Sermon notes: Galatians Series, Number 18...

Paradoxically, a Christian is both right and wrong, holy and (wicked), an enemy of God and a child of God. These contradictions no person can harmonize who does not understand the true way of salvation. Under the papacy we were told to toil until the feeling of guilt had left us. But the authors of this deranged idea were frequently driven to despair in the hour of death. It would have happened to me, if Christ had not mercifully delivered me from this error.  - Martin Luther on Galatians 3:1-5

NOTE: This is number 18 in a series on Galatians. If this is your first time reading sermon notes here, please take time to read a helpful explanation at the bottom of this post...

From the Pulpit of Church of the Good Shepherd
May 30, 2004; AM
Galatians Series No. 18

Having Begun by the Spirit, Are You Now Being Perfected by the Flesh?
Sermon Text: Galatians 3:1-5

This Lord’s Day, we turn to our eighteenth in a series of sermons on the New Testament book of Galatians...

Galatians 3:1-5 This is the Word of God, eternally true.

You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain--if indeed it was in vain? 5 So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

First, we will look at Paul’s tone as he deals with the Galatians.

Second, we will look at the basis or ground of Paul’s argument.

Third, we will look at the occasion of Paul’s argument and see what encouragement we may receive from that occasion.

First, what tone is Paul using here in his letter to the Galatians?

He calls them “foolish;” he asks whether they have been “bewitched,” which is to say put under the curse of an evil eye—it’s a word of witchcraft or demonic influence; he says “This is the only thing I want to find out from you” which is the equivalent of our “Answer me one question and then I’ll shut up;” then instead of telling them they’re foolish, he asks them what the extent of their foolishness is—“are you so foolish?”; note the tone of the Apostle Paul’s argument.

There are some husbands or wives who, if this sort of thing kept up, might sue for divorce on the basis of psychological abuse. “You wouldn’t believe the things he says to me!”

Now I don’t want to trivialize the suffering of many wives and husbands at, not the hands, but rather the mouths of their husbands, but let’s be honest and admit we don’t expect this sort of treatment from our pastor, do we? Why if it occurred today, it might well end up as an example—a negative example—in a book with a title like Churches that Abuse or Pastors that Abuse.

So was Paul lashing out in anger; has the argument changed from building up to tearing down?

No, the Apostle Paul is doing what every godly authority will do, at times; he is disciplining his subordinates with his tongue, causing them pain in order to heal them. The error they have fallen into is so serious that he is compelled to use a drastic remedy—much like chemotherapy is used with the cancer patient.

And we find many precedents for such language in Scripture.

God to the Children of Israel:

Jeremiah 5:21-31 “21 ‘Now hear this, O foolish and senseless people, Who have eyes but do not see; Who have ears but do not hear. 22 ‘Do you not fear Me?’ declares the LORD. ‘Do you not tremble in My presence? For I have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea, An eternal decree, so it cannot cross over it. Though the waves toss, yet they cannot prevail; Though they roar, yet they cannot cross over it. 23 ‘But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; They have turned aside and departed. 24 ‘They do not say in their heart, “Let us now fear the LORD our God, Who gives rain in its season, Both the autumn rain and the spring rain, Who keeps for us The appointed weeks of the harvest.” 25 ‘Your iniquities have turned these away, And your sins have withheld good from you. 26 ‘For wicked men are found among My people, They watch like fowlers lying in wait; They set a trap, They catch men. 27 ‘Like a cage full of birds, So their houses are full of deceit; Therefore they have become great and rich. 28 ‘They are fat, they are sleek, They also excel in deeds of wickedness; They do not plead the cause, The cause of the orphan, that they may prosper; And they do not defend the rights of the poor. 29 ‘Shall I not punish these people?’ declares the LORD, ‘On a nation such as this Shall I not avenge Myself?’ 30 “An appalling and horrible thing Has happened in the land: 31 The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule on their own authority; And My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it?”

Jeremiah 4:22 “22 “For My people are foolish, They know Me not; They are stupid children And have no understanding. They are shrewd to do evil, But to do good they do not know.””

Jesus to the Scribes and Pharisees:

Matthew 23:25-28 “25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. 26 “You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also. 27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 “So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

Jesus to His disciples on the road to Emmaus:

Luke 24:25-27 “25 And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 “Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.”

And are not pastors commanded to follow these patterns in their instruction and preaching?

*Luther on Paul’s Harsh Words:

Paul reproves the Galatians rather sharply when he calls them "fools, bewitched, and disobedient." Whether he is indignant or sorry, I cannot say. He may be both. It is the duty of a Christian pastor to reprove the people committed to his charge. Of course, his anger must not flow from malice, but from affection and a real zeal for Christ.

