Galatians chapter 3 verses 6 to 9 - Abraham; Lessons in the Life of Faith

 

 Résumé of gospel preached to the Galatians. Résumé of Verses 1 to 6: 

 Paul calls the witnesses: 

Witness 1 – The Cross of Christ (3:1) 

 Christ crucified presented in power by the best of preachers 

 Preached not just with fact but with feeling. 

 Taken them to the cross & showed them the saviour (v1b). “Crucified” – perfect participle, past event with present consequences. Almost as if they had stood there at the foot of the cross. 

 Felt as though when Paul preached the message was just for them. The Spirit of God took dealings with them through the gospel message. 

 Had felt the burden of their sin. Had been moved by the thought of the vastness of the love of God towards them. Touched by the fact that Christ had died for them. Relieved to have unburdened themselves at the foot of the cross. 

 

Witness 2 – The Spirit of God (3:2-3) 

 Had experienced something of the Spirit of God’s dealings with them: 

1. Conviction of Sin: Jo16:8-11 
2. Presentation of Christ: Jo16:13-15 
3. Transformation of Character: Gal5:22-23; 1Jo3:9,10 

 

Witness 3 – The Experience of Believers (3:4,5) 

 Things they suffered (v4) & Things they saw (v5). 

 Their initial fervour, attitude condemns there later backsliding. 

 There experience of the gospel had been more than a mere emotional experience. It had moved them and touched them to such a degree that they were willing to suffer for Christ. 

 

Witness 4 – The Example of Abraham (3:6-14) 

 False teachers offering Jewish religion in preference to the ‘novelty’ of the gospel, to the ‘cult’ of Christianity! 

 Traces back justification by faith to Abraham. No novelty 

 If going to be saved, right with God, not by good works (2:16) nor religious observances (4:10), only by faith, resting in God: Jo3:16; Acts16:31. 

 “accounted”: (v6):to reckon, impute, number: 

 

“So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham” (v9) 

 The whole life of the Christian is a life characterised by faith. 

 Taking God at His word, resting completely upon Him for time & eternity. 

 Abraham had faith to commence the journey (Heb11:8) & faith to continue the journey (Heb11:9), faith to start (11:8), faith to stay (11:9). 

 Taking God at His word, resting completely upon Him for time & eternity. 

“Those characterised by the approach of faith are blessed along with Abraham.” (JM Boice) 

 Have we begun the path of faith? Are we continuing? 

Abraham: Lessons Learned in the Life of Faith 

Obedience (Gen11:30-12:5) 

 Old lesson, one God often teaches: Jonah; Saul, “And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” (1Sam15:22) 

 Notice the conditional promise of 12:1-3, explain conditional. 

 God’s instruction to Abraham: “Get thee out” (12:1): 

• “of thy country” 
• “and from thy kindred” 
• “and from thy father’s house”, 
• “unto a land that I will shew thee” 

 How did Abraham fare with these 4 demands of God? 

Out of his country? Not quite, still in Haran (11:31). The name of his dead brother (11:26). Places named after people. Still in the area of his home. 
Away from his kindred? Not quite (11:31-32). 
Away from his father’s house? (11:31-32) – No. 

 Had God fulfilled His promise to Abraham? 

Had God made of him a great nation? - No 
Had God made his name great? - No 
Had God made him a blessing? – No 

 Partial obedience = Partial blessing! 

 Are we marked by obedience in simple things? 

   Prayer & bible reading? (J. Hunter) 

   We read & listen to the Word, do we practice it? We’ll only be able to put the Word of God into practice by the power of the Spirit of God! 

 

   “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” (Heb10:25). Sometimes legitimate & unavoidable things that will keep us back from the gatherings & Word of God. Amazing how little will keep us away when our heart isn’t right!  

 Something holding us back from obeying the voice of God in our circumstances, eg. Abraham & Terah. 

 Did Abraham profit in disobedience (12:5)? 

