God's Mercy Toward Mankind

The Mercy of God to Mankind

Book of Isaiah Chapter 55

Mercy can be described as showing compassion to those who live in misery. The Lord Jesus Christ is God's act of mercy to all who have lived in this world!

When the Jews sought forgiveness of their sin, the High Priest then approached the "Mercy Seat" of God.

We should understand if we do not seek God at the "Mercy Seat" we will certainly face God at the "White Throne of Judgement"!

This should be a simple matter of choice for everyone, yet most of the world rejects this truth.

The High Priest of Judaism could not go to the "Mercy Seat" without the blood.

No one can approach God without the blood, so He has washed every believer in the blood of His Dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ!

Heb_9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

For thousands of years people have sought for peace and it has been thought that it would take one mighty nation to bring that peace by fear of reprisal.

It is obvious that we have never seen true peace in our world and it cannot ever happen by the works of mankind.

Jehovah God has from the beginning offered true peace but His message has been rejected!

God says if the entire world will accept His message and trust in His Word and then apply His message to their lives, then our world can be a world of true peace.

In a world that has tried every other way available, why would we not give God an opportunity to prove His truth?

The real problem is, that the super-rich of our world do not ever want peace because there is no profit in peace! The gift of salvation is "free"!

The Lord Jesus Christ died so that we can be at peace with God. The only God, the God of creation!

It is sin that separates us from a Holy God and only through the Lord Jesus Christ can this separation be eliminated and "eliminated forever"!

God says we can begin to know these things if we would just become more "Spiritually minded" and not be so "worldly minded"!

So, God freely extends His invitation to all the world:

*****Isa 55:1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

As this world approaches the day of the Lord and the "Rapture" of the righteous (the true Church), we as Christians must keep in mind our work is not complete until we die a physical death or God calls the Church home.

For every soul that is saved 10 more find their way to Hell!

We know this world is more evil now than it has ever been and most people will remain sinful and carnally minded, but there are always some who hunger and thirst for righteousness and need help getting there.

Mat 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Until each of these precious souls come to the Lord, the Lord will not return!

We should not be confused with the wine and the milk.

No one would serve spoiled milk! Milk would be as new milk in its freshest state. That being true we can also expect that wine to be the freshest of fresh squeezed grape juice and not some alcoholic drink which serves no purpose as a gift of God!

Some say "yayin" is related to fermented and it is in some cases but the term "yayin" can also refer the action of pressing out the juice of the grape (to tread out), hence the juice of the grape that is trodden out and that first pressing is the freshest of the grape juice.

There is no place for "wine" in the life of the Christian!

Our righteous God is not in the business of giving us anything that would "alter our mind", except the Holy Ghost!

It is in our best interest to get even more busy in whatever ministry the Lord has given to each of us, while the "Day of the Lord", gets even closer with every day that passes.

Most every true Jew is looking forward to the Messianic Kingdom of the Lord and this Scripture describes the peace and righteousness in the day the Lord sets up His Kingdom here on this earth.

Isa 54:13 And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

Isa 54:14 In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.

We see that these things are for every human being that is taught of the Lord!

What did Jesus say to the woman at the well?

Joh 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

We can see that the Lord our God, offers something that this world does not have the ability to offer!

Even if we are worthless and wicked, God still makes this offer. All that is required is a thirst for righteousness and that thirst can be and will be quenched!

Isa 12:2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

Isa 12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

If the truth is known, water was such a valuable resource in these times of Isaiah that many a stranger had to actually pay for the water they received from private wells.

It's important that we see that the gifts of God come without cost!

We can just imagine the friction that was caused with the buyers and sellers of that day, as Isaiah cried out with this message of God.

In fact, in our world today, most people just believe that nothing of value can be free yet God still makes His gifts to be free!

What is the truth of the weary traveler in this world today? Until that thirst is quenched the mind will never be at rest!

The salvation of the Lord still remains a free gift:

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

Then God adds, why would we ever want to spend our money on things that can never satisfy us.

*****Isa 55:2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

What God is saying is, while Christianity is life eternal without spending, life in this carnal world is of continual spending and has no lasting profit and no lasting satisfaction!

God has never had His hand in those who seek the riches of this world, this is Satan's tool of destruction!

1Ti_6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

This would include all the things that money can buy!

We eat what is good when we absorb the Word of God and the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ!

The Bible speaks of the "bread of sorrows":

Psa 127:2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

The Bread of tears:

Psa 80:5 Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure.

The bread of wickedness:

Pro 4:17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

Notice in this Scripture we see the "yayin", the fermented wine of violence! (God would never endorse such a thing)

The bread of deceit:

Pro 20:17 Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

The Lord Jesus Christ said He was the true "bread of life"!

Joh_6:33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

Joh_6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Joh_6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

God says to listen diligently. "Listen" with care and not carelessly nor neglect nor reject what is said!

The spiritual blessings of the Lord are richer than anything this world has to offer!

The "soul" that delights in the gifts of God will certainly be "satisfied"!

