FHBC Sermon Notes

Galatians 3:1-14 - the core of the book of Galatians, Paul's argument really starts to stand center in these verses.

1. The necessity of faith.

John 3:16 does not say that God loved the world so saved the whole world without.

Here Paul's main thesis is that are not justified by the law, found righteous by following the law, but that we are justified in Christ by faith, that our relationship with him is by faith.

What is faith? What do mean to have faith?

Faith begins first with knowledge. When Jesus came he came revealing the glory and nature of God. He brought knowledge, a historical reality about our Lord creator. This is why we must go to places where they haven't even heard of Jesus. But knowledge is not enough. Knowing the menu, does not make you full. We must also ascent, we must acknowledge and affirm the gospel. We must agree and bind oursleves as servants to the gospel. But this goes even further. There is a fiduciary trust. We are conformed, and reoriented to the truth that we know and agree with, and so are transformed into a new creature.

2. The evidence at faith is necessary for person appropriation of the gospel.

A. The evidence from the Galatians own experience. (3:1-5)

Paul gets right to the point, "you foolish Galatians" They have received the gospel, pure and true and yet, they have become confused, adding back to it the very curse under the law from which they were freed. If Christ was not enough, and they needed law, did this mean that all they had endured before, the persecution on them, was that in vain for nothing. No! Christ is sufficient!

B. The evidence from Abraham. (3:6-9)

Genesis 15:6 - the story of Abraham was so great, becuase even after Abraham questioned God asking if God's promises were true, then trusted God, believed His words, and this was counted and righteousness. Through this blessing and promise all people, Gentiles, foriegners, the barren, eunachs, all recieve the inhertiance and blessings of God.

C. The evidence from scripture. (3:10-14)

The verses that Paul quotes here are meant to demonstrate that the entire point of the old testament is to reveal Jesus. First, that we are under the curse of the law, that the righteous live by faith. Yet how can we live by faith, and be righteous if we are already cursed. Jesus became the curse for us, so that by faith we might live.

Jim's exhortations :

• If you do not know and are in Jesus, can stand before God with your own righteousness? All is not well. YET... God has made a way, he has paid the penalty that you should have recieved. Jesus did this. Have faith and Ben changed.
• If you know Jesus in your head, have the knowledge, maybe even agree with the situation, yet have not been transformed, the turn, repent, be transformed in Jesus.