Freedom in Faith

Well, we're in a text together. Let me get back on Jesus in a text together. Galatians um, chapter three. If you brought a Bible, I would encourage you just to turn to those pages. And if you like taking notes within Scripture, there's nothing wrong with that at all. And so we in fact, encourage you to do that as we study together what God's Word means for us as a church family. Just, if you're if you're visiting with us or you've been apart for a while, one of the things that we love to do when we study God's Word together and communicate it on Sundays is we'd like to just go through the Bible book by book. Sometimes we'll pause and do some things topically, but the but the purpose of that is so that as you come on Sunday morning and you hear what God's Word teaches, you may then go out and be able to proclaim God's Word confidently, because you can see from the pages of God's Word what it says. And so God's called all of us to share His word and truth, because as the Bible shares with us, his truth sets us free. And that truth is found in Jesus. The backdrop to the book of Galatians. We've spent some time setting up for us as a church family, just to catch on board with where this book comes from, the course of Christian history and relationship to us and Jesus. Paul writes this book, and it's the second New Testament book ever recorded.

And the reason he writes this book is he's writing to the Galatians, and he notices that very early on in their faith, the foundation through which they were established on and Jesus is being lost in the identity of religion. And Paul refocuses the book of. In the book of Galatians, the people of Galatia upon Christ, in whom they rest. And the book starts off a little different than most of Paul's literature. It really, when you start reading the first two chapters, what you come across in your mind is this idea of a of a giant X and Paul's just screaming, don't do this. If you want to know what robs you of Jesus and robs Jesus of who he is in us and through us, then don't do this. And Paul shares with us within these pages of Scripture how important it has it is to have an accurate understanding of Christ and the freedom that he sets for us by coming and dying on the cross. Matter of fact, if I just set out for us a roadmap of where we've been as a church, Paul opens up and it's not on this passage of Scripture, but in chapter one and verse two he says that you may know the grace of God and the peace of God. And the reality of our lives is, unless you know the grace of God reigning over you and in your life, you will not know the peace of God.

You'll wrestle in your relationship with the Lord forever. The grace of God brings the peace of God into your life. Paul goes on, he begins to share with us the particular areas of the Galatian life in which they are rooting themselves in the idea of religion rather than their relationship to Christ. And he goes into the topic or the idea of circumcision. It tells us in verse two, in chapter three, one of the things that's entered into the Galatian church is this need to follow Jewish law and to establish themselves in it, in the way they establish themselves in it. And all of us as men, were saying, Amen last week to this passage, but was in the thought of circumcision. If you come to know Jesus, they are walking into the church and saying, if you haven't been circumcised, we got doctor steady hands in the back. He's got this procedure that you need to go through, right? This thing you need to add in order for Jesus to accept you. These laws, you need to live in order to make yourself more lovable to God. The reality is, Jesus can't love you any more than he already does. He's already given everything that you may know him for eternity. And in verse chapter one and verse eight, Paul referred to anything that's added to the gospel apart from Jesus's death, burial and resurrection.

It is he literally uses the word anathema, which means it is a teaching, a thought, a belief that is unredeemable. Christ alone set you free. And so within the context of that, in chapter 215 to 16 on into chapter two and verse 11, Paul gives this idea of what salvation is about. Two and 15 tells us, God doesn't make us living. The law doesn't make us any more lovable to God. God already loves you to the degree that he would give himself for you. In verse 21, Paul brings up this idea of the sacrificial or the living of the law in the face of Christ's sacrifice for you. And he says this if you can merit your salvation before God, making you acceptable to him, Jesus's death was in vain. There is no reason for it. If you can make God love you based on your own merit and your own strength and your own ability, then there is no reason for what Christ did. Set to this way last week. God has the tendency. So to move like this in your life. He takes what looks ugly. And what we don't like. He makes it beautiful. The reason we pointed out last week that Christians wear the cross is we have this understanding that, yes, the cross is a very gruesome, horrific thing within history. But it's the place that the Savior set us free. And Christ took the most despicable image within history. And he made it the most beautiful symbol to you as people who pursue him in your relationship.

