Paul’s teachings are so clear about Grace but we often don’t understand it until someone explains it clearly. I know I never saw it until it was explained to me. Yesterday I studied the book of Galatians, it’s not long, only 6 chapters so I did it all in one study session.
Here are some verses to highlight the message of the book of Galatians:
Galatians 1:6-9 (NKJV):
“Only One Gospel
6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.”
Paul starts with a warning to those who are leading people astray with the wrong gospel, don’t do it, there is a double curse on you if you do!
Galatians 2:15-16 (NKJV)
“15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.”
Paul is saying you cannot be saved by “works” in other words by keeping the law.
Galatians 2:17-20 (NKJV)
17 “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ, therefore, a minister of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Here Paul clearly states that grace DOES NOT give us a license to go out and sin and do as we please. Christ lives in us, and that causes me to not want to sin.
Galatians 2:21 (NKJV)
“21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”
Paul says that if it was at all possible to be saved by keeping the law, Jesus’ sacrifice was in vain. Then it was not necessary for Jesus to die. So to me, that means if you are trying to keep the law so that you can be justified, then you are rejecting Jesus’ sacrifice for you because you say it was not necessary… Do you understand the implication of this? That means you will go to hell because we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)
Galatians 3:1-5 (NKJV)
Justification by Faith
“3 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? 2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?
5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?—”
I think the above verses are self-explanatory. Paul asks them how did they get saved? Did the Holy Spirit reveal it to them by grace or did they get it through keeping the law? I think most people will agree that before you are saved you are sinful, so that makes getting saved by keeping the law impossible….
Galatians 3:10-14New King James Version (NKJV)
The Law Brings a Curse
“10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”12 Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.”
13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”
By trying to keep the law you are putting yourself under the curse because it is impossible to keep EVERY law ALL the time. IMPOSSIBLE! Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law as He was the only one who was able to keep the law perfectly and He took our place of judgment and gave us his righteousness.
(Romans 8:1-4 (NKJV)
Free from Indwelling Sin
“8 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,[a] who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.)”
Galatians 3:21-25 (NKJV)
“21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.”
The law has one purpose: to show us that we need a Saviour, Jesus Christ. To show us that it is impossible for us to keep perfectly. Because that is the only way the law can save you. You cannot pick some sins and say, I do not murder, I do not steal, I do not lie, etc but you break others, like the Pharisees did, outwardly they looked like they were righteous, but Jesus could see their hearts and called them a brood of vipers (Matt 3:7, Matt 12:34, Matt 23:33, Luke 3:7)
Galatians 4:4-7 (NKJV)
“4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
We have been adopted as sons (all of us male and female) through Jesus, who kept the law perfectly, and because we are His sons now, we can receive the Holy Spirit and we are now heirs of God, through Jesus’ sacrifice.”
Galatians 5:4-5 (NKJV)
“4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.”
If you try to be justified by the law (your own works) you alienate yourself from Jesus. You have fallen away from grace. I cannot stress this enough. If you try to get saved or stay saved by keeping the law, you cannot be saved! You cannot go to heaven! Jesus is the only way and ONLY Jesus! John 14:6 (NKJV) Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
But those with the Spirit are righteous by faith.
Galatians 5:16-18 (NKJV)
Walking in the Spirit
“16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”
The Holy Spirit will tell you what is right and wrong and will guide you. If you live through the Spirit you will not willfully go and sin. If you know someone who says they are saved and have now a license to sin, they are not sealed with the Holy Spirit, I can promise you that. So that means they are not truly saved.
Keeping my eyes on Jesus... 