Continuing Grace Faith Service Worship Vision
Galatians 3:1-3:25
19 July 2011
Grace is more than just a prayer you say before dinner. Grace in its ultimate form is God giving us heaven when we deserve hell. But grace is more than that too. It is God desiring and working to be part of our life every day even though we often don’t listen to Him or follow His ways. In our studies so far in Galatians we have discovered, that the gospel is a message of Grace. We have also seen what the gospel of grace is not.
What do you find most amazing about God’s Grace? In this study we are going to focus on how the gospel of grace continues to work in our life after salvation. You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 4 Have you suffered so much for nothing-if it really was for nothing? 5 Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?
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Consider Abraham: “He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 7 Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. 8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. 6
All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” 11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.” 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The person who does these things will 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 hung on a tree.” 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. 10
Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. 17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise. 15
What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. 20 A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one. 19
Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22 But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. 21
Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. 24 So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law. (Galatians 3:1-25) 23
In beginning this chapter Paul is just flabbergasted by the Galatians. He begins by saying “you foolish Galatians.” When he is calling them foolish, he is not saying they lack intelligence. This word implies that they have intelligence but are failing to use it. They are not thinking as they should or are capable of. Instead of thinking like they should Paul asks who has bewitched you. Who has put you under a spell that you are not thinking like you should?
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Does anything stop you thinking like a Christian?
fruit for death. But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. (Romans 7:4-6)
What from the world gets in the way of what you know God expects you to do? Then in the next verse and a half he says Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?
What is the difference is between Filthy rags and fruit?
Paul is basically recapping that salvation is by grace. He is saying you are Saved by grace through faith:
Fruit is produced when we are serving in the new way of the Spirit
By faith you accept Jesus death on the Cross (Galatians 3:1)
What are some of the components of growth that will occur in our lives as we live by faith in God’s grace?
Filthy rags are produced by us in our strength. Fruit is produced through us in God’s strength.
By faith you receive the Spirit (Galatians 3:2) You know that your salvation was totally an act of God. You trusted in the work of Jesus by faith and by the grace of God He gave you eternal life and gave you His Spirit to indwell you. It was not by anything that you did to earn it. It was because you believed by faith.
By Grace through faith we receive blessings Consider Abraham: “He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 7 Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. 8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. 6
By Grace through faith we grow Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? Have you suffered so much for nothing-if it really was for nothing? Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? (Galatians 3:3-5)
All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” 11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.” 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will 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 hung on a tree.” 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. (Galatians 3:6-14) 10
You accepted Christ as your Saviour because the Spirit drew you to Him and you believed in faith. How are you trying to grow in your faith? Why do people think they can be sanctified if they try real hard to be good? For some their attitude is “if you
do all the right things, God is going to have to bless you”
The bible is clear that the “good things” that are done in our own strength look like Filthy Rags to God - Isaiah 64:6 says “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” Trying in our strength to be obedient to the Law or some rules will never be good enough. That is why our growth has to be by God’s grace also. We couldn’t save ourselves in our own power, it is only by God’s grace that we have been saved.
Through faith we receive not only the blessing of salvation, but also His Spirit by which we gain myriad of other blessings that God bestows on His people.
Can you name some of the blessings that are yours through faith in Christ?
You can’t grow yourself either. Your own strength being used to grow yourself will produce nothing. But, by God’s grace, He can empower you to accomplish awesome things for Him.
We get: Spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4-7): Guidance from the Spirit - But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. (John 16:12-13).
Paul, in his letter to the Romans, writes about these awesome things we can accomplish for God and how that can occur. So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore
Power from the Spirit - But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; (Acts 1:8) Peace and joy - the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, (Romans 14:17)
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Do you ever say I am going to be pray more each day?
Wisdom and revelation - I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. (Ephesians 1:17)
Do you ever say I am going to be the person that God wants me to be?
The Lord pours out blessing on us by His grace - From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:16-17)
In our last study I asked “Are you willing to set aside 15 minutes a day over the next 6 days and just be with the Lord?” Did you?
As you live in and continue in His grace, do you desire to glorify Him in obedience?
Were you relying on yourself to do it or did you ask God to help you to do it? Were you too proud to ask God?
Blessings increase not because of our obedience, but because we continue in grace. It is when we begin to rely on works that we are no longer continuing in grace and we miss the blessings that result from God’s grace. Continue in grace and receive the blessings of the Lord.
Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unploughed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you. But you have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception. Because you have depended on your own strength and on your many warriors (Hosea 10:12-13)
By Grace through faith we are freed from the Law
Too often we reap the fruit of deception. We’re deceived into law and rule following instead of Christ following.
Brothers, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. 17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise. 19 What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. 20 A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one. (Galatians 3:15-20) 15
We begin well enough but then we fall back into working at keeping the law in our own strength just like the Galatians were doing. Don’t set yourself up to fail. Instead have victory as you continue on in the Grace of Christ.
By Grace through faith we gain righteousness Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22 But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. (Galatians 3:21-22) 21
Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. 24 So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law. (Galatians 3:23-25) 23
Righteousness is not going to come by keeping rules. We are not going to be obedient enough to be declared righteous. When we receive Jesus as our Saviour, we are declared righteous in terms of our salvation. That is the beginning. But we need to continue on in righteousness that is by grace, not for salvation, but for living the abundant life.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2)
For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:17)
Do you ever have moments in life when you say, I have got to start doing something for the Lord?
Do you live by faith as often as you should?
Do you ever say I am going to start living more for the Lord?
To continue on in righteousness means to continue on in grace. As we do that we gain righteousness and as we gain this righteousness, we do the acts of a righteous person.
Do you ever say I am going to start reading the Bible everyday?
We don’t do them out of obligation, we do them out of love.
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When we are in love with someone, we find it enjoyable to do things for them. Things we would not even normally do sometimes. While it is still a choice for us to do it, we do things gladly because of our relationship with that person. It is the same way with God. When we are living in grace and we are realising how much God truly loves us, we find ourselves desiring to do things that will glorify Him. There are still going to be choices that have to be made, but when we are walking in His grace we are doing things in His power as a result of His grace rather than in our power as a result of a certain rule we think we should follow.
To grow we must continue on in Grace We receive blessings which continue to help us grow in Grace. We are freed from the law which continues to help us grow in Grace. We gain righteousness which continues to help us grow in grace.
Don’t become a slave again Once we were slaves to sin. The law is there to show us our sinfulness and lead us to Christ. Once we have come to Christ, we do not need ever to go back to law keeping or rule following. Instead, we become Christ followers who continue on in His grace.
Continue on in His Grace Receive His blessings Be free from the law And gain a righteousness that grows as you continue on in His grace.
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