 Look at the problems that arose because of what he had gained in Haran & subsequently in Egypt: 

Possessions & numbers were so great that he feared, the land could not sustain him in a time of famine. Maybe if there had only been a few of them he would have rode out the storm (13:6) instead of descending into Egypt (12:10). Recall to no mention of any communion with God all the time he was in Egypt. Only before & after. 
Abraham & his goods, like a town on the move (cf. Gen14:14). Couldn’t just slip in & out of Egypt. Drew the attention of Pharaoh himself (12:15), no ordinary Egyptian (12:12). Unable to live “a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (1Tim2:1). 
Strife (13:7) 

 Don’t be deceived by appearances (Gal6:7). 

Communion (Gen12:8-10; 13:1-4) 

 Abraham one of these men, always knew where to find him, eg JSG study! 

 Before he went down into Egypt, found him at the altar (Gen12:8). 

 After he came up out of Egypt, found him at the altar (Gen13:4). 

 Communion & communication with his God. 

 All the time he was in Egypt, nothing for God. No communication, no altar. 

   Don’t need me to tell you that do you? 

   You don’t even need scripture to tell you that? 

   You could have predicted that, couldn’t you have? 

   You know that when you’re drifting towards the world, you’re drifting away from the saviour! You know that. You’ve experienced that. 

 Notice his relationship with Egypt: 

   “went down into Egypt” (12:10) 

   “went up out of Egypt” (13:1) 

 Abraham’s visit to Egypt (the world) was a descent. 

 Many go down, be warned, not so many that come back out. 

 Carnality will take us down, need a good deal of Divine grace to bring us back out! 

 13:3 – back to Bethel – back to God! Significance not so much in the place, geography, but in the Person whom he had left there! 

 The need for communion, not now via sacrifices & altars: God’s Word & prayer, “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Eph2:18). 

Separation (Gen13:1, 8-9; 14:13) 

 From his country (12:4), Egypt (13:1); kindred (13:8). 

 Family – not all of us called to leave our families, Egypt – all called to leave the world behind us (Eph2:1-3), Lot – a man of different interests. 

 Separate ourselves from things which will drag us down: moral standards of the world, friendship/companionships with the world, entertainments, religion, “Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.” (Heb13:13) 

 “Abram the Hebrew” (14:13), kept his identity, in the crisis, send for Abram! 

Sanctification (Gen13:18) 

 Separation has a positive companion: “Hebron” – “joining” 

 He had separated himself from the world negatively. 

 Now he was being joined to God positively. 

 Biblical double definition of holiness (Rom12:1-2) 

 Making progress for God?

A message preached in our bible teaching series of ministry, preaching through Paul's letter to the Galatians, free to download audio recording. 

Yours by Grace in Christ 

Dr J Stewart Gillespie 

Galatians chapter 3 verses 1 to 14 - Paul Calls the Witnesses - Dr J Stewart Gillespie

 Thought of the court room scene in 2:16. 

 This time the man in the dock is the Galatian, a false professor, having gone so far with Christ but turned back & rejected Him. 

 Note that there was a variety of people in the assembly at Galatia: 

1. Apostate – some verses can only apply to him (5:1-3). Example of apostate Judas Iscariot 
2. Genuine Believer – some verses can only apply to him (3:26) 
3. Backslider – Believer young in the faith & caught in the middle, not knowing which way to turn (4:9) 

 Sometimes speak of one, sometimes of the other, bear in mind that this mixture exists at Galatia. 

 Consider Chapter 3 as the apostle, not so much God, but Paul has put the Galatians in the dock. There charge: abandoning Christ. They plead innocent, they didn’t know they were rejecting/abandoning the saviour. Thought it was alright to go off after Judaism. 

 Paul calls the witnesses: 

• Witness 1 – The Cross (3:1) 
• Witness 2 – The Spirit (3:2-3) 
• Witness 3 – Their Experience (3:4) 
• Witness 4 – The Example of Abraham (3:6-14) 

 

Witness 1 – The Cross (3:1) 

 Christ crucified presented in power by the best of preachers 

 Preached not just with fact but with feeling. 

 Taken them to the cross & showed them the saviour (v1b). “Crucified” – perfect participle, past event with present consequences. Almost as if they had stood there at the foot of the cross. 

