Galatians

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Dr. Steven J. Lawson: “From Slavery to Sonship” (Galatians 4:1-4:7)

Galatians 4:1-7 (NASB)—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. 3 So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.

We who were once enslaved to our sinful flesh, who did nothing more (and nothing less) than to carry out the wicked desires of our despicable flesh. We who were once outside the family of God, and were indeed His enemies. Now, God sending His Son to redeem us from the curse of the law, to adopt us as sons, that we might call Him “Abba, Father!”

Here is the eleventh installment of this series going verse-by-verse through what Dr. Lawson calls “Paul’s Most Explosive Letter.” You can listen by left-clicking this link.

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Dr. Steven J. Lawson: “Full Salvation in Christ” (Galatians 3:26-3:29)

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Galatians 3:26-29—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.

Dr. Lawson finishes chapter 3 of Galatians by showing us, from God’s word, that our FULL salvation comes from Christ and Christ alone. Yeah, I know it’s simple. But try hearing a message like that in most of your lukewarm churches (if you hear anything about any kind of gospel at all).

Here is the tenth installment of this series going verse-by-verse through what Dr. Lawson calls “Paul’s Most Explosive Letter.” You can listen by left-clicking this link.

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Dr. Steven J. Lawson: “What Is the Purpose of the Law? (part 2)” (Galatians 3:21-25)

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Galatians 3:21-25 (NASB)—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. 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.

Part 2 of a two part series with Dr. Lawson going verse-by-verse through the section of Galatians where Paul puts into perspective the purpose of the Law given to the Israelites through Moses. These who had been so intent on resting their hope for salvation in their keeping of the Law, are now made to understand that it is not the Law that saves–the Law was simply a foreshadowing of the salvation to come, which would come by faith in Christ Jesus.

Here is the ninth installment of this series going verse-by-verse through what Dr. Lawson calls “Paul’s Most Explosive Letter.” You can listen by left-clicking this link.

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Dr. Steven J. Lawson: “What Is the Purpose of the Law? (part 1)” (Galatians 3:15-20)

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. 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.

Part 1 of a two part series with Dr. Lawson going verse-by-verse through the section of Galatians where Paul puts into perspective the purpose of the Law given to the Israelites through Moses. These who had been so intent on resting their hope for salvation in their keeping of the Law, are now made to understand that it is not the Law that saves–the Law was simply a foreshadowing of the salvation to come, which would come by faith in Christ Jesus.

Here is the eighth installment of this series going verse-by-verse through what Dr. Lawson calls “Paul’s Most Explosive Letter.” You can listen by left-clicking this link.

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Dr. Steven J. Lawson: “Justification By Faith Alone” (Galatians 3:6-14)

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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. 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 the 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.

If a man is not justified by keeping the rite of circumcision, then how could any of our other works justify us? We could do all the good works we could find to do, we could do all the serving we want, we could be dunked in water every Sunday–and it would do nothing to put us in right standing before God. If Paul says here that we are justified by faith alone–not faith and circumcision–then how do some say that we are justified by faith and baptism? If Abraham was justified before his circumcision, then how do some say that one is not justified before his baptism?

Here is the seventh installment of this series going verse-by-verse through what Dr. Lawson calls “Paul’s Most Explosive Letter.” You can listen by

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Dr. Steven J. Lawson: “You Foolish Galatians!” (Galatians 3:1-3:5)

Galatians 3:1-5 (NASB)—1 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?

In this day and age we live in, when so many supposedly mature Christians are being carried away with every new wind of doctrine. When they go running after evey newfangled idea. When they are tossed to and fro like a wind on the sea. When the goofier, and kookier, and crazier and more off-the-wall, the more “spiritual” it is supposed to be. When many who call themselves Christian are following a wanna-be pro wrestler who kicks cancer patients in the gut and puts his boots in an old lady’s face–then use the Scriptures that talk about what happened on the Day of Pentecost to justify these nonsesical shenanigans (while they ignore the clear teachings that all things are to be done decently and in order). When all of these things are going on in a body of people that is supposed to be glorifying Christ on earth, we can echo the sentiments of the apostle Paul when he declared, “You foolish Galatians!”

God has performed a miracle by transforming our dead hearts of stone to living hearts of flesh–yet Charismaniacs need more and bigger experiences to “build their faith” (which is a bit of a paradox. If they need more experiences to build their faith, then what does that say about their faith to begin with?) This is the theme that Dr. Lawson builds upon in this message.

