Would you turn back to Galatians
chapter 1? While you're turning there, tonight
I'm going to speak on the God of peace and the peace of God. The God of peace and the peace
of God. And we're also going to have
a baptism tonight. Stephen Bryce is going to confess
Christ and believers baptism. And what is the requirement for
baptism? Faith in Christ. That's the only
requirement. If you believe the gospel and
you haven't been baptized, you should be baptized. If anyone
else wants to be baptized, let me know and we'll baptize you
tonight. I've entitled this morning's
message, Separated from the Womb. The inspiration for this message
came to me from simply reading Galatians chapter 1, and I was
overwhelmed with the thought that God had separated me from
my mother's womb. That's an overwhelming thought,
isn't it? He had separated me from my mother's womb, and He
called me by His grace. And I know in my case, the only
way I could be called is by grace. And He called me by His grace,
and He revealed His Son, not merely to me, But in me, very important, that I might
preach him among the heathen. And when God gave me this revelation
of himself, and this is true of every believer, I knew I didn't
need to consult with flesh and blood. I didn't have to ask man's
opinion or have man's approval about this. when the Lord revealed
his gospel to me." Now, what Paul said in Galatians chapter
1, verses 15 and 16, every believer can say, when it pleased God,
who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by His grace
to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the
heathen Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood. Now
what led Paul to make this statement? Now move back to verse 6 of Galatians
chapter 1. The theme of the book of Galatians
is the recovery of the gospel. The Galatians had lost the gospel. And the theme of this book is
the recovery of the gospel. Look in verse 6. Paul says to the Galatians, I
marvel, I am amazed, I am dumbfounded that you are so soon removed
from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another
gospel, which is not another, but there be some that trouble
you and would pervert, would change the gospel of Christ. Now, the Galatians had quickly
removed themselves from the grace of Christ, and Paul said, I marvel
at this. You see, there were some that
had come into the Galatian church with another gospel, a perversion
of the gospel. And wherever there is truth,
the counterfeit will be working. And this is a scary thought here,
as well as there. Wherever there is the truth,
the counterfeit will be at work. Now, These certain false teachers
had come into the church at Galatia, and they sought to lead the Galatians
away from the gospel by adding to it. Look in Galatians chapter
3, verse 1. Paul says, O foolish Galatians,
who have bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before
whose eyes Jesus Christ has been evidently set forth, crucified
among you, O foolish Galatians. Look in chapter 4, verse 9. But
now that you have known God, or rather, are known of God,
how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, he's talking
about the law, whereunto you desire to be in bondage. Look in verse 16 of chapter 4.
Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?
They zealously affect you, these false teachers. They zealously
affect you, but not well. Yea, they would exclude you that
you might affect them. Look what he says in verse 19,
my little children of whom I travail and birth again until Christ
be formed in you. Verse seven of chapter five,
you did run well. Who did hinder you? What happened
that you should not obey the truth? This persuasion, this
belief you're espousing, it comes not of him that calleth you.
A little leaven, leaveneth the whole lump. You put one work
in salvation, you make the whole thing that works. Now, I have
confidence in you through the Lord that you will be none otherwise
minded, but he that troubleth you, he's talking about the people
who brought in this false teaching, shall bear his judgment whosoever
he be. And I, brethren, if I yet preach
circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the offense
of the cross ceased. I would that they were even cut
off, which trouble you. Now, these men had come into
the Church of Galatia, and the Galatians evidently had taken
the bait. And Paul says, I'm amazed that you're so soon removed
from him that called you to the grace of Christ. And I've got
to thinking about what Paul said. I'm amazed by this. Nothing much amazes me. I'm including
myself in this. People are so sinful. so weak,
so fragile, that I'm not surprised by anything. Myself or anybody else. Nothing much surprises me. Disappointed? Yes. In myself,
yes. In others, yes. Yes, there is
disappointment. But not surprised. We're silly
sheep. that easily wander off. Don't
you find that's true with regard to yourself? Would you sing that
song prone to wander? Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave
the God I love. Here's my heart, O take and seal
it. Seal it for thy courts above. Now, like I said, I'm not surprised
by anything I hear, but here's something that would amaze me.
if any of us left grace and went back to works. Now that's what
Paul is saying, I marvel. I am utterly amazed that you're
so soon removed from him that called you to the grace of Christ,
to another gospel. Now what is the grace of Christ? The grace of Christ It's saving
grace. Now, what is grace according
to the Bible? Now, all of these elements must
be there or God's grace is not being taught, is not being preached,
is not being believed. First, if you talk about grace,
you've got to begin with electing grace. You've got to begin with
God's sovereign choice of his people before time began. It's
called the election of grace. You know, when I read where he
separated me from my mother's womb, I know that's an act of
His grace, because if there were any other reason, I wouldn't
have been separated. It's the free and sovereign grace of God.
