The Gift Of The Holy Spirit

The Gift Of The Spirit

Galatians 3:1-9


Even today there is much confusion about the gift of the Holy Spirit. There are many in in the Church that see the Holy Spirit "as only an influence" flowing from our Father in Heaven.

This cannot be true because the Holy Spirit is a person and not some imaginary influence!

The teaching of the Book of Galatians is the fact that each of us can only be justified by "Faith"!

The first step in salvation is to trust the Word of God!

Every man, woman, and child, is to live a moral life according to the Word of God but this is not the means of being "Justified" before an already righteous God.

There is no one that has ever lived, beside Jesus Christ, who has been good enough, or kept enough of God's Laws to become perfect and acceptable before God.

Our God is perfect and there is absolutely nothing that we can do of ourselves to make us perfect in the eyes of God!

If we are to be perfect then it must be a gift that only God can give to each of us!

The deity of the Holy Spirit is bound up in the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity, The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit.

To deny the existence of just one of them is deny the existence of them all!

Then how is it that we can please God?

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

What is the proof of "Justification"? The actual indwelling of the Holy Spirit!

Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, "if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you". Now "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ", he is none of his.
Rom 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Rom 8:11 But if "the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you", he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies "by his Spirit that dwelleth in you".

All the members of the Holy Trinity are mention in this passage:

1) The Spirit of God dwells in you.
2) The Spirit of Christ dwells in you.
3) The Spirit of Him, (the Father) that raised up Jesus from the dead, dwells in you.

To deny any part of the Holy Trinity is to deny "Justification" as an act of God.
To deny any part of the Holy Trinity is to deny "Salvation".
To deny any part of the Holy Trinity is to deny "Eternal Life".

Eternal Life is an attribute of the Holy Trinity and the purpose of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit!

Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Tit 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Now we can be foolish like these Galatians had become, or we can accept the truth of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Until we have had an actual "Spiritual" experience with Jesus Christ our hope for salvation will be built upon the false doctrine of works!

So what is "Spiritual" ignorance?

*****Gal 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

What are the facts? Anyone who has the the Holy Spirit of God dwelling within them, should quickly see that it is impossible to be justified by any sort of works or rituals!

Therefore false doctrine will make every believer of that false doctrine to act foolish!

The word foolish in this verse means sensual.

Sensual means pertaining to the senses. The six senses attributed to the human being are these.

Seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, touching, and perception.

God says when we only depend on our senses in this life we are foolish.

1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

It is impossible to please God when we only depend on our senses, because it takes "Faith"!

We will never make sense of the Word of God without "Spiritual discernment" and we will always be subject to false doctrine!

False doctrine is deceiving because it may sound reasonable or even logical.

It will seem reasonable to keep religious rituals to obtain salvation.
It will seem reasonable to think we must do good works to obtain salvation.
It may seem logical that we must keep the law in order to please God, but we can only please God after we have accepted His Son by Faith.

The fact is that all these things go against the "Gospel Message"!

In fact it is illogical to believe that a righteous God would accept any of us under any circumstances!

In order to trust in a false doctrine of works, then we must just toss out the truth of the Word of God!

If we spend our life trying to be acceptable to God then we are doomed to failure!

We can do only one thing to be acceptable to God, we must trust in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

False doctrine will always lead us away from Jesus Christ!

The Apostle Paul had preached the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ with such accuracy, that it was if they had been eyewitnesses of all these things.

These things were much more than a historical fact!

These things were done in the power of God and could not be disproved!

What are the facts? These false things still happen today because the world still rejects the truth of Jesus Christ!

Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Eph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Eph 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

When Jesus Christ is not the Head of the Church, then the Church will act according to human senses and will fall prey to all the false things that are taught in this world today.

The Church cannot be as effective today because Christians are not committed to the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ and non-believers are searching for their answers elsewhere!

The Church no longer has the power of the Holy Spirit because the Church has forgotten how to receive the Holy Spirit!

*****Gal 3:2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

It's called Faith!

It is a fact that your are not a Christian until you become a Temple for the Holy Spirit!

Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Even the Angels do not receive such a gift as the Holy Spirit!

1Pe 1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
1Pe 1:11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
1Pe 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

The question we should ask our own selves is just when did we receive the Holy Spirit.

This is the question the Apostle Paul was asking these Galatians.

Was it by keeping some law or by believing the truth of Jesus Christ?

Every true believer understands this question!

Every true believer understands that it is by "Faith" in the "Faithful Son of God", Jesus Christ, that is the only means of receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit.

And we can say Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost and the Holy Spirit are One and the Same!

The gift of the Holy Spirit comes when "Faith" gives a response to the preaching of the "Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ" which is the "Gospel of Grace"!

We must believe the "Good News" that Jesus Christ came to this Earth and died in payment for our sins!

Each believer understands that he is not righteous but our Father in Heaven counts us righteous through the righteousness of His Son.

Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Rom 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Then and only then will the Holy Spirit come to live in the heart of the believer.

This is how we are saved today and this is how these Galatians were saved!

The Holy Spirit is the gift of God!

The Holy Spirit is given, the Holy Spirit cannot be earned!

Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and "he shall give you another Comforter", that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

The facts are, that God need to look no further than the heart to see if we are what we say we are!

We can only receive the Holy Spirit by our Faith!

And we can only have Spiritual growth by the that same Faith!

*****Gal 3:3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

We cannot begin our Christian life without the Holy Spirit and we cannot become spiritually mature by focusing on our own flesh or our own works, good or bad!

No one can begin their journey with God until they truly believe on the Lord Jesus Christ!

Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

No one can continue their journey with the Lord unless they are renewed daily by the Holy Spirit!

Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Tit 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

This is why true Christians will not renounce their beliefs for some unrealistic, imaginary, and false religion!

The Holy Spirit knows only one direction and He will always lead us to Jesus Christ!

Joh 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, "he shall testify of me":

It is the work of the Holy Spirit to bring us into a greater knowledge of our God.

2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
2Co 10:6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Without the Holy Spirit we cannot conform to the image of Jesus Christ.

Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Without conforming to the image of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, we cannot be accepted by God.

Php 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
Php 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Our conversation should be of Heaven because we have become citizens of Heaven and just Ambassadors here on Earth.

2Co 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
2Co 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Once being accepted into the family of God, then will come ridicule and abuse from this world we live in!

*****Gal 3:4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.

Anyone that believes Christians have an easy life are fools. This world we live in hates Christians!

Joh 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
Joh 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Joh 15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

These same Galatians had also suffered persecution just because they had accepted the Lord Jesus Christ:

In Iconium.

Act 14:1 And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.
Act 14:2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.

In Lystra.

Act 14:19 And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.

In Derbe.

Act 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

It is a fact that we are going to suffer just because we say we are Christians and if we just give up or just give in, we will have suffered in vain!

What are the facts?

1) We will be separated from this world.
2) We will have to deny ourself.
3) We will need to take up our own cross daily, which is dying to our own will and our old ways.
4) We must give of ourselves to the work of the Lord.

