Let us open our Bibles this evening
once again to Galatians chapter 3. Tonight we will be looking
at verses 6 through 18. Galatians chapter 3. Even as Abraham believed God,
and it was accounted to him for righteousness, know you therefore
that they which are of faith The same are the children of
Abraham. And the scripture, foresaying
that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before
the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the nations
of the earth be blessed. So then they which be of faith
are blessed with faithful Abraham. 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 a faith, but
the man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed
us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. For
it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree, that
the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through
Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through
faith. Brethren, I speak after the manner
of men. Though it be but a man's covenant,
yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth or addeth thereto.
Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not
unto seeds, as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed, which
is Christ. In this I say, that the covenant
that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which
was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that
it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance
be of the law, it is no more of promise, but God gave it to
Abraham by promise. We looked last time at Paul's
five questions in the first five verses in this chapter. He had
a question in each one of those verses. He continues with the
same subject, and that is of justification by faith. justification
by the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ our Lord. Now
we know that the opposite of justification is condemnation. That's just the opposite. We
have condemnation, we have justification. Listen to these words of the
Lord Jesus Christ in John chapter 3. He that believeth on him,
that is Christ, he that believeth on Christ is not condemned. But he that believeth not is
condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name
of the only begotten Son of God. So, he that believeth on him
is not condemned, then what is he? He's justified. He's justified
because the opposite of condemnation is justification. I want you
to notice tonight, especially in verse 11, these words, in
the sight of God, in the sight of God. They especially stood
out to me as I looked over these verses. Justified in the sight
of God. It is relatively easy to be justified
in the sight of men. Man's standards change and vary,
but not God's. God's standard is absolute perfection,
absolute holiness in thought and in word and in deed. Now I would imagine that that
Pharisee in our Lord's parable that he gave in Luke chapter
18 I would imagine that he was justified in the sight of men. He was certainly justified in
his own sight because you remember he prayed with himself and he
thanked God that he was not as other men are. He said I am outwardly
not guilty of extortion of injustice, of adultery, and I fast and I
give tithes of all that I possess. However, however he may have
been justified in his own sight and in the sight of other men
who knew him, he was not justified in God's sight. And the scripture
tell us our Lord said that he left the temple that day and
went to his house unjustified. Again, he may have been justified
in the sight of other men. He certainly was in his own sight,
but not in the sight of God. This is where it is all important,
to be justified. Not in the sight of men. As I
said, it's relatively easy. to put on a good show, to put
on a good front, to be moral, to be upright in the flesh, and
for others to look at us and think, well, there's a man, there's
a woman, that's a believer, that's a Christian. It's easy to be
justified in the sight of men, but this verse is speaking about
being justified in the sight of God. When we think about being
justified in His sight, think with me just a moment. Declared
righteous, that's what it means. To be declared righteous by God
in His sight. His sight. Remember when Isaiah
was privileged with that vision of God, he saw the Lord high
and lifted up, that he tells us that even the holy angels,
they covered their faces in the presence of God, in the sight
of God. And yet, we're talking about
being justified in the sight of God. Being justified in the
sight of Him whom the prophet Habakkuk said, Thou art of pure
eyes than to behold evil and cannot look on iniquity. Well, the false teachers, these
that we have called Judaizers in this letter of Galatians,
They came among the believers here, and they would turn them
away from the truth of how a person is justified, and that is by
faith. They would turn them away from
this teaching. And I would imagine in their
appeal to these Galatians, they spoke of the things that Paul
mentions here in the verses that we are looking at tonight. I
would imagine that they spoke to them about Abraham, about
the law, and about the covenant. And Paul deals with each of these
in the passage we're looking at tonight. First Abraham, verse
6. Even as Abraham believed God
and it was accounted or imputed to him for righteousness. We may imagine that these Judaizers,
they made an appeal to the Galatians to be circumcised so that they
might become children of Abraham, so that Abraham might be their
father. Now we know that when the Lord
Jesus Christ came into this world, that Judaism, the Jewish religion,
it was such that men trusted in their heritage. They trusted
in the fact that they were the literal, physical descendants
of Abraham. And we see this quite often in
the Gospels. Let me show you a couple of examples.
