"Grace Abounds" A Study of Galatians

“The Righteous Shall Live by Faith” Galatians 3:1-14

Grace Abounds

A Sermon Series Through the Book of Galatians

“The Righteous Shall Live by Faith”

Galatians 3:1-14

Introduction

In Genesis 4:3-7 there is an account of where Cain and Abel brought an offering to the Lord. Cain’s is a works-righteousness offering of grain instead of an animal sacrifice. “In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted?2 And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, and you must rule over it.”

God told them what the acceptable offering so that their sins would be covered, but man has sought, from the beginning, to make himself right with God through his own goodness and merit. Abel’s offering was given in faith (a trusting in God’s prescribed way). Cain rejected the Word of God, and tried to present himself before God the way he thought was good.

Paul had preached to the churches in Galatia the gospel (faith in the work of Christ alone). In that true gospel they had received salvation, the Holy Spirit, and were free from the curse of the law. But somehow, they are being persuaded by false teachers to turn from God’s Word – the gospel given through Paul – to a trying to please God by earning His love by following the law.

The Foolishness of Trusting Works Shown In Their Own Lives (vv. 1-5)

“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—

(v. 1) “To be foolish is the opposite of wisdom (Romans 1:14), and it highlights a person’s lack of true understanding of a situation or matter.”[1] In the ancient world many believed in the evil eye, and Paul is saying that it seems like someone has put a spell on them – hypnotized them. “The Greek term frequently carried the idea of a wrong attitude of heart, a lack of faith that clouds judgement.”[2] They were not applying what they knew from Paul’s teaching. To be bewitched is put feelings over facts, emotion over clear understanding of truth.

The Galatians had never known the law – they were Gentiles, which shows us how easy it is form humanity, even those who were taught by an apostle to accept the idea of earing God’s favor by works. Even those who have experienced the freedom of God’s grace can be bewitched into sliding toward works based religion. You have the God given resource of Scripture, and when you encounter something (false), you begin to rely upon your whims, impulses, and fallen nature. This the same as Eve’s sin, “it seems good to me.”[3]

Those that profess to follow Jesus are not to live a life on the basis of good-feelings, or our inclinations, but on the revealed truth of God’s Word. If we don’t then we will be . . . Ephesians 4:14 “. . . tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”

Paul in his proclamation of the gospel had explained “Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified . . .” The crucifixion of Christ was central to the gospel that Paul preached. 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” When Paul would preach the gospel, it was focused on the cross – the focus (first) is on what has been done for us. The essence of the gospel is not how to live, but what God has done for us – the action He has taken.

“A Christian is not someone who knows about Jesus, but one who has “seen” Him on the cross.”[4] Paul uses the words, “publicly portrayed “ but it is when we perceive how graphic the cross was and that one such as Jesus would endure that for them. Paul’s teaching gave them a clear and graphic depiction of what Jesus endured on the cross.

“crucified translated[5] indicates that the crucifixion was a historical fact that had continuing results.” 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” With this same idea in mind, “He is still righteous to keep on forgiving our sins.” We don’t need to pick up (ceremonies, the law, dietary law, circumcision, etc.) where Jesus’ forgiveness ends, because Jesus’ forgiveness never ends.

You Cannot Add to the Completed Work of Jesus’ Death on the Cross

The Spirit of God is mentioned several times, and Paul is not questioning whether they had or had not received the Spirit of God; he knew they had “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 13:52. Paul personally saw how God had moved in their lives, and how joyous they were in their salvation. What he is questioning is “Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?”

The Spirit of God is the presence of God with a person. How is it that you came to have God’s presence with you? You had been separated from God because of your sin, now He dwells within you. How did this come to be? The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit is inseparable from the new birth.

The presence of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life is the final proof (a guarantee) that salvation is by faith, and not by following the law. The Spirit also advances in the life of a Christian (sanctification), He is how we grow in our faith, push sin out of our lives, and grow in our knowledge of Him; “He says that the same Spirit entered your life should be the very same way the Spirit advances in your life.”[6]

There Is No Such Thing As Extra Holy Spirit

“If a person has received eternal salvation through trust in the crucified Christ, received the fulness of the Holy Spirit the same moment he believed, and has the Father’s Spirit-endowed power working within him, how could he hope to enhance that out of his own insignificant human resources by some meritorious effort?”[7]

The Foolishness of Trusting Works Shown From Scripture (vv. 6-9)

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.

(v. 6) Paul begins to show from Genesis 15:6 that Abraham, the father is the Hebrew people, that he was made righteous before God by his faith. God made a promise to Abraham, and Abraham believed God. Paul is saying before Abraham did any work of obedience (like offering his son Isaac on the alter), or obeyed any of the laws of God – which came much later, he was already justified because he trusted God.

“The history of salvation for Paul begins with Abraham, to whom the gospel was preached in advance (v. 8), and reaches its climax in Christ. The promise made to Abraham finds its fulfillment in Christ, to whom indeed it primarily referred. But between the promise and the fulfilment there intervened the age of law . . .”[8]

Paul is addressing the question of “what is the gospel, and what is not the gospel?” Abraham is an example of a man who believed God’s promise and was saved. The promise to the Gentiles is the same promise, we are saved by faith – believing God’s promise of salvation through Jesus. It is our faith that makes us a child of Abraham, not a blood line.

The Curse of the Law (vv. 10-14)

10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”[9] 12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.”

The word of God was given to the Jewish people, but they were to be a blessing to the world by sharing His Word with the world – so the word of God is for all people. (v. 10) Deuteronomy 28:1-6 “And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. 3 Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. 4 Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. 5 Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. 6 Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.”

15-19 “But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. 16 Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the field. 17 Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. 18 Cursed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. 19 Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out.” The blessing and curses come upon a person based upon their faithfully following and obeying God’s Word, or not. So how then does the law become a curse? Paul has already said earlier in 1:9 “. . . If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.” A false gospel leaves one cursed.

