S1: The law then was given to us to show God
S1: had a standard we couldn't reach. Therefore, it demonstrated the
S1: need for God's grace through the promise that he gave
S1: which would be fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
S2: You're listening to Treasure Truth with pastor and author James
S2: Ford Jr, senior pastor of the Christ Bible Church in Chicago.
S2: I'm Steve Hiller, and I'm glad that you're with us
S2: today as we begin a message called Live Consecrated to
S2: God's Word. And, pastor, I love the fact that we're
S2: going to spend some time looking at the law today
S2: because I think so often, um, we tend to have
S2: people who want structure and rigidity and rules and tell
S2: me what I have to do to follow this and
S2: to be a good Christian. And the apostle Paul said, no,
S2: if you really want to live by that standard, you're
S2: going to see how far you are from Christ. You're
S2: going to see the fact that you truly do need him.
S2: The law is not bad, but man, what you need
S2: is so much more than just a list of rules, right?
S3: We need the grace of God. And because the law says, uh,
S3: do this and live. And Grace says, live and do
S3: this totally opposite. And so what happens when you put
S3: yourself under the law? You actually put chains on yourself
S3: because no one can keep it. Well, you can't keep
S3: the law. So when we talk about the law for
S3: our purposes today, let's just use the Ten Commandments. Yeah.
S3: Can't keep them. And the Bible says if you break one,
S3: you've broken them all. And so, you know, I don't
S3: know about you, but I broken 1 or 2 and
S3: have broken them all consistently. And so I realize that
S3: it's the grace of God. What is grace? Uh, I
S3: like this acronym, God's riches at Christ's expense, or God's
S3: redemption at Christ's expense, or God's resources at Christ's expense.
S3: Pick the one you like because he provides everything I need.
S3: He fulfilled the law, and now he fulfills it not
S3: just for me, but he fulfills it in me, and
S3: he fulfills it through me so that wow, I have
S3: to learn how. John 15 to abide in the vine. Yeah.
S2: Yeah. And I think that's something that we all are
S2: going to struggle to learn throughout our lives. And hopefully
S2: as we mature and we begin to experience that mercy
S2: and that grace of God in our lives, we begin
S2: to find the joy and the freedom that comes in that.
S2: But that's one of the things that I think many
S2: of us may struggle with, especially as new believers, to
S2: to really grasp this truth. And if that's you, I'm
S2: glad you tuned in today. Hope you open your Bible
S2: and join us in Galatians chapter three as we begin
S2: a message entitled Live Consecrated to God's Word. Here is
S2: Pastor Ford.
S3: Now there are a lot of us. Uh, we're not
S3: completely saved. Uh, some of us, uh, are. Right foot
S3: needs redemption. Oh, everybody know what I'm talking about? Yeah.
S3: Because there's a clear sign. It says speed limit 55
S3: miles an hour. That's the law. As a matter of fact,
S3: behind that is the entire state of Illinois. All the
S3: power and authority of Illinois is in that sign. And
S3: it says, if you do 56, you're breaking the law.
S3: I was going to ask it, but I'm not. Is
S3: there anybody in here who drives, who's never broken the law? Yeah.
S3: And so the sign then it tells this is the
S3: standard do not exceed this. And so my right foot
S3: just ain't saved yet. But you know what? I notice
S3: that whenever I saw, uh, this officer with a blue
S3: uniform and a black and white checkered hat sitting in
S3: a patrol car, all of a sudden my foot came
S3: from his backslidden state, and it eased off of the pedal,
S3: and the car slowed down. And as I passed him,
S3: I looked out and I smiled. See, the person did
S3: what the sign could not. That's Paul's argument now as
S3: he begins to talk about, uh, what was the purpose
S3: of the law? It is, it is, uh, just like
S3: I repented and conform to the sign. The person did
S3: what the sign could not do caused me to conform
S3: to the sign. Don't forget that, because I'm going to
S3: use that argument all the way through verses 19 through 25,
S3: because that's Paul's argument in the next section, Galatians chapter
S3: 319 through 25. Now he's just talked about the superiority
S3: of the promise. Now he's going to tell us about
S3: the inferiority of the law. So the promise is superior. Now,
S3: here's what Paul does that I love. He anticipates the
S3: question that his explanation or his interpretation will cause. So
S3: he anticipates their questions or the Judaizers rebuttal because they
S3: have a rebuttal and they're going to come in and
S3: say he's talking about the promise. He's saying the law
S3: was subservient to the promise. And so he anticipates their question. Uh,
S3: the rebuttal and and listen, listen, Paul did this all
S3: the time. Let me give you one example before I
S3: move on. I remember going in it was about 1999.
