1
00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:05,520
Speaker 1: Let us pray for do I now persuade men or God?

2
00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:09,920
Speaker 1: Or do I seek to please men? For if I

3
00:00:10,039 --> 00:00:13,760
Speaker 1: yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

4
00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:19,919
Speaker 1: Galatians one ten. Free me, Lord from my brothers and

5
00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:23,279
Speaker 1: sisters in Christ who are more focused on their own

6
00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:28,200
Speaker 1: works than on their faith. Free me from the legalistic

7
00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:32,880
Speaker 1: Christ followers who are bent on justifying themselves through the law.

8
00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:38,600
Speaker 1: Thank you, Jesus, that by your sacrifice, I am saved

9
00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:43,280
Speaker 1: by faith and not by my works. Thank you that

10
00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:46,800
Speaker 1: I can walk in complete freedom and enjoy my walk

11
00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:52,040
Speaker 1: with You, free from the opinions of others. Continue to

12
00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:54,360
Speaker 1: allow the fruits of the Spirit to be evident in

13
00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:59,920
Speaker 1: my life. I decree and declare that in Christ Jesus,

14
00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:05,240
Speaker 1: I am free and unchained. By decree and declare that

15
00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:11,160
Speaker 1: I serve You Lord by devotion and not obligation. As

16
00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:15,240
Speaker 1: I work out my faith in love, I will walk

17
00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:20,399
Speaker 1: in freedom and in step with the spirit. Where the

18
00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:24,199
Speaker 1: Spirit of the Lord is, there is always freedom. There

19
00:01:24,319 --> 00:01:29,319
Speaker 1: is no bondage in Christ. So Lord, I thank you

20
00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:32,480
Speaker 1: that I don't have to earn my way into heaven.

21
00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:37,399
Speaker 1: But because I place my trust and love in You,

22
00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:42,360
Speaker 1: you will guide me in the way everlasting in the

23
00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:49,280
Speaker 1: name of Jesus. Amen. Listening to these daily prayers strengthens

24
00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:52,960
Speaker 1: your relationship with God. Continue hearing from the Lord by

25
00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:56,640
Speaker 1: listening to to day's Bible in a Year, brought to

26
00:01:56,680 --> 00:02:07,919
Speaker 1: you by Bible in a Year dot com.

27
00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:13,720
Speaker 2: Dear Galicia. In our last story, we learned about certain

28
00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:18,400
Speaker 2: Jewish believers forcing Gentiles to be circumcised to be accepted

29
00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:22,320
Speaker 2: into the Family of God. Outraged by this, Paul and

30
00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:25,279
Speaker 2: Barnabas held a council of all the leaders in Jerusalem.

31
00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:28,720
Speaker 2: They debated whether Gentiles should be forced to follow the

32
00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:32,280
Speaker 2: Jewish customs laid out in the Law. The consensus was

33
00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:36,560
Speaker 2: a resounding no. Now we listen in on a letter

34
00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:40,040
Speaker 2: Paul wrote to the Galician church. Paul wrote to the

35
00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:43,240
Speaker 2: Galatians because they had men in their midst teaching them

36
00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:47,600
Speaker 2: that all Christians should be circumcised to be saved. Paul's

37
00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:50,560
Speaker 2: words would reflect the heart of Jesus as he defends

38
00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:54,160
Speaker 2: the grace given by Jesus on the Cross. Inspired by

39
00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:55,480
Speaker 2: the Book of Galatians.

40
00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:02,120
Speaker 3: Hello, I'm Pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of the

41
00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:05,280
Speaker 3: Bible in a Year. In our previous time, together, we

42
00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:08,639
Speaker 3: heard how the Counsel of Apostles and Elders in Jerusalem,

43
00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:12,560
Speaker 3: along with Paul and Barnabas, affirmed that gentile believers were

44
00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:16,160
Speaker 3: not bound to Jewish customs outlined in the law, but

45
00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:19,160
Speaker 3: should focus on abstaining from things that would hinder their

46
00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:23,640
Speaker 3: relationship with God in Christ, such as sexual immorality and

47
00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:28,000
Speaker 3: food sacrifice to idols. Today we'll hear Paul's words to

48
00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:31,520
Speaker 3: the Church in Galicia and his affirmation of their freedom

49
00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:34,720
Speaker 3: in Christ, not because of obedience to the law and

50
00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:39,120
Speaker 3: things like circumcision, but because of faith and the grace

51
00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:42,360
Speaker 3: of God. Let's hear now the reading from Paul's letter

52
00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:44,360
Speaker 3: to the Galatians.

