Galatians chapter 3 I Have just
three verses to read for text this morning Galatians 3 I will
read Lord willing verse 10 11 and 12, but before I do let me
Just read these words to you. This is Cornelius speaking to
Peter He said immediately therefore I sent to thee Thou hast done
well that thou art come That's true of all of us here this morning.
Those, the three of us that God sent here to preach and everybody
else here to listen. Now therefore, are we all here
present before God? Now listen, here's what I'm pointing
out. To hear all the things that are commanded thee of God. When
Moses spoke to Israel through a word of God, In those days
of old, when those people heard Moses speak, it was God speaking. It may have been his voice box,
his larynx making the sounds, but it was God speaking. And
when Peter spoke to Cornelius, it was not just a word from man. Cornelius understood that. We're
here to hear all things commanded of God of thee. They were hearing
God speak. That's right. Oh, God calls us
to approach this meeting together in such an attitude that we are
here to hear all that God commanded thee. So Paul is continuing.
in this letter, and he says in verse 10 of chapter three, for
as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse. For it is written, cursed is
everyone that continueth not in all things which are written
in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified
by the law in the sight of God, it is evident. For the just shall
live by faith. And the law is not of faith,
but the man which doeth them shall live in them. Our brother
Paul, specifically in this letter,
and I think I've said this before, but probably because I'd already
thought of this and made a few notes on it. Our brother Paul
in this letter, he is relentless. Relentless. He continually hammers
Christ, not law. Grace, not law. Faith, not law. Over and over and over. Think of it, in other letters,
there are many topics dealt with. I mean, go to the letter to the
church at Rome, and Paul deals with a marriage in Corinth. He deals with how we are to conduct
ourselves toward one another, how we're to conduct ourselves
toward those that are without. He deals with all kinds of different
topics, but not here. Now, he deals with some other
topics, but it's all centralized around this, Christ versus law. Christ not law. Christ instead
of law. Christ and never law. Now let me repeat that again
because it's important. That's what he does throughout
this short letter. He's relentless. He just don't
quit. Christ versus the law. Christ
not law. Christ instead of law. Christ and never law. My title is taken from the context
itself. It is evident. It is evident. It's clear, it's evident, it's
clear. It's a fact. It is what it is. Any argument against this is
nothing but rebellion against God, no matter who it comes from.
A person deceived in false religion or a person under the truth.
that has been deceived by false religion. It does not matter.
It is evident. Now, just in our text, I mean,
when you read this whole letter, when you read this whole, but
just in our text, if anything proves the total depravity of
the unregenerate, and yet maybe very religious. Not all unregenerate
people are immoral hucksters out there just fulfilling the
immorality of the flesh. Some are very moral, religious
people. Some are even Bible readers.
If anything proves the total depravity of the unregenerate
and yet maybe very religious, it is the truth of chapter three
and verse 10 again. For as many as. are of the works of the law.
That's just another way of saying anybody who is of the works of
the law. All who are of the works of the
law are under the curse. That's what the book says. Now someone may say, well, but
that's just for justification. For any reason. For any reason, if you're under,
if you're of, not under, but if you're of, that's a part of
your being. It's a part of the way you believe.
It's a part of the way you live. It's a part of the way you conduct
yourself. If it's of the law, if I do it,
if you do it, if you do it, you're under the curse. That's what
it says. Yes, this thing of justification
or righteousness, sanctification, wisdom, whatever it is, it's
all included, but for as many as are of the works of the law
are under the curse for it's written, the law itself says
this. Cursed is everyone that continueth
not in all things, which are written in the book of the law
to do them. So again, this, I say, if anything
proves the total depravity of the unregenerate, it's the truth
of this. Yet some still say, but we're
to do the law. We're to try to keep the law.
The law is a standard of how we live. If you're of the law,
you're under the curse. There's no ifs, ands, or buts,
because it's evident. And yet it's not if you're unregenerate. You hear what I'm saying? You understand what I'm saying,
right? It is evident, Paul says, from God's book, from God's book. When people hear this, oh, there
are people who will, there are probably preachers who will preach
from this very text, this morning, right close to it, maybe the
exact same verse as I am, and then we'll talk about, well,
after God saves us, then we are to keep the law. Do the law,
obey the, if you're of the law, you're under the curse. Unless
you've done it all, all the time. There are two unassailable facts
presented here. Now, there are others, and God
willing, we'll look at some of those, but there are two unassailable
facts presented here. Number one, all who preach and
all who adhere to law works in any way. They are bound to continue
to do the law in every way, always. Is that not simple enough? I've
simply reworded what Paul said, but sometimes God uses that means
just to bring something home. All who preach and all who adhere
to law works in any way. But there is no but here. They are bound to continue to
do the law in every way, always. And such is that. are under the
curse. But Christ hath redeemed us from
the curse of the law. What, so you can run back to
it? So you can run back to it? Christ
freed us from the law that we might be married to him. A bona fide real death has occurred
so that we can be married to another. It's one thing to be
a widow or a widower and maybe take, and I'm speaking metaphorically
now, to take flowers to the grave of your deceased spouse. That's
one thing. It's one thing to be fond of their memory, but
if you're married to another, that first relationship is what?
