Okay, we're turning now to Galatians
3, and my text this evening is taken from verse 6 of Galatians
3 down through verse 14. The title of this message is
found in verse 12. Verse 12. Excuse me, verse 11. The just shall live by faith. Or the justified shall live by
Christ. Live by Christ. Now Paul is continuing
in this chapter his rebuke to those believers there at Galatia,
plainly declaring how foolish it would be to listen to those
who said believers in Christ must also be circumcised, must
also obey the law, must also seek God's acceptance by the
deeds of the law in order to be really justified and to be
really saved. What they were saying was this,
and this is why he said, are you so foolish? Are you so foolish? Thinking that Christ is not enough? Is the Lord Jesus Christ enough
in salvation? If He's all you've got by His
grace, He is enough. Christ is all and in all. In the Lord Jesus Christ dwells
all the fullness of the Godhead bodily and in Christ Jesus we
as believers are complete. Completely justified, completely
sanctified, completely redeemed. The Lord has made unto us wisdom,
righteousness, Sanctification and redemption. No wonder he
says, how foolish would it be to seek salvation by any other
means than Christ crucified alone. Christ crucified. We are determined
as Paul, not to know anything among you except the Lord Jesus
Christ and Him crucified. Now, a few weeks ago we considered
these five questions here. in verses 1 down through verse
5, where he says in verse 3, Are you so foolish, having begun
in the Spirit? Are you now made perfect by the
flesh? Do you start by the Spirit and
then perfect salvation by what you do or what you bring? No! How foolish it would be! So to
make good on that argument, He brings before them Abraham showing
a sinner who was justified before circumcision was given, before
the law was given, to show them and to demonstrate that Abraham
was justified exactly the same way He saves every sinner. The same way, by grace alone
through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Abraham, Paul uses him
as an example and demonstrates that Abraham was justified before
the law was given. Therefore, he concludes that
circumcision and the giving of the law at Sinai had nothing
to do with his salvation. Zero. What was Abraham doing
when God called him? Where did God find Abram? He
was in the land of idolatry, in the house of idolatry. He
wasn't seeking the Lord. He was seeking and worshipping
idols with his fathers. And God called him out. By his
irresistible grace, God called him out and said, Abraham, you
get out of your father's house. Leave the house of idolatry and
go into the land that I'm going to show you. And you know what?
God called him to leave and you know what? He left. Abraham believed
God and it was reckoned to him for a justifying righteousness
before God Almighty. Now what did he believe? He believed
by revelation of God Almighty that salvation was totally in
and through and by the Lord Jesus alone. Remember what the Lord
says of Abraham? He rejoiced to see My day. He
saw it. and was glad. He was rejoicing
in the same gospel that we rejoice in. Salvation, mercy to the ungodly. He justifies the ungodly by His
grace alone. Justified freely by His grace
through the redemption that is in the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore
He says in verse 6 of Galatians 3, even as Abraham believed God,
Now, Abraham believing God was not something attributed to Abraham's
intellect. It wasn't something that was
attributed to Abraham's deeds. He believed God because God gave
him life. And the fruit of life, the fruit
of regeneration, is faith. Faith is not the cause. Faith
is the fruit. of life." Whosoever believes
that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. Abraham believed God
just as we believe God. Why do you believe God? Why do
you believe the gospel? We believe, it says in Ephesians
chapter 1, we believe according to the working of His mighty
power which He brought in us according to his own good pleasure.
