“The Gospel Foretold to Abraham, Fulfilled in Jesus Christ”
Galatians 3:1-9 (NASB)
Purpose: How to live by faith in God’s grace
- Keep Living by Faith (Gal 3:1-3)
Paul considers the Galatians to be believers
Whatever is not from faith is sin (Romans 14:23)
You see that faith was working with his works (James 2:22)
God is always the Giver
God’s all-sufficient grace is based in the cross of Jesus Christ
Live by the Spirit not by the flesh
- Dependent on God’s Present Grace (Gal 3:4-5)
The verbs are all present tense
God is at work in the believer (Philippians 2:12-13)
By the strength which God supplies (1 Peter 4:10-11)
God acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him (Isaiah 64:4)
ALL of life & religious works are results of GOD’s grace like FRUIT from a the tree
Paul is not absolutely anti-works (Eph 2:8-10)
Works FOR salvation? No! But works FROM salvation? Yes!
Good works cannot save, but saved people work
Not faith + works = salvation, but faith unto salvation => works
This is a heart attitude that only God can see
- The Gospel Foretold to Abraham, Fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Gal 3:6-9)
Abraham’s belief reckoned to him as righteousness (Gal 3:6; Gen 15:6)
Abraham’s faith described also in Hebrews 11:8-10; 11:17-19
“faith” that is not in God will not save you
“sons of Abraham” by faith in God (Gal 3:7)
“sons” = heirs with an inheritance!
Scripture preached the gospel of gentile salvation to Abraham! (Gal 3:8; Gen 12:1-3)
Believers “of faith,” Jew and Gentile, all blessed like Abraham! (Gal 3:9)