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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
GALATIANS 3:1-14
LESSON #04
THE CORRECT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRUTH AND EXPERIENCE
v MEMORY VERSE: GALATIANS 3:11
v IN GALATIANS 3, PAUL DEALS WITH THE EXPERIENCE OFTHESE CHRISTIANS IN THE PAST. HE CONSIDERS HOW WERE THEY SAVED ORIGINALLY.
Ø EXPERIENCE IS A VALUABLE TOOL, BUT WE MUST BECAREFUL TO GET THE HORSE BEFORE THE CART.
§ WE MUST NOT DERIVE TRUTH BYSIMPLY LOOKING AT EXPERIENCE BECAUSE EXPERIENCES CAN LEAD US ASTRAY. WE MUST NEVER JUDGETHE WORD OF GOD BY OUR EXPERIENCE; INSTEAD WE MUST TEST OUR EXPERIENCE BY THE WORD OF GOD.
· FOR EXAMPLE: A PERSON CAN SAY, I HAD THIS VISION OF GOD.THEREFORE, WHAT I OBSERVED IN THIS VISION MUST BE THE TRUE GOD.
¨ IT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN A VISION OF GOD,BECAUSE SATAN CAN COUNTERFEIT THE THINGS OF GOD. (2COR 11:14)
Ø THEREFORE, YOU DO NOT GET TRUTH FROM YOUREXPERIENCES. IF YOU DO, YOU HAVE THE CART IN FRONT OF THE HORSE, AND HE WILL NOT LEAD YOUANYWHERE.
§ THEN OF WHAT VALUE ISEXPERIENCE?
· EXPERIENCEVALIDATES TRUTH THAT IS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD. THIS IS HOW PAUL USES THEGALATIANS EXPERIENCE IN THIS CHAPTER.
v READ GAL 3:1-5 THE PERSONAL ARGUMENT: JUSTIFIEDBY FAITH OR BY WORKS?
Ø SIX QUESTIONS REGARDING THEIR EXPERIENCE OFSALVATION:
§ -QUESTION #1WHOHATH BEWITCHED YOU ? (1)
· FOOLISH GALATIANS (1)
¨ HE ACCUSES THE PEOPLE OF NOT USING THEIRBRAINS, OF BEING SPIRITUALLY DULL.
· WHO HATH BEWITCHED YOU?= WHATS GOTTEN INTO YOU? WHAT ARE YOU THINKING!
¨ JESUS CHRIST HATH BEEN EVIDENTLY SETFORTH (1)
Ø SET FORTH MEANS = PAINTED.
§ PAUL EVIDENTLY EXPLAINEDCHRIST TO THEM BY WORD PICTURES SO THEY COULD VISUALIZE THE CRUCIFIXION.
§ -QUESTION #2RECEIVEDYE THE SPIRIT BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW OR BY THE HEARING OF FAITH? (2)
· THEIR SALVATION WAS BY FAITH INTHE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST. (2)
¨ THEY RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT BY FAITH WHENTHEY RECEIVED JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR PERSONAL SAVIOR.
Ø HAVING THE HOLY SPIRIT IN YOU IS THE EVIDENCEOF SALVATION. (JOH 3:1-8 ROM 8:9 1COR 12:12-14 EPH 1:13-14)
· WHAT DOES PAUL MEAN BY THEWORKS OF THE LAW AND THE HEARING OF FAITH? (2)
¨ THE HEARING OF FAITH:
Ø THIS IS THE WHOLE PROCESS OF HOW A PERSONCOMES TO HEAR ABOUT JESUS CHRIST AND COMES TO UNDERSTAND WHY HE DIED ON THE CROSS.
§ UNLESS A PERSON HEARS THETRUTH FROM THE WORD OF GOD, HE WILL NEVER BE SAVED.
· FAITH COMES BY HEARING THE WORD.(ROM 10:17)
¨ THE WORKS OF THE LAW:
Ø PAUL ASKS IF GOD SAVED THEM BY THEIR OWNEFFORTS TO KEEP (LIVE UP TO, FULFILL) THE OLD TESTAMENT LAW OF MOSES.