We read in First and Second Timothy these words of the Apostle Paul:

1 Timothy 5:20 “20 Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning.”

2 Timothy 4:1-4 “1 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”

The tone of the Apostle Paul’s argument is harsh, but lovingly harsh. It is the tone of every good authority, whether mother or father, teacher or professor, pastor or elder, governor president or judge. And those who refuse to turn to correction and rebuke are betraying their trust and harming their subjects by their destructive sentimentality and tenderness.

Second, what is the basis or ground of Paul’s argument?

Paul is here basing his his argument, not on his own life, nor on Old Testament teaching nor on doctrinal truths, but on experience.

In verse 2, he says:

“This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?”

In this section of his letter to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul has turned from doctrinal arguments to an argument from experience. If we look at the the closing verses of the last chapter, we see clear doctrinal or theological truth-statements, but now Paul gets personal with the Galatians and turns from logical instruction to recounting their personal experience of God; he’s reminding them of their own lives and of how they themselves have experienced the grace of God.

Now this is dangerous—to ask those you are arguing with to answer questions central to your case, and questions that are entirely subjective, at that. It is said, for instance, that in the courtroom the prosecuting attorney should never ask a question he doesn’t already know the answer to; he shouldn’t run the risk of being surprised.

Similarly, Paul’s case would suffer a serious blow if the Galatians surprised him with their answer to his question in verse 2:

This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

What would Paul do if they responded like this, for instance:

Well Paul, you asked so here’s our answer: we received the Spirit by the works of the law!

But Paul knows they’re not going to respond this way, doesn’t he? The Apostle Paul knows the answer the Galatians will give.

Why?

Because he was there when they first heard the Gospel with faith and received the Holy Spirit.

Please turn back with me to Acts 13 and 14 where we find the account of Paul first preaching the Gospel in Galatia, to the Galatians.

Acts 13:14-16; 38-39; 42-44; 48, 49, 52  14 But going on from Perga, they arrived at Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets the synagogue officials sent to them, saying, “Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it.” 16 Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen…”

* * *

38 “Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39 and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.”

* * *

42 As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people kept begging that these things might be spoken to them the next Sabbath. 43 Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and of the God-fearing proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were urging them to continue in the grace of God. 44 The next Sabbath nearly the whole city assembled to hear the word of the Lord.

* * *

48 When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. 49 And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region…. 52 And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Acts 14:1-28 In Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a manner that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of Greeks. 2 But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren. 3 Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands. 4 But the people of the city were divided; and some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. 5 And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers, to mistreat and to stone them, 6 they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding region; 7 and there they continued to preach the gospel.

Now we see how, with this as their shared experience of the Gospel of Jesus Christ coming to Galatia, the Apostle Paul knew how the Galatians would respond to his question. There was no choice—this was the message he had preached and it was a message, not of bondage to the Law, but of freedom from the Law through the forgiveness of sins that comes to all those who believe in Jesus Christ:

38 Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39 and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.

So the Apostle Paul risked asking this question because he knew the answer the Galatians would give—the answer they must give, sharing with Paul the common memory of how they all had heard the preaching of the Cross of Jesus Christ, and how they all had put their hope and trust in Christ and had been given freedom “from all things.”

This is why the Apostle Paul is so angry with them—and make no mistake about it, he is very angry with them! He knows the blessings they received when they believed. He knows how they had the Holy Spirit poured out upon them and knew, personally, the salvation of the Only True God, being forgiven their sins through the blood of Christ and personally experiencing the reconciliation with God that our hearts cry out for.

To review:

First, the tone of Paul’s argument is harsh, but deservedly so, and praise God he, Paul, did not hold back treating his spiritual children over-tenderly.

Second, the ground of Paul’s argument is the experience of the power of God and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which he shared with the Galatians through the preaching of the Word and their faith in that Word.

Third, let us now look at the occasion of Paul’s argument and see what encouragement we may receive from that occasion.

The occasion of Paul’s argument is the perpetual state of weakness which is the constant state of the believer this side of Heaven.

Think of the Children of Israel in the Wilderness.

Yes, this is the nature of the “normal Christian life.”

This is what we see all the time in Christ’s relationship with His Disciples; and in the relationship of the Apostles with those to whom they write the Epistles of the New Testament?

We see sin and error.

So what is the application of this to our lives today?

We should be initially, discouraged; but in the long-term, encouraged to see how easily we are misled and fooled by Satan—“bewitched” as Paul puts it:

Verse 1: You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?