Here is the seventh installment of this series going verse-by-verse through what Dr. Lawson calls “Paul’s Most Explosive Letter.” You can listen by left-clicking this link.

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Steven J. Lawson: “Contending For the Gospel” (Galatians 2:11-21)

Galatians 2:11-21 (NASB)—11  But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.  12 For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision.  13 The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.  14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews? 15 We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles;  16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.

17 “But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be! 18 For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”

What is the gospel? The gospel is this: that God the Son came into the world, clothed in sinful flesh, to reconcile those written in the Lamb’s Book of Life with the God they had spent many years rejecting, hating, and rebelling against–all the while putting ourselves on the throne that rightly belongs to God. But here’s the thing. Our sins still need to be punished, or they had to be forgiven. Otherwise, a man could not rightly enter into the kingdom of God. In other words, we have to be justified in the eyes of God in order to gain admission to His kingdom–the kingdom of His dear Son.

Listen closely starting at about the 26:00 mark, and you will understand why we at DefCon don’t associate with or support certain “ministries”–and why this tripe about how the most important thing we should be concerned with is “UNITY! UNITY! UNITY!”–is nonsensical rubbish.

So, how is a man justified? Is it by keeping the Law? Does he have to do enough “good works”–which are, in fact, nothing more than wicked works performed by vile men? Or does God justify us, declare us not guilty, because of our faith in Christ? Find out in this, the sixth installment of this series going verse-by-verse through what Dr. Lawson calls “Paul’s Most Explosive Letter.” You can listen by left-clicking this link.

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Dr. Steven J. Lawson: “Paul Continues His Defense” (Galatians 2:1-10)

 
1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me. 2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain. 3 Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4 And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), 5 to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. 6 But from those who seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me. 7 But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter 8 (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), 9 and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do.

Paul continues to hammer away at his critics who question his credentials as an apostle of Christ. They are willing to concede that he may have been sent out by men–but they will not acknowledge that he was sent by the risen Christ Himself. Here, Paul lets it be made known that even the apostles of Christ knew that Paul was who and what he said he was. Here is the fifth of this series going verse-by-verse through what Dr. Lawson calls “Paul’s Most Explosive Letter.” You can listen by left-clicking this link.

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Dr. Steven J. Lawson: “Paul Defends His Apostleship” (Galatians 1:11-1:24)

11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. 14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. 20 (Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.) 21 Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ. 23 But they were hearing only, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God in me.

In this installment, Paul defends himself against those who questioned his credentials as an apostle–even though he had been chose by the risen Christ Himself.

Here is the fourth of this series going verse-by-verse through what Dr. Lawson calls “Paul’s Most Explosive Letter.” You can listen by left-clicking this link.

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Dr. Steven J. Lawson: Verse-by-verse through Galatians (1:1-1:5)

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Today starts a series of sermons from Dr. Steven J. Lawson, pastor of Christ Fellowship Baptist Church in Mobile, AL–which will be the church my wife and I will be attending when (God willing) we move there in a few years. From the website for New Reformation Ministries:

Dr. Steven J. Lawson is the Senior Pastor of Christ Fellowship Baptist Church in Mobile, Alabama, having served as a pastor in Arkansas and Alabama for the past twenty-seven years. He is a graduate of Texas Tech University (B.B.A.), Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M.), and Reformed Theological Seminary (D. Min.)

The focus of Dr. Lawson’s ministry is the verse-by-verse exposition of God’s Word. From this, he has authored fourteen books, the most recent being The Expository Genius of John Calvin and Foundations of Grace 1400 BC-AD 100, volume one of a five volume series. His other recent books include three titles in the Holman Old Testament Commentary Series: Job, Psalms Volume I (Psalms 1-75), and [Psalms] Volume II (Psalms 76-150).

Dr. Lawson has also authored Famine in the Land: A Passionate Call to Expository Preaching; Made In Our Image; Absolutely Sure; The Legacy; and Faith Under Fire. His books have been translated into various languages around the world, including Russian, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Croatian and the Indonesian language.

He has contributed several articles to Bibliotheca Sacra; The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology; The Faith and Mission; Decision Magazine; and Discipleship Magazine, among other journals and magazines.

Here is the first of his series going verse-by-verse through what Dr. Lawson calls “Paul’s Most Explosive Letter.” You can listen by left-clicking this link.