Last week, Pastor Ramsey also preached on Galatians 2:15-21, emphasizing that the ‘works of the law’ are not a way of salvation. This week, his focus was on ‘faith’ as the only way of salvation. That is so, because the believer is united to Christ by faith; and that bond of unity makes the believer righteous before God the Father, because therein the believer partakes of all of Christ’s blessings.
If you are not exactly clear on the concepts of faith, justification, unity, works of the law…, then you should benefit from hearing both, Pastor Ramsey’s sermons. You may hear the sermon from last week by following the link at the end of this post, to his Sermon Audio page.
Sermon highlights [bracketed statements; emboldening and underscoring of scripture are mine].
This sermon contains more than just highlight points because it contains explains many important biblical concepts.
- Pastor Ramsey opened his sermon with some statements from Romans to indicate the state of natural man in this world; he stated the underscored words below:
- Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; …32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
- Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
- Romans 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds: …8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath…
- 2 Thessalonians 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
- Matthew 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: …33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. [Goats = symbolic for the wicked]
- Matthew 25:41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels…
- [See Matt 25:31-46 for all of Jesus’ words on His final judgment]
- Pastor Ramsey briefly covered last week’s sermon with two references from the Psalms that indicated the psalmists knew that they could not be justified by works:
- Psalm 143:2 Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you
- Psalm 130:3 If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
- [Who could ‘stand,’ = who could escape the wrath of His judgment]
- That is, on JUDGMENT DAY, all who are not JUSTIFIED, deemed righteous by God, will go into eternal punishment
- THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL IS THAT WE CAN BE JUSTIFIED
- OUR TEXT TEACHES US HOW THAT CAN OCCUR
- Galatians 2:15-21 – 15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified…
- Last week, we learned that to ‘be justified’ is to be right with God [to have been declared righteous in His heavenly courtroom]
- Last week also, we learned that we do not have to wait until JUDGMENT DAY to be justified before God; that we can, by faith in Jesus Christ, be made righteous NOW
- Those who do put their faith in Jesus will be publicly announced on the DAY OF JUDGMENT
- That is why Paul can make statements about believers ‘having been justified’
- Those that believe in Jesus, have been declared by Him to be acceptable, righteous, justified
- Paul made it clear that the Judaizers were teaching Galatians the wrong way to be justified
- Last week we learned that we cannot be justified by ‘works of the law’ [obeying the ten commandments…]
- There are NO good deeds, sacrifices, religious rituals or rites… that we can offer to God to make us right with Him
- The only WAY God will accept is by faith in Jesus Christ
- Gal 2:16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ…
- What exactly is FAITH?
- The word ‘faith’ means many things to many people, but what does the Bible mean by faith?
- Trust
- If I asked you, “Do you believe in Jesus?” What would you think I am asking?
- Some would think I was asking, “Do you believe Jesus existed?”
- Like that old generic question so many affirm – “Do you believe in God?”
- Faith does include the above, but Paul is not saying that your belief that Jesus existed JUSTIFIES you
- One might accept as true that Jesus incarnated, had a ministry, died on the cross for our sins, rose the third day and is seated at the right hand of God the Father… and not have FAITH
- One must believe the above to have faith; but believing those historical facts does not mean that one has faith
- James 2:19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
- SO, JUSTIFYING FAITH IS MORE THAN BARE ASSENT TO THE TRUTH ABOUT JESUS
- FAITH must be in Jesus Himself
- Faith occurs in the context of a relationship
- Jesus says, come to Me and I will save you. A person who has faith says, “I am coming, I’ve committed my life to you, it is in your hands because you said “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me
- The following text equates believing with receiving:
- John 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God
- So, to ‘receive’ Jesus is more than believing something about Him, it is to embrace Him
- The Westminster Confession of Faith states about faith: …yielding obedience to the commands, trembling at the threatenings, and embracing the promises of God for this life and that which is to come. But the principal acts of saving faith are, accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.
