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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
THE RELEVANT RESULTS OF GALATIANS 3
v MEMORY VERSE: GALATIANS 3:25
v WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED SO FAR IN GALATIANS 3?
Ø IN GAL 3 WE LEARNED THAT THE MOSAIC LAW CAMEIN ALONGSIDE OF THE PROMISE GIVEN TO ABRAHAM TEMPORARILY FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THENWHEN CHRIST CAME, THE LAW WAS SET ASIDE.
Ø WE LEARNED THAT THE MOSAIC LAW WAS TO MAKEMAN AWARE OF SIN SO THAT WHEN CHRIST CAME, HE WOULD BE READY TO RECEIVE CHRIST AS HISSAVIOR.
Ø WE LEARNED THAT THE MOSAIC LAW SAVED NO ONE.IT DID NOT GIVE LIFE. IT WAS NOT MEANT TO BE A REMEDY FOR SIN.
v THERE ARE SOME RELEVANT RESULTS THAT WE NEED TODISCUSS BEFORE WE GO ON TO GALATIANS 4. IN OTHER WORDS, HOW DOES GAL 3 AND THE LAW APPLYTO OUR CHRISTIAN LIVES TODAY?
Ø THE CONDITIONAL AND INCLUSIVE NATURE OF THEMOSAIC LAW
§ READ DEU 28:1-2,15
· NOTICE THE CONDITIONALWORD, IF.
¨ THE WORD IF INDICATES THAT MANMAY OR MAY NOT FULFILL THE CONDITION. IF MAN DOES NOT FULFILL THE CONDITION, GOD WILL NOTPOUR OUT HIS BLESSINGS ON THAT PERSON.
Ø THEREFORE, GODS BLESSINGS ARE DEPENDENTON HOW WELL MAN PERFORMS.
· NOTICE THE INCLUSIVE WORD,ALL IN ALL HIS COMMANDMENTS.
¨ BECAUSE THE WORD IS INCLUSIVE, MAN MUST OBEY ALLTHE COMMANDMENTS.
Ø IN OTHER WORDS, IF MAN OBEYS 9 OF THE 10COMMANDMENTS IN EXO 20, HE HAS NOT FULFILLED THE CONDITION FOR BLESSING.
Ø IF MAN OBEYS ALL 10 COMMANDMENTS EVERY DAYFOR 10 YEARS, THEN ONE DAY HE FAILS TO OBEY ONE, HE HAS FAILED TO KEEP ALL THECOMMANDMENTS ALL THE TIME.
Ø THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF THE MOSAIC LAW
§ THE MOSAIC LAW CONSISTED OFMORE THAN JUST THE 10 COMMANDMENTS IN EXO 20. IT CONSISTED OF 639 RULES AND ORDINANCES INTHE BOOKS OF EXODUS, LEVITICUS, NUMBERS, AND DEUTERONOMY.
§ READ MAT 19:16-22
· HOW DO WE EXPLAIN JESUSRESPONSE TO THE RICH YOUNG RULER IN LIGHT OF WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT KEEPING THE MOSAIC LAW?
¨ THE MAN, IN HIS PRIDE, THOUGHT HE KEPT ALLTHE LAW AND DESERVED ETERNAL LIFE.
¨ JESUS POINTED OUT THE ONE THING THE MANFAILED TO OBEY.
Ø WHY DID JESUS TELL HIM TO GO AND OBEY THATONE RULE INSTEAD OF TELLING HIM IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO FULFILL THE LAW?
§ THE MAN NEEDED TO DISCOVERTHAT TRUTH FOR HIMSELF.
· BECAUSE OF HIS PRIDE, HE WAS NOTREADY TO ADMIT THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF KEEPING THE LAW.
¨ NOTICE THAT HE WENT AWAY DOWNCAST. THE LAWDOES THAT BECAUSE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP IT. YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE DONE ENOUGH.
¨ GODS PURPOSE FOR THE MOSAIC LAW WASWORKING IN THIS MANS LIFE. THE LAW WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BRINGING THIS MAN TOCHRIST. (THE SCHOOLMASTER)
Ø THE NATURE OF PERFORMANCE-BASED LIVING
§ WHAT IS PERFORMANCE-BASEDLIVING?
