passage that we have looked at in the past. Specifically, we'll notice a summary of gospel truth found in verse 4. This morning we looked at a particular summary in Matthew's gospel, and here the Apostle summarizes the gospel in Galatians chapter 1, verses 4 and 5. And that does serve as an emphasis or does serve then for the rest of the remainder of the book of Galatians.

So verses 1 to 5 are not only a greeting to the churches in Galatia, but they also highlight two important themes. Not only the nature of the gospel, but the nature of Paul's apostolic ministry. Both things were in question. in these particular churches as is clear as you move through the narrative specifically in chapters 1 and in the chapter 2 Paul does validate and confirm and authenticate the reality that he is in fact a Christ appointed apostle to gospel ministry this would serve to confute and confound the the false teachers who were suggesting otherwise, and then as well Paul sets the stage for his presentation of gospel truth in light of false doctrine being propagated to these churches. So I'll just pick up reading in chapter 1 at verse 1.

Paul, an apostle, not from men, nor through man, 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." Well, let us pray.

Our Father, we thank you for this, your Word, and we pray for the ministry of your Spirit We pray that He would guide us and lead us into all truth and that You would encourage our hearts. And as we consider afresh the glorious gospel of free and sovereign grace, may we worship the triune God of heaven and earth. For certainly this is Your due, the God who has undertaken to save His people from their sins. It is not our will, it is not our obedience, it is not our works that makes the difference.

It is the glorious grace of God, according to Your sovereign pleasure, according to Your eternal decree. Father, certainly we as Your people, as Your Church, ought to celebrate these truths regularly, and we ought to praise and worship as a result. We ask for Your blessing now, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Introduction

Well, J. Gressam-Machen, in his lectures of the epistle to the Galatians, says this. He says, 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 in Galatia, he put his whole heart into its defense. You see that in these opening verses. Notice in verse 6, the Apostle comes out of the gate swinging as it were. This is a very polemic letter.

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 which is not another but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. Essentially, what is going on in these churches in the southern Galatia region. Paul had visited these on his first missionary journey recorded in Acts 13 and 14. These are the churches in Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe.

After the Apostle had established or founded these particular churches, Judaizers went in behind him, and they said that it's good that you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. It's good that you have faith in him, but you must also be circumcised. You must also add to that faith a certain degree of obedience to the Mosaic ceremonies in order to be saved. Now, Paul was not anti-circumcision in terms of a cultural situation.

He himself had Timothy circumcised. With reference to it being a means by which man is commended to God, that invokes from the apostle the harshest of language. If someone supposes that faith plus works is what is necessary in order to arrive in heaven, the Apostle Paul says, 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. It is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone, or it is not salvation.

Edward Fisher in his Merrill of Modern Divinity said it this way, so that if you desire to be justified before God, you must either bring to Him a perfect righteousness of your own, That's absolutely crucial. If you would be justified or accepted by God in your own strength, you must bring a perfect righteousness. He goes on to say, and wholly renounce Christ, or else you must bring the perfect righteousness of Christ and wholly renounce your own. Christ Jesus will either be a whole Savior or no Savior.

He will either save you alone or not save you at all. And if you ask the question, how could Fisher utter such words, it's because, at least in some small degree, the epistle to the Galatians. Paul has no truck with those who would add works to faith. He condemns it in the most severe language and says it is not, or it is a perversion, and it is requiring the anathema, or the curse, of God Most High.

But even as I said before that, the introduction, verses 1 to 5, are packed, these verses are packed, with great theology concerning the nature of His apostleship and the nature of the Gospel itself.

The Nature of Paul's Apostleship

Let's look first at the nature of his apostleship. Paul, verse 1, an apostle, not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead. He asserts negatively in the first place. He is not an apostle from men nor through man.

He is not saying that the place of the church and the installation of elders and deacons is a bad thing. He is simply highlighting the origin of his apostolic ministry was not through the agency of man. He was not self-appointed. He was not appointed by a group of guys that thought he was a sterling character.

