Title: Foolish / Gal 3:1-14
content is stupid
Gal 3:1-14
“You foolish Galatians, who deceived you when Jesus Christ was crucified before your eyes? I only tell you this, did you receive the Holy Spirit by works of the law or by hearing and by faith?”
Because of the foolish Galatian saints, our foolish and ignorant thoughts can be corrected. First of all, thank God. If it were not for us to serve God today, the Galatians would not have been foolish either. We think we are wise and intelligent, but we do not know how foolish we are in spiritual matters. Let's see what God is trying to teach us today through the foolishness of the Galatians.
First, Jesus Christ was crucified.
“All the crowds arose and brought Jesus to Pilate and brought him accusation, saying, “When we saw this man, we deceived our people, and he forbade us to pay tribute to Caesar, and calls himself the Christ the King” (Luke 23:1-2). Crucify him, crucify him,” (Luke 23:21). This was the complaint that went up to the governor Pilate. Pilate knew that Jesus had no sin worthy of death, but he was driven by the people and ordered to be crucified. The tyrannical soldiers dragged Jesus to Golgotha, the skull, and crucified Jesus. People mocked and said, “If you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross, and we will believe” (Matthew 27:39-43), but Jesus was silent and never came down from the cross.
It was Jesus who could not come down from the cross. Because “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” To give one's life as a ransom for many means to give one's only life to pay for the sins of many. When John saw Jesus like this, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Those who sin must die. Because the wages of sin is death. In order to save us from the terrible sin that we loved and committed in the world, Jesus took on our sins and died.
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46) Even to the point of crying, God cursed Jesus. Because Jesus took our sins upon Him, and all our sins and transgressions were upon Him. Surely we will be cursed because we have sinned, but Jesus became the curse in our place. “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree.” Now we have paid the full price for our sins. We didn't pay for it ourselves. Because Jesus laid down His life and received the curse instead, we have paid the full price for all our sins. Now no one can condemn us. He paid the price for all my sins.. Hallelujah!
Second, it is to teach us to have only faith in Jesus, who gave up his body for us.
“There is no flesh to be justified by the works of the law.” Rather, "Cursed are all those who are of the works of the law, for it is written, Cursed is anyone who does not always do all the things that are written in the book of the law." And it is clear that no one can be justified before God by the law.” God, who is well aware of this, was not the law but Jesus Christ who received the curse of the law on the cross for us, Jesus Christ who gave His own body as the price for our sins. He teaches you to believe in Jesus.
Dear brothers and sisters, let's not think that we are saved by doing the law. Let us not even think that we must do good to be saved. There is nothing I can do to be saved. God only requires one faith. It requires faith in Jesus Christ. “The Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me” Let us believe in Jesus Christ. Let us believe that “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.” God is pleased to save those who believe in Jesus as their God.
On the day Jesus was crucified, two thieves were crucified on the right and left of Jesus. One evildoer slanders Jesus. “Are you not the Christ? Save you and us.” But the other evildoer rebukes the robber and tells Jesus. “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus could not ignore this believer. Despite the most incredible circumstances in which Jesus was insulted and died on the cross, his faith in Jesus as the Christ, or King, was a faith fit for Jesus' heart. He was a thief and evildoer who could never be saved by the works of the law, but he was saved through faith. “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). From that day on, all unclean sins were washed away. They became holy people of God. As a member of God's family, we were welcomed into the paradise where God lives. Hallelujah! What else did the thief do besides believing that Jesus was the Christ? There was nothing but faith. But he inherited a heavenly paradise. Hallelujah!
Third, it teaches us that God's gift and blessing come to those who believe.
Those who have faith in Jesus Christ will receive many blessings from God. This is God's grace. It is God's free grace. It is called grace because it is a gift given to us even though we have done nothing. What gift of grace do people of faith receive?
Because it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith” (verse 11), so if you have faith, you will surely have life. When all people are subject to curses and eternal destruction due to the judgment they have already received, those who have faith receive the wonderful blessing of life. Is there anything in the world more important than life? There is no greater blessing than to receive life, that is, eternal life.
God gives the Holy Spirit as a gift to believers who have faith. The Holy Spirit comes upon me and guides me on the path of truth. (Verse 2) The Holy Spirit who shows the glory of Jesus, the Holy Spirit who does not despise my weakness and prays with groaning. Isn't it the Holy Spirit who helps you do that?
God sometimes gives power and miracles to those who have faith when they need it (verse 5). He heals diseases with his great power. It makes you miserable. He provides a way of escape in the midst of suffering. He is near you when you pray. Do you not remember the saying that nothing is impossible for those who believe?
They are justified like Abraham (verse 6) and are called the descendants of Abraham (verse 7). They are blessed together with Abraham, the father of faith (verse 8). “Do not be afraid, Abraham. I am your shield This is your exceedingly great reward” (Genesis 15:1).