Achieving the Blessing (Galatians 3:6-14)
Achieving the Blessing
Galatians 3:6-14
April 13, 2014
Well, you know we are studying through the book of Galatians
And it is a letter with a very distinct theme.
It is a letter written to refute legalism and to secure freedom in Christ.
And Paul has wasted no time exposing this vicious deception
And shaming the Galatians for entertaining it.
In fact last week Paul called them “foolish”
They had believed that which they never should have believed.
They were believing that the way to now please God
Was through the works of the Law, namely circumcision.
And to that Paul asked a series of questions meant to cause them
To analyze the truth of the situation more accurately.
How did you get the Spirit? Works or Faith
So if it started with faith, why would it finish with works?
And the point was that you didn’t earn salvation through works
And you don’t perfect salvation through works.
God does all that He does in your life on the basis of faith, not merit.
And tonight we take the next step and understand why this matters.
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE REALITY OF BLESSING.
Is that not what we want?
When we really get honest, we want to please God
Because we want the blessing of God to be on our lives.
And so, the legalistic thought is, if I’ll just do enough good then God will be pleased and God will bless me.
Is that really how it works?
• You know, go to church enough…
• Read my Bible enough…
• Pray enough…
• Give enough…
• Don’t cuss, steal, lie, or cheat…
And if I keep that sort of basic code then God will be pleased
And the result will be blessing in my life.
But by now you should realize that this is a backward thought.
Let me ask you a few questions:
What was the greatest blessing God ever gave you?
-Salvation
Did He give that in response to your good behavior?
-No
He blessed you with salvation
When your behavior was as bad as it ever was.
He blessed you with your greatest blessing
When your works were at an all time low.
Romans 5:7-8 “For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
What did you do that prompted that blessing?
-Faith
Romans 5:1-2 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.”
So if God gives His greatest blessing in response to faith,
In what manner will He give the lesser blessings?
And you see what Paul is talking about.
We are not knocking works – works are important
But you must understand that the blessings of God
Are not given in response to works,
They are given in response to faith.
And Paul is continuing to drive that point home to the Galatians here.
And to do that Paul pulls out his favorite Old Testament example.
(Hopefully because of our study in Genesis, you can see why)
But Paul’s favorite Old Testament example is none other than Abraham.
And Abraham is a wonderful example,
Not only because his life clearly depicts the salvation of God,
But because the argument Paul is facing is in regard to Judaism
And Abraham is the father of the Jews.
So tonight let’s further emphasize that God works in regard to faith,
Not works, and see this in the life of Abraham.
3 things in our text.
#1 THE BLESSING OF FAITH
Galatians 3:6-9
Now again, we know what it was that the Galatians wanted.
They wanted the blessing of God
They wanted God’s favor on their lives.
Galatians 3:5 “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?
They were after God’s blessings in their lives.
And they wanted it so badly that they were willing to be circumcised
And come under the Law in order to have it.
And this idea of circumcision came from the Judaizers.
They were the ones who came in and told the Galatians
That circumcision was the means by which you obtain God’s blessing.
NOW WHERE WOULD THEY HAVE GOTTEN SUCH A THOUGHT?
(We looked at it this morning)
Genesis 17:9-11 “God said further to Abraham, “Now as for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. “This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised. “And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you.”
Well that command was clear enough.
And you’ll remember from our study this morning that anyone who did not obey that command was to be cut off from the people of God.
I mean, from a Bible stand point
It sure seems like the Judaizers have a strong point.
After all, if circumcision was required of Abraham, why wouldn’t it be required of the Galatians?
Let me tell you why.
Because the Judaizers were quoting the wrong Scripture.
(Can that actually happen? – Of course it can. This is the danger of studying Scripture out of context and then pulling it to fit your argument or desire)
We studied this just this morning
But let me hit it again briefly to make sure you fully grasp it.
Genesis 17 had nothing to do with
The promise of blessing that God had for Abraham.
Genesis 17 revealed the sign and the seal of the covenant,
Which was circumcision.
But if you study that chapter you will NOT find where God says, “If you don’t do this, then I’m changing My mind and the promise is off.”
God didn’t say that, because this chapter
Was not about Abraham earning God’s blessing.
If the Judaizers wanted to read Scripture that pertained to
Being blessed by God they should have read chapter 15.
Which is what Paul quotes here.
Genesis 15:1-6 “After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.” Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, ” Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir.” Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.” And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.”
This is the chapter where Abraham pleased God
This is the chapter where God gave Abraham the greatest blessing
And what prompted God to do that?
Abraham’s faith.
ABRAM DID RECEIVE GOD’S BLESSING
BUT HE RECEIVED IT THROUGH FAITH, NOT WORKS!
So if you want to receive the blessing of Abraham,
You don’t do it through works.
(7) “Therefore be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.”
And I hope you pick up on the slam Paul just put on the Judaizers.
Those men claim to be Jews…
They claim to be sons of Abraham…
But the true sons of Abraham are those who are like him,
And Abraham was not a man of works, Abraham was a man of faith.