All of mankind stand cursed before God because no one can keep the law. So, (v. 13) “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.” To redeem something is to buy it back. Jesus bought us back from the curse, by becoming a curse for us. “He took the full measure, penalty, and consequences of disobedience to the law of God on Himself. He who was free from all sins lived a life of perfect righteousness. Jesus had imputed to Him the sin of His people and came under the curse of God.”[10]

In ancient Judaism a criminal who was executed, usually by stoning, was then tied to a post, a type of tree, where his body would hang until sunset as a visible representation of rejection by God. “It was not that a person became cursed by being hanged on a tree but that he was hanged on tree because he was cursed.”[11]

We get a picture of what the curse looked like while Jesus was on the cross, Matthew 27:36 “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Jesus had the filth, vile, and disease of sin – the world’s sin on him (he became sin) and in that He became God forsaken. The Father’s hatred of sin, the wrath of God poured out upon Jesus. The one who kept the word of God, and was worthy of blessings, became the curse for those who had broken God’s law and deserved to be cursed.

“. . . they unwittingly placed themselves under God’s wrath rather than his blessing, because they could not live up to the law and they would not submit to His grace.”[12] When a person responds to Christ’s work on the cross by faith, it is a response to God’s grace and it leads to justification and eternal life.

Perfection Allows No Exceptions

(v. 14) “ so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.” In Genesis 15:5 God told Abraham, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.” Abraham’s children who will be countless, are those that like him, believe (have faith) the Lord and because of that belief with be credited with the righteousness of Christ. When the person is saved, they receive “the promised Spirit.” God comes and lives within in you.

Conclusion

Imagine a friend gave you a luxury villa in Spain. You can go there and live there as often as you wish. Your transportation there is just a phone call away, “please gas us the jet we are going to the villa.” Clothes are provided already packed on the plane. When you arrive all expenses are paid. Your friend has spared no expense and you have absolutely no needs – everything has already been thought of (towels for the beach, an envelope full if tip money) You have gone and come back with your family for years.

Then one day you say to yourself “I think I should pay my way.” So you reach into your wallet and pull out your monopoly money and you start flashing it around as if it could buy anything. You look ridiculous – everyone who sees it is embarrassed for you. You sit outside at the airport waiting for the car to arrive that you said you would pay for this time and it never arrives – they don’t take monopoly money. Isn’t it ridiculous to try and substitute our worthless attempts to earn our way into heaven, and pleasing God – at the expense of leaving Jesus behind, to ignore His gift of grace?

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[1] Matthew S. Harmon, Evangelical Biblical Theology Commentary, Galatians (Bellingham, Washington, Lexham Academic, 2021) 126.

[2] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Galatians (Chicago, Illinois; Moody Bible Institute, 1987) 63.

[3] Genesis 3:6

[4] Timothy Keller, Galatians For You (USA; the good book company, 2013) 65.

[5] Perfect passive participle

[6] Keller, 68.

[7] MacArthur, 69.

[8] F. F. Bruce, New International Greek Testament Commentary, Commentary on Galatians (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1982) 154.

[9] Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 4:3

[10] R.C. Sproul, For Freedom Christ Has Set US Free, Galatians (Sanford, Florida; Ligonier Ministries, 2022) 65.

[11] MacArthur, 78.

[12] MacArthur, 77.

“The Importance of Preserving the Gospel” Part Two Galatians 2:9b-21

Grace Abounds

A Sermon Series Through the Book of Galatians

“The Importance of Preserving the Gospel”

Part Two

Galatians 2:9b-21

Review

When the Gospel is Preserved There is Unity (vv. 1-2)

The Preservation of the Gospel Requires Effort (vv. 3-5)

When the Gospel is Preserved Christians Are Free To Serve God Differently (vv. 6-9a)

Introduction

Prayer

When the Gospel is Preserved We Learn to Give Grace to Others (9b-10)

that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.

After the meeting at Jerusalem, as they are parting ways, the Christians in Jerusalem asked that the Christians in Galatia to remember the poor. Both are eager to serve the poor – saying “let us share our resources to meet a common goal.” Acts 4:32 “Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.” The unity that comes from the gospel drives us to seek common goals and objectives. The Christians in Jerusalem were suffering because of persecution, poverty, and difficulty – Paul and the churches in Galatia were eager to help them, “they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.”

Remember Paul’s point has been to show his apostolic authority and the true gospel – then he ends this account with a quote that seems out of place, “remember the poor.” How do these things go together? Caring for the poor was important to Jesus, “Matthew 25:41-46 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Jesus’ expectation of His followers was that they would give the thirsty water, give the hungry food, give the naked clothes, visit those in prison, etc. It would be a characteristic of “the righteous.”

Right belief leads to right actions. Those who have received grace will live by grace, and will give grace to those around them. Those that believe they are self-righteous will expect those around them to live a self-righteous life like they do. I made it – you need to work hard so you can make it too. I’m not going to give you something you could earn yourself if you work hard enough. This is the opposite of grace.

There are churches that remember the gospel (right beliefs) but forget the poor. There are churches that remember the poor, but never mention the gospel. The Christ-like Christian’s life is driven to share the gospel (sin, separation from God, Jesus’ death on a cross, faith) and then live out that grace by serving others (helping the poor).

When the Church Caves to Culture Barriers Go Up (vv. 11-14)

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 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?”

In Galatians 2 Paul is referencing and earlier gathering of Christians at Antioch where Cephas (Peter), Barnabas, Paul, and different groups are present. But the Gentile Christians are being made to feel like second class Christians because they were not keeping ceremonial Jewish food laws. Cephas/Peter’s withdrawal and his sitting apart from the Gentiles “was sending a clear message about what counts: reliance upon the law and its works to secure favor with God, rather than trust in God’s provision in Christ alone.”[1]

Cephas “seems to have started to ‘live like a Gentile’ (Gal. 2:14), probably in the sense that he had ceased to observe Jewish dietary restrictions.” In response to a heavenly vision (Acts 10:9-16; 11:4-10), he had tossed out an important Jewish identity marker, which many Jews went to great trouble to keep, and for which they sometimes endured deprivation, and even death.”[2]

This was a common teaching for the Jews to, “separate yourselves from the Gentiles and do not eat with them, and do not perform deeds like theirs. And do not become associates of theirs. Because their deeds are defiled, and all their ways are contaminated, and despicable, and abominable.”[3]

But when certain people were around, Cephas would change back. “The (cultural) pressure was strong enough that all the Christian Jews in Antioch except Paul succumbed to it. There is a level of disappointment and personal pain behind Paul’s phrase “even Barnabas.” Paul’s talk of hypocrisy assumes that all of them – even Barnabas – knew it was wrong to buckle to this pressure.”[4]

The gospel tears down boundaries, our falsely identifying with the wrong things puts those barriers back in place all over again. These are barriers between believers, and it pollutes the gospel. The church must be open to welcoming people into the church who may be culturally different. To subtly exclude someone by simply distancing yourself from them because they do not “keep the rules” is a contamination of the gospel.

