Gal 3:10-14 The Righteous Lives By Faith
10For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” 12But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 14so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
The timing of our study of Galatians is so divine.
• Coming TUE 31 Oct is Reformation Day – the day we remember how Martin Luther nailed the 95 theses on the church door initiating a return to the Gospel in 1517.
• And here we are studying this portion of the book of Galatians reminding ourselves that justification is by faith and that our salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, and for the glory of God alone. All that the Reformation symbolises.
That’s the Gospel. There is no other. It is the only Gospel that saves.
• Paul has to preach it again to the Galatians because of the confusion and distortions brought in by the false teachers.
• He was determined to explain it at length because that’s the only Gospel that can change lives - a Gospel based on faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross.
Paul says later in Rom 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
• Our new life did not come from the works of the Law but from faith in Christ.
• It is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, that we are justified.
• It is entirely the work of God and Christ, and for the glory of God alone; no human merit and no human contribution whatsoever.
In the previous section, Paul emphasizes the need for FAITH in what God has done.
• Today he continues on the same subject but addresses it from the other side - the perspective of the Law.
• It is futile to rely on WORKS to earn God’s favour and seek salvation.
• Why? Because CHRIST has taken our place and paid the price for our redemption.
Just like to share with you these THREE points today:
? The IMPORTANCE OF FAITH - Life Change Can Only Comes Through Faith
? The FUTILITY OF WORKS - Self-Efforts Can Only Prove That We Are Sinners
? The SUFFICIENCY OF CHRIST – Only the Sinless Christ Can Redeem Us Fully
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1. IMPORTANCE OF FAITH - Life Change Comes Through Faith
FAITH is the thrust of the last week’s section. We are justified by faith alone.
• Paul asked a series of questions (3:1-4) to get them to think about their changed lives.
• Did the change come from faith in the Gospel or their works?
• If they are born again, then why are they returning to the works of the Law?
• If even your forefather Abraham was counted as righteous because of faith – foreseeing what God would do in Christ – then why are you seeking righteousness somewhere else?
• Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (3:6) EVEN BEFORE there was the Law – no Law for him to obey – then why are you returning to it?
That was last week’s message: Have FAITH in Jesus Christ.
• We can saved and changed by FAITH in Christ. There is no other way.
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In today’s text, Paul turns from talking about their SUBJECTIVE experience to the OBJECTIVE truth of God’s Word.
• The OT Scriptures also point to Christ and not to the Law! Our salvation did not and can never come from our obedience to the Law.
2. FUTILITY OF WORKS - Self-Efforts Can Only Prove That We Are Sinners
Paul challenged the Jewish legalists to look at the Scriptures again and understand what God has said. It points to FAITH in Christ because “The righteous shall live by faith.”
Paul quoted from a couple of OT references:
• 3:10 – For it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” (Deut 27:26)
• 3:11 – For “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Habakkuk 2:4)
• 3:12 – But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” (Lev 18:5)
• 3:13 – For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree…” (Deut 21:23)
— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles; so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
The Scriptures highlight the Law, no doubt, but more precisely – the failure of men to keep the Law – and then point ultimately to Jesus Christ, the resolution!
Let me run through the FOUR quotations from the OT:
(1) Deut 27:26 “Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.”
? We are cursed because we failed to obey the Law; we are under CONDEMNATION because we are sinners.
? Paul rephrased it when he quoted it and said: “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by ALL things written in the Book of the Law and DO THEM.” (3:10)
? It’s not just about knowing them, reciting them, studying them (which the legalists are good at) but DOING them, which they failed.
? None of us can. We cannot keep it consistently, constantly, and completely, so we are cursed!
(2) Habakkuk 2:4 “The righteous shall live by faith.” (11b)
? Paul said this 3 times, here in Gal 3:11 and again in Rom 1:17 and Heb 10:38.
? Even the prophets of old declare the need to trust God for righteousness.
? Only God can free us from the “curse” of sin by His grace through faith in His Son.
(3) 3:12 But the law is not of faith. Lev 18:5 “The one who does them shall live by them.”
? The Law is about OBEDIENCE. If you want the Law, then you have to keep it and live it. You have to OBEY it because the Law is not about faith.
(4) 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us — for it is written in Deut 21:23 “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree…”
Jesus took the CURSE on our behalf. He was our Substitute.
That’s why when John the Baptist first saw Jesus at River Jordan, he exclaimed: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)
• Jesus would fulfil in His person that which was symbolized in the OT sacrificial system – that a lamb be sacrificed as an offering before God for the atonement of sin.
• That lamb was a substitute but that animal provides only a temporary atonement; it does not remove sin permanently.
• The Law points to our need for Christ, the ultimate Lamb of God, who provides us with atonement once and for all.
Hence the call for FAITH – to put our faith in the SUBSTITUTE, believing that Jesus took our sin in our place. God will not judge us again.
• The Law did not give us another Gospel but the same one. It points to our inability to keep the Law and to Christ our sinless Substitute.
• We are no longer judged today because of faith in Christ, and we are forgiven and freed to live right.
