Steven Lawson

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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: “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 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.