Sermon - August 28, 2016 - Galatians 4:8-20 - Toss Them Idols!

We finished off last week with the first 7 verses of Galatians chapter 4 where Paul declared that the Galatians are no longer slaves, but heirs in all that God has to give. Paul told them to stop acting like little children who are being led astray and start living like the co-heirs that they were.

In many ways it was a wakeup call, telling them to stop acting like children. A young child is focused on their wants and needs. A young child cannot take care of or teach themselves. They have received the gift, but do not understand the responsibility that comes along with it. A responsibility to follow Jesus, share God’s love, spread His gospel, and to be a witness. A child acts like a child only focusing on their wants, but an heir follows in the footsteps of those that came before them. It is a reminder to us that we need to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

Paul goes from reminding the Galatians that they are not a slave, to pleading with them to not return to a slavery that is exactly like their old pagan life.

Galatians 4:8-9

“⁸ But in the past, when you didn’t know God, you were enslaved to things that by nature are not gods. ⁹ But now, since you know God, or rather have become known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and bankrupt elemental forces? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again?”

Paul is reminding the Galatians where they came from. They used to worship pagan gods, they worshipped statues, names, and stories. They were slaves to these false gods. Their lives were dedicated to the worship of these false ideas, they were focused on all these worldly things before they knew God.

Sounds a lot like us. Before we knew God we were slaves to things of the world. We worshipped drugs, alcohol, money, success, sex, even the past…whatever your poison was! From keeping up with the Jones to living a wild anything goes life style. You might have been in a deep hole of despair or focused on supporting and raising a family.

When you do not know the One True God ‘big G’, your god ‘little g’ could be just about anything. It does not even have to be a thing. It can be an idea, a thought, or a wild dream. It could have been a bunch of different things. It may have changed every month, week, or day. The only constant before Jesus is that you were enslaved by something that kept you from seeing and focusing on the true King of Kings. You were a weak little child, being led astray. You had an idol or multiple idols in your life.

Now that you know God and that you are known by God, the stakes are higher. You know what is right, you have experienced it personally, you have been set free, you are an heir with Jesus, so how could you turn away? With a personal, intimate, relationship with Jesus Christ how could you be turning back to being a slave to all the garbage of the world?

Proverbs 26:11

“As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness.”

The Galatians were just like this dog and were returning to the garbage that used to rule their life. Instead of partaking of the milk and steak provided by God, they were embracing their old ways.

It is very easy to slip back into your old habits. They may seem different, but have the same characteristics. Maybe your problem was money before and now it is success. They look different, but slavery to either one of them will pull you to the gates of hell, not carry you to the narrow path to heaven.

The Galatians were slipping from one sin into another. They were going from pagan worship to Law worship. They were exchanging one idol for another. It is easy to slip back to what you know. It may not look the same but the results are the same.

We find this in our churches today. People live an obviously sinful life of greed or drugs, and it turns into control. It may be that they were worshipping their expensive toys and now are worshipping the past. An idol is an idol, and if our focus is on our idol it is not on Jesus.

That is one of the reasons I preach the whole Word of God. I don’t skip the hard stuff, I don’t only preach uplifting messages, I am not a motivational speaker, I want to make sure I am doing my part. Helping and praying that none will perish. There are a lot of Christians in name only, both inside and outside of our churches. At first glance they appear to be worshipping God, but reality is they are focused on their own idol.

An Idol is an idol. It does not matter what it is. Paul was pleading with the Galatians to not return to idol worship. It is human nature and that is why we need to stay in God’s Word. That’s why we need to devote time every day to talking to God. If we don’t we are going to get stuck in some form of idol worship. It might start as something that is obviously bad like alcohol and greed, but it could just as easily be something that doesn’t appear bad like being focused on traditions, or the way we have always done things.

The Church is to be a place of healing, it is to be a place where people can find Jesus, it is to be a place where we come to be lifted up by other believers, but it is also a place where the Word of God is taught, studied, and put into practice.

Hebrews 4:12-13

“¹² For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart.¹³ No creature is hidden from Him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account.”

The Word of God will cut deeply when it needs to and as hard as it can be we need to let it. If you are feeling convicted when you read or hear something, let God speak to you. Let Him guide you to what needs to be changed. If our focus is on Jesus, His Word will change us and help us toss away our idols once and for all. It is not a simple painless process, it will hurt, it will take time, but as we progress step by step we grow closer to God.

Galatians 4:10

“¹⁰ You observe special days, months, seasons, and years.”

