You may turn in your Bibles to Galatians chapter 1. Galatians 1 for our meditation this evening. Last week we looked at the introduction or at the greetings to Timothy in 1 Timothy chapter 1 verses 1 and 2. We identified Paul as the author, Timothy and the church as the recipients, and then the specific greeting. was grace, mercy, and peace from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Well, here we're going to look at the greeting to the Galatians because it does contain many wonderful truths concerning the gospel. As Paul set forth his authority in 1 Timothy 1, highlighting that he was indeed an apostle by the commandment of God, So he does the same here, because there were challenges made to his apostolic authority. Not only does he set forth his authority, he sets forth the glory of the cross, because the cross was under attack in these churches in Galatia, and so the apostle, right out of the chute, in his greeting, sets forth the truth of the cross, and that will be revisited and expounded upon in the remainder of the book. But I do want to read chapter 1, and then we'll look at verses 1 to 5.
Paul, an apostle, not from men nor through men, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead. and all the brethren who are with me, to the churches of Galatia, grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. I marvel that you are turning away so soon from him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different gospel, which is not another. But there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.
But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men?
For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure, and tried to destroy it.
And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me. But I went to Arabia and returned again to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and I remained with him fifteen days.
But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord's brother. Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed before God I do not lie. Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea, which were in Christ.
But they were hearing only he who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy. And they glorified God in me. Amen.
Opening Prayer
Well, let us pray. Our Father, we thank you for this, your word, and we pray now for the ministry of your spirit. We pray that you would guide us and instruct us and lead us into an appreciation of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. How we bless you for the gospel.
How we thank you that you by grace have made us partakers. We know it's not our works, it's not our righteousness, it's not our merit that ultimately commends us to God. It is the death, the resurrection, and the blessing of Jesus Christ our Lord. And we come to you in his name, amen.
Introduction
Well, the first five verses of Galatians serve as greetings. Again, it's very conventional as to what we considered last week. in our study in 1st Timothy. Paul identifies himself, he says who it is that he's writing to, and then he gives a greeting, a benediction, a good word, a pronouncement of grace and peace in this particular context. But then as I mentioned, he exemplifies, or he amplifies, after referencing the Lord Jesus Christ in verse 3, he then makes these statements in verses 4 and 5, which we will consider in detail tonight.
But just prior to getting there, I want us to understand just a few things about this particular epistle. The churches of Galatia are those visited by the Apostle on his first missionary journey. They include Pisidian Antioch, which we learn of, Acts 13. Iconium, Acts 14, 1-7.
Lystra, Acts 14, 8-19. And then Derbe, in Acts 14, 20-21. So the Apostle goes through these regions preaching the gospel, he goes back through, they appoint elders in the various churches that they've established, he goes back to Jerusalem, he gives a missionary report, and then early on, he has to write Galatians. Early on, he has to pen this epistle.
Not long after his preaching, not long after the churches are convened, not long after they are established, do the Judaizers come in. Those men who say that it's good to believe on the Lord Jesus, but you must also keep the law of Moses in order to be saved. So Paul, writing this letter, writes in a polemical fashion. Notice how he comes right out of the gate.
Verse 6, he says, I marvel that you are turning away so soon from him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different gospel. So the gospel is at stake in the churches in Galatia. He makes this pronouncement in verse 8. Even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached, let him be accursed, or let him be anathema, let the wrath of God be upon him for his heresy.
So the apostle comes out of the gate to fight, to combat, to promote the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord. So he identifies himself as an apostle, he then indicates the churches of Galatia, and then he gives this good word in verse 3, grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Luther made this observation. He says, moreover, these two words, grace and peace, do contain in them the whole sum of Christianity.
Grace contains the remission of sins. peace, a quiet and joyful conscience. For peace of conscience can never be had unless sin be first forgiven." So that's the context, that's the setting. Now let's look specifically at verses 4 and 5.
Five Truths of the Gospel
The Apostle sets forth the nature of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In these two verses, He indicates five truths concerning the glorious gospel of free and sovereign grace. And the first truth that we ought to observe is that the death of Christ was voluntary on his part.
