THE ACCUSATION AND ARGUMENT AGAINST JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH (Part 6)
KEY VERSE – It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Gal. 5:1) SECONDARY THEME VERSES: “A man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ” (Gal. 2:16); “If righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing” (Gal. 2:21).
THEME: Salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone releases us from the yoke of the law, freeing us to live a life of love through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Legal (Imputed) Righteousness: We are justified by faith in Christ (Gal. 2:16). Imparted Righteousness: Immediate Moral Change at conversion (Gal. 6:15); Gradual Moral Change through the fruit-growing work of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22) which requires our cooperation (Gal 5:16-17, 25, 6:8). We cooperate by using CCRC (Concentration, Choice, Reflection, Confession/Thanksgiving. Foundational verse, “By one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” (Heb. 10:14)
Good Teachers: (1) Constantly re-evaluate what they are doing; (2) Set large goals; (3) Ask – “Does everything I do contribute to learning?”; (4) Prepare well; (5) Check for understanding; (6) Like teaching; (7) Get results from their teaching; (8) Have perseverance. Don’t give up.
TEACHING GOAL: Show that we are in faith union with Christ and thus have victory over “the old man.”
TEXT FOR THE DAY:
“But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker.
“For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing! (Gal. 2:17-21)
ACCUSATION AND ARGUMENTS AGAINST / FOR JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH (Part 1)
1. The Accusation Against Justification by Faith – Godlessness
2. The Underlying Assumptions in the Accusation – Fear & Love
PAUL’S REBUTTAL (Part 2)
Why We Can’t Go Back Under the Law
3. Rebuilding a System of Law Proves the Christian is a Lawbreaker
4. Seeking to Live By the Law Destroys All Hope of Salvation
PAUL’S REBUTTAL (Part 3-5)
Why I Can Live a Godly Life Apart from the Law
5. I Am Motivated to Godliness by Christ’s Love For Me.
6. I Am Liberated from Sin’s Power by My Death With Christ
7. I Am Indwelt by Christ and He is My Strength
PAUL’S REBUTTAL (Part 6)
Depending on the Law for Salvation Makes the
Crucifixion of Christ Meaningless
REVIEW OF POINT SIX:
VI. I AM LIBERATED FROM SIN’S POWER BY MY DEATH WITH CHRIST
The first “I” in Galatians 2:20 refers to the “old self” or the “Adamic Nature.” The “old self” can still control a child of God. The opposite of the fruit of the Spirit in the Christian is the life of the “old self” (See Flip Chart). Christ breaks the power of this cancelled sin that can be so evident in the “Old Self.” (See Flip Chart of hymn – “He breaks the power of cancelled sin”).
The Christian is united with Christ in His death, “I am crucified with Christ.” This union with Christ is not a subjective event. It is an objective, historical event (Gal. 2:20, Romans 6:1-13).
Christians are to “count” themselves dead to sin. That is they are to reckon, consider, see themselves, regard themselves, think, believe that they are dead to sin based on their historical union with Christ in His death.
Christ, on the cross provided salvation from sin. He canceled our sin debt. For this we always live with a thankful heart. But the crucifixion provided more than just salvation from sin. Christ included us in His death, in a sense we were co-crucified with him.
Christ not only died for us but included us in His death. His death for us cancelled our debt of sin; Our death with Him broke the power of sin.
Christ has freed us from both sin’s penalty and sin’s power.
So the charge in vs. 17, e.g. “… Christ promotes sin …” is bogus. Gal. 2:20 is the outworking of justification, how we have victory over sin, over the “old man.”
OUR PROBLEM: Yet, do we have victory over “the old man”, “the flesh?” Can we quote Eph. 2:20, and say with confidence, I experience the truth in that verse every moment? – “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us . . . . .” or Phil. 4:13, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
Victory over sin is possible. The key is our union with Christ.