That's how we believe God. It's not something that blooms
up in our heart. Saving faith is not native to
this old wretched heart. Saving faith is a fruit of the
Spirit. Love, joy, peace, long-suffering,
meekness, temperance, faith. Faith is a gift of God. So he's
saying that Abraham was justified freely by God's grace just as
every sinner is saved by grace alone in Christ Jesus. And that's the point he's making
here. Even as Abraham, oh, he believed God. He believed God. And you know what? It says there,
it was reckoned to him for righteousness. He had a justifying righteousness
before God. Now, what is this justifying
righteousness? I'll tell you what it is. It's the Lord, our
righteousness. It's the Lord Jesus Christ who
is described in Scripture who is our righteousness before God. And he believed him, blessed
is the man to whom the Lord would impute righteousness without
works. Romans 4 verse 6. Now I realize that this doesn't
set well with this religious world. They think that God has
done a part. and that we must do a part and
we bring the two parts together and then we have a whole. That's
not salvation as it's recorded in God's book. Salvation from
the get-go Salvation from election, the glorification, and everything
that's involved in between, all of it is the work of God Almighty
who works all things after the counsel of His own will through
the praise of the glory of His grace. It was counted to Him
for righteousness, a justifying righteousness before God Almighty
found in the Lord Jesus Christ alone. Alone. He brought in for
His people an everlasting righteousness. Now, the Lord Jesus, as the God-man
mediator, as the God-man, He needed no righteousness for Himself,
for He is the righteous God. He is the righteous God, but
as the God-man, He's working out a perfect righteousness for
His covenant people. and that He freely gives to them
by His grace." Now, notice what it says in verse 7, "...know
ye therefore that they," and He repeats this over and over
again, "...they which are of faith." And it's the same as
saying that those who are of Christ, of Christ, those who
are of Him, By His election, by His redemption, those which
are of faith, the same, the same are the children of Abraham. Same, the same. Those granted
and given the faith of God to elect like Abraham are the true
sons of God. Notice in the last part of chapter
3 in Galatians, verse 26, He says, "...for you are all the
children of God by faith in Christ. For as many of you have been
baptized into Christ, put in Him, immersed into Him." It's
not talking about water there. It's talking about grace, regeneration,
have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek.
Now, the Law made a great distinction among races, but not in the Gospel. There is neither Jew nor Greek.
There is neither bond nor free. There is neither male nor female.
You are all one in Christ. Now look at verse 29. And if
you be Christ, notice, if you be His, apostrophe S, that means
He owns us. That means we are no more our
own. We are bought with His blood. If you be Christ, then are you
Abraham's seed. He's not talking about a natural
seed there, is he? He's talking about the spiritual
seed, the elect of God. Heirs according, look what it
says, heirs according. Now we're going to talk a lot
about this word here, promise, in the weeks to come. He's an
heir of God, a joint heir with the Lord Jesus Christ, an heir
according to God's promise. God promised to save a multitude
of sinners out of every tribe, kindred, nation, tongue under
heaven, through the blood redemption of the Lord Jesus Christ. And
they sing that song unto him who loved me, and gave himself
for me, and washed me in his own blood. The same are the children
of Abraham, spiritually. Now you remember the story of
Zacchaeus? You remember that story? Zacchaeus was a Jew. He
was a natural descendant of Abraham. Well, one day the Lord came walking
by, and Zacchaeus was a publican. I believe he was the chief of
the publicans. And he climbed up that sycamore tree, had an
interest that God gave him in seeing the Lord Jesus Christ.
And the Lord looked up at that tree and said, Zacchaeus, make
haste and come down, for I must abide at your house. And he came
down. And the Lord went home with him.
Remember what the Lord said? He also is a son of Abraham? For as much as He came to seek
and to save that which is lost, for as much as He also is a son
of Abraham? Wait a minute now. All those
Jews around there were sons of Abraham, not like Zacchaeus.
He was one of those spiritual sons of Abraham, called and saved
by God's sovereign mercy, God's sovereign grace. The same are
the children of Abraham. Justified just like Abraham. Now look at verse 8. And the
Scripture foreseeing, the Scripture foreordaining. Now who wrote
the Scripture? All Scripture is God breathed,
all Scripture is God given. The Scripture foreseeing, God
foreordaining that He would justify the heathen. That's me. That's Abraham. You remember
what we read in Romans 4? He justifieth who? The ungodly. It says in Romans
5, 6 that he died for who? He died for the ungodly. Charles Spurgeon made this statement.