Christ's Death Was Voluntary
The death of Christ was voluntary on his part. Notice in verse 4, who gave himself. The Lord Jesus in his earthly ministry specifically in John's gospel highlights his willingness to undertake on behalf of the elect of God. In John 10, at verse 11, I am the good shepherd.
The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. And again in verse 15, he says, As the Father knows me, even so I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. And then in verse 17, Therefore my Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself.
I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from my Father." The death of Christ was voluntary in nature. The Lord Jesus willingly undertook. the office of surety, the Lord Jesus willingly undertook, the office of mediator as the new covenant. Paul highlights that reality when he specifies that Christ gave Himself, the Lord God Most High ordained, the Lord Jesus Christ willingly undertook.
We have the persons of the Triune God working in perfect harmony and in unity to save us from our sins. It is a glorious truth. When all is said and done, we don't have ourselves to thank for salvation. We have God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Christ willingly undertook the death, the resurrection, all the things that we read of in the Gospel accounts on behalf of those whom the Father had given Him. He gave Himself. Paul says this in Galatians 2 in verse 20. You can turn there.
Galatians chapter 2 back to verse 17. But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not. For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
For I, through the law, died to the law, that I might live to God." Now note verse 20. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Beautiful language, he loved me and he gave himself for me. So when we look at this idea of him giving himself voluntarily, it evidences, it manifests, it declares and demonstrates his great love for his people. As we eat the bread and as we drink the wine, we ought to think in terms of Christ's love for His bride, Christ's love for His church, Christ's love for His elect. He manifested that by voluntarily giving His life on behalf of His people.
That's the first observation. Notice, secondly, And this shouldn't take a whole lot of ingenuity, we're just taking the clauses as they sort of unfold here. I hope you don't scratch your head and say, where's that coming from, from the text? The first, the death of Christ was voluntary on his part.
Secondly,
Christ's Death Was Penal Substitution
the death of Christ consisted in penal substitution. I'll explain what I mean, but I want you to understand. The death of Christ consisted in penal substitution. He gave himself for our sins.
There is penal substitution. Christ bore the penalty of the wrath of God. Christ did so as our substitute. You see, it was us who deserved to go to the cross.
It was us who deserve the wrath of God. It is us who deserve damnation. It is us who deserve the fury of God Most High. The Westminster Shorter Catechism puts it this way, what does every sin deserve?
The answer is telling. Every sin deserves God's wrath and curse, both in this life and that which is to come. Well, you see, the cross is about penal substitution. Christ stood in the place of the elect and he took the punishment that was due for them.
Look at Galatians 3.13. It's as if everything contained in verses 4 and 5 in this greeting in chapter 1 is fleshed out or amplified or declared in more detail later on in this book of Galatians. But notice in Galatians 3, beginning in verse 10, For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse, for it is written, Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. Now, for those who have been at the Wednesday night studies, You consider this verse in light of Deuteronomy chapter 28.
Deuteronomy chapter 28 ought to make you sing, praise, and adore that you have Christ. Deuteronomy 28 is God's statement concerning unfaithfulness in the covenant community. In other words, if the covenant community goes into the land and they disobey, if they go into the land and they are not faithful, if they go into the land and they renege on their commitment to obey all that God has said, then the curses of the law will be poured out upon them. There is that sense, and this is what is being captured here.
Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. Paul is saying that if you choose salvation by works, salvation by law, it must be perfect. Verse 11, But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for the just shall live by faith. Yet the law is not of faith, but the man who does them shall live by them.
Now notice in verse 13, Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. That's penal substitution. The penalty of God, the wrath and fury of God, the curse of a broken covenant falls upon Him. He became a curse for us as our substitute, as the one who stood in our place.
For it is written, cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree, that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." Consider various other phrases in the scripture that highlight this idea of penal substitution. I hope everybody's got that. Kids, if your teacher gets hit by a car today, they're not going to be there tomorrow. Hopefully, it's not your mom.
Hopefully, this doesn't apply to homeschooling. Hopefully, it doesn't apply to any of your teachers. Let's say your teacher gets sick. They're not there tomorrow.
There's going to be a substitute. That's what Christ does at the cross. He's a substitute. Does Jesus go to the cross because He's guilty?
