – about the Gospel…
· And our text today is Paul COMBATTING Peter’s false gospel!
· And he BEGINS by CONNECTING himself to Peter…
15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners;
· Paul had just asked Peter – If you live like a Gentile (which Peter was doing prior to separating himself), how then can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?
{point to verse} - WE OURSELVES (Peter) are JEWS by birth and not like Gentile Sinners...
So Paul here wants to PUT Peter - who is IN ERROR - on the same playing field as HIMSELF!!
BECAUSE - Paul wants to WALK Peter down the road that THEY’RE TRULY ON...
Paul KNOWS that PETER intellectually KNOWS the true GOSPEL!!
BUT
Peter’s ACTIONS are putting a FALSE GOSPEL on display…!
**Ever been in the car with your kids - when - they’re singing to some Christian music...
WHILE AT THE SAME TIME - arguing with each other about...
Whose TOY that is...
And whose it’s not...
And trying to ANNOY each other to get the other one upset...
(THAT’S MINE!! - - DON’T TOUCH IT!!) - ( He’s got the whole world, in His hands…)
How do we ADDRESS that with the kids?
I’ll use a lot of “WE” in my response...
You know - When WE sing to Jesus… When WE sing songs ABOUT Jesus...
We should really THINK about the words we’re singing - instead of arguing with each other!
Paul uses that same approach here!
Paul wants Peter to REMEMBER that they both are in the same boat - BOTH JEWS...
BECAUSE - Paul wants Peter to APPROACH this situation how HE HIMSELF would approach it - AS A JEW!!
And Paul KNOWS - we talked about it a couple weeks ago...
SLIDE:
Where there is a distortion of the Gospel, there is a distortion of the law.
Paul KNOWS this…and he KNOWS that Peter - in his actions - has DISTORTED the law...
SO Paul addresses him appropriately!
Back to v15
15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners;
16 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.
You guys know what a Palindrome is...
A word that is spelled the same forward or backwards...
HANNAH
This verse here (16) is a Theological Palindrome… EXPLAIN
And it just HAMMERS the point home - FROM ALL angles - for Peter!
· Paul makes it very clear to Peter that Justification (Salvation) – comes by FAITH ALONE…APART from works of the Law!!
And we’re just REMINDED AGAIN- of how the Bible makes a CLEAR distinction between –
SLIDE:
JUSTIFICATION & SANCTIFICATION
Justification: Being the BASIS for WHY you are declared SAVED by God…
- Why you are declared RIGHTEOUS by God.
Sanctification: The process of growing in holiness through life, after being JUSTIFIED!
So since we know that Salvation – according to the Bible is by…
SLIDE:
Salvation by...
Faith Alone / Apart from Works of the Law
We can ALSO SAY THEN – that Salvation – according to the Bible is by…
SLIDE:
Salvation by...
Justification (Faith Alone) / Apart from Sanctification (Works of the Law)
And so Justification comes BEFORE sanctification…at least according to the Bible…
· We need to know that every other religion on the planet…
· EITHER reverses this order or mingles the 2…
· AS THE BASIS of salvation!
Some religions say – WORK your way to God
Others say – Believe AND WORK your way to God (mingling the two)
In either case – a FALSE Gospel is preached…
And just so we’re clear…
There are no levels of deadness…
A lost soul IS a lost soul…
· One lost soul is not closer to God than another lost soul!!
· The Unbelieving serial rapist in prison is no FURTHER from God than the unbelieving RELIGIOUS person that lives next door to you.
Paul knew this to be true….which is why he confronts – Who?
· …the Apostle Peter…
· Even the apostle Peter was susceptible to teaching a FALSE Gospel…
Even Peter was susceptible to being a Religious UNbeliever!
Where does Paul go next?
Let’s read the whole argument – and then proceed…it’s gonna help…
Back to verses 15-16 – Notice how Paul REMINDS Peter that he and Paul are Jews
15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners;
16 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.
· Paul here, in verse 15 and early in v16, highlights the reality that the LAW had been given the JEWS and NOT the Gentiles…
· He says – Peter – You and I are JEWS and NOT Gentile Sinners – YET, we KNOW that a person is not justified (saved) BY the LAW – but thru FAITH!
