02.14.2010 Galatians 3-4 - Equal in Christ

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We’ve been laying a foundation – and talking about faith and works and the Law – some of these theological issues – summing up , and I’ll take about ten minutes to talk about this – and then what we will do - in the middle of Galatians 3 and 4, there is a gem of a passage – maybe one of Paul’s best – for sure, some of his most radical statements in the New Testament – and we will close off by looking at that. It sits at the center – the whole point of all this theology. From here on out it will be practical. When Cindy and I were hiking the trails of the Colorado mountains last summer – you mostly go through the woods and follow little creeks. Every now and then you have these great views – it was a 5 mile hike and there was this mountain lake – you ask – how did this get here? Well, obviously from all the snow – and they are crystal clear and filled with trout. Picturesque, dry, brilliant sun, and you take your shoes off and that water is 32 and a half degrees. And in some ways, these verses are tucked here like that – hiking through the theology to find some of these gems. We tend to take it for granted and therefore, are not as grateful as we ought to be. The reason we need to know theology is it makes us grateful to know what God has done for us.
Lord, we do want to understand – not just to have a bunch of knowledge, but to KNOW a God who loves us. We want to know what You’ve done for us and how much You love and care for us – in every aspect of our lives. Thank You, that You gave Your life for us that we might have life – we are thankful for what You have done. Speak to our hearts now. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

The Righteous shall live by faith – this is the key to Galatians – the key to the Bible…
Galatians 3: 6 Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.

When Adam and Eve sinned – they lost a right relationship with God. God has given us choice – the freedom to make a decision – to love, follow, obey Him – or NOT! When Adam and Eve were being tempted by the serpent – God wasn’t there. Obviously, God is everywhere, but He hid Himself in that time. If God would have just stepped in at that moment – do you think Eve would have eaten? No. But if God was there – there wouldn’t have been choice and freedom. This freedom thing is so important to God that He stepped out of the story to allow these two humans to make a decision – even if it was a wrong one. They lost their relationship with God – and from then on – everyone born is born outside of a relationship with God. God made a promise to Abraham, and Abraham believed it.
7 Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, [saying], "All the nations shall be blessed in you." 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.

From the beginning of all of this, the promise was not just to the Jews, but to all people. This concept – Jews and Gentiles coming together as one as God’s people is not new – but the Jews had lost sight of the fact that that was God’s original desire.

