Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20080615.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Galatians: Defending The Truthfulness Of Paul's Teaching On God's Grace
Part V: God's Use Of Christian Experience To Authenticate His Truth On Grace
(Galatians 3:1-5)
  1. Introduction
    1. Though some in Christendom look to works plus faith for justification, many look to works plus faith for holy living, for sanctification in Christian living, a view that is also problematic!
    2. Paul drew from experience to validate his Gospel of justification by faith, and thereby gave evidence not only of justification by faith, but also of the reality that sanctification in Christian living is by faith:
  2. God's Use Of Christian Experience To Authenticate His Truth On Grace, Galatians 3:1-5.
    1. In Galatians 1-2, Paul had claimed justification was by faith without works, so he gave four questions in Galatians 3:1-5 to show from experience the validity of this truth, Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 596-597.
    2. Each of these questions provides great practical value not only in supporting the true Gospel of salvation, but in edifying us regarding the true path to upright Christian living (as follows), Galatians 3:1-5:
      1. First, Paul asked if his Galatian readers had received the Holy Spirit by the works of the Law or by faith upon hearing the Gospel of Christ, Galatians 3:1-2:
        1. Upset that his readers had been cast under some spell of deception, especially since Paul had so clearly taught Christ was crucified so they could be saved by grace, Paul gave a clarifying question, Galatians 3:1-2a: he asked if his Galatian readers had received the Holy Spirit by the works of the Law, or by faith upon hearing the Gospel of Christ, Galatians 3:2b!
        2. Since the Holy Spirit had obviously come by faith and not by the Law, trying to keep any part of the Law could not improve on what God's grace had achieved with this Gift of the Holy Spirit by faith!
        3. This point has profound implications for sanctification in Christian living: if we are saved by faith and not by a life of good works, power for living good works must also be by faith! (Romans 8:3-4)
      2. Second, Paul asked his Galatian readers that since they had begun the Christian life by the power of the Holy Spirit, how could they expect to be made more complete by human works, Galatians 3:3:
        1. This question shows the futility of thinking one can improve on the work of God the Holy Spirit in salvation that occurs by faith alone, and that by following up salvation by good works.
        2. It also addresses the issue of sanctification in the Christian life: no believer can improve on his walk by the deeds of human effort simply because only pure faith in God led to his standing in Christ! Holy living must be as much by faith in the power of God as is one's justification at salvation!
        3. [This question also counters belief in Conditional Salvation Security: if one's salvation is begun in the Holy Spirit and not by human works, avoiding sin or doing good works can not keep one saved, for only God's grace that brought one into his saved status can ever then possibly keep him there!]
      3. Third, Paul asked his Galatian readers if they had suffered persecution for pure faith in Christ in vain now that they were turning to the Law to keep it, Galatians 3:4: changing their belief that salvation was by faith alone was to counter the value of the stands for which they had already suffered!
      4. Fourth, Paul asked his Galatian readers if the miraculous spiritual enablings they had received of God for Christian service had come by simple faith in Christ or by the works of the Law, Galatians 3:5:
        1. This question is easily answered with a negative: the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit came by way of the Holy Spirit's arrival at salvation by faith in Christ, certainly not by the deeds of the Law!
        2. Thus, since works never produce miraculous gifting for Christian service like salvation by pure faith in Christ does, adding human works to faith can not improve on one's salvation status, nor can it improve on a holy life that is empowered exclusively by God the Holy Spirit!
Lesson: Since Christian experience reveals the total package of the believer's salvation and sanctification for holy living is by FAITH, not by WORKS, he should ABANDON all lures to look to human merit or works to ALTER, AFFECT or IMPROVE on his justification and sanctification states!

Application: May these confirming experiences be recalled to KEEP us holding to the TRUE Gospel, and upholding TRUE sanctification in the Christian life that is by FAITH, NOT by WORKS!