§ NO ONE IN THE OLD TESTAMENTWAS EVER SAVED BY KEEPING THE LAW OF MOSES. NO ONE RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT BY KEEPING THELAW OF MOSES.
§ -QUESTIONS #3 ARE YE SO FOOLISH? HAVING BEGUN IN THE SPIRIT ARE YOU NOW MADEPERFECT IN THE FLESH? (3)
· IF THE HOLY SPIRIT SAVES YOU,THEN WHEN YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN, GOD DOES NOT SANCTIFY YOU (SET YOU APART AND MAKE YOU HOLY)BY KEEPING THE LAW IN YOUR OWN STRENGTH (OLD FLESH NATURE).
¨ YOU WILL NOT LIVE A BETTER CHRISTIAN LIFETRYING TO ACCOMPLISH PERFECTION THOUGH YOUR OWN EFFORTS. WHY?
Ø THE FLESH NATURE IS WEAK AND CANNOT LIVE UPTO GODS STANDARDS. THEREFORE, IT IS THE JOB OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO SANCTIFY YOU ANDMAKE YOU PERFECT.
§ -QUESTION #5HAVEYE SUFFERED SO MANY THINGS IN VAIN? (4)
· THE WORD SUFFEREDREFERS TO ONES EXPERIENCES.
· YES, SOME PEOPLE EVIDENTLY PAY APRICE TO BECOME CHRISTIANS.
¨ FOR SOME PEOPLE, THEY MUST RENOUNCE THEIRFAMILY TO CONVERT TO CHRIST. SOME PEOPLE MAY HAVE TO GIVE UP THEIR JOB TO CONVERT TOCHRIST. SOME PEOPLE MAY SUFFER PERSECUTION TO BE CHRISTIANS.
Ø PAUL SAYS THAT IF THEY RETURN TO LIVING BASEDON PERSONAL PERFORMANCE, THEY HAVE SUFFERED THESE THINGS AND THEY HAVEEXPERIENCED CHRIST IN VAIN.
§ -QUESTION #6 DOETHHE IT BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW OR BY THE HEARING OF FAITH? (5)
· PAUL REFERS TO GODS WORKTHROUGH HIS MINISTRY AMONG THE GALATIAN PEOPLE THAT BROUGHT THEM TO SALVATION, CHANGEDTHEM INWARDLY, AND DID MIRACLES IN THEIR LIVES.
¨ PAUL DID NOT COME TO THEM AS A PHARISEEPREACHING THE LAW OF MOSES.
¨ PAUL SAYS THEY ARE RETURNING TO A SYSTEM THATDID NOT WORK.
§ SUMMARY:
· PAUL WANTS THESE PEOPLE TOEXAMINE THEIR CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE. EVERY POSITIVE CHANGE IN THEIR LIVES WAS ACCOMPLISHEDBY FAITH.
¨ SALVATION WAS BY FAITH.
¨ THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT WAS BY FAITH.
¨ THE SANCTIFICATION PROCESS WAS BY FAITH.
¨ MIRACLES WERE BY FAITH.
v READ GAL 3:6-14 THE SCRIPTURAL ARGUMENT: ABRAHAM,THE SUPREME EXAMPLE
Ø PAUL INTRODUCES ABRAHAM AS THE SUPREMEEXAMPLE OF JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. IN HIS ARGUMENT FOR JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH HE WILL USESIX OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES.
§ WHY DOES PAUL USE ABRAHAMAS AN EXAMPLE IN HIS ARGUMENT AGAINST LEGALISM?
· THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION LIESIN THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE DIFFERENT TIME PERIODS INVOLVED.
¨ ABRAHAM LIVED DURING A PERIOD OF GRACE 400YEARS BEFORE THERE WAS ANY SUCH THING AS THE MOSAIC LAW. (THE BOOK OF GENESIS)
¨ THE MOSAIC LAW DID NOT COME INTO EXISTENCEUNTIL MOSES. (THE BOOK OF EXODUS)
§ PAULS ARGUMENT:
· IF A PERSON MUST KEEP THE MOSAICLAW TO BE SAVED, AND THE LAW DID NOT EXIST UNTIL MOSES TIME PERIOD, THEN NO PERSONCOULD BE SAVED BEFORE MOSES.