Does Jesus go to the cross because He's a sinner? Does Jesus go to the cross because He's broken the law of God or man? No, He goes to the cross because we're guilty. Because we've broken the law of God.
Because we are justly liable to God's wrath and curse, both in this life and that which is to come. But He goes for us. He takes the penalty upon Himself. You see, that's the glory of the cross.
Not only is our sin heaped upon the Savior, but His righteousness is heaped upon us. The doctrine of justification. But consider the various conventions that the biblical authors use to highlight this reality of penal substitution. He died for our sins.
He died for us. He gave Himself for our sins. He died for the ungodly. He died for all.
In the context, it doesn't mean universalism. It means all of God's people, the elect. And a brother is one on whose behalf Christ died. His death is an offering for sin.
One's sacrifice for sin. The blood of Him who offered Himself. The offering of His body once for all. His death makes expiation.
That means there's a removal of guilt. There is propitiation in His blood. That means the wrath of God is satisfied. Remember that word, propitiation. 325 in the Book of Romans, God set Him forth as a propitiation.
Why? So that the righteousness of God would be vindicated when the death of the Son of God takes place. It goes on. We are justified in His blood.
We are reconciled by His death. He gave Himself a ransom. He redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. Christ is our Passover, who was sacrificed for us, and then in other places as well.
That's John Eady's commentary on Ephesians, where he just brings together in one lump sum, all of these phrases and all of these statements where the New Testament authors tell us that what took place at the cross was not simply a moral story. It wasn't just simply an example of a good man who was showing us the way to a higher life. What the cross is, among many things, is a demonstration of the righteousness of God, wherein He can be both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. God made Him, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
You see, God must punish sin. He must punish His Son, or He must punish us. And when God brought His Son into the world, the idea was penal substitution. It really is a glorious truth.
Our sins are dealt with, not by works of the law, but by the blood-shedding of Christ at Calvary. Hebrews 9.22 says, without the shedding of blood, there is no remission. And then just a real practical observation on this brief clause. For our sins.
It shouldn't take us long to consider our sins. It shouldn't take us long to consider our breach of God's law. Just take the Ten Commandments. Just run through them quickly.
Just slow down a little bit at some of that and feel the weight, power of God's law. Luther said it this way. He said, let us learn here of Paul to fully and truly believe that Christ was given, not for feigned sins. Feigned means fake or not real or something that's not that big of a deal.
Let us learn here of Paul to fully and truly believe that Christ was given not for feigned sins, nor for small sins, but for great and huge sins, not for few, but for many, not for conquered, for no man can overcome the smallest sin to put it away, but for invincible sins." In other words, this substitution, this penal infliction of God's wrath was for our breach of God's holy law. every violation, every sinful thought, every sinful activity, every external and outward deed, and every internal thought of rebellion against God. Paul says that Christ gave himself for our sins. There's a lot of benefit in the doctrine of penal substitution. Thirdly,
Christ's Death Secured Deliverance
the death of Christ secured deliverance from this present evil age. Notice, that he might deliver us from this present evil age. There are two ages spoken of in the scripture. and the age to come. The age to come is the new heavens and the new earth, wherein righteousness dwells.
This age is marked by sin. This age is marked by evil. This age is marked by wickedness and lawlessness. And the idea here is that Christ gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil age.
The deliverance of which Paul speaks is not out of the material world, but from the evil which dominates it. Christ vindicates, Christ delivers, Christ brings his people out of this position, out of this state, out of this hardship. It's a beautiful thought. Paul speaks of these two ages in Ephesians chapter 1.
Colossians chapter 1, it speaks of Him transferring us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the Son of His love. You see, there has been a transplantation take part in the life of the elect, in the life of the believer. We have gone from subjectivity to the devil. being our Master and our Lord, being subject to the Lord God Most High. It is a most wonderful and a most blessed thing.
Christ delivers us from this present evil age. The fourth observation, again working through the text,
Christ's Death Was the Father's Will
according to the will of our God and Father, the death of Christ was determined by God the Father. The death of Christ was determined by God the Father. We've already noted that God the Son voluntarily gives Himself to die for the elect. Well, the Father orchestrates this plan.
The Father calls upon His Son to go and deliver the elect. There are several passages that indicate that the Father orchestrates the plan of salvation. It begins in the garden. When God comes to deal with the devil, he says, and I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed.