He said, if I had all eternity just to preach five words, it
would be those five words. Christ died for the ungodly. That's a good message. The Scripture
foreseeing that God would justify. Who is He that justifies? Who
can lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God who
justifies. Who can condemn me? It is Christ
who has died. Yea, rather, is risen again. Who also ascended. Who is even
at the right hand of God. Who also makes intercession for
us. That God would justify the heathen. Now, how does God justify the
ungodly? How can He be just and justify
the ungodly? There's only one way. Not by
my works, but by His grace. That He would justify the heathen
through faith. Faith. Not law. Faith. Look what it says in verse 8.
God preached before the gospel. God preached the gospel to Abraham. You see that. Wouldn't you like
to have heard that sermon? It's written for us in Genesis
chapter 12, Genesis chapter 15, and here's what it says, "...in
thee shall all nations be blessed." That is, in Christ, all nations
shall be blessed. Now look in the same chapter,
Galatians 3, Luke verse 16, "...now to Abraham and his seed Notice
that singular, where the promise is made, he saith not unto seeds
as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed which is Christ. Christ. In thee shall all nations
be blessed. Him. In Christ, God has chosen
a multitude of sinners and is determined to populate glory
with a people just like the Lord Jesus Christ." You know, that's
what predestination is all about. Turn to Romans 8. Every time
it's used in the Bible, I believe it's used, what, four times?
Every time it's used in the Bible, it's in reference to what God
is going to do with the people, and He's going to determine,
He determined and decreed to make a people just like His Son. Look at what it says here in
Romans 8, "...for whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate
to be conformed to the image of His Son." Verse 29, "...that
He might be the firstborn among many brethren, Moreover, whom
he did predestinate, them he also called, and whom he called,
them he also justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified."
God Almighty had determined, predestinated to populate glory
with a people just like His Son. I don't know why people kick
at predestination. I know one thing, they don't
believe God. You know who believes in predestination? You know,
the sinner who believes in God's predestinating grace, you know
who does? Those who are predestinated to
be conformed to the image of His Son. I'm glad He predestinated
a people to be just like Christ. Had He not decreed that, none
would have been saved apart from God's predestinating grace. If
a man said, well, I don't like that predestination stuff, and
that's what I hear all the time. You know what he's saying? He's
saying this, he's saying he doesn't want to be like Christ, because
that's what predestination is all about. Thank God! He's determined to make sinners
just like His blessed Son. So the conclusion then, that
he makes here in Galatians 3 verse 9, so then, they which be of
faith, faith is a gift of God, they which be of faith, are blessed,
are blessed. Oh, who is a blessed man? Who is a blessed man? I know
whom this ungodly world would consider to be a blessed man,
that man who has health, that man who has strength, That man
who has not only health and strength, but he has wealth. The man who
has popularity and political pull and political power. They
say, well, that man is, boy, he's blessed. No, he's not. He's cursed. Cursed is a man that trusteth
in man who maketh flesh his arm. Those who are blessed are those
who believe God's gospel. concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. So then they which be of faith
are blessed, are blessed with faithful Abraham. God hath blessed
his people with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in
the Lord Jesus Christ. All spiritual blessings are given
to us. He that spared not his own son.