Faith In Christ Leads to a Transformed Life (vv. 15-16)

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.

(v. 15) It was a normal for Jews to presume upon God’s grace because they possess God’s Law (Romans 2:17-24). The Jews would say, which Paul may be quoting directly, “We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners.” But this is common for all of humanity. We deceive ourselves into thinking everything’s ok with who they are. “I think what I am doing is okay, therefore God must also be ok with it.”

Matthew 3:7 “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’” They were not turning from their sin and bearing fruit of a godly and holy life, they didn’t even think they were sinners.

For the Jewish follower, there is no need for transformation or change from their sin, because they are from a lineage of Abraham. There are also people who identify with the Christian religion who also presume upon God’s grace. Maybe they have gone to a certain church for a number of years, or have been baptized – but we can’t speak of how they have impacted the world for Christ, or people they have led to the Lord, or how they have been a disciple maker – but when they were seven they were baptized. The Jews were doing this with circumcision. There was no heart felt seeking after God, desiring to live for him – just empty self-righteous rule following.

The temptation of Peter and all the other believers there (except for Paul), is to answer the question, “what is their identity?” this same way. Are they Jewish and followers of the law (and that’s how they want to be known), or are they Christians which require breaking from the law and to live by faith. But you can’t hold an identity of the two things at the same time.

Paul is showing that the Jewish people should know that no one is capable of keeping the law in its entirety and at some point has to rely upon God’s grace and mercy. Psalm 143:2, The psalmist is asking God, “Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you.” The law’s intended purpose was to show humanity that you cannot live a life that pleases God, no one is perfect. Jesus says in Matthew 5:48, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

(v. 16) This is a question of how is a person made right before God? Paul uses the word, “justified,” (dikaioo) – “to make or declare righteous.” “The group of Judaizers who contended that the Gentiles had to become Jews to be saved.”[5] This included circumcision and following dietary laws. The law plus Paul says, “because by works of the law no one will be justified.”

“. . . but through faith in Jesus Christ” – “Faith is trust. It begins with knowledge, so it is not blind. It builds on facts, so it is not speculation. It stakes its life on the outcome, so it is not impractical. Faith is trusting Christ and proving his promises.”[6]

Christians Constantly Identifying With Christ (vv. 17-21)

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.

(v. 17) “we too were found to be sinners,” When Paul compares himself to the teachings and life of Jesus, he realizes that as high as he had climbed in the Jewish world, and as passionate as he had been to the law (even killing and imprisoning Christians), he was still the “chief of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15).”

(v. 18) “For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor.” – “When he [Peter] lived like a Gentile, he tore down the ceremonial law. When he lived like a Jew, he tore down salvation by grace.”[7]

“From Paul’s own testimony, we know that Paul continued to be not only accused of being in violation of the Law but punished because of it. Thus, when he would visit synagogues, he’d be brought up on charges and then flogged with a whip or a stick.”[8] “Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned (2 Corinthians 11:24-25).”[9]

(v. 19) “For through the law I died to the law,” – To try and keep the law is a form of slavery. One is always striving to be good enough to please God, to be perfect, yet to fail time and time again. Then through Christ’s death and taking the curse of sin upon himself, he has freed us from the law. When we reach back down and put the shackle back on our legs, we enslave ourselves all over again.

(v. 20) “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” – It is the union of the vine and the branch (John 15:1-6). Paul is connected (abiding) to Jesus, and no longer to the world. When a person places their faith in Christ there is a part of them that dies, that part that focuses on ourselves. That part is crucified with Christ – then emerging is a new birth, a new life – that is Christ living in me. Our identity is Christ (period). For the Christian, it is no longer you who live, but Christ who lives in you.

Our walk with Jesus will draw us into more and more the things that are important to Jesus. In our lives, we will begin to look more and more like Jesus, and less and less like our old selves (before Christ.) Christ’s life eventually led to the cross, and so our lives will reflect this selflessness and giving of ourselves for the sake of others.

Many Christians are good with healing with Christ, singing with Christ, praying with Christ, studying the Bible with Christ, but crucified with Christ is a whole other level. Jesus gave up everything for the sake of others, so Paul says, “It is no longer I who live.” Jesus says to those who desire to be his followers, “take up your cross and follow me.”

The way we begin our walk with Christ is how we continue in our walk in Christ. The way we start the race, is the same way we finish the race – radical trust in Jesus.

“Those [identifying here in this passage as Jewish Christians] are going back to a life in which Christ and his loving, self-giving death in not central.”[10] In Romans 6:6 Paul uses this same imagery, “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.”

Faith in Jesus Christ Is not just head knowledge of His existence. It involves the whole person. There are people who say they are Christians, but their definition of faith does not involve a life change. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: . . . 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” A saving faith in Christ results in a transformational change to conform to the image of Christ. “The Christian life is one of conformity with Christ.”[11]

Therefore, the Christian is not lawless, but you have freedom in Christ. It is not an abandonment of the morality of the law (honor your parents, truth telling, putting God first, do not covet other people’s stuff, don’t committing adultery, etc). This is the fear of people who tend toward being self-righteous; if we don’t have rules and keep traditions, then the world will spin into chaos. So, they add to the gospel (Jesus plus the law). They believe that you have to appear different than the world (like the Jewish “circumcision group”) Then how will the world know that you are a Christian?

John 13:35 “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” They will know we are Christians by how we show the love of Christ in the world around us. It is much harder to show your heart (an inward change), than it is to follow a rule – because it requires a close relationship with Christ (to abide in Him.) Doing what Christ teaches is much harder than putting a sticker on your car (an outward show).