Paul’s use of these OT Scriptures shows that obedience to the Law was NOT the basis for a right standing with God.
• It has never been and it was not meant to be the basis of our justification. Paul debunked the false teachers’ wrong assertions.
• The Law can never save us because it is not meant to save us but to show us that we cannot. That’s the purpose of the Law.
• No one can achieve a justified standing with God through the Law - not Abraham, not the prophets, and therefore clearly not us.
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3. SUFFICIENCY OF CHRIST – Only the Sinless Christ Can Redeem Us Fully
3:14 So that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
So here we are - the texts from OT show that this is the plan of God all along.
• Faith in Christ brings about “the blessing of Abraham” – righteousness, and the “promised Spirit” in our lives - regeneration. Made righteous and given a new life.
• These two “SO THAT” come from FAITH – righteousness by faith and new life by faith.
• They are gifts of God, not something we can earn.
Faith in Christ changes us. We can either trust our efforts or trust in His work. We cannot have a bit of both.
• If Christ’s work on the cross is sufficient and finished (as Christ Himself declared), then our effort is not needed.
• If salvation is by works, then “Christ died for no purpose.” (Paul said in 2:21.)
To add anything to the Gospel is an affront to God.
• It is offensive because we are saying Christ’s sacrifice is not good enough or incomplete and we have to “contribute to the shortfall”.
• We are questioning the SUFFICIENCY of the cross. We are mocking the provision of God and the work of Christ.
• Can we add to what Christ has done? Can we seek to share His glory - the glory of the cross? How dare we do that?!
No, no and no! We believe unreservedly in the finished work of Christ on the cross and trust fully that by His grace through faith we are forever saved. There is no other Saviour.
Why would people want to return to the way of the Law? I can only think of one, PRIDE.
• They do not want to be seen as morally and spiritually bankrupt and needing to be rescued.
• They want to feel good about themselves and that they can do something good and noble by their efforts.
• But faith in Christ robs them of that chance and puts them in a very “helpless” state.
Pride stops us from coming to the cross and saying, “I am a sinner, please save me!”
• But that’s the truth. The tax collector said it right when he came into the Temple, and left the place justified (cf. Luke 18:9-14).
• We are all sinners in need of Jesus. The righteous live by faith and by that faith alone.
• The righteous shall live by faith from start to finish - from the day we know Christ to the day we see Christ (in heaven or when He returns).
God wiped our slate clean when His Son Jesus died and rose again for our redemption and justification. We can trust Him.
A man in England went on a long holiday travelling across Europe driving his Rolls-Royce. While he was driving around France, something happened to the motor of his car. He called the Rolls-Royce people back in England and asked, "I'm having trouble with my car; what do you suggest I do?"
“Tell me your location and we will send a mechanic over!”
The Rolls-Royce people flew a mechanic over! The mechanic repaired the car and flew back to England and left the man to continue on his holiday.
As you can imagine, the man was wondering, "How much is this going to cost me?"
So when he got back to England after a few months, he wrote Rolls-Royce to find out how much he owed them.
He received a letter from them and it reads: "Dear Sir: There is no record anywhere in our files that anything ever went wrong with a Rolls-Royce."
That’s not true, we know. They just refused to believe that anything can go wrong with a Rolls-Royce. They wanted to show “confidence” in the brand.
• We have the truth about Christ. Can we show more faith in Christ?
Let me close with the words of Jesus in John 10:27-29.
27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”
Augustus Montague Toplady (1740-1778) wrote many hymns, among them the “Rock of Ages”. Here is one lesser-known one: “From Whence This Fear and Unbelief”.
From whence this fear and unbelief?
Hath not the Father put to grief
His spotless Son for me?
And will the righteous Judge of men
Condemn me for that debt of sin
Which, Lord, was charged on Thee?
Complete atonement Thou hast made,
And to the utmost farthing paid
Whate’er Thy people owed;
How then can wrath on me take place
If sheltered in Thy righteousness,
And sprinkled with Thy blood?
If Thou hast my discharge procured,
And freely in my room endured
The whole of wrath divine,
Payment God cannot twice demand—
First at my bleeding Surety’s hand,
And then again at mine.
Turn then, my soul, unto thy rest!
The merits of thy great High Priest
Have bought thy liberty;
Trust in His efficacious blood,
Nor fear thy banishment from God,
Since Jesus died for thee!
The hymn speaks of the complete atonement that Jesus Christ has made for our sins.
• The 3rd stanza says God cannot demand payment twice for our sins, once from Jesus and then again from us.
• Jesus paid it all and there’s nothing for us to add. We are fully assured today.
• We rest on His merits, not ours!
Prayer:
Thank you, Lord, for the forgiveness of our sins, the promise of eternal life, and the transformation of our hearts.
We cherish this salvation as the most precious treasure, and we are forever grateful for Your unmerited favour.
Help us live to reflect Your love and share the joy of salvation with others.
This we pray in Jesus’ Name, AMEN.
You can view the audio sermon with slides at https://youtu.be/eeQWcDr3VeI
Earlier sermons are available at https://tinyurl.com/KTCC-EnglishService
