Main Point Summary

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law and therefore no one is justified before God by the law but by faith.

notes

Sermon

By Faith, or by Works of the Law? verse 1-4 Who bewitched you? vs 1 Paul says this to the Galatians because the Gospel of Christ was clearly preached to them. Christ crucified. Even though they knew the Gospel, they were deviating from it. He, therefore, asks them, "Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?" vs 2-3. The Galatians knew the gospel but they were turning back to the law from where they were saved. They began so well by the Spirit but now they seek perfection by the flesh. Vs 4 This did not make sense to Paul for they had suffered on account of the Gospel but now they are turning back to the flesh. It's like the suffering they went through was all in vain. The Galatians received the gospel by faith but now they are turning to works. This is foolishness. The gospel is good news for it reconciles sinners to a Holy God through faith in Christ. Trying to earn acceptance to a Holy God through your own effort is foolishness for none can ever achieve that and that's why we desperately need the gospel. You received the gospel by faith, don't try to add anything to it. Don't try to earn God's love. Salvation is by faith and not works. Sons of Abraham verse 5-9 Why should we live by faith and not works? vs. 5-6 "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— just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?" Paul reminds them that God supplied His Spirit and worked out miracles among them by faith and not through the works of the law. To make it even clearer he quotes Gen 15:6, "And he (Abraham) believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness." It was through faith that Abraham was considered righteous and in the same way the Galatians heard and believed. Therefore, it is those of faith and not the law, who are the sons of Abraham. Why? Vs. 8-9, "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.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith." In Gen 12:3 , God preached the gospel to Abraham saying, "I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”" That blessing that all the nations were to receive, was salvation through faith in Jesus as explained by Peter in Acts 3:24-26 . The blessing that those who believe receive together with Abraham is the salvation which is by faith. That's why it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. During Jesus' time, the Pharisees were calling themselves the children of Abraham for they were Jews but Jesus told them if they are the children of Abraham they will do the works of Abraham (John 8:36-40). So, by the fact that they were Jews, it didn't qualify them to be the sons of Abraham. Only those of faith are the sons of Abraham Paul solidifies his point of, it is by faith and not by works, by referring to Abraham. The promise of Abraham was not only to the Jews but to all nations, and that includes the Gentiles. Therefore the sons of Abraham are not only the Jews but all those who believe. So then, it is by faith that you and I are made sons of Abraham. No One is Justified by the Law verse 10-12 Paul gives more reasons as to why it is by faith and not by works that we have been saved. Vs. 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.”" All who rely on the works of the law are all under a curse, for it is impossible to keep all that is in the law. He quotes Deu 27:26 to back up this point. Now, therefore, according to the argument that Paul has presented, vs. 11 "...no one is justified before God by the law," for the scripture says in Habakkuk 2:4 , "...the righteous shall live by his faith." Justification is, a sinful man, made right before God and this cannot be earned. Rom 3:20 , "For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin." It is fully by faith. Rom 3:21-24, "But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,..." By works I mean, for example, Muslims will try to please God by observing the daily prayers, fasting during Ramadhan, giving alms, and going on the pilgrimage. they are of human effort, vs. 12, "But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.”" But the problem is, none can keep them perfectly, and therefore, these things cannot make you right with God. If you have believed in Christ, you share in the blessing of Abraham, which cannot be earned by the law. There is no way you can be made right with God through the law. Those who have not believed in Christ but rely on works are under a curse for they can't keep them. And only Christ can save them from that curse. Let's look at the next point. Redemption Through Christ verse 13-14 Since we cannot keep the law, God provided a way for us to be justified, and that is, through Jesus Christ. vs. 13-14, "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”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith." Christ became a curse on the cross so that we who believe in Him may receive the blessing of Abraham. And this we can only receive through faith. Thank God for Jesus Christ. Through Christ dying on the cross, are we justified? We are made sons of Abraham by faith in Christ. It is by faith that we have been saved for we are made sons of Abraham, the man of faith, through faith. Therefore, we are justified by faith and not the law, through Jesus Christ. We are able to share in the blessings of Abraham in Jesus Christ. To those who are saved, giving your tithe, helping the needy, or fasting and praying won't save you by themselves. They are good things and we should do them, but not as a way of earning something righteousness before God. We are justified by faith alone in Christ alone. And to those who are not born again, being a good person won't make you right with God. God is Holy and we are sinful by nature and therefore there is nothing we can do to earn righteousness. God in His mercy seeing that we are helpless, He provided a way for us to be reconciled to Him, Rom 8:5 , "...but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Therefore your only hope is to put your faith in Christ.