S3: I went to that great metropolis, Bayfield, Wisconsin. Uh, at
S3: that time, population 487 people. And when I got there,
S3: you know, I always try to get some kind of
S3: introduction to loosen up. This is what I said to him.
S3: I said, I'm from the great city of Chicago, and
S3: I bring you greetings where there are only two kinds
S3: of people. Uh, in the city of Chicago, when you
S3: cross the street, the quick and the dead. Uh, and
S3: then I said, you know, I'm from the Windy City,
S3: and I'm so glad to be in Bayfield. Uh, you know,
S3: the city where it gets so cold, uh, that some
S3: people have even seen local politicians with their hands in
S3: their own pockets. And then I ended it up by saying, yes,
S3: I bring you greetings from the city of Chicago, where
S3: there is more grace in Chicago than there is in Bayfield, Wisconsin.
S3: I say, now, you you don't believe me. But I
S3: got Scripture. The Bible says where sin did abounded, grace
S3: did much more abound. And so we have more sin
S3: in Chicago. So we have more grace than you have
S3: in Bayfield. But we have more sin because we have
S3: more people. And, uh, that was my introduction and was
S3: based on what Paul said in the book of Romans,
S3: Romans six one and two. Now, now, just turn there.
S3: Let me show you what Paul does. And if you're
S3: familiar with his writings, you know he does it all
S3: the time. So he finishes and he lets us know, uh,
S3: that where sin reigned to death. Now grace reigns through righteousness.
S3: Verse 21 of chapter five. Unto eternal life by Jesus
S3: Christ our Lord. So he's saying, listen, where there was
S3: abundant sin, there's abundant grace through Jesus Christ our Lord.
S3: Now here's what he anticipates. Somebody's going to say, oh,
S3: since I have grace, it's okay to sin because the
S3: more I sin, the more grace I get. Now notice
S3: how he responds to that. He says God has forbid
S3: that we who are delivered from sin should live in
S3: sin any longer. What's he saying? Grace doesn't give us
S3: the right to live like yard dogs. You see that? Now,
S3: if you're familiar with Paul's writings, he does that all
S3: the time. Look at verse 14 and 15 of the
S3: same chapter, Romans chapter six, 14 and 15. Notice what
S3: he does. He does the same thing. He anticipates somebody
S3: saying something against what he just said. That makes the
S3: most sense. So in verse 14 he says, for sin
S3: shall not have dominion over you, for you are not
S3: under the law, but under grace. What shall we say then?
S3: Shall we sin, because we're not under the law, but
S3: under grace? God forbid. So over and over again he's
S3: trying to dispel. Now. Now apply it. This truth. Where
S3: do I understand this truth in what is being taught
S3: today about eternal security? That there are those who say,
S3: if we teach eternal security, we're saying, as a Christian,
S3: you can do anything and everything you want to do
S3: and still maintain your salvation, no matter how evil it is.
S3: And Paul says, that's because you don't understand grace. Grace
S3: does not have a person say, well, since I can
S3: get away with it, let me do it. That's like
S3: somebody who's married, who's faithful to their spouse because their
S3: spouse trusts them. And they say, well, since she trusts me,
S3: I might as well just go ahead. Give me a
S3: chick on the side. So he anticipates the question in Galatians.
S3: Now notice what he. Notice how he starts it off.
S3: He's anticipating what the other side or what these believers
S3: who have been duped by these Judaizers, he says, I
S3: want to answer the question before you ask it. What's
S3: he going to do? Listen, we live in a day
S3: when we need these four things he's going to do.
S3: What's he going to do? He's going to give clarity
S3: about God's word so that they can have comprehension of
S3: God's Word so that they'll be confident in God's Word
S3: and live consecrated by God's Word. Let me say it again.
S3: I'm going to play that back, that in this section.
S3: What he's going to do is he's going to give
S3: them some clarity about God's Word so that they can
S3: have comprehension of God's Word so that they will be
S3: confident in God's Word and live consecrated to God's Word.
S3: Everybody with me, so that they'll say, this is the roadmap.
S3: You say, are we living in a day? We're living
S3: in a day when this is more than necessary. Barnum
S3: did some research about Christians. These are professing Christians. These
S3: are not people who say they're atheists. These are not
S3: people who say they are agnostics. These are not people
S3: who say they're not church goers. These are people he
S3: polled who are church goers. And here's what they said.