Jesus said:

Mat 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Mat 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

It will be very hard to rejoice during persecution but the rewards are far better than any life we have now!

Those that preach a prosperity gospel stray from the truth!

It is only by "Faith" that God will work in our lives!

*****Gal 3:5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

First, a Spiritual gift is not the same as a natural talent. There could be some relationship but a natural talent is an ability that a person may have had and developed from the time of their birth.

But a Spiritual gift is given supernaturally by God at the very moment the Holy Spirit indwells the believer!

Many of these Galatians had actually witnessed a miracle of healing by the Apostle Paul.

Act 14:8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked:
Act 14:9 The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,
Act 14:10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.

This miracle did not come about by some law. In fact these Galatians immediately knew this miracle took place by the actions of a god.

Act 14:12 And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.

They had not yet met Jehovah God.

Act 14:14 Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,
Act 14:15 And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:

It was not any of these Galatians who has caused this miracle to take place.

It was not any law that had caused this miracle to happen.

These Galatians had just heard the ministry of the Gospel from the Apostle Paul and "by their own faith", they had believed and by their "Faith" they had been saved.

God worked miracles among them because of their "Faith".

Without "Faith" there would have been no miracles!

Even Jesus did not many miracles around unbelievers:

Mat 13:57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
Mat 13:58 And "he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief".

Without the Holy Spirit there would have been no miracles at all!

1Co 12:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

1Co 12:11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

And there could be no gifts of the Holy Spirit without the "Grace of God"!

Rom 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
Rom 12:7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
Rom 12:8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

The Apostle Paul clearly understood that he had no power beyond what the Holy Spirit allowed him to have!

2Co 12:12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

These Galatians had heard the "Gospel Message".

They had witnessed the Power of God by His Holy Spirit.

They had believed in the power of "Faith" in Christ Jesus.

And none of these things had taken place because of some written laws.

By "Faith", and by the gift of the Holy Spirit, God had provided their needs!

How does God lay the foundation for each group of believers?

God will always do these things:

Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Eph 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

There are no laws that can cause these things to happen!

God's Power Comes By Faith!

*****Gal 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Gal 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

We can be sure that Abraham held a unique position for the Jewish people. In fact Abraham is revered not only by the Jews by most all the the Arab nations.

This may not hold true for Iran because most of Iran is of Persian descent.

Abraham was hand selected by God to be His witness to all the nations that existed in his day!

Gen 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
Gen 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Gen 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

**What was God's promise to Abraham?

1) Abraham would become the father of a new nation, that would be Israel.

2) All nations on this Earth would be blessed by his seed, and that seed would be Jesus Christ.

Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness!

Heb 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

Abraham took God at His Word and trusted God!

**What is the truth?

1) Abraham did not keep some law to please God!

The Laws of Moses would not be written for another 430 years.

2) Abraham and "his seed" were the only ones to whom God gave these promises!

Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

3) Only a promise was given to Abraham. No other information was given to him!

God just said to Abraham "Go". God did not even give Abraham any directions.

4) Only one condition was attached to the promises given to Abraham.

Abraham had to believe God!

There were no works involved!

There were no laws involved!

5) What did Abraham do?

Gen 12:4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

If Abraham had not believed God, he would never have left his home and all his family.

"Faith" came first!

God did not count Abraham righteous for anything that he had done.

God did not count Abraham righteous because of who he was.

God did count Abraham righteous simply because he believed what God had said!

It is only by "Faith" that we can be called the children of Abraham, it has nothing to do with our own bloodline, we must be in Christ Jesus' bloodline!

It is only by "Faith" that God's promises are fulfilled!

Heb 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: "for he hath prepared for them a city".

2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless "we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth", wherein dwelleth righteousness.

God will only justify us by our own Faith!

*****Gal 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
Gal 3:9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

The Apostle Paul realized that the Word of God was to be taken as the actual "Voice of God" as it is!

Most of the World laughs at these things but that does not make them any less true!

When we go as far back as the Book of Genesis we can see that God has always had only one message, the "Gospel of Faith"!

God has always had only one way of "justification", and that is by Faith!

And it was by the "Faith of Abraham" that the promise was made.

And that Promise was that "In Thee Shall All Nations Be Blessed"!

What did Abraham do?

1) Abraham separated himself from the world.

What does God teach the Church?

2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

2) Abraham gave his life totally to God.

What does God teach the Church?

Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

3) Therefore God accepted Abraham and judged Abraham to be righteous.

What does God teach the Church?

Rom 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
Rom 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

Abraham believed God and God took Abraham's belief and counted it as righteousness!

This was an act of God and Abraham's one item of work, his one contribution to his righteousness, was his "Faith"!

This is all our example because mankind can only be saved by "Faith"!

On what was Abraham to base his "Faith"?

God promised Abraham an earthly son and a great nation.

Isaac was born to Abraham, his only son by Sarah, and Isaac was the bloodline of the Jewish nation.

Rom 9:7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

BUT, the fact remains that God's promise did not point to a great nation or a great crowd of people but to a single person and that person is Jesus Christ!

It was the Lord Jesus Christ that was the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham!

Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

And that great nation would be a great nation of believers by "Faith" in the promises of God!

Eph 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

So then all which are of "Faith" can be blessed with a faithful Abraham!

Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

Even Abraham is still waiting on all of us to be perfected together in the New Heaven!

If we are not willing to have the "Faith" of Abraham, how can we even think we can be saved?

Questions?

Let's Pray!

Justified

Justification By Faith

Galatians 2:11-21


What is justification? First, justification is the opposite of condemnation!

In the Webster dictionary, justifying is an action that is conformable to law.

In law, justifying is showing in court why a defendant did what he or she was charged with doing.

In God's Law, Justification is the judicial act of God, by which He pardons "all" sin of those that place their "Faith" in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

What are the facts?

God declares every believer righteous, on the basis of the blood shed by Jesus Christ!

The most simple meaning of "justification" is "to be declared righteous"!

The justification of each believer is a gift of "God's Grace"!

Rom 3:24 Being "justified freely by his grace" through the redemption "that is in Christ Jesus":

Justification can come only by "Faith"!

Rom 5:1 Therefore being "justified by faith", we have peace with God "through our Lord Jesus Christ":

Justification is only possible through the blood Christ Jesus shed on the Cross!

Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now "justified by his blood", we shall be "saved from wrath through him".

Justification has nothing to do with keeping man-made Laws!

Rom 3:20 Therefore "by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified" in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

The greatest thing we realize as Christians is the truth that we are justified by God and not by something we can do ourselves!

One of the biggest problems we have in any Church is that so many drift away from the truth.

In this lesson we will deal with some of the problems that are in every Church.

Let's continue to see the truth of God's Grace.

*****Gal 2:11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.

We will first see that every believer that becomes a backslider must be confronted.

Before Peter had come to the Church in Antioch we know that there had already been that first council in Jerusalem and the direction of the Church was already laid out by all the Apostles and James the half-brother of the Lord.