But rather, as he highlights here, he says, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father who raised him from the dead. The agency by which he was installed into apostolic ministry was divine. It was the Father, it was the Son who coordinately set Paul in gospel ministry. So I said, this is important as you continue in chapters 1 and 2, because one of the things under attack is the nature of his apostolic ministry.

The idea seems to be, if we can strip away his authority, then we can effectively deal with his message. If he is preaching faith alone, but he's not really a God-sent messenger, then they must listen to us when we preach faith plus words. So that's why the Apostle highlights this. And before we get to the nature of the Gospel itself,

Grace and Peace: The Sum of Christianity

Notice the pronouncement of peace upon the churches. Verse 3, Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. This is common in the apostles' letters. This is a common benediction or a good word pronounced to the people of God in the various stations that they find themselves.

Grace speaks of the unmerited favor of God, of course. Peace means with God and with men. Martin Luther commented on this benediction or this pronouncement of peace and grace. He says, moreover, these two words, grace and peace, do contain in them the whole sum of Christianity.

So it's important for us to stop along the way and consider certain things. We're inclined to just read introductions or read greetings and not spend the moment to savor the richness of the words that are employed. I think Luther's right. 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. And I think we'd all agree with that and say our heartfelt Amen. There's no such thing as peace without first the grace of God Almighty.

Five Observations on the Gospel

Now let's look in verses 4 and 5 at 5 observations concerning the nature of the Gospel.

Christ's Death Was Voluntary

Note first, the death of Christ was voluntary on His part. He says, Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ who gave Himself. It's a glorious statement concerning the initiative behind the gospel. We'll see this as we move through the passage.

The wondrous thing about the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is not that men in their free will choose God, but God in his supreme will chooses man. And here, specifically, what is pointed out is that Christ gave Himself. Christ laid down His life for the sheep. Christ went on this particular mission of mercy when we consider the entirety of biblical data, first and foremost, to satisfy the demand placed upon Him by His Father in the covenant of redemption.

The Father chose a people. He gave them to the Son. The Son willingly transacted to come into this world and to save them from their sins. And that meant giving Himself on their behalf.

The Lord Christ was not forced into this. The Lord Christ was a willing surety and mediator of a better covenant. In John's Gospel, in John 10 at verse 11, He says, I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

And then 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 again, in verse 18, 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.

We were caused or had caused to consider this yesterday morning in the theology discussion. Christ has the power and ability to save to the uttermost. But what we see as well is that he has the willingness, the desire, the heart He doesn't just do it, He does it with resolve. When you mark Him in His earthly ministry, He is a man on a mission.

He is a man who sets His face steadfast to go to Jerusalem. He is a man that does not shrink back from the task given to Him by the Father. He is a man who voluntarily lays His life down for the sheep. And in that, I think we see His great love for us.

We ought to appreciate that reality. We ought to understand the great lengths and the depths of love that our Savior has on our behalf. This statement concerning the voluntary nature of Christ's redeeming work shows us something of His character. We ought to appreciate and celebrate this reality.

Paul highlights this in Galatians 2.20. He says, I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

You may be a miserable person sometime during this week. You may have no friends. You may have lots of enemies. You may have lots of opposition.

You may be the sort of guy or girl that nobody wants to hang around with, but if you are a Christian, realize that Christ the Lord Almighty voluntarily laid His life down for you. Someone in this universe does care. Someone in this universe does love. And someone in this universe has proven that by his travail at the cross.

Christ voluntarily gives his life for the sheep. Again, to satisfy his Father's covenantal arrangement, but as well because of the man-word referent, that he loves his church, he loves his people, he loves the sheep of Christ. I've heard that before about my preaching and I don't like it. I want to put more love in it.