53
00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:48,360
Speaker 2: To the Church in Galicia, Grace and peace to you

54
00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:51,640
Speaker 2: from our Lord. I am amazed that you would turn

55
00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:54,960
Speaker 2: from grace so quickly to adopt another gospel, one of

56
00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:59,440
Speaker 2: bondage and works. Let me tell you this, even if

57
00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:03,120
Speaker 2: you see an coming down from Heaven preaching another gospel

58
00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:06,920
Speaker 2: to you, it is false. I tell you this honestly,

59
00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:09,800
Speaker 2: since I do not seek the approval of man, but

60
00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:13,360
Speaker 2: of God. If I simply sought to please you, I

61
00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:16,800
Speaker 2: would not be a servant of Christ. I need you

62
00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:20,120
Speaker 2: to know this, brothers, that the gospel preached by me

63
00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:24,039
Speaker 2: to you is not a gospel forged and penned by man.

64
00:04:24,279 --> 00:04:27,440
Speaker 2: It is from the heart of Christ himself. You know

65
00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:31,479
Speaker 2: my past. You know that I was once a zealous Pharisee,

66
00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:34,960
Speaker 2: held bent on the destruction of the Church. I held

67
00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:38,640
Speaker 2: the law tightly and honored it my whole life. But

68
00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:42,440
Speaker 2: Jesus called me into grace. So I fled to Arabia,

69
00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:47,240
Speaker 2: and then Damascus, then to Jerusalem. I wanted to know

70
00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:50,960
Speaker 2: what was happening to my heart. I wanted to know Christ.

71
00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:55,880
Speaker 2: Those who saw me change glorified Christ. It was not

72
00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:58,800
Speaker 2: because I followed the law, but because I was changed

73
00:04:58,839 --> 00:05:02,960
Speaker 2: by grace. Fourteen years had passed and I was traveling

74
00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:06,160
Speaker 2: to Jerusalem with Barnabas and Titus, who was a gentile.

75
00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:10,000
Speaker 2: We did not force him to be circumcised. Yet false

76
00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:12,760
Speaker 2: brothers tried to bind him into slavery to the old

77
00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:17,200
Speaker 2: Covenant law. We did not yield in submission to them.

78
00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:19,680
Speaker 2: To do so would have been to deny the power

79
00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:22,640
Speaker 2: of the Gospel. It started to become clear to me

80
00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:25,080
Speaker 2: that I was to be an apostle of the gentiles,

81
00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:28,680
Speaker 2: just as Peter was called to the Jews. I want

82
00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:30,840
Speaker 2: to tell you something about Peter, so that you might

83
00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:34,279
Speaker 2: learn from him. Peter would eat with the Gentiles and

84
00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:37,560
Speaker 2: fellowship with them, but when his Jewish brothers were present,

85
00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:40,200
Speaker 2: he would not speak to them or eat with them.

86
00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:44,080
Speaker 2: This was too faced and not honoring to Christ. So

87
00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:47,760
Speaker 2: I opposed him to his face. Peter was supposed to

88
00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:50,800
Speaker 2: be an example to us, and instead his conduct was

89
00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:54,000
Speaker 2: not in step with the truth. I told him that

90
00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:56,760
Speaker 2: if he, being a Jew, was able to live like

91
00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:59,520
Speaker 2: a gentile, then he should not force gentiles to live

92
00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:03,520
Speaker 2: like Jews. It was simple, and Peter received his correction.

93
00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:08,680
Speaker 2: Let me make one thing clear. We are Jews by birth,

94
00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:11,680
Speaker 2: but it is not our tradition or race that makes

95
00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:15,200
Speaker 2: us justified. Our faith in the work of Jesus on

96
00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:18,960
Speaker 2: the Cross makes us justified. It is not by works

97
00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:21,240
Speaker 2: that we attain favor with God, for.

98
00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:22,320
Speaker 4: He is pleased with us.

99
00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:25,640
Speaker 2: In Jesus. We must die to the law so we

100
00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:29,360
Speaker 2: can live in Christ. I have been crucified with Christ.