Act 15:24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:

Act 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
Act 15:29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
Act 15:30 So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:
Act 15:31 Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.

It was after all these things that Peter came to the Church in Antioch of Syria.

Antioch of Syria was a great Church and was made up mostly of Gentiles but there were also many Jews.

It was from this great Church of Antioch of Syria where missionaries were first sent out into the uttermost part of this world in obedience to the Words of Jesus Christ.

Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

It was therefore extremely important that the message that would be going out to the world would be comprised of the entire truth of the "Gospel".

This incident with Peter is not mentioned anywhere else in the New Testament.

This incident also indicates that Peter may have been trying to seek a compromise with those so-called Judaizers.

It is also important for us all to see that the Apostle Paul stood on equal ground with all the other Apostles.

Every new Church was to be established by the "Grace of God" and not by any authority handed down from Jerusalem.

Peter certainly did not intend to hinder the growth of Body of Christ but his actions would certainly do so and Paul confronted him face to face.

Paul did not go to the other leaders.

Paul did not write some new epistle about Peter.

Paul went straight to Peter and confronted him face to face.

Sometimes compromise is the right thing to do to bring peace and harmony but there can never be any compromise when it comes to salvation!

There can be no compromise with false teaching and our own actions must be according to the truth of God.

What had Peter done?

*****Gal 2:12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.

Now we may not know why the Apostle Peter came to Antioch but God has a purpose behind everything that happens.

When Peter had gotten to Antioch, he had had no problem eating and being in fellowship with those Gentile believers.

We already know that James believed the same as Paul but in Jerusalem many legalistic Jews clinged to the Laws of Moses as the basis of their own salvation and in their zeal wanted all believers to do the same as they.

These men had come from the Church in Jerusalem but they had not been sent by James nor any of the Church elders!

Salvation comes by the "Gospel of Jesus Christ"!

The "Gospel of Jesus Christ" stands alone as the only means of salvation and cannot be added to other religious beliefs!

The word religion means actually external service.

Godliness is about saving the Soul!

When those Judaizers saw Peter in fellowship with all those Gentiles they must have confronted Peter and he then yielded to them.

To the Jew it was sin to fellowship with Gentiles!

What does God say?

Pro 29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.

Peter had just got caught in a snare of the Devil!

When Peter withdrew himself from the Gentiles, then the Church of Antioch was split between a gospel of works, versus the "Gospel of Grace".

Every time a Pastor compromises with legalistic believers or with any false doctrine he then becomes a people-pleaser and the Church will begin to suffer and fail!

Paul did not blame those that held to false doctrine, Paul blamed the Apostle Peter.

Paul loved Peter enough to straighten him out on the truth of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul loved the Church enough to not see it fail in his lifetime!

Paul had more zeal for the "Gospel of Grace" than he had ever been zealous for Judaism.

God had more than one purpose for the Apostle Paul!

Before Paul confronted Peter, this split of the Church in Antioch became so volatile that even Barnabas got caught up in it.

*****Gal 2:13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.

That word dissembled means: to be concealed under a false appearance or disguise.

Peter had become a hypocrite and all the Jews in the Church joined with him and also became hypocrites!

What we should realize is, that all those in a leadership position in the Church have a tremendous responsibility before the other Church members and any visitors.

We should also realize that when we say we are Christian, the world will judge us by our actions.

All the world truly hates the hypocrite!

A legalistic point of view was just about to shut the doors of the first Gentile Church!

Barnabas did not play an active part in this hypocrisy but he did get caught off guard and he began witnessing his Church fall apart.

Barnabas was reaching a point to where he was going to have to choose a side to save some part of his Church.

So what had Peter done that that had caused these things?

*****Gal 2:14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

1) Peter had become a hypocrite.

Peter had taught the truth but his life was teaching something else altogether.

2) Peter had become a people-pleaser.

Even though Peter knew better, he had followed the crowd simply because they had put much pressure on him to do so.

3) Peter had respect for some above some others.

We must live our lives according to the truth of the "Gospel of Grace"!

The "Gospel" declares that God loves all people the same:

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

The Gospel declares that God is no respecter of persons and even Peter knew this:

Act 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

The "Gospel" declares that we are to please God and if that pleases mankind then great but if that does not please mankind then it is a problem that man has and not God!

1Th 2:4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

Paul said to Peter, "Peter, you do not even try to keep the Laws of Moses yourself, why in the world would you compel these Gentiles to do these things".

You see Peter also knew about those dietary laws of Moses.

Act 10:13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.
Act 10:14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
Act 10:15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, "What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common".

These things teach us that even Peter was not infallible and would not have made a good Pope as some in the Catholic Church believe he did.

In reality there has never been a man that was infallible.

Only the Lord Jesus Christ was the sinless Son of God!

The Apostle Peter was a sinner saved by the "Grace of God", just like the Apostle Paul and just like we all are that know the Lord Jesus Christ on a personal level!

If you think you cannot be led astray by some false doctrine, then when you hear any such thing you must remember we are only saved by the "Grace of God".

This is still God's plan and God will never change His plan!

It is only the Living God who can justify any of us!

*****Gal 2:15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

**Paul reminded these Galatians that he was also a Jew. Paul was a Jew by birth and bloodline.

**Paul reminded these Galatians how the Jews felt about themselves. The Jews considered themselves righteous by the acts of their religion which was Judaism.

The Jews considered Jehovah to be the God of the Jews but not the God of the Gentiles.

**Paul reminded these Galatians that these same Jews considered all Gentiles to be "rank sinners" unworthy of salvation.

**Then Paul reminded these Galatians that salvation did not come by bloodline. Salvation comes to all, whosoever, the same way.

Salvation comes by "Faith" but that "Faith" must be in Jesus Christ!

Every Jew that had come to Jesus Christ had to admit that their religion, their rituals, their obedience to the Law, and their works could not save them!

In fact everyone of any and all religions must admit this same thing!

1) No one is justified and made acceptable to God by any works of their own or any law that they try to keep!

What is the question?

By what means can man, God's creation, stand before our Righteous God?

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

What are the facts? Mankind can only be justified by faith!

Not just any faith but by the faith on the works of Jesus Christ!

If there were such a law or group of laws that man could live by to become justified, then we already know that there is no one who can keep even the Laws of Moses all their life without breaking one or more of those laws.

What is the result? We all come short of the Glory of God!

What did God say to Moses?

Exo 33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
Exo 33:21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
Exo 33:22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:

The truth is that every thing that lives in God's presence must be perfect and complete!

For man to justify themselves they must do at least one of these 3 things.

a) Man can only deny that he or she broke God's Law.

b) Man can only say they had the right to break God's Law.

c) Man can only deny knowledge of God's Law.

What is the truth?

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

To serve a perfect God then we ourselves must be perfect and mankind simply does not have that ability to do this.

Psa 139:6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

Is their some sort of work or some law to be kept to overcome these things? God says no!

An imperfect being can never obtain perfection it's own!