Christ took something just disgusting and despised and he made it beautiful for you and for me. And so Paul gets to chapter five and verse one and he says, this Christ has set you free. Galatians, you're being robbed with the mundane reality of religion, and you're pursuing the things of men rather than the relationship that Christ has called you to, and Christ has come to set you free. And the foundation of that thought within our lives sets the precedent to how we react in relationship to God. To pursue him. And approved to him. To work for my acceptance or to work from my acceptance in Christ. Martin Luther loved the book of Galatians, so much so that he decided he was going to call this book after his wife, Katrina. He looked at the book of Galatians as so impactful to his relationship with Christ that he said he was literally married to the text. And now, as we come to this passage of Scripture at the end of chapter two, end of chapter three, Paul, in a sense, turns up the spiritual thermostat of the room. He's saying this. This lays the foundation to your relationship in Christ. But as the foundation is laid in Jesus, it also grows your relationship in Christ. I told you, we're going to start in chapter three this morning, but I lied. Forgive me. Bible says to ask for that when you.

When you sin. But the Bible tells us. Excuse me. Let me say this before I set up the passage. We're going to start in chapter two and verse 20, the way Paul is going to begin to turn up the spiritual atmosphere of the room is he's going to start presenting to us two thoughts of your relationship in Christ. And the first comes in the idea of justification, in the second comes in the thought of sanctification. As a believer in Jesus growing in Jesus, this happens to all of us as we pursue him in our lives. You're justified and you're sanctified. What the Bible means by the word justified. Is this just as if I've never sinned, or you're declared righteous in the eyes of God based on the sacrifice that Jesus has done for you? The Bible literally says, when it looks at Jesus, it sees the sin of the world placed upon him. And when it looks at you, it sees the beauty of Jesus hovering over your life. Second Corinthians five. Paul said it this way. He made him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. We'll tell you how law plays into that in just a little bit. But the idea of justification is this it's a one time event in the life of the Christian. When you take upon the sacrifice that Jesus has done for you on your behalf, you say, God, I'm turning from this self-made religion of proving my worth.

I'm turning to what Jesus has done because in my own merit, I can't live up to the standard anyway. Christ has been that sacrifice. God looks at you. He sees the beauty of Jesus and he says, justified. You're declared righteous in him. For the thought that follows. This is the thought of sanctification. That deals with your growing in your relationship with Christ. The word sanctified literally means to be set apart. The idea of sanctification is in Second Peter chapter one and verse 15 it says, but as he who called you is holy, so also be holy in all of your conduct. God is saying to us that not only did Jesus come into your life to save you, but he came into your life to change you. We say it this way at church. God, God didn't come to you to make, good people. Great or bad people good. He came to you to bring dead people to life. And when he brings you to life, he desires for you to demonstrate his goodness in this world. If I were to say to you this morning, this is the purpose for which you were created, I would say is this way God designed you to have a relationship with him for eternity. And in that relationship with him, you demonstrate the beauty of that into the world. And we call that being holy.

It's being sanctified. Christ has called you in justification. Christ has called you in sanctification. And this is what Paul says at the end of Galatians chapter two and verse 20, Jesus sets you free. And when you understand that, then in Jesus you can live, and through that you begin to grow. And so Paul says this, I have been crucified with Christ, meaning I. I died to that old self. It is no longer I who live. But it's now Christ who lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh. I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Spiritual. Spiritual maturity. Paul is expressing. Isn't up to you. Spiritual maturity. Isn't you working for Jesus? It's Jesus working in you. We see Jesus in a lot of ways as our Savior, but rarely do we think of him as our sanctifier. Set in a different way. In order for you to be saved, in order for you to be justified, redeemed in Christ, you do nothing to earn that you are set apart by Christ. It's a spiritual transformation that happens in your heart. And so it begs to show and demonstrate to us that your growth in Jesus is still not responsible on your part. It's by His Spirit that it takes place. So Paul is saying in this passage of Scripture. I am crucified with Christ. I am dying to myself that Jesus has made me alive and the life in which now I live.

