'with the result that the Law has become our tutor and our disciplinarian to guide us to Christ, so that we may be justified [that is, declared free of the guilt of sin and its penalty, and placed in right standing with God] by faith. ‘  Galatians 3:24

What is the true solution to the problem called sin?

'For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation]. For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us]. ‘  Ephesians 2:8-10

It is that simple, by grace through faith we are saved if works are added then the equation is wrong and the solution is not found.

When the answer to the problem of sin is discovered we know it because fellowship with God is restored.

'And because you [really] are [His] sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba! Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave (bond-servant), but a son; and if a son, then also an heir through [the gracious act of] God [through Christ]. ‘  Galatians 4:6-7

Back to the Garden

Knowledge of God without a relationship with God produces nothing but dead works.  
We are not called to pick from the tree of knowledge of good and evil but to walk in the Garden and pick from the tree of life.

We must return to innocence, wipe the board clean, like Paul count all our knowledge as dung. 

'But more than that, I count everything as loss compared to the priceless privilege and supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord [and of growing more deeply and thoroughly acquainted with Him—a joy unequaled]. For His sake I have lost everything, and I consider it all garbage, so that I may gain Christ, ‘  Philippians 3:8

We need to take off our old filthy rags and put on new garments.  

'For all of you who were baptized into Christ [into a spiritual union with the Christ, the Anointed] have clothed yourselves with Christ [that is, you have taken on His characteristics and values]. There is [now no distinction in regard to salvation] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you [who believe] are all one in Christ Jesus [no one can claim a spiritual superiority]. 'Galatians 3:27-28

Who would want to put on old dirty clothes when they have been given new clean ones?  
'Before you Gentiles knew God, you were slaves to so-called gods that do not even exist. So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world? You are trying to earn favor with God by observing certain days or months or seasons or years. ‘Galatians 4:8-10

Our ultimate desire as parents should be to see our children mature well where they can find success in life.  As spiritual parents, our ultimate desire should be to see Christ formed in those we lead.  

'Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives. ‘Galatians 4:19

We desire our spiritual children to produce the fruit of the Spirit and not works of the flesh.  Ishmael was the result of Abraham not trusting God and producing a child of the flesh.  Isaac was the result of waiting on the promise of God and he was born supernaturally.

'The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife. The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God’s own fulfillment of his promise. These two women serve as an illustration of God’s two covenants. The first woman, Hagar, represents Mount Sinai where people received the law that enslaved them. And now Jerusalem is just like Mount Sinai in Arabia, because she and her children live in slavery to the law. But the other woman, Sarah, represents the heavenly Jerusalem. She is the free woman, and she is our mother. ‘Galatians 4:22-26

We can only walk with God who is a Spirit by the Spirit, which is not possible naturally only supernaturally.

Let us repent and drive out our Ishmael's and choose from henceforth to only produce Isaac's.

“Get rid of the slave and her son, for the son of the slave woman will not share the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” So, dear brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman; we are children of the free woman.’ Galatians 4:30-31

The Charge:  
If you are not enjoying fellowship with God, wipe the board clean, and accept the simple truth, that through grace by faith you are saved, and repent of any works you have added to the equation.

​Sunday February 16th
Galatians 3
 
How many people would agree that it’s important for us to obey the law?
I heard a story about a policeman who brought four teenage boys in front a judge.  "These hooligans were causing an awful lot of commotion at the zoo, your Honor," he said.

"Boys," said the judge sternly, "I really don’t like to hear reports of juvenile delinquency. Now I want each of you to tell me your name and what you did wrong."

The first boy said, "My name is George, and I threw peanuts into the elephant pen."

The second boy said, "My name is John, and I threw peanuts into the elephant pen."

The third boy said, "My name is Mike, and I threw peanuts into the elephant pen."

And the fourth boy said, "My name is Peanuts."
So the next question is, did the Apostle Paul believe that it was important for believers to obey the Law of Moses? And that’s an entirely different answer altogether!
Starting out in verse 1 of Galatians chapter 3, we see Paul delivering a rather severe rebuke to the believers in Galatia. He says:
You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
We can see that Paul was clearly upset about something within the Galatian church. Twice he calls them foolish. His main issue seems to be whether they were going to continue on their spiritual journey by performing the works of the Law of Moses, or by following the voice of the Holy Spirit by faith.
Here are a couple of key points to consider:
The first question might be - Can’t we do both? Can’t we put ourselves under the Law and still live by faith?
The answer to that question is simply NO!
Paul is definitively telling the Galatians that their spiritual awakening, which came about when they put their faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins, cannot possibly end up leading to a life that is based on keeping the laws of the Old Covenant. It’s not an option.
Paul asks them a series of questions to highlight the difference between works of the Law and a faith that comes by hearing the gospel:

1. Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
2. Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
3. Does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