So YES – We as JEWS were GIVEN the law…but THAT LAW doesn’t SAVE US…and WE know that!!
- Which is WHY – PETER – WE believed in Jesus BY FAITH…
- SO THAT we would be SAVED – BY that faith!!
Now – before we jump to verse 17, NOTICE how Paul describes the Gentiles….in v15.
“Gentile Sinners”
He’s saying - We are JEWS and NOT Gentile Sinners!
V17
17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!
· Paul says – “But Peter, if in our endeavor (our Jewish) to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners (just like the GENTILES), is Christ then a servant of SIN? Certainly not!
It seems that the Jews had a certain view of Gentiles - as SINNERS...
They didn’t have the Law, therefore - THEY WERE SINNERS!
They DIDN’T HAVE the LAW - therefore = THEY ARE SINNERS...
- We HAVE the LAW - therefore we are - NOT? sinners??
I don’t know - but I do find this whole conversation INTERESTING - when we look back and realize in Scripture - at one time 2 very different mindsets played out between...
- The apostles...
- The Apostle Paul...
Peter - in the mix…we read this in Luke 22
24 A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.
Interesting....this is a little different than how Paul spoke of himself...
15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.
We read this verse here - by Paul - and the weight of it goes over our heads!
Paul - a JEWISH man…with his JEWISH pedigree
CLAIMING the title - CHIEF of ALL SINNERS!!
WOW!!
Paul was at ANOTHER level!
Paul had this - SELF AWARENESS! That aligned with God’s TRUTH of WHO HE WAS!
And yet - the other apostles were arguing about who would be - the Greatest
Doesn’t seem so shocking that Paul was ASKING Peter - Hey , what if WE TOO were found to be sinners?
Paul’s saying - Hey Peter - we’re SINNERS too!
AND....AND!!
Listen....
SLIDE:
We’re sinners too, and the Law doesn’t change that. It actually proves it to be true!!
Back to our text so we can see this...
17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!
18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor.
Here’s what Paul is saying ....
QUESTION: What did Christ TEAR down by His work on the cross??
The “Dividing WALL of hostility” between Jew and Greek!
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility
15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,
See it?
Christ TORE down the Wall of hostility between Jew and Greek...
Abolishing the law - EXPRESSED IN - Ordinances!! (rules, regulations)
The LAW was the WALL of hostility between Jew and Gentile!!
Peter - in his actions - by DRAWING BACK from the Gentiles...
Was REBUILDING the WALL of Hostility!
Hence was Paul says today...
18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor.
And THIS is the Mic Drop Moment!!
The Jewish mindset was this:
WE HAVE the LAW - WE’RE NOT SINNERS...
You DON’T HAVE the law GENTILES - YOU are sinners!!
And PAUL - BEING a JEW - KNOWS this mindset - and NOW KNOWS - the IRONY of IT!!
Paul knows THIS TRUTH!...
SLIDE:
The one most clearly seen to be a sinner is not the one outside the Law, but the one…under it!
The Jewish mindset - when it looks out and SEES - Open-Table dining between Jew and Gentile...
SAYS - Put UP THE WALL…!
DIVIDE!
Separate!!
DRAW BACK!!
PUT UP THE WALL -
PUT UP - THE LAW...
We don’t want to BE - SINNERS!!
And Paul says...
18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor.
If I REBUILD - That which I TORE DOWN (that is - BY faith in Christ) (by embracing the GOSPEL)
If i REBUILD that wall of hostility...
I’m rebuilding the LAW - and I”M NOW - UNDER THE LAW!
And NOW BEING UNDER the law - [I] stand - condemned!!
WHY?!!! - - Because I CAN’T GET TO GOD - by way of the LAW!
SLIDE: The Law of God: Proves All Men to be Sinners
The Law of God
The Law of God
Which is why Paul said what he says next...
19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.
And here we see WHY the prior verse (18) is TRUE!
Paul had said what - - If I REBUILD the LAW…i prove myself to BE a SINNER!
