Galatians

Welcome to the Delight in Grace podcast. Today kicks off a series titled Our Freedom in Christ from the book of Galatians. Jesus' life, death, and resurrection rocked the Jewish world, bringing many to devote themselves fully to their Messiah. Jesus' disciples gave themselves to spreading his message to their fellow Jews. But when God revealed to Peter that Jesus was for all mankind.

The early church had some questions to work through. How did the New Covenant fit with the law? Should those who believe in Jesus become Jews? How should Christian Jews interact with Christian Gentiles?

Now, while few of us listening are Jews, The root of these questions is still pertinent to the Church today. Paul's letter to the Galatians breaks down and clarifies these issues, in light of Christ's great work. both in saving and sanctifying his people. In this message, Pastor Rich introduces the series to us from Galatians 1, 1-5. Thanks for joining us.

Pretty big change. Rich is excited about that.

So we'll be reading to start off in Galatians chapter 1, verses 1 through 5, if you want to. Turning your Bibles there. Galatians 1. All right, let's read together. Paul, an apostle.

not from men, nor through man. but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead. and all the brothers who are with me. to the churches of Galatia. Grace to you.

and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Who gave Himself for our sins to deliver us. from this present evil age. according to the will of our God and Father. to whom be the glory for ever and ever.

Amen. Let's go, Lord, in prayer. Father, we come to you this morning. to the one who is the point of everything. We bow our hearts and our minds and our will to you today to hear from you.

The words of life. The words of truth, Lord, the words that... Change us. The words that help us, Lord. to be more like you.

And so, Lord, we confess to you today our great need for you. We confess our sins, we confess our need for you, our complete dependence on you. Realizing, Lord, that this whole world and this whole life is about you. And what you have done, and that you love us, Lord, and that you have given. to us.

Through your Son Jesus. The opportunity, Lord, to be born again, to be renewed, to be made alive. to be rescued from ourselves. Thank you, Lord, today for all you have done. Help us now, Lord, as we read your word, as we listen to your word, as we meditate on your word.

Lord, to be changed. into the image of your Son Jesus. Thank you. In Jesus' name we pray. Come here.

And Thank you, Sam. Good morning, church. Turn in your copy of the scriptures to the book of Galatians. I'm going to have to get used to saying that. I'm very enthusiastic about this.

And it is my prayer that my enthusiasm does not become a distraction to you. This is an introduction to Paul's letter to the Galatians. It's one of the earlier letters of the New Testament. But I think it's necessary, as Sam brought out. We've finished Deuteronomy.

We just spent almost a whole year in Deuteronomy. But now here we are in Galatians. And I think it's important to build a bridge between Deuteronomy and Galatians.

So that's the first part of the sermon today. In the Gospel of John, in the early part of the Gospel of John, is John is a theological treatise. Arguing for the deity of the historic person Jesus Christ. That he indeed was God with us. He says this in John 1:17, the law was given through Moses.

Grace and truth came. through Jesus Christ.

Now, what was the law? We just studied the law. We studied it for a better part of a year. And what was the law? All of this is.

From what we glean from the book of Galatians, so be. encapsulating a lot of that. It says the law in chapter 3 in verse 24, Galatians 3:24, Paul tells us that the law was our guardian. Until Christ came. The law was our guardian until Christ came.

The law was good, it was necessary. It was our guardian until Christ came.

So, that word guardian, it's an interesting word. It'd be translated several different ways, but the nuance in that word is a stern, rigid... Think of a governess from years gone by. A stern and rigid governess like a tutor. who is responsible for the training and education of A child.

And that governess would give you every time You had an infraction of the rules, you'd get a slap on your wrist. That doesn't sound happy. But such was the law. There was penalty for infractions of the law. And yet the law was our guardian until Christ came.

Notice. There's a time frame there. There is process, there is intent. There is purpose. As we read the scriptures, it is one story all the way through.

And the Old Testament is God. at work bringing about redemption for his people. And so, if we say the law was the guardian. Until Christ came. Guardian what?