(v. 21) “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.” – Paul is saying that if all we had to do was keep the law, then people should keep the law. Jesus would not have had to die, if all humans had to do was be good. When the Jewish Christians kept the law, they “nullify” God’s grace – as if to say that they did not need it. Also, if the law is added to the gospel, then that also means that Christ’s death was not adequate to cover all the sin of mankind – there is something else needed.[12]

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[1] Todd Wilson, Preaching the Word, Galatians (Wheaton, Illinois; Crossway Publishing, 2013) 76.

[2] Frank Thielman, Expository Commentary, Vol. X (Wheaton, Illinois; Crossway Publishing, 2020) 599.

[3] Thielman, 599.

[4] Thielman, 599.

[5] Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Volume IV, The Epistles of Paul (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1931) 289.

[6] Frank E. Gaebelein, General Editor, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 10 (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan Publishing, 1976) 449.

[7] Robertson, 289.

[8] Which goes back to the pressure to follow the law (Gal. 2:1-14); did they fear suffering the same treatment as Paul had suffered?

[9] Wilson, 85.

[10] Thielman, 599.

[11] Jervis, 74.

[12] L. Ann Jervis, New International Biblical Commentary, Galatians (Peabody, Massachusetts; Hendrickson Publishers, 1999) 70.

“The Importance of Preserving the Gospel” Part One Galatians 2:1-10

Grace Abounds

A Sermon Series Through the Book of Galatians

“The Importance of Preserving the Gospel”

Part One

Galatians 2:1-10

Introduction

A husband and wife didn’t really love each other. The man was very demanding, so much so that he prepared a list of rules and regulations for his wife to follow. He insisted that she read them over every day and obey them to the letter. Among other things, his “do’s and don’ts” indicated such details as what time she had to get up in the morning, when his breakfast should be served, and how the housework should be done.

After several long years, the husband died. As time passed, the woman fell in love with another man, one who dearly loved her. Soon they were married. This husband did everything he could to make his new wife happy, continually showering her with tokens of his appreciation.

One day as he was cleaning house, she found tucked away in a drawer the list of commands her first husband had drawn up for her. As she looked it over, it dawned on her that even though her present husband hadn’t given her any kind of list, she was doing everything her first husband’s list required anyway. She realized she was so devoted to this man that her deepest desire was to please him out of love, not obligation.

When the Gospel is Preserved There is Unity (vv. 1-2)

Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain.

He went up to Jerusalem to visit with Peter and James (Gal. 1:18-19) to get to know them as fellow apostles but had to escape because people wanted to kill him. “Paul and Barnabas had completed their first missionary tour (Acts 13:1-14:28) and returned to Antioch to report the miracles of Gentile conversion by grace through faith. Jewish legalists in Judea were upset when they heard the report and went to Antioch to teach that Gentiles had to become a Jew before becoming a Christian.”[1]

So here when it says, “I went up again to Jerusalem . . .” it was to resolve this issue. It was in response to a revelation – He had received the gospel directly from Jesus. His calling was a direct revelation from God – so he is not going to Jerusalem, to this meeting, to see if he had it right this whole time. And if he wanted confirmation that he was saying the right thing – why wait 14 years?

Acts 15:1-2 “But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question.”

What Paul ends up showing is that there are not three versions of the gospel (the other 12 apostles, (specifically Peter and James), the Jewish false teaching of the law plus Jesus, and Paul’s gospel that he made up – Paul is explaining that he received the gospel through revelation from Jesus directly, and it is the same gospel that the original apostles have already been preaching. He received it independently, but it is identical.

The reason Paul was so concerned about this issue, and why he urgently wrote this letter, was to, “make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. . .” He is not concerned about if his gospel is right or wrong – Paul is concerned about the fruitfulness of his ministry. He is fighting to get the Galatians churches to hold on to sound doctrine. Their was a chance that cultural prejudices would entice them to let other teachers continue to make dangerous claims against the gospel.

If this false group were allowed to continue it would split the church. On one side would be Paul and the gospel – faith in Christ’s work on the cross and it is by grace that we are saved. On the other side would be these teachers saying that if you want to become a Christian you have to become a Jew first (Jesus plus the law).

The gospel unifies all Christians – Look at this quote, “An American Christian has far more in common with a gospel-believer who lives a nomadic existence on the Mongolian plains than they do with a non-believer who lives on their street, drives a similar car, and whose children go to the same school as theirs.”[2]

Christian unity takes no account of cultural distinctives. What gets added to the gospel? baptism, be a member of the church, particular doctrine like predestination. Speaking in tongues, or avoiding behaviors like not drinking alcohol, wearing your hair a particular way, playing cards – if you break these rules then you can’t possibly be a Christian.

The Preservation of the Gospel Requires Effort (vv. 3-5)

3 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. 4 Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— 5 to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.

Paul says that there are some who have secretly slipped into the church for the purpose of sabotaging and undermining the liberty that true Christians have in Christ. These planted spies want to bring these new believers into the bondage of legalism.

Romans 8:2-3 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.1 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do.” The countless regulations for cleanliness in the law of Moses were designed “to show us how impossible it was to make ourselves perfectly acceptable before a holy God.[3]

To resist their argument Paul presents Titus – he was a Christian and he was not circumcised. He did not follow the law, yet received Christ who did all the work for him, and now Titus is in right standing with God (yet without keeping the law). “Gentiles could become full members of the people of God without becoming Jewish in custom or culture.”[4]

Christians preserve the truth of the Gospel

by not allowing customs or culture to get added to it.

“The price of spiritual freedom is constant vigilance. It is not enough to share the gospel or even preach it. The gospel has to be defended.”[5]

There is a difference between the freedom that comes with the gospel and the bondage that goes with moralistic religion. Those who are on the moralistic religion side press a very specific set of rules and regulations for daily dress and behavior.[6] How is that some church people can be so negative and even cruel while still claiming to love Jesus and His teachings?

Because their religion places so much emphasis on external cultural separation from the world, rather than on internal motive, outlook, and perspective. “I am a good person, let me show you (by how I cut my hair, or the clothes I wear, or where I go and don’t go, who I will be around and will not be around, etc”.)