I want to make sure that we always underscore, I always assume that there's love from heaven to earth, maybe don't always say it, but we need to make sure we do not forget and do not mistake the reality behind the cross of Christ. Yes, the satisfaction of divine justice. Yes, covenant, all those concepts to be sure, but God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Love is behind this transaction.

The Father loves us. The Father chose us in Him. The Son willingly leaves heaven to come into this earth. The Son willingly lays down His life for the sheep.

Why? Because He loves us. The voluntary nature, or the voluntary aspect of this glorious gospel.

Christ's Death Was Penal Substitution

Note, secondly, we're going to just pull apart the verse and look at each clause on its own. Secondly, the death of Christ consisted in penal substitution. Verse 4, "...who gave himself for our sins." Notice, it does not say, "...who gave himself for our example." Just look at how Christ lives and do likewise. He didn't give Himself for our inspiration so that the cross inspires us to greater exploits on His behalf.

No, He gave Himself for our sins. He satisfied divine justice through His penal sufferings at Calvary in order to atone for our sins. The Scripture is rich with this theme. He died for our sins, 1 Corinthians 15.

He died for us, 1 Thessalonians 5.10. He gave himself for our sins, Galatians 1.4. He died for the ungodly, Romans 5.6. He died for all, and in context, all the elect, 2 Corinthians 5.14.

And a brother is one on whose behalf Christ died, 1 Corinthians 8.11. His death is an offering for sin, Hebrews 10.18. One sacrifice for sin, Hebrews 10.12. The blood of Him who offered Himself, Hebrews 9.14.

The offering of His body once for all, Hebrews 10.10. His death makes expiation, Hebrews 2.17. There is propitiation in His blood, Romans 3.25. We are justified in His blood, Romans 5.9.

And we are reconciled by His death, Romans 5.10. He gave Himself a ransom, 1 Timothy 2.6. He redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us, Galatians 3.13. Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us, 1 Corinthians 5.7.

He gave himself as a ransom for many, Matthew 20, 28. You see, you cannot come to the text of the New Testament and deny substitutionary curse bearing. I mean, you can, but it's very disingenuous because the scripture sets it forth in most clear detail. Christ died for our sins.

He didn't die, as I said, for our example or for our inspiration, but it's because we're lawless men and women, we have rejected His will for us, we have despised, we have forsaken, and we have refused to do what God the Lord has commanded. So Christ comes in our stead and receives in His own body the curse of God's justice against us. We see this is the means by which the wrath of God is propitiated, Romans 3, 25 and 26. It is the means by which reconciliation is effected, Ephesians 2.16.

In this very book, we see that this is how redemption comes about. Notice in Galatians 3.13, it says, Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law. having become a curse for us. 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. And then in Galatians 4, 4 and 5.

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law to redeem those who are under the law that we might receive the adoption as sons." So back to Galatians 1-4, "...who gave himself for our sins." Again, you may have a miserable week ahead of you. I'm not a prophet or the son of a prophet. I'm not bidding you a malediction. You know, a benediction at the end is when a good word is pronounced.

I'm going to give you a malediction. You're going to have a bad week. It's going to be terrible. I'm just kidding.

Wake up. But know this. Understand this. Your sins are dealt with.

Isn't that the most glorious thing the gospel holds out? Or one of the most glorious things the gospel holds out? Be of good cheer. Your sins are forgiven.

I don't care how miserable you are. I don't care how bad your situation is, how bad your circumstances happen to be. I mean, I do care on a human level. It's not good.

But be of good cheer. Your sins are forgiven. Isn't this the emphasis in Romans 5.1? Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God.

And then what does Paul then go on to do in Romans chapter 5 in verses 2 and following? He highlights that it's always not the case that we have this rosy life. There are issues, there are trials. Having been justified by faith, verse 1, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations. You see, the objective peace with God that we now have because we've been justified by faith doesn't remove the present trials and difficulties that we face in a world like this. But rather, it gives us a new approach to these tribulations. It gives us a new mindset to these tribulations.