- [Williamson, G.I.. The Westminster Confession of Faith: for Study Classes (p. 126). P&R Publishing. Kindle Edition.]
- Therefore, FAITH is receiving Jesus, looking to Him, embracing Him to be your Lord and Savior
- What does FAITH do, lead to?
- At the time we believe, we are UNITED to Jesus, joined to Him
- The apostle Paul used the following phrase many times to say the above: ‘in Christ Jesus’
- A Christian is one who is ‘in Christ Jesus’
- Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
- Gal 3:26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
- There is this relationship, union, joining together of the one who has faith in Jesus and Jesus Himself
- Jesus is, however, in heaven; how can He be united to us here on earth?
- By the Spirit
- Gal 4:6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
- In Romans 8, Paul indicated that to have the Spirit dwell in you is to have Christ dwell in you; the Spirit is the Spirit of Christ [see Romans 8:1-11]
- How do we receive the Spirit of Christ? By FAITH
- As when Peter preached to Cornelius in Acts 10:34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all),
- Acts 10:44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles.
- Gal 3:14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
- The Bible uses the metaphor of ‘marriage’ (and many others) to describe the union believers have by faith with Jesus
- Martin Luther called Faith the believer’s wedding ring; and our pledge, the means by which we are united to Jesus
- Again, this kind of faith is much more than affirming certain truths about Jesus, it is trust, in the context of a relationship
- Therefore, faith means not only believing the gospel truths about Jesus, but trusting Him to save you from your sins;
- That is, we believe that ‘in Him’ we will be JUSTIFIED
- That was the point of contention with the Judaizers [who believed that they had to keep the works of the law to be justified]
- Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
- Paul was trusting in Jesus as the one who laid down His life as a sacrifice to atone for Paul’s sins
- In other words, Paul was trusting in Jesus for JUSTIFICATION
- Jesus died precisely to save us from our sins so we might be Justified [again, to be justified is to be made righteous before God]
- As Paul said: Rom 4:25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
- Peter said, 1Peter 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit
- In other words, Jesus died precisely to save us from our sins so we might be JUSTIFIED
- Thus, it is not faith that saves us, but Jesus’ atoning work
- And the role of faith is to unite us to Christ
- The ground or basis of our salvation is Jesus Himself; His death and resurrection form the basis of our being declared RIGHTEOUS / JUSTIFIED by God
- Without Jesus’ death and resurrection, there is NO justification [none available to anyone]
- The reason we have to believe to be justified (to become righteous before God and have eternal life), is because faith is the MEANS by which we become joined to Christ
- After we are joined to Christ, we share in all that He has
- Every saving gift of God comes to us ‘in Christ:’ justification, salvation, glorification, life…
- Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
- If you are ‘in’ Him, you cannot be condemned for your sins
- In Romans 5, Paul said that ‘in Christ’ we receive life, grace, righteousness
- 1 Corinthians 1:30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
- Another way to say the above is that when we are united to Jesus by faith, we share, or participate in His death and in His resurrection
- Why did Jesus die? He died to pay the penalty for our sins
- When we are ‘in Him’ then His death becomes our death
- So, in Him, we pay the wage of our sin in Him
- We too, die to sin with Him
- After He satisfied the penalty for our sins, He rose from the dead and was vindicated, justified, and acquitted by God
- We who are ‘in Christ’ by faith have risen from the dead and are justified with and in Him – His justification becomes our justification; His righteousness became ours
- On that basis, God can justly justify us even though we ourselves are sinners
- As long as we dwell in this present evil age, we can live to God by faith in His Son, who saved us and will continue to save us as we wrestle with sin
- So, if someone asked you that famous question, “If you were to die tonight and arrived at the gates of heaven, where the angel asked you on what basis he should let you in;” what would you say?