S3: Here's what they said, that, uh, people are inherently good.
S3: And our primary purpose from God is to enjoy life.
S3: Our most important responsibility is to take care of our family.
S3: Listen to this. 81% said they believed. The Bible teaches
S3: that God helps those who help themselves. 77% believe that
S3: people are blessed by God so they can enjoy life
S3: as much as possible. 60% said that Satan is not
S3: a living being, but just a symbol of evil. Christians
S3: now 55% said, if a person is generally good and
S3: does enough good for others, they will earn a place
S3: in heaven. 44% believe that Jesus committed sins while he
S3: walked on this earth. 61% believe that the Holy Spirit
S3: is not a living entity, but a symbol of God's
S3: presence and power. 40% believe that after Jesus was crucified,
S3: he did not physically return to life. And 34% said
S3: that there are some sins that even God himself cannot forgive.
S3: That's the state. Now remember, this is dated. It's worse now,
S3: not better.
S2: You're listening to Treasure Truth, a message called live Consecrated
S2: to God's Word. And we're going to get back to
S2: this message in just one moment. I want to let
S2: you know if you ever miss a broadcast, or you
S2: happen to be traveling, and you want to make sure
S2: that you don't miss one, come to our website. It's
S2: Treasure Truth Radio org. you can listen to every program online.
S2: You can sign up to begin podcasting this program, or
S2: you can download the Moody Radio app. It's free and
S2: available for Apple and Android products. You'll find all those
S2: links and a lot more at Treasure Truth radio.org. Again,
S2: here's Pastor Ford.
S3: And so, you know, what do we need to do?
S3: So here's what he says. Let me tell you the
S3: purpose of the law. The law. If you take a note,
S3: you won't take it. The law had three basic primary responsibilities.
S3: The law was a guide to direct us. The law
S3: was a guardian to protect us. And the law was
S3: a governor. Kept us. Yeah. Direct us, protect us and
S3: kept us. That's what the law does. So here's what
S3: we're going to see. Let's break it down and let's
S3: look at it. So here now Paul, I want to
S3: I want to answer the question, and I want you
S3: to know what the law was all about. Why? Because
S3: there are people today. Aren't there Aren't there people today
S3: who say that you have to keep the law in
S3: order to be saved? Okay, let's take one branch of
S3: of of what they call Adventism. Uh, all of it's
S3: not the same. I'm not coloring all with the same brush. Uh,
S3: but there are those who say that if you are
S3: worshiping on Sunday and not on Saturday, you cannot be
S3: saved because you are a law breaker. And of course,
S3: we know that's not true. How do we know it? Uh,
S3: because of what we have in, uh, Colossians chapter two
S3: that tells us, uh, that one man esteems one day
S3: greater than the other. And so don't let anyone judge
S3: you on the day that you worship. That's Colossians 216
S3: through 23. Romans 14 uh five and six Paul said
S3: the same thing. Both of these are Pauline epistles, and
S3: he says the same thing. He says, listen, don't let
S3: people judge you about what day you worship. So then,
S3: now there are those in our day, like right up
S3: on 75th Street who say you have to be a
S3: Sabbath keeper and a Sabbath worshipper, or you don't know
S3: God at all. And so, you know, Paul says, look,
S3: I dispel that myth and I tell you that's not true.
S3: So then what was the purpose of the law? Verse 19.
S3: It exposes our sin. Verse 19 A it exposes our sin. Paul,
S3: what do you. What do you mean? It exposes our sin?
S3: Listen to it. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was
S3: added because of transgressions. Stop! So the word parabasis, it
S3: literally means the same thing as the other word. We
S3: looked at earlier to step over a line. He said
S3: it was added because it helped you to understand. You
S3: stepped over the line Before there was a consciousness of
S3: sin based on an internal witness. Your conscience. But we
S3: violate our conscience. And so God said, now you have
S3: to know my standard. So then the law was given
S3: so that we could see the standard of God, and
S3: that we cannot attain that standard. So then remember. Now remember,
S3: let me say it once again. So you understand, the
S3: Judaizers told people that the law can save you. Attitude. Attitude.
S3: Your gospel message. And Paul was saying the law was
S3: never intended to save us. So they are trying to
S3: get the law to do the opposite of what it
S3: was intended to do. Okay. Let me let me see
S3: if I can make it plain. Uh, anybody ever had
S3: an x ray? What did the x ray do if
S3: there was something wrong? It showed. It revealed. Did it
S3: help you heal? So all the x ray could do
S3: is just show you what was wrong? That's the law.
