Two Systems: Do and Done

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Alban Watson
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The first religion, which comes in countless shapes and sizes, is the religion of human effort and merit.

2 Two Systems: Do and Done I would suggest that from one perspective there are really only two religions in the world. The first religion, which comes in countless shapes and sizes, is the religion of human effort and merit. Those who adhere to one of the forms of this religious system believe they gain salvation or blessing through some set of requirements something they do, fulfill, accomplish, or earn. Chuck Swindoll

3 Two Systems: Do and Done The second religion is the religion of divine grace and mercy. Adherents of this religion forsake their own merit and rely exclusively on the gracious provision of God, which is not based on what we have done but on what God has done for us. In this religion, all we can do is believe, accept, trust, and acknowledge. Chuck Swindoll

4 Many people regard his as the most difficult passage in the Epistle to the Galatians. For one thing, it presupposes a knowledge of the Old Testament which few people possess today; there are references to Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael, Isaac, Mount Sinai and Jerusalem. For another, the argument of Paul is a somewhat technical one; it is the kind which would have been familiar in the Jewish rabbinical schools. It is allegorical, although not arbitrary. John Stott

5 The Princess Bride

Paul s Connection with the Galatian Churches 1. After his conversion Paul spends 3 years in Arabia & Damascus (Gal. 1:16-17). 2. Paul & Barnabas meet privately with Peter & James in Jerusalem (Gal.

Paul & Barnabas plant churches in Galatia on the first Missionary journey (Acts 13:13-14:20). 5. Paul and Barnabas re-visit the Galatian churches to strengthen & encourage them (Acts 14:21-28). 6.

Paul writes Galatians to defend the true gospel of grace. 9. The Jerusalem Council affirms Paul's position on justification by faith in Christ alone (Acts 15:2-35). Judaizer's Teachings 1.

Circumcision is necessary for all Christians (5:2-3; 6:12-15). Galatians: Epistolary Prescript: Salutation and Greeting Background: Dueling Gospels?

6 Paul s Connection with the Galatian Churches 1. After his conversion Paul spends 3 years in Arabia & Damascus (Gal. 1:16-17). 2. Paul & Barnabas meet privately with Peter & James in Jerusalem (Gal. 1:18-24; Acts 9:26). 3. Paul & Barnabas bring a relief offering to Jerusalem (Acts 11:29-30) & stand for the gospel (Gal. 2:1-10). 4. Paul & Barnabas plant churches in Galatia on the first Missionary journey (Acts 13:13-14:20). 5. Paul and Barnabas re-visit the Galatian churches to strengthen & encourage them (Acts 14:21-28). 6. Antioch incident; Paul rebukes Peter (Gal. 2:11-14). 7. Judaizers began to teach that the law and circumcision are necessary for salvation (Acts 15:1). 8. Paul writes Galatians to defend the true gospel of grace. 9. The Jerusalem Council affirms Paul's position on justification by faith in Christ alone (Acts 15:2-35). Judaizer's Teachings 1. Attacks on Paul's authority and message (1:1-2:21). 2. The Law is essential for salvation (2:15-16; 3:1-5; 3:23-25). 3. Ritual observances are required for God's favor (4:10). 4. Circumcision is necessary for all Christians (5:2-3; 6:12-15). Galatians: Epistolary Prescript: Salutation and Greeting Background: Dueling Gospels? There is only one gospel and it is by grace through Christ! Personal Defense of Paul's Authority The Gospel of Grace = Free from the Law Doctrinal Defense of Justification by Faith Practical Defense of Christian Liberty 1:1-5 1:6-9 1:10 2:14 2: :1 4:31 5:1 6:10 6: :18 Introduction Body Conclusion Prescript Exordium Thesis: My message comes from Christ. (1:10-12) Defense: I am independent of others. (1:13-2:21) Independent of Human Teachers - I went away (1:13-17) Independent of Major Churches - I had one brief visit (1:18-24) Independent of Jerusalem Church Leaders - they added nothing (2:1-10) Independent of the Apostle Peter - I stood against him (2:11-14) Narratio Main Idea: Justification and life come through faith in Christ, not obedience to the law. Justification by Faith (2:15-16) Life in Christ (2:18-21) Propositio Thesis: The Gospel is of faith not law. (3:1-5) Defense: Scripture and Human Experience. (3:6-4:31) Biblical Defense (3:6-25) The Old Testament: Abraham was justified by faith. (3:6-14) The Covenants: The law does not replace the covenant of faith. (3:15-18) The Law: The law leads us to our need for faith in Christ. (3:19-25) Experiential Defense (3:26-4:31) Sonship: The law made us slaves; faith makes us sons. (3:26-4:7) Appeal: Paul's labor for them was to set them free in Christ. (4:8-20) Midrash: Faith and Law have always been incompatible. (4:21-31) Thesis: We are free in Christ. (5:1) Application: Live in freedom. (5:2-6:10) No More Bondage to the Law (5:2-12) No More Bondage to the Sinful Nature (5:13-15) Free to Live in the Spirit (5:16-26) Free to Serve Others (6:1-10) The Weak and Sinful (6:1-5) Teachers (6:6-9) All men, especially believers (6:10) Probatio When Paul heard that the Galatian churches were being persuaded to follow a different gospel that emphasized the law and circumcision, he wrote a passionate appeal defending his authority as an apostle to the Gentiles, demonstrating the superiority of the faith principle over the law, and delineating the practical application of living in the freedom of grace in order to call the church back to the true gospel of grace through faith in Christ alone. Summary: Paul s Signature and Final Appeal Peroratio Epistolary Postscript: Benediction of Grace Postscript Ken Wilson 2017

7 A Brief Introduction to Hermeneutics. Interpretation: Determining the original authors intended meaning to his original audience.