Psa 17:15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

1Jn 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

The word "come" is used more than 600 times in the Scriptures. God says to listen to what He has to say with an open mind and then "come" so you can accept His free gift of eternal life!

*****Isa 55:3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

Submission to the Lord is His greatest requirement! We must yield our own will so we can conform to the will of God! This submission must come from the heart and the guiding principle must be "love"!

It is also obvious that we can see that the Lord is seeking a personal relationship with all those that come to Him!

One by one, God will take each one of us separately by Himself and reason and counsel with Him.

The Lord is saying that my sin and His redemption are much too important to Him to discuss in a crowd.

To sacred, to be discussed around the noise and distraction of this world.

In fact, as we take one step toward to Lord He will take two steps toward us!

Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Joh 6:45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

This issue of coming to the Lord is the most important decision we will ever make in our life time! This issue involves eternal life in glory or eternal life in damnation!

When we come to the Lord and listen diligently to His Words we will understand that everlasting covenant, that the Lord will present to us, again, freely.

What are the sure mercies of David?

Psa 89:35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.

Psa 89:36 His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.

Psa 89:37 It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.

Of course, the seed of David in His human form was the Lord Jesus Christ and since every believer will be adopted into the family of God, then we are part of that seed that will endure forever!

And "Selah" means pause and think about this for a moment. All God's creatures should pause and think about what God is saying!

The mercies of David are all about the "Grace" of God!

It is the Lord Jesus Christ that was freely given for this world. (John 3:16)

*****Isa 55:4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

God gave us the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.

A witness is one who gives evidence and sometimes at the expense of his life.

A witness must be an eyewitness of the things he has seen to be a true witness.

What did the Messiah say? Joh_16:28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

The Messiah could not be a witness if there was no Holy Trinity!

1) The Father sets Him forth as His gift to sinners. “Behold I have given Him.”

2) The Son declares, “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.

Joh_18:37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

3) He was anointed with the Holy Ghost, and with power for this particular work.

Luk_4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

There could be no other witness to all people other than the Messiah given to us from God, the Lord Jesus Christ!

The Lord Jesus Christ was His Fathers witness of the truth of a Holy God!

Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Rev 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Jesus Christ came because the entire world was in darkness!

Joh_12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

The Messiah came to restore the true knowledge of God because the truth of God was no longer being given to the people!

*****Isa 55:5 Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.

Most people do not realize that the prophet Isaiah was murdered for such statements as he made in verse 5.

Isaiah died by being sawn into while he was still alive. (this is the hate of those who hate the truth)

The Jews would not accept that the Messiah would come to save the Gentiles!

Even while these Jews were in captivity by Babylon they could only see the Messiah bringing vengeance to all the Gentile nations.

It was only the nation of Israel that had knowledge of the Holy One of Israel, all other nations worshipped idols of one sort or another and were sitting in darkness. Some Gentiles in all these nations will certainly one day run to the Lord having gained the knowledge of the Lord.

Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Rom 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Since the day that Jesus arose from that borrowed tomb, He has been witnessing to all this world!

This prophecy is carried out every day in some nation other than Israel!

We must be among the "called of God" to be saved!

Notice that once knowing the truth, those that are called will not walk but they will run to meet the Lord!

BUT, the truth is, there is only a certain time allowed in all the ages!

In the time of Noah, God allowed Noah to preach for 120 years while he built the Ark.

In the Church Age, God will allow the time of the "fulness of the Gentiles"

In the time of the 7 years of Tribulation, God will allow that time.

During the Millennial Kingdom, God will allow 1000 years.

So, the truth is then, we must all seek the Lord while He can be found in our own age!

*****Isa 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

Isa 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

The agent of salvation is the Lord Jesus Christ. Regardless how this world responds to this truth, it is not meant to be inflammatory, it is only meant to guide those who are lost, to reality.

Those that disagree make themselves heard because they have rejected the Word of God and have chosen to die in damnation!

It does not say to seek peace, or to seek joy, or to seek happiness but it says to seek the Lord!

When we accept the Lord as our Savior, we are filled with the Holy Spirit and it then we will find all these other things.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Eph 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

Eph 5:10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

If we have the Holy Spirit abiding within us we will have the fruit of the Spirit!

To seek is to look and search for, inquire, investigate, to pursue.

It is only those who know they have a need who will actively seek the Lord.

God knows we all have a need for salvation and a personal relationship with our Creator and He has provided that means for us.

The next step is ours to take!

There is no need for us to cling to helplessness, nor hopelessness, nor unhappiness when we have another option, and that option is the Lord Jesus Christ!

Act 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

Act 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

We must know that the Lord is as near as a sincere heart!

Included in seeking the Lord is to forsake the path we now travel.

Also included in seeking the Lord is changing the way we think.

Both of these things are bound up in repentance!

Repentance is a complete change of mind.

Repentance is a complete change of purpose.

Repentance is a complete change of direction.

These things mean we have become aware of our own guilt and our own sinfulness!