You remember that scripture in Romans 8 verse 32, just down
from where we read. God who spared not His own Son,
but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also
freely give us all things? And you know, I like that word,
not only all things, but freely give us all things in Christ
Jesus. So then, the conclusion, they
which be of faith, they which be of Christ, are blessed with
faithful Abraham." Abraham was faithful because God gave him
life in Christ Jesus and He made him so. Let us not be so foolish
to think we can be justified any other way. That's why he
starts this whole section of this letter by accusing them
of being foolish to seek salvation any other way but in Christ Jesus. There is no other name under
heaven given among men whereby we must be saved but in Christ. He said, I am the way, I am the
truth, I am the life. He said, no man, no man comes
unto me, comes unto the Father but by and through me. in Christ
Jesus. Oh, I tell you, it's not only
foolish, it's deadly. It's deadly to seek God's favor
any other way but in and through and by the Lord Jesus Christ
alone. Now look at verse 10. For as
many as, as many as are of the works of the law are under the
curse of that law. For it is written, it is written,
God says this, it is written, Deuteronomy 27, 26, it is written,
Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written
in the book of the law to do them. To do them. All who seek to be justified
by the deed of the law, works of the flesh, thinking that they
are blessed and accepted by their deeds, are not blessed at all. They're under the judgment of
God. You see what he's saying there? Those who seek salvation
by the works of the law are under the curse of that law, under
the curse of that law. Now those people, and I've said
this often, and I believe it's so, those people who take what
we call the ten, and that's just a summation of that whole law,
the Levitical law, the ceremonial law, the moral law, all those
laws, they tell me there are seven or eight hundred precepts,
but those ten, probably the summation of that, of God's law given at
Sinai, but those who, and I don't know if you have this around
here, but they used to, up our way, they printed out a bunch
of these on a blue sign, And people would take and stick them
in their yard, thinking that they're accepting
or thinking that if they do those things that they'll have favor
of God or acceptance with God. Well, the problem is, that God
set that standard so high that we cannot keep God's law and
to try to seek His favor by doing the law, we bring nothing upon
ourselves, not blessing, but judgment. Matter of fact, you
take that sign and stick it under your yard, you know what you're
saying? You're holding up your hand and you're saying, I'm cursed.
If you're seeking to be justified by those Ten Commandments, you're
not blessed, you're cursed. are under the curse of the law
for it is written. Now watch it. Cursed is everyone
that continueth not in all things which are written in the book
of the law, not just to hear them, not just to see them, do
them. Do them. Love God with all your heart,
soul, mind, and strength. That's what he requires. Impossible
in his flesh. And God put it that way on purpose
to drive us to despair, to drive us to despair that we might see
the law honored in the substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now look
what it says in verse 11. But that no man, no man. Do you understand what no means?
Well, my boys were little tykes. I've got two boys that are grown.
Well, they're grown, they're working on being young men. They're
still in their early 20s. They're grown up in stature physically,
but between years, that takes about 20 more years. But I used
to tell them when they were little tykes, when I would say, no,
don't do that. And then I'd follow it up by,
what part of no don't you understand? No means no. And that's what
he's saying here. No man, no sinner is justified
by the law in the sight of God. It is evident, it is evident,
it is plain, it is plain. It's recorded in Habakkuk, in
Romans, and in Hebrews 10. For it is written, it's plain,
it's evident, the just, or those who are justified shall live
by Christ. We live by faith, not by law. Not by law. We live by faith
in Christ Jesus. Turn to Romans chapter 3. Back
to Romans and look at Romans chapter 3. This is such an important
lesson that we understand this, that we're not justified by law. We're justified in Christ Jesus. And there's so much confusion
in religion today about the law. What's your position on the law?
Dead. Dead. The law has already executed
me. The law has already taken and
exacted its full penalty upon me. I'm dead to it. How so? Crucified
with Christ. Dead. Dead to the law. Look what
it says here in Romans 3. Now we know that what things
however, verse 19, the law saith to them who are under the law
that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become
guilty before God. Therefore, because we're guilty,
we've violated God's law, we've broken the law, let's face it,
we're guilty. Therefore by the deeds of the
law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight, for by the law
is the knowledge of sin, not the removal. But now, the righteousness
of God. That's a key phrase in Scripture.