Romans 4:7-12 “BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED. “BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.” Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, “FAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised; and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them, and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised.”
Abraham was saved by faith, not works,
So you don’t become a child of Abraham by works.
You become a child of Abraham by faith.
Consider Abraham’s life.
Hebrews 11:8-10 “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”
Hebrews 11:17-19 “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, “IN ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS SHALL BE CALLED.” He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.”
Abraham was a man of faith.
This is what it means to be like Abraham.
We see that.
And then we see that it is not just Jews who can be children of Abraham.
(8) “The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.”
God told Abraham that more than just Jews would share in his blessing.
“All the nations will be blessed in you”
(A promise made in Genesis 12:3 – also before circumcision)
Not just Israel, everyone can share in your blessing.
HOW?
(9) “So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.”
And so I hope you see the point.
There was a promised blessing to Abraham and his descendants.
But this promise was never restricted to the circumcised.
This promise was to anyone who pleased God the same way Abraham did,
AND THAT WAS THROUGH FAITH.
Abraham didn’t please God by works.
If you’ll remember Abraham had some pretty questionable works.
Abraham pleased God with faith.
And it is those who follow the example of Abraham
Who are really his children and who share in his blessing.
AND DO YOU SEE WHAT THE JUDAIZERS WERE DOING?
They were piecing Scriptures together, out of context,
And using them to make a very convincing argument about legalism.
It really baffles me today when someone so boldly asserts
That works are required for salvation.
And sure, but picking verses here and there,
They can even make a pretty convincing argument.
But you can’t study Scripture as a whole in context
And make any argument at all.
When people do this, I just want to ask:
• “Have you never read Romans 4?”
• “Have you never read Galatians?”
• “Have you never read the entire life of Abraham?”
Scripture is so clear that salvation is totally by faith,
The only possible way you can add works to it
Is by quoting verses out of context and applying them
In a way in which God did not intend.
I mean, show my one person in the Bible
Who was saved because of something they did.
No one was
And the blessings of God don’t come that way either.
Faith brings the blessing.
The Blessing of Faith
#2 THE CURSE OF THE LAW
Galatians 3:10-12
Here is an often forgotten reality
When it comes to offering people a blessing.
The Galatians wanted God’s blessing…
The Judaizers said it comes through obeying the Law…
REALLY?
The Law was a source of blessing?
Hmm
Not according to Paul.
(10) “For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM.”
Deuteronomy 27:26 “Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’”
Just listen to the Law
Deuteronomy 28:15 “But it shall come about, if you do not obey the LORD your God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:”
Deuteronomy 28:45 “So all these curses shall come on you and pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, because you would not obey the LORD your God by keeping His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you.”
Deuteronomy 28:58-68 “If you are not careful to observe all the words of this law which are written in this book, to fear this honored and awesome name, the LORD your God, then the LORD will bring extraordinary plagues on you and your descendants, even severe and lasting plagues, and miserable and chronic sicknesses. “He will bring back on you all the diseases of Egypt of which you were afraid, and they will cling to you. “Also every sickness and every plague which, not written in the book of this law, the LORD will bring on you until you are destroyed. “Then you shall be left few in number, whereas you were as numerous as the stars of heaven, because you did not obey the LORD your God. “It shall come about that as the LORD delighted over you to prosper you, and multiply you, so the LORD will delight over you to make you perish and destroy you; and you will be torn from the land where you are entering to possess it. “Moreover, the LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth; and there you shall serve other gods, wood and stone, which you or your fathers have not known. “Among those nations you shall find no rest, and there will be no resting place for the sole of your foot; but there the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing of eyes, and despair of soul. “So your life shall hang in doubt before you; and you will be in dread night and day, and shall have no assurance of your life. “In the morning you shall say, ‘Would that it were evening!’ And at evening you shall say, ‘Would that it were morning!’ because of the dread of your heart which you dread, and for the sight of your eyes which you will see. “The LORD will bring you back to Egypt in ships, by the way about which I spoke to you, ‘You will never see it again!’ And there you will offer yourselves for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but there will be no buyer.”
Well that sounds pleasant doesn’t it?
That sure sounds like the path to blessing…
WRONG!
That is a threat – that is a curse waiting to happen
There was no blessing there.
Now it is true that perfect obedience to the Law did offer blessing.
But may I stress the word “PERFECT” obedience.
If you failed the Law at any one point
You were no longer under the blessing, now you were under the curse.
James 2:10 “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.”
You break one command and you are a law breaker
And there goes the blessing, here comes the curse.
If you think the Law is your ticket to pleasing God and obtaining His blessing you are greatly mistaken.
Do you not remember the veil?
Do you not remember the YEARLY sacrifices?
Do you not remember the countless restitutions?
The Law did not usher men into blessing,
It ushered men into condemnation and a curse.
The Law didn’t save anyone
(11) “Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”
Here Paul pulls out another Old Testament passage.
If the Law only brought condemnation, then what brought justification?
That’s easy – faith.
It was faith that brought justification to Abraham,
And that was true for everyone.