When you talk about His grace, you talk about His justifying
grace, wherein He makes a sinner just. I love this more now than I ever
have, that even though in and of myself I'm nothing but sin,
I'm just before God, and I really am just because Christ's righteousness
is mine. That's justified grace, redeeming
grace, where he paid for my sin, regenerating grace, where he
gives me life by his grace, preserving grace, where he keeps me from
falling. All of salvation is by grace. Aren't you thankful for that?
Would you want it to be any other way? Salvation is by grace. And Paul looked at these Galatians.
He said, who's bewitched you? What happened? How have you been
so soon removed from him who called you to the grace of Christ
to another gospel? And look what he says in verse
seven, which is not another, but there be some that trouble
you and would pervert or change the gospel of Christ. That's
Galatians chapter one, verse seven. It's not a different gospel
that will save, but it's a perversion. Listen real carefully. No one
is saved by a perverted gospel. Not going to happen. Verse 8,
now look at Paul's language. Paul says, but the we or an angel
from heaven. I don't care if it's me or an
angel. The we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel
unto you than that which we've preached unto you. The gospel
of the grace of Christ. If anybody preaches any other
gospel unto you than that which we've preached unto you, let
him be accursed. Let him be damned. Let him be sent to hell. Now, was Paul being unloving?
Was Paul being harsh? These are the words of God the
Holy Spirit. through the mouth and pen of
Paul. And he says in verse 9, just
in case you didn't hear me, as we said before, so say I now
again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that
which you've received, let him be accursed. Let him be sent
to hell. Let him be damned upon the return
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, I ask again, Is Paul being
harsh here? No, he's not. Nobody ever had as much love
in their hearts as far as men goes, as Paul does, but he knew
what the issue was. And that's why he speaks this
way. Now look what he says in verse 10. He said, Do I now persuade
men or God? Or do I seek to please men? If
I yet please men, I should not be the servant of Christ. Now,
in this thing of preaching, believe me, I want you to be pleased
with what I say. I'd be lying if I said I didn't.
I want you to be pleased. I want everybody to rejoice in
what I'm saying. I want you to believe what I'm saying. I want
you to glory in what I'm saying is the very truth of God. I want
that. That being said, if God is pleased with what I'm saying,
and nobody in this room is pleased, that's okay. That's okay. The only one I really care about
being pleased with what I'm saying is God himself. And I tell you
what, if you're a believer, you don't want to hear anybody but
that person who has that attitude. Now, if I'm a man pleaser, If
what I'm seeking to do is please men in my preaching and teaching,
I am not the servant of Christ. That's what Paul says. Look at
the language of this. For do I now persuade men, or God, or
do I seek to please men? If I yet please men, I should
not be the servant of Christ. Verse 11. But I certify you,
I assure you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached
of me is not after man. It was not derived from any human
source. Perversions of the gospel are
designed to please men, aren't they? That's the purpose. Here's an example. Here's an
example of the perversion of the gospel. I don't know how
many people, most, a lot of folks, for instance, who believe They
say, well, God did choose who would be saved, and they're the
only ones who will be saved, but Jesus Christ died savingly
for everybody. He only elected some, but he
died for everybody. And we've got to say that because
you can't really call on men to repent and believe unless
you can assure them that Christ died for them. All that is, is pleasing the
flesh. Nothing else. There's no other
motive for something like that, it's trying to make the gospel
more palatable. God elected a people, Christ
died for the elect, only the elect, and accomplished their
salvation. Now that's the truth. And anything
contrary to that is a perversion of the gospel. Perversions of
the gospel are designed to please men, therefore they have men
as their source, But Paul says, I certify you, brethren, that
the gospel was preached of me was not after man. It was not
derived from any human source. It was not to please men. Look
what it says in verse 12. For I neither received it of
man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus
Christ. Now, Paul says, man didn't give
this to me. Man didn't teach this to me. What I got, I got
directly from the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Now here's the authority. Here's
the authority. The gospel I'm preaching came
directly to me from the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul was the man
that God used to expound the gospel. Nobody taught him. Remember in 2 Corinthians where
it says he was taken up into the third heaven? And that's
where the Lord taught him the gospel. And his gospel had divine
authority. And a gospel that is not Paul's
gospel is not God's gospel. You see, this is God's gospel
that he gave to Paul to give to us. And what these teachers
were doing, they were seeking to discredit Paul. And in doing
that, they were discrediting the divine authority of his message. So he says, I neither received
it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of
Jesus Christ. The revelation of Christ. That's
what the gospel is, the uncovering, the revealing of Jesus Christ. Now, this gospel is utterly unique.