He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel. It's the proto-gospel. That's the first statement, the first promise concerning the deliverer who would be born of a woman and who would crush the head of the devil himself. God initiates the plan of salvation.
This is a wonderful thing. Look at what it says here, according to the will of our God and Father. You know that in salvation, what is to be celebrated is not our free will. What is to be rejoiced in is not our ability.
What is to be rejoiced in is the will of God Most High, who orchestrated this, who planned this, who unfolded this, and in the fullness of the time, sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law. You know, when a man says, I made the right decision or I made the choice for Jesus, I like to think they're speaking worse than is the case. I like to think, you know, they're just mixed up or they're just a bit confused. But when a man celebrates his own free will and a man celebrates his own free choice, he is negligent of and he is rejecting the stress that Paul lays upon this scheme of salvation.
It is according to the will of our God and Father. That's what we need to rejoice in. That's what we need to celebrate in. We need to know Romans 9.
It doesn't depend upon him who wills or upon him who runs, but on God who shows mercy. Genesis 22, when Abraham takes Isaac up to Mount Moriah. Isaac is a pretty sharp young man. He says, we've got the wood, we've got the fire, but where's the sacrifice?
What's Abraham say? Theology 101. He's teaching him doctrine. He's teaching him soteriology on the way to Moriah.
He says the Lord will provide. The Lord will provide. Himself the lamb for a burnt offering Isaiah 53 verses 10 and 11 yet it pleased Yahweh to bruise him speaking of the servant of the Lord We know the servant of the Lord is Jesus Christ. It pleased Yahweh to bruise Christ He has put him to grief when you make his soul an offering for sin.
He shall see his seed He shall prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand He shall see the labor of his soul and be satisfied by his knowledge. My righteous servant shall justify many for he shall bear their iniquities." You know, oftentimes we get emotional, we get sentimental, and we say, it was me that sent the Son of God to the cross. In a sense, that's true. Our sin, our wickedness, our rebellion, our evil necessitated this plan of redemption.
But the author of it, the grand orchestrator, the maestro of redemption, is the Father who sent the Son. It is God the Lord who is pleased to crush him, putting him to grief so that he could save his people from their sins. That's where comfort lies. That's where celebration ought to be directed.
John 6, 38 to 40, for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me. This is the will of the Father who sent me, that of all He has given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life, and I will raise Him up at the last day. You see, Christ is not here as some sort of a confused man trying to figure out what his purpose is.
Christ was on a mission sent from God to save his people from their sins, and that is what marked him every moment of every day. He voluntarily undertook, on behalf of the elect, to rescue, to save, and to redeem those whom the Father had given Him. It's according to the will of God. Peter can say on the day of Pentecost, him, speaking of Christ, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified and put to death.
Romans 3, 25 and 26, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood through faith to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance, God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Again, it's not free will that we sing of. It's not free will that we celebrate. We don't come in here and just marvel at the choice that we have made.
We marvel the will. the sovereignty, the majesty, and the excellence of God Most High. And then fifthly, and finally, in terms of our working through the nature of the gospel,
Christ's Death Promotes God's Glory
the death of Christ promotes the glory of God. Verse 5, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Tracing back Christ gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom, God and Father, be glory forever and ever.
Amen. This entire arrangement does not occur first and foremost for our happiness, for our blessing, and for our felicity. It occurs first and foremost for the glory, the majesty, the excellence, and the name of God Almighty. Doxology is prompted by the summary of the gospel in verse 4.
The soteriological implications of all that Paul has said, the voluntary nature of Christ's death, the substitutionary penal atonement of Christ, the deliverance from this present evil age, and the will of God the Father can only produce in Paul, only leads out this idea of to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Paul does something similar in the book of Romans, Romans chapter 11, after highlighting the great truths of the Christian gospel. How does he end the doctrinal portion?
He ends the doctrinal portion with doxology, with praise, with worship, with adoration. Romans 11.33, oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out. For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has become his counselor or who has first given to him and it shall be repaid to him for of him and through him. and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever.
Amen. The book of Revelation, chapters 4 and 5. God the Creator is celebrated in chapter 4. God the Redeemer is celebrated in chapter 5.