Fir guardian what? The law protected God's people from despising him and abusing others. The law protected God's people from despising Him and abusing others. What's the greatest command? Love God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.

We memorize that. Deuteronomy 6. And the second is like it. What's the second greatest command? Love your neighbor as yourself.

Right?

So the law was a charter for God's people. You remember why God had called out his people? It's because through this people, whom God led into the promised land Through this people, Messiah would come.

So it was this was the law was God's expectation. of his people. The holy God that we just sang about so wonderfully. That holy God, this was His moral expectation and ceremonial and dietary expectation of his people. For that time.

The law served as the guardian, the law served as a reminder of his holiness, but also a reminder. That we continually miss the mark. of His Holiness. And Hebrews 10 points that out very well. In the law, there was a reminder of sin constantly.

That was a big part of the purpose of the law. Reminding us of the holiness of God. And that we Miss the mark. of His Holiness. And so Paul talks about what the law could not do.

There is something the law could not do, and that is something that Paul gets into in this letter to the Galatian church. Because he constantly makes that contrast. There is something the law couldn't do that is now. a reality for those of us who are in Christ. What could the law not do?

The law could not. Give the power. to obey. The law could not transform an individual. It only sets up.

The standard. Dwight likes to give this analogy. He used to work for a company that developed MRIs for the heart. And you can get into an MRI machine, and it can take pictures of you, and it can tell you what's wrong. But that's all it can do.

It will not. Heal you. Therein lies the difference between what we call the old covenant. and the new covenant.

Well, Rich, then why should we study the Old Covenant like we just did for 31 Sundays? because we learned so much from it. We see God in his holiness. We see man in his sinfulness and his desperate need for a savior. Yeah.

That's why. But it says here Paul says in Romans chapter 3 that God did what the law could not do, and that the law was weak through the flesh. Weak through the flesh.

So, all the implications, the very strong implication there is that the law was an. As it says in the Old Testament. The law was a conditional covenant. We read that in Deuteronomy. It actually says, you know, God had promised, I will never leave you or forsake you.

But even that was conditional because if you remember, chapter 32, God says, I have abandoned my people. What's going on there? It was a conditional covenant. And yet, God had a covenant with his people that was everlasting, and there was a covenant that would override the Mosaic law, and that was the. The Abrahamic covenant.

So, the Mosaic law, the Old Covenant. was a conditional covenant and it was a covenant A testament. covenant synonymous terms for a particular people for a limited time. Very important to understand that. That's why he says.

The law was our guardian until Christ came. Until Christ came. And what the law made very, very clear for us was the necessity. of a new covenant. The necessity of a new covenant.

If you look at the beginning right before Genesis, you look in your Bible, there will probably be a blank page that says the Old Testament. And then you look right after Malachi and right before Matthew, there will probably be a blank page that says. The New Testament. The Old Covenant, the New Covenant.

Okay. Testament is an old word. But the necessity of the new covenant was. Very, very clear. In Israel's incapacity to keep The Old Covenant.

I want you to consider Hebrews chapter 8. Verses six and seven, but as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is much more excellent than the old. As the covenant he mediates is better since it is erected on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. In other words, what he's talking about is there is something that the Mosaic law, the old covenant, is something it could not do.

it could not transform the individual. Implication under the new covenant? There is Transformation.

Okay. That's what Paul is arguing in this letter. And he says, if you are now in the reality of transformation in Christ, why would you go back to a system that does not offer? Transformation.

Okay. So, the new covenant promised in Jeremiah 31 and Ezekiel 36, and it's what we celebrate every time we come together at the Lord's table next Sunday night. We'll be doing that. The new covenant is An unconditional covenant. Unconditional.

Meaning, God says, for my people, this is the way I will be towards you, period. It does not depend on your behavior. And the ability to do that. Of the new covenant is way beyond what the old covenant. could do.

That's why Paul, in many of his writings, And the writer of Hebrews. Depending on who you believe wrote that. Nobody knows for sure. But Paul says, now, listen to this: now you have died to the law. Romans chapter 7, those are his words.