These things mean that we have become aware of God's mercy through the Lord Jesus Christ.

These things mean we have begun to hate sin and want no part in it ever again!

These things mean that we realize that by the "Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ we can be "justified" (just as if I had never done these things).

Pardoned means forgiven as if we were never guilty!

Most all of us feel that urgent need for forgiveness and that forgiveness can only come by Jesus Christ!

We may ask ourselves why Islam has so many followers or why Confucius has so many followers and all so called religions?

This is easily answered, to be a follower or disciple of these things, there is no requirement to give up sin!

Even the Atheist cling so hard to their own sin, they reject all authority other than their own! They give their own selves full authority over all religion! They are more wrong than all others!

So why is Jehovah God teaching us all these things?

*****Isa 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

Isa 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

When we are lost to the ways of the Lord, we just don’t think right!

When we are lost to the ways of the Lord, our way, the path we travel is always wrong!

God created mankind to be the most intelligent of His creations but if we cannot think in the ways of the Lord how can we have a personal relationship?

Amo_3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

My own thoughts and my own way of thinking will still leave me here on earth till I die!

My thoughts cannot reach into Heaven but the thoughts of the Jehovah God can reach me where ever I am, at any time!

Until we think as the Lord thinks we will never know salvation! We cannot think in the way of God until we are filled with His Holy Spirit!

1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

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.

1Co 2:15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

1Co 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

When the Holy Ghost begins to deal with us when we are lost and brings conviction in the way we think then sin grows to be a heavy burden that we want to get rid of.

If you have ever suffered through cancer or some other disease, then you certainly wanted to get rid of it as quick as you could.

Once we become aware of the tragedies of sin, it will be no different, we will want to be rid of any sin we know we have!

Many think this impossible but our Savior does the impossible!

No way of thinking that we can have, can come close to the thoughts of God.

Once we come to know the Lord as our Savior, then God simply blots out all our sins and they no longer exist in the mind of God and there is no record of them in Heaven!

The truth remains, that until we believe in the greatness of God shown in the Genesis record of creation, we will never understand the Bible.

2Ti_3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

We may be slow to think the way that God thinks but Jehovah God is never slow to forgive when we seek forgiveness!

God gave us His words, bound together with His love and the Word of God will accomplish what God sent it to do because it is all true!

*****Isa 55:10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

Isa 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

The Word of God is our contact between a loving God and each believer!

Psa 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

Psa 19:8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

Psa 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

Psa 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Psa 19:11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

It is our God who chose to make Himself aware to His creation!

Psa 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

Psa 19:2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.

Psa 19:3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

Psa 19:4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,

Psa 19:5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.

Psa 19:6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

The Word of God has been given to us in figure and symbol, in prophecy and song, in history and science, and at last in the Person of Jesus Christ and since He has come we have the explanation of all the plan of God!

It is only the Word of God that can bring God's creation to fulfillment of purpose.

Mankind can only realize the possibilities of their own lifetime!

The Word of God has purpose.

The Word of God is spoken.

The Word of God is written.

The Word of God is "lived"!

The Word of is Powerful!

The Word of God is TRUE!

The Word of God is prosperous and it will accomplish what God intended for it to do!

Col_3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

The Word of God cannot fail!

*****Isa 55:12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Isa 55:13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

The Christian life must be an extension of the life of Christ Jesus!

It is because the Word of God is like seed, that the work of the Husbandman can be accomplished.

It is the job of the Church to be that sower of the seed, (the Word of God). In reality, this is our greatest purpose after we know the truth of God and have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior!

Once we have been pardoned, we can serve the Lord with joy!

Once we have been pardoned, we can be led forth with peace!

Even all of God's creation will benefit and therefore break forth in a joyful demonstration!

It is a fact that when Israel was removed from their land the land became a desert that no one wanted.

It is also a fact that since Israel is returning to the land given to them by the Lord, that land has blossomed and now every nation is seeking to have a part in a land that is no bigger than the State of South Carolina, where I live!

To the Jew in the day of Isaiah that 70 years may have seemed like an eternity but the Lord never forgot His people and no doubt these great words given to Isaiah should have brought great comfort to them, if they only trusted in the Word of God!

There was no power on earth that was going to keep these Jews in Babylon for more than those 70 years!

Hear in this chapter of the Book of Isaiah, we see God revealing man's necessity and God's answer to those needs, while inviting all of us to take part of it.

God says these things are free, they require no money!

God says just open your ears and at least listen to what He has to say before you continue down a path that leads to eternal death.

God will turn a life lived in the deserts of sin to a life lived in the garden of salvation!

God is not picky, God will take whosoever will call upon His name.

It is the LORD, Jehovah who is that sign of everlasting peace, mercy and grace that can come from nowhere else!

God will never hide His face from the believer!

God purposes fulfill themselves and the results are certain!

It is certain that God will have a people to live with Him throughout all eternity, we are a foolish person if we do not want to be a part of His family!

How do we begin this new life?

We seek the Lord while He can be found!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

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!