It is not freedom from moral imperatives (truth telling, parent honoring, not committing adultery, etc.) but you are free from a system or culture of trying to earn God’s love, earning your salvation.

Both ways teach that they need to follow the ten commandments but the motive behind why one should is different – “you need to honor your parents, because when you do you will go to heaven for being a good person” (verses) “You should to honor your parents because Christ has saved you, and loved you and from a thankful heart I now serve others.” This is right behavior, based on a wrong belief.

When the Gospel is Preserved Christians Are Free To Serve God Differently (vv. 6-9a)

6 And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised 8 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), 9 and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me,

(v. 6) When the leaders gathered together and Paul presented the gospel that he had been sharing to the uncircumcised non-Jewish world, these leaders, “added nothing to me.” There was no need to add anything to Paul’s message – it was the same gospel – faith in Christ alone and nothing else was needed for salvation (no performances, rituals, or actions were needed).

“Paul was not being proud or boastful but was simply stating a truth. He knew that all he was and had was entirely by God’s grace (Gal. 2:9). He acknowledged himself as the foremost of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15) and ‘the least of the apostles, who was not fit to be called an apostle, because he had persecuted the church of God’ (1 Cor. 15:9). But under God’s grace he was equal to all other believers, and in his calling he was equal to all the other apostles.”[7]

In what is called the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 the early church leaders worked through this issue, and all the church leaders had gathered together and Peter said, (vv. 10-11) “Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test aby placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we will be saved through ethe grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”

Then Paul and Barnabas gave an account, “And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.” And then James spoke . . .”13 After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name . . . 19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, . . .”

All of the apostles and church leadership agreed that salvation was by grace through faith in Jesus. Then the council selected Paul and Barnabas to deliver their findings to the very areas where these false teachers were trying to corrupt the gospel. v, 22 “Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.”

(v. 7) “I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised.” The gospel does not change, but the means and method of presenting it does. How Peter presents the gospel to the Jewish people, would be different than how Paul would present it to the Gentile (non-Jewish) people. Some people will have a gift, a calling, to present the gospel to different people groups (while culturally different, they are universally in need of Jesus.)

How do we present the never changing message of the gospel to a world that is constantly changing? If you swing too far to the left, in order to reach the lost and to appeal to as many people as possible you abandon things that are offensive like sin, the cross, blood and you lose the gospel.

If you swing too far to the right and never change (or change far too slowly) the church becomes archaic and no one understands what you are saying. Like the church services in the times of the Reformation were conducted in Latin. No one spoke Latin, so no one knew what was going on in the service. The pastor uses sermon illustrations about rotary phone.

Conclusion

Watching a trapeze show is breathtaking. We wonder at the dexterity and timing. We gasp at near-misses. In most cases, there is a net underneath. When they fall, they jump up and bounce back to the trapeze. In Christ, we live on the trapeze.

The whole world should be able to watch and say, “Look how they live, how they love one another. Look how well the husbands treat their wives. And aren’t they the best workers in the factories and offices, the best neighbors, the best students?” That is to live on the trapeze, being a show to the world.

What happens when we slip? The net is surely there. The blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ, has provided forgiveness for ALL our trespasses. Both the net and the ability to stay on the trapeze are works of God’s grace. Of course, we cannot be continually sleeping on the net., If that is the case, I doubt whether that person is a trapezist.[10]

_______________________

[1] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Galatians (Chicago, Illinois; Moody Publishing, 1987) 35.

[2] Keller, 44.

[3] Tim Keller, Galatians For You (USA; The Good Book Company, 2013) 41.

[4] Keller, 41.

[5] Philip Graham Ryken, Reformed Expository Commentary, Galatians (Phillipsburg New Jersey; P&R Publishing Company, 2005) 40.

[6] Keller, 42.

[7] Macarthur, 40.

[8] Max Anders, Holman New Testament Commentary, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, & Colossians (Nashville, Tennessee; B& H Publishing Group, 1999) 22.

[9] Todd Wilson, Preaching the Word, Galatians, Gospel Rooted Living (Wheaton, Illinois; Crossway Publishing, 2013) 65.

[10] https://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/g/grace.htm

“No One Is Beyond the Reach of His Amazing Grace” Galatians 1:10-24

Grace Abounds

A Sermon Series Through the Book of Galatians

“No One Is Beyond the Reach of His Amazing Grace”

Galatians 1:10-24

Introduction

There once was a man who was searching for his keys under the street light. His friends came along stopped and asked him “Exactly, where did you drop your keys?” “In my house,” the man answered. “In your house? Then why are you looking out here?” “Because the light is better out here.”

You are not going to find what you are looking for unless you are looking in the right place. Most people are looking for spiritual life in the wrong place. Originally the Galatian people knew where to find the key to salvation. They had heard Paul’s message and had been saved by putting their faith in Jesus Christ. Now they were confused. They began to listen to legalists who said they needed two keys to be saved – faith and good works. Confused the Galatians were looking for the key to salvation and Christian maturity in the wrong place.[1]

Prayer

Paul’s Defense of His Authority to Share the Gospel (vv.10-11)

10 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.

Paul’s critics were saying that Paul had watered down what it takes to please God, or to be right with him (justification) by removing the requirement to follow the law. Paul then refutes this claim by asking two questions (v. 10). His motive is to please God and not men.

Regarding Paul following the earthly traditions of man, or looking religious to others, Paul says, Philippians 3:4-6 “. . . If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”

If salvation was about keeping rules, and appearing religious Paul had accomplished that. He walked away from trying to appear a certain way to men, and is now seeking the approval of God alone. You can’t follow the rules of this world, to be liked by the people of this world, and preach the gospel (and please God at the same time).

Martin Luther said, “. . . For the world finds nothing more irritating and intolerable than hearing its wisdom, righteousness, religion, and power condemned . . . For if we denounce men and all their efforts, it is inevitable that we quickly encounter bitter hatred, persecution, excommunication, condemnation, and execution.”[2]

Have you ever heard the saying, “God really doesn’t mind what you believe as long as you are sincere?” Paul was incredibly sincere against those he saw as the enemy of God – even to the point of killing them. Emotionally Paul was invested fully in the belief that Jesus followers had to be stamped out. His mind was not going to be changed by a reasonably stated argument. Nothing was going to convince him that what he was doing was wrong – God had to do it. He was violent, a persecutor, and an arrogant man.