101
00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:33,119
Speaker 2: I am no longer living. It is Jesus who lives

102
00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:35,880
Speaker 2: in me. The life we are to live should be

103
00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:39,360
Speaker 2: by faith in Jesus. He has loved us and gave

104
00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:42,440
Speaker 2: his life for us. If we gained our righteousness from

105
00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:45,160
Speaker 2: our good deeds or following the law, then why would

106
00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:50,200
Speaker 2: Christ have died for us? You foolish Galatians? Who has

107
00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:52,240
Speaker 2: cast a spell on you that you would turn from

108
00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:55,560
Speaker 2: this glorious truth? Some of you saw with your own

109
00:06:55,640 --> 00:07:00,520
Speaker 2: eyes Jesus being crucified. Let me ask you this, Did

110
00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:02,880
Speaker 2: you receive the Holy Spirit by being perfect?

111
00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:03,719
Speaker 1: No?

112
00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:06,680
Speaker 2: Are you so dumb that you would now try and

113
00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:11,000
Speaker 2: be perfect after receiving grace. Even Abraham was called righteous

114
00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:13,960
Speaker 2: because of his faith, not his ability to follow rules.

115
00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:17,680
Speaker 2: The truly righteous ones are the ones who look under

116
00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:21,600
Speaker 2: Jesus and have faith in him. The righteous live by faith.

117
00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:24,280
Speaker 2: Let me give you an example of what the law

118
00:07:24,440 --> 00:07:29,240
Speaker 2: is for picture a contract. Every human contract can be

119
00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:32,960
Speaker 2: annulled or ratified, but not with God. He keeps his

120
00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:37,200
Speaker 2: promises despite our failures. So what good is the law? Well,

121
00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:40,360
Speaker 2: the law was our tutor until Christ came. The law

122
00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:43,200
Speaker 2: was an image of the perfect character of God. That

123
00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:47,200
Speaker 2: character was fulfilled in Jesus, so we look to follow him,

124
00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:50,320
Speaker 2: not the law. That way, the Gospel is not only

125
00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:52,440
Speaker 2: for Jews who follow the law, but for people of

126
00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:56,840
Speaker 2: all nationalities who believe in Jesus and follow him. A

127
00:07:56,920 --> 00:07:59,600
Speaker 2: child is no freer than a slave until he becomes

128
00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:02,840
Speaker 2: a man, So the child must be looked after and protected.

129
00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:05,920
Speaker 2: That is what the law did for us. It took

130
00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:08,600
Speaker 2: care of us until we were ready to step into maturity.

131
00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:12,480
Speaker 2: You are sons, daughters, and heirs to all the gifts

132
00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:16,560
Speaker 2: of Jesus. To know Jesus is to be free. So

133
00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:19,200
Speaker 2: it concerns me that you are all trying to enslave

134
00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:23,400
Speaker 2: yourselves to the law. Stop. I am afraid that all

135
00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:25,880
Speaker 2: your effort and labor to be perfect is all in vain.

136
00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:29,080
Speaker 2: Brothers and sisters, I beg you be like me.

137
00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:30,440
Speaker 4: Let go.

138
00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:34,240
Speaker 2: We were close ones. You would have laid down your

139
00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:36,520
Speaker 2: life for me. But now I feel like I am

140
00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:38,920
Speaker 2: your enemy just because I preach to you the truth.

141
00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:43,760
Speaker 2: I am perplexed and disturbed by you. Christ has set

142
00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:46,959
Speaker 2: us free to walk in liberty. The ability to do

143
00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:49,480
Speaker 2: what is good and noble comes from a place of freedom,

144
00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:54,120
Speaker 2: not bondage. Do not be slaves to mindless devotion. If

145
00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:57,079
Speaker 2: you decide that one must be circumcised to be saved,

146
00:08:57,320 --> 00:08:59,840
Speaker 2: then you put yourself under the bondage of the whole law.

147
00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:04,120
Speaker 2: You cannot pick and choose. You either follow the whole law,

148
00:09:04,559 --> 00:09:06,960
Speaker 2: or you follow the one who has made you righteous.

149
00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:11,120
Speaker 2: It is not about being circumcised, It is about working

150
00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:15,720
Speaker 2: out your faith in love. You are doing so well.