It dictates that when we enter into these trying waters, we can be of good cheer because we have been forgiven. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations because we know that tribulation produces perseverance, and perseverance character and character hope. Now hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Galatians 1.4 indicates that Christ voluntarily gave himself on our part.

And secondly, that the death of Christ consisted in penal substitution. He took our punishment for our sins. Luther said it this way. He says, let us learn here of Paul to fully and truly believe that Christ was given, not for feigned sins, Not for fake sins, nor for small, 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. That's glorious. That is awesome.

Christ didn't come for feigned sins, but for mighty sins, and He took them away from us.

Christ's Death Secured Deliverance

Thirdly, with reference to the Gospel in Galatians 1.4, the death of Christ secured deliverance from this present evil age, that He might deliver us from this present evil age. There are two ages indicated in the Scripture, this age and the age to come. We are in this age. What is indicative of this particular age?

Evil, sin, wickedness, lawlessness. When we enter into the age to come, those things will be absent. We will be in a place where unrighteousness dwells. We will be in Immanuel's land.

And in Immanuel's land, there aren't abortion clinics. There isn't same-sex marriage. There isn't the heart corruptions that you and I entertain on a regular basis. When we are in Emmanuel's land, our hearts, our minds, our souls, our strength will be confirmed in holiness.

There is no lawlessness there. There is nothing that offends. There is nothing that disturbs the peace and the calm and the dignity which is God's heaven. But in this age, it's an evil age.

He doesn't deliver us in terms of just immediately bringing us up into the age to come, but rather we're delivered in the midst of it. We're delivered while we're here. We no longer have the same orientation. We no longer walk as we once walked.

We no longer have the same disposition, the same love, the same desire. This is why Paul in Galatians chapter 6 can highlight in verses 14 and 15, God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me. It no longer holds out to me the things that I once wanted. It no longer possesses me in its control.

It no longer is that object that I crave. The world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. And then in verse 15, for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything. But a new creation.

Do you realize that we are new creations in Christ Jesus, dwelling in an evil age, but we have been delivered from it. It no longer captivates us. It no longer overpowers us. And we ought to realize that and the benefit that it ought to produce in our lives.

The gospel frees us not only from the penalty of sin, but also from the power of sin. Justification inevitably leads to sanctification. And if we've been delivered from this evil age, then we must not walk in a manner that is consistent with this evil age. We must resist temptation.

We must cut off hands. We must gouge out eyes. We must pursue those things which are pleasing to our Lord. We must say with Paul, the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and who gave Himself for me.

We need to pursue those things which are pleasing to God. Now certainly, we will not master them. Certainly, we will still be drawn to some aspects of this present evil age. There is remaining corruption.

Paul will indicate that in Galatians 5, 17. The flesh lusts against the spirit. The spirit lusts against the flesh. These two are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

However, remaining corruption is a lot different from reigning corruption, and we need to resist those things by the power of the Spirit, and we need to realize that we are to conduct ourselves as those who've been delivered from this present evil age. Paul uses the language in Colossians 1.13, through the power of the gospel. What does the Father do? He transfers us, or He translates us, from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the Son of His love.

How are you to live as a kingdom citizen in the Son of His love? You're to live like Christ. You're to pray for the power of the Spirit. You are to gird yourself up with the Word of God.

You are to use these public means that the Lord has designed for your benefit and your well-being. been delivered from this present evil age. This is what the angelic announcement to the earthly parents of Jesus indicated. He will save His people from their sins, not to continue in their sins, but He saves them from them. When God saves us, when He deals with our hearts, when He changes us from the inside out, the old things that had that captivating power no longer do.

Again, there might be those remaining tendencies, there might be those hesitations. The Bible speaks to that reality. But we need to resist, we need to fight, we need to persevere in the power of the Holy Spirit according to the glorious gospel of our blessed God. The deliverance of which Paul speaks is not out of the material world, but from the evil which dominates it, F.