No matter what we as humans do to learn perfection, we will always come up short and there will always the thought that we can do better so we can be better!

This is a false hope!

When we believe that our salvation is dependent on some work that we can do, or some law that we can keep, we will soon realize that we are hopelessly lost forever and we will know that we have need of a Savior!

Rom 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

2) A person is justified by "Faith" of Jesus Christ and He alone.

Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Notice that we can only be "Justified" by the Faith of Jesus Christ.

**It was Jesus Christ who did the impossible!

2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, "who knew no sin"; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

It was Jesus Christ who kept all the Laws, who did all the works and He was "faithful" to do all these things for our salvation!

Justification does not mean we have been made righteous!

Justification means we will be treated as righteous because Jesus Christ was faithful to do what none of us could do!

Justification is necessary because we all have sinned and come up short of the Glory of God!

1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

**God can only justify the believer who accepts this truth of His Son Jesus Christ!

God loves each of us so much that He came to this Earth Himself, in the form of Jesus Christ, in order to "Justify" us all who would believe!

Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

God is willing to justify each of us because Jesus Christ was faithful to obey His Father!

2Co 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Jesus Christ came into this world to conquer death because He knew we did not have that ability!

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

What is the truth?

All those that truly believe in the work of Jesus Christ to obtain our salvation are counted as righteous enough to stand before our righteous God!

Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Php 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Php 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

What are the facts?

The fact is that God the Father, loves God the Son so much that He will justify any human being who honors His only begotten Son!

We can only stand before God if we stand in the righteousness of His Son Jesus Christ!

What are the facts?

Faith in Jesus Christ is God's righteousness and the only righteousness that can make each believer acceptable to God!

Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

And no one will ever be misled by Jesus Christ!

*****Gal 2:17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
Gal 2:18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

We must first realize why we are sinners. We are not sinners because because we sin!

We sin because we are sinners!

Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Rom 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

The question stated in this verse is, Can Jesus Christ be making us to be even greater sinners by trusting in Him rather than trusting the Laws of Moses?

The answer is---God forbids this to happen!

Does trusting in Christ Jesus make it easy for us to break the law by knowing we will always be forgiven? We are foolish to think in this way!

Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
Rom 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Then shall we continue in sin knowing that God has more "Grace" than He does "Wrath"?

Again God forbids this also!

Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

We must realize that "Justification" cannot come by keeping any law.

Those that make there own selves righteous by laws are sinners!

Laws can only show us how we fail!

At the same time we cannot reject the laws!

The Law still has it's place in the plan of God just as much as "Faith"!

Every "Born Again" child of God brought to Him by the "Faith" of Jesus Christ, will then seek to please God.

We cannot please God by if we are always at odds with the laws of this world.

We must only remain at odds with all those things that go against the Word of God!

Rom 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
Rom 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

We must all them live according to the ways of Jesus Christ!

2Co 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
2Co 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Living in the ways of Jesus is living in the ways of God!

*****Gal 2:19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

How can we truly live for God? God must become the controlling principle of our lives!

**1) We must die to the law.

The purpose of the Law is to show us that we are sinners.

The purpose of the Law is to show us just how far short we are of becoming righteous and perfect.

The purpose of the Law is to show us that we stand no chance of ever being accepted by a Holy God!

The Law condemns us to death!

Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: "which is the second death".

The only hope of Salvation is to die to the Law.

And there is no hope in self-righteousness!

**2) We must be crucified with Christ Jesus.

*****Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

This can only take place when we truly believe that Jesus Christ bore all our sin and actually died a sure death on Calvary's Cross!

This is the "Faith" that we must have!

If we are not identified with Christ Jesus then we cannot be saved!

Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

God can count us as already being punished only because He has accepted the death of His Son!

Our security lies in our "Faith"!

**3) We must live for God.

We must surrender ourselves to the work that God has placed before us!

We must allow Jesus Christ to live in our heart!

We cannot be in charge of our own life we must allow Christ Jesus full control of our life!

Joh 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Joh 15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

We must allow Jesus Christ to live through our body!

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

**4) We must trust in the "Grace of God"!

*****Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

To "frustrate" the "Grace of God" means we can make the "Grace of God" useless.

Frustrate means to set aside, make void, or make ineffective.

When we frustrate the "Grace of God" we have done away with the Love of God!

When we frustrate the "Grace of God" we have made the death of Jesus Christ meaningless!

God's Grace and God's Love are one and the same!

Faith is the key to a loving relationship with our God!

Being found in Jesus Christ is being found in His righteousness which is our only means of pleasing God!

Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Php 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Php 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

Most of us try to schedule Jesus into a small part of our lives and when we do this we have missed the purpose of the Cross!

The cross that Jesus bore was not made for carrying!

The cross that Jesus Christ bore for us was made for dying!

Mar 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

There is no pride in the weight of our own cross and the burdens we try to carry.

The purpose of the cross was to teach us to die to our own selves!

This is why Jesus spoke these words:

Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Jesus Christ carried all our burdens of sin to His death on the cross.

To be "Justified" we must die to ourselves and live a New Life through Jesus Christ!

Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Questions?

Let's Pray!

Taking A Stand For The Truth

The Stand For The Truth

Book of Galatians 2:1-10


What is taking a stand? To take a stand with the Lord is to continue in your "Faith" unchanged by what others say!

Taking a stand on the Word of God means taking the Word of God literal.

Literal means that that words and the sentences of the Scripture are understood in their normal meaning or as in a normal conversation.

For instance:

Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

It would be normal to understand that the Messiah would be born of a virgin, not just some young maiden.

Mic 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

It would be normal to understand that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

Isa 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

It would be normal to understand that the Messiah would appear to be as any normal man of Jewish descent.

Psa 22:8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.

It would be normal to understand that the Messiah would be the sacrifice that was to be offered for our sin.

We can take the Word of God literal because we know all these Scriptures have been fulfilled along with so many others.

The Apostle Paul's problems would have ended if he had just admitted that Christianity was just a sect of Judaism, but the Apostle Paul took the Word of God literal!

Paul could have taken his skills to a new level and been a highly paid preacher truly prospering in his ministry if he would have just allowed the traditions and rituals of Judaism into the church.

What is the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Every sinner has the right to go directly to Jesus Christ for salvation without going through any type of law or ritual or any other man-made process.

The world has an attitude that God has to prove Himself worthy when the fact is, man must be made right with an already righteous God!

What is the truth? God hates sin!

Psa 5:4 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.
Psa 5:5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.

1) God's justice requires some punishment for sin.

2) Man is God's creation and God's mercy would not allow God to leave man to his own fate.

3) God's love meant God had to provide a means to justify every sinner to His own standard.

4) The answer to all these things is "Faith" in the work of Jesus Christ!

Gal 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

As we know, the Apostle Paul had come under attack by the churches of Galatia because some men who preached the false gospel of works.

Paul was forced to defend not only himself but also the "Gospel of Grace"!