Turn with me to Matthew chapter 3. Matthew chapter 3. Their hope and their confidence
of being what we would call saved being in a right relationship
with God. It was all based on the fact
that they were descended from Abraham. They were Abraham's
descendants. When John the Baptist came preaching,
the forerunner of Christ, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is
at hand. And notice here in Matthew chapter
3 and verse 7, when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees
come to his baptism. Now these were the religious
elite in Israel. I mean these were the who's who
in the Jews religion, the Pharisees especially. They were the strictest
and the Sadducees as well. And when John saw them coming
to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers,
who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come. Bring forth
therefore fruits made for repentance. Now watch this, and think not
to say within yourselves, we have Abraham to our father. Don't talk to us about repentance
and faith, trust in the Messiah. We be Abraham's children. John said, don't you hide in
that refuge because it is a refuge of lies. Don't take cover. Don't say, we have Abraham to
our father for I say unto you that God is able of these stones
to raise up children unto Abraham and now also the axe is laid
unto the root of the trees therefore every tree every tree not just
being part of the root of the tree Abraham might be called
the root he was a the father of the nation of Israel, they
were all descended from him, but the axe is laid to the root
of the tree. Therefore, every tree which bringeth
not forth fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. And look
at another place, if you will, in John chapter 8, this time
before the Lord Jesus Christ. But the same thing is true. The same thing is true taking
shelter, finding confidence, finding hope in the fact that
they were the descendants of Abraham. In John chapter 8 beginning
with verse 31, Then said Jesus to those Jews
which believed on him, If you continue in my word, then are
you my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth,
and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham's seed. We be Abraham's
seed. And we're never in bondage to
any man. How sayest thou you shall be
made free? Jesus answered them, Verily,
verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant
of sin. And the servant abideth not in
the house forever, but the Son abideth ever. If the Son, therefore,
shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. I know that you
are Abraham's seed, but you seek to kill me, because my word hath
no place in you. I speak that which I have seen
with my father, and you do that which you have seen with your
father. They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father,
Jesus saith unto them, if you were Abraham's children, you
would do the works of Abraham. Now look down also there to verse
57, John chapter 8 and verse 56. Your father Abraham, you say
that you are the children of Abraham, then do the works of
Abraham. Abraham saw my day and he rejoiced. Abraham, in other words, Abraham
believed in Christ who was promised to come. I want you to notice especially
here in this scripture in John 8, In verse 37, and we read this,
but the Lord Jesus acknowledged that they were Abraham's seed. Notice that in verse 37. I know
that you are Abraham's seed. But then look in verse 39. They
answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father, Jesus saith unto
them, if you were Abraham's children. He acknowledged that they were
descendants of Abraham. Abraham's seed, but not his children. You see that? Not his children.
In fact, we didn't read it, but he goes on to tell them their
father was the devil. So the Judaizers no doubt came
among the Galatians and they appealed to them to be circumcised,
submit to the right of circumcision and thus become a child of Abraham. But now notice back in our text,
Paul declares how it was that Abraham was justified in the
sight of God. It was not by circumcision. It
was not by any works that he did. He believed God and Christ
said that he saw his day and rejoiced. Notice in verse 6,
even as Abraham believed God and it It was accounted unto
him for righteousness. It was imputed to him. And it
was not his faith. It wasn't his faith that was
imputed unto him. It wasn't his faith that was
counted unto him for righteousness. And this is brought out very
clearly in Romans chapter 4, because some people would tell
us that it was his faith. But no, it wasn't his faith.
In Romans chapter 4, in verse 20, we read concerning Abraham,
he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but
was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded
that what he had promised, he was able also to perform, and
therefore, It was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it
was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to
him, but for us also to whom it shall be imputed. I'm not
talking about Abraham's faith being imputed unto him, because
the same thing that was imputed unto Abraham is imputed unto
us if we believe. Notice that. But for us also
this was written, to whom it shall be imputed if we believe
on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. Now back to Galatians. Who are
the children of Abraham? If that was something that these
Judaizers told the Galatians, you want to be a child of Abraham,
then submit to circumcision. But who are the children of Abraham? Well, Paul tells us, doesn't
he, in verse 7? Know you therefore that they
which are of faith, those who believe in Christ, they which
are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. Those who
trust in Christ, they are the children of Abraham. And also
in Romans 4 and verse 16, he said, therefore it is of faith
that it might be by grace. To the end, the promise might
be sure to all the seed, and not to that only which is of
the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who
is, now listen, who is the father of us all. To be a child of Abraham
is to be a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Gentiles being
saved in the same way as Abraham is not a new doctrine. They might
accuse Paul of preaching some new doctrine. Paul said, no,
no, this is not a new doctrine. Look here in Galatians 3 and
verse 8. And the scripture foreseeing
that God would justify the heathen, that is the Gentiles through
faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham saying, In thee
shall all nations be blessed. In Christ, in his seed, shall
all nations be blessed. This is not a new teaching, a
new doctrine, Paul says. God, if you look in the book
of Genesis, you will see that God declared this three times
to Abram. Three times he told him, in thee
shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. Once he told
it to his son Isaac, and once he told it to his grandson Jacob. But the covenant that God made
with Abraham in thee, in thy seed, shall all the nations of
the earth be blessed. You look at Revelation chapter
5 and you see that there are those there that Christ has redeemed
out of every tongue and nation and people of all nations of
the earth. You know it seems to be part
of man's depravity. Think about this. It just seems
to be part of our depravity to trust in some connection that
we have with someone that we consider to be religious or to
be a child of God. It just seems that's the case.