God can change the heart of any man.

11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel.

No one led Paul to the Lord. He did not read a gospel tract, he did not go forward and talk to a preacher at the end of a worship service. He did not receive it, and he was not taught the gospel – then how does he know the gospel? Paul doesn’t argue proofs from theology – he simply tells his story. “He argues for the divine origin and nature of the gospel by describing the profound change the gospel has made in his life.”[3]

Paul Was an Enemy of the Gospel – Paul’s Need For Grace (vv. 12-14)

12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.

“For you have heard of my former life . . .”

Paul did not make himself an apostle, and the gospel did not come from men – (v. 1) “Paul, an apostle — not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father . . .” Paul points to his own life as proof that God changes lives. 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Paul fully understood what the false teachers were pushing – he himself had taught and believed the same thing before he came to know Christ. He was zealous for this belief to the point of trying to stamp out the early Christian church (Acts 7).

(v. 13) “I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it,” – His use of the word “destroy” stresses that in his former life his actions against the church were exceptionally violent and that he had intended to obliterate it. Acts 8:3 “But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.” He was “breathing threats and murder” against the church (9:1).

Paul was sincere in his beliefs – he persecuted other people who thought differently than he did, he was violent and destructive. He was extremely zealous for the traditions of his beliefs.

Paul Moved From Persecutor to Preacher – Paul Receives Grace (vv. 15-17)

15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born,[4] and who called me by his grace, 16 was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

“But when he . . . called me by his grace, . . .”

So how did Paul go from zealously persecuting the church to being a top leader in its ranks? Jesus appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus and he was saved (Acts 9). God called Paul (destined before he was even born) to preach the gospel.

He was saved by God’s grace, and he was called to gospel ministry by God’s grace – both were from God, not his own doing. He went from persecutor to preacher because God worked in his heart.

The other 12 had seen Christ, lived with him, were called by him, trained by him and commissioned by him – Paul was not there during any of that. How could he then claim to be an apostle? Paul’s salvation and calling was based on revelation. Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus and there called him to salvation and ministry. Once saved, Paul could have gone straight to the other apostles and learned from them. Instead, he did not consult any man, “his purpose in going to Arabia was to pray, study, and be alone with the Lord.”[5]

(v. 17) So, when Paul says, “nor did I go up to Jerusalem,” – Paul wants us to understand that the gospel he received from God was not influenced by the teaching of any men.

Paul Met With Certain Apostles – Paul’s Life Having Received Grace (vv. 18-20)

18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. 20 (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!)

After having been taught by Christ for three years, now he could move to fellowship with other apostles as a fellow apostle (not student). Paul uses the word, “to visit” – it is a very specific word, and it is only used here in the NT. It means “to inquire, to get acquainted.”[6] He wants us to understand that he did not go there to be taught.

Acts 9:29 shows that while he was visiting with Peter and James there was a plot to kill him, so he flees to Syria and Cilicia (Acts 21:39, 22:3).

So he swears an oath, “In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!” (v. 20) this is the type of oath that one would swear in court. Paul is giving this account to show that he did not receive the gospel from anyone, it was revealed to him from God. “He neither invented nor inherited his gospel. He did not make it up on his own and he did not get it from anyone else – not before his conversion, not during his conversion, and not after.”[7]

There is Glory to God Because of Heart Change – Paul’s Life After His Conversion (vv. 21-24)

21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God because of me.

“He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith”

So where did the gospel come from? Paul says, v. 12 “I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.” And again in v. 16 “was pleased to reveal his Son to me,” It was something unknown and covered by God, but then revealed or uncovered and shown to Paul. When Paul was on the road to Damascus and Christ appeared to him, Acts 9:4 “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” Paul knew that he was Jesus, and that He was killed on a Roman cross (for our sin), had risen now from the dead because He is appearing to him.

(v. 23) ““He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” This is the effect of the gospel upon a person. Paul held the coats of those that killed the first Christian martyr Stephen. He was zealous in his attempt to wipe out those that followed Jesus. His reputation was that of man who was incredibly religious and fought against threats to his beliefs.

So when he arrives as a Christian, the churches were concerned – but the power of the gospel is that it radically changes a person’s heart. When the church heard of what Jesus did in Paul’s heart, “they glorified God because of me.” Paul also said in 1 Timothy 1:15 “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.”

If you have a false gospel there is no hope for a transformed life.

The reason we gather, in the name of Christ, is because we know and have come to understand that we needed and continue to need radical life transformation. We are sinners in need of salvation. We continue to be sinners in need of grace and, like Pail, we share in the responsibility to share this gospel so that others can know life transformation and be set free from sin.

Paul’s argument for the soul changing power of the gospel was to tell his story. There is no difference for us today, you are the best argument for the transformational power of the gospel. Nothing is more real than you telling your story of how you came to know and understand the gospel. Remember Paul’s words and le them help you share your story:

“For you have heard of my former life . . .” This is what your life was like before you knew Jesus. “But when he . . . called me by his grace, . . .” This is when you heard the gospel and placed your faith in Jesus. “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith” This is what your life is life after you were saved by God’s grace.

For me my grandparents would come and pick me up and take me to church. But I had no interest in what was taught there, in fact it taught me how to appear good on the outside and disguise who I was on the inside. Then one day, in middle school I was sitting on the school bus when a special-needs little boy sat next to me. He smiled too much, and was just not cool like I was.

When it came time for the boy to step off the bus, I tripped him and he fell down the steps of the bus. His mom was there to pick him up, dust off his clothes, gather the scattered parts of his lunch box, and hold his hand as they walked back to their house. The other kids on the bus laughed and pointed fingers at him as we drove off – but I was not laughing. I knew my heart was dark and that I was pretending.

Later that summer I went to a VBS where the pastor came and explained the gospel during craft time – and I jumped at the chance to be saved from my sin. I knew I needed Jesus and His grace, and now I have been called by Jesus to preach the gospel that has changed my soul.

