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��It always has been by faith�Galatians 3:6-14

What is faith? Hb.11:1
Paul & Silas Acts 16:25-31
Personal confession Rm.10:10

Volunteer (with eyes covered) by Walking to the pulpit, with only one person’s voice to guide them.

Thank you Volunteer for your contribution.

We have been working our way through Galatians. Last Sunday Martin went through Galatians 3:1-6. Today we will talk from vs 6-14. (Choose someone to read)

⁶So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

⁷Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. ⁸Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” ⁹So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

¹⁰For 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.”¹¹Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.”¹²The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.”¹³Christ 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.”¹⁴He 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.

Introduction

What is faith? In Hebrews 11:1 says Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews chapter 11 then describes several acts of people who had faith. One of them was Abraham.

Someone defined faith saying that faith is this voluntary act and attitude of a person in which he or she places all the weight of their needs in the object that they trust and through him perform their Acts.

In the Scriptures this object in which we trust is God and the voluntary act is provoked by hearing and believing in His word.

(e.g., Volunteer walking to the pulpit with eyes covered) he heard the voice leading him then he acted and moved forward to his destination.

It has always been by faith. In Acts 16:25-31 we read about Paul & Silas when they were put in prison because they were preaching the Good News. After they had been stripped and beaten with wooden rods, around midnight they were praying and singing in loud voices that all the prisoners could hear. Suddenly a massive earthquake happened, and the prison was shaken to its foundations.

All the doors flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! The jailer woke up to see the prison wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought that the prisoners had escaped. ²⁸But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” ²⁹The jailer called for lights, rushed in, and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. ³⁰He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” ³¹They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

(The jailer was saved twice, because the Roman’s rules were if a prisoner escaped, the jailer must sacrifice his life for that prisoner. That’s why Paul shouted don’t harm yourself we are all here. Wow, they nearly saw a dead man. Then the Jailer repented and believed in Jesus Christ to be saved by faith).

Paul says In Rom. 10:10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. It is simple like by faith we are saved to have eternal life with God.

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Galatians 3:6-9

Abraham believed God Gn. 15:1-6
The result was his righteousness
Salvation by faith alone Ep.2:8-9
Cornelius & Peter Acts 10:25-31

Abraham believed in God (Slide 2)

In Genesis15:1-6 God promised to Abraham a child in his old age (he was 100 years old), and he asked him to count the stars if he could. God promised to him that was how many descendants he would have. Abraham believed the Lord, and God credited it to him as righteousness. Gal.3:6 is a quotation from Gn. where God established his covenant with Abraham.

He is considered the father of faith. Those who believe in God are children of Abraham. Abrahams experience shows that faith has always been the basis for relationship with God and for receiving what God has promised.

Paul the author of this letter, compares the Galatians spiritual experience in vs 1-5 with Abraham’s faith in vs 6-9 in this chapter. Showing that they were made right with God in the same way as Abraham - through faith and not through the law of Moses.

Eph. 2:8-9 says For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast.

It is not by doing, doing, and doing that we are saved. It is about what was done by Jesus Christ on the cross. It is done he said. It is fulfilled to perfection. The requirement of the law was done, fulfilled, completed by Christ who took our place.

You are not saved by fulfilling the rules of your denomination or the church where we are fellowshipping. Being there regularly; or only for special events; giving back your tithes, or offerings; giving to the poor; being baptised; praying; fasting; crawling on your knees and so on. People try to do several different things to be saved. All is in vain because it was done; it is done; it will be done by Jesus. It means that any time a person repent it is done for them.

In Acts 10 Cornelius the captain of the Italian Regiment, he was a devout and God-fearing man, as everyone in his household. He was a very generous man praying regularly and giving gifts to the poor. God had accepted that. However, God gave to Cornelius a vision to send some men to Joppa and look for someone named Simon Peter - he is staying with Simon the Potter near the seashore.

(In the media we have seen a generous act of 24 hours playing and singing to raise money for Children in Need, by the team of Drumathon) they raised more than a million pounds. Excellent job. God is happy yes, - but you still need to repent and believe to be saved.

At the same time, God prepared Peter to receive the men and go with them to Cornelius house. When Peter was praying, God showed him a vision. Peter saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners containing all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. Then he heard a voice saying, get up Peter kill and eat. (Sorry to the vegans).

¹⁴“Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” ¹⁵The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” ¹⁶This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven. In summary Peter entered Cornelius’ house and ate with them. For a Jewish person to enter in a Gentile’s house was a serious matter as the Gentiles were considered impure. Peter would be in serious issues with the congregation. But when he explained what God had shown him and what God did in Cornelius life and how all people who were there, worshipped God. (There is a lesson for us here, issues when they are identified and communicated can be sorted and God can be worshiped and honoured).