You have died to the law. You have been released. from the law. He says. The writer of Hebrews calls the law obsolete and it is vanishing away.

Hebrews chapter 8. And in chapter 10, the writer of Hebrews says, he does away with the first in order to establish the The second. He does away with that word is translated almost exclusively, with one exception, that word is translated to put to death. To abolish. And this is why Paul writes in Galatians chapter 4, verse 4, probably know this verse well: when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to what?

Redeem those under the law.

so that we might receive adoption as Sons.

Now, that adoption of sons, you don't have to wait till we get into that in chapter 4. That's a little ways down, okay? What is he talking about? He's using a particular historic reality and practice in Roman culture that presents a beautiful picture of what it means to be in Christ. But the word here to redeem those who are under the law With redemption there is release.

With redemption there is release. That's what we must. Remember. And so with all of this history, With all of this background, consider the weight. Of John the Baptist's words when he looked up.

And he saw Jesus And he said, Behold, The Lamb of God. Who takes away the sin of the world. What a massive statement. That was. You see, the law did not, could not do that.

Jesus did.

So here is the key. Here is the key, and you're going to find this interesting, that the key to understanding Galatians is what Paul writes in Romans. Chapter 3 The righteousness of God apart from the law for all who believe. What is available to you and me today is the righteousness of God apart from the law for all who believe. All of those elements are necessary.

Romans 3. I want you to turn there with me, if you would, please. Romans chapter 3. We're going to look at a few verses. Romans chapter 3.

All up to this point, from chapter 1 and verse 18 through chapter 2 and the beginning of chapter 3, Paul is arguing for the sinful condition of humanity who misses the mark. Humanity misses the mark of the holiness of God. But this is what he says, Romans 3, verses 21 and 22. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law. Although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, and the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe, for there is no distinction.

For all have sinned, and what? Fall short of the glory of God. And that's what the law made very clear. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But then Paul argues.

You get to Romans chapter 3 and you get to Romans chapter 4. And chapter four is all about the doctrine of imputed righteousness, righteousness credited to our account. Jesus fulfilled the righteous requirement of the law for us. Aren't you glad for that? We celebrate the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

You know, we should also celebrate the perfect life of Christ. Jesus fulfilled the righteous requirement of the law for us. Thank you, Lord. And this is why he said when he was meeting with his disciples, the night he was betrayed. Think about that.

The night he was betrayed, the night before he would be hanging on a cross, the next day. He was meeting with his disciples around a table. And he took the cup and he said, This cup is the new covenant in my blood. That's powerful, folks. That's why we must know.

what we're celebrating when we come to the table. This is the new covenant in my blood, he said. For you. For you. Behold the gospel of grace.

Christianity is not A moral code.

Now for some of you That statement might sound really surprising. Yeah. But bear with me. This is what Paul brings out very, very clearly.

Okay. So let's talk about.

Now we've talked about that bridge between the old and the new, the old testament, the Mosaic law, and now the old covenant, and now the new covenant.

Now, let's think about for a moment. Let's talk about the backstory of Paul's letter to the Galatian church. Why did he write this letter? Because this is now the gospel of grace in Jesus Christ. This is the message that Paul is proclaiming and teaching.

He's establishing churches with this message. This is what Christ has accomplished. He has accomplished redemption for us so that you and I can be reconciled to holy God. You and I who miss the mark, we can be reconciled to holy God. Think about that.

So the church was established. Jesus Christ. It died. He had risen again. He had ascended back to the Father.

And now he is pouring out his spirit on all of his followers. We find that recorded in Acts chapter 2. Christ is preached The apostles say, Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins, and you'll receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. And the church was established. And for the first several years, the church was almost exclusively Jewish.

The apostles were all Jewish. And they went to their people. And they were sharing the gospel of Jesus. Jesus the one who fulfilled all the prophecies of the Old Testament. Here he is the Messiah.

And so the church was established, planted and established, and then the church expanded. And it became clear. It became clear That the church, that the God, as the church expanded, that the gospel was for. All nations. All nations.

