Sermons

Paul uses an illustration from nature to show us how the Christian life works. Whatever we sow, we will reap. This is as true in the Christian life as it is in nature. A farmer must sow in season in order to have a harvest season. If he plants corn, he will reap corn. If he plants wheat, he will reap wheat. If the farmer does not plant anything, he will not reap anything.

Paul is dealing with two types of behavior: those who provoke and those who are envious. Those who provoke are those who look down on others. Those who are envious are those who feel inferior and look up toward others. Both provocative and envious people have one thing in common - they both want the glory for themselves.

If you have been justified by faith and are free under the Gospel, then you will desire to keep in step with where the Holy Spirit leads you and desires to change you. We are to always be asking God what He wants from us and how we can become more like Christ.

Since we have been set free in Jesus Christ, we can now live a life that reflects and enjoys that freedom. We are free from the rules as a way of salvation, but are also now free to obey out of our gratitude. And this is not a yoke of slavery. Obedience is the mark of a free man.

We often hear about the great religions of the world. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism are often included together. In our pluralistic and idealistic culture we attempt to reconcile all the great religions together. They, according to the masses, are of equal significance and equal truth. Jesus didn't think so and neither did the Apostles. Remember, Paul began Galatians by cursing any and all other religions - even those that claim the name of Jesus, but do not preach the true Gospel of Jesus (e.g., Mormon, Jehovah Witness, Christian Scientist, etc).

We often hear about the great religions of the world. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism are often included together. In our pluralistic and idealistic culture we attempt to reconcile all the great religions together. They, according to the masses, are of equal significance and equal truth. Jesus didn't think so and neither did the Apostles. Remember, Paul began Galatians by cursing any and all other religions - even those that claim the name of Jesus, but do not preach the true Gospel of Jesus (e.g., Mormon, Jehovah Witness, Christian Scientist, etc).

It doesn't matter if you are male or female, Jew or Gentile, slave or free--you are a son of the Living God by faith in Jesus Christ alone. We have different names. We have 46 different backgrounds. We look different. We have different cultures and traditions. We have different theology. But under the one Gospel, we are one people, under one Father God, because of one Messiah. In the Christian faith we call this "sonship."

Paul makes it clear that salvation does not depend on our performance. But the Law must play some role in the Christian's life. Some Christians view Law and Grace as two equal tracks that must be tread upon carefully. We must have one foot on the Law and one foot on grace. But Paul does not teach this. He says that we are justified by faith in Jesus Christ alone.

Paul is working against the tide of a works-faith based hybrid of Christianity. The Galatians had begun with faith in Jesus and were now depending on adherence and obedience to the Law for their salvation. This teaching had come from Judaizing Christians who did not believe that Jesus on the Cross was enough.

There is a huge contrast between the Law and the Gospel. The Galatians had forgotten Jesus crucified and were now returning to that which damned them as a means of salvation. Christians must know the difference between the Law and the Gospel. They are not enemies, but they have different functions.