Do We Get to Choose? Galatians 3:1-5

Do We Get to Choose?Galatians 3:1-5 Peter Fitch, St. Croix Vineyard Sunday, November 11, 2012

Galatians 3:1-5 1 You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

Galatians 3:1-5 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

What’s it all about? • Miracles? • Faith? • A Pastor’s frustration that his people aren’t hearing him? • Argument against legalism? • All of the above, and . . .

If you have read Ch. 2 . . . • Exclusion • Thinking that Gentiles have to become Jewish before they can join the worshiping community • Or, thinking that people have to become perfect before they can join the worshiping community

Galatians 2:11-15ff 11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. 13 The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.

Galatians 2:11-15ff 14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews? 15 “We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles . . .

So hard . . . • Jews sure they were right • Had clear teaching from the Bible that they were not to eat with Gentiles • They didn’t consider Gentiles to be morally neutral (look at what even Paul says in Ch. 2 to Peter— “We who are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles”)

And yet . . . • An Ethiopian eunuch had been baptized (Acts 6) • A trusted leader like Peter had emerged with news that God had surprised him with a vision leading him out into ‘sinful’ territory, to enter a Gentile house and preach (Acts 10) • A Jewish-Gentile church had been planted in Antioch (Acts 11:19-26)

Acts 11:19-30 19 So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.

Acts 11:19-30 22 The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch. 23 Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord; 24 for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord.

Acts 11:19-30 25 And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.27 Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.

Acts 11:19-30 28 One of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius. 29 And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea. 30 And this they did, sending it in charge of Barnabas and Saul to the elders.

Antioch—a great church • Mixed race • Full of the Spirit • People coming to the Lord • Good pastors • Prophecy alive • Generous • Action-oriented

But were the Prophets the ones in Galatians 2? • Was Peter intimidated because of their standing with James and the others in Jerusalem? • Or was he impressed with their spiritual gifts? • Is it possible that someone could be really far along in one area of life or ministry and not have another area figured out yet? • Those who are best at something may have the hardest time seeing a need to change

Our passage: Galatians 3:1-5 • First of 8 arguments that Paul makes on this same point • Easy to understand it when looking backward • Harder to get it when we are faced with it in our own generation

What is it Teaching? • Not performance, not purity, not morality, not ethnicity—none of these things bring the reception of the Holy Spirit and power into the human heart • Only one thing, and it’s the same for everyone—opening the heart by faith to receive a gift that God is willing to give

Therefore . . . • The Church must be a welcoming place for all who wish to learn about this and hopefully do it, no matter where people are starting from • And we grow in faith, and we learn to see miracles, exactly the same way, not by creating a perfect society, but by coming open-hearted to a beggar’s feast

Do We Get to Choose? Galatians 3:1-5