I live by faith through the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. The transformation that happens within the life of the Apostle Paul happens through the power of Christ. I can't fake spiritual growth. Actually, I can fake spiritual growth. But not make it real. Jesus does. You realize within the Christian life you only ever have one goal. God brings about your salvation. God brings about your growth. In John chapter 15, Jesus said it this way. He who abides in me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. The idea for us is the responsibility of the Christian life. If you desire to grow, if you desire to know Jesus in an intimate and personal way, if you want to be a spiritual giant in the faith, it's never up to you. It's always about you abiding in Christ and Christ living in you. And as Christ lives in you, Jesus is seen throughout your life. Jesus has come to set you free. And Paul says, Galatians chapter two of crucified with Christ. And it's not I whom living, it's Christ living in me. And I live this life by faith in him. And so he goes back through chapter three, and he and he rehashes with the believers in Galatia. And listen, these are the things in your life in which you're allowing religion to creep in and robbing you of the relationship through which Christ has set you free, that you may enjoy him for eternity.

He says this in Galatians chapter three and verse one. You foolish Galatians. Who's bewitched you before? Whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Now I'm reading this text this week. The idea of Bewitched literally means that you're placed under this trance or this spell that's been cast upon you that diverts you from what's really significant. It captures your attention and it robs you from Jesus. I think during the time when they're when they're thinking about translating this into English, I mean, what kind of word? What kind of word translates as being captivated through some sort of spell? Yeah, it's a witch. So? So you're bewitched, you know? Right. I'm thinking, man, if Paul, if Paul were alive today, we have stepped it up. Paul. You know, a witch is like. That's old school dude who has, like, what would you say? Like, who has Obi-Wan Kenobi, right? Let the force be with you. Who has tricked your mind, Paul? Or what about this? How about, Bella? Who is your Edward that made you think you should breed with vampires? Man, that is not normal. You should not be thinking in that way. Or how about this Don't Be The Walking Dead, premiering on A&E later this month. Right? Don't do that. Don't be a zombie in your spiritual life.

And that's what Paul is saying. Guys, you're depending upon men. Someone's coming to your group. They've said something that sound clever to you, and you're just lulled into this spell and this sleep, and you're depending upon them for your spiritual growth. Who who's bewitched you? And so Paul's warning in this passage of Scripture comes twofold on us. Saying stop depending on people for your spiritual growth. The second is this start taking responsibility. For spiritual growth. I love what it says in acts chapter 17, and I share this verse like a few times a year. But it says this about the Bereans. It says in acts 1711, they were more noble than those in Thessalonica because they received the word with readiness of mind. And then they searched the scriptures daily to determine whether or not it was true. And what it's saying about the brands is the apostles came into the church and they taught them about Jesus, and they didn't even take the apostles word for it. They went back and studied for themselves to determine if what they heard on Sunday morning or whatever day was about Jesus, as Jesus has revealed himself to us. And so Paul comes to this text and he's saying, listen, Christ has set you free. You need to know that you need to say that you need to not depend on people. They're zombifying you, man. You got to get off of your Edward and start getting with Jesus, right? It's about.

It's about him. About him. I love it, sometimes I think about we put our sermons online and I was really excited about saying Star Wars today because I think all the nerds in the world will love that Star Wars. And then I just called him nerds so they won't listen anymore. But that's great. Don't be a zombie. Come to Jesus. Abide in Jesus. Don't look at yourself as working for Jesus, but allowing Jesus to work through you. Jesus transforms your heart. You can't manipulate that. You can't obey laws to do that. You've got to get with Jesus for that to happen. And so in chapter three and verse two, Paul then starts talking about growing up spiritually as a giant in the Lord, how to look bold, how to look powerful, how to how to look like the people that you read about in the Bible that seem to do things that sometimes we just can't relate to. How do you get there? So he says in verse two, you foolish girl, this is the only thing I want to find out from you. Did you receive the spirit by the works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish, having begun by the spirit, are you now being performed by the flesh? Paul's introducing what we've talked about. I mean, if your salvation is a spiritual experience, so should your growth be. Living laws doesn't manipulate a spirit to work in you and through you.

