Union Church of Christ

Galatians 5:6

Introduction

1. Text.
2. This phrase captures the essence of Christianity in a few words.
3. Three words act as pegs on which to hang this lesson:
   1. Faith - APPROACH.
   2. Worketh - ACTION.
   3. Love - APPRECIATION.

Discussion

1. Approach - "Faith"
   1. Galatians 2:16.
      1. Context - Peter compelling Gentiles to Judaize (v. 14)
      2. Acts 15:1.
      3. Paul made a clear distinction between works of the law (merit) and the faith of Jesus Christ.
      4. "but" - except.
      5. Consider three other passages where this phrase translated "except" is used to specify certain necessary things if one is to be saved.
         1. Matthew 5:20
         2. Mathew 18:3
         3. John 3:3, 5
      6. No one is saved by any type of works except those connected with "the faith of Jesus Christ."
      7. Ephesians 2:8-10.
   2. Even under the Law of Moses, no one was saved by works of merit.
      1. Galatians 2:16.
      2. Every sacrifice under the law had to be offered in view of the coming Lamb of God; only then could the offerer be justified.
      3. Hebrews 10:4
   3. Ex. Abraham - Genesis 22 - in a figure, he offered Isaac (Hebrews 11:17).
      1. Genesis 22:17, 18
      2. Genesis 26:5
      3. Abraham's obedience was united with his faith in God; therefore, it was not meritorious.
      4. Romans 4:3
      5. James 2:23
      6. Hebrews 11:17-19.
   4. Every sacrifice offered before Christ had to be given in this same way, otherwise it was not effective.
      1. Hebrews 9:15
      2. Those who lived before the cross were saved by the blood of Christ - in fact, no one ever has or ever will be saved apart from his blood.
      3. Hebrews 9:26
      4. Hebrews 10:12
   5. In order to be saved before the cross, it was necessary to have faith in the coming Redeemer who would take away sins joined with obedience to God's commands. (Thayer's def. of faith - same with us, except that our perspective is after the cross whereas theirs was before.)
2. Action - "Which Worketh"
   1. Naaman - 2 Kings 5.
      1. He was not cleansed until he dipped 7 times in the Jordan.
      2. Yet, afterwards, he did not credit the river, nor did he credit the act of dipping.
      3. 2 Kings 5:14, 15.
      4. His faith in God (through the prophet's word) was joined with his obedience to God's commands and resulted in his being cleansed.
   2. Baptism.
      1. Just as with Naaman, neither the action nor the water has any saving power.
      2. Baptism saves (1 Peter 3:21) because of its connection with the blood of Christ.
      3. When one believes what God has said and acts in faith, the result is salvation.
         1. Mark 16:16.
         2. Acts 2:38.
         3. 1 Peter 3:21.
      4. Obeying the command of baptism is not trusting in self/water/the actions/etc. - it is faith in God.
      5. I must still perform the action commanded, else it demonstrates a lack of faith.
      6. Romans 4:16
      7. When my trust is in Christ and the merits of his cross, that trust makes the action (baptism) obedience rather than meritorious works - all of our approach to God must be on this basis.
   3. Repentance.
      1. Repentance is commanded - no one denies the necessity of it.
         1. Luke 13:3.
         2. Acts 2:38.
         3. Acts 17:30.
      2. This must also be prompted by faith in God - not in my ability to reform my life.
         1. I'm turning from sin because of what God says about it - Romans 6:23.
         2. I'm turning to a new life that God has prepared - 1 Thessalonians 1:9.
   4. The Lord's Supper.
      1. We do not take the Lord's Supper thinking that the act of eating it has power to save.
      2. It is exactly the opposite - it is a reminder of my need for a Savior.
   5. This realization places me under debt to God.
      1. Since I need a Savior, I could not have paid the debt myself.
      2. Psalm 49:6, 7
      3. Psalms 51:16, 17
      4. I have nothing to offer that can take away sin (Isaiah 64:6) - but if I approach God in faithful obedience to his will, he will forgive.
      5. Neither can I repay the debt that I now owe God.
         1. All I can do is offer is grateful service to God all my life.
         2. 1 Corinthians 15:9, 10
         3. 1 Timothy 1:12-17.
   6. When we come to realize the nature of our salvation, it will end nominal service.
      1. "Do I have to" will disappear from our vocabulary when it comes to the church.
      2. Galatians 2:20.
      3. Romans 12:1, 2.
      4. Luke 22:42.
3. Appreciation - "By Love"
   1. God did not just save us from sin - he brought is into his family.
      1. Galatians 4:4, 5
      2. 1 John 3:1
      3. Luke 15:21, 24 - this parable would be vastly different without this aspect of God's plan.
   2. Our service to God is not just out of a sense of obligation, but it is motivated by love.
      1. 2 Corinthians 5:14, 15
      2. Ex. the care of an elderly invalid - one hired to do so may do a good job, but it is because it is a job; the elderly person's child will give tender care out of love.
      3. Our service to God is determined by our view of him:
         1. Lord - I will do what is commanded without question, but he is more;
         2. Savior - I will gladly serve the one who paid my debt, but he is more;
         3. Father - any service rendered will be that of a loving child - this service is never offered grudgingly.

Conclusion

1. Galatians 5:6 - APPROACH - Faith; ACTION - Which Worketh; APPRECIATION - Love.
2. If you are not living by this principle, then you are cheating yourself.