- The correct answer is, Jesus who loved me gave Himself for me
- NOT, because I believed, my faith gave me the right to enter
- [Pastor Ramsey stated earlier, that there would be no justification if Jesus had not died to pay for your sins [and all others who believe]]
- Summary: So, we are justified by faith in Christ Jesus; and faith is not merely believing some facts / truths about Jesus
- Faith is trusting Him and depending on Him to save you By MEANS of His Death and Resurrection
- And Faith unites the believer to Jesus. “IN HIM” we are made right with God
- Thus, we are JUSTIFIED by FAITH; and we are JUSTIFIED ‘IN CHRIST’
- In Athens, Paul declared that God had fixed a day in which He will judge the world [see Acts 17]
- How might you be found righteous before God [be justified] on that DAY?
- By FAITH in Jesus Christ because: John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
- [This sermon states clearly, according to the Bible, why it is that John 14:6 is truth]
The following link is to Pastor Ramsey’s sermon of last week (in this blog) on the works of the law: http://: https://sheeplywolves.com/not-by-works-galatians-215-21-pastor-patrick-ramsey/
The following link is to Pastor Ramsey’s Sermon Audio home page.
If you go to Sermon Audio, explore the site for answers to other questions you have about the Bible, the Christian faith…. You may search via scripture, name of pastor, topic, category, language and date. When I studied the beatitudes a few years ago, there were 8 pages of sermons on verse Matthew 5:3. That is, there are lots of biblical sermons on the site.
For those who do not know or believe the Bible:
Not all those who profess to be ‘Christians’ believe the following, as this sermon is based on Bible texts. For example, the Roman Catholic Church states that it’s priests JUSTIFY a person by the sacrament of baptism; and that one’s JUSTIFICATION might be lost thereafter, by committing a ‘mortal’ sin… and that one’s justification can be restored via the sacrament of penance which could mean, purchasing an ‘indulgence’ from the church….
None of that is in the Bible. The Protestant Reformation was fought over the matters considered in these two sermons by Pastor Ramsey: how it is that a believer is JUSTIFIED.
Moreover, in his sermons, Pastor Ramsey confined his statements about false ways of approaching God to the Judaizers, who were mixing works with faith; he did not diverge to discuss all other religions that teach that a believer can earn his own righteousness in some manner then approach his God and be acceptable.
For example: John MacArthur has stated that all religions of the world commit this fatal error.
I’m can’t remember if MacArthur stated that many Christians also commit this error, but that is true; as the WAY of faith is not easy to discern. It seems that the Holy Spirit has to, as Paul Washer is fond of saying, crush all your idols before you can come to Christ by faith. In the process, the believer is humbled: pride is a chief reason we believe we can do something to earn our righteousness and become acceptable to God.
We have all learned to trust in many things that must be forsaken if one comes only by faith. I’m convinced that Jesus said the following for that very reason:
Matthew 7:13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
On the wide, easy way, one can come by works or any other way he personally devises, as much of the professed church is currently doing with millions emulating them….
Jesus also told his disciples, Matthew 16:24 “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
How many millions of Christians this very day wrongly believe that God wants them to be abounding in prosperity, personal power…? They err greatly!
The Bible was compiled over a period of 1500 years by 40 some writers from all walks of life, via the inspiration of the Holy Spirit: Peter had been a fisherman; Paul, a tent maker; Moses, the son of Pharaoh; David, a shepherd…. They were all called by God, like Abram, the man of faith, was called in Genesis 12.
In Romans 4 and Galatians 3, the apostle Paul showed that Abraham was the first to believe God ‘by faith’ and that all true believers thereafter, do what Abraham did, believe God by faith.
In his two sermons on Galatians 2:15-21, Pastor Ramsey intended to contrast and to clarify these two WAYS of coming to God; and to adamantly state that only one actually leads to JUSTIFICATION; and that a person must be justified by God to be saved from God’s wrath against sin.
2 comments
Comments are closed.