¨ OF COURSE, WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE WERE SAVEDBEFORE MOSES.
Ø -SCRIPTURE#1– GEN 15:6 ABRAHAM WAS SAVED BYFAITH.
§ THIS VERSE TELLS US THATABRAHAM WAS SAVED BY FAITH LONG BEFORE MOSES DAY.
· THIS IS THE OLD TESTAMENT VERSEPAUL REPEATS IN GAL 3:6 AND ROM 4:3.
· THE JUDAIZERS SAID THAT GENTILESMUST BE CIRCUMCISED TO BE SAVED.
¨ GOD CONSIDERED ABRAHAM RIGHTEOUS (SAVED)BEFORE HE TOLD HIM TO BE CIRCUMCISED.
Ø GOD COMMANDED CIRCUMCISION IN GEN 17:10, BUTABRAHAM WAS CONSIDERED SAVED IN GEN 15:6.
· HOW DO WE KNOW THAT PERHAPSABRAHAM WAS SUCH A GOOD PERSON THAT GOD CONSIDERED HIM RIGHTEOUS BECAUSE OF ABRAHAMSOWN GOOD WORKS?
¨ READ GEN 15:9-12, 17-18 THE CUTTING OF THE COVENANT
Ø THIS STRANGE PRACTICE OF CUTTING ANIMALS INHALF AND LAYING THEM ON THE GROUND IN TWO ROWS WAS A COMMON PRACTICE WHEN YOU WANTED TOMAKE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE. AFTER THE ANIMALS WERE CUT AND LAID IN ROWS, THE TWOPEOPLE WOULD WALK TOGETHER BETWEEN THE TWO ROWS OF ANIMALS. THIS MADE A LEGAL, BINDINGAGREEMENT.
Ø NOTICE THAT ABRAHAM DID NOT WALK WITH GODBETWEEN THE TWO ROWS OF ANIMALS. ABRAHAM FELL ASLEEP. GOD MADE HIM SLEEP SO THAT GOD WOULDMAKE THE COVENANT ALONE. WHY?
§ AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN TWOPEOPLE MEANS THAT EACH ONE PROMISES TO KEEP HIS PART OF THE BARGAIN. IF ONE PERSON DOESNOT FULFILL HIS PART OF THE BARGAIN, THE AGREEMENT IS BROKEN, AND THE OTHER PERSON ISRELEASED FROM THE AGREEMENT.
§ SINCE ABRAHAM DID NOT WALKBETWEEN THE ROWS OF ANIMALS WITH GOD, HE HAD NOTHING IN THE AGREEMENT TO FULFILL.THEREFORE, ABRAHAM COULD NOT, BY FAILURE, BREAK THE AGREEMENT.
§ GOD MADE THE AGREEMENTALONE TO SHOW ABRAHAM THAT HIS PROMISES WERE UNCONDITIONAL. THE FULFILLMENT OF THEAGREEMENT DID NOT DEPEND ON THE PERFORMANCE OF ABRAHAM. GOD, ALONE, WOULD FULFILL IT.
Ø IT IS BECAUSE OF THIS UNCONDITIONAL AGREEMENTIN GENESIS 15 THAT WE KNOW HIS SALVATION WAS NOT BECAUSE OF HIS OWN GOOD WORKS. IT WAS BYTHE GRACE OF GOD WHO ACKNOWLEDGED ABRAHAMS FAITH.
Ø THE FAR-REACHING EXPLANATION OF ABRAHAMSJUSTIFICATION
§ -SCRIPTURE #2 GEN 12:3 THE SALVATION OF THEGENTILES
· HOW DO WE KNOW THAT GOD INTENDEDTO SAVE MORE THAN JUST ABRAHAM BY FAITH? PERHAPS HE WOULD BE THE ONLY ONE SAVED BY FAITH.
¨ THE CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM (7)
Ø EVERYONE WHO HAS FAITH IN GOD IS CONSIDERED ADESCENDANT OF ABRAHAM WHETHER HE IS A JEW OR A GENTILE.
Ø GOD PROMISED ABRAHAM THAT ALL THE NATIONS OFTHE EARTH WOULD BE BLESSED THROUGH ABRAHAM. (GEN 18:18)
§ GOD PREACHED THE GOSPEL TOABRAHAM (8)
· WHEN DID GOD PREACH THE GOSPEL TOABRAHAM?
