GOD’S GRACE IS THE BEGINNING, MIDDLE AND END OF SALVATION…TO SPEAK OF GRACE PLUS WORKS TO SATISFY GOD IS TO REDEFINE GRACE…AS SOMETHING OTHER THAN GOD’S GRACE AS REVEALED IN SCRIPTURE!
The Holy Spirit through Paul used the word, “GRACE,” 7 times in the book of Galatians -in opposition to the lies of legalism as a means to be right with God! Grace is God in action. His favor, is Eternal, Sovereign, Free and is revealed in Christ. “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John *testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’” For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.”– {John 1:14-17}
1. GRACE AND PEACE. –Galatians 1:3
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and THROUGH the Lord Jesus Christ,”
This was the Christians greeting. GRACE comes from God Through…JESUS CHRIST! God’s GRACE is the SOURCE of Salvation…PEACE Is the result….The LAW SYSTEM {Note they preach a SYSTEM as savior not a PERSON} been taught by lying Judaizers was DEVOID of Grace and Peace…for it was not able to produce GRACE and PEACE. If being right with God was and is BY WORKS then it is not Grace as Paul taught, “Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,”- Romans 5:4-5
The Legalist IS DEVOID OF GRACE and as a result there is NO PEACE because their system was DEVOID OF THE GRACE OF GOD AND THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH RESULTS. A SYSTEM CAN NEVER PRODUCE THE WORK AND EFFECTS OF GOD’S GRACE- Because it is Devoid of God Himself!
2. – GRACE DISPLACED–Galatians 1:6
[ Perversion of the Gospel ] “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;”
“AMAZED, the word means ASTOUNDED…and BEWILDERED!” That they were so quick to DESERT GOD. The Word “DESERTING…” was used of MILITARY DESERTION…they had done this VOLUNTARY…The false teachers were accountable for their DISTORTION of the Gospel but the believers were RESPONSIBLE for being SO EASILY MISLEAD to pursue and embrace LEGALISM to the DESERTING OF JESUS CHRIST.
IT IS ASTOUNDING THAT they would receive salvation by the SOVEREIGN WORK of God’s love and mercy…Grace through the Resurrected Lord and which is maintained by Him through GRACE. It IS ASTOUNDING they would receive salvation by Grace and then DESERT it to embrace and try and maintain righteousness through HUMAN EFFORTS, ceremonies, and ritual.”- Such is the power and persuasion and appeal to the pride of a person- that he or she believes they are wiser than God, more capable than God! There were those who attempted to get to heaven by building the tower of Babylon…such is the deception within all our hearts- that we falsely believe we are sufficient to get to God, OUR WAY, by OUR Means…INDEPENDENT OF GOD OR HIS BELOVED SON- THE Lord Jesus!
1:7- “ANOTHER-“ A DIFFERENT “ the word means that – “which is not the same kind.”
Their “gospel”
- Was Illegitimate
- Was Troubling
- Was Distortion
- Devoid of Grace,Peace, Joy.
Why? It was Not God’s Gospel!
3. GRACE THAT IS PRE-PLANNED–Galatians 1:15
“But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased…”
The choice of God is by Grace not by human MERIT! He chose Paul from the womb He tracked him, saved him and set him apart for service and it was all by the Grace of God!
4. GRACE TO SERVE– Galatians 2:9
“and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.”
*** GRACE is Manifested…It is not a mere theory but a reality that others can identify in a persons life, It is evident!! The spread of the Gospel through Paul could only be described as BY GRACE…THE SOVEREIGN WORK OF GOD,-HIS FREE, SOVEREIGN, UNDESERVED, BLESSING OF GOD, that SET him apart for SERVICE!
5. GRACE NULLIFIED– Galatians 2:21–
“ -I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”
Peter out of fear when the Judaizers came withdrew himself from those brothers who had once been gentiles and Paul confronts him and say’s that if righteousness comes through the Law then Jesus Christ died needlessly. By standing WITH the Judaizers Peter you stand in DIRECT opposition to the death of Jesus Christ.
How do you NULLIFY the Grace of God? By DENYING the need for the death of Jesus Christ…and embracing justification is by works apart from The Lord Jesus! It is to ELEVATE Human works and RELEGATE JESUS Christ as INSUFFICIENT.
6. DEPARTING FROM THE WAYS OF GRACE –Galatians 5:4
“You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.”
Paul’s objection is that circumcision merits spiritual merit. The Judaizers were saying that it was not enough that Jesus DIED BUT THAT CIRCUMCISION WAS NECESSARY for FULL SALVATION- They believed a LIE. They preached and taught a LIE! Like all false teachers, they ADDED TO the Work OF Jesus Christ and it is POSSIBLE for believers to be LED ASTRAY and follow such horrendous teaching! It does not mean they lose their salvation but they forfeit the joy and peace which the Gospel of Grace imparts! They are saved by the Grace of GOD and they know this, they have experienced the reality of the grace of God in their lives! They are led astray and embrace another Gospel when they try and live their Christian life through “embracing,” and promoting the LIE by living by Works of men rather then the finished work of the Lord Jesus as a means to satisfy God! They have fallen back into a “works mentality!” To fall back into a works mentality of any sort as a means to be right with God. God has declared us right once and for all {See Romans 5:1} now to REST in such amazing Grace!
