The Spiritual Power of the Gospel

Galatians 3:1-9

What Paul is up against – v. 1

• Galatian Christians• Converts and churches from Paul’s first missionary

journey in Southern Galatia

• Judaizers• A Jewish sect• Not rejecting Christ, but…• Adding to the Gospel message of salvation by

faith thru grace• Held that Gentiles could become Christian, but

must also become Jewish and adhere to Mosaic law

• “No Other Gospel” from Gal. 1:6-9• Paul’s GospelRomans 3:21-26But now the righteousness of God has been manifested

apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Ephesians 2:1-10

1 Corinthians 15:1-4Now I would remind you brothers, of the gospel I

preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

Paul’s Appeal to Experience – vv. 2-6

1. Question about salvation – v. 2

2. Question about sanctification – v. 3

3. Question about persecution – v. 4

4. Question about miracles – v. 5

Paul’s Appeal to the OT – vv. 6-9

1. Abraham accepted by God by faithGenesis 15:6 - And he believed the Lord, and he counted it

to him as righteousness.

Romans 4:1-5 -- What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.

2. Gentiles accepted by God by faithGenesis 17:5 - No longer shall your name be called

Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.

Romans 4:22-25 -- That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” But the word “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

For Us Today

In the church today, we must not be the Judaizers, nor fall prey to the Judaizers.

• Salvation by grace thru faith, but sanctification by works

• We create a “class” system in the church with additional requirements

• We manufacture experiences in the church• The church is segregated

• The Gospel of justification by faith is not only our entry into the Kingdom, the Gospel is where we live daily