THE AUDITORIUM SUNDAY
SCHOOL CLASS
JUNE 5TH, 2005
SAVED OR NOT SAVED
I. Stand fast therefore in the liberty.....(1).
A.
A believer is not subject to THE law because of THE liberty.
- This Liberty frees us from something
particularly - The Law.
B.
This liberty comes only through the death and resurrection of Christ.
1.
See John 8:36
2. Through Christ, we are free to
please God (Romans 15:1-3) by serving others.
C.
The term “hath made us free” points to a specific event in the believer’s
life.
- At the moment of salvation, we are free
from the Law and its penalty (death).
D.
“.....be not entangled again with.....” (1).
1.
The false teachers were entrapping the Galatian
believers.
2.
The word “again” means that before the believers were saved they were
trapped in webs of “works-based salvation schemes.”
3.
Once a person is free from the Law, it makes no sense to return to its
bondage.
II. Problems of mixing Law with Grace
(2-4).
A.
Whenever Paul wanted to make an important point, he would use the words “I
Paul.” (II Corinthians 10:1 and Ephesians 3:1).
B.
If people submit to “circumcision” in order to be saved, then Christ
does not save them (2).
1. The Bible demands faith, and when
works is added to faith it is not saving faith.
2.
Saving faith trusts Christ alone, and rejects works as a requirement for
salvation.
3.
Paul is actually saying that if a person receives circumcision as an
additional requirement for salvation, then they are
unsaved.
C.
Paul uses a strong term again in verse 3: “For I testify again.....”
1.
Paul wants to emphasize the seriousness of blending your human works
with faith in Christ alone.
2.
“....to every man that is circumcised.....”,
means that Paul is addressing those who have, or are about to be, circumcised
for salvation.
3. If you begin living by the Law for
salvation, then you are obligated to live by the whole Law - and will become a
slave to it.
4.
Faith in Christ becomes secondary to works and rules,
D.
What does “...ye are fallen from grace.....” mean in verse 4?
1.
He is speaking to those who are resting their faith on being “justified
by the Law.”
- So this does NOT refer to falling away
from salvation through Christ.
2.
If people are trusting Christ PLUS the Law, they are falling away from
the saving grace of Christ alone.
- “Christ is become of none effect” to the
person who is trusting in their works, a work, or the Law, for salvation.
3.
Notice
that Paul does not say that an immoral act causes you to fall from grace, but a
moral act committed as a way of salvation.
III. Believers in Christ alone have certain
benefits (5-6).
A.
We have “...the hope of righteousness.” (5)
1.
See Romans 8:24-25
2.
We, through the Spirit, have the hope that we will be accepted by God.
B.
We are “in Jesus Christ”, and because we are in Him, we have the hope mentioned
in the previous verse (6).
C.
We have a faith that works out of love, not a salvation based on works
of fear (6).
Conclusion - The Christian
Life is a life of love for Christ, not bondage to the Law.