Paul took his stand on the truth and the truth is, that salvation to every sinner can come only by the freely given "Grace of God" through the Lord Jesus Christ.

What we will see in this lesson is:

1) Paul will defend the work of the "Gospel".
2) Paul will defend the "Gospel" before false believers.
3) Paul will defend the "Gospel" before any and all persons.
4) Paul will defend all those that are called to proclaim the "Gospel of Grace"!

So let's continue:

Gal 2:1 Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.

In the last chapter we learned that Paul had only spent 15 days with the Apostle Peter who was held in high regard by all the churches.

Fifteen days was not a long enough time for Peter to train Paul to be a missionary.

Now Paul says it was 14 years before he went again to Jerusalem.

This means that Paul's Gospel could not have come from the Apostle Peter nor from what many considered to be the home church of Jerusalem.

The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is not some offshoot of Judaism!

There is no such thing as a home church!

Every church is to be an independent church though help may come from other churches to get started and then they all should help each other as the need arises!

This is true because the church is the individual:

1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1Co 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

And just as we are to help one another, then every group of believers is to help every other group of believers as the need arises.

We are all in this thing together!

Psa 100:3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

The Apostle Paul mentions Barnabas because Barnabas had traveled with him when these churches of Galatia had been first established.

It seems the message of Barnabas was not brought into question because Barnabas had spent much time in Jerusalem and with the other Apostles.

But Barnabas had agreed entirely with the "Gospel" as preached by the Apostle Paul.

Paul was being very careful to show that his call came from Jesus Christ and not from any man.

Notice Paul says that he took Barnabas and Titus with him and not that Barnabas and Titus had taken him to Jerusalem.

Act 15:1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
Act 15:2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.

What were the results of this gathering in Jerusalem with all the Apostles and James the head Pastor in Jerusalem?

Act 15:4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.

Peter said:

Act 15:9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

Act 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

The Apostle Peter said, it is not that the Gentiles are to be saved like the Jews, we should clearly understand that it is us Jews who are to be saved the same way as the Gentiles, by "Faith" through "Grace"!

The Apostles in Jerusalem had only asked that these new Gentile churches not mock the Jewish converts to Christianity.

Act 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
Act 15:29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

The Apostle Paul had preached this message now for more than 14 years!

1Co 9:20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
1Co 9:21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
1Co 9:22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
1Co 9:23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
1Co 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

Paul said we are never to mock those we are trying to lead to the Lord Jesus Christ!

Paul said we are all to have the same "Gospel of Grace"!

And the Apostle Paul was not even sure if those in Jerusalem and the other Apostles preached the same "Gospel of Grace" until he met with them!

*****Gal 2:2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.

We see that Paul had been led to go to Jerusalem by the Holy Spirit.

It was God that had revealed to Paul the need for this journey and not man.

Paul had not been sent to Jerusalem to get permission to preach the "Gospel of Grace"!

God was about to begin world-wide evangelism and it was very important that all the Apostles have the same message and that they all were certain of that.

The Apostle Paul did not try to undermine that message of Peter and James and John and the Church elders by going to the congregation first but he first met them in private.

The Apostles had to trust each other and each had to have the same message.

When Paul used that phrase "I should run", it did not mean that he might have to make a hasty escape.

Paul meant that the "Gospel of Grace" must have "free course" above any message of the Church!

The message of "Grace" and the progress of the early church would have been greatly hindered if there had been any disagreement among God's hand picked Apostles!

Today, many missionaries seek support of the Church and it is very important for us all who support them, to know that they preach the same "Gospel of Grace" as did the Apostle Paul.

Paul knew that if men were allowed to add rituals, or to add rules to God's freely given Grace, then his ministry would mean nothing.

Paul knew that if believers focused their salvation on a bunch of laws that could not get anyone saved then they would never focus on the truth of Jesus Christ!

As we are all taught in Bible College, it is not so important the message we begin with but at some point in that message we need to run to the Cross of Jesus Christ, the true picture of God's Grace!

1Co 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

We sometimes allow our human reasoning to get in the way of God's truth, that the "Gospel" is the "good news" that Jesus Christ was crucified, the sinners only remedy for forgiveness, and was then raised from that death in the power of God, in order to prepare us a place in God's Heaven!

Paul wrote these words to the Corinthian Church:

1Co 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, "lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect".

There is no other message of the Church more important than the "Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ" which is the "Gospel of Grace".

Rom 9:24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
Rom 9:25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
Rom 9:26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.

It is only the true "Gospel" that can change people's lives!

And it is the true "Gospel" that is to be offered to all people, regardless of race, regardless of sex, regardless of nationality, or regardless of anything else.

Paul brought a Gentile with him to prove his point.

*****Gal 2:3 But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:

In order to better understand these things we must remember a few things.

In Jerusalem most every believer was a converted Jew, and some at one time had even been Pharisees.

They had all been circumcised when they were 8 days old.

They had all been taught the laws of Moses all the days of their childhood.

They had all observed the rituals and the feasts of Judaism all their lives.

AND, Many of those that had accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as the true Savior, had still refused to give up their Jewish religion.

They saw Christianity only as an extension of Judaism.

In their minds, before a person accepted Christ and was saved, they had to first become a Jew.

The Apostle Paul had rejected all these things.

The other Apostles had taught that Judaism could not bring the sure salvation that could come only by accepting Jesus Christ as the Messiah and the true Savior and the only means of Salvation.

Paul preached salvation by the "Grace of God" and that salvation came by "Faith" and "Faith Alone"!

Paul preached that they all had to focus on the Lord Jesus Christ instead of the Laws of Moses.

Even though Paul had at one time been even more zealous of Judaism than they, they still opposed the teaching of the Apostle Paul and they set out to discredit and destroy the Apostle Paul.

These are those that are called Judaizers in the New Testament.

Act 15:1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
Act 15:2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.

These Judaizers never accepted the teaching of the Apostle Paul.

Paul's physical proof of Salvation by Grace through Faith, was the Gentile Titus.

Barnabas was a Jew and had been converted to Christianity even before Paul but he believed the same as Paul.

Titus was a Gentile who was also of Greek descent and had never known Judaism!

Paul refused to allow Titus to be circumcised because the truth of "Gospel liberty was at stake".

2Co 8:6 Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.
2Co 8:7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

Later Titus was sent to establish a church on the Island of Crete.

Tit 1:4 To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Tit 1:5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

And Titus later joined Paul in Rome while he was in prison from where he was sent again to Dalmatia to help another church that Paul had established.

2Ti 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

Rom 15:19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

Dalmatia was a main city of Illyricum.

Titus was the perfect example of salvation by "Grace" alone!

Paul may have led Titus to the Lord, but it was the same God of Creation who had called Titus to be a Preacher of the Lord Jesus Christ!

These Judaizers even made demands of Titus.

*****Gal 2:4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
Gal 2:5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

We should not be confused here. "False brethren" are non-believers!

It had been non-believers who had stirred up the Church and had brought all these things into question.