The Galatians had embraced the Jewish holidays, festivals, etc… they had traded one idol for another.

Colossians 2:16-17

“¹⁶ Therefore, don’t let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day. ¹⁷ These are a shadow of what was to come; the substance is the Messiah.”

They thought they were doing the right thing. They thought they left paganism and were following these new traditions as a form of honoring God. They were wrong. They were holding onto a new idol, one that looked good, one that they saw others do, but they were holding onto something that was a shadow, a poor copy of the real thing.

How about us? Over the years I am sure most of us have turned away from an old idol. Something that all of us and almost anyone else would agree is a sin. The question is, have we replaced it with another idol?  Have we replaced it with something that might look like a good thing, but we have put it on the throne of our lives instead of Jesus? That is something each one of us needs to pray about. I encourage you to ask God to point out the idols in your life and to give you the strength and courage to take them down.

We need to take the idols out of our lives and make sure that Jesus and Jesus alone sits on the throne. Nothing else compares to Jesus. He is the real thing. Our salvation comes from Jesus and Jesus alone and nothing else matters.

Galatians 4:11

“¹¹ I am fearful for you, that perhaps my labor for you has been wasted.”

Paul is expressing his concern that all his effort in preaching the Word of God was wasted. He is questioning if the Galatians are so attached to legalistic practices that nothing he said matters to them. Paul poured his life into the Galatian church, just like he did all the churches he planted. Was it worth his effort or had he wasted his time?

This is a question every pastor I know has asked at least once in his career, is it worth it? Most pastors spend hours preparing for Sunday morning, and even more hours if they have a Sunday PM and Wednesday night service. At some point, he comes to ask if the effort is worth it. Are lives being changed? Is the church acting like the ‘big C’ Church? Are people coming to Jesus?

Paul was asking these same questions and then turns to the Galatians asking them to remember him and their relationship.

Galatians 4:12

“¹² I beg you, brothers: Become like me, for I also became like you. You have not wronged me;”

‘Become like me, for I also became like you.’ Paul is telling them to look at his life. When Jesus appeared to Paul he was no longer a legalistic Jew, instead he was just like a gentile. No longer living under the law. No longer following all the rules and sacrifices. Paul became a Gentile, just the like the Galatians,  and he is encouraging them to let go of the Law just like he did.

Galatians 4:13-14

“¹³ you know that previously I preached the gospel to you because of a physical illness. ¹⁴ You did not despise or reject me though my physical condition was a trial for you. On the contrary, you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.”

Paul is reminding them that they accepted him when he was at his worse and did not hold it against him. They could have easily ignored him, but instead treated him as an honored guest. They listened to him then and he is pleading with them to listen to him once again.

Galatians 4:15-16

“¹⁵ What happened to this sense of being blessed you had? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶ Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?”

Paul was in their presence and preached the Word of God and they embraced him. They would have followed Paul to the ends of the earth and now they are angry at him for telling the truth. Can you imagine that? Someone is speaking the truth, even though it may not be popular, and he is hated.

2 Timothy 4:3

“³ For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear something new.”

A time will come when people will turn against the truth and those who speak it. I know sometimes the truth is hard to hear. As we read earlier the Word of God is sharp and it cuts pretty deep. Sometimes it hurts, sometimes the Word steps on our toes, and I can tell you there are many times I have to come to terms with something the Word is teaching me before I can preach it. If the Word of God does not hurt, you are not letting it do its job. The Truth is going to hurt when it exposes our sins. Embrace it and let it change you.

Galatians 4:17-18

“¹⁷ They are enthusiastic about you, but not for any good. Instead, they want to isolate you so you will be enthusiastic about them. ¹⁸ Now it is always good to be enthusiastic about good—and not just when I am with you.”

Check the motives of anyone who is teaching you. Make sure they are not trying to manipulate you or distort the truth. Double check that they are teaching what they are supposed to.

Galatians 4:19-20

“¹⁹ My children, I am again suffering labor pains for you until Christ is formed in you. ²⁰ I would like to be with you right now and change my tone of voice, because I don’t know what to do about you.”

Paul poured himself into the Galatians when they accepted Jesus and now he feels like he is fighting for them again. He is praying that they are truly formed into the image of Christ like is written in Philippians.

Philippians 2:5-8

“⁵ Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. ⁷ Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, ⁸ He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross.”

We need to take these words to heart. They should be our prayer. Make your attitude like that of Christ, empty yourself by being a slave for God, and humble yourself in His service.