We should remind ourselves that this is our lot in life, and strenuous effort on our part will not stop the flood of failure that characterizes our lives here in this sinful world, short of Heaven.

The normal Christian life is not the higher life of those who, through circumcision or baptism in the Holy Ghost or some some super-spiritual retreat where we finally “surrender all” or an ecstatic experience at the front of the church become the upper level Christians who are fully sanctified and break on through to the other side.

No, we are saved from our sins by grace and we walk the Christian life by grace:

Listen to Paul’s question again:

3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

“Having begun by the Spirit…”

And now, are we being perfected by getting our own secret prayer? Our special blessing? Our devotional routine? Our circumcision by which we break on through to the other side?

No, the other side is Heaven and here in this “veil of tears” we are born again by the power of the Holy Spirit working through faith. So we are also renewed, sanctified, made holy day by day and prepared for Heaven, by the power of the Holy Spirit working through faith in Jesus Christ.

It is God all the way. And yes, He does give us disciplines we submit to and work, but they are disciplines whose central power and effectiveness are completely bound up in and with the Holy Spirit.

*Luther on Our Constant Vulnerability to Error and Sin:

Since the devil has this uncanny ability to make us believe a lie until we would swear a thousand times it were the truth, we must not be proud, but walk in fear and humility, and call upon the Lord Jesus to save us from temptation.

Although I am a doctor of divinity, and have preached Christ and fought His battles for a long time, I know from personal experience how difficult it is to hold fast to the truth. I cannot always shake off Satan. I cannot always apprehend Christ as the Scriptures portray Him. Sometimes the devil distorts Christ to my vision. But thanks be to God, who keeps us in His Word, in faith, and in prayer.

We must not get confused on this matter: We are not saved by our own efforts and good works, nor are we made holy, sanctified, by our own efforts and good works.

No, both justification and sanctification come by the grace of God, and are not produced by the efforts of sinful man—not even regenerated sinful man.

We continue to live here in this evil world, in the flesh and all its vulnerability physically and spiritually, but we live in the flesh “by faith in the Son of God…”

20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

*Luther on the Nature of the Christian’s Righteousness:

Faith is weak, but it means enough to God that He will not lay sin to our charge. He will not punish nor condemn us for it. He will forgive our sins as though they amount to nothing at all. He will do it not because we are worthy of such mercy. He will do it for Jesus' sake in whom we believe.

Paradoxically, a Christian is both right and wrong, holy and (wicked), an enemy of God and a child of God. These contradictions no person can harmonize who does not understand the true way of salvation. Under the papacy we were told to toil until the feeling of guilt had left us. But the authors of this deranged idea were frequently driven to despair in the hour of death. It would have happened to me, if Christ had not mercifully delivered me from this error.

We comfort the afflicted sinner in this manner: Brother, you can never be perfect in this life, but you can be holy. He will say: "How can I be holy when I feel my sins?"

I answer: You feel sin? That is a good sign. To realize that one is ill is a step, and a very necessary step, toward recovery. "But how will I get rid of my sin?" he will ask. I answer: See the heavenly Physician, Christ, who heals the broken-hearted. Do not consult that Quackdoctor, Reason. Believe in Christ and your sins will be pardoned. His righteousness will become your righteousness, and your sins will become His sins.

On one occasion Jesus said to His disciples: "The Father loveth you." Why? Not because the disciples were Pharisees, or circumcised, or particularly attentive to the Law. Jesus said: "The Father loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. It pleased you to know that the Father sent me into the world. And because you believed it the Father loves you."

First, the tone of Paul’s argument is harsh, but deservedly so, and praise God he, Paul, did not hold back treating his spiritual children over-tenderly.

Second, the ground of Paul’s argument is the experience of the power of God and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which he shared with the Galatians through the preaching of the Word and their faith in that Word.

Third, the occasion of Paul’s argument is the perpetual state of weakness which is the constant experience of the believer this side of Heaven.

We are on pilgrimage in the Wilderness, humbly relying on the God who purchased us from slavery to satisfy all our needs and to bring us safely home. We cannot do it ourselves—He does it all. And although we will have to strive and suffer in this veil of tears, a glorious home awaits us, all the more glorious because it’s not yet here.

2 Corinthians 4:6-18 “6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death works in us, but life in you. 13 But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE,” we also believe, therefore we also speak, 14 knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God. 16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

2 Corinthians 5:1-9 “1 For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, 3 inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. 4 For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. 6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord-- 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight-- 8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.”

Yes, this is the nature of the “normal Christian life.”

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