There's nothing like it. He's the author of it. He's the
subject of it. His glory is the motive of it.
It's the gospel concerning his son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
And this is a perfect gospel. It can't be improved. It exactly
suits my needs. I need a salvation that is all
of grace. That's what I need. I need that. And that's precisely what his
gospel is. It's a perfect gospel. And the
false teachers were seeking to discredit Paul. Look back a few
pages in 2 Corinthians 11. Verse 13. For such are false apostles,
deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles
of Christ. And no marvel, for Satan himself,
the devil, the prince of this earth, Satan himself is transformed
into an angel of light. Therefore, it's no great thing
if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness,
whose ends are thee according to their works. Back to Galatians
1. Now, these men were seeking to
discredit Paul, and so he says, the gospel that I received, I
didn't receive it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation
of Jesus Christ. And then he gives us some biographical
information, verse 13. He says, for you've heard of
my conversation in times past in the Jews' religion. I was
in the Jews' religion. And I, and how that beyond measure
I persecuted the Church of God and wasted it and profited in
the Jews' religion above many mine equals of mine own nation,
being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
Now, what he's referring to at this time is these Judaizers
who are coming in. He says, I know, and I was one
of them. I understand what was going on. Turn back to Acts chapter
15. Here's what he's referring to.
Acts chapter 15. This is what was happening in the churches
of Galatia. Verse 1, Acts chapter 15. And certain men, which came
down from Judea, the church of Jerusalem, taught the brethren
and said, except you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you
cannot be saved. Yes, it's true salvation by grace,
but you also need to be circumcised when therefore Paul and Barnabas
had no small dissension and disputation with them. They determined that
Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to
Jerusalem and to the apostles and elders about the question.
Look down in verse, well, verse three, and being brought on their
way by the church, they passed through Pharnacia and Samaria,
declaring the conversion of the Gentiles, and this caused great
joy with all the brethren. And when they were come to Jerusalem,
they were received in the church and the apostles and elders,
and they declared all the things that God had done with them.
But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees, which
believed, saying that it was needful to circumcise them and
to command them to keep the law of Moses. Now, these are the
people that Paul is speaking of. Now, back to our text in
Galatians chapter one, he says, I know something about the Jews
religion. Verse 13, for you heard of my conversation in times past
in the Jews religion. How that beyond measure, I persecuted
the church of God and wasted it. I believe it was my moral
obligation to persecute those who didn't believe the way I
did. I thought they were so wrong. I thought I'd be serving God
and doing it. He said in verse 14, I profited in the Jews' religion
above mine equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly
zealous of the tradition of my father's. I was going places. I was somebody. Verse 15, but. Thank God for the buts of Scripture.
But I was going to hell thinking I was serving God. In Genesis, chapter 6, verse 5,
we read, And God saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth,
and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was
only evil continually. And verse 8 says, But Noah found
grace in the eyes of the Lord. Aren't you thankful for the buts
of the Scripture? But God. who is rich in mercy for his
great love, wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in
sins, hath quickened us together with Christ by grace, for you
say, Aren't you thankful for the buts of Scripture, but God?
But, he says in verse fifteen, when it pleased God, I was running in a mad dash to
hell, Paul says, thinking I was serving God, but when it pleased
God. When were you saved, Paul? When
it pleased God. When it pleased God. Now, the
only reason Paul was saved and the only reason that you or I
will enter in heaven is because it pleases God. That's the only
reason. God's sovereign choice. There is no other reason. The
Lord said, I thank thee, O Father. Lord of heaven and earth, because
you have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed
them unto babes, even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy
sight." Turn with me to 1 Corinthians
chapter 4 for a moment. The pleasure of God, it pleased
God. When it pleased God, it separated
me from my mother's womb. Paul asks this question in verse
7 of 1 Corinthians chapter 4. For who maketh thee to differ
from another? Now, right now, there are people
who don't have any interest in the gospel. They're all excited
about the soccer game today, and I understand that. I am too.
