Text: Exodus 20:1,2, Galatians 3: 1-14 (NASB95)
Topic: Grace before Obedience
Application Point: You can not earn God’s grace and forgiveness
Sermon Title: Grace Over Law
Context:
Exodus 19:9 (NASB95)
9 The LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you and may also believe in you forever.” Then Moses told the words of the people to the LORD.
Exodus 19:12 (NASB95)
12 “You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, ‘Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch the border of it; whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.
Exodus 19:17 (NASB95)
17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.
Some filters that we must have in place before we look at the law.
• All scripture is viewed from the question is this prescriptive or descriptive.
1) The term best used for the 10 commandments is the 10 words. This is 10 true factual statements that God makes in relationship to his people. The blessings and curses are directly related to the nation of Israel and the nation’s ability to stay and prosper in the land.
• We cannot assume that this is all for us but rather we must look at this and ask what principals do apply to us.
2) The 10 statements made by God has a hierarchy of importance and a natural order. That doing the first naturally results in the second and so forth.
3) The law was not given until after Israel was redeemed. Israel did not earn Gods favor based on their behavior and obedience but rather they began to call on the name of the Lord and in His grace He responded. Grace before Law.
Exodus 20:1-2 (NASB95)
1 Then God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
Exodus 2:23-25 (NASB95)
23 Now it came about in [the course of] those many days that the king of Egypt died. And the sons of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry for help because of [their] bondage rose up to God. 24 So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 25 God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice [of them.]
1. God’s plan has always been a plan of
.
Galatians 3:1 (NASB95)
1 You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed [as] crucified?
Galatians 3:2-3 (NASB95)
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?
2.
in Christ is only found through faith in Christ.
Galatians 3:4 (NASB95)
4 Did you suffer so many things in vain–if indeed it was in vain?
Galatians 3:5 (NASB95)
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?
Galatians 3:6 (NASB95)
6 Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
We should be careful to say that Abraham’s faith did not make him righteous. Abraham’s God made him righteous, by accounting his faith to him for righteousness. “His faith was not his righteousness, but God so rewarded his exercise of faith, as that upon it he reckoned (or imputed)… the righteousness of him in whom he believed. —Poole
3. In God’s economy the only currency is
.
Galatians 3:7 (NASB95)
7 Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.
Galatians 3:8-9 (NASB95)
8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, [saying,] “ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.
Galatians 3:10 (NASB95)
10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM.”
“The hypocritical doers of the Law are those who seek to obtain a righteousness by a mechanical performance of good works while their hearts are far removed from God. They act like the foolish carpenter who starts with the roof when he builds a house. —Luther
Galatians 3:11 (NASB95)
11 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”
Galatians 3:12 (NASB95)
12 However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM.”
4. You will be a
to law or a
to Christ.
Romans 6:17-18 (NASB95)
17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
Galatians 3:13-14 (NASB95)
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us–for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”– 14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.