 Had felt the burden of their sin. Had been moved by the thought of the vastness of the love of God towards them. Touched by the fact that Christ had died for them. Relieved to have unburdened themselves at the foot of the cross, like ‘Christian’ in Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress”: 

Then Christian gave three leaps for joy, and went on singing: 

Thus far I did come laden with my sin; 
Nor could aught ease the grief that I was in 
Till I came hither: What a place is this! 

Must here be the beginning of my bliss? 
Must here the burden fall from off my back? 
Must here the strings that bound it to me crack? 
Blest cross! blest sepulchre! blest rather be 
The Man that there was put to shame for me! 

 How “foolish” to hear the testimony of the preacher, to feel the power of the message, hear the voice of God, but to disobey, to disregard it as fable, as fiction, as foolishness (1Co1:18). 

 2 main words for foolishness in NT: 

 

“to fail to use intelligence” (Galatians 3:1) – not that they didn’t know – they didn’t care. Not that they couldn’t understand – they didn’t want to. They were culpable. 

 We hear the words of the saviour echoing down through the centuries, “Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger” (Lam1:12). 

 “evidently set forth”: ’to announce by posting up a written tablet to announce/promulgate.’ 

            

Witness 2 – The Spirit (3:2-3) 

 From Heb6:4 possible for an unsaved person to have some experience of the Spirit: objective miracles (3:5); convicted of sin – Felix (Acts24:25). 

 Christian knows far more of the Spirit: 

Transformation of Character: Gal5:22-23; 1Jo3:9,10 
Revelation of Truth: 1Jo2:27 
Presentation of Christ: Jo16:13-15 – Person of Christ (v14), Path of Christ (v13), Possessions of Christ (v14,15) 
Experience of God: Jo16:7 
Intuitive Understanding & Insight: Rom8:26-27, 1Jo2:20,27 
Conviction of Sin: Jo16:8-11 

 Have you known all of this & yet you still go back? 

Witness 3 – Their Experience (3:4,5) 

 Things they suffered (v4) & Things they saw (v5). 

 Their initial fervour, attitude condemns there later backsliding. 

 We’ve tried this gospel message & there’s nothing in it! Their own experience contradicts this excuse. 

 What about 10/20/30yrs ago? When the Lord has dealings with you, when He touched your life, transformed your soul? 

 When you lived for Him & would have died for Him? 

 

 Sometimes our greatest condemnation comes from self condemnation! 

 You say there’s nothing in it & yet your life has been turned upside down by it! 

 “suffered” : ” pavscw” : to suffer, to be affected by something – could possibly refer to any experience good or bad, probably bad. 

Witness 4 – The Example of Abraham (3:6-14) 

 Not only condemned by self, condemned by another 

 Since time in memoriam man has only been right with God by faith. 

 We have no excuse in believing that we should go after law keeping 

 Just in case in our defence we say that we were trying to find salvation the same way men of old found salvation. 

 This gospel message, never heard it anywhere else before. New fangled thing this. Better sticking to tried & tested religion. This must be a cult thing! 

The Principle of Justification by Faith (v6-9) 

 Abraham justified by faith (v6) cf. Gen15:6. 

 Abraham – faith to commence his journey (Heb11:8) – “he went out,” faith to continue the journey (Heb11:9) – “he sojourned” – Faith to start (11:8), faith to stay (11:9). 

 “accounted”: “logizomai” (v6):to reckon, impute, number: 

 

 God could see all the faults & failings of Abraham’s life and how Abraham ‘fell short of the Glory of God’ but He credited righteousness to Abraham’s account. 

“not something he earned or merited; it was something that God credited him with” (Leon Morris)   

 God who justifies, not our personal faith (v8), as if we deserve it. 

 “In thee shall all nations be blessed” (v8) – cf. the 2 fold illustration “I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore” (Gen22:17). Note that this blessing was independent of circumcision – which was to his family (Gen17:12,13) but the blessing was to “all nations.” 

 Note the personification of scripture in v8. When scripture speaks, God speaks. 

The Principle of Law Keeping/Works Righteousness (v10-14) 

 Many sincere folk, who regard themselves as Christian would endeavour to seek salvation by law keeping, but note the standard set by law: “in all things” (v10). We choose a hard task master if we choose law! 

“small lapses now & then are not to be overlooked” (Morris p103). 