· IT IS RELYING ON A SYSTEM OFCONDUCT TO INDICATE YOUR STANDING OR YOUR WORTH BEFORE A HIGHER AUTHORITY.
¨ WE HAVE SEEN HOW THE MOSAIC LAW WAS ACONDITIONAL SYSTEM. IF MAN PERFORMED, HE GAINED ACCEPTANCE WITH GOD AND RECEIVED BLESSING.
· THEREFORE, A PERFORMANCE-BASEDSYSTEM IS A SYSTEM OF WORKS.
§ THERE ARE MANY OTHERPERFORMANCE-BASED SYSTEMS IN THIS WORLD.
· WE GREW UP WITH ONE IN SCHOOL. IFYOU DID YOUR SCHOOLWORK, THE TEACHER THOUGHT WELL OF YOU AND BLESSED YOU WITH A GOODGRADE. YOUR GRADE REFLECTED YOUR PERFORMANCE. YOU NEVER KNEW IF YOU HAD DONE ENOUGH TO GETTHAT A UNTIL YOU GOT YOUR REPORT CARD. BY THEN IT WAS TOO LATE TO DO MORE TOCHANGE YOUR STATUS.
· CHURCHES SOMETIMES HAVEPERFORMANCE-BASED SYSTEMS AS PART OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH. THIS IS WHAT WE CALL,LEGALISM.
Ø PERFORMANCE-BASED LEGALISM
§ TO UNDERSTAND LEGALISM ANDHOW IT WORKS WE NEED TO EXAMINE ITS OPPOSITE: LICENSEOR LAWLESSNESS.
· LICENSE OR LAWLESSNESS DENIES THESIGNIFICANCE OF ANY LAW. THERE IS NO STANDARD. THERE ARE NO RULES OR LAW.
· LEGALISM IS JUST THE OPPOSITE. ITEXALTS LAW OVER ANYTHING ELSE. THIS WAS THE PROBLEM THE PHARISEES HAD.
¨ (MAT 23:1-7 MAT 23:15-18 MAR 7:10-13)
¨ LEGALISM ELEVATES HUMAN TRADITION TO THELEVEL OF DIVINE REVELATION.
¨ LEGALISM PREEMPTS GODS GRACE AND TENDSTO BIND PEOPLE IN AREAS WHERE GOD HAS SET THEM FREE.
Ø THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE LIFE OF ABELIEVER TAKES A BACK SEAT (LOSES MUCH INFLUENCE).
¨ LEGALISM MAKES MINOR ISSUES MORE IMPORTANTTHAN MAJOR ISSUES.
Ø THE BELIEVER AND THE GOSPEL ARE BETWEEN THETWO EXTREMES OF LAWLESSNESS AND LEGALISM. PAUL, IN THE BOOK OF GALATIANS TALKS ABOUT BOTHOF THESE EXTREMES.
§ PAUL SAID IN GAL 1:6-9 THATIF YOU PERVERT THE GOSPEL, YOU HAVE NO GOSPEL AT ALL.
· HOW IS THE GOSPEL PERVERTED? ITIS THE EXTREMES OF LEGALISM AND LAWLESSNESS THAT PERVERT THE GOSPEL.
¨ THE EXTREME OF LEGALISM:
Ø FRONT-LOADING THE GOSPEL
§ DOCTRINES WHICH ATTACHPERFORMANCE-BASED WORKS AS CONDITIONS FOR SALVATION ARE FRONT-LOADING THE GOSPEL.
· FOR EXAMPLE: THERE ARE CHURCHES THAT SAY YOU MUST BE BAPTIZEDBEFORE YOU CAN BE SAVED. SOME SAY YOU MUST GIVE UP THIS OR THAT TO PROVE YOURSELF WORTHYOF SALVATION. THERE ARE THOSE WHO SAY YOU MUST MAKE JESUS LORD OF YOUR LIFE,NOT JUST SAVIOR.
¨ MOST TRUE, GOSPEL-PREACHING, CHRISTIANCHURCHES RECOGNIZE THAT HEAVY FRONT-LOADING OF THE GOSPEL AS A TYPE OF LEGALISM IS NOTBIBLICAL, AND THEY EASILY CONDEMN IT. BUT SOME CHURCHES SLIDE A BIT ON THE FRONT-LOADINGASPECT.