Genesis chapter 12. God promises to Abraham. He says, in you all nations of the earth will be what? Blessed. That is a direct reference.

to Jesus Christ and his finished work. In you, all nations of the earth were blessed. And then God, through the prophet Isaiah, Isaiah 49:6. He says, is it too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back? The preserved of Israel, I will make you for the nations that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

John 3. 16. For God so loved. For world. Acts 1.8.

Jesus is about to ascend back to the Father. He had now accomplished redemption. He's going back to the Father. He tells his disciples: It is to your advantage that I go away, so that I can send the helper. And he will indwell you.

He will transform you. He will empower you. Why? Because you will be my witnesses. In Jerusalem.

And Judea, that's okay. And then where? Sumeria. She talking about. Those dogs don't deserve the gospel.

and to the uttermost parts of the earth. Jesus' words. The gospel is for everybody. And that became abundantly clear.

So Paul was spreading the gospel of grace. He was planting churches. Here he was, the number one champion of the Jewish system of following the Torah.

So much so that he was out dragging people to court and to the execution chamber. In his zeal for the law until. He encountered the risen Christ. And the Lord said, I'm going to show you all the things that you're going to suffer from my name. That's quite a calling, isn't it?

He Right? Paul is spreading the gospel of grace, and he planted churches. He planted churches among the non-Jewish people groups. His first ministry wherever town he went to what's the first place he went to? the synagogue.

What's the second place he went to? Jail, yes. He had a wonderful jail ministry from the inside. Right?

So he loved the Jews. Romans 9, 10, and 11. It's all about his heart for the Jews. Right?

So he, but he was planting churches among non-Jewish people. And so Galatia, if you can imagine now where the modern nation of Turkey is, imagine where that is in your mind, that sticking out there, okay? And right in the center of that is what was called this region of Galatia. It was there that Paul went, particularly on his first missionary journey, and he planted churches, Iconium, Lystra, Derby, Antioch. Those four cities especially.

And it could be that this letter was directed to those particular churches. Because the church had something to evaluate. Not only was the church expanded, but as it expanded, And it expanded why? Because the gospel was now going out to all peoples of the earth. Non-Jewish people The Gentiles regaining.

In fact, the Gentiles were beginning to outnumber the Jews. We kind of have that here this morning, don't we, Eric? Feel kind of alone, don't you? One Jew among us. Whoa, I'm too itch.

Too ish, isn't it? Yeah. Thanks for that clarification. Whatever that means. But you know, the Gentiles were out starting to outnumber the Jews.

I mean, that's why Paul answered that question in Romans. What about the Jewish question? Has God forgotten them? His clear answer is no. God still has a purpose for the Jews.

But as the Gentiles began to outnumber the Jews, the Jews, some of them started saying, hold on now. You can't just throw Moses out with the bathwater. We've grown up with this. We've memorized the Torah.

Some of them have memorized the entire Tanuk. Old Testament. Paul probably knew the Old Testament by heart. Hmm. Think about that.

He said, nobody's more educated than I am. And for a while, that was his source of pride. Until he met Christ. And so Many some of these Jews, a faction of the believers, who grew up Jewish. They were thinking they were preserving the faith.

What they also were doing was protecting their own hides because this new sect of Christianity. was getting some pushback. And so, what this group of Christians They called themselves followers of Christ, but they said, listen, but we're still Jewish. And if you're going to be a true follower, what they were saying is this, to be a true follower of Messiah, you must adhere to the customs of Moses. That's taken right from Acts chapter 15 and verse 1.

What's Acts 15, 1?

Well, Acts 13 and 14 is Paul's first missionary journey. Acts chapter 15 is the Jerusalem Council, where all the leaders of the church come together, the apostles and the elders, Paul, the missionaries, they all come together and they decide this question. And their conclusion was this: believers. Do not need to become Jewish. In other words, they do not here need to adhere to the Mosaic law to be true followers of Jesus the Messiah.

That was decided in Acts chapter 15 from all the church leaders and apostles present.