 Verse 10, quotation from Deut27:26. 

 Verse 11, quotation from Hab 2:4. 

 Verse 12, quotation from Lev18:5. 

 Verse 13 – the engine that makes the whole thing work. 

 Principle of redemption from the law, cf. Ex21:30. A man goes free from the curse of the law by the payment of a ransom price.

Part of our sermon series in Paul's letter to the Galatians, a systematic, chapter by chapter study, expounding the truth, teaching and meaning of this epistle. Free to download ministry or listen online.

Yours by Grace in Christ 

Dr J Stewart Gillespie 

 Galatians chapter 2 verses 16 to 21 - The Courtroom and the Cross - Dr J Stewart Gillespie

 

I want to speak to you about the court room & the cross. 

 If you are going to be a Christian need to have experience of both these   

 Maybe agree with me that if God says something must be important. 

 If God says something twice must be very important 

 This great doctrine were going to think about: doctrine of justification by faith is found repeatedly right the way through the bible. Found in each division of the OT: 

The Law – Abraham (Gen15:6, Gal3:6) 
The Writings – David (Ps32:1-2, Ps143:2, Rom4:7-8) 
The Prophets – Hab2:4, Gal3:11, Rom1:17. 

 Found right the way through the NT: Jo3:16; Rom1:16-17 (Martin Luther’s verses); Rom3:28; Rom5:1; Eph2:8; Titus3:5. 

 Not only repeated through the Bible but repeated 5X in v16, 3X negatively & 2X positively. 

 Justification by Faith the core truth of the Gospel, setting true Biblical Christianity apart from all religions teaching good works:

Islam’s 5 pillars: confession of the faith, prayer, fasting, alms, pilgrimage;

Roman Catholic teaching of the 7 sacraments:  Eucharist, baptism, confirmation, penance, holy orders, matrimony, and last unction

Buddhism’s 8 noble truths: right views, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right-mindedness, and right contemplation. 

Well might JM Boice state: “The verses that conclude this chapter contain capsule statements of some of the most significant truths of Christianity.” 

 Have read the verses in order but don’t want to think ~ them in order. 

 Want to look at how these verses work. 

 

v16 – The Subject: Faith and Works – The Setting: The Court Room 

v20 – The Subject: Life and Death – The Setting: The Cross 

 May well find that questions concerning salvation which we still have after verse16 will be answered in verse20.     

The Subject: Faith and Works – The Setting: The Court Room (v16) 

 “justified” – to be declared righteous, a term taken from the court room, “to declare righteous or innocent.” (JM Boice). Note the ‘passive voice’ – ‘to be pronounced righteous’ not the middle voice – ‘to become righteous.’ 

 The picture: a man standing in the dock before The Judge. 

 His deeds & life laid out before The Judge. 

 The man? – You. The Judge – God. Can really upon this Judge seeing all the facts. Hammer comes down. The verdict is reached and your declared innocent, righteous, justified. 

 How can I be declared righteous in such a court, before such a Judge? 

 How indeed? By a perfect life? Impossible! Did this Judge fail to see al my past sin & failure. Did I manage to hide my faults & failings behind my handful of good works? Did I manage to deceive this Judge, as many seem to think they will one day do? Into believing that I’m something I’m not? So many hope to do so! 

 How can He pass this verdict of innocent? Perfect! Does He fail to see our sin? Not really. This righteous Judge knows everything about us! He knows all about our past! He is more aware of sin than we are! 

 It’s not so much our SIN He fails to see. It’s more our SELF He fails to see! The great truth of v16: considered the subject & the setting but now consider our standing: 

 “but through faith in Jesus Christ” – justification comes via our relationship with Christ, “we have believed into Christ” – personal commitment & relationship. The day we put our trust “in Christ” we’re given a new standing, new position, “in Christ” so much so that, “if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature” (2Co5:17). 

 When God looks upon us in the dock, He doesn’t see us; He sees Christ! 

 That secures the verdict! We stand in the dock but in Christ, & that’s a great place to be! 

 This new standing in Christ is something you can’t earn, can’t work at. Something which can only be received by faith (Acts16:31). 