This can be a problem in any church. Many a church has split because some pretenders to Christ Jesus have come into the church in an attempt to change the perfect "Doctrine of Grace by Faith"!

We must always remember people are not lost because they are destined to be sinners because of Adam's sin.

People are lost because they have refused to believe the "Gospel" the truth of Salvation!

We have already heard of the zeal of the Apostle Paul and we can just imagine how fired up Paul became with these false brethren.

The Apostle Paul refused to be drawn into a false doctrine.

And, Paul always remembered to warn the new churches of all these things.

Act 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Act 20:30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
Act 20:31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

What is the greatest assault on the church today?

"False brethren", who are non-believers, who are trying to modernize the "Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ"!

Most of them say the "Gospel" is old fashioned and does not suit today's problems.

Some, want to repackage the "Gospel" to bring it in tune to the modern world.

Most, just want to replace the "Gospel" with some false thing altogether.

The fact is that there will always be just one "Gospel" message that can bring with it eternal salvation!

As we can see from the time of it's beginning and throughout history, the Church as had to deal with these same battles over and over again.

Satan has never had to change his tactics because his same tactics have worked on far to many places of worship throughout time.

When the truth of the Word of God is brought into question, we must stand on the Word of God!

1Th 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

We must contend for the "Faith" that comes by Jesus Christ.

Jud 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Jud 1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Just as the Apostle Paul refused to budge from the "Gospel of Grace by Faith" alone, we are also to refuse to budge on the "Gospel".

Paul also realized if the Body of Christ yields to even one single change in the "Doctrine of Jesus Christ" then these "False Brethren", these make believe so-called Christians, will continue to want to change the "Gospel" until it has disappeared altogether.

Paul said not even for one hour would he listen to this nonsense!

*****Gal 2:6 But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:

We must keep in mind that all the Apostles were very clear on one main thing:

Act 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
Act 10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

Paul had never spent time with the other Apostles.

Paul had not been taught by them in any way.

But the fact remained that they all preached the same "Gospel of Grace" by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul was not trying to belittle the other Apostles in any way, Paul was just saying that even though they had been companions of the Lord Jesus Christ while He had lived, did not give them any superior authority over the "Gospel".

We must remember these words of Jesus Christ to Thomas.

Joh 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Why can no one add to or take away from the "Gospel" as preached by the Apostle Paul.

Gal 1:15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
Gal 1:16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; "immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood":

Paul had received the "Gospel" by the Holy Ghost.

Again what had the Lord Jesus told Peter?

Mat 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: "for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven".

And Jesus then said, "This is how I will build my Church":

Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Peter was not the "Rock", The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is the "Solid Rock" foundation of the Church of the Living God!

It is the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, taught by the "Gospel of Grace" that is the only means to build the Church that the gates of Hell cannot prevail against!

It is God who created the "Gospel".

It is God who calls all those who Preach the "Gospel".

It is God who calls the sinner, by the "Gospel"

It is God who saves each sinner by the "Gospel"

It is the "Gospel" that is God's plan of salvation!

No one can add to or take away from God's plan and still say it is God's plan!

We are never to seek the approval of Church leaders over the approval of the Word of God!

Our God does not show personal favoritism, we are all to teach the same message as Paul which was also the same message as Peter and also the same message as the other Apostles along with James the half-brother of Jesus Christ.

*****Gal 2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
Gal 2:8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)

All the Apostles stood with one voice in agreement with the "Gospel of Grace" as preached by the Apostle Paul.

All the Church elders and James, the Lord's half-brother and head Pastor of the Church in Jerusalem all stood with one voice in agreement with the "Gospel" as preached by the Apostle Paul.

Those Judaizers were wrong in their belief and in their doctrine and all those who are legalistic in their views and anyone else that adds to or takes away from the "Gospel" as preached by the Apostle Paul are wrong even today!

All the Apostles also agreed that each should go wherever the Holy Spirit led them!

Paul was called primarily to the Gentiles but also to all who would hear the Gospel.

Peter was called primarily to the Jews but also to all who would hear the Gospel.

We are all justified by the same means!

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

And then they all wanted to hear the wonderful things that God was doing throughout the world.

Act 15:12 Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.

It is always good to hear from the Missionaries that we support but it is also good to hear from those that God has called to go to the mission field who are seeking support.

*****Gal 2:9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

We should first notice that it is James, the Lord's half-brother who is presiding over this council. The duty of the Apostles had not changed.

Act 6:2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.

Even though at least Peter and John were active on this council it was James who was in charge as the head elder of the Church in Jerusalem.

We know Peter(Cephas) had reminded them of the time that Cornelius and many Gentiles had been saved in Joppa.

Act 15:7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
Act 15:8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
Act 15:9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

**James knew that no one could be saved by the Laws of Moses!

James knew that we are all justified by "Faith" but James also knew all those saved need to use the Laws of Moses as their schoolmaster of living the Christian Life.

This was a necessary thing for the Christian Jews!

**Peter(Cephas) had opened the door to the Gentiles but he knew his calling was aimed at the Jews who had been scattered because of persecution.

**John remained in Jerusalem until God called him into the care of the churches of Asia.

Rev 1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

It is John that wrote this book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

**Paul, the Jew who had persecuted the church before his salvation, and was fluent in all the Scriptures, and fluent in more than 5 languages, and hand selected by the Lord Jesus Christ, was now persecuted by the Jews, but whose calling was aimed at the Gentiles.

The Gentiles are all those who are not Jews and were considered to be heathen at the time of the Apostle Paul by unbelieving Jews.

At this time there can be no doubt that all the Apostles and James represented the direction in which the New Testament Church was to be established by the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Head of the Church!

Eph 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Eph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Eph 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

If the pillars of the Church, put in place by the Lord Jesus Christ cannot establish the direction of the Church then the Church will fail, which is impossible!

The Apostle Peter later wrote these words:

2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
2Pe 3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
2Pe 3:15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
2Pe 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

If we are seriously looking for the New Heaven and the New Earth promised by the Lord Jesus Christ, then we need to listen to the Apostle Paul and all the Word of God!

All the Apostles, which included the Apostle Paul and James the half-brother of the Lord Jesus Christ, were all in one accord with all the Word of God and we need to be also!

God will never change the manner of establishing the Church and the Word of God does not ever change!

There was no dispute over the "Gospel of Grace", which is justification by "Faith" and 'Faith Alone"!

What one other rule should we all keep that the secular world ignores?

*****Gal 2:10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

In our world the rich keep getting richer and the poor keep getting poorer no matter who is in charge.

What are the signs of the last Church Age?

Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

In our day the gathering places of the poor are closing the doors because they cannot afford to keep the doors open.

The Mega Church mentality is to reach out to the rich and the middle class and the poor are forgotten.

The Lord Jesus said there will always be the poor who live among us:

Mat 26:11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.

There could be many reasons that people remain poor but at least one of those reasons is that those that say they love the Lord will always have the opportunity to help the poor and in doing so can be laying up treasures in store in Heaven.

