Paul's Epistles - Galatians Part 6 – Abraham’s Faith

Paul's Epistles - Galatians

Part 6 – Abraham’s Faith

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

INTRODUCTION

Paul has continued to preach “Christ the Deliverer”, the only one who can deliver us from the Law!

Remember, the 10 commands of God, the Law of Moses, was given by God, NOT to justify or save anyone, but to show our guilt and need for a savior.

Paul, being educated by one of the greatest teachers of the Law, Gamaliel, understood the Pentateuch  (Greek), or Torah, Paul came to realize that the Law does not justify anyone, nor does it save, Christ however, was the answer to the condemnation brought by the Law.

Putting Faith in Christ allowed one to receive His Grace, which was our Salvation.

Saved by Grace.

The ONLY salvation there is, which can only be found in the one who satisfied the requirements of sin, which was sacrifice.

Paul was upset and confronted Peter when Peter began to bend to pressure from the circumcised.

Peter began to separate himself from the Gentiles, and began teaching things such as obedience to the Law and circumcision, which is contrary to the work of Christ, and therefore, not only is it not necessary, it negates the work of the Cross, and paints a picture of Christ as being insufficient.

This offended Paul because it was contrary to the teachings of Christ, therefore Paul confronted Peter and opposed him on this front, claiming that Peter was not only teaching false doctrine, but causing brothers and sisters to fall, including Barnabas.

Paul’s letter (epistle) to the Galatians will bring light to this, as Paul tries to correct the direction of the believer’s.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE Galatians 3:1-14

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. ² I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? ³ Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? ⁴ Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? ⁵ So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? ⁶ So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

⁷ Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. ⁸ 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 rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

¹⁰ For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”

¹¹ Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” ¹² The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “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 pole.” 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.

    I.      HOW DID YOU FIRST RECEIVE?

a. Did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law?

                                                                                  i. The Galatians (as well as other Jews) had been living by their works, trying to keep the Law for generations.

                                                                               ii. In that time, the Spirit of God NEVER came to the people.

                                                                            iii. After Christ paid our debt to sin and was crucified, the Spirit was now available to all who believed by Faith.

1. John 14:15-21 “If you love me, keep my commands. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. ¹⁹ Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. ²⁰ On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. ²¹ Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

b. Do you foolishly think you began by the Spirit but will finish in the flesh?

                                                                                  i. God gave them the Spirit, and worked miracles among them proving the Gospel in which they believed was true and Christ crucified was the path to salvation through Faith. (Saved by Grace)

c. Did those miracles & Spirit come by works of the Law?

                                                                                  i. Or was it by believing what you heard? (The Gospel)

                                                                               ii. Abraham believed (had Faith), and it was credited to him as Righteousness!

Because we are justified by Faith, not works.

Salvation by Grace through Faith, not works.

We are righteous, not because of who we are, but because we belong to Him, we have His righteousness through the Holy Spirit.

II.      THOSE WHO HAVE FAITH ARE ABRAHAM’S CHILDREN

a. Scripture foresaw God would justify the Gentiles by Faith

                                                                                  i. God revealed the Gospel to Abraham in advance!

b. ALL NATIONS will be blessed through you (Abraham)

                                                                                  i. What was the Great Commission in Matthew 28?

                                                                               ii. “Go to ALL NATIONS” preaching the Gospel!

                                                                            iii. So those who rely on Faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of Faith

c. In Scripture, God states

                                                                                  i. God says to Abraham in the Old Testament, “All nations will be blessed through you.”  So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.”

                                                                               ii. Sounds a lot like what Jesus said to Peter in the New Testament, Matthew 16:16-18 “Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

¹⁷ Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. ¹⁸ And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

1. God tells Abraham, Faith makes you Righteous in God’s eyes.

2. Jesus tells Peter, recognizing Jesus as the Messiah (Savior), the Son of the Living God, is revealed through the Holy Spirit, making you part of the “Church”, which will not be defeated.

III.      CLEARLY, NO ONE WHO RELIES ON THE LAW IS JUSTIFIED BEFORE GOD

a. Because, “The righteous will live by Faith.”

b. The Law is NOT based on Faith.

                                                                                  i. On the contrary, the Law states, “The person who does these things (works of the Law) will live by them.”

c. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law

                                                                                  i. The curse of the Law is condemnation for all who do not keep it perfectly, forever, never failing on any point.

                                                                               ii. Christ, who kept the Law, paid the price demanded by the Law through being a “perfect” un-blemished sacrifice.

                                                                            iii. He redeemed us so the blessing Abraham received would also come to the Gentiles through Christ.

                                                                              iv. By Faith we receive the promise of the Spirit.

CONCLUSION – all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse

¹⁰ For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”

Paul makes it clear, we are saved by Grace, and through Faith we are righteous, because when we have Faith in Christ, we receive the Spirit of God.

Want to learn more about Salvation and Getting Saved?    CLICK HERE!