So, Jesus came to all, and as a result Cornelius understood the message of the Good News from Peter and He and all people who were there accepted Jesus as their Lord and saviour. The point I want to make here is that despite Cornelius having been a devoted person and was doing many good things for the poor, He still needed to repent and believe in Jesus Christ to have eternal life. If we, don’t live by faith, we are placing ourselves under the law’s curse.

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Galatians 3:10-12

We are not perfect to fulfil the law Rm.3:20
The law can act like a mirror
We were born sinners Ps.51:10

We are not perfect to fulfil the law (Slide 3)

Galatians 3:10 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.”

Because we are not perfect, we cannot fulfil the law as God require. Some people may say but I have never killed anyone nor committed adultery.

Jesus said in Mathew 5:28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Jesus’ righteousness reveals sin at a deeper level than the external; He reveals the true intent of the law. Jesus sees deep inward our lives.

In John 8:3-4 As Jesus was speaking the teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They came before Jesus in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”

What Jesus did? He starts writing on the ground … whatever Jesus wrote touched deep in their hearts and one by one dropped their stones and left Jesus without having courage to look at him. Jesus had looked deep inside their hearts.

The law is strict but Jesus forgives. The Pharisees could fulfil the law and were trying to condemn the woman. If they want to leave under the law, they must obey the law all the time. For sure they have failed.

In 1 John 3:15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.

Gal 3:11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.”¹²The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.

The law cannot justify. It is a fact that the Law does not know mercy. The law is rigid, not flexible at all. To be justified by law one needs to keep the law perfectly. And this is an impossible mission to the human being.

Romans 3:20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. It is like I have said on a previous preaching.

The law cannot change the past nor purify our fallen nature (which humans have because they are Adam’s children).

The law can diagnose our illness called sin but has no power to cure it. The law can act like a mirror - it reveals to us our impurity, our faults, our mess, but the mirror cannot clean us. We can look at the mirror for as long as we want, however, we will continue in a mess. Likewise, the law reveals to us the divine pattern of holiness and shows us how far we are away from it, but cannot take us to that holiness.

Even if someone could keep the law perfectly it would not purify this fallen nature. We were born sinners.

It was because of this inner need that King David prayed to God in Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me”.

This is something that only the death and resurrection of Jesus can do. Only Jesus can change our past, change a human heart for a new one. He transformed the Apostle Paul’s heart. He can transform any heart that surrenders to him.

Is the law bad? No not at all. God created the law. The law itself is not opposed to faith. But trying to be righteous by keeping the law opposes righteousness by faith in Christ.

Thank you, God, for sending your only Son Jesus Christ to save us, to restore our relationship with you. Alleluia!

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Galatians 3:13-14

Christ become a curse for us

He paid the ransom to buy us back 1Peter1:18-20

Christ become a curse for us (Slide 4)

Gal 3:13 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."

Gal 3:14 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.

By relying on circumcision, the Galatians depended on the law. Those who look to the law for right standing with God are under a curse. Christ rescued us; He paid a ransom to buy back his people. (1 Peter1:18-20).

Deuteronomy 21:23

You must not leave the body hanging on the pole overnight. Be sure to bury it that same day, because anyone who is hung on a pole is under God’s curse. You must not desecrate the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.

Jesus when he was crucified, took upon himself God’s curse that should have fallen upon all sinners. (Me and you - he took our place). We are the Gentiles. When we put our faith in Jesus Christ, He redeems us, and we are forgiven. And He gives us the promised Holy Spirit who assure us that we are sons & daughters of Christ. We are then his friends.

Now we have the assurance of a new relationship with God. By the new and living way, the covenant by the blood of Christ. We can look to the future to see him face to face. Those who believe in His work for us at the cross.

Our peace with God takes us before his throne with all confidence and boldness to worship him, to pray and have intimacy with him. We do not have to hide ourselves as Adam & Eve did.

Those who don’t believe in Christ are still under the wrath of God and have no guarantee of their future, they are seen as God’s enemy.

Those who believe in Christ can enjoy the restoration of their relationship with God, the harmony to life. This peace with God gives us the assurance of protection, security. It is indescribable what God’s presence gives us.

It is the worthiest time to spend in his presence. We can enjoy this benefit given to us.

No more charges against us.

Rom 8:33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. No one can accuse us or charge us of anything, because God himself justified us.

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