I hope the United States wins. But they're interested in all
kinds of things. They're interested in all the
different stuff going on, and they have no interest in the
gospel. How come you're not one of them? There's somebody else in a church,
or so-called church, where salvation by works is being taught, and
they believe it, and they're there, and you're not. Why is
that? It could be that somebody sitting
beside you really has no love for Christ. And you do. Why? Verse 7, who makes you to
differ from somebody else? And what do you have that you
didn't receive? Now, who makes me to differ? I'm here because I want to be. I want to be. That's why I'm
here. Who made me to differ? I love
the Lord Jesus Christ. Somebody else doesn't. Who made
me to differ? I believe the gospel. Somebody
else doesn't. Is it because I'm smarter or more spiritual or
a better person? Not at all. Here's who made me
to differ. God the Father made me to differ
in eternal election when He separated me from my mother's womb. God
the Son made the difference in redemption when He put away my
sin and I now have no sin. God the Holy Spirit made the
difference when He gave me life. God makes the difference. Remember, this is a reference
to Exodus chapter 11, verse 7. Turn with me there and you'll
see this. Exodus chapter 11. And there shall be a great cry
throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it,
nor shall be like it any more. But," that's one of those buts,
but, "'against the children of Israel shall not a dog move his
tongue, against man or beast, that you may know how that the
Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.'" Who
made Judah differ? Well, if you're a believer, you
know God made you to differ. Now, there are some men who quarrel
with this. They have no problem with a God
they can control. A God that's in their back pocket,
they can decide to let Him save them or not, and He's kind of
waiting on what they decide and will. Nobody has a problem with
that God. But the God who does according
to His will, in the armies of heaven and among the inhabitants
of the earth, and none can say his hand, or say unto him, What
doest thou? That God men have a problem with. But let me remind you of a couple
of things. First, that is the God of the
Bible. Anything short is no God. But let me remind you of something
else. People see no safety in this. That means I don't have
any control over anything, if that's the case. I have no control.
Well, you know, if a man was given absolute sovereignty, I'd
be scared to death. Wouldn't you? You've heard the
saying, power corrupts and absolute power would absolutely corrupt.
Well, it would. You give me absolute power, watch
out. We're all in trouble. But the one who has this absolute
sovereignty is not like a man corrupt. He's altogether righteous. He's altogether just. He's altogether
holy. And it's a good thing for him
to have absolute sovereignty, isn't it? No, it wouldn't be
for me, but for him, all this is the best news that there is. shall not the judge of the earth
do right." This is a reason to rejoice. Now back to our text
in Galatians chapter 1. He says, When it pleased God
who separated me from my mother's womb. You remember what he said
to Jeremiah in Jeremiah chapter 1, verses 4 and 5? before I formed thee in the belly,
I knew thee. Before you had any existence,
before you were born, before you were conceived, I knew you. Now God only knows somebody who's
a person, doesn't he? He doesn't know a non-existent
person. God's elect have always been in the Lord Jesus Christ. And he's always known him. And
he's always known me. Before I formed thee in the belly,
I mean, well, doesn't he know everybody? Well, he knows who
everybody is, no doubt. But what did the Lord mean when
he said, depart from me ye that work iniquity? I never knew you.
He never knew him like this. But he knows all of his people
just like this, separated from my mother's womb, and he called
me by his grace." God's will, would it please God,
God's action, he separated me from my mother's womb, and God's
calling. He called me by his grace. This is the same call Paul was
speaking of when he said, and we know that all things work
together for good to them that love God, to them who are the
called according to his purpose, for whom he did foreknow. Then
he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his
son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover,
whom he did predestinate, then he also Whom he called, then
he also justified. Whom he justified, then he also
glorified. This is talking about the call
of irresistible grace. Lazarus, come forth. What did
Lazarus do? He came forth. Zacchaeus, make
haste and come down. Today I must abide at the house.
You know what Zacchaeus did? He made haste and he came down.
This is the effectual, irresistible, invincible call of God's sovereign
grace. He says, live and you live. But note this next statement. Verse 15, but when it pleased
God who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by
his grace to reveal his son. What's the next word? In me. Not to me, but in me. Now why that distinction? If Christ is merely revealed
to me, it won't do me any good because of me. I'll lose it. If it's just a revelation to
my mind where all of a sudden I know something I didn't know
before, it will not do me any good. But notice Paul didn't
say he's revealed to me, although he was in some measure, but that's
not the language he uses. He was revealed in me. Christ in you, the hope of glory. Look in Galatians chapter 2,
verse 20. Paul said, I'm 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. He said in verse 19 of chapter
4, my little children of whom I prevail in birth again till
Christ be formed Now this is the new creation, Christ in you. What's all this mean? I believe the gospel. And I know that it's Christ in
me. I know that. I have a love for
God. I have a love for His Word. I
have a love for His people. I really do. And I know this,
it's Christ in me. I can't give, my flesh doesn't
give any credit at all. It's Christ in me. And I know
this, when He revealed His Son in me, that's when I believed
when Christ was in me. The new creation. This is what
this is speaking of, the new creation, Christ in you, not
just where you get your theology straight, you get some doctrines
and facts right now. It's Christ in you, the hope
of glory. Look in Galatians, chapter six,
verse six, 15. For in Christ Jesus, here's where
I want to be is in Christ or in Christ Jesus. Neither circumcision
avails anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creature, a new creation. I love the way creation describes
salvation, the new creation, Christ in you. Reveal the sun
in you, the new creation is understood in light of the old creation.