S3: All the law does is expose what's wrong. Look at
S3: Romans chapter five, verse 20. Look at Romans 520. Paul
S3: says in his writings in Romans chapter five and verse 20, moreover,
S3: the law entered that the offense might abound. But where
S3: sin abounded, grace did much more abound. So why did
S3: he give the law that the offense might abound, that
S3: we would be X-rayed and see that we can't do
S3: anything about it? Turn to Romans seven five. Listen to
S3: what he says. He says, for when we were in
S3: the flesh, the motions of sin which were by the law,
S3: did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
S3: You know what he's saying there. The law can't save you.
S3: Want to know why? It instigates you to sin. Okay, okay.
S3: I know I'm the only one. When I was a
S3: matriculating Moody Bible Institute, we used to go out witnessing.
S3: And so we had a little park that was right on. Um,
S3: I can't remember the name of the street. Uh, but
S3: it was, uh, LaSalle. And then as you go east,
S3: the next street, they got a little park there, and
S3: they went in and, uh, we went over and we
S3: were witnessing there were four of us and, uh, uh,
S3: we went in different directions to get different people. There
S3: weren't very many people there because you had to stand
S3: up because all the benches had been painted. And so
S3: as we were getting ready to go back, I said, man,
S3: did anybody do what I did? Look at that. All
S3: four of us had green paint on our fingers. The
S3: sign said, don't touch the paint. Why would you touch it?
S4: To see if it was still wet? That's it.
S3: I like what I like. What, uh, what's his name?
S3: Doctor Phil Williams. Here's what he says. He says the
S3: law is a great mirror, but a terrible washcloth. He
S3: said the law is the light that reveals how dirty
S3: the room is. Not the broom that sweeps it clean
S3: so that we understand that. Then we know that our
S3: Christianity is not based on obeying a set of rules
S3: and regulations. And how many churches are in bondage because
S3: they're given a set of rules and regulations. Don't do
S3: this and don't do that and don't do this. That's
S3: not what the gospel is all about. Remember, we already
S3: saw it. The law says, do this and live. And
S3: Grace says, what? Live and do this. And so he says, listen,
S3: you need to understand that and notice what he says,
S3: that we are those it was added because of transgression. Uh,
S3: and and that's why the law was given. Here's a
S3: second one. Here's a second one. Here's a second one. Uh,
S3: it not only exposes our sin, it exalts our promise.
S3: Verse 19 B and 20, it exalts our promise. So
S3: he's saying, when you look at what the law has done,
S3: the promise is superior to the law. So notice what
S3: he says. Let me read it. He says, till the seed.
S3: Who's that? Jesus. How do we know that? Because he
S3: just told us that earlier in the chapter he said,
S3: verse 16, Now to Abraham and his seed were the
S3: promises made. He saith not, and to seeds as of many,
S3: but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ.
S3: So he's telling us then what was the job of
S3: the law? The law was a guide to direct us.
S3: What did the law do? Let me read some things.
S3: Don't try to take notes on this. Just let me
S3: read some things here. Here's here's here's what he wants
S3: us to understand. That the law then was given to
S3: us to show God had a standard we couldn't reach. Therefore,
S3: it demonstrated or showed to us the need for God's
S3: grace through the promise that he gave, which would be
S3: fulfilled in Jesus Christ. So the law then was designed
S3: to put on us guilt and shame, and to have
S3: an external witness that would would activate that internal witness
S3: that had been silenced because there was no sign that
S3: said how fast you could go.
S2: Well, we're going to have to pause the teaching right there.
S2: But we're going to pick up this message live consecrated
S2: to God's Word next time. Here on treasure truth. We
S2: are in Galatians chapter three. And if you want to
S2: make sure that you don't miss Pastor Ford's teaching going forward,
S2: come to the website right now. Sign up to begin
S2: podcasting the program. Our website address is Treasure Truth radio.org.
S2: That's treasure Truth Radio dot. Well, Pastor Ford is hanging
S2: out with me in the studio for a little bit here.
S2: And pastor, you know, this radio ministry is listener supported
S2: and we need both the single gifts and the ongoing
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S3: Yeah, we certainly do. Well, you know what, Steve? I've
S3: heard so many listeners and gotten emails. Amy sent me
S3: quite a few emails of people who said when I
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