All of us have idols in our lives. They may look like they are something we should be doing, but we need to take them down. Ask the Lord to show you your idols, keep your eyes on Jesus, make your attitude like His, be a slave for God, and humble yourself in His service. Submit to God in every way, every day. Only then can you truly Follow Jesus, Love God, Love Others, and Be a Witness.

Toss Them Idols and Follow Jesus!

God Bless,

Robert

Sermon - August 21, 2016 - Galatians 3:25-4:7 - Gift and Responsibility

As we wrapped up last week we were reminded that the Law was given for a couple of reasons and one of them was to make sin and death a reality. It established rules and rituals for a faithless generation that wanted to go back to Egypt as slaves instead of braving the adventure that God had planned for them.

The Law had a purpose but it is faith in Jesus that truly sets you free. He has set us free from the Law and free from the Hell we deserve.

This is one of Paul’s frustrations in what is going on in the Galatian church. They knew about Jesus, they knew about the freedom He provides, and they have heard the message first hand from Paul. Yet, he finds them waffling, being led astray by a watered down wishy washy imitation message of faith and works. With an emphasis on the works, not the faith. 

The truth that Paul is reminding them is that the Law paved the way. It helped people to understand that they were sinners in need of a Savior. It is only through faith in Jesus Christ that one is justified. It is only through faith that one is saved from hell and are able to enter into Glory.

Let’s pick up where we left off last week.

Galatians 3:26-27

“²⁶ for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷ For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ like a garment.”

The first point Paul is making in these verses is that if you believe in Jesus Christ, if you have faith in Him, you are a child of God. He is talking to the Galatian church and it is a message to each of us. If you believe in Jesus Christ, if you have faith in Him, faith that He can save you, if He is the Lord of your life, you are a child of God!

Under the Law there were rules, rituals, and punishments for not following them. We see over and over in the Old Testament that the people and their kings did one of two things. They either were like king David and did what was right in the eyes of the Lord or they turned their back on God and did what they wanted. If they followed in David’s footsteps, they were blessed. If they went their own way without God, judgement would come.

The Law brought punishment if it was not followed, like one would punish a young child for not following the rules. The people of Israel were God’s children and acted like children.

Exodus 16:1-3

“16 The entire Israelite community departed from Elim and came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had left the land of Egypt. ² The entire Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. ³ The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by pots of meat and ate all the bread we wanted. Instead, you brought us into this wilderness to make this whole assembly die of hunger!”

They did not like how things were going and they essentially threw a fit.

Numbers 14:1-4

“14 Then the whole community broke into loud cries, and the people wept that night. ² All the Israelites complained about Moses and Aaron, and the whole community told them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this wilderness! ³ Why is the Lord bringing us into this land to die by the sword? Our wives and little children will become plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?”⁴ So they said to one another, “Let’s appoint a leader and go back to Egypt.”

Again, the Israelites were acting like spoiled children. They needed something like the Law to teach them the difference between right and wrong. They needed it to teach them what it meant to depend on God.

It is different today. It is different once we have become the children of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:16-17

“¹⁶ The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, ¹⁷ and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—seeing that we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”

Through Jesus we have been grafted into the family of God, not as little children that need to be managed but as co-heirs. Not as slaves, but as people who get to share in the inheritance that has been set aside for Jesus. An inheritance of Glory.

Before Jesus, the Law was needed to guide and teach the young Israel nation. With Jesus the Law is not needed and our faith in Christ brings us into the family of God. Not as little children but as adults with rights and responsibilities. We are called to serve Him, share His message, to be a witness to the world, and in return we get to be a part of God’s family for all eternity.

Let’s look back at our verses in Galatians and see what else they show us.

Galatians 3:26-27

“²⁶ for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷ For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ like a garment.”

In Roman society when a young man would come of age he was given a special toga or robe. It signified that he was no longer a child. It gave him full rights in the family and even in the state. It indicated that he was a grown up son. That is what is meant by ‘put on Christ like a garment.’ It is through our faith in Jesus that we are recognized as grown-ups and co-heirs.

Galatians 3:28

“There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

‘for you are all one in Christ Jesus.’

1 Corinthians 12:12-13

“¹² For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ. ¹³ For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.”

In God all Christians are the same. No one is spiritually superior when compared to others. The Law following Jew is not above us lowly gentiles. Having faith in Jesus is the ultimate equalizer. Free or slave, male or female, black, white, brown, red, or yellow none of it matters. We are all equal in the eyes of the Lord. It does not matter what you have or who you are. It does not matter if you grow up in a mansion or in the ghetto. All are equal and God loves each one of us equally. He has called each one of us to serve in our own ways, and He has guaranteed that each of us will have a place in Eternity with Him.