As they consider the great redemptive truths involved in the death of the Lord Jesus, what happens? What's the response? What must a Christian or an angel do? They must worship and praise.
They must sing. They must glorify. When you open that book, brethren, the idea is simple. You've been saved by grace through faith in Jesus.
It's time to praise. It's time to adore. It's time to glorify. We've recognized these redemptive truths.
The truths we've marveled at them. We fear in the presence of God. And that fear breeds praise. It breeds adoration.
It breeds honor and glory. Notice in verse 4 of chapter 5, giving you a bit more of the context. So I wept much. This is the presentation of the scroll with its seals.
So I wept much because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll. and to loose its seven seals. And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders stood a lamb as though it had been slain, having the seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, sent out into all the earth." You seen that?
Did you see? Do you catch what's going on here? He is the lion of the tribe of Judah. When John looks, what does he see?
He sees a lamb. A lamb is having been slain. The kingly, royal Judah tribe produces Messiah, who is both king and priest. This is the Psalm 110 man.
This is the one of the order of Melchizedek. He is told, or he hears this idea, do not weep. Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll in the Lucid Seven Seals. We're prepared so that when John looks, we see this royal figure.
We see a crown, we see a scepter, we see a sword, but that's not how this king of Judah rules. He rules through his redemptive work at Calvary. And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders stood a lamb, as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, into all the earth. Then he came and took the scroll out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne.
What an ascription of deity to our Lord Jesus. Could a creature take something out of the hand of God? No. Can you imagine that?
Well, that's for me, Lord. What are you kidding me? John is presenting the Lion of the tribe of Judah in all his glory, in all his deity, all his majesty, and it hinges upon his redemptive work as this lamb that has been slain. Notice in verse 8, Now when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
And they sang a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals for You were slain. You have redeemed us to God by your blood, out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign on the earth.' Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures and the elders, and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be to him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb forever and ever. Then the four living creatures said, Amen, and the twenty-four elders fell down and worshipped him who lives forever and ever.
You see the point?
Doxological Response to the Cross
When you appreciate the cross, when you understand the voluntary nature of the death of the Son, when you understand that it was penal substitution, when you realize that He delivered us from this present evil age, and this according to the will of God the Father, you can't but help praise! You can't but help sing. You can't but help adore and honor and glorify. That is what Paul is doing in Galatians 1, 4, and 5.
This consideration of gospel truth leads him to glorify the God of gospel truth. It really is a beautiful thing in Galatians 1, 4, and 5. It is a consistent pattern Throughout the scripture, when we understand the redemptive activity of God Most High, we will respond in worship. We will respond in adoration.
Application
Well, in conclusion, the focus of the Apostle Paul, he's going to wage war. This is a polemical letter. He's fighting Judaizers. He's combating heresy.
He's combating error in the church. Didn't take long. He goes through, plants these churches, makes disciples, plants churches, Judaizers come and say, what Paul taught was good, it's excellent insofar as it goes, but you must also obey the law in order to have acceptance with God. Vis a vis circumcision.
You need to believe on Jesus and you need to be circumcised in order to gain acceptance with God. Paul says no. It's not based on that. It's by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
So Paul starts off. In the greetings, he highlights the glory of gospel truth. Machen said, Paul was not like some modern preachers who are inclined to mention the blessed doctrine of the cross only when they are taken to task for neglecting it. Paul regarded it as the very foundation of the Christian life.
And when it was belittled as it was in Galatia, he put his whole heart into its defense. You don't love that? Machen's dealing with liberals. Machen's dealing with people who don't mention the cross.
He says, Paul is not like some modern preachers who are inclined to mention the blessed doctrine of the cross only when they are taken to task for neglecting it. That's not the only time you preach the cross, is if somebody says, you know, you never preach the cross. What does the church exist for but to preach the cross? I just can't get that in my head.
You know, you hear about preacher this, preaching that. You hear about preacher whoever, preaching whatever. We need to preach Christ and Him crucified. This is like a no-brainer.
So yeah, when you jump in the water, you get wet. You're in a church, you're sitting under a faithful pulpit ministry, you're hearing the cross. You're hearing the gospel. You're getting a lot of it.