Paul said in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes,” The gospel is the power of God to save the most hardened violent criminal. We forget the power of the gospel to change the hardened heart.

“John Newton, the eighteen-century pastor, was a man who understands the power of the gospel and the grace of God. He was the author of the timeless hymn, “Amazing Grace,” whose lyrics seem to tell each of our stories better than we ourselves could. But before Newton was a great Christian hymn writer, he was a rascal, a slave trader, a rebel.

But God stepped in and saved Newton, and before his death he wrote is own epitaph that he wanted put into marble, It read, “John Newton, Clerk, Once an Infidel and Libertine, A servant of slaves in Africa, was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the Faith, He had long labored to destroy.”[8]

The violent slave trader radically saved by the gospel and died a preacher of what changed him forever. That is Amazing Grace. Do you know Jesus today? Do you want Him to change your wicked heart and free you from your sin?

____________________

[1] Illustration from Anders, 19.

[2] Ryken, 24.

[3] Todd Wilson, Preaching the Word, Galatians, Gospel Rooted Living (Wheaton, Illinois; Crossway Publishing, 2013) 44.

[4] The Pharisees believed that they were set apart for God because of their keeping the law, Paul explains that it was God and his plan that set Paul apart (God’s grace), not how Paul lived his life or followed the law.

[5] Max Anders, Holman New Testament Commentary, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, & Colossians (Nashville, Tennessee; Homan Reference, 1999) 9.

[6] L. Ann Jervis, New International Biblical Commentary, Galatians (Peabody, Massachusetts; Hendrickson Publishing, 2005) 47.

[7] Ryken, 30.

[8] Wilson, 48.

“A Letter to the Recovering Pharisee” Galatians 1:1-9

Grace Abounds

A Sermon Series Through the Book of Galatians

“A Letter to the Recovering Pharisee”

Galatians 1:1-9

Introduction

The Pharisees who lived during the early church times were very religious. They paid very close attention to their theology, they were regular in their worship, and they would be considered a very moral group of people. But in all that attention to religious activities God was not in their hearts. Their religion was little more than hypocrisy – this hypocrisy was rooted in their belief that if they read their Bibles, tithed, kept the Sabbath, then God would do for them, what they had done for God.

This constant attention to trying to be good, follow the rules, and appear to be a good person was exhausting and ultimately was not pleasing to God because they were substituting their own righteousness for Jesus’ righteousness. They would say, “I don’t need Jesus’ gift of salvation, I can earn it myself.” So their daily lives reflected this idea of trying to earn God’s favor, and trying to manipulate God by their action to get him to do something.[1]

It is hard for a legalistic person, once they receive Christ, to leave legalism behind. So Jewish people become followers of Jesus, and while they say they need Jesus and his gift of salvation, secretly (deep down in their hearts), they believe God’s love for them is conditional upon how they behave.

Performance based “Christianity” denies the grace of God.

While we are saved by grace, recovering legalists struggle to live by grace. The gospel is something we receive for salvation, but it is also something that we live and breathe every day. The gospel gives us freedom – as we move through the book of Galatians, I want you to ask yourself, “Am I living my Christian life, as if I know God loves me and that His grace is enough? Or are you trying to make God love you by doing religious activity?”

Paul’s Salutation to the Churches In Galatia (vv. 1-5)

Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man[2], but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2 and all the brothers who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Paul in the opening verses comes out fighting. We can tell from these verses that there were people who were attacking Paul’s authority as an apostle. An apostle was an official spokesperson for Jesus, “an envoy, ambassador, or messenger who was chosen and trained by Jesus Christ as a special emissary for proclaiming His truth during the formative years of the church.”[3] The first 12 disciples were chosen, called, and commissioned by Christ himself to teach on his behalf (Luke 6:13-16; Mark 3:14-19). Paul understands that people have to accept him as an apostle before they will accept the gospel.

Paul was not apart of the original 12, and so his critics attack his authority. In order to advance their doctrinal error, they are attacking his credentials. These false teachers are arguing that Paul’s gospel was not from God but from man (Paul made it up), and that Paul appointed himself to be an apostle – Paul is explaining where Christianity came from. But also, they are accusing him of watering down the gospel to make it easy – so that he would popular saying what people wanted to hear.

When the authority of Scripture is denied,

a person can make truth into whatever they want Him to be.

They denied Paul’s authority (as an apostle) and then created their own gospel. When the authority of Scripture is denied, you can then add or take away the parts you don’t agree with.

“To the churches of Galatia,” – “The Galatians were going astray because they are adding Judaism to the gospel of Faith in Christ . . . Disturbed by these tendencies Paul writes this letter . . . I order that they may preserve faith in Christ alone.”[4] These false teachers are called “Judaizers” in other places because they wanted to require the new Gentile (non-Jewish) followers of Jesus to become a Jew before they could become a Christian. It is the gospel of Jesus plus the law of Moses (dietary laws, circumcision, and other ceremonial law, feasts and holidays) .

We see this in Acts 15:1 “But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” . . . (v. 5) “But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”

“In turning from grace to a legalistic system of salvation by works, the Galatians had ignored the significance of the death of Christ. The heart of the gospel is Christ’s willing sacrifice of Himself for our sins. Salvation is not earned by one’s efforts to eliminate sin, but by one’s trust in God’s promise to forgive sin through the work of Jesus Christ.”[5] Without the cross, Jesus’ teachings and life example would introduce us to God, but we would have no way of having a relationship with Him – we cannot, in our own self-effort, be rid of our sin.

In these opening verses reminds the churches of the what the gospel is; the resurrection, “who raised him from the dead,” and his crucifixion, “who gave himself for our sins.” In his rescuing us from the danger of our sin it was not for a “second chance” – “giving us another opportunity to get life right and stay right with God. He did all we needed to do, but cannot do. If Jesus’ death really paid for our sins on our behalf, we can never fall back into condemnation.”[6]

From these we see four things about the gospel 1) Jesus gave himself willingly, “who gave himself.” Jesus’ life was not taken, it was given. It was a voluntary self-sacrifice. John 10:17-18 “I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.” Matthew 27:50 when Jesus is on the cross he “yielded up his spirit.”