· GAL 2:16 GAL 3:2 ROM4:5-6
§ IT IS FRONT-LOADING THEGOSPEL THAT PROMPTED PAUL TO WRITE THE BOOK OF ROMANS CONCERNING JUSTIFICATION (THEENTRANCE INTO SALVATION).
Ø BACK-LOADING THE GOSPEL
§ THIS PHENOMENA CAN BE MORESUBTLE AND NOT EASILY RECOGNIZED.
· IT IS THE ATTACHMENT OF WORKS TOTHE CHRISTIAN LIFE AS A MEANS OF ACHIEVING THE FINAL GOAL OF ENTRANCE INTO HEAVEN.
¨ FOR EXAMPLE: THERE ARE CHURCHES THAT SAY YOU MUST LIVE A HOLY LIFE TO PERSEVERE TO THEEND TO REACH HEAVEN. THEN THEY ADD PERFORMANCE-BASED WORKS THAT PROVE YOU ARE PERSEVERING.THEY ADD WORKS SUCH AS TITHING, CONSISTENT CHURCH ATTENDANCE, WATER BAPTISM, ETC.
· HAB 2:4 ROM 1:17 GAL3:11 HEB 10:38
§ IT IS BACK-LOADING THEGOSPEL THAT PROMPTED PAUL TO WRITE THE BOOK OF GALATIANS CONCERNING SANCTIFICATION (THEPROCESS OF BECOMING MATURE AFTER YOU ARE SAVED).
· THE JUDAIZERS WERE SAYING THATSALVATION BY FAITH WAS FINE BUT THEN CHRISTIANS NEED TO BE CIRCUMCISED.
v WHY DO CHRISTIANS EITHER FRONT-LOAD OR BACK-LOADTHE GOSPEL?
Ø THESE VARIOUS FORMS COME DOWN THROUGH CHURCHHISTORY IN AN ATTEMPT TO RECONCILE THE SIMPLICITY OF THE GOSPEL WITH AN OBSERVATION OFHUMAN EXPERIENCE.
§ THE GOSPEL SAYS THAT APERSON IS SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH. IT IS A FREE GIFT OF GOD. (EPH 2:8)
· THIS IS SO SIMPLE ESPECIALLY WHENWE UNDERSTAND THAT GOD EVEN GIVES US THE FAITH TO BELIEVE. (ROM 12:3)
· THIS IS SO SIMPLE THAT EVEN ACHILD CAN UNDERSTAND IT.
§ THE OBSERVATION OF HUMANEXPERIENCE
· WE ALL KNOW PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TOHAVE INVITED JESUS INTO THEIR HEARTS. THEN THEIR SUBSEQUENT LIFE DOES NOT EXHIBIT ANYCHANGE.
¨ SOME SAY THE REASON FOR THIS IS THAT WE MAKEBELIEVING TOO EASY, SO THEY FRONT-LOAD THE GOSPEL TO MAKE IT HARDER.
· WE ALL KNOW PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TOHAVE INVITED JESUS INTO THEIR HEARTS AND THEIR LIFE DOES EXHIBIT AN IMMEDIATE CHANGE. THENLATER THEY FALL INTO SIN OR DECEPTION OF SOME KIND AND FALL AWAY FROM THE LORD.
¨ SOME SAY THE REASON FOR THIS IS THAT WE MAKEGRACE TOO FREE, SO THEY BACK-LOAD THE GOSPEL TO MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT.
Ø THE PROBLEM WITH FRONT-LOADING ANDBACK-LOADING THE GOSPEL:
§ BOTH ARE TYPES AND DEGREESOF LEGALISM IN ITS VARIOUS FORMS.
· INHERENT IN LEGALISM IS ANINABILITY TO DRAW DIVIDING LINES.
¨ YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THE GOOD WORKS YOU HAVEDONE ARE ENOUGH WHETHER YOU FRONT-LOAD OR BACK-LOAD THE GOSPEL.
Ø IN PAULS DAY THE JUDAIZERS SAIDCHRISTIANS JUST NEEDED TO BE CIRCUMCISED. HOWEVER, CIRCUMCISION WAS ONLY ONE SMALL PART OFTHE MOSAIC LAW. JESUS INDICATED THAT IF YOU BROKE ONE PART, YOU BROKE ALL OF IT. IF YOUKEPT ONE PART OF THE LAW, YOU HAD TO KEEP ALL OF IT.