So this letter. To the churches of Galatia. You have to remember, this was written to multiple churches. They would take one church and it was read there, and they would take it to the next church and it was read there, okay? They didn't have copy machines in those days.

You understand that, right? You don't know how we exist without copying machines, but in some days they did, right? This letter is Paul's early Early, it's one of the earliest epistles letters in the New Testament. This letter is Paul's early and passionate declaration of the clarity and purity of the gospel of grace in Jesus Christ. That's what Galatians is.

We don't know if it was written before or after the Jerusalem Council. but I think it's very much related to it. Because there were groups of Jewish believers that were going into the churches and saying, listen, to be a true follower of Messiah, you have to adhere to the customs of Moses. And Paul says, nope. Not gonna stand for that.

Not gonna stand. He says, Why? Later on, we're gonna study that. That's why he wrote this letter. You see, he's saying under the new covenant, instead of a written moral code to follow.

A written moral code to follow. Under the new covenant, God has given us. His son to follow. A relationship. His son to follow.

That's living by grace. Christ lives. Through me. Get this right up here.

Okay. And he makes this statement in this letter. While he is rebutting the Apostle Peter. is when he makes this statement. Wow.

That's how authoritative it is. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live. But Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live how?

by faith in the Son of God. who loved me and gave himself for me. What a powerful statement that is. That is living the gospel of grace. is what Paul is championing.

in this letter. The whole point, the whole point of the new covenant. is that we in Christ If you have surrendered yourself in faith to Jesus Christ, God's mission in you is to transform you into the image of his Son, Jesus. That's the whole point of the new covenant. The old covenant couldn't do that.

Yes. The Mosaic law could not do that.

So, God is in the business through the new covenant, He is in the business of transforming you and me at what level? At the level of our affections and our attitudes. That's why you hear in the teachings of Jesus, you've heard that it was said, but I say to you, or he's saying it was written, but I say to you. And he's dealing with a heart. He's dealing with a heart.

What's going on in your heart and mind? That's where God is in the business of transforming you. This morning. As you hear this word, the Holy Spirit is at work. The Word of God is at work, transforming your body.

attitudes and your affections. Because we are under the new covenant. And it's unconditional. It's unconditional. Um So The law of Moses then was our guardian leading up to What I call, and Paul calls, the law of Christ.

We're going to do a study on that, the law of Christ. What does the law of Christ do? Because the new covenant doesn't just release us from any standard of morality, but instead of having a written moral code to follow, now we have a person to follow.

So that's why the definition of sin now is any attitude or behavior that is contrary to what? The character and purpose of Christ. And so the new covenant. It raises the bar for behavior for the behavior of God's people. Think about that.

It raises the bar of behavior for God's people. Even Jesus pointed that out. Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees. These guys were the poster boys of righteousness. And Jesus said, you need a righteousness that exceeds that.

Ugh. And so, what the law of Christ does, that the new covenant does, is it raises the bar. of behavior for God's people. But there's more. and it's not a set of Ginsu knives.

Not only does the new covenant raise the bar for the behavior of God's people, but it gives you the ability to rise. That's what the new covenant does. This is what Paul is arguing. Why would you abandon that to go back to a written code? He says it doesn't make sense.

You're missing the point. You're abandoning the gospel of grace. You're making Christ's finished work on the cross. Useless. These are the arguments he makes in this letter.

So In conclusion today, let's just talk about a general outline of the book of Galatians. There's three main points here. Rich, it's already this time, and you're just now getting to the three points of the sermon. No, it's just three points of outline, general, very general outline of the book of Galatians, okay? General outlines.

And frankly, this outline that I'm about to give you is summarized in the first five verses. that were read this morning.

Okay. So here's the first point of this general outline. The first point is chapters 1 and 2. Chapters 1 and 2, Justification Through Faith Alone. Justification through faith alone, the gospel that Jesus brought and Paul taught.

Justification through faith alone is the gospel that Jesus brought. Gospel means what? Good news. Why do we need good news? Because there's bad news.

What's the bad news? You miss the mark. The good news is. Justification through faith alone, the gospel that Christ brought and Paul taught. Chapter 2.

