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Foolish Galatians – A Sermon – Viral Believer
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Foolish Galatians – A Sermon

Introduction – Galatians Chapter 3

This morning I am continuing my series on the book of Galatians.

The Apostle Paul does not mince words when he tells the Galatian church that they are being foolish for trying to go back to a works orientated relationship with God. He goes so far as calling them “foolish.”

In the church today, many Christians are not heeding the warnings given by Paul and they’re doing as much harm to their faith in Christ as Galatian Christians were at his time.

They are still trying to come up with some type of works that will allow them to feel as though they are pleasing God.

Why Were The Galatians Foolish?

Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross. 2 Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. 3 How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? 4 Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it?

5 I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ.

6 In the same way, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” 7 The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God.

8 What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would declare the Gentiles to be righteous because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith.

Galatians 3:1-9

Paul addresses 3 issues in Galatians. He talks about the picture or portrayal of Jesus crucified that was explained to them, he discusses how miracles do not come from trying to get God to give you a miracle by doing works, and finally, he goes into detail on how we walk in the blessing of Abraham through faith and not because of our actions.

They Believed They Could Pay The Price Jesus Paid

Let me ask you a question. Are you able to add one thing to what Jesus did?

Can you honestly say that your works will somehow impress God after what His only Son did for you? How could your works possibly compare to the sacrifice of God’s only son?

Can you see why Paul asked who had bewitched them?

In all honesty, it was their own vanity and foolishness that led them to believe they could add to what Jesus had done.

It is the same today.

We engage in religious works of one kind or another to try to pressure or make God do something.

The cross of Christ stands as a monument to the finished work he accomplished. His blood was shed and his body broken for us, so that we can live in freedom from our sins and be part of God’s family forevermore

Our lack comes simply from relying on our own works and our own strength.

So he answered and said to me: “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the LORD of hosts.

Zechariah 4:6

It seems like we always want to help God.

We forget that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. (Heb. 12:2) He is the one that started it and He is the one that will develop and finish it.

I firmly believe that the church in America needs to get its focus back on Jesus and not rely on man-made plans. Instead of looking for a new way to win over people, we should look at what He has already done so our faith will be strengthened by His love and power.

They Forgot That Miracles Do Not Come By Good Works

Paul asks his audience if they received the miraculous by their own works or through faith. I can imagine that his question is met with a deafening silence that echoes throughout the centuries, drowning out all other sounds as it reverberates off of every surface and into everyone’s ears.

The answer is quite obvious. They received the miraculous by faith.

I think this is the biggest reason we don’t see many miracles in the western church today. It’s not because God stopped doing them, but that our faith has started to rely on ourselves more than ever before- which means less time for prayer and mediation with Him.

The miraculous does happen all over the world as they have throughout history; it just seems like there are so few of us receiving or seeing any nowadays due to a lack of faith from believers who have forgotten how much power comes from trusting completely in Him alone rather than themselves.

It is not because God stopped doing the miraculous, but we stopped relying on faith alone in our relationship with God.

We started to rely on our own power and our own strength.

We plan, strategize, and even resort to emotional manipulation to do the work of God rather than believing that He will do the work.

I must ask you the question.

Were you born again because you did a work?

Did you receive the Spirit of God in your innermost being by praying harder, fasting more, reading your Bible more?

Now all of these things are good things but if you are doing them out of some type of idea that you will see miracles if you do them, you are sadly mistaken.

You will see miracles when you are totally reliant and dependent on God to do the miracle in your life.

Faith is spelled R.I.S.K.

You must risk your reputation, your livelihood, your very being, trusting in God to do the work for you.

They Forgot That The Blessing Of God Comes By Faith

Paul points out to them that Abraham did not receive God’s promise by doing works like they are, he received it through faith.

He believed what God said and that was good enough for God to call him righteous.

As much as I totally understand our need to make sure we do not forget from where we came or to think more highly of ourselves than we ought, (Rom 12:3) at the same time we are hindering ourselves from living in the blessings that were promised to Abraham.

We do this because we do not really believe that God loves us, let alone like us.

We do not believe that he really does want to bless us.

We are walking around with a mentality that says God really can’t be trusted because He is going to give me what I deserve.

This is a mentality that does not understand grace nor that it is faith alone that pleases God. (Heb. 11:6)

I think that all of us can do a better job of living by faith and not by works.

I think we need to be on guard against a works mentality.

We did not get saved by works.

We did not receive the Spirit by works.

We do not get miracles by works and we do not obtain the blessings of God by works.

If you have been doing this, then this is what you do.

You go and ask Jesus to forgive you for not believing that what He did on the cross was enough.

Ask Him to help you to put your trust solely in Him and his finished work on the cross. I know it can be hard sometimes to put your trust solely in Him when you don’t feel like He’s helping, but just remember that he has a plan for you and knows what is best.

Blessings to you and may you enter into the abundance of all that God has for you

Pastor Duke

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Pastor Duke Taber
Pastor Duke Taber

Pastor Duke Taber

All articles have been written or reviewed by Pastor Duke Taber.
Pastor Duke Taber is an alumnus of Life Pacific University and Multnomah Biblical Seminary.
He has been in pastoral ministry since 1988.
Today he is the owner and managing editor of 3 successful Christian websites that support missionaries around the world.
He is currently starting a brand new church in Mesquite NV called Mesquite Worship Center, a Non-Denominational Spirit Filled Christian church in Mesquite Nevada.