F. Bruce says.

Christ's Death Was Decreed by the Father

Note the next clause, number four, the death of Christ was determined by God the Father. Verse four, 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. Now, if you're like me, you appreciate these sorts of things. Our salvation, our status, our position, our place before God is not because of our ingenuity.

It's not because of our wisdom. It's not because of our good decisions. It's not because we came forward in a church meeting. It's not because we raised our hands when every eye was closed and every head was bowed. but it's because God Most High is sovereign and He has decreed to save a great number which no man can number from every tribe, every tongue, every people and every nation.

It is the sovereignty of God that affords... a comfort and encouragement to the people of God. What Paul tells us in this clause is that our salvation does not come as a result of the free will of man, but it comes as a result of the free will of God according to the will of our God and Father. What happened on Calvary's tree was not happenstance. It wasn't a plan B.

It didn't just fall out that way for the Holy Son of God. It was decreed. It was determined. It was the divine provision for man's sin. goes back to the garden.

It originates in eternity, but it's manifested in the garden. When God 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." You see, already, just after the fall of Adam and Eve in descent, God is already initiating this plan. God has announced, rather, this plan that He already initiated.

He says that He will put enmity. He says that the seed will crush the head of the devil himself. Genesis 22, remember that fair day when Abraham was told to take your son, your only son, the one whom you love, take him up to Mount Not Moriah, which incidentally is the future site, or rather the site of the future temple. Take him up there, tie him down, and put a knife in him and sacrifice him unto God.

They get on their way and Isaac is able to realize that we have the wood, we have the fire, but we don't have the sacrifice. He doesn't know at this point that it's going to be him that lies down on that particular table. But what does Abraham tell him? My son, God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering.

We sometimes wonder how much did these Old Testament saints understand? They understood a lot more than we give them credit for. They understood substitutionary curse bearing. They understood provision from on high.

They understood blood atonement. They understood the necessity of sacrifice. They understood Hebrews 9.22 somehow probably better than some of us. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission. prophet Isaiah, yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him.

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 see? It's according to the plan and the will of God. We talked about this several times on the Saturday mornings. Men want to celebrate free will.

Whitefield was right. It's our free will that got us into the mess that we find ourselves in. It's God's will that rescues us from that place of depravity and damnation. It is not of him who wills or of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.

And again, this is just an opening statement in terms of a greetings to a people gathered together in southern Galatia. The apostle says that this gospel, this purpose to save, this plan, this glorious transaction is according to the will of God, of our God and Father. John 6, 38-40, 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. It's according to the will of God. So again, you find yourself miserable on Thursday, realize that you're in the plan and the purpose and the decree of God. If that doesn't make you happy, I don't know what to do.

Handing you a pile of money may alleviate some of your temporal woes, but the imputation of Christ's righteousness and the forgiveness of sins alleviates any woe you could possibly conceive. There is nothing greater, there is nothing more glorious, nothing more wondrous. The apostle Peter, him being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified and put to death. Romans 3, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood.

Who crucified Jesus? The Jews said, away with him, away with him, crucify him. The Romans ultimately were responsible to give the order for execution. The Jews didn't possess the authority.

The Jews didn't have the wherewithal. The Jews had to fetch Pilate's assistance in order to secure the death penalty for this malefactor. All that is true to be sure, and they were indeed lawless hands, but who is the determining factor behind the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ? It pleased the Lord to crush Him.

Isaiah 53. This is highlighted here in Romans 3. God sat 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.

Christ's Death Promotes God's Glory

And then fifthly, and finally, in terms of this gospel summary, notice the death of Christ promotes the glory of God. You see, Paul typically, in his introductions to churches, or his greetings to churches, doesn't break out in doxology. Verse 5 is a doxology. Verse 5, the apostle cannot contain himself.

He must praise, and he must worship, and he must celebrate. He must say, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Why?