  “the works of the law” simply wont do. No article in the Gk. thus – “works of law” – any system of works, not just ‘the’ Hebrew OT law as per the context. Any law: religious or our own law! 

The Subject: Life and Death – The Setting: The Cross (v20) 

 May say, that’s fine & well. God looks upon me now I’m saved & doesn’t see me, He sees Christ & He declares me righteous, fit for heaven & fit for His presence, but I’ve still got a big problem. A problem with sin & with the law! I know only too well my history & all the sin that’s gone before & I feel the guilt of it! 

 I have actually done bad things. I am aware of sin, in the past particularly. Sin troubles me. I’m aware of the law. The law condemns me. I’m troubled & guilty & feel it. Burdened with guilt! 

 God hasn’t brought the sin up in His court room but how can it be put away? It’s not put away in the court room, its put away at the cross! 

 Troubled with sin & guilt? If you’ve trusted Christ remember this – you’re a dead man! “I am” – actually a perfect tense – ‘something that once took place & has not lost its power since.’ (Ridderbos) – “I have been crucified…” 

 By union with the death of Christ at Calvary, Paul died. 

‘a crucifixion had taken place within himself as he wholeheartedly believed in the crucified saviour’ (Leon Morris) 

 The moment we trust the Lord Jesus Christ we die! 

 Familiar with the idea that for every one who trusts in Christ, He took our place (1Pet3:18; Matt20:28; Lk22:20; Isa53:5). 

 We see the idea developed a little here. If Christ died for me, in my place, then in a sense when Christ died, I died (2Co5:14-15). 

 Thus, the moment I trusted Christ, I became a dead man (Gal2:20). 

 The old life, old sin & old guilt are all dead! 

 Paul notes a paradox: “nevertheless I live” – by virtue of the indwelling presence of Christ (2Co13:5; Eph3:17-19; Rom8:9-11) 

 Ought to be positive evidence of this Divine life: 

   Desire to get alone with God.; an unnatural desire (Rom3:11) 

   Love for the word of God (Ps119:11,1:2) 

   An interest in & love for others (1Jo3:14,4:7) 

   The experience of Divine communication (1Jo2:20-27;Jo16:13-15) 

   Presence of the fruit of the Spirit in our life (Gal5:22) . 

 Christ is now the dominant influence & factor in my life. 

   He is the dominant FORCE overriding all desires & will (Rom12:1-2) 

   The working out of His life brings His FRUIT (Gal5:22;Eph5:9) 

   As a guiding principle I am now directed & guided by FAITH in Him (Gal2:20). 

 When saved, we’ve a new life in Christ. Don’t be trying to bring the dead man back again! 

“…I through the law am dead to the law that I might live unto God” (v19) 

 This explains v19: the law condemns us (Gal3:10-11; Rom3:19-20; Rom8:2), our failure to keep the law results in the death penalty. 

 I am “dead,” by association with Christ & enjoy life by the power of His resurrection (Eph2:5,6). 

“…is therefore Christ the minister of sin…” (v17) 

 Paul seeks to answer the objection so often raised to the doctrine 

 No Rules! No Religion! No Regulations! Just Faith? – Chaos! You can do what you like? Sin with impunity & you’ll still go to heaven? You’ll just encourage people to sin! 

 The fact that we get the same objection to the gospel we preach today is an incidental confirmation that we preach the same message. 

 “if while we seek to be justified in Christ” – closest possible union. 

 What is the answer to this oft repeated objection? Paul initially simply dismisses it, “God forbid”. The answer comes in v20. Real faith results in a real relationship with the living Christ, & we are indwelt by Christ, the Father & the Spirit of God (2Co5:17).  Thus we are able to do what we never could do before –live a life pleasing to God. 

                        

“…if I build again the things which I destroyed…” (v18)             

 It is the law’s job to reveal & impute sin (Rom5:13) 

 Some at Galatia were trying to reintroduce the law, if they did so they would simply bring in the very thing which would condemn them. 

A bible teaching study, part of our systematic series of ministry expounding Paul's letter to the Galatians chapter by chapter, free to download or listen online,

Yours by God's Grace in Christ

Dr J Stewart Gillespie

 Must never let go of what we have in Christ!