10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them." 11 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, "The righteous man shall live by faith. "
We need to become – to get right with God through faith, because, no matter how hard we try to follow God’s law, we won’t. The very best don’t do it (other than Jesus, of course). In one sense, the Law is just a curse, because we can’t do it.
12 However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, "He who practices them shall live by them." 13 Christ 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 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
We have this promise to Abraham – this Law given to Moses – and the ppromise – belief in the promise makes one right with God. The promise – in v. 16
16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," meaning one person, who is Christ.
Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of that promise. Where is the Law?
19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made.
The promise has been given – that is how man gets right with God – and in the meantime – before Christ came – they continued sinning. They were made right with God.
So the Law is given, because we continued to sin.
23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor [to lead us] to Christ, that we may be justified by faith.
The Law comes to keep everything in check until Christ comes - like a guardrail.
25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
The Law is no longer necessary! But how does it go? We are still like the kids at bedtime…
But it is all about Jesus. The Law – that is important, we say – and he says – it is unnecessary – but it is not – it is all about Jesus. It seems so necessary to life! JESUS!
4:1 Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father.
The firstborn was rightful heir – and if a father died before the child was old enough – he is under guardians – the Law – but like a slave – is held in check until he is old enough to get it. – And then when a child would hit a certain age, he could gain possession of what is rightfully his.
We have this promise given, but not received until Christ came.
Galatians 3 and 4
1) The Promise to Abraham
2) The Law is given 430 years later – to point us to Christ
3) Christ is the fulfillment of the Law
We are made right with God – but because of Christ – we are free to live in a way that is right. We are no longer slaves – adults – and what is critical – we are FREE to do what is right. You are free, if you have received Christ into your life – you have the capability to act ina way that is pleasing to God – you have the power inside of you to change any area of life – living in you is Christ and now you have inside of you all that you need to live in a way that pleases God. What I have discovered – there are some habits we have – I’ve seen this in myself and in others – some things are changed once and for all. BOOM! WOW! My language cleared up immediately! Now, some areas – God begins to change over time, doesn’t He. We find ourselves struggling – but even in those areas, we must understand that the power is in inside of us to change. If you are struggling with something and you keep going back to the Law, you can’t change. No matter how hard you determine not to do it- you’ll do it. It is only when we begin to BELIEVE that Christ is in me and is changing me that we begin to do the things He wants us to do. However, we are human – and you’ll discover that it is a process throughout your life. There are those issues – what is important – why hasn’t everything changed? You may get disappointed and give up and think, why even try! Trying doesn’t work – what works is having a growing faith and understanding of what God has done for you.
Part of that process is growing together with others who struggle. It is really important to come together with others. If you are struggling – if you conceal your transgressions will not prosper – but he who confesses and forsakes will find compassion. There is a key to being with fellow strugglers – safe people – with whom you can share what is going on.
Galatians 3: 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. , then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.
Remember – Galatians 2 – Christ lives in you… - When you are baptized – you put on Christ – not only is He in you, but you where Him! It is all about Jesus – not your activity and your will – but a life filled up with Jesus. I’ve been reading the Gospels – 1 a week. I have to for a class! It only takes about an hour – Mark is really short… - It is all JESUS.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ
Jew and Greek – that was the whole problem – segregation and racism – and God is saying – OKAY! You ought to be best friends now! And it wasn’t working.
Think about segregation in the 50s in the south – all the conflict – here is something that has gone on for 2000 years and God is crunching it all together. Because of what Christ did, there is no longer a Jew or Gentile – you are one in Christ Jesus. Paul does this list four times – interchanging – Scythian, - whatever that is – in one of the verses… - He is saying – Any social grouping where there is inequality is erased in Christ. We can bring that into our own lives – we don’t have the Jew/Gentile issue – but any superiority or prejudiced attitudes are wrong. I think all of us have certain prejudices inside of us – and we need to understand how much Paul (and God) hates that! There is no room for a prejudiced attitude in a Christian – but it exists in all of us. Maybe you have a suspicion of people of another ethnicity – there is no room for that. We don’t like to talk about it – all the politically correct stuff – but Paul says – You are ONE! The spiritual implications of this verse demanded social change. If you forced – you are all worshiping together now – eating together now – socially things needed to change. It is not an enormous issue, but it is bigger than we realize –a nd I challenge you – in the heart – to deal with any attitude that might hint of prejudice – it is critical – because it was critical to God. Read the Gospel of Luke – who are the heroes? Samaritans – hated more than the Gentiles! Over and over again – it is like He is making a point! He is! Slave and free! Not an issue today, in any of our minds, but it is in parts of our world. For them it was a major issue – 1/3 of the people in the Roman empire were slaves. Those who were treated fairly were rare…most were treated harshly and had no rights – that is how their society works. He couldn’t change the Roman empire – but in the church, he demanded it not be that way. This may work out for us in socio-economic/socio-political attitudes. We were watching Dave Ramsey – many think that all rich people are evil – well that is probably true! Not that rich people are evil – but that we think that way! Then there are those lazy poor people – and we think that way. God will not put up with those attitudes and neither should we – it is not an issue of political correctness – but of Gal. 3:28. Finally – neither male nor female – I talked about this a couple of months back – in October – you can listen to that – what you will read in the letters of Paul – the way the women were treated in the Gospels – how Jesus treated women was RADICAL. Think how many times women are mentioned as key players – it was the women at the cross, at the tomb, who supported Him financially. We may not think it was much, but for theirs it was radical. What I would say – to close this off – studies have shown that 60% of those who attend church are women – and in light of that – we need to understand, as a church, the important position that women must play within the church. There is neither male/female, Jew/Gentile, Slave/Free – we are one.
We are equal in Christ – and in any sociological group where there is pronounced inequality (how does that work out in our culture?), God calls the church to speak against that.
Let’s pray…