§ BOTH SYSTEMS OF LEGALISMRESTRICT THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
· READ ROM 11:6
¨ GRACE AND WORKS ARE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.EITHER YOU HAVE ONE OR THE OTHER. YOU CANNOT MIX THEM. THAT IS PAULS MESSAGE INGALATIANS.
· THE PERFECTING OF THE BELIEVER ISA WORK OF THE TRINITY CARRIED OUT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. GAL 3:3 JOH 17:23
¨ IT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT IS RESPONSIBLE TOPRODUCE FRUIT IN THE LIFE OF THE BELIEVER. (GAL 5:22-24)
¨ IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HOLY SPIRITTO BRING A PERSON TO MATURITY IN CHRIST.
Ø READ JOH 14:26
§ THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL TEACHYOU.
Ø READ JOH 16:8, 13-14
§ THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL MAKEYOU FEEL GUILTY WHEN YOU SIN.
§ THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL GUIDEYOU INTO TRUTH.
§ THE HOLY SPIRIT WILLGLORIFY JESUS IN THE BELIEVER.
¨ WE NEED TO LET THE HOLY SPIRIT DO HIS WORK INTHE HEART OF THE BELIEVER RATHER THAN TRYING TO PERFECT THE BELIEVER THROUGH LEGALISMSWHICH ONLY RESTRICT THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND CAUSE THE BELIEVER TO BECOMEDISCOURAGED.
§ THERE IS A COMMONMISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT GRACE:
· MANY PEOPLE THINK THAT THE WORDGRACE MEANS THERE ARE NO RULES THAT GUIDE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.
| MOSAIC LAW | GRACE | |
| COMMANDS | 639 COMMANDS | HUNDREDS OF EQUALLY SPECIFIC COMMANDS |
| POWER | THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS NOT PERMANENTLY GUARANTEED | THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT IS PERMANENTLY |
| MOTIVATION | THE MOTIVATION IS FORCED BY FEAR | THE MOTIVATION IS ENCOURAGED BY LOVE |
v DISCUSSION:
Ø MANY PEOPLE, EVEN CHRISTIANS, FALL INTOLEGALISM. THEY APPROVE OF IT AND PROMOTE IT. WHAT IS IT ABOUT LEGALISM THAT MAKES IT SOATTRACTIVE TO MANY PEOPLE?
§ A LEGITIMATE ANDWELL-MEANING CONCERN ABOUT THE EXISTENCE OF SIN IN THE LIVES OF BELIEVERS.
§ A MIS-GUIDED JUDGING OFOTHERS WHOSE LIFE DOES NOT MEET YOUR STANDARDS.
§ A MIS-UNDERSTANDING ABOUTTHE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
HOMEWORK
THE RELEVANT RESULTS OF GALATIANS 3 continuedTHIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERSTO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.
v APPLICATION:
Ø CONSIDER YOUR OWN BELIEFS AND ACTIONSCONCERNING THE LEGALISMS OF FRONT-LOADING AND BACK-LOADING THE GOSPEL. WRITE A PARAGRAPHABOUT WHERE YOU THINK THE PROPER BALANCE LIES BETWEEN LEGALISM AND LAWLESSNESS.
v PREPARATION FOR THE RESULTS OF GAL 3 CONTINUED:
Ø READ EACH OF THE FOLLOWING SCRIPTURES ANDCONSIDER WHETHER EACH ONE REFERS TO A LOST SALVATION OR AN ETERNAL SECURITY OF THEBELIEVER:
Ø GAL 5:4
Ø ROM 8:30
Ø HEB 6:4-6
Ø ROM 5:10
Ø JOH 8:51
Ø JOH 14:16
Ø 2TIM 2:12
Ø EPH 4:30
Ø 1COR 9:27
Ø JOH 10:28
Ø 1TIM 5:12
Ø COL 3:3-4
Ø JOH 15:6
Ø ROM 8:35-37
Ø WRITE WHAT YOU BELIEVE BY INCORPORATING ANDBALANCING ALL OF THESE SCRIPTURES.
Ø MEMORY VERSE: ROMANS 5:2