Faith in Jesus and being a child of God is all that matters.

Galatians 3:29

“And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise.”

If you remember a couple weeks ago I mentioned that the seed of Abraham is Jesus. I also said that it is through our faith in Jesus that we are granted the promises made by God to Abraham. All who believe in Jesus, the seed of Abraham, will be granted the promise of justification by faith.

Faith in Jesus brings us into the family of God not as children, but as co-heirs who are called to serve. And through being co-heirs we are guaranteed a part of the inheritance, eternity in Glory.

Paul uses the example of a boy becoming a man in the next several verses.

Galatians 4:1-2

“4 ¹ Now I say that as long as the heir is a child, he differs in no way from a slave, though he is the owner of everything. ² Instead, he is under guardians and stewards until the time set by his father.”

No matter who a person is, if they are a child living under the Law they are treated as such. They have to follow the rules and answer to others. There is no freedom and no authority to make decisions. It was not until their father recognized them as an adult that they had any rights.

Galatians 4:3

“In the same way we also, when we were children, were in slavery under the elemental forces of the world.”

Paul’s point here is that the we are slaves to the world while we are immature children. For the Jews it was the Law that kept them this way, but for us gentiles it is the things in the world. The pull of society and the work of the devil that keep us weak and enslaved.

Galatians 4:4

“When the time came to completion, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,”

In those days, the father chose when to acknowledge that his son had become an adult for it to be recognized by others. God the Father chose the time to send His Son so that all humankind could be recognized and set free from the bondage of sin. 

Galatians 4:5

“to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

God sent His Son for two specific tasks. First was to ‘redeem those under the law’. Jesus came down to pay the ultimate sacrifice so that those who were slaves to the Mosaic Law would be set free. He paid the ultimate price so no one would have to follow the Law any longer. The rules, rituals, sacrifices, and traditions had become a hindrance.  The Law was an incredible burden. It was a heavy yoke. Jesus came to fulfill the Law so that it would no longer be needed.

The second reason He came was so that we could be adopted into God’s family. As Followers of Christ we have full rights as a grown up son in Roman society had. We do not have task masters lingering over us. We do not have to follow the rituals. We are set free from our sins and are full fledged co-heirs with our Lord and Savior.

Galatians 4:6

“And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!”

We are saved through our faith in Jesus, but it is the Holy Spirit who comes and dwells in us. The Holy Spirit is a gift from God to every believer because we are His children. Every single one of us, if we have faith we have the Holy Spirit. He is our guide, teacher, and counselor. He guides us to be witnesses to the lost, He guides us to talk to our Father when in need, He teaches us through God’s Word, and He gives us peace when the seas are stormy.

I do want to note that we think of Abba as meaning Father, which is correct but a better interpretation for us today would be Daddy. Father is formal, but Daddy reminds us of the closeness between a man and his young children. A Daddy is there when they are scared or have a need, just like our Abba is there for us whenever we need Him.

Galatians 4:7

“So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.”

Paul is declaring that the Galatians are no longer slaves, but heirs. He is telling them to stop living like little children and embrace the wonderful gift they have been given. They are co-heirs with Jesus and are going to spend eternity with Him.

Paul was giving them and us a wakeup call. Stop acting like little children. You are a child of God, a grown, responsible, honored, child of God. You are part of His family. You have the Holy Spirit living in you. You are not to let the world or a bunch of rules hold you back. Stop acting like a child and start acting like an heir. A child acts like a child only focusing on their wants, but a heir follows in the footsteps of those that came before them. We need to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

If you have faith in Jesus you are given an amazing gift and a huge responsibility. A gift that sets you free from the bondage of sin and a responsibility to share that gift everywhere you go. A responsibility to love others. Remember Follow Jesus, Love God, Love Others, and Be a Witness.

You are not a slave! You are a Child of God, A glorious thing with a huge responsibility. Now what are you going to do? How are you going to follow the commandments give by Jesus?

God Bless,

Robert

Sermon - August 14, 2016 - Galatians 3:19-25 - Law or Faith?

As we continue in Paul’s letter to the Galatians we see him fighting against those false teachers who were trying to tie everything back to the Law. Two weeks ago we looked at some of God’s promises. When God makes a promise you can take it to the bank. His character, His Holiness, ensures that He will keep His promises.