In the old creation, And the new creation had the same author,
don't they? God. What was the first thing
in the old creation? Light. Light. What's the first thing in the
new creation? Light. The light of who God is, the
light of how he saves. The first creation came out of
nothing. God created something from nothing.
It's the same in the new creation, isn't it? He didn't work with
anything in you. He made you what you were not.
The Spirit and the Word gave the old creation its being, and
it's the same in the new creation. The same power that created the
world sustains it, and it's the same in the new creation. And
when the Lord finished the old creation, He looked at it and
He said, It's very good. And when God does this new creation,
He looks at it and He says, It's very good. It's perfect. That's
the new creation. Now, Christ in you the hope of
glory. Now let's go back to Galatians
1. When it pleased God who separated
me from my mother's womb and called me by His grace to reveal
His Son in me, that I might preach Him. I'm amazed that I might preach
Him. I preach who he is. Here's what
I'm preaching right now. Jesus Christ is God. He's the
creator of the universe. He's the one who's in control.
You're in his hands right now. He's God and he's man. There's
a man in glory right now. The God-man Christ Jesus. I preach who he is. And I preach what he did. What'd
he do? When he said it is finished,
the salvation of the elect was accomplished. My salvation was
accomplished when he said it is finished. Didn't have anything
to do with my works. I wasn't even born when it was finished. I preach where he is. Seated at the right hand of the
Father. And I preach what he's doing.
He's ruling and he's reigning. And he is mighty to save all
who call upon his name. And if you call upon his name,
he'll save you. That is the Lord Jesus Christ. God called me to preach him among
the heathen. He himself is our message. And
look what he says next. to reveal his son in me, that
I might preach him among the heathen, immediately I conferred
not with flesh and blood." If God reveals himself to you,
you don't have to check out your faith with other men to see if
they agree with it. It doesn't have to be buttressed by the
flesh. You don't have to check it out with me. Somebody says,
would you say I've had people ask me, I guess, because I'm
a preacher. They say, well, do you think I'm saved? What difference does it
make what I think? If I think you are, it doesn't
mean you are. And if I think you're not, it doesn't mean you're
not. It doesn't make any difference what I think. When God reveals
his gospel to you, you don't need to check out commentaries
to see if it lines up with the commentaries and what did preachers
of the past think and what did it, who cares? You don't confer
with flesh and blood, because you know this is the truth. And
you don't need some man to buttress your faith. You know this is
God's truth. Turn to 1 Thessalonians 2. Verse
13. For this cause also, thank we
God without ceasing. Because when you receive the
word of God, which you heard of us, you received it not as
the word of men. Now, if you've been listening
to this message and you think, well, this is his interpretation.
This is his opinion. This is what he thinks or this
is what this church believes. You've not heard. You've just
not heard. When you hear the truth and the
power of the Holy Spirit, you know, look what he says, for
this cause, verse 13, Thank we God without ceasing, because
when you receive the word of God which you heard of us, you
received it, not as the word of men, but as it is in truth,
the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. I preached the Word of God this
morning. Do you believe? Do you believe? Do you rely on Jesus Christ the
as your only righteousness before God? Are you relying on the fact
that he's in heaven representing you before the Father? Are you
relying on the fact, and it's a fact, that his precious blood
is all that's needed to make you clean before God? Are you
relying on him? When your name is called upon
in judgment day, what are you going to say? Are you going to
look to Him to answer for you? That's what it is to rely on
Him. One hundred percent. Do, are
you, am I, one of these people who believe? Well, if I am, I
can certainly enter into what He says when it please God. When we say it, when it please
God. who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by
His grace to reveal His Son in me. And if He's in you, you know
what that means. And if He's not in you, you have no idea
what I'm talking about. I can't do anything about that. But if
He's in you, you know the only reason you believe is because
He's in you. Christ in you, the hope of glory. There was a time
when you didn't believe, and now you do. And you know why.
It's because He's in you. It didn't come from you. It came
from Him. To reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among
the heathen. Immediately. I didn't consult
with the flesh about this. This is the Word of God. Let's
pray together.