Life By Faith

Introduction

Labor Omnia Vincit

The work ethic that is a guiding principle for the state of Oklahoma.

Farming…a job where you control very little, so there is the constant attempt to overcome by work.

Or, for some that I’ve seen, you just give up. You think you can’t win so why try at all?

These two extremes: over work or no work at all.

This way of thinking creeps into our spiritual lives as well.

There is either the “I’m going to work hard following all the rules and earn my way in” or the “If Jesus paid for all my sins, I’m going to live it up!”

Paul is seeing both of these ideas creep into the thoughts of the churches in Galatia.

As he writes to them, he is reflecting on a very difficult conversation he had with Peter.

Peter had been led astray by a group called the Judaizers.

Judaizers taught a salvation by works.

For Gentiles, they must become a Jew first and then they could become a Christian.

Big Three: Circumcision (for males), dietary laws, and the calendar.

Three things that set them apart culturally from others.

Galatians 1:7 ESV

7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

Based naturally in Jerusalem, where James, the half-brother of Jesus, was pastoring the church.

James and Jerusalem become synonymous.

The Judaizers were then going out to these Gentiles churches and sowing seeds of doubt in their salvation.

They landed in Antioch and causes division there as well. Even led Simon Peter astray (Cephas).

2:11-14.

After Paul tells what happened between him and Peter, he goes on to provide a very succinct theological statement as to what the connection is between works and faith.

What we agree upon.

vv. 15-16

Jews vs. Gentiles Advantage to the Jews. “Gentile sinners” Irony / Sanctified snark.

Justified = To be declared innocent

By faith, not by works of law. Not “the” law.

Big three: Circumcision (for males), dietary laws, and calendar.

Just addressed two of these: Circumcision (2:1-10) and dietary (2:11-14).

These works will not gain a declaration of innocence.

Clearing out a channel for a pond. Working and digging to make that pond. And then going back to keep it cleared out.

That’s what it looks like for a works based salvation.

We cannot be saved by works. Works are not required for salvation.

The Christian faith has no room for legalism.

Legalism is the attempt to attain or maintain salvation through personal effort.

The means by which justification comes is faith. Faith = Believe.

When you realize that you are incapable of digging that channel to get the grace of God to yourself, but Jesus causes it to happen.

Faith isn’t just knowing the story of Jesus; faith isn’t just believing it is true; faith is trusting your life and eternity in Jesus for forgiveness of sins and for meaning and purpose and identity.

Faith alone is how we receive salvation.

What is still contested.

vv. 17-20

This if…then… statement where the first statement is assumed to be true.

We are sinners.

If we are abandoning our hope in the Law, then what will keep us from just doing whatever immoral things we want?

Jesus wants the guardrails of the Law removed; therefore, Jesus is a “servant of sin.” Servant = deacon. Serving hot plates of sin!

Accusation made by the Judaizers against Paul’s preaching of the Gospel.

Is our faith nothing more than a “Get our of jail free” card?

The Christian faith has no room for libertinism.

Libertinism is the rejection of moral principles.

Why Paul responds with a strongly worded “Certainly not!” It can never begin to be.

The life and teachings of Jesus becomes our new guardrails.

But, rather than worrying about the guardrails, we seek to be right in the center of the path.

When the boys were learning to ride their bikes, control by going right down the middle.

When you concentrate on the sides, you drift towards them. Instead focus on that line in the middle.

So, Paul states that he has died to the law, no longer trusting in it, so that he can grab on fully to the grace offered by God.

“I have been crucified...” An ongoing state. He has died to trusting in anything else and is still dying to it.

This is the opposite of what Peter did. He died, crawled off the cross and resumed his old patterns.

Whatever you have been trusting in, whatever your life was, whatever you’ve been doing, the cross allows for that old life to die and stay dead.

And, then the next step, is that there is life because of the indwelling Spirit of Christ.

It is only through death that we find this freedom and power.

What is being charged.

v. 21

Nullify = render ineffective or inoperable.

His conclusion: the Christian faith has room for neither legalism nor libertinism.

Jesus died to provide grace and righteousness.

Paul closes by affirming what Jesus had said:

Mark 10:45 ESV

45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Christ died to save you.

What will you do with that offer?

You can think that you can just earn it yourself… but we can’t.

You can think that it doesn’t matter how you live…but it does.

God may be calling you to salvation today!

To a life that is filled with forgiveness of all your sins, acceptance by our Creator, and a life of meaning and purpose.