Severed. It's gone. It's gone. They're under the curse. but not so what God's gospel
called people. Listen to what he goes on to
write, chapter five, verse 24, 25, 26. And Tommy wrote me something
this past week from this, and it just hit home for me. And
we'll get to it in more detail later. That's far on down the
line. But look at what it says, Galatians
five, what Paul wrote. And they that are Christ have
crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. We usually
think of that in the sense of immoralities, right? And of course
in the context, Paul deals with some immoralities, right? But he also deals with idolatry.
And idolatry is not just the worship of an image, it's to
put anything in front of God. That's even my law works. It's
even my law works. Look, they that are Christ have
crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. And as
I said, we'll get into it later, but this, maybe find a better
word later, but this is a mental thing that God works in his people.
This is how we think, not something we literally do. We don't go
out and crucify our affections and lusts. We don't take, you
understand what I'm saying? This is an inward attitude, maybe
that's the better word. They that are Christ have crucified
the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the
spirit, let us also walk in the spirit. Let us not be desirous
of what? Vain glory, that's empty glory.
What's empty glory? Any of it that points back at?
Any of it, any of it. Any of it, let us not be desirous
of vain glory, provoking one another. What happens when you
are of the law? If a group begins to be of the
law, you start provoking one another. Pointing out one another's
faults, right? Well, so and so's not up to the
standard. No, they're not. But neither
am I. Neither am I. Let us not be desirous
of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
If somebody's overtaken in a fault, Don't do this. Help them. Hold them and say, I understand.
I've been there. I've fallen too. You ever been
overtaken in a fault? I have. I have. But not so with God's people.
Why? It is evident. It is evident. Here's the second.
Two unassailable facts here. Again, remember, all who preach
and all adhere to it in any way, they are duty bound by that very
attitude, by the very law, to continue to do the law in every
way, always. The law's my standard of living,
then I need to start going doing it all. But I have a problem
even there, Jack. I didn't do it before. The law
doesn't say start doing it now. It says thou shalt not. Or thou
shalt. There's a second thought. Justification
in God's sight. And I'm gonna say it just like
this. Justification in God's sight. All others do not matter. When it comes to justification,
it's in God's sight. Everyone else does not matter.
Now I'm not saying our conduct does not matter to other people.
It can affect other people, harm other people, mislead other people,
or encourage other people. But when it comes to justification,
it don't matter. If I engage in an effort of religious
obedience to be justified of you, Christ said it this way,
I have my reward. That's the end of it. When somebody
says, well, I sure appreciate you, you are such a good person.
That's it, it ends right there. I got what God's gonna let me
have out of that. That's what he said. Remember,
they have their reward. Justification in God's sight
begins and ends with faith in Christ. but it also consists
in a life lived by faith in Christ. But that no man is justified
by the law in the sight of God, it is evident, even in the Old
Testament, for the just shall live, not come to life. No, we're
talking about after you've come to life. After, more appropriately
stated, we've been given life We still live how? By faith,
by faith, by faith. Look, but that no man is justified
in the law, by the law, in the sight of God, and that's the
only one who matters. It is evident, for the just shall
live by faith. We'll deal with this more in
detail. Talk about these two, these two unassailable facts
right now presented here, and the law, Do you see this phrase? Do you see it? And the law is
not of faith. So if I, if you, go to law works,
we have abandoned faith. Huh? That's what he's saying. We have abandoned, the law is
not of faith, but the man that doeth them shall live in them. And that's in the sense of command,
not that the man that starts doing it, he'll really do it,
no. This is in the sense of command, command. Let's look also at chapter two.
I know we've looked at this, but chapter two. For I through
the law am dead to the law. that I might live unto God. It's
the only way, my brothers and sisters. It's the only way. For I, through the law, am dead
to the law, that I might live unto God. Remember what I said,
justification in God's sight begins and ends with faith. Hebrews
lets us know all these people of faith, and these all died
in faith. But the middle is not different
either. It continues. It begins and ends with Christ,
faith in Christ, but it also consists of a life lived by faith
in Christ. I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless
I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life which
I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God,
who loved me and gave himself for me. I will not frustrate
God's grace. If righteousness come by the
law, then all Christ, and once we're saved, we can keep the
law. All Christ had to do was die for our sins before we were
converted. Huh? Before we converted. Somebody
says, I don't like that. I know you don't. That's your
problem. If you don't like that, you got a problem. I'm not done
yet. Remember, I said, Paul's relentless.