The righteousness of God. The righteousness that's of Him. That comes from Him. He's the
source of it, the fountain of it, the spring of it. The righteousness
of God. And that's the Gospel. That's
Christ. Without the law is manifested
being witnessed by the law and the prophets. They all spoke
of Christ. Even the righteousness of God
which is by the faith of Jesus Christ. Now, it doesn't say faith
in Christ. It says the faith of Jesus Christ. He was obedient
unto death, even the death of the law. He honored every precept
of the law, and in His death, He honored the penalty of the
law, which is by the faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon
all them that believe. There's no difference. There's
no difference. For all have sinned that come short of the glory
of God. This is one of my favorite verses right here. I love this
verse. I love all of God's Word, but
I love this verse particularly. "...being justified freely by
His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus," verse
25, "...whom God has set forth. He foreordained Him," that's
what the word means, "...foreordained Him to be the mercy seat, the
satisfaction, the satisfying atoning victim through faith
in His blood." to declare His righteousness for the remission
of sins that are past, through the forbearance and longsuffering
of God. To declare, I say at this time,
His righteousness, that He might be just, and the justifier of
him which believes in our blessed Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. That is evident. No man is justified
by the law on the side of God. It is evident. The just shall
live by faith. Now look at verse 12. Christ hath redeemed us, it says in
verse 13, from the curse of the law. Verse 12, and the law, the
law is not of faith. The law is not of faith. The
law doesn't require faith. What does the law require? Do,
do, perfectly, do. The man that doeth them, he must
live in them." If you're going to go to the law, you're going
to have to go all the way. The man that doeth them shall
live in them. And the reference there, if you
want to jot it down, is to Leviticus 18.5. If you're going to be so
foolish to seek to please God by the deeds of the law, you
cannot live by faith in Christ. Justification by works and justification
by grace and faith in Christ are totally, totally incompatible. It says that in Romans chapter
11, doesn't it? Let's turn over there and read
that. Romans chapter 11. That is, grace and works don't
mix. Romans 11 verse 5, Even so then
at this present time, also there is a remnant according to the
election of grace, And if by grace, then it's no more of works. Otherwise, grace is no longer
any more grace. But if it be of works, then it's
no more grace. Otherwise, work would not be
work. It can't be both. And salvation in this book, as
it's taught from Genesis to Revelation, salvation is all by grace through
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, verse 13. Now here's the good news of the
gospel. The Lord Jesus Christ hath already
done redeemed, past tense, us. That word redeemed there means
bought. It means delivered. It means
the ransom has been paid and we have been set free. He is
our kinsman redeemer. Christ hath redeemed us from
the curse, the judgment of the law that was against us, that
was contrary to us, it says in Colossians 2. He took it out
of the way, nailed it to His cross, having spoiled principalities
and powers, triumphing over them Himself. He is victorious. Christ hath redeemed us from
the curse of the law. How did He do that? Look what
it says there. Being made a curse for us. For it is written, Deuteronomy
21, it is written, cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree. Here's the good news of the gospel.
Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed. Redeemed, how I love to proclaim
it. You remember how we started this lesson back in Galatians
chapter 1? Turn over there. Galatians chapter
1. It's unto Him who loved us and
washed us from our sin in His own blood. He's redeemed us. He's delivered us. Look at what
it says. Galatians 1 verse 3. Grace be to you and peace from
God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself
for our sins, that He might redeem us. deliver us from this present
evil world, and it's all according to the will of God and our Father,
to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Redeemed. Redeemed. Oh, redeemed by the
blood atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. Redeemed from all wrath
and judgment. There is therefore now, right
now, no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. No judgment. God's justice, the
old songwriter said, God's justice can't twice demand. First at
my bleeding surety's hand, and then again at mine. Can He demand
justice twice? No. That would make Him unjust.
And He's not unjust. If all the judgment of my sin
fell upon the Lord Jesus Christ, then there is no judgment left
for those. The debt's been paid, and it's
paid by His blood, redeemed, redeemed by the blood of the
Lamb. Now look what it says here, in verse 13, "...being made a
curse for us." Now, He took our sin to Himself, right? It says
in 1 Peter 2, 24, that He bare our sin in His own body on the
tree. Now, He had no sin, the Scripture
said. Scripture said He knew no sin.