Getting with the spirit allows the spirit to work in you and through you. And so Paul is saying, you've looked at Jesus like this, you've come to him for salvation. And then you said, okay, Jesus, thank you. I'll take it from here, I got this. I'll show you what I can do. But Paul saying, leave that concept behind. What you've done is you've taken it from Jesus and you've made it about these laws that you've incorporated for your own life. And it's not that it's still coming to Jesus, whether it's for salvation or growth in the Lord. It's always, always about abiding in Jesus. This, Paul goes on. He shares with the Galatians, excuse me. In verse four he says, did you suffer so many things in vain? If indeed it was in vain? So then does he who provides you with the spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the law, or by hearing with faith. Reminds the believers that it centers around faith. They've given much and their relationship with Christ. It reminds them that relationship always starts in Christ by faith. Rlove what Paul does. In verse six. He then begins to share a story for the Jewish people. I mean, you ask a Jew today who is the greatest Jew to ever live? Right. I know, I know who they would probably pick. I, I would go, maybe with the first one.

The guy that started it all, Father Abraham and all of his sons. Right? I appreciate you laughing. That means you get cheesy Christianity, right? Right arm, left arm. Right foot, left foot. You know that song? Father Abraham was the spiritual giant that helped lead us to what the Jewish nation was. And maybe. Maybe you throw in there Moses, too. And so Paul pauses in this moment and says, okay, guys, do you do you want to be just like Abraham? I mean, do you know how Abraham got where Abraham was? I'll tell you in verse six. Even so, Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. Paul takes from a passage in Genesis chapter 15, and he says this in verse six of Genesis 15. Abraham believed God, and it was counted as righteousness, meaning God came to Abraham. God said some things, and Abraham just said, okay, I believe it. All right. I put my faith in it, and the rest is history. I had a friend that would, well, kind of a friend, but it was this church that used to be a part of it was actually. He wasn't a friend at all. He was he was a he was an older gentleman always. He always stand up. I don't know if I ever even had a conversation with him, but he would always stand up and say, he would say, God said it, I believe it.

That settles it. Right? It. And I always want to sit up and say, God said it, and it doesn't matter if you believe it or not, that settles it. Right? And that's the truth. But in your life. To grow in the Lord. When God says it. As you put your faith in it. Crush transforms your heart. Christ, by the power of His spirit grows you. As you abide in him. It's not about what you do. It's about where you go. Jesus wants to demonstrate his glory in this world through you. And you can fake it. Not until you make it. Or you can enjoy what Jesus has done by setting free. And then the joy of that relationship with him allow Christ to shine through you. Christ has set you free. So Paul gets to this verse seven into verse nine, and he begins to share a little more. And he says this therefore. Be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. The scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith. Preach the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, all the nations will be blessed in you. So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. Verse seven, literally, you want to be like Abraham. I mean, you want to join that club, allow God to do supernatural things in your life, and he demonstrate his glory and beauty in this world. All Abraham did.