In this small letter, he just keeps hammering and hammering
and hammering and hammering. Look at chapter four. Tell me, verse 21, I'm sorry,
chapter 4, 21. Tell me, ye that desire to be
under the law, do you not hear the law? There's some rebuke
in that. You want to be under the law,
do you not hear what the law says? For it is written that
Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a
free woman. But he who was of the bondwoman
was born after the flesh. But he of the free woman was
by promise, which things are an allegory, that's a symbol,
a type, something that told a greater story, you might say. For these
are the two covenants, the one from Mount Sinai, which gendereth
to what? Bondage. And nothing but Bondage,
which is Agar. For this Agar is Mount Sinai
in Arabia. I'm not making this up. What
came down from Mount Sinai in Arabia? The Ten Commandments.
And then all the other commandments that followed with them, right?
For this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and answers to Jerusalem,
which now is and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem,
which is above, is free, which is the mother of us all. For
it is written, Rejoice thou that barren, that bearest not, break
forth and cry thou that trevellest not, for the desolate hath many
more children than she which hath a husband. Now we, brethren,
as Isaac was, are the children of But as then he that was born
after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit,
even so it is now. And when you teach this truth,
when you adhere to this truth, when you say I just believe Christ
and I have no relationship to the law, they'll look at you
and say you're mad. You've been deceived. Your eyes have been opened to
the majesty of the master. Look what it goes on to say.
But as then, he that was born after the flesh persecuted him
that was born after the spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless,
what does the scripture say? Cast out. Do you see that? But preacher, what does it really
matter? Because God said so. His son will have all the honor
and the glory. and you will have none. None. Nevertheless, what sayeth the
scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son. That had to be hard for Abraham
to hear. Remember, this son was his true
flesh and blood. I don't care if it's by another
woman, it's still his flesh and blood, his firstborn. Probably
set him on his knee and probably went fishing with him and went
hunting with him. God said cast them both out.
Now look, look, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir
with the son of the free woman. Now that's where God stands on
it. It doesn't. I mean, it doesn't really matter
when it comes to preaching the truth. Where I stand, that's
where God stood on the matter, right? And according to what
Paul's saying now, it still stands. This is still valid today. So
then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the
free. Now folks, again I say, somebody
don't get that, it shows they're still caught up in the bondage
of total depravity. I don't care if they even believe
in total depravity. They don't know they are. They
don't know they are. Now Paul's not done yet. And there's more than this, but
I'm just picking out a few. We've looked at it, chapter five,
verse 25. If we live in the spirit, let
us walk where? In the spirit. You see it? In the Spirit. If I now have
trusted that God has brought me from spiritual death unto
spiritual life, and then I say, but now it takes some effort
by me to do the law, even if it don't mean my eternal good,
but at least has some benefit here. It's got to have some benefit
here. I have abandoned the truth of
God in Jesus Christ. Why? It is evident. It's evident. Whether it's evident to you and
me or not. You hear me? I'm not saying this is a blanket
statement for all, but I believe many of us, God saved us before
we really realized the magnitude of what he'd done to us. And
we were still holding on to some of that old rubble, like in there
at Nehemiah, I had to clear out the rubble, remember, if they
could build the wall. And I know we're still clearing out some
rubble, but there had to be a starting place where you start getting
enough rubble out of the way the wall could be built. And
we're still holding on to some of that rubble. Well, what I
believe back years ago, until you believe this Christ in this
way, you were not converted. and you'll be better off in your
mind and your experience if you acknowledge that all of that
was total depravity. Total depravity. I can't tell
you exactly when God converted me, but I know now he has. Do
you understand that? I know now he has. Why, it's
evident. God's free grace. God's reigning
grace, and I know we like to say God's sovereign grace, and
I have no problem with that whatsoever, but the book uses these words,
free grace, reigning grace. That means sovereign grace. God's free grace, God's reigning
grace leads and directs the believer to look outside of self. It does. It does. Not it should. There's no quasi-salvation. I'm
almost saved, but not quite there. When God saves you, bless God
you're saved. And at first, you might not recognize
all of the idolatry that was behind you, but you will. He'll teach you, and you'll begin
to shed off the rubble. Say, this is in the way. This
is in the way. God's free grace is reigning
grace leads and directs the believer to look outside of self. It frees
us to look outside of the flesh. It frees us to look outside of
the law. Mark it down. Mark it down. to look outside of the law for
motivation in what we believe, how we walk, and we trust God
for the in-working of the fruit of the Spirit of God in us. Isn't that again what he said,
Galatians chapter two, verse 16? Knowing, knowing that a man
is not justified by the works of the law. That's it. Now that, when you start to begin
to realize this, then you can say, you know what? God's really
saved me. When you start to know this,
God's really saved me. Knowing that a man is not justified
by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ.
