Sermon Notes: Galatians 2:15–21 – Living by Faith

I. Introduction — Galatians 2:15–21
Personal Note: Reflecting on the past 18 months
Trust is a journey
God’s provision is a miracle
God’s past faithfulness is a promise and a pattern for the future

II. True Faith Shows Itself in Obedience
James 2:18 — Faith and deeds go hand in hand
What we often hear:
Lists of sins (Romans 1)
Personal “do better” lists (e.g., stop smoking)
Everyone has a list—even prisoners
The problem with this view of obedience:
We can’t keep all the rules (Romans 3)
It leads to self-righteousness
Like an onion—one layer down, another to go

III. What Does It Mean to Be Crucified with Christ? — Gal. 2:20
Not living by the law
Dying to the law, living by faith
Old Testament Faith Examples (Mostly Negative):
Adam & Eve — trusted the serpent
Cain — trusted his desires
Abraham — a mixed bag:
Trusted God: left home, believed the promise, offered Isaac (Gen. 22)
Misplaced faith: lied, doubted, tried to fulfill promise through Hagar
Lesson from Abraham:
God spent a lifetime forming faith in him
The offering of Isaac was the climax of his trust (Gen. 22:5, 8)
Romans 4 — Abraham’s faith, not perfection, is what God honored

Challenge:
What are you trusting in?
Your bank account?
Your good works?
Your job?
Where do you place your faith?