Scripture said He did no sin. Yet on Calvary's tree, There
our sin was reckoned to Him, the Scripture said our sin was
laid on Him. God put all the sin of God's
elect, God's people, His sheep, upon the Lord Jesus Christ. And
in bearing our sin, John said, Behold the Lamb of God who takes
our sin, and then He takes them away, in that He put them away
by His sacrifice. The blood of Christ cleanses
us from all sin. He took our sin. That is, He
died in our room and in our stead. The just for the unjust that
He might bring us to God. God made Him to be sin for us
who knew no sin. That we might be made the righteousness
of God in Him. There's that righteousness of
God in Him. So He took our sin, and in taking
our sin, He took my punishment. The wrath of God. You remember
that scripture in Zechariah, a Waco sword? A Waco sword, the
sword of His justice against the Lamb, against the Lord Jesus
Christ, and a white hot sword of God's holy justice on Calvary's
tree was plunged into the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ. As
He was made sin for us, smite the shepherd, saith the Lord
of hosts. He took our sin to Himself, and
in taking our sin, He took our judgment, and in taking our judgment,
He put sin away by the sacrifice of Himself. Oftentimes, people
ask this question. What's your theory on the atonement?
You want my pat answer back is, we don't have a theory. We have
an atonement. It's not a theory. It's an atonement. The atonement of the Lord Jesus
Christ is particular, powerful, prevailing, and perpetual. He obtained for us eternal redemption
with His own blood. We don't have an attemptment.
We have an atonement for sin. And that's what we have. He made
complete atonement for all the sin of those children of Abraham. call his name Jesus, he shall
save his people from their sin." And my friend, when he said it's
finished, that's exactly what he meant, it's done, it paid
in full. He redeemed us from the curse
of the law, being made a curse for us, being made sin for us. Substitution and satisfaction. Now it says there in the last
part of verse 13, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree."
Now, you can go back and study this in Deuteronomy, but according
to the law. Have you ever wondered why the
Lord Jesus was hung on a tree? It was according to the law,
to fulfill the law. Those who were found guilty of
a capital crime that required death according to the law, they
were to be stoned and then hung out on a tree in a public display
to demonstrate that the curse of God was upon them. And that's
exactly what happened at Calvary's tree. He was hung out on a tree
to publicly demonstrate that the wrath of God fell on him
as God's sacrifice for sin. And it's offered the blood on
the altar, the blood of the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. Do
you know it's not offered to men? That's it. You got it. You got it. You read
back through those Leviticus and Exodus and Deuteronomy, all
the way to blood on the altar before the Lord. You see, this
is God's sacrifice for sin. The blood of the Lord Jesus Christ
is not a sacrifice that is offered to men. It's God's Lamb. It's
God's Lamb. And you know what? He is well
satisfied. That which God has provided is
that which He will accept. He said, ìThis is My beloved
Son in whom I am well pleased.î How do we know He was pleased
and the death of the Lord Jesus Christ and His blood sacrifice
was sufficient and satisfying unto God? How do we know that?
God raised Him up from the dead. He was delivered from our offenses
and raised again because He did justify us with His blood. That's
what happened at Calvary. He did justify us. Now, in closing,
verse 14, and we'll look at this a little more closely next week.
That, or in order to, or to order, in order that the blessing of
Abraham might come on the heathen, Gentile, through Jesus Christ. that we might receive the promise,
the promise of the Spirit through faith, the promise of all spiritual
blessings in Christ Jesus. Christ took my judgment that
the whole body of Christ, His church, would be abundantly blessed
in Him. And believers receive all spiritual
blessings in Christ Jesus by God-given faith. Salvation is
received not by doing, but by believing that we might receive
the promise of every spiritual blessing revealed by God the
Holy Spirit through faith in Christ Jesus, in whom you also
trusted after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your
salvation, in whom also after that you believed, you were sealed
with the Holy Spirit of promise." Now we'll look at this word here,
promise. in the weeks to come in a greater detail, all the
promises of God in Christ Jesus are yes, and in Him, and in Him. Is there salvation in Him? Yes. Is there redemption in Him? Yes.
This is the promise of God, to save a multitude of sinners in
Christ Jesus alone.