VII. I AM INDWELT BY CHRIST AND HE IS MY STRENGTH
QUESTION: Is the following statement by John Murray, a Scottish theologian writing on our union with Christ, an over-statement? If so, why? “[Our union with Christ is] …the central truth of the whole doctrine of salvation.” (Ryken, 74)
1. BESIDES BEING UNITED WITH CHRIST IN HIS DEATH WE ARE ALSO UNITED WITH HIM IN HIS RESURRECTION
“. . . just as Christ was raised from the death …. We too may live a new life . . . .” “having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God”. “ . . . that quickened us together with Christ … raised us up together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus . . . “ “If ye then be risen with Christ . . . “ (Romans 6:4; Eph. E:5-6; Col. 2:12, 3:1)
“This amazing change, which comes over somebody who is justified in Christ, Paul now unfolds. He describes it in terms of death and a resurrection. Twice in verses 19 and 20 he speaks of dying and this rising to life again.” (Stott, 63)
2. BIBLICAL SUPPORT FOR UNION WITH CHRIST
“ . . . Christ lives in me.”
It is important to note that the Father and the Holy Spirit also live in us: “God lives in us . . . he in us . . . God lives in him . . . “; “. . . we [Jesus and the Father] will come to him and make our home with him” (I John 4:12-15; John 14:23).
“. . . He [the Spirit] lives with you and will be in you . . . “ “God’s Spirit lives in you . . .” “ . . . the Holy Spirit who lives in us” (John 14:17; I Cor. 3:16; II Tim. 1:14)
“ . . . I [Jesus] am in you . . .” “. . . Christ Jesus is in you. . .” “Christ may dwell in your hearts . . .” “The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is no disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make know among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (John 14:20; II Cor. 13:5; Eph. 3:17; Col. 1:26-27)
“. . . when a person exercises faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, he is placed in transcendent spiritual union with Christ in the historical event of His death and resurrection . . . (MacArthur, 58). [Transcendent = lying beyond the ordinary range of perception]
3. QUOTES ON CHRIST INDWELLING THE BELIEVER
Three quotes from Ryken’s commentary on Galatians, pg. 76:
“By [faith] you are so cemented to Christ that He and you are as one person, which cannot be separated but remains attached to Him forever” (Martin Luther).
The Christian “does not live by his own life but is animated by the secret power of Christ, so that Christ may be said to live and grow in him” (John Calvin).
Henry Scougal (1650-1678), a Scottish theologian, referred to Christ’s indwelling as “the life of God in the soul of man.”
Someone has said that the Christian life is “A Person within a person.”
4. ILLUSTRATIONS OF CHRIST INDWELLING THE BELIEVER
ILLUSTRATION: Ocean water in a bottle and the bottle in the ocean.
ILLUSTRATION: A poker in the fire and the fire in the red hot poker.
ILLUSTRATION: One day he [Augustine] had to attend to some business in his old haunts in Rome. As he walked along a former female companion saw him and began calling, “Augustine, Augustine, it is I!” He took one look at the poor, disreputable woman whose company he had formerly enjoyed, and shuddered. Reminding himself of his new position in Christ, he quickly turned and ran from her, shouting, “Yes, but it is not I!” Augustine had found the secret of Paul’s words: “I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me” (Gal. 2:20).
ILLUSTRATION: In the Minneapolis Star-Tribune (1/17/98) Judy Zmerold writes:
Three-year-old Katie was taken to her pediatrician during a recent bout with the flu. As the doctor examined her ears, he asked, “Will I find Big Bird in here?”
Apprehensively, Katie replied, “No.”
Then, before examining her throat, he asked, “Will I find the Cookie Monster in here?”
Again, “No.”
Finally, listening to her heart, he asked, “Will I find Barney in here?”
With innocent conviction, she looked him directly in the eye and said, “No, Jesus is in my heart. Barney is on my underwear.”