Because he just penned verse 4. What's the point? When you understand the theology of verse 4, you can't but praise with the celebratory language of verse 5. This is the whole point behind gospel worship.

We understand who God is, we look at what He has done, and we respond in doxological praise and worship and adoration. He called us out of darkness into marvelous light. Why? That we may proclaim His praises.

And this is precisely what the Apostle Paul does. He highlights that this particular scheme, this particular methodology, this particular strategy results in the glory of God, not the glory of man. You see, if every head is bowed and every eye is closed, and you shoot your hand up, what is the deciding factor in terms of your acceptance with God? It's, I shot my hand up.

I exercised my faith. I went forward. I said a prayer. I exercised my will.

And who ultimately gets the glory? In that arrangement, it is the man who does the exercise. God simply is there to help him and to assist him and to take care of some of the particulars. But the true gospel, the gospel of free and sovereign grace, can only end in verse 5. to whom be glory forever and ever.

Amen. Two other passages that illustrate this. First, the prophet Ezekiel. Ezekiel chapter 36.

Ezekiel 36 and God's Glory in the Gospel

You may turn there to see God's design in gospel blessing. Yes, our happiness. Yes, our forgiveness. Yes, our acceptance with them.

But even before that, His glory, His honor, His praise, His adoration. Ezekiel 36 is a promise of the new covenant and what God will orchestrate through and in the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice in verse 22, Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God. I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel. but for my holy namesake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went.

And I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. And the nations shall know that I am the Lord, says the Lord God, when I am hallowed in you before their eyes. God's glory, God's honor, God's praise, God's exaltation is foremost in this design of the gospel to bring salvation in and through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 9–11 and Sovereign Election

And then in Romans chapter 11, after dealing with sovereignty, dealing with election, dealing with predestination, dealing with it in a way that offends the delicate sensitivities of many modern churchmen. The apostle tells us that Jacob and Esau, God dealt with them irrespective of what they had done. Jacob I loved and Esau I hated. And it's according to the sovereignty of election.

It is grace discriminating. It is God's good pleasure. Things that are offensive to modern men in different theological persuasion. Paul deals with that in Romans 9.

He deals with that in Romans 10. He deals with the place of national Israel. Romans chapter 11, actually woven through the whole. And then notice how he brings all of this to conclusion in 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. You could never say that as an Arminian. You can never make this admission.

You can never make this confession and never make this statement. Because if it is the case that we responded, if it is the case that we first believed, if it is the case that we raised our hand or we signed a card, then it's simply a transaction of barter. but that God, according to His good pleasure, discriminates between men. He chooses some and He reprobates others, and He brings the elect to Himself through the blood atonement of His dear Son. This evokes from the Apostle, oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.

In an Arminian scheme, everything is easy to figure out. In an Arminian or a Pelagian scheme, everything makes sense. It is grace. It is blood atonement.

It is faith alone that baffles the mind of man. And that's why the Apostle says here, O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out. He couldn't say that. If the idea was simply this, God has done his part, now it's up to me.

That's not unsearchable, that's not hard to figure out, it's pretty simple, pretty self-explanatory. But Jacob I loved and Esau I hated according to my good pleasure and my purpose and my plan. One that sits under gospel preaching and receives, and one who sits under gospel preaching and rejects, that baffles the mind, doesn't it? We look at a pair of siblings and we say, the one came to Christ early on, the other hasn't.

We urge the other to believe. Look to the cross, look to Jesus, go to the Lord. Turn ye all the ends of the earth, look to me and be ye saved, for I am God and there is no other. But ultimately, according to Romans chapters 9 to 11, it's of God.

So this is what Paul says incidentally in verse Corinthians chapter 1, but of him you are in Christ Jesus. Not but of you, not because you were wise, not because you made a decision, not because you went forward, not because you signed up on the internet for redemption through Jesus Christ, but of him you were in Christ Jesus. Same idea here. The depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God can only be stated when you're dealing with sovereignty, can only be stated when you're dealing with the concepts that are so prevalent in the scriptures.