WHY?
Because that’s what the LAW DOES!!
It PROVES ALL men - to be sinners
The LAW - renders judgment - on ALL of mankind!
And the verdict is this - SINNER!
It PROVES ALL men - to be SINNERS!!
That’s what Paul means here in v19 -
He’s saying - The MOUNTAIN of the Law - is INSURMOUNTABLE!!
The Law LOOKS AT us - and says - NO WAY!
*Shark Tank (Mr. Wonderful - Kevin O’Leary) - You’re dead to me
Paul understood - that the Law of God - sits up on that Shark Tank panel...
Looks out at Paul and says - Paul, you’re DEAD TO ME!
You’re not making it THIS WAY!!
You are DEAD - ACCORDING to me!
OK - so look at verse 19 here....If - BY THE LAW isn’t the way to get to God…and we’re DEAD…then HOW does the 2nd half of this verse become a reality??
How do we go from - DEAD to LAW
to
ALIVE to God?
How do we go from DEAD - to - LIFE? - - be a better person?
be BETTER at the Law?
NO - we’re DEAD to the law...
What brings LIFE?
Title of our sermon - FAITH ALONE!
Paul’s saying - For through the Law - I DIED to the Law (BY FAITH)…so that I might live to God!
How do we LIVE to GOD?
We DIE to SELF!
Our PURSUIT to get to God by DOING THINGS - MUST DIE!!
And ANYONE on this pursuit…is LOST!
Label them WHATEVER you want to label them...
Label them whatever religion you want, it doesn’t matter…they are lost...
And they need to DIE to SELF!
They need to be....as Paul says...
next verse...
20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
All TRUE believers - have been CRUCIFIED with Christ!!
They have LAID down their PURSUIT of God - BY DOING THINGS!!
And they - BY FAITH in Christ - now LIVE to God!
Where the LAW of God - Proves All Men to be SINNERS!
SLIDE: Faith Alone in Christ: Proves All Believers to be Righteous
Faith Alone in Christ
Faith Alone in Christ
Proves All Men to be Righteous...
Not righteous - in and of themselves!!
BUT the Righteousness of Christ!!
Listen - Jesus didn’t DIE - to give US an opportunity to WIN Heaven...
Jesus didn’t DIE to give us an opportunity to accomplish the Law…!
Jesus LIVED a Perfectly RIGHTEOUS life - so that BY Faith - we would receive His righteousness!
That’s why....
8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—
Remember - BY FAITH - we are Justified! Saved!
And BECAUSE it’s BY FAITH - the grace of God is NOT nullified…!
Paul closes this section today with this...
21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.
If righteousness could be attained THRU the law...
…by DOING good things...
Then Jesus died - FOR NO REASON!
And so when Peter DREW BACK - from those Gentiles...
When he REBUILT the wall of hostility BETWEEN Jew and Greek...
He rendered the cross of Christ - IN HIS OWN HEART - to be of NO VALUE!
He put on display that Jesus’ work on the cross - was pointless!
And so PAUL = confronts that ERROR and reminds Peter of - the TRUE Gospel!
SUMMARY:
Paul reminded Peter...
SLIDE: The Law of God: Proves All Men to be Sinners
If we want to evangelize this world…our friends and family who don’t know Christ...
Take them to the Law
By taking them to the Law we show them that in God’s courtroom, they’re GUILTY!
We show them that PERFECTION is the standard!
And by doing so - we pray they SEE that they stand CONDEMNED before God!
Needing Perfect Righteousness!
Well how they gonna get Perfect Righteousness??
SLIDE: Faith Alone: Proves All Believers to be Righteous
Thru FAITH in Christ - we RECEIVE the Righteousness of Christ!
Applied to our account!
YET - Thru FAITH - we DIE to self!
We DIE to all SELF-RELIANCE!
We DIE to all Self-WILLED MORALITY as our basis to get to God!
We EMBRACE our BROKENNESS and - we throw ourselves before the MERCY of God!
By Faith Alone in Christ Alone....we are DEAD to the Law - and ALIVE to Christ!
May we LIVE to Christ!!
Let’s Pray