God has promised to take care of your needs. He has promised that His grace is more than you will ever need. He has promised to provide you a way to escape temptation. Through Jesus He has promised victory over death, salvation, and eternal life. He has promised that everything, no matter how tough it is, will work for the good of those who love Him.

God’s promises are unbreakable, but we do have to do our part. We need to have faith and follow Jesus. We need to believe everything the Bible teaches us and do it. Apply it to our lives and watch the amazing things God will do in us and through us.

Paul touched briefly on how everything God gives us is through the promise He made Abraham and then he gets back into his discussion on the law.

Galatians 3:19

“Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise was made would come. The law was put into effect through angels by means of a mediator.”

Paul has been telling the Galatians that the Law does not bring salvation, and has been hitting that theme pretty hard so far. This statement was probably in response to one of these false teachers objecting to the arguments Paul has been making. They would have taken an issue with Paul saying that the Law does not bring the Holy Spirit, that the Law does not justify those who follow it, that it does not replace simply having faith, and that in reality it brings a curse on all who follow it.

So Paul decides it is time to explain why God gave the Law. Why did God feel the need to add the Law in Sinai instead of letting people continue to live by faith. Why was the Law necessary?

As Paul says in this verse, the Law was added because of transgressions. It was added because people were sinning. It was added so that the Hebrew people would know the difference between what they were doing and what God expected from them. It was added so that you and I would see how tough it would be for us to live a perfectly holy life and not need a savior.

The Law was given to man so that the bar could be set for all humankind to understand what actions would bring about God’s wrath.

1 Timothy 1:8-11

“⁸ But we know that the law is good, provided one uses it legitimately. ⁹ We know that the law is not meant for a righteous person, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers, ¹⁰ for the sexually immoral and homosexuals, for kidnappers, liars, perjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching ¹¹ based on the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was entrusted to me.”

As Paul stated to Timothy the Law is good ‘IF’ it is used correctly. It was given to show people how sinful they are. It helps us to understand that we cannot do it on our own and show us that we need a Savior.

Once a person has accepted Jesus as their Savior, they no longer need the Law. They are no longer judged by the Law. With Jesus all of your transgressions are forgiven. All the failures that the Law points out, are wiped away. Faith in Jesus turns God’s wrath to God’s Grace.

Let’s look at verse 19 again to see what else Paul is telling us.

Galatians 3:19

“Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise was made would come. The law was put into effect through angels by means of a mediator.”

‘until the Seed to whom the promise was made would come.’

The Law was meant to be temporary. It was never God’s intention for Jesus to pay the ultimate sacrifice and for all of us to still live under the Law.

The Law is like that temporary tire you put on when you have a flat. The temporary tire serves a need. It fulfills its purpose for a period of time. It will help you get to work, home, or wherever you need to go; but it is limited. A nice new tire can get you as many as 90,000 miles on the high end. A temporary spare tire will probably last you several hundred miles and that may be pushing it. It is thinner, has less tread on it, and is weaker. It cannot replace the need for a real tire.

The Law was meant as a temporary stop gap. It was meant to fulfill a need for a time, but it pales in comparison to the real solution to our sin problem. When the Seed, Jesus Christ, came the Law was no longer needed. It had served its purpose, it had run its course, it had paved the way. Once Jesus came, died, and rose again it was time to set aside the temporary and embrace the permanent solution.

The Law was given to the Israelites through a mediator. It was given to the people through an angel and Moses. When it comes to the promises of God, The Bible shows us that the promises were given directly from God to Abraham. There was no mediator involved, no go between, no gopher… the message was directly given.

What do you think has more authority? A message given by a go between or a promise given by God Almighty Himself? I think the answer is obvious. A direct Promise from God takes precedence over the Law given through mediators.

The Law had its purpose, but it’s time has passed and it pales in comparison to the Promises of God and our Lord and Savior.

Galatians 3:20

“²⁰ Now a mediator is not for just one person, but God is one.”

The first part of this verse reminds us that a mediator implies a covenant or agreement between two people or groups. Think of it like buying a car. There is a contract saying you agree to pay the agreed upon price, and the other party or the car dealer agrees to give you the car. Now many times there is a third party involved who is loaning you the money and you are agreeing to pay them back with interest. With a contract or a covenant, each person or party involved has a responsibility to do something. Every person has to take action to fulfill their part.

With the Mosaic Covenant that included the Law, both God and the people of Israel had things they were supposed to do.