What did Jesus teach us of these things?

Mat 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

When we share the "Gospel of Grace" we must not forget that God loves us all and no one is to be left out!

When we defend the "Gospel of Grace" and salvation by "Faith" we are defending the Lord Jesus Christ our only means getting to Heaven!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

What Is The Call Of God

The Call Of God

Book of Galatians 1:13-24


What is the call of God?

The call of God is an invitation given to each of us by God to accept salvation into His Kingdom through the Lord Jesus Christ.

This invitation is given outwardly by the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

This invitation is given inwardly by the Holy Spirit, who will lead us to Jesus.

These two things will happen at the same time.

This first call must be answered before God can call us into some part of His ministry.

It is up to each of us to accept or reject the call of God.

The Apostle Paul preached to the Corinthians that "now is the acceptable time" to accept the call of God because now is the time of God's Grace.

2Co 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Paul was preaching from the prophecy of the Messiah:

Isa 49:8 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;

Before Paul became an Apostle of Jesus Christ, Paul, then called Saul, was one of the most religious Jews of his day.

Paul had dedicated his life to the Law as taught by the Pharisees.

And, Paul relentlessly persecuted the Christian Church.

It was Judaizers who had brought a false message to the Churches of Galatia but before Paul became a Christian, he was much more zealous for the Law than these that had come from Jerusalem with this false message.

Paul had been even more sincere in his zeal to stop the "Gospel of Jesus Christ" but Paul had been very wrong and he now knew this.

When Paul met the Lord Jesus Christ on the Damascus Road there was a change in his life.

Salvation brings a change in the believer!

If there is no change then it is hard to see that salvation has taken place.

Before, Paul had used all his energy to destroy the Church, but now after meeting Jesus, Paul used all his energy to build the Church.

So Paul begins, "I know you have heard all these thing from my past".

*****Gal 1:13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:

The Bible does not try to hide anything and we can clearly see the change that Paul went through by comparing Paul's former life to his life as an Apostle of Jesus Christ.

We can be sure that each of the Apostles went through some drastic changes.

We know some things about Peter, and John, and even a little about Matthew, James and Thomas but the Holy Spirit decided that we needed to know more about the Apostle Paul.

***Paul had been the greatest persecutor of the Church before his conversion besides Satan himself:

Act 9:1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
Act 9:2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
Act 9:3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
Act 9:4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

All those that think that they can persecute the Church without God knowing them personally are in for a real surprise, for they will one day come face to face with our Living God!

No one persecuted the early Church more than Paul.

We also know that God had allowed this persecution so the Church could grow.

The early church had not been obedient to the commands of the Lord!

The Lord had said "go" but the early church had just "stayed" in Jerusalem.

Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

God will always take something that is bad and make something good come out of it!

God also showed the Apostle Paul that it is impossible to stamp out the Church.

God will remove His Church individually or all of it at one time at the Rapture but until that time there will be a functioning Church upon this Earth and there is nothing this world can do to stop it though they continuously try!

Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Mat 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

We should all have a testimony after salvation and this was part of Paul's testimony.

Act 8:3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

1Co 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

***God had used these things to humble Paul for Paul had also been a supreme example of self-righteousness.

Paul had boasted how he had made a great profit not only in finances but also in prestige by being so zealous of his Jewish heritage.

We must love all the Jewish people and they are still God's chosen nation but Christianity is not an offshoot of Judaism.

Christianity comes by having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ!

To be a Christian is to have Jesus as your example.

*****Gal 1:14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

Before Paul became an Apostle of Jesus Christ, Paul's intent was to use any means he could to advance Judaism. In fact Paul was so intent upon doing this that he did not hesitate to cut down all those who opposed his religion.

Judaism is a religion that still rejects Jesus Christ.

This puts us in mind of the acts of those of Radical Islam who today are using every means at their disposal to cut down and destroy all religions but Islam, especially Judaism and Christianity. They in fact will try to destroy anyone who disagrees with their beliefs or they make tributaries of them.

Like Judaism, Islam is also a religion that rejects the Lord Jesus Christ as do all other religions!

There may always be some things in our past that should remain in our past but here Paul had to make these Galatians see that he knew as much or more about Judaism as anyone that came from Jerusalem.

Remember Paul had studied under Gamaliel who was the authority on Judaism in all of Israel until his death.

Paul was explaining to these Galatians that it took more than any mere man to change his ways and to change his beliefs. It took the "Good News" of Jesus Christ.

Php 3:6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
Php 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

We can also see from Paul's testimony that he had even been more zealous of the traditions of Judaism than the written Word of God.

This is great problem in all religions, people listen to what men teach and ignore what is written down in the books they use in their own religion.

Even Christians depend on the pulpits more than they depend on the written and infallible Word of God!

Now Paul had come to know the truth.

Paul had spent much time in the scriptures and had realized the truth of the Word of God, all the way back to the Book of Genesis.

*****Gal 1:15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

Paul understood Creation by the design of God.

Paul also understood that God had a purpose for his life all along.

Paul realized that just like Jeremiah, God is involved in our lives from the day we are conceived in the womb of our mothers.

Jer 1:4 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Jer 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

Paul had persecuted the Church but since the time of Stephen's death, God had been working on Paul and in a time of God's "Grace", God had called on the Paul and made him an Apostle!

It is obvious that God is working in our lives long before He calls us to the work of Jesus Christ.

God had told the Jews all along to quit listening to false preaching and take the time to study the scriptures.

Deu 6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
Deu 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
Deu 6:8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

In fact God teaches us all to do the same.

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Paul realized that he was undeserving of any favor of God and he had only been saved by the "Grace of God"!

We cannot be saved by the "Grace of God" until God reveals the work of His Son Jesus within us!

*****Gal 1:16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

God knows by His infinite wisdom that we cannot make Christ Jesus known to others until we know Him on a personal level ourselves!

2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

Paul was called to preach.

Our Pastor, Preacher Sam was called to preach.

BUT, we are all called to witness for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul was told to seek the "Gospel" not from men, but from God Himself!

This does not mean we are not to study the "Gospel" from other men who know the truth of Jesus Christ but it does mean that we are not to proclaim some man-made gospel, we are to proclaim the "Gospel of God"!

1Co 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

The "Gospel of God" is the "Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ", the "Gospel of Grace"!

Jesus Christ freely gave Himself for us so that we could be saved!

We must realize that God will forgive our past life but God may use some the things we learned in that life to bring glory to His Son.

We must realize that there is nothing in our past life that cannot be forgiven!

We must also realize that when we surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ we must walk away from our old life, there must be a change!

We must realize in order to be a benefit in the work of our Lord Jesus, we must consult with God!

And we cannot consult with God with sin in our lives!

Psa 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

We must get alone with God in prayer and in the Scriptures!

If we cannot begin our new life with God on a personal level, then we will never walk with Him in peace in this life!

*****Gal 1:17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

All those that had made accusations toward Paul had come from Jerusalem so Paul insisted that the "Gospel" he preached was not out of Jerusalem.

