Freedom in Christ-5(2)

 

Freedom in Christ-5(2)

TITLE: Living by Faith, Not by Law

TEXT: Galatians 3:1-14

TONE: Warning

TARGET: Believers

TASK: To warn believers of the danger of reverting to the law after receiving the grace of God through Faith in Christ.

TEACH: Noah’s faith is first demonstrated when God decides to judge the earth with a flood due to its widespread wickedness. God instructs Noah to build an ark, specifying its dimensions and materials (Gen. 6:13-14). Despite the unprecedented nature of the command, Noah obediently builds the ark as God commanded (Gen. 6:22). This act of faith involves significant work, likely over many years and is carried out despite any ridicule or disbelief from those around him. Noah’s faithfulness results in the preservation of his family and animal species (Gen. 7:23). He and his family are saved from the flood because of his faith, which produced obedience. After the flood, Noah worships God through sacrifice and God establishes a covenant with him promising never to destroy the earth by flood again (Gen. 8:20-22, 9:8-17).

 

 TRUTH: Biblically speaking, faith is a profound and multi-dimensional concept that encompasses trust, belief, and reliance on God. It goes beyond mere intellectual assent to truths about God and involves a wholehearted commitment to, and reliance upon, God and His promises.

 

Hebrews 11:1 provides a foundational definition: “Now faith is the assurance of things hopes for, the conviction of things not seen.” This verse indicates that faith acts as both an assurance and a conviction, enabling believers to trust in the invisible and future realities promised by God. Faith, therefore, encompasses believing in the truth of the gospel, trusting completely in God’s redemptive work through Christ, and living in accordance with that trust.

 

We find several biblical principles concerning faith that we are to live by.

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I.  Remember the Significance of the Cross (3:1-5)

Application: Avoid being distracted from the centrality of the cross in your journey. Rely on faith, not works, for receiving the Spirit.

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II.                        Trust in the Experience of Faith (3:5)

Application: Live expectantly by faith, allowing God’s Spirit to work through you beyond rule and regulations.

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III.                   Follow the Example of Abraham’s Faith (3:6-9)

Explanation: Emulate Abraham’s righteousness through faith. Paul refers to Abraham’s faith being credited to him as righteousness, emphasizing that true children of Abraham are those who live by faith.

 

Here, Paul directs the Galatians to the patriarch Abraham as the quintessential example of faith and righteousness. Paul sites Genesis 15:6, where Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” By doing so, Paul makes a profound theological point: righteousness has always been a matter of faith, not law. Abraham’s faith preceded the Mosaic law, highlighting that true righteousness is not contingent upon legal adherence but upon trusting God’s promises. Paul’s argument extends to include all believers, asserting that those who have faith are considered true children of Abraham. Namely, that he would be a blessing to all nations and the promise includes the Gentiles. 

 

Paul’s argument carries deep implications for understanding the doctrine of justification by faith. By presenting Abraham’s faith as exemplary, Paul dismantles any notion that righteousness could be achieved through human effort or ethnic lineage. Instead, he prompts believers to embrace the faith of Abraham that trusted completely in promises and the providence of God, which opened the door to experiencing God’s blessing.

 

We have several examples of faith from Abraham.

 

1.      The call to leave his homeland (12:1-4): God calls Abram to leave his country, his people, his friends, and his father’s household to go to a land that God would show him. Abram’s willingness to obey and leave everything familiar to him demonstrates his faith in God’s promise of a great nation and blessing.  Faith Follows God!

 

 

2.      The promise of offspring (Gen. 15:1-6): Abram believed God’s promise that he would have descendant as numerous as the stars. His faith was counted to him as righteousness, a foundational concept in the development of faith in the Bible. Faith Believes God!

 

3.      The covenant of circumcision (Gen. 17): When God reiterated His promise to Abram and changes his name to Abraham, He established the covenant of circumcision. Abraham’s obedience to this difficult command reflects his deep trust in God’s promises. Faith Obeys God!

 

4.      The test of sacrificing Isaac (Gen. 22:1-18): One of the most profound demonstrations of Abraham’s faith is his willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac upon God’s command. Abraham’s readiness to obey, even when it seemed he would lost the son through whom God’s promises would be fulfilled, highlights his unwavering trust in God’s faithfulness. In the end, God provides a ram as a substitute, proving His provision and reaffirming the covenant. Faith Trust God!