Exodus 19:5-8

“⁵ Now if you will listen to Me and carefully keep My covenant, you will be My own possession out of all the peoples, although all the earth is Mine, ⁶ and you will be My kingdom of priests and My holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites.” ⁷ After Moses came back, he summoned the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. ⁸ Then all the people responded together, “We will do all that the Lord has spoken.” So Moses brought the people’s words back to the Lord.

The Israelites were to keep the Mosaic Covenant and God would make them His people. An agreement was made and both sides had responsibilities. The people had to follow the Law, practice the rituals, follow the purification guidelines, circumcise the young, and do their best to adhere to every piece of it. In turn God would take care of them.

Galatians 3:20 ended with ‘but God is one’. Meaning that the promise of salvation through faith was unilaterally given to all humankind. It is God’s direct commitment to man. No mediator was used or needed. It is a commitment directly from God that only He can deliver on. It is a promise that we cannot earn. It is up to God and God alone to fulfill His promise. It is His promise and His responsibility.

To put it another way, your salvation is in God’s hands. You don’t deserve it, you cannot earn it, and there is nothing you can do about it. All you can do is have simple faith like Abraham did. It is the Father’s action in sending Jesus to earth and Jesus actions that drove Him to the cross that paves the way for your salvation. Without Their actions, your faith means nothing. With Their actions, your faith brings salvation.

Now for the next question about the Law and God’s Promise.

Galatians 3:21-22

“²¹ Is the law therefore contrary to God’s promises? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, then righteousness would certainly be by the law. ²² But the Scripture has imprisoned everything under sin’s power, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.”

So based on everything we have heard so far, everything we have read in Galatians to this point, it might lead us to question if the Promise of God and the Law are in conflict with each other.

Paul is telling us absolutely not. God gave both the Law and the promises, so they are both valid. The problem is some people were trying to say they were given to accomplish the same thing, and Paul is saying that they were given for different purposes.

As we have seen in previous weeks the Law was given for a reason; but that was not to give life or righteousness.  In theory it could bring salvation if someone was capable of keeping it 100% perfectly. Which has yet to be done.

Romans 8:3-4

“³ What the law could not do since it was limited by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending His own Son in flesh like ours under sin’s domain, and as a sin offering, ⁴ in order that the law’s requirement would be accomplished in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

No one could keep the Law, so it cannot bring eternal life.

The Law is not in conflict with the Promises. The was was not given to save you, justify you, or give you life. What the Law did, was to prepare the way for the Gospel. The Law showed the world that it is a prisoner to sin. 

None are perfect. All have sinned. Each one of us falls short of God’s requirements. It is only when we give up our attempt to please God with good works and realize that we do not measure up to His requirements that we accept that we need a Savior. It is only then that we that we are prepared to accept the true promise of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. The Law serves its purpose; it shows us how far we have fallen.

We would not know how far from God we are without the Law. It is only through the realization that we are truly lost on our own, that we see how much we need Jesus.  

Galatians 3:23-25

“²³ Before this faith came, we were confined under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed. ²⁴ The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith. ²⁵ But since that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,”

Before Jesus Christ revealed Himself, the Law is what guided the people of Israel. It was the tool that God used to shield His people from the harmful influences in the world. It was what showed them that the pagan rituals, Baal worship, human sacrifices, and all that other junk was to be avoided. The Law served its purpose. It did what it was supposed to do. Once Jesus died on that cross for our sins, and rose again the Law was no longer needed. It was then that we could be fully justified by our faith in Jesus. No more rituals. No more sacrifices. No more rules. Simple faith.

When we believe, we are no longer under the law. When we believe, we are under grace.

Romans 8:1-2

“8 Therefore, no condemnation now exists for those in Christ Jesus, ² because the Spirit’s law of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”

The Law made sin and death a reality, but faith in Jesus sets you free.

Jesus has come to set us free. He set us free from the Law. He has set us free from the hell we deserve. He has set us free!

He has set you free so that you can be the witnesses He commanded you to be. He wants you to reach out to your community and to the world, spreading His love everywhere you go. He set you free so that You will be His messenger. So that you will be His hands and feet. So that you will reach the lost, feed the hungry, and provide for those in need.

Jesus has set you free so that you can Follow Him, Love God, Love Others, and Be a Witness. Yesterday’s outreach was just the start. What can you do this week to show His love to others? What are you going to do this week to spread His message of Grace?

Thanks for Reading!

Blessings,

Robert