¨ IN GEN 22 GOD TOLD ABRAHAM TO OFFER HIS SONAS A SACRIFICE. ABRAHAM OBEYED, BUT GOD STOPPED HIM AT THE LAST MINUTE. IN GEN 22:15-18,GOD CONSIDERED THAT ABRAHAM HAD ACTUALLY COMPLETED THE SACRIFICE.
¨ THE SACRIFICE BY ABRAHAM WAS A PICTURE INACTION OF THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS CHRIST = THE GOSPEL.
Ø THE PROBLEM WITH THE LAW
§ -SCRIPTURE #3 DEU 27:26 THE CURSE OF THE LAW
· FOR AS MANY AS ARE OF THEWORKS OF THE LAW ARE UNDER THE CURSE (10)
¨ PAUL SAYS THAT IF YOU ARE LIVING UNDER THELAW, YOU ARE UNDER A CURSE. HE USES THE WORD CURSE 5 TIMES. WHY DOES THE LAWPUT MAN UNDER A CURSE?
Ø THE LAW IS GOOD. GOD GAVE THE LAW TO SHOW MANGODS STANDARDS. IF MAN COULD KEEP THE LAW, HE WOULD NOT BE CURSED. HOWEVER, MANCANNOT KEEP THE LAW PERFECTLY EVERY DAY OF HIS LIFE. SOONER OR LATER HE WILL FAIL. WHEN HEFAILS, HE FEELS THE CURSE OF GUILT. THEREFORE, THE LAW PUTS MAN UNDER THE CURSE OF GUILTBECAUSE NO MAN CAN CONTINUE TO KEEP IT ALL HIS LIFE.
Ø NOTICE THAT VERSE 10 SAYS, EVERYONETHAT CONTINUETH NOT
§ THE GOVERNMENT PASSES LAWSBY WHICH WE LIVE. HOWEVER, THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT REWARD YOU FOR KEEPING ALL THEIR LAWS.THEY ONLY PENALIZE YOU WHEN YOU BREAK ONE.
· THE LAW OF MOSES IS JUST LIKETHAT. IT DOESNT MATTER HOW MANY LAWS WE KEEP OR HOW OFTEN. THE KEY IS THAT WE MUSTCONTINUE TO KEEP ALL OF THEM ALL THE TIME, OF WHICH IT IS IMPOSSIBILITY.
Ø WHAT IS THE CURSE OF THE LAW?
§ DEU 27 AND 28 TELL US ALLTHE CONSEQUENCES (CURSES) FOR BREAKING THE LAW.
· THE POINT THERE IS THAT YOU HAVETO KEEP ALL THE LAW IN ORDER NOT TO BE CURSED.
§ -SCRIPTURE #4 HAB 2:4 THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.(11)
· NO MAN IS JUSTIFIED BY THELAW (11)
¨ THE LAW CANNOT GIVE LIFE. ONLY FAITH CAN GIVELIFE.
Ø NO PERSON WAS SAVED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT BYKEEPING THE LAW. ALL THE OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS WERE SAVED BY FAITH. THERE IS EVEN ANOLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURE TO THIS EFFECT .HAB 2:4
¨ THERE ARE TWO PARTS TO GAL 3:11.
Ø THE FIRST PART TALKS ABOUT JUSTIFICATION(BEING MADE RIGHTEOUS BEFORE GOD) AT THE POINT IN TIME WHEN YOU ARE BORN AGAIN. THIS POINTOF SALVATION IS BY FAITH.
Ø THE SECOND PART TALKS ABOUT LIVING THECHRISTIAN LIFE AFTER YOU ARE SAVED. THIS, TOO, IS BY FAITH.
§ THIS POINT WILL BECOMEINCREASINGLY MORE IMPORTANT AS WE CONTINUE IN THE BOOK OF GALATIANS.
§ -SCRIPTURE #5 LEV 18:5 HE SHALL LIVE IN THEM.
· AND THE LAW IS NOT OF FAITH (12)
¨ LAW AND FAITH ARE TOTALLY OPPOSITEPRINCIPLES. YOU CANNOT HAVE THEM COEXIST. EVERY PERSON MUST DECIDE TO LIVE BY THE LAW ORTO LIVE BY FAITH.
