Reading …

  1. Galatians 3:15-18

Introduction …

  1. The epistle to the Galatians is all about a battle for the truth …
    1. Justification is by faith in Jesus Christ alone …by observance of the law no one is justified… Galatians 2:16; Galatians 3:11,24 & Romans 3:22-28
      1. This is why the gospel is good news.
    2. Man needs to add a few good works of the law to ensure justification …
      1. When are the good works enough? 
      2. That is not good news … Galatians 4:10
    1. The truth is  … 
    2. The false gospel says yes but …
  2. The Judiazers infiltrated the churches of the Galatian province …
    1. They discredit Paul’s bona fida’s as an apostle.
      1. He is dishonest in claiming to be an apostle …
    2. They discredit his theology …
      1. One can’t just discard the God given law.
      1. Justification is not entirely by faith in Jesus Christ 
      2. There must be some works of the law done.
    3. And in order to discredit Paul’s teaching of the gospel they attack on 2 fronts…
  3. In the last 2 weeks Andrew has looked at chapters 1 and 2 where Paul defends his claim to apostleship …
    1. In every way they were enabled by God so was Paul …
    2. On Paul’s visit to Jerusalem the likes of Peter, James and John who had direct contact with Jesus on earth were happy to shake hands on his claim to apostleship… Galatians 2:9
    1. As the disciples were called, so was he … Acts 9:6,15
    2. As the disciples were taught by Jesus for 3 years so was Paul … 
    3. As they personally witnessed the resurrected Saviour so did Paul…
    4. As they performed miracles so did Paul …
  4. So we are left in no doubt about Paul’s apostleship … 
    1. Because the likes of Peter and Barnabus seem to suddenly have doubts…the congregations have doubts.
    2. So Paul goes to see Peter, James and John to ensure the correctness of his preaching …
      1. In case I might have run in vain … Galatians 2:2
    1. But what about his theology …
    2. So let’s look at his theology …

Faith or observance of the Law …

  1. Change never comes easily …
    1. Gathering around the Lord's table… sounds very spiritual
      1. Singing acapella …no need for the wooden brother. 
      2. All dressed up in our 3 piece suits and shiny shoes.
    2. It had been done like that for all of 100 years. 
      1. Then Andrew arrived with his guitar and David and Ali with new songs. 
      2. And I could preach without a tie around my neck.
    3. Some people left the fellowship … others joined. 
    1. Breaking bread in the 1960’s…very different today …
    2. Change did not come easy …
  2. The law had been observed for well over 1000 years…
    1. Still doubts would arise and shake the confidence.
    2. You can imagine the impact self righteous, aggressive men expounding the God given law had on new believers. 
    3. So Paul goes back to the law that he knew so well to prove his case for justification by faith and asks a few questions …
    1. To change completely one would need to be very sure of the facts.
    2. If changing the law of the brethren was difficult, imagine how difficult changing a 1000 years of religious practice was.

Works of the Law or Promises of God …

  1. Questions …
    1. Clearly an argument of faith versus works.
    1. Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law or by believing what you heard …Galatians 3 vs 2
    2. Are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort …Galatians 3 vs3
  2. Paul now uses the very Scriptures that they are relying on to prove his case for justification by faith …
    1. To Abraham God says … 
      1. Clearly there is no time limit to this promise if all nations of the world are involved.
      1. All the nations of the world will be blessed thru you …Genesis 12:3
      2. He believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness…Genesis 15:6
    2. Some principles are laid down as a result …
      1. The law which came 430 years later could not annul this promise …
      1. Faith in God and his promises is accounted as righteousness …
      2. Those that believe are true children of Abraham … Galatians 3:29
      3. The promises of God are immutable … Galatians 3:15-18 & Hebrews 6:17
    1. Cursed is everyone who does not do everything written in the Book of the Law … Deuteronomy 27:26
      1. The law demands that we must keep all of the law.
      2. We can't be selective and only keep some …It is all or nothing.  
    2. The law is not based on faith but works …
      1. The man who does these things will live by them…Leviticus 18:5
      2. We have to do it … every day every time. 
    3. You have to do it, but you can’t .
    4. The righteous will live by faith … Habakkuk 2:4
      1. And in accordance with God’s word it happened 66 years later.
      1. Here God is speaking specifically about the demise of great Babylon … 
      2. But it is a principle laid down which is repeatedly taken up in the New Testament and was the driving force in the Reformation in the 1500’s
    1. The promises of God …
    2. When the law came what did it say …
    3. What does God say thru the prophet Habakkuk …
    4. So Paul says … 
    1.  Faith, as a vehicle to justification, is a promise from God to all nations for all time. 
      1. And importantly it preceded the law of Moses.
    2. But the law of Moses pronounced a curse on all who do not keep the entire law. 

The Purpose of the Law …

  1. Maybe you are thinking but what about the great and godly men of old …
    1. They lived by the law …
  2. No they did not …
    1. Go to Hebrew 11 and look at the names of all the great people of the Old Testament…
      1. They were all commended for their faith … Hebrews 11:39
      2. Their faith made them obedient.
        1. It caused them to perform works of faith … 
      3. Preceding each name is the phrase “By Faith “
    2. Obedience is a massive issue in the life of Israel …
      1. But they lived as they pleased …
      1. They suffered because they thought just keeping the festivals and sacrifices was enough to buy God off.
      2. They were not faith based but works based.  
    3. They obeyed the law because they had faith in God and His promises.
  3. So then what is the purpose of the law …
    1. It did not annul the promise of Justification by faith … Galatians 3 vs 15, 17
    2. It can not give life … Galatians 3 vs 21
    3. It can not make us heirs of the promises of God … Galatians 3 vs 18
    4. Because it was not created for that purpose .
    1. It is important to note what the law could not do …
    2. Why not …
    3. What the law does do is …as stated in Galatians … its purpose …
    1. It is added because of transgressions… Galatians 3:19
    2. By the law is the knowledge of sin … Romans 3:20
      1. Without law there is no sin …
        1. E.g… Speeding fines.
      2. Thru the knowledge of sin we realise a need for justification.
      1. So the law is our tutor bringing us to Christ …
        1. That we might be justified by faith in Him… Galatians 3:24
    4. Thru the law is revealed the holiness, mercy and grace of God
  5. Paul points out very clearly that this promise of the law was of a temporary nature …
    1. Until the promised Seed (Messiah… Christ) had come…  Galatians 3:19 
  6. So we understand that the PROMISE is permanent …
    1. Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come we are no longer under the supervision of the law… Galatians 3:23
    2. The LAW had a limited purpose. 
  7. Summary …
    1. The ROOT of justification is faith …the FRUIT of justification is works… James 2:14-25

Conclusion …

  1. Does justification come from works of the law or faith in the promises of God
    1. Therefore applicable to us. 
    2. Therefore applicable to us
    3. And is still applicable to us
    4. And is still applicable to us
    1. God's promise of justification by faith is permanent … to all nations.
    2. The law brought a curse for all have sinned
    3. Faith is the vehicle by which God imputes his righteousness to man thru Christ …
    4. The purpose of the law was to point out our sin and to point us to Christ for justification. 
  2. The law pronounces us guilty and deserving of condemnation …
    1. Therefore there is no condemnation… Rom 8;1
    2. Justification thru faith says you are not guilty because the price is paid. …
  3. But this righteousness that is of God is only of benefit to us if we put our faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ  … Galatians 3:26
    1. And His death on the cross where he bore the penalty for our sin.
  4. The consequence of that faith in Him is that… Galatians 3:26-29
    1. We become sons of God …
    2. And heirs of the promises…
    3. 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 … 1 Corinthians 6:11