You very seldom, or at least as a preacher, a preacher friend
of mine, I heard him tell this story one time, he said, if I
was driving through a bad neighborhood and my car broke down and the
only place I could go in to use a phone was a bar, And he said,
if I went in there to use their phone to call for help for my
car, as soon as they found out I was a preacher in that bar,
he said, I guarantee you if I was only in there five minutes, I
would not get out of there without someone telling me my mother
was a believer, my dad was a preacher, my cousin, you know, he's very
religious. It's just part of depravity. It seems to me like that we all
trust in the fact that we know someone or we're akin to someone
who we believe at least serves the Lord. And yet we know that
our relationship to God is a personal relationship. No one can believe
for me and I cannot believe for anyone else. Each and every one
of us, we must trust Christ for ourself. Now here's the second
thing, the law. First we looked at a few things
concerning Abraham, but notice the law in verse 10. For as many
as are of the works of the law are under the curse. Did the
Judaizers, did they appeal to these Galatians to add to their
trust in Christ, to their faith in Christ, their obedience to
the work of the law. Well, the Apostle Paul states
unequivocally that all, that all, as many as are of the works
of the law are under the curse. As many as. Now we love to use
and look at those three words, don't we? Usually in a different
context as many as. Let's go, let's look at these.
Turn with me to John, the Gospel of John. The Gospel of John chapter 1
and verse number 12. Well, I'll read 11 and 12. He
came unto his own, and his own received him, not but as many
as. As many as received him. To them gave he power to become
the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name, which
were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor
of the will of man, but of God. And then look in John 17. John chapter 17, verses 1 and
2, Father that ours come, glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may
glorify Thee, as Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that
He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him. And then in Acts chapter 2, on
the day of Pentecost, the apostle Peter preaching Acts chapter
2 and verse 39, For the promise is unto you and
to your children and to all that are afar off, even as many as
the Lord our God shall call. And then in Acts chapter 13, Verse 48, And when the Gentiles heard this,
they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord, and as
many as were ordained to eternal life believed. Now we like to
look at these verses where we see as many as in relation to
salvation, in relation to Christ. But the Apostle Paul here uses
these three words in relation to the law. And he tells us,
for as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse. I want you to look at these three
things that Paul tells us here in this passage about the law.
First, the law brings a curse and not a blessing. The law brings
a curse and not a blessing. This is because the law requires
perfect, absolute, universal obedience in all things, at all
times, and no fallen son of Adam is able to obey. Paul said in
Romans, for what the law could not do, in that it was weak through
the flesh. In other words, our weakness,
our inability for what the law could not do. The law could not
give us life. The law could not save us. The
law could not justify us for what the law could not do through
the weakness of the flesh God sending His Son in the likeness
of sinful flesh and condemned sin in the flesh, in His flesh. So first of all, Paul says the
law brings a curse for as many as are of the works of the law
are under the curse. If a man or woman seeks salvation
by obedience to the law, they should know. that they are under
the curse. And this goes all the way back
to when they entered the land of Canaan after God had given
them the law. Remember Moses was commanded
to have representatives from six of the tribes on this mountain,
six of the tribes on this mountain, and these six were pronouncing
blessings, these six were pronouncing curses. And it was all dependent,
whether it be cursing or blessing, upon their obedience to the law. Number two, the law is not a
faith. Verse 12. And the law is not
a faith. It is not about believing, but
doing. Yet the scripture says the just
shall live by faith. One of the writers illustrated
this verse by citing this scripture which is part of Jacob's blessing
to Esau. Notice the scripture as Paul
quotes here, the just shall live by faith. When Jacob blessed
Esau, part of his blessing was, by thy sword thou shalt live. By thy sword thou shalt live. Now, he wasn't saying Esau's
going to eat his sword. That's how he's going to have
life, by eating his sword. Of course not. It was by his
sword that he would procure meat for himself. And the just lives
by his faith. Not on his faith. But by his
faith, because his faith is in Jesus Christ. It's the object
of faith that saves. Trouble. Trouble is a portion
of all who attempt to live on their faith. You know, if you
try to live on your faith, you're going to have doubts and fears.