Paul was proving to these Galatians that his message came directly from God Himself!

As we follow the next few verses we will see how God would direct the life of His new Apostle in order to show how salvation can change even the vilest of men.

Paul's conversion was the most dramatic experience he had ever had.

Paul had been full of religion.

Paul had observed all the rituals and traditions of his religion.

Paul had believed that it was these things that made him righteous in the eyes of God.

BUT, all these things had only deceived Paul and everything Paul believed, he found out to be false.

Paul's religion had not brought peace and satisfaction but only hatred toward all those that did not believe the same as he believed.

Paul had studied the Scriptures from an early age but he had allowed false teaching to pervert the truth of those Scriptures.

Paul did not need to return to Jerusalem to those that had taught him all his life.

Paul did not need to return to Jerusalem to confer with the government on what to do.

Paul did not need to contact the Apostles to get their advice, they would not have trusted him anyway.

Paul needed some time alone with God!

Paul knew about God but Paul did not really know God!

If we get alone with God in sincere prayer and study the Word of God as He says, we can come to know the truth!

1Jn 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

We find that Paul spent three years in a place that only Gentiles dwelled.

Paul spent three years in the Arabian desert at the feet of Jesus, just as the other Apostles had done.

After this time Paul returned to Damascus.

Before Paul was converted he had gone to Damascus to stamp out Christianity, so Paul now went to Damascus to right that wrong.

Paul was seeking forgiveness for what he had done!

One of the hardest things we must do after salvation is to try to make things right to those we have hurt.

Upon receiving the forgiveness of God, we are to forgive all others.

Mat 5:23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
Mat 5:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

We know that Paul was not well received but he had at least tried.

Act 9:25 Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.

Paul had to escape Damascus to save his own life.

AND, next Paul knew he had to return to Jerusalem to face his past.

*****Gal 1:18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.

Paul had been well know in Jerusalem. So, there was no better place for others to see the great change in the life of the Apostle Paul.

Paul had been a Pharisee.

Paul had been an official of the Sanhedrin Court, somewhat like our own Supreme Court.

Paul knew all his old associates would now be his enemies but after all, Paul had a new understanding of the Word of God.

Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Mat 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Paul spent three years with Christ Jesus, despite all the education he already had in the Scriptures just as the other Apostles had done.

There can be no doubt that Paul witnessed for Jesus during this time but Paul also knew he had a ministry that could not begin until some other things came first.

It is foolish for any new convert to believe they can immediately preach the Word of God without spending some time alone with God in the Scriptures.

It seems that three years may be an example of an appropriate time.

Paul also knew that if he were to trusted by the Church, he would need to convince Peter of his conversion.

As far as Paul was concerned, Peter was the head of the Apostles.

If the Apostle Peter accepted Paul then Paul knew he would be accepted by a majority of the Church.

Remember Paul was writing in defence of his apostleship to these Galatians.

Paul was not saying he went to Peter to see if he was preaching the truth.

That had already been settled by the Lord!

Paul said that he spent 15 days with Peter so that was not enough time for Paul to get some new "Gospel" message.

Act 9:26 And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.
Act 9:27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
Act 9:28 And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.

It was only after Peter had been convinced that Paul felt he could move in and out of Jerusalem but many in the Church were still wary of Paul and remained afraid of him.

So Paul also met with the Pastor of the Church at Jerusalem.

*****Gal 1:19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.

There are many including the Catholic Church that deny that the Lord Jesus had any brothers by Joseph and His mother Mary but what do they do with this verse?

James was the presiding elder, or the Pastor of the church at Jerusalem.

Gal 2:9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

It is this same James who also wrote the "Epistle of James".

Jas 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

It is this same James that the Apostle Paul says was also the half-brother of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The half-brothers of the Lord did not believe the Lord while He was alive but when they saw Jesus walk out of that grave, they became believers.

Joh 7:5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.

Act 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

There is also the "Epistle of Jude". Jude was also a half-brother of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jud 1:1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:

And then Paul adds, "these things are the truth as I stand before God".

*****Gal 1:20 Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.

What Paul is saying to these Galatians was, "that if you hear anything that differs from what I am telling you then that thing would be a lie"!

What have we learned so far?

We need to become witnesses to all our old friends and our own family.

We need to allow unbelievers that knew us before we were saved see that knowing the Lord Jesus Christ will make a noticeable change in our life.

We need to seek help from the Church and the Church leaders before we begin a ministry for the Lord.

And most important we need to get alone with God and spend some time with Him!

1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

And it is only after these things that Paul went home to witness to his family and his friends from his early life as a child.

After all, the family can be the toughest to win over to the Lord, even Christ Jesus knew this was true.

Mat 13:57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
Mat 13:58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

*****Gal 1:21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;

Tarsus is where Paul was born and where his family resided. This would be the area where Paul's childhood friends were located.

Paul had a desire to share the "Gospel of Jesus Christ" with all those he had ever known.

Tarsus was the capitol of Cilicia but Cilicia was now part of the area called Galatia.

Tarsus was also near the border of Syria and the chief city of Syria at that time was Antioch of Syria.

Later when Barnabas came after Paul, he did not have to go very far.

The roads from Lystra and Iconium ended at Tarsus.

Paul was well acquainted with this region.

Paul had a new outlook on life and he wanted all the world to know!

Paul had a new understanding of those Scriptures he had studied all his life!

Paul finally understood the words of Jesus Christ.

Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Paul had changed so much that he was unrecognizable to the churches that had been established in all Judea.

*****Gal 1:22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:

We must remember the intent of this testimony of Paul was to show these Galatians that he was saved by the "Grace of God" and not by any teaching that had come from the Apostles or from the home church in Jerusalem.

We also know that it was the Church of Antioch of Syria that had approved of Paul's missionary work and not the Church of Jerusalem.

Paul's point to these Galatians was that his ministry was recognized by people who had never seen him.

These Galatians had seen Paul, they had heard his message and believed and been saved by God's Grace, without works but now had been turned around in doubt of the truth by false teachers of a false doctrine.

What was Paul's reputation in Judea?

*****Gal 1:23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
Gal 1:24 And they glorified God in me.

Here we can see the results of a God centered life after salvation.

There should be a noticeable change after accepting the "Grace of God"!

Those that think they have to do some work in order to pay the debt of those wages of sin, will all their lives seek to pay a debt that they never had the ability to pay to begin with!

The Lord Jesus Christ paid a debt that we could never pay!

1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

One of our best witnessing tools is our testimony of a God-centered life which can encourage others to see the truth of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!

People want to see living examples of "Faith"!

It is those who create imaginary works in their own minds trying to please a God, who saves only by His Grace, that give Christianity a bad name!

If our testimony is not for God, then it is against God!

If your life is not an example of the life of Jesus, then we need to be working on it!

Joh 13:15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

And Jesus added:

Joh 13:17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

What is the greatest ordinance of the Christian?

To be a servant, surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ!

Questions?

Let's Pray!