September 20, 2020
Morning Service

As we move into chapter 3, Paul again returns to the primary point of this letter.  The church was being influenced by Judaizers that were teaching the false gospel of works rather than that true one of faith.  Here he finally reaches that point where he just brings it all out into the open.  It is just like when you have really messed up and your best friend who loves you enough to hold you accountable confronts you with the questions; “What are you doing?”  “What are you thinking?”

Gal 3:1-4 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?  (2)  This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?  (3)  Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?  (4)  Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?

          These false teachers came into the church and began teaching something that was “new and exciting” and it seemed to Paul that they had “bewitched” them into believing what they taught was truth.  They seemed to forget all that they knew and jump blindly into something that normally they would not have.  Have you ever been there yourself or with a friend?  A confrontation occurs because one of you has just ignored all they know about following Jesus and done something totally out of character?  “What are you doing?”  You, as Paul is doing here, try to open their eyes to the deception that is occurring.  Sin through false teachings has a way to creep into our lives and it pushes us towards justifying doing things that we KNOW are wrong.  We take our eyes off of Jesus and find ourselves sinking just as Peter did while he walked on the water.  Paul asks them why they are turning from the very path that has led them through so many struggles and successes.  Our journey with Jesus is not a sprint, but a marathon.  The rewards are promised to those who overcome until the end (Matt. 24:13).  We must be very careful to not take a wrong turn or a short cut on the path of righteousness we are on.

          In this day and age of technology and information, it is very easy for us to find ourselves in the same predicament as the Galatian church.  We find something that sounds “new and exciting” and we find ourselves being sucked into situations that we know are not what God wants us to be doing.  We take a slight detour and soon find ourselves wondering how we got to where we are.  Jesus was asked about the signs of the end times and He spoke of wars, famines, and natural disasters occurring; but He included in this discourse a distinct warning of the deception we are discussing today.

 

Mat 24:24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

          I believe we are in the last days and this deception is happening right now before our eyes.  False prophets are teaching things that look on the outside as good, wholesome and true but when you examine them through the eyes of the scriptures you see them as they truly are, lies of deception.  Notice that all of us must be aware because Jesus says that “even the elect” could be deceived.  That is, you and me.  We must be on guard against getting deceived from the truth that the scriptures spell out plainly for us and the Holy Spirit draws us to.  The Spirit’s job in our life is to guide us to the truth.  Allow the Spirit to do His work in you by filtering every “new and exciting” idea that comes your way through the Word of God.  If it lines up, then follow along; but if it does not run away from it.  God can grant you the spiritual gift of discerning the spirits to know if they are God through the Holy Spirit.  Paul now refers to the working of the Spirit as he continues this confrontation between the gospels of works and faith.

 

Gal 3:5-9 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?  (6)  just as Abraham "BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS."  (7)  Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.  (8)  And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed."  (9)  So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.

          The working of many miracles Jesus and the other apostles were doing were not coming because of the works that were doing, but through faith in the One who performed them.  It was not the obedience of the Law that empowered the Apostles to carry out the gospel message, but the empowering of the Holy Spirit.  It was by hearing the truth, believing it by faith, and then acting upon the Spirit’s guidance that these ordinary men carried out such a monumental task.  Paul again mentions Abraham in reference of faith and we see that it was not what he did that gained him righteousness, but that he simply believed.  So we too as having faith and believing in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, are now children of Abraham.  We are children of faith, not of works lining up with the truth.  Paul continues his explanation:

 

 Gal 3:10-14   For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT CONTINUE IN ALL THINGS WHICH ARE WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO DO THEM."  (11)  But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."  (12)  Yet the law is not of faith, but "THE MAN WHO DOES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM."  (13)  Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE"), (14) that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

          Paul here quotes Deuteronomy 27:26 that summarizes exactly what Paul is saying that no one can be justified by the Law, without keeping it completely (“all things”).  I know each of us would have to say “Amen” to the fact that we are “sinners saved by grace” and if our salvation depended upon our perfection we would be in trouble.  We know there are times we are unable to control our sinful impulses despite our best intentions.  We fail and vow to never visit that sin again, but in no time we find ourselves falling short of perfection. We are not perfect and cannot make ourselves perfect by what we do.  It is simply in believing by faith in the Son of God, trusting His provision for our sin that we are justified, and then live by faith.  This knowledge and gratitude for what He has given us then motivates us to give ourselves as “living sacrifices” willing to yield our will to His in all that we do.  “We receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” and allow Jesus’ blood to be our justification not our works of following a set of rules.  We are “redeemed” from the curse of the law by the Jesus’ actions not our own.  He paid our sin debt in full and we are complete in Him (Col. 2:10).

          In summary today, I would like you to take this with you.  Be on guard and keep your eyes to the path that you are walking with Jesus today.  Don’t allow the divisive spirits that are all around us to entice you to do things that you normally would not.  Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to wrath as James advises us to.  Build your faith by reading and studying God’s Word so you can stand firmly upon it when struggles and temptations arise.  Know the One who you are following and have faith that He has made provision for our sin so don’t get caught up in legalism of “having” to obey a set of rules; but walk with Him out of love and gratitude giving Him your whole heart.

 

Heavenly Father open our eyes to the truth and grant us a clear vision of the path You are walking with us.