You're getting blood atonement. You're hearing about penal substitution. If Paul, in the first five verses, says more about the gospel than preachers say in the course of a pulpit ministry, brethren, we've got trouble in Zion. The Apostle sets the stage, he sets the parameters for the polemic that follows.
It all is developed out of what he says in verses 4 and 5. It is a summary, it is a blessed summary of the truth of Christ's atoning work on behalf of souls. Secondly, we need to appreciate the reality that our Lord Jesus Christ is in fact God. He has deity.
He is on the level with the Father. Remember the catechism, there is but one true, or there is one only, the true and the living God. In how many persons does this one God exist? There are three persons in the Godhead. the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
And these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory." Notice in verse 3, grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus. The same thing we saw in 1st Timothy 1. This blessing comes from the source, the Father and the Son. They are on par, they are equal in power and authority.
One commentator says, such statements relating Jesus Christ to God are truly astonishing. Truly astonishing, particularly so when we stop to realize that they were written by a monotheistic, that means a one God believing Jewish Christian, with reference to one who had lived on earth within recent memory. Now, if the commentators can be trusted, the Apostle was converted not long after the Ascension. We could put Paul's conversion right around 33 or 34.
Paul wrote Galatians in about 47 or 48. Do you see what this man is saying? Jesus was just here And Paul is equating him with God the Father. You see, very early on, there was a very high Christology developed.
Why? Because we have a very high Christ. We have a glorious Lord. God the Son is magnificent, and the Apostle presents Him in such manner.
Thirdly, we need to appreciate the world in which we live. That He might deliver us from this present evil age. The day and age in which we live is similar to the day and age in which Paul lived. We just happen to know everything now.
That wasn't a statement of omniscience. That was a statement of availability. You can click on whatever news agency and find out about this Kermit guy in Philadelphia. Paul didn't have email.
You wouldn't see him texting. who's talking to you. Hang on, I'm just texting here. Paul wouldn't do that, you see. Same evil, same wickedness, same wretchedness, same vileness.
A little bit of a difference in terms of numbers of people and all of that. Calvin says, whatever delight men may take in their fancied excellence, they are worthless and depraved. Not a health, wealth, prosperity preacher. Calvin wouldn't do well on the circuit today.
Whatever delight men may take in their fancied excellence, they are worthless and depraved. Not indeed in their own opinion, but in the judgment of our Lord, which is here pronounced by the mouth of Paul and which ought to satisfy our minds. You see, we preach Christ in this present evil age under the hopes, or with the hopes rather, and prayerfully that God will transfer men, women, boys and girls from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the Son of His love. And then finally, with reference to this brief statement concerning gospel truth, You are either a participant in the blessings of the age to come or you are a slave to sin and the devil in this present evil age.
Paul indicates this whole concept in Ephesians 2. He highlights what Christians are prior to conversion. And in verse 1 of chapter 2 he says, and you he made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath just as the others." So you see, you're either a recipient of the blessing of God Most High, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, redemption through His blood, and you get to eat and drink tonight in celebratory remembrance of who Christ is, or you are a slave to the devil and you are subject to the Prince of the Power of the the heir that works in the sons of disobedience. My call to you, my invitation to you, is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Trust in the power, the sovereignty, the majesty of God, because Paul continues in verse 4, but God, who is rich in mercy because of his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. You need to look and you need to live by the grace of God for His glory. Eat and drink to the glory and to the praise of the Father and of the Son. Well, hopefully we have been somewhat encouraged by a brief study of the atoning work of our Lord Jesus Christ set forth in this brief opening in Galatians chapter 1, verses 4 and 5.
Tonight, as we drink tonight, let us do so in remembrance of Him who gave Himself for our sins. Well, let us pray.
Closing Prayer
Father, we thank You for Your Word. Thank You for the blessing of being found in Jesus. Thank You for so great a salvation. We know, Lord God, that we were dead in our trespasses and sins.
You made us alive. We know that salvation is according to Your will. We know that it's all of grace, and we praise You that You have bestowed it upon us. And God, we want others to know this grace.
We want others to know this mercy. We want others to be transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the Son of your love. Do this for your glory. Do this in your power.
Do this with men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And we ask these things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.