Hidden in My Heart

"...endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Ephesians 4:3; NKJV)

Read the Word with Confidence

Galatians 3:15-18; NKJV

15 Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man's covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it. 

16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, "And to seeds," as of many, but as of one, "And to your Seed," who is Christ. 

17 And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect. 

18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

Consider the authority and accuracy of Jehovah's word in Galatians 3:16.  An argument is made concerning a singular and a plural word (seed; seeds).  We have an accurate text that is authoritative!  Read His word with confidence!

 

The Promise of the Spirit

Galatians 3:10-14; NKJV

10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them."   

11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith."   

12 Yet the law is not of faith, but "the man who does them shall live by them." 

13 Christ has 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 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Question:  How do we receive the promise of the Spirit?

Answer:  Though faith.

Receiving the Spirit

Galatians 3:1-9; NKJV
 
1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? 

2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 

3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? 

4 Have you suffered so many things in vain — if indeed it was in vain?

5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? —  

6 just as Abraham "believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."   

7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 

8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed."   

9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.

Question:  Does one receive the Spirit by the works of the law?

Answer:  No.

Question:  Does one receive the Spirit by the hearing of faith?

Answer:  Yes.

Hear the conclusion of Galatians 3:1-9!

Don't turn away from the true gospel to another gospel.  When we hear and obey the gospel of Christ we receive the Spirit.  The Spirit is supplied to those who live by faith.  

Galatians 2:20

Galatians 2:20; NKJV

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

“And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.”  (Matthew 10:38; NKJV).

What did the word “cross” mean to this first-century audience?

The Symbol.  In Matthew 10:38, Jesus is not speaking of the “cross” of a difficult situation, a chronic disease or a nagging spouse.  I have heard devotional sermons spiritualizing the “cross” to mean everything from a cranky mother-in-law to a leaky roof.  But this is not what the word “cross” communicated to Jesus’ first century audience.  It did not call to their minds the idea of long-term difficulties or troublesome burdens.  It did not even evoke thoughts of Calvary because the Lord had not gone to the cross yet, and they did not understand that He would.

The Instrument.  Christ’s first-century audience thought of a cruel instrument of torture and death.  They thought of dying in the most agonizing method known to man.  They thought of the poor, condemned criminals hanging on crosses by the roadside.  Doubtless they had seen men executed in that fashion.  The Hasmonean ruler Alexander Jannaeus crucified 800 Pharisees (103-76 BC) and the Roman general Varus broke up a Jewish revolt by crucifying 2000 Jews on a single day in Jerusalem (6 AD).  It was customary for the condemned to carry their cross to the place of execution.  And it was a one-way journey.

The Call of Christ.  Jesus’ listeners knew He was asking them to die for Him.  They knew He was asking them to make the ultimate sacrifice, to surrender to Him as Lord in every sense.

 A Life of Daily Self-Denial.  Jesus is not teaching salvation by martyrdom.  The Lord was not advising the disciples to try and get themselves killed for Him.  He was referring to a pattern, a direction, a lifestyle.  “I affirm, by the boasting in which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily” (1 Corinthians 15:31; NKJV).  Genuine disciples do not shrink back, even in the face of death.  When confronted with a decision between serving self and serving the Lord, the true disciple is the one who chooses to serve the Lord, even at great personal expense.

Conclusion.  Take up your instrument of death.  Crucify yourself.  Allow Christ to live in you.  Live your life by faith in the Son of God, who loved you and gave Himself for you (Galatians 2:20).

The Right Hand of Fellowship

Galatians 2:1-10; NKJV

1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me.  

2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain. 

3 Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 

4 And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), 

5 to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

6 But from those who seemed to be something — whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man — for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me. 

7 But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter  

8 (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), 

9 and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 

10 They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do.

"The right hand of fellowship" signified the Apostles' recognition of Paul as a teacher of the true gospel and partner in the gospel of Jesus Christ.  If Paul wasn't a true brother teaching the true gospel, James, Cephas and John would not have extended to him "the right hand of fellowship."

Fellowship is not to be extended to those who teach "a different gospel" (Galatians 1:6; NKJV).  Let us learn, obey, follow and teach "the gospel of Christ" (Galatians 1:7; NKJV).  Let us extend "the right hand of fellowship" to those who do the same.

Hidden in My Heart

"...endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Ephesians 4:3; NKJV)