How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out for who has known the mind of the Lord and 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." I said two texts, one more. I've already alluded to it. 1 Corinthians chapter 1.

I just want you to see this emphasis. The true gospel results in praise. The true gospel results in glory being given to God. The true gospel doesn't produce men that pat themselves on the back and say, I was wiser, I was smarter, I was better than so-and-so.

I made the decision. I walked the aisle. I did this. If we would have kept reading in the prophet Ezekiel, do you know who does say I will a lot?

But it's I will Yahweh. I will sprinkle. I will take. I will wash.

I will give you a new heart. I will. I will. I will.

No place for man in that arrangement other than the sin that we contributed to be saved from. That's our contribution to redemption. Do you know that? It's not our faith.

It's not our works. It's not our good looks. Some of us would certainly never be saved. It is the sin that we need to be saved from.

That is our contribution with reference to gospel blessing.

1 Corinthians 1 and Gospel Doxology

Notice 1 Corinthians 1.26, for you see your calling brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. That right there is a beautiful indictment to that whole scheme where man is the center, and man is the end, and man is the one receiving the glory. Paul says the glory of the gospel is seen in the reality that Corinthians are going to heaven. The glory of the gospel is seen in the reality that people from the church in Corinth are actually going to heaven.

For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise. And God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty. And the base things of the world and the things which are despised, God has chosen.

And the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, that, as it is written, He who glories, let him glory in the Lord. That sounds like Paul in Galatians 1.5. Rehearsing gospel truth in verse 4 leads inevitably to gospel praise in verse 5.

To whom be glory forever. and ever. Amen. I started with a quote from Machen. I'll repeat the same.

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 in Galatia, he put his whole heart into its defense. He offers here in verse 4 a glorious small, brief, and compass summary of gospel truth. These will be the themes that he visits throughout this epistle to the Galatians to silence the Judaizing error, to encourage the people of God, and to call them to faithfulness in their Lord who has called them out of darkness into marvelous light.

Application

Well, I hope that these thoughts are an encouragement to our hearts, and I hope that we will not only ponder them here while we're at the supper, but we will ponder them through our week. You don't necessarily have to write things down, but put these things in your mind. Galatians 1, 4, and 5 would be a very handy passage to read, to commit to memory, and to meditate on during the week. If there is encouragement in the Bible, it comes in the vehicle of gospel blessing. to the people of God.

Well, let us pray.

Closing Prayer

Our Father, we thank you so very much for these things that Paul indicates in Galatians 1. We thank you for this entire book and what it tells us concerning the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank you for your sovereignty. We thank you for your graciousness.

We thank you for predestination and election and all these things that the Bible so clearly teaches. God, humble us with these truths and cause us to see your great love for us. And may they be and encouragement and something that causes us to persevere in the coming weeks and months and years. We look forward to that day when we will see you as you are, when we will see the Lord Christ who saved us with his own precious blood.

Till that day, Father, bless our times together as a church, bless us as individuals, and help us to fight the good fight and to pursue those things which are pleasing in your sight. And we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Scripture References

• Genesis 3:15; 22:1
• Isaiah 53:10-11
• Ezekiel 36:22
• Matthew 20:28
• John 6:38-40; 10:11; 10:15; 10:18
• Acts 13:1; 14:1
• Romans 3:25-26; 5:1; 5:2; 5:6; 5:9; 5:10; 9:1; 10:1; 11:1; 11:33
• 1 Corinthians 1:26; 5:7; 8:11; 15:3
• 2 Corinthians 5:14
• Galatians 1:1; 1:4-5; 1:6; 2:20; 3:13; 4:4-5; 5:17; 6:14-15
• Ephesians 2:16
• Colossians 1:13
• 1 Thessalonians 5:10
• 1 Timothy 2:6
• Hebrews 2:17; 9:14; 9:22; 10:10; 10:12; 10:18