2) The purpose of the cross is that Jesus gave up his life willingly for our sins. We had a sin debt that we could not pay, and on the cross “Jesus paid it all.” The punishment we deserved, He took upon himself. He became our substitute (substitutionary atonement). It enabled God to forgive us by satisfying his pure justice. Even if your acts of goodness counted, what was owed is eternally more than you can contribute toward your salvation.

3) “to deliver us from the present evil age,” – The purpose of the gospel is to deliver – Jesus came to rescue us. We are saved so that one day, we can enter into eternity, but God’s grace and salvation extend also, to our present day-to-day lives. We have been freed from the evil of this age.

We were slaves to sin, now we are slaves to righteousness – the consequence of being a Christ follower is that we are freed from behavior that brings us destruction. Lightfoot said, “The Gospel is a rescue, an emancipation from a state of bondage.” Because we are free our lives now reflect Christ – an abundant life.

4) God initiatives our salvation, it originates from God “according to the will of our God and Father,” The cross was not an accident, or a historical tragic event that caught God off guard. He wasn’t in heaven hoping that everything would work out. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus prays that the cup of wrath that was coming with the cross be removed, Matthew 26:39 “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” It was the Father’s will that the Son die for the salvation of the world.

Peter says in Acts 2:23, “This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.” It has always been the plan for God the Father to give His Son for the salvation of the world. In these opening verses Paul discusses salvation and we don’t play any part in it. “The gospel is not about what we do for God; it is about what God has done for us.”

Paul then says, “to whom be the glory forever and ever .” – All the glory goes to God, not to us for being good. Ephesians 2:9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

“The great point that the Galatians are to note is the fact that grace and peace are ours (v. 3) “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” through the merits of Christ’s self-sacrifice alone. All is due to his death for our sins. We are able to add nothing by any works of ours. We are not delivered by any observance of the law. The whole epistle is aimed at this error; the foundation is laid already in the greeting.”[7]

Paul’s Concern and Reason For Writing the Letter (vv. 6-7)

6 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— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ (the gospel that originates from Christ).

Paul’s writing this letter is in response to his astonishment that the churches were in danger – there is an urgency in his writing. They like soldiers on the battlefield they are “so quickly deserting” – they are switching sides. The tense tells us that it has begin but has not yet been completed – there is still a chance for them to see their error.

An OT example of a similar event was Exodus 32:7-8 “And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. 8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’” When people don’t honor the authority of Scripture, they want to add to it, or take from if; “They think they are improving the gospel, but what they are actually doing is forging a golden calf in the furnace of unbelief . . . we’ve abandoned it for an idol made by human hands.”[8]

They were not just switching from one man’s philosophy to another man’s philosophy – they were deserting the God who gave them the true gospel. And they were accepting a distorted Paul and Barnabas had gone through and preached the gospel, they had received it, and then they went back (on their second missionary journey)[9] and spent time teaching them – and then when they left these false teachers have followed behind them and are trying to undermine their work. Paul is astonished at how quickly they swept in, and how quickly the churches were listening to them.

I think it’s important to note that these were teachers who said they were Christians – they would have acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah, and they would have recognized his death on the cross as being important (otherwise no one would listened to them).

They would have claimed to believe all the truths other Christians believed. But they wanted to improve the gospel by adding to it. If you add anything to grace then you have corrupted the gospel – it becomes a different gospel. The good news of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, is the only gospel that saves the sinner.

The word Paul uses in v. 7, “want to distort the gospel,” perverts the gospel, literally “reverses.”[10] All other world religions say that you do something to save yourself. The grace of God, and the gospel from Jesus reverses this – God does everything, you do nothing. Any edits to the gospel reverses it, and places it in the giant pile of worthless world religions. There is only one way to be rid of our sin – there are not multiple ways to God.

How does one go from following the true gospel, to readily accepting man’s attempt at religion? There are two things involved, “but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel,” The false teachers were troubling the church, so trouble or heartache comes along, and then combined with distortion of the truth (to make God in one’s own image). Something in your life happens, and an alternate version of reality presents itself.

Paul’s Warning For Those That Preach a False Gospel (vv. 8-9)

8 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. 9 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 then gives scenarios where a false gospel may appear – suppose Paul, or those who were with him on his journeys, or even an angel from heaven appeared – if anyone preaches a gospel different than grace alone, faith alone, Christ alone – they are to be accursed. The true standard of Christianity is not the messenger, but the message. Preachers can change and move away from the truth they once preached, and demons can appear as angels.

Paul is saying that even his apostolic authority derives from the gospel’s authority, not the other way around. The Bible judges the church, the church does not judge the Bible. Scripture is the plumbline that we hold up everything the church does and believes. My authority as your pastor comes from Scripture – you should follow me as long as what I say lines up with the Word of God. The word of God does not means what I want it to mean – I have authority only as long as what I say lines up with Scripture.

Paul uses the word accursed or anathema, referring to what should happen to someone who preaches a false gospel – This is an OT concept of setting something aside or devoting something to destruction. A different gospel brings condemnation – it is ternal life that is at stake.

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[1] Philip Graham Ryken, Reformed Expository Commentary, Galatians (Philipsburg, New Jersey; P&R Publishing, 2005) 3.

[2] This could be a reference to Paul and Barnabas being sent out on the first missionary journey from the church in Antioch.

[3] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Galatians (Chicago, Illinois; Moody Press, 1987) 2.

[4] C. Marius Victorinus, Ad Galatas, quoted in F. F. Bruce, The Epistle to the Galatians: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Eerdmans, 1982) 21.

[5] MacArthur, 6.

[6] Timothy Keller, Galatians For You (USA; The Good Book Company, 2013) 16.

[7] R.C.H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians to the Ephesians and to the Philippians (Minneapolis, Minnesota; Augsburg Publishing House, 1961) 29.

[8] Todd Wilson, Preaching the Word, Galatians Gospel-Rooted Living (Wheaton, Illinois; Crossway Publishing, 2013) 30.

[9] Acts 13:13-14:23

[10] Keller, 18.

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