Even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified
by the faith of Christ. Now listen, this is still a part
of it. You can't go just there, then do whatever you want. Believe
how you want, walk how you want. and not by the works of the law. For by the works of the law shall
no flesh be justified. Paul did not call the law, but
he called his actions under it, and his actions of it, D-U-N-G. Is that not what he said? Circumcised
the eighth day of the tribe of Benjamin, What's wrong with circumcision? Absolutely nothing. Unless you
think it gives you anything in God's sight. And he said, I count
it but done. Not because he was adverse to
the law, but because he was adverse to himself. and his corruption
in it. He said, that I might, what?
Win Christ and be found in him, not having, he keeps saying this. You see, it's not just trust
Jesus and believe in sovereign grace, it's trust Jesus and refute
all human effort, especially your own. Especially your own. Look at it, that's, What we believe,
right? That's chapter two, verse 60.
That's what we believe. What about this? How we walk. Look at chapter six. Galatians chapter six, verse
14. But God forbid that I should
glory save in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the
world is crucified unto me and I unto the world. Again, that
for us is attitude. Attitude is a mind thing, a heart
thing. Look, for in Christ Jesus, neither
circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision. And you can
take that right on down the line. Not guilty of murder, guilty
of murder. Not a drunk, been a drunk. I'm serious, folks. That's not the point. Most people
think they're saved because, for instance, as one example,
I used to be a drug head, now I'm not. You can go to a drug
rehabilitation, get that? With no Christ whatsoever. And
some people succeed at it. Right? But the depravity of the flesh
will hear this preached and not get it. Not get it, do you see
it? For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision
availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but there is a caveat, but a
new creature. And God is the one that does
all the creating. You don't create yourself. Once
you're created, you don't keep yourself going. Who sustains
the creation of this universe? Not us. God does. And God's the one that will sustain
when he creates someone new in Christ Jesus. He'll sustain it.
He'll sustain it. Now look, for in Christ Jesus
neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision.
We weren't all bank robbers. Right? But we're all guilty.
We're all guilty. But look, but a new creature
and as many as walk according to this rule. There's your rule. There it is, but it's called
the rule of grace, which rules over us. As many as walk according
to this rule, peace beyond them and mercy upon the Israel of
God. And think about how he ends this, from henceforth let no
man trouble me anymore. You see that? Paul said, I'm
tired, I'm not going any, this is it. I've stated it like it
is. Now deal with it. Deal with it,
one way or the other, deal with it. No, we don't sit and just
keep arguing with people, Joe, it does no good. Why? It is evident. It is evident. If they can't hear it, guess
what? They're blind. And no need arguing with a blind
man or a blind woman, is there? There's really not. Just say,
you poor blind person, I pray God opens your eyes. Huh? But if they said, I think maybe God's given you
sight. I think just maybe, just maybe God's given you a new heart.
New ears. So we've looked at what we believe,
how we walk. It's evident. Look at chapter
five. Is that where we were, chapter
five? No, we were in six. We have what we believe, we have
how we walk. Look at this, chapter five and
verses 18 through 26. But if you be led of the spirit,
he just won't quit. It's like Paul, take a breath,
slow down. It's okay. Paul's saying, no,
it's not okay. Yea, even more, the Spirit is
saying through Paul, it's not okay, Paul. Keep hammering, keep
hammering, keep hammering. But he's done said it over and
over and over in different ways, with different words. But if
you be led of the Spirit, you're not under the law. Now what don't
you get about that? Now the works of the flesh are
manifest. And listen, it's there. Somebody got to teach you that
adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft,
hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
envies, murders, drunkenness, and realness, party going, and
such like. So Joey lets us know here there's
more to the list. If somebody's got to keep hammering
at you that these things are wrong, you got a bigger problem
than you realize. because most people understand
at least some of these things are wrong, right? Most people,
I don't know whether it's a good illustration or not, but the
heathen Hottentot in some jungle that's a cannibal don't eat his
own mommy and daddy. They do only, they're enemies
like that. Why? Because they got some sense
that some things are right and some things are wrong. As I have told you in time past
that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom
of God, but the fruit of the Spirit is joy, love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, and faith, meekness, temperance.