Phrase

NT

Galatians 3:1-14

esv

By Faith, or by Works of the Law?

O foolish Galatians!

Who has bewitched you?

Explanation

It was before your eyes

Answer

that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed

Content

as crucified.

Standard

Let me ask you only this:

Did you receive the Spirit

Content (Rhetorical Question)

by works

Means #1

of the law

Attributive

or by hearing

Means #2

with faith?

Accompaniment

Are you so foolish?

[that] Having begun

by the Spirit,

Agency

are you now being perfected

by the flesh?

Means

Did you suffer so many things

in vain—

Manner

if indeed it was

Condition

in vain?

Context

Sons of Abraham

Does he

who supplies the Spirit

to you

Advantage

and works miracles

among you

Locative

do so

by works

Manner #1

of the law,

or by hearing

Means #2

with faith—

just as Abraham

Comparison

“believed God,

and it was counted

Result

to him

as righteousness”?

Know then

that it is those

of faith

who are the sons

of Abraham.

Relationship

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.”

So then, those

who are

of faith

Descriptive

are blessed along

with Abraham,

the man of faith.

No One is Justified by the Law

For all

who rely on works

of the law

are under a curse;

for it is written,

Ground

“Cursed be everyone

who does not abide ... and do them.”

by all things written

in the Book

of the Law,

Epexegetical

Now it is evident

that no one is justified

before God

by the law,

for “The righteous shall live

by faith.”

But the law

is not of faith,

Explantion

rather “The one

Negative

who does them shall live

by them.”

Redemption Through Christ

Christ redeemed us

from the curse

Separation

of the law

by becoming a curse

for us—

for it is written,

“Cursed is everyone

who is hanged

on a tree”—

so that ... the blessing ... might come

Purpose

of Abraham

in Christ Jesus

to the Gentiles,

so that we might receive the promised Spirit

through faith.

The crucifixion is a key component of the gospel. The Galatians witnessed the crucifixion of Christ

The Holy Spirit. Meaning the Galatians had received the Holy Spirit.

They suffered on account of the gospel they had received. If they are now living by the law then all the sufferings they went through, was all in vain.

That is, by the law

In Gen 15:6, Abraham believed God's promise and because of that, he was considered righteous. He did nothing to earn it, he just believed. the answer to Paul's question therefore is, God supplies the Spirit and works miracles by faith.

Who receive the blessing of Abraham. The children of Abraham are those of faith.

Acts 3:24-26 - That blessing is salvation.

You are under a curse for no one can keep the whole law.

None is justified by the law, that is by works of the flesh. Justification before God is only by faith.

The law is dependent on works.

By dying on the cross

We can only be sons of Abraham in Christ Jesus. Salvation comes by faith in Jesus Christ.

phrasing

Look-up

OT

Genesis 15:1-6

God’s Covenant with Abram 15 1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: c “Fear not, Abram, I am d your shield; your reward shall be very great.” 2 But Abram said, “O Lord God , what will you give me, for I continue 1 childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and e a member of my household will be my heir.” 4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; f your very own son 1 shall be your heir.” 5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and g number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, h “So shall your offspring be.” 6 And i he believed the Lord , and j he counted it to him as righteousness .

Genesis 12:1-3

The Call of Abram 12 1 Now m the Lord said 1 to Abram, “Go from your country 2 and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 n And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 o I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and p in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed .” 1

Deuteronomy 27:26

26 p “‘ Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘ Amen .’

Habakkuk 2:2-4

The Righteous Shall Live by His Faith 2 And the Lord answered me: k “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. 3 For still l the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, m wait for it; n it will surely come; it will not delay. 4 “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but o the righteous shall live by his faith . 1

Leviticus 18:1-5

Unlawful Sexual Relations 18 1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, q I am the Lord your God. 3 r You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and s you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes. 4 t You shall follow my rules 1 and keep my statutes and walk in them. q I am the Lord your God. 5 t You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; u if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the Lord .

Deuteronomy 21:22-23

A Man Hanged on a Tree Is Cursed 22 “And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23 p his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for q a hanged man is cursed by God . r You shall not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance .

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