Look at chapter 2 and verse.

So it's up on the screen for you, chapter 2, verse 16. Yet we know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ, we also have believed in Christ Jesus. In order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. He kind of says the same thing three times in a different way, there, doesn't he? This is the authority of Paul's calling and message.

Justification through faith alone. Nothing added to the gospel of grace. In other words, if you add something to the gospel of grace, and this is what he gets passionate about, and we get right into this next week. Paul gets very passionate about the exclusivity of the gospel of grace. You cannot add to it.

Because if you try to add to it, You will distort it and you will declaw it. You will rob it of its power. if you try to add to it. In fact, if you add to it, it is no longer the gospel. All right, so that's the first major point there, and that's covered mostly in chapters one and two.

And in chapter two, we'll get to where he makes this statement in his He's confronting the Apostle Peter. Great.

Okay, the second is chapters 3 and 4.

Now just go back to, I'm sorry, let's go back to the first point. Look at verse 1. Paul, an apostle, not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus. Jesus Christ and God our Father who raised him from the dead. You see everything that's packed in there?

Paul is saying, I didn't get this gospel. I didn't come up with it. I did not receive this gospel from other men. I got it directly from Jesus Christ. That makes him an apostle.

That no man alive today, or woman for that matter, can claim that title. Not correctly. Many do, but they do so incorrectly. Because that title carries with it an authority. It does not exist today in any church leadership position.

Okay. And that is the authority to establish truth, new revelation from God. Another sermon for a different time.

So let's go to the second point now. Second point is chapters 3 and 4. And here's the broad title for that. And it is the broad family of God, the broad family of God, who is included in the people of God. That title, the people of hell, who's included in that and how?

Because God has a broad family all around the world. Who's included in that and how? And chapter 3 and verse 26, he makes the point very clearly. For in Christ Jesus, you are all sons of God through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

There is neither Jew nor Greek. There is neither slave nor free. There is no male, female. You are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.

The people of God are those who are in Christ. By faith. And that's the theme throughout Generally, throughout chapters three and four, where he makes the argument for that. Justification by faith. Preceded the law.

He makes that argument too. Abraham was not justified by the law. He was justified by faith. Faith is Simply put, faith is taking God at his word. Taking God in His Word.

And so being the people of God is not relegated to an ethnicity or a culture. All peoples around the earth. Here's the last third point, okay? And it's chapters back up, verses 2 and 3. We're going to see this point in verses 2 and 3.

And all the brothers who are with me to the churches of Galatia who were Gentiles, predominantly Gentile, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins.

Okay. All right, and then the third point, verse 5. Living as new humanity, living as new humanity, the transforming presence of God. This and here in these chapters, he's presenting the power that the old covenant did not have, and that is living as the new humanity, the transforming presence of God. Look at how they summarizes that in verses, let's look at verse 4 and 5 again.

Who gave himself for our sins to, here it is, deliver us from this present evil age according to the will of our God and Father. To whom be glory forever and amen. To deliver us from this present evil age. In other words, you and I don't belong here, we're aliens and strangers. We march to a different drumbeat.

In Christ, we are a part of the new humanity. Be careful there. It has nothing to do with how special we are. It has everything to do with how special Christ is. and that you have surrendered yourself to him.

Okay. But if you are in Christ, you are indwelt with the very Spirit of God, and that makes you. New. and you are a new humanity, and that's what Paul is arguing. Because we've memorized the fruit of the Spirit, haven't we?

The fruit of the Spirit, deliver us from this present evil age. How? By living and walking in the steps of Christ. By living in the power of His Spirit, living in the reality of the newness that exists within us. Walking in the Spirit.

All of that's what we're going to be unpacking when we get to this part of Galatians. That's why he says in Galatians chapter 5, you can turn there with me. To read that. And this is just a glimpse of what he's going to be talking about. Galatians chapter 5.

Look at me. Probably some of you have memorized this. Verse 22: the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things, there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. There it is. Mm-hmm. We talk about James being practical. That's practical.