8 A Brief Introduction to Hermeneutics. Application: Implementing the principle derived from correct interpretation to the life of the contemporary reader.

9 Rabbinic Interpretation. Midrash: An investigation of Scripture. Peshat: The simple, literal; meaning of the text. Darash: An exposition and application of the Peshat.

10 An Incompatibility Story: Ishmael and Isaac. Genesis 16:1-16 Genesis 21:1-14

11 A Life of Extraordinary Faith for Ordinary Believers

12 Genesis 16:16 clearly presents that human assistance to the fulfillment of the promises of God only complicate matters. Allen Ross

13 GENESIS 16:1-6 (NIV) HUMAN FAITHLESSNESS - THE WAY OF THE FLESH Now Sarai, Abram s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; so she said to Abram, The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her. Abram agreed to what Sarai said. So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.

14 GENESIS 16:1-6 (NIV) THE INEVITABLE COMPLICATIONS When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. Then Sarai said to Abram, You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me. Your slave is in your hands, Abram said. Do with her whatever you think best. Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.

15 THE METHODS OF THE WORLD (IMPATENT FAITH AND FLESHLY SOLUTIONS) COMPLICATE THE BLESSINGS OF GOD

16 Genesis 21:1-21 tells of the long-awaited fulfillment of the promise of a son as well as the removal of the threat, real or perceived, from the child of the bondwoman Hagar. Allen Ross

17 GENESIS 21:1-7 (NIV) THE BIRTH OF ISAAC Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. Sarah said, God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me. And she added, Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.

18 GENESIS 21:8-11 (NIV) THE MOCKING OF ISHMAEL The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, and she said to Abraham, Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac. The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son.

19 GENESIS 21:12-21 (NIV) THE REMOVAL OF THE THREAT But God said to him, Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. I will make the son of the slave into a nation also, because he is your offspring. Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy.

20 WE MUST RID OUR LIVES OF ANYTHING THAT PROVIDES A POSSIBLE HINDRANCE TO OUR REALIZATION OF GOD S FULLEST BLESSING.

21 An Incompatibility Analogy: Law and Grace. Galatians 4:21-31

22 Introduction: A Challenge Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? Galatians 4:21 (NIV)

23 The message of these verses is right up to date and is specially relevant to religious people, According to verse 21 it is addressed to those who desire to be under the law. There are many such today. They are, of course, not Jews or Judaizers to whom Paul was writing, but people whose religion is legalistic, who imagine the way to God is by observance of certain rules. There are even professing Christians who turn the gospel into law. They suppose that their relationship to God depends on a strict adherence to regulations, traditions, and ceremonies. They are in bondage to them. John Stott

24 Midrash: Peshat (Simple Meaning) For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise. Galatians 4:22-23 (NIV)

25 Midrash: Darash (Applied Meaning) These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. Galatians 4:24-27 (NIV)

26 Midrash: Darash (Applied Meaning) For it is written: Be glad, barren woman, you who never bore a child; shout for joy and cry aloud, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband. Galatians 4:24-27 (NIV)

27 Midrash: Darash (Application) Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. Galatians 4:28 (NIV)

28 Midrash: Peshat (Simple Meaning) At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. Galatians 4:29a (NIV)

29 Midrash: Darash (Applied Meaning) It is the same now. But what does Scripture say? Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman s son. Galatians 4:29b-30 (NIV)

30 Midrash: Darash (Applied Meaning) It is the same now. But what does Scripture say? Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman s son. Galatians 4:29b-30 (NIV)

31 Midrash: Darash (Application) Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman. Galatians 4:31 (NIV)

32 LAW Hagar: Slave Woman Flesh Mosaic Covenant Earthly Jerusalem Ishmael Flesh Children of Slave Woman GRACE Sarah: Free Woman Promise Abrahamic Covenant Heavenly Jerusalem Isaac Spirit Children of Free Woman

33 Midrash: Darash (Applied Meaning) It is the same now. But what does Scripture say? Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman s son. Galatians 4:29b-30 (NIV)

34 The Gospel Truth: Performance and promise simply do not mix, so don t mix them.

35 The Marks of Legalism A Redemption by Human Merit A Mercenary Spirit The Multiplication of Achievements A Fondness for Negatives Dr. James S. Stewart

36 But generally speaking, legalism is characterized by a fondness for the negative. It is not contrary to the teaching of the Bible to have spiritual standards, and so in the New Testament we have many exhortations, and we have many imperatives. But the apostles made it crystal clear that the imperatives of the New Testament can never be carried out in our own strength. That is the essence of legalistic thinking, to think that we can fulfill the commandments of our Lord God in the power of our own nature. And the Bible makes it very plain that we cannot fulfill the imperatives of the New Testament, the exhortations, apart from the ministry of the Holy Spirit. S. Lewis Johnson

37 The Gospel Application: Live like children of promise. Live like free children. Get rid of false teachers. Get rid of legalism. Embrace grace!

38 The Gospel Application: It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

NICARAGUA Puerto Cabezas

NICARAGUA Puerto Cabezas March 2018 Billy Graham 1918-2018 Paul s Connection with the Galatian Churches 1. After his conversion Paul spends 3 years in Arabia & Damascus (Gal. 1:16-17). 2. Paul & Barnabas