Against such there is no law. Brothers and sisters, here's
the thing. You'll be walking in these things. Why? Because
it's the fruit of the Spirit in you if you live in the Spirit.
Now, walk in it, and I mentioned that last Sunday. Walk in it,
but you know what's gonna happen? Next thing you run off the bat,
something's gonna blindside you, and you'll spout off. Or you'll
do something stupid. Something rebellious, right?
Not even intending to. Having a great day, and bang,
just like that it happens. You know why? Because we are
still fallen creatures, and every once in a while God just says,
just for a minute. lifts that restraint just for
a minute. Not a lead. Jackie always leads us. God Almighty
was in charge when he led Peter down there to where that fire
was. Do you hear me? God Almighty, in him we live
and move and have our being. God Almighty give him the strength
and the breath to make it down there and warm his hands by the
enemy's fire. Did he not? Why? To teach him
a lesson. And God teaches lessons the hard
way. Don't he? Just every once in
a while, he'll do that. And we start tumbling. We start
tumbling. It is evident, my brothers and
sisters. Let me sum it up this way. Turn to Acts 15, if you're
following along. Turn to Acts 15. Acts 15. These two examples I'm gonna
give you are of men who were steeped in the law. Probably
one to a greater degree than the other, I grant you that.
But both of these were steeped in the law. They were of the
law, brought up under the law. Peter even told God, not so,
Lord, for nothing unclean's ever enter my lips. I believe he meant
that. He was telling God no. God said,
slay and eat, and he said, not so, Lord. Ever done that? Come on now, God ever told you
to do something and you said, no, I can't do that. But listen
to what Peter himself said. Acts chapter 15, let's begin
in verse eight. And God, which knoweth the hearts,
bear them witness. He talked about the Gentiles,
speaking to this big group of Jews. Beareth them witness, giving
them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us, and put no difference
between us and them, purifying their hearts by what? Faith. Now therefore, why tempt ye God? Do you see that strong language?
Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of
the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? Do you see that? Even as a redeemed person, you're
not able to bear the yoke of the bondage of the law. But God
has a purpose for you to have to. He's put his spirit in you
and he has the fruit of love, joy, peace, it's there. Now yes, the flesh is still,
but it's there. And whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are honest, think on these
things. I know it's impossible to do
all the time, but that's no excuse for us, Alan. Think on those
things. When your mind starts to wander,
bring it back in. Think what is lovely, what is
pure, what is honest? Seek those things which are above.
The things that are below, some of them you gotta what? Mortify. Deaden it. Hit it till it just
gets numb. Now it'll come back, but just
hit it again. And hit it again, and it'll come
back, but just hit it again. The problem with the regenerate,
they either deny that it's really there, or they give a little
tap. Well, mm-mm, that was Peter's
take on this thing. Now here, Paul, turn back to
our text epistle, if you will, Galatians, chapter five. Stand fast, therefore, in the
liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free. Why? Because we're
so prone not to. We're so easily led astray. We
love self. I guess what the one fella said,
and he was picking on Don Fortner, because Don was alive, and said,
Don and Shelby love the same person. That's Don. And he was picking on Don. Why? Because we're so prone for
self. It appeals to our flesh, do, do, do, do, even when we
know we can't. It still appeals to the flesh.
At least I'm making an effort. Don't I? Don't I? Stand fast,
therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and
be not entangled again, entangled again, with the yoke of bondage. When you start to feel yoked,
and bound is because our eyes have veered somewhere else. On something else. We may be
a circumstance. It may even be a legitimate problem
you're dealing with, but where's our eyes to be? Christ. He's the one that brought the
problem. He's the one that has the wisdom to make it work out
for your good. Right? But what do we do? We
start looking at the circumstance rather than looking at who? The
one that brought it. Now, don't we? And that's just as sinful
as going out and robbing a bank. Now, you hear me? Or more, yeah,
or more. More of an insult to God. Good point, Tommy. Well, I'm gonna sum this up.
My brothers and sisters, just rest in Christ. Trust Him, give
up to Him. He knows what you are. But he
says, confess it to me anyway. Now don't he? He knows we've
sinned, yet John comes along and says, confess your sins.
Now don't he? Why? Why? Because it's evident. That's why. It's evident. Heavenly
Father. Our creator, holy God, our benefactor,
the one who predestinated and chose us, but thank God you chose
us in your son. If you'd have chose us based
upon any other means or condition, Lord, we'd all perish forever.
Thank you for your grace and your mercy in Christ, in his
name, amen.