You're going to be up and down, just like that yo-yo, aren't
you? Because our faith fluctuates. Some days we have strong faith,
some days we have weak faith. But Christ, the object of our
faith, is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Number three, first, the law
brings a curse and not a blessing upon all men. Number two, the
law is not a faith, but the scripture says the just shall live by faith.
And number three, the law's curse is removed by Christ's redemption. Verse 13, Christ hath redeemed
us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us. Matthew
Henry made this comment on that verse. He said, a strange method
A strange method it was which Christ took to redeem us from
the curse of the law. It was by Him being made a curse,
being made sin for us. He was made a curse for us. He
was not separated from God, but upon Him was laid the sins of
His people. Because as the scripture says,
cursed is everyone that hangs upon a tree. Paul tells us Christ
died that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles
through Jesus Christ. What is this blessing of Abraham?
What is the blessing of Abraham that Christ procured by his death
on the cross? It's the same blessing that Abraham
enjoyed. It is being declared just before
God. Justified in the sight of God. It does not come through Moses.
It does not come through the law. It does not come through
circumcision. But it comes through Jesus Christ
our Lord. The blessing of Abraham comes
upon the Gentiles, those who believe. What about the promise
of the Spirit that we receive by faith in this verse? That the blessing of Abraham
might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive
the promise of the Spirit through faith. I believe this has reference
to our adoption. The spirit of adoption, as he
will deal with in the next chapter, chapter 4, verses 4 through 6.
Now here's the last thing hurriedly. The covenant in verse 15. Did these Judaizers appeal to
the Galatians to submit to the covenant that God made with Israel
at Sinai? And remember, that's what the
law was. It was a covenant. It was a covenant
that God made with the nation of Israel. And it promised material
blessings, physical blessings in the land of Israel, but it
was all dependent upon their obedience. Now, Paul begins by
showing what everyone knows is true of a man's covenant, a man's
testament. Once it is confirmed, it cannot
be altered. Brethren, I speak after the manner
of men. Though it be but a man's covenant,
his testament, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth or addeth
thereto. Now, Paul says God made a covenant
with Abram and his seed containing promises. And another covenant
made 430 years later cannot disannull that first covenant. The promises
of the inheritance was made to his seed, which is Christ. Notice in verse 16. Now to Abraham
and his seed were the promises made. He saith not unto seeds,
as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ. Most of the men that I read believe
that Christ here It doesn't refer to him personally, but to his
body, to Christ's mystical, his church, his bride who takes his
name. And if you look down to verse
39, I think that makes it apparent. And if you be Christ, then are
you Abraham's seed. So the promises, Paul said, were
made to Abraham and to his seed, that is, his chosen, those who
he chose in Christ, his church. And then for those who believe
it has reference to Christ personally, we would just say that all the
promises of God are yea and amen in Christ. All the promises.
That's what the Apostle Paul tells us. Now I'll close with
this warning that the Apostle John gave to those to whom he
wrote his first letter try the spirits whether they be of God
for any false prophets are gone out into the world and no doubt
among these Galatian believers these false prophets came and
part of their attempt to turn them away from Christ was to
convince them that by submitting to circumcision they would become
Abraham's children not so Paul says If they would not only have
Abraham to be their father, but also the law. If they would be
an Israelite, they would need to submit to the law that God
gave to Israel. And not only Abraham and the
law, but the covenant. If they would partake of the
covenant. But Paul reminds them, the covenant of grace is a covenant
that was made with Abraham before the covenant of Mount Sinai. And it cannot be disannulled. I pray the Lord will bless these
words to all of us here this evening.