Ø IF YOU DECIDE TO LIVE BY THE LAW, YOU WILL BEJUDGED BY THEM. IF YOU ARE JUDGED BY THE LAW, YOU WILL BE PENALIZED FOR EVERY ONE YOUBREAK, EVERY TIME YOU BREAK IT.
Ø THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM WITH THE LAW
§ BECAUSE MAN CANNOT KEEP THELAW, CHRIST CAME TO REDEEM US FROM THAT CURSE OF GUILT EVERYTIME WE BREAK THE LAW. HEREDEEMED US ON THE CROSS.
· THE WORD, REDEEMEDMEANS = TO PURCHASE (A SLAVE) AND SET HIM FREE.
¨ CHRIST DID NOT PURCHASE US TO MAKE US SLAVES.WE DO NOT GO FROM BONDAGE UNDER SIN TO BONDAGE UNDER CHRIST. WE ARE FREE.
· PAUL TELLS US HOW CHRIST DIDTHAT. HE TOOK OUR GUILT ON HIMSELF AND BECAME A CURSE FOR US. HE BORE OUR SIN, OUR GUILT,AND OUR PENALTY WHEN HE DIED ON THE CROSS.
§ -SCRIPTURE #6 DEU 21:22-23,33 THE CURSE OF THE TREE
· CURSED IS EVERY ONE THATHANGETH ON A TREE (13)
¨ IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, IF A PERSON COMMITTED ATERRIBLE CRIME WORTHY OF DEATH, THE PEOPLE STONED HIM AND THEN HUNG HIS BODY ON A TREEUNTIL NIGHT FALL. THE PURPOSE WAS TO BE A DETERRENT TO OTHERS WHO MIGHT BE TEMPTED TOCOMMIT THE SAME CRIME.
· THAT THE BLESSING OFABRAHAM MIGHT COME ON THE GENTILES (14)
¨ CHRIST BECAME A CURSE THAT WE MIGHT HAVELIFE.
¨ CHRIST DIED TO END THE PERIOD OF LAW ANDBRING A PERIOD OF GRACE, SO THAT WE MIGHT SEE SALVATION BY FAITH TO JEW AND GENITLE ALIKE.
v APPLICATION:
Ø WE MUST GET THE HORSE BEFORE THE CART. THEBIBLE GIVES US THE TRUTH THAT MAN IS A SINNER SAVED BY THE GRACE OF GOD THROUGH FAITH.AFTER THAT, OUR EXPERIENCES WITNESS TO US AS TO WHETHER WE ARE SAVED OR NOT. WHAT IS ITTHAT TELLS, OR WITNESSES, TO US THAT WE ARE SAVED?
§ READ JAM 2:20-21
· FAITH PRODUCES WORKS OF FAITH.THESE ARE NOT WORKS OF LAW.
¨ JAMES USES ABRAHAM TO SHOW US THAT ABRAHAMHAD FAITH, AND BECAUSE OF THAT FAITH, HE WAS OBEDIENT TO OFFER ISAAC AS A SACRIFICE. THATACTION OF OBEDIENCE WAS HIS WORK OF FAITH AFTER HE WAS ALREADY SAVED IN GEN 15.
Ø WORKS OF FAITH ARE A TESTIMONY THAT WE HAVEFAITH.
HOMEWORK
GALATIANS 3:15-24
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERSTO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.
v APPLICATION OF GAL 3:1-14
Ø DO YOUR SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES VALIDATE THETRUTH OF THE WORD OF GOD THAT SALVATION IS BY FAITH? EXPLAIN.
Ø IF FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST HAS SAVED YOU, WHATSPECIFIC WORKS OF FAITH PROVE YOUR SALVATION?
v PREPARATION FOR GAL 3:15-29
Ø READ GAL 3:15-29
§ IF THE LAW SAVED NO ONE, IFTHE LAW COULD NOT GIVE LIFE, IF THE LAW ONLY CONDEMNED MAN, WHY DID GOD GIVE THE LAW TOMOSES
v MEMORY VERSE: GALATIANS 3:22