Okay. That's how to live the gospel. Think of it this way. We have laws to follow, don't we? Civil laws.

If all of us Walked in the Spirit. According to the law of Christ. and fulfilled the law of love. we wouldn't need any laws. Right.

Think about that. It's radical, isn't it? Mm. This is what the new covenant can do. Yeah.

It's the power of the new covenant, the power of the new covenant in one word, transformation. It's what the old covenant could not do. The power of the new covenant is transformation. He calls us, in this letter, he calls us new creations. We are a new creation.

Okay. In Christ, circumcision doesn't mean anything. Uncircumcision doesn't mean anything, but new creation. The indwelled We are indwelt and empowered by the Holy Spirit. That is an awesome thought.

To contemplate and to know what that means. And God. He says in Galatians 4:6 here, I think it's up on the screen, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts. Old covenant did not do that. The Mosaic law could not do that.

The new covenant does. God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts. You know the rest of the verse? Ugh. Sent the Spirit of Son into our hearts, crying what?

Abba, father, relationship. Right. Father, I need you. I love you. I desire you.

I want to please you. That's the transformation that exists in the heart and mind of those of us who are in Christ. You see, that's the work that Jesus is accomplishing in Philippians 1:6. He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ.

Okay. Whom he foreknew, he also predestined to what? Be conformed to the image of his Son Jesus. That's the work that he's accomplishing in you and me. Radically transforming you.

at the level of your affections. and your attitudes. Isn't that powerful? Because think about it this way. If all you do is just simply do what a moral code demands you to do, that's not transformation.

That's conformity. That's not change. But the new covenant gives us the power. to rise up. to be transformed.

into the image of Christ. Getting carried away here, so. Justified by grace through faith. We talk about grace a lot. A lot of churches talk about grace, they sing about grace.

Here's where we think. This is one of the distinctives of grace, and this is why we call ourselves Grace Bible Church. Because you are not only saved by grace through faith. You live. By grace.

Amen. Now, my challenge to you, loved ones, is this: discover. What? That means as we study this letter. to live by grace through faith.

Here's the point I want to leave you with. I know it's getting long. Thank you for your patience this morning. But here's the point I want to leave you with, okay? That's what I want you to think about.

If you think the Christian walk of faith is about adhering to a moral code, You are missing the point. and the power of the gospel. If you think about it, The Christian walk of faith is about adhering to a moral code. You are missing the point and the power of the gospel.

So, our theme for this study through Paul's letter to the Galatians is our freedom in Christ. Our freedom in Christ. Freedom has two sides to it. You're freed from, what are you freed from? You're freed from being chained to a moral code.

A written moral code. But you are also freed to become like him. Our Freedom in Christ, subtitle: Faith Working Through Love. Here it is, last point. When you commune with God.

And take him at his word. When you commune with God and take him at his word, it revolutionizes your daily walk. Indeed, it will revolutionize your life. to his glory. Loved ones, think on these things.

Would you bow your heads with me for just a moment now? If you are here and you are in Christ, I am going to ask you to ask. God. Ask the Spirit of God. to open the eyes of your understanding.

To know what your freedom is in Christ. To know what it looks like. To live by grace through faith. Would you ask that of God? Even now, please.

Father, we are so thankful. That you have made yourself known to us. You have revealed yourself to us in your highest and most powerful revelation. in the person of your Son, the Lord Jesus. Who gave himself for us.

And now, Father, as His Spirit, your Spirit, lives within us, Father, we long to live by grace through faith. in the freedom that you have made possible for us, Father. Thank you. For this truth, thank you for this reality, thank you for this power. Father, rescue us, please.

There are so many in this congregation that come from backgrounds of bondage. Rescue us, Father, from those chains. And raise us up, Father. in the likeness of your son. transforming us.

at the level of what we love. and how we think. Thank you, Father, for all that we have to look forward to. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Yeah. Thanks for listening to this message from Galatians 1, 1-5. Join us this coming Thursday for the next message in the series titled Our Freedom in Christ. Yeah.