5. TRIGGERS THAT RELEASE CHRIST’S POWER IN US
OUR PROBLEM: We do not always have victory over “the old man”, “the flesh?” Can we quote Eph. 2:20 or Phil. 4:13, and say with confidence, “I experience the truth in that verse every moment?” – “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us . . . . .” “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
ILLUSTRATION: Time release capsule. “In short, time release capsules have designer coatings which dissolve at pH level of the desired site. For example, if we want contents of a capsule to be released in intestine and not in the stomach, capsule’s coating is designed such that it does not dissolve in the highly acidic environment of the stomach. However, after passing the stomach, when the capsule reaches the more alkaline environment of intestines, its coating will dissolve releasing its contents. (pH number – measurement of how acidic or alkaline an environment is)”. Acidic and alkaline levels worked as triggers to release the medicine so that it could do its work. (http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview/id/595398.html).
QUESTION: What are some of the “triggers” that will release Christ’s power in our lives?
Trigger # 1:
God’s will – God will not give us everything we ask for. If that were the case we would rule the universe. (“If we ask anything according to His will he hears us … And if…. He hears us … we know that we have what we asked of him” I John 5:14-15).
QUESTION: If we are asking God for patience, certainly a quality that is pleasing to Him, why doesn’t he automatically give us patience?
Trigger # 2:
Ask in faith — “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will . . . make your righteousness shine like the dawn . . .” . . . “Trust in the Lord with all your heart . . . he will make your paths straight”. . . . [Jesus said] “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for . . . .” (Psalm 37:5; Prov. 3:5; Mt. 21:22).
Trigger # 3:
Feel a true sense of need – “In his [Manasseh’s] distress he sought the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And when he prayed to him, the LORD was moved by his entreaty and listened to his pleas . . . “ . . . “Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, . . . “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. “. . . “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” . . . “Though the LORD is on high, he looks upon the lowly . . .” . . . “I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.” . . . “This is the one I esteem; he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.” . . . . “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” . . . “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (II Chron. 33:12-13; 34:27; Ps. 34:18; Ps. 51:17; Ps. 138:6; Isa. 57:15, 66:2; James 4:6; Mt. 11:28).
Trigger # 4:
That only God would be glorified – “I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another . . . .” . . . not by works, so that no one can boast.” . . . [God chose the foolish, weak, lowly, despised] so that no one may boast before him.” Isa. 42:8; Eph. 2:9; I Cor. 1:27-29).
What is driving me to desire patience? Is it so that I won’t be so upset about things? So that my friends won’t think ill of me? Because I know I am not a good person when I am impatience? Because I don’t like seeing impatience in other people? Because it makes me feel guilty when I am impatient? Because it irritates my spouse? My children? Because I know a Christian shouldn’t be impatient? Because I want to be a nice person?
QUESTION: What should be the primary goal of desiring to become a patient person?
My love for God! “Love the Lord your God with all your heart `and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Mt. 22:37).
When we ask in faith, are broken-hearted and desperate and feel a true sense of need and long only to love God and give glory to Him, then the supernatural power of Christ who dwells with us will be released.
THE GOSPEL AND “CHRIST IN ME”
Hebrews 12:2 says, “. . . Jesus . . . who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.” Was one of those “joys” the opportunity to live within the life of the believer? Did He endure the cross, not only so He could return to heaven and prepare a place for us, but also so that He could carve out a home in our hearts? “…. We [Jesus and the Father] will come to him [the believer] and make our home with him” (John 14:23).
Christ, the Powerful One, became powerless in order to live in us and so release His power through us.
SO WHAT???
1. The Triune God dwells in those justified by faith, redeemed by grace.
2. When we are crushed, broken, contrite, humble, desperate, weary and lowly in spirit –God views us in a new and compassionate light.
3. We need to re-engineer our hearts so that our sole motive for all prayer is a loving desire see God glorified in our hearts.
4. The believer has victory over “the old man” by counting himself co-crucified with Christ and seeing the power of the indwelling Christ released in him.