THROUGH THE SPIRIT BY FAITH

Galatians 5

REVIEW OF LAST WEEK

A. In Galatians 5 Paul is contrasting the Gospel of justification by grace alone through faith alone VERSUS justification by works.

1. Spirit/flesh (vv.16,17,19-23)

2. “if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law” (v.18)

B. Paul equates the works of the Law with the deeds of the flesh, “by their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:15-20).

C. The deeds of works based religions are characterized by immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing and similar things (Gal.5:19-21).

1. The Jews often responded to Paul’s preaching with jealousy, fits of rage and murderous hatred (Acts 5:17-18; 13:44-45).

2. The Jews responded to Jesus’ preaching with rage and murderous hatred (Matthew 27:17-18//Mark 15:10; Luke 4:24-28).

a. Jesus was constantly rebuking the scribes and the Pharisees for their lawlessness (Matthew 15:1-20; 23). The scribes and Pharisees:

i. shut off the kingdom of heaven from people (Matthew 23:13)

ii. made converts who were twice as much sons of hell (Matthew 23:15)

iii. swore lying oaths (Matthew 23:16-22)

iv. neglected the weighty provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness (Matthew 23:23-24)

v. cleaned the outside of the cup and dish but inside were full of robbery and self-indulgence (Matthew 23:25-26)

vi. were like whitewashed tombs, meaning that they outwardly appeared righteous “but were inwardly full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:27-28)

vii. were murderers of the prophets (Matthew 23:29-36)

b. The scribes and Pharisees committed the most lawless act of history – condemning Jesus to be crucified for blasphemy (Acts 2:22-24; 3:13-26).

3. Paul’s manner of life before his conversion was also a religion of the flesh. The best Paul could do was:

a. persecute the church of God (Galatians 1:13-14; Acts 8:3; 9:1,13,21; 22:4,5,19; 26:10f; 1 Cor.15:9; Phil.3:6; 1 Tim.1:13cf. Acts 26:4,5; Philippians 3:5-6).

b. blaspheme (1 Timothy 1:13-15; cf. Acts 7:58; 8:1-3; 9:1-4; 26; 22:4; 5; 7; 8; 19; 20; 26:14; 15; Philippians 3:6).

I. DO NOT BE SUBJECT AGAIN TO A YOKE OF SLAVERY

A. The Judaizers were trying to enslave God’s people to the Law.

1. The Israelies left Egypt in haste and did not have time to let their bread rise on the night of the Passover. They ate unleavened bread (Deuteronomy 16:3).

2. Israel’s deliverance from bondage in Egypt was commemorated every year during the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:19-20).

3. When Paul says, “a little leaven leavens the whole lump” he is saying that the message of the Judaizers is a damning message of slavery (Galatians 5:9).

“But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace” (Romans 11:6)

B. Only through faith in Jesus and a life in the Spirit can we find freedom from the power of law and flesh.

C. There are two types of ways people live:

1. life in the Spirit by faith.

2. life in the flesh. To be in the flesh is to be “under the law” which means:

a. under the obligation to keep the law for righteousness (Gal.3:12; 4:4-7; Romans 7:1-6; 8:1-4)

b. under the curse of the Law (Gal.3:10)

D. If we have been crucified with Christ, we are no longer under the obligation of the Law but of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 2:19-21; 5:18,24-25).

II. WE MUST COMPLETELY TRUST IN JESUS NOT ONLY FOR OUR JUSTIFICATION BUT FOR EVERYTHING

A. Faith alone justifies, but faith is not alone – it works through love.

1. The Judaizers taught: faith + works = justification.

2. Paul taught faith = justification + good works.

B. Saving faith in Jesus Christ is always fruitful and never barren (Ephesians 2:8-10; cf. Isaiah 53:1-54:3; James 2).

C. Faith is not a one time thing that we do when we get saved. Faith is a way of life. Just because you are a Christian doesn’t mean that you can need Jesus less. The Christian who loves Jesus wants more of Him in more of their life and not less!

“Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification: (John 1:12, Rom. 3:28, Rom. 5:1) yet is it not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love. (James 2:17,22,26, Gal.5:6)” (Westminster Confession of Faith 11:2).

D. The great imperative is not “obey the law.” The great imperative is “faith in Jesus.”

“The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls, (Heb. 10:39) is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts, (2 Cor. 4:13, Eph. 1:17–19, Eph. 2:8) and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word, (Rom. 10:14,17) by which also, and by the administration of the sacraments, and prayer, it is increased and strengthened. (1 Pet. 2:2, Acts 20:32, Rom. 4:11, Luke 17:5, Rom. 1:16–17)” (Westminster Confession of Faith, “Of Saving Faith” XIV:1)

QUESTIONS FOR SABBATH DISCUSSION & MEDITATION

Take what you have learned this morning and make it into a prayer. Pray that God would impress upon you your desperate need for Jesus Christ. Pray that God would enable you to grow in your hungering and thirsting after Him. Pray that your faith in Jesus would transform your relationship with others.

What does “a little leaven leavens the whole lump” mean?

What does it mean to be “under the law”?

Why does going back to the law for righteousness make Christ of no benefit? (Galatians 5:2,4) In other words, why are grace and law mutually exclusive?

Faith in Christ not only transforms our relationship with God. It transforms our relationships with ________________.