Habakkuk 2:4 “Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith.”
(Incidentally, that was the verse that broke Martin Luther)
The Old Testament teaches that righteous men were righteous
Not because of their flawless observance of the Law,
But because of their faith in God.
They never pleased God with works, it was always by faith.
Do you remember what a thug Moses could be?
Do you remember the heinous sins of David?
IT WASN’T THEIR WORKS, IT WAS THEIR FAITH
Hebrews 11:32-39 “And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. And all these, having gained approval through their faith”
IT WAS FAITH THAT BROUGHT THEM THE BLESSING
TIMEOUT
What about that often used statement:
“Obedience brings blessing, disobedience brings a curse”?
Isn’t that clearly seen in the Old Testament?
Yes, but it is not in regard to pleasing God.
Obedience brings blessing in the sense that
Doing what is right has favorable results.
God’s commands are perfect,
And obeying them does yield positive results.
Breaking His commands does bring negative consequences.
But it is never your works that usher in God’s blessing, it is your faith.
And notice Paul’s next point:
(12) “However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM.”
Now there is a unique statement.
“the Law is not of faith”
WHAT DOES HE MEAN?
Well, he quotes Leviticus 18:5
Leviticus 18:5 “So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am the LORD.”
There is no faith involved there.
Why?
Because there is no expectation for God to do anything.
The burden of the Law does not fall on God – it falls on you.
Seeking to keep the Law is trusting in your own abilities, not God’s
When you seek to justify yourself or usher in the blessing through works,
You are putting the entire burden squarely on your back.
You are saying, “I’ll take care of it…”
But the one who does not work, and instead trusts God for righteousness, puts the entire burden on the back of God.
One is trusting in self
The other is trusting in God
And only one of those receives the blessing
And the righteousness of God.
And so the question to the Galatians is obvious.
HOW DO YOU PLAN ON BEING BLESSED IF THE BLESSING IS BASED ON FAITH, BUT YOU PERSIST IN WORKS?
The Law won’t bring you a blessing, it only brings a curse.
The Blessing of Faith – The Curse of the Law
#3 THE REDEMPTION OF CHRIST
Galatians 3:13-14
Now here is where the gospel message of salvation comes in.
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law”
That is to say that Christ bought us back
Christ paid off our debt
WHAT WERE WE UNDER?
Not just the Law, but “the curse of the Law”
(as Gentiles the Law was written on our hearts and our consciences condemned us)
Why were we under such a curse?
Because we had not kept it perfectly.
You break one command and you are guilty and the curse is here.
But Christ “redeemed us from the curse”
He bought us out of it.
HOW?
By “becoming a curse for us”
In other words, He took our curse upon Himself.
And that is clearly seen:
“for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.”
The crucifixion itself was in and of itself a divine curse.
Christ died upon a cross because He was taking our curse.
The entire curse of the Law…
• All the plagues…
• All the judgments…
Christ took them all.
He bore our curse.
Colossians 2:13-14 “When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.”
WHY?
(14) “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.”
Christ took the curse so we could get the what?
“the blessing of Abraham”
And “the promise of the Spirit”
And it all comes “through faith”
Faith in what He did
Faith in His success
We put the burden on Christ, not our own back.
He told us to come to Him if we were weak and heavy laden
And He would give us rest.
And the point is simple,
We are NOT now trying to get a blessing through works.
We are seeking the blessing through the work of Christ.
We are betting everything on Him.
(Not only our salvation, but also our blessings in life)
AND SO WE SEEK THE BLESSING THROUGH FAITH
When someone throws over your head this legalistic mindset
That you must do something to earn God’s favor and be pleasing to Him.
They are simply following in the foot steps of their fathers the Judaizers.
But it is not the truth.
The Galatians were contemplating trying to please God
By coming under the Law, and Paul says, “That is foolish”
No one ever pleased God by coming under the Law.
Anyone who thinks that, obviously hasn’t read the Bible.
The Law is a killer…
The Law is a condemner…
The Law is a curse bringer…
Don’t run to the Law as a means of obtaining blessing.
Christ set us free from the Law by becoming a curse.
If you want the blessing…
If you want to be pleasing to God…
Then pursue it the only way it works, by faith.
And tonight that is all I want to ask you to do.
I want to ask you to trust God.
Trust that what Jesus did was successful.
Trust that if you never did another good thing, Jesus did enough.
Trust that what He did can and will save you, apart from your help.
Now I’m not advocating a license to sin
And I’m not advocating a freedom from righteous living
We know the truth about such things.
I am merely encouraging you not to trust in those things.
Trust in what Christ did
As all you’ll ever need to be pleasing to the Father.
And when you give God that kind of faith,
The blessing of Abraham is yours.
God blessed Abraham because of his faith, not his works
And the same is true for you.
So, you foolish Galatians, quit thinking you need a circumcision appointment.
Quite thinking you need to go do something to please God.
What Jesus did is enough.
And the blessing is yours if you will simply trust that.
YOU ARE BLESSED
Galatians 3:9 “So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.”