As a body. All Ibrahim did was express faith. All you do to join with Abraham this journey in faith. Abiding in him. Brings our justification and our sanctification. And so the question Paul answers in the last part of this verse is for us this morning is. How's the how does the law even fit into that? Why? Why in the Old Testament? We're going to talk more about this next week. But why? Why in the Old Testament is there a law if that doesn't lead to our justification, if that doesn't improve our relationship with the Lord, why have the law? And Paul says this in verse ten. He goes on and says, for as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. That should be enough. It's said, oh, geez. Right. Is there another option? Please. I don't want to be under a curse, for it is written, cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the books of the law to perform them. And in James James has a similar verse. I think it's in chapter two. And he says, he who is guilty of breaking one law is guilty of all of the laws. Now that no one is justified by the law before God is evident. For the righteous man shall live by faith. However, the law is not of faith. On the contrary. He who practices them shall live by them. Christ 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, in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the spirit through faith. Paul saying to us. The purpose. Of law. Is to show you of your need for Jesus. The law points out your failures. The law. Shows your shortcomings. That's why the law is a curse. We say this in describing the law? Sometimes. When's the last time you were pulled over by a police officer? And he said, great job. On following the speed limit today. You were brilliantly passing through those lanes. Your blinkers came on at appropriate times. You did not scream at anyone who cut you off. I just want to say you're outstanding. And that has never happened for anyone in here. Why? Because the law is there for him to pull you over and make his money, right? He's there when you break it. Not when you succeed in. The law is there to show your need for Jesus. Paul goes on and he tells us in verse 11, as he's sharing, he says, let me just read this one more time. now that no one is justified by the law before God is evident, for the righteous man shall live by faith. Listen, I can make or you can make or a country can make. Whoever's in charge can make a law, right? We can make laws that say, do not steal, do not murder, and do not rape.

Right? But you cannot make a law. That requires the heart not to covet, to lust, and to be angry. Which is where the root of murder, rape, and stealing comes from. Jesus. Never. Jesus knew that despite however many laws you put on your life, you can't change the heart. The heart will stray from God and the heart will do what it wants in Jesus even said this. Listen to Matthew 1519 for out of the heart comes evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. And Jesus said this. And in electing David as king, he says, For God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance or the law, and but the Lord looks at the what? Heart. And so in Romans five, Paul wrote this, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within the hearts through the Holy Spirit who is given to us. Meaning doing better might look good to other people, but it's not the solution in Christ. Christ wants to transform your heart. Jesus's desire is that you look like Jesus and holiness. And I know you think, oh man, there is no way I'm doing it. And the answer is, you're right. You're right there. There is no way you're ever going to do that. And that's why Paul comes to Galatians 220.

He turns up the spiritual heat in our life, and he says this for I am crucified. I am dying to self. Nevertheless, it's not I who am living, but it's Christ who's living in me. In the life that I live, in the flesh I now live rather than flesh, but by faith in him, because freedom is in Jesus and Jesus has come to set me free. Amen. You want to look spiritual. You want to be spiritual and do the things that you find written within scripture about people following Jesus. Their secret. This. Jesus. A question that we walk away with this morning. What are you striving towards? If you live like you're under law, you may get some behavior modification, but you do not give character transformation. If you live your life under law, law puts you in a place where you live in fear of wondering, have you done good enough? Or in pride, thinking that you're something special and everyone else is beneath you because you just do that beautifully. But apart from all of that. Jesus has come to set you free. Jesus has come that you may enjoy him and know him and experience him. And as you come to know him, Jesus works in you and through you. And as Jesus works in you, the glory of who he is displayed in your life. And all God calls you to his. Abide by faith. Are you spending time with the Lord? You want to look like Abraham? Or you think Abraham looks like a great follower of God? His answer was simple.

It's just faith. This morning. The encouragement to us as a church. It's me. You just enjoy Jesus. We don't feel any need to throw rules upon you that you may fall in line with our system. We know if you come to Christ. Christ works in you and through. Christ transforms you. The idea of justification in the Bible happens this way that we repent and believe. Meaning this we turn from self made rules of life and we turn to Jesus because Jesus alone has set you free. We understand that if we add anything to the law that Christ died in vain. There's no need for Jesus. But Jesus has come to pay all of your sins so that you may be justified. When God looks at the sacrifice of Christ, he sees the sins of the world. And when God looks at you, he sees the beauty of Jesus turning away from the self made rules and turning to Christ, who sets you free. The second. That you abide. You just find some time in your day. Just to set apart and enjoy with Christ. You realize we're going to look at together the fruit of that as a church family, the fruit of what Jesus produces in you and through you, the beauty that it brings to your family and friends and community. And it starts with this that you simply abide. Let's close the word.