The person who preaches “Christ plus..” is preaching a gospel of demons. For its source is Hell. One false “gospel,” is the heresy of legalism- Look at the cults and you will often find they teach, “Christ PLUS…” Christ Plus there teaching, Christ plus their works…It is never Christ alone! They find Him deficient, to such a perverted end they must teach He needs help to get you to God and it usually is by works of various sorts. How good is good? Never with a human works mentality. There is no assurance from God. It is bondage! . Paul attacks the lie, that the legalists were teaching that the people, must keep the whole law to obtain righteousness and to those who embrace this LIE they forfeit the work of Jesus Christ on their behalf and forfeits the RIGHTEOUSNESS that He alone imparts, for they have embraced “another Gospel” that Paul says is ACCURSED!{1:9}
7. GRACE WHICH IS PRESENT TENSE –Galatians 6:18
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.”
JESUS CHRIST Saves us by the Grace of God. He protects us through His grace and the FREEDOM we have is through Him alone.
- Legalism produced bondage and is lifeless, graceless, peaceless, joyless life that focus’s on the external primarily!
- Legalism is Human-centered and produces either pride or condemnation!
- Legalism is devoid of Humility. It is Human centered therefore sinful pride is at its core!
- Legalism says Christ death was not sufficient but that the keeping of laws is what is needed to be right with God and to continue to be right with God.
- Legalism is spiritual bondage!
- Legalism is an attack on the character of God and the perfect work of the Cross of Christ!
- Legalism origin is Demonic- {John 8:44-45}. embraced, enforced, promoted by humans and devoid of GRACE- The Sovereign, Unmerited love and mercy, unearned favor of God and His blessing through His Son!
WARNING-
BEWARE OF LEGALISM FOR IT DISHONORS GOD AND PLACES OTHER PEOPLE IN LEGALISM. IT IS GRACELESS, PEACE-LESS, LOVELESS, JOYLESS, – BECAUSE IT IS…CHRIST-LESS -!
Paul on the other hand TESTIFIES TO THE SALVATION that originated with God and He speaks of…
- THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD– in choosing him {See Galatians 1:15}
- THE GRACE OF GOD– The MEANS by which it comes through {1:3}
- THE PLEASURE OF GOD -Is the Motivation of God which was GOD’S PLEASURE; “Then it pleased him to reveal his Son to me.” {1 :15}
God Initiated Paul’s Salvation and Service and His Motivation was – God’s PLEASURE! It was not that God was impressed with Paul… how could he be – Paul by his own testimony was a violent man… a persecutor of God’s people…he trusted in his own righteousness which he would later come to rightly evaluate as “EXCRETION”- In Phil 3:7
It pleased Him to CHOSE him, to extend GRACE to him. God did this independent of Paul’s sinful condition in saving him! It was for His own PLEASURE He did this and in the counsel of His own will determined this before Paul was…BORN… it all was a work of THE GRACE OF GOD! We serve the Lord God, at His pleasure and because of His pleasure based not on “potential,” of our own but through The GRACE OF GOD- Period!
Let no one lead you astray from the firm foundation you have through THE GRACE OF GOD!
GRACE is often so misunderstood, someone will say “YES Its grace, BUT you need HUMAN WORKS to satisfy God, OR to maintain the relationship with God! Nothing could be further from the truth – the grace of God and works are incompatible…IN TRYING TO EARN GOD’S FAVOR or maintain it!
- You are SAVED through the GRACE of God- Ephesians 2:8-9
- You are SUSTAINED by The GRACE of God- 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
- You STAND in The GRACE of God- ROM 5:1
GRACE IS THE BEGINNING, MIDDLE AND END OF SALVATION…TO SPEAK OF GRACE PLUS WORKS TO SATISFY GOD IS TO REDEFINE GRACE… AS SOMETHING OTHER THAN GOD’S GRACE AS REVEALED IN SCRIPTURE!
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You were saved by God as a result solely of His Grace.
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You are to continue in His grace, working to serve Him not that you might have His approval for you do have His approval that is sufficient based solely on the merits of the Lord Jesus. The scripture says you now, presently, continually and eternally “stand in Grace!” {See Romans 5:2}
“Amazing Grace that saved a wretch like me…” You were Saved by Grace, Stand, Sustained and Empowered to Serve by the Grace of God! How amazing is He! Beware of anyone who would seek to lead you or other astray with a “gospel” of “self-works” rather than the GRACE OF GOD!
There is No SUBSTITUTE To The GRACE OF GOD, for you to embrace at ANY TIME!