 

5.      Negotiating for Sodom (Gen. 18:22-23): When God intended to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham interceded on behalf of any righteous individuals living there. This negotiation illustrates Abraham’s faith in God’s justice and mercy. Faith Prays to God!

 

Application: Pursue righteousness through your faith, regardless of legalistic obligations. This is how you align yourself with God’s purposes.

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IV.                   Recognize the Insufficiency of the Law (3:10-12)

Explanation: The law brings curse, faith brings life. Paul explains that relying on the law leads to a curse, as perfection in following it is impossible. True life comes through faith.

 

Paul underscores the inherent insufficiency of the law as a means to secure righteousness, highlighting that adherence to the law demands perfection – a human impossibility. Citing Deut. 27:26, Paul illustrates that those who rely on the law are subject to a curse because inevitable failure renders them guilty under its demands.

 

The law functions diagnostically, revealing sin and humanity’s inability to achieve divine holiness through human effort. The law points to the pervasiveness of sin and humanity’s need of a Savior. It was never meant as a pathway to salvation, but a guide to maintain civil order, and to the convict the sinner’s need for a Savior.

 

Faith, then, is not only the means through which believers escape the law’s curse, but the conduit through which they participate in the abundant life offered in Christ.

 

Just read this list of verses and you will see man’s inability to keep the law.

 

1.      Romans 3:10-12: “As it is written, none is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

 

2.      Galatians 3:10: “For all why rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law and do them.”

 

3.      James 2:10: “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.”

 

 

4.      Isaiah 64:6: “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.”

 

5.      Romans 8:7-8: “For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

 

These verses reflect the biblical teaching that, due to the fallen nature of humanity, no one can perfectly keep God’s law. This highlights the necessity of grace and faith in Jesus Christ, who fulfills the law on behalf of believers and offers redemption through His atoning sacrifice.

 

Application: Avoid the trap of legalism and focus on the transformative power of faith in achieving righteous living.

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V.                       Celebrate Redemption through Christ (3:13-14)

Explanation: Christ redeems us from the curse, enabling us to receive the promise by faith. Jesus redeems us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, so that the blessing of Abraham might come to all through faith.

 

Paul expounds on the profound mystery of redemption through Christ by explaining how Jesus steps into the role of the sin-bearer, assuming humanity’s curse and transforming it into a blessing of faith. He references Deut. 21:23, which deems “cursed is everyone who us hanged on a tree,” illustrating that Jesus willingly embraced this curse on the cross. This act of self-substitution fulfills the law’s demands and demonstrates the extent of divine love and justice.

 

In this redemptive act, Christ abolishes the curse of the law and inaugurates a new paradigm wherein believers are justified and reconciled to God not by adherence to the law but through trust in Christ’s completed work.

 

As heirs of the promise made to Abraham, believers receive the Spirit by faith, which empowers them to live in the freedom and newness of life that Christ has secured. This divine exchange not only liberates from the curse and wrath incurred by sin but also leads believers into a life infused with grace, fulfilled promises, and eschatological hope, epitomizing the fullest expression of God’s redemptive purposes through Jesus Christ.

 

Ways to celebrate:

 

1.      Prayer and Reflection: Personal and communal prayer allows individuals to thank God for the gift of redemption and meditate on the significance of Christ’s sacrifice. Reflecting on scripture passages related to redemption can deepen one’s appreciation and understanding.

 

2.      Evangelism: Sharing the message of redemption with others is an active way to celebrate it. Inviting others to experience the transformative power of Christ’s redemption is central to Christian mission.

 

3.      Living a Redeemed Life: Demonstrating the fruits of redemption through acts of love, mercy and forgiveness and justice in everyday life is a profound way to celebrate and testify to the change Christ brings.

 

Application: Rest in the redemption provided through Christ. Embrace the freedom of living under God’s grace.

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TAKE-AWAY: In conclusion, whether you are discussing Noah or Abraham their lives were characterized by trust in God’s word, obedience actions in the face of uncertainty and reverence for God’s commands. Their lives serves as a testament to the transformative power of faith, which produces obedience.

 

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No Mistakes 
When my hopes fade
And my dreams die.
And I find no answer
By asking why.
I just keep on trusting
And hang on to my faith.
Because God is just
He never makes mistakes.
Should the storms come
And trials I must face.
When I find no solution
I rest in God's grace.
When life seems unfair
And more than I can take.
I look up to the Father
He never makes mistakes.
God sees our struggles
And every bend in the road.
But no mistake is ever made
Cause He weighs every load.
--Lenora McWhorter

 

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