In Paul’s view, these two roads, works and faith, lead in two different directions, so you can’t walk on them both.
The second objection that might be raised is based on the fact that the Law was given to Moses by God, so how could it possibly be a bad path to follow?
Paul refutes this point by going back to a time before Moses ever came on the scene – back to the time of Abraham, who is the true Father of our faith:
6 Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. 7 Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. 8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.
So faith is the ultimate source of our blessings, not following the Law. Abraham didn’t DO anything to EARN his righteousness! He simply BELIEVED God by faith, and righteousness was RECKONED to him, or given to him.
In the same way, as Christians we BELIEVE in Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins, and then we are GIVEN His righteousness in exchange for our filthy, sinful rags.
So if faith brings righteousness, what does the Law bring?
According to Paul, it brings a CURSE!
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.” 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 would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Paul’s point in calling the Law of Moses a curse is that no one can possibly keep the whole law in its entirety. He quotes from Deuteronomy 27:26 which says that anyone who doesn’t abide by “all things written in the law” will be cursed. And the verse that follow it list all of the curses that will fall upon Israel for disobedience to any part of the Law.
And since we all have broken God’s covenant by violating the law in some way or another, we all deserve to receive the law’s curses and condemnation.
But thankfully Jesus Christ bore the law’s curse for us, in taking our place of punishment, and giving us peace with God instead.
Colossians 2:13–15 says “When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.”
What did Jesus do with the curses that were supposed to fall on us for our disobedience to the Law? He nailed them to the cross when He hung there for us.
So who inherits the righteousness of faith that came from Abraham? Anyone who builds their life upon faith!
15 Brethren, I speak in terms of human relations: even though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it. 16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ. 17 What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. 18 For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.
So believers whose lives are marked by the indwelling Spirit, fulfill God’s promise that through Abraham all nations will be blessed. The Holy Spirit is the blessing promised to Abraham and to his descendants. That includes all of us. Paul says that the Law of Moses came into existence WAY after the promise of faith had been made, 430 years later. And the Law didn’t have the power to break God’s promise.
Well then, why was the law given? Paul explains that:
19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. 20 Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. 22 But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
The key here is that transgressions, sins, humanity’s inability to keep the law, is the source of our broken relationship with God.
Paul asks the question “Is the Law contrary to the promises of God?” No, they are actually intended to work together. The law would only be in competition with faith if it could deliver us from condemnation, but it can’t do that. The law is good and has value because it shows us what is pleasing to God, but it’s not able to give us the ability to keep the law. The Jews were given the law, but they also were condemned by it.
So what was the real purpose of the Law? That’s what Paul will now explain in a very simple way:
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, so that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
If you look closely at our 10 Commandments monument out along the sidewalk in front of the church, you will see Galatians 3:24 engraved on the base.
“The Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.”
Was the law able to make us righteous? No, it was never intended to. Its purpose was to convince us that we could NEVER be righteous on our own. We need a savior. The law was our teacher, or tutor, to teach us how much we needed to be saved. We needed righteous. The Law proved to us that we couldn’t do it without Jesus. Then we receive forgiveness, salvation and HIS righteousness by faith. So where does that leave us? In a beautiful place!
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. 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, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.
We are sons and daughters of God through faith alone, whether man, woman, Jew, gentile – all baptized as 1!

​Paul addressed some major Issues throughout his letter to the Corinthians in the final chapter he doesn't have one major theme but rather some reminders and final instructions.

Taking Collections  (vs. 1-4)
-  Come together on the first day of the week to take collections. 
-  It is best to have people set some money aside week by week rather than trying to 
   take a huge collection all at once.
-  Giving towards the needs of Jews is a way to bridge the gap for Gentiles.

Travel Plans  (vs. 5-12)
-  It is unwise to travel when it is dangerous unless the Lord says likewise.
-  We can make our plans but God orders our steps.
-  We will not always get to do what we would prefer.
-  Expect wide doors to open with the opportunity for effective ministry.
-  We are to assure that those we send out are treated in a respectful manner no 
   matter their age, cultural background, or ministerial experience.
-  When there are issues such as jealousy and strife it may be best to say no to an 
   invitation.

Final Exhortations (vs. 13-18)
-  Be alert (Satan is like a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour).
-  Stand firm in the faith (Put on the full armor of God).
-  Be courageous (do not fear or be afraid).
-  Be Strong (in the Lord and the power of His might).
-  Your action must be done in love (1 Cor. 13).

First impressions are very important but our final words of a conversation or letter are usually what is remembered the most.  So we must take our time, pray, receive wisdom from the Lord and therefore make choice words that leave an impact.  Great leadership is not the ability to draw a crowd but the enablement to move people to do the right thing.

The Corinthians were very carnal and Paul's mission was to help them turn from their stinking thinking, replacing it with truth, marked with the beauty of the nature of His love.  

When one of our kids smells we tell them to hit the bathroom.  When a Christian is carnal we need to tell them to hit the prayer room.  The flesh is to be flushed by the power of the Holy Spirit, as it says in Romans 8:13.  We have no excuses for our behavior, for Romans 8:9 says we are not controlled by the flesh but by the Spirit.  What we feed is what will lead.  We are what we eat!  So if we want to live godly we must feed our spirit.  The Spirit grows in us through the Truth that is why John 4:24 says "God is a Spirit, and those who worship Him, must do so in Spirit and in Truth.  We can be saved but live like we are unsaved by neglecting our spiritual hunger for Truth.  Let us not be Carnal Christians like the Corinthians but Spiritual Beings bearing the image of Christ.