151
00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:19,480
Speaker 2: Tell me who has whispered lies in your ears, who

152
00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:23,640
Speaker 2: has hindered you from speaking the truth? Know this that

153
00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:26,360
Speaker 2: a little bit of leaven can ruin the whole loaf

154
00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:31,199
Speaker 2: of bread, the same as with people. Honestly, I wish

155
00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:34,080
Speaker 2: that those who told you you needed to be circumcised

156
00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:37,600
Speaker 2: were just cut off their privates altogether. For you were

157
00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:41,280
Speaker 2: called to freedom, and they have set you back. Walk

158
00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:44,520
Speaker 2: in freedom. Do not use your freedom as an opportunity

159
00:09:44,559 --> 00:09:48,240
Speaker 2: to sin serve one another, for the entire law is

160
00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:51,880
Speaker 2: truly fulfilled in these words. You shall love your neighbor

161
00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:55,640
Speaker 2: as yourself. But if you insist on devouring one another,

162
00:09:55,760 --> 00:10:00,199
Speaker 2: take heed, lest you all consume yourselves into oblivion. If

163
00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:02,440
Speaker 2: you keep in step with the Spirit, you will have

164
00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:05,560
Speaker 2: no need of laws, for He will guide you. For

165
00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:08,640
Speaker 2: the desires of the spirit will oppose the flesh, for

166
00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:15,520
Speaker 2: the fruit of the flesh is obvious. Fits of rage, rivalries, division, envy, drunkenness, selfish,

167
00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:19,960
Speaker 2: sexual gratification, jealousy, idolatry, and all sorts of rage that

168
00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:23,520
Speaker 2: break instead of build. But the fruit of the spirit

169
00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:30,920
Speaker 2: is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and

170
00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:34,360
Speaker 2: self control. If you have these things, you have no

171
00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:38,640
Speaker 2: need of law. Yet we all fail, we all fall

172
00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:42,280
Speaker 2: in some way. So let us restore one another in gentleness.

173
00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:46,200
Speaker 2: If anyone is caught in sin, let us help bear

174
00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:49,600
Speaker 2: one another's burdens, and take heed of your heart. For

175
00:10:49,679 --> 00:10:52,440
Speaker 2: whoever thinks they have reached the heights of holiness are

176
00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:55,720
Speaker 2: sure to be brought low. Take care of one another.

177
00:10:56,520 --> 00:10:58,600
Speaker 2: As you can see, I have written this letter with

178
00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:01,560
Speaker 2: my own hand, for my eyesight is failing me, and

179
00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:05,320
Speaker 2: the words are large on the page. Understand these large

180
00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:08,400
Speaker 2: words of mine. Far be it from me to boast

181
00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:11,959
Speaker 2: except in the cross of Jesus Christ. From now on,

182
00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:15,400
Speaker 2: let no one cause anybody else to stumble. May the

183
00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:17,680
Speaker 2: grace of the Lord Jesus be upon you.

184
00:11:18,679 --> 00:11:19,040
Speaker 5: Amen.

185
00:11:21,679 --> 00:11:25,040
Speaker 3: We begin today's reading with Paul's surprise at how quickly

186
00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:28,040
Speaker 3: the believers in Galicia had lost the point of the Gospel,

187
00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:30,800
Speaker 3: and we're trying to add requirements to the grace of

188
00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:36,040
Speaker 3: God in Christ and subject themselves again to bondage. There

189
00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:39,280
Speaker 3: were Jews among them who insisted that believers needed to

190
00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:42,160
Speaker 3: also follow the requirements of the law in order to

191
00:11:42,200 --> 00:11:48,040
Speaker 3: be saved, and Paul is unequivocal in his words. Anything

192
00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:51,160
Speaker 3: different than the Gospel of God's grace through Christ and

193
00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:55,559
Speaker 3: Christ alone is a false gospel. To make this point

194
00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:59,320
Speaker 3: even stronger, Paul told them that even if an angel

195
00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:02,000
Speaker 3: were to come town down and give them a different gospel,

196
00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:06,720
Speaker 3: that angel would be cursed. The reminder to the Galatians

197
00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:10,200
Speaker 3: is ones that we should heed today as well. If

198
00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:12,960
Speaker 3: you try to add to the Gospel, whether you're subtracting

199
00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:15,200
Speaker 3: it or adding to it, you end up with a

200
00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:20,920
Speaker 3: lie is subtraction or its addition or subtraction by addition.

201
00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:25,079
Speaker 3: As Paul told these believers, he of all people would

202
00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:29,640
Speaker 3: know that following the law does not save, and to

203
00:12:29,720 --> 00:12:32,440
Speaker 3: be saved means to know God and to be forgiven

204
00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:35,960
Speaker 3: of sins and to know eternal life. So how is

205
00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:39,960
Speaker 3: one saved not by works of the law. Before his conversion,

206
00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:44,920
Speaker 3: he was an example of piety and zealousness among Jewish believers.

207
00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:48,360
Speaker 3: Paul knew the Law backwards and forwards, inside and out.

208
00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:51,840
Speaker 3: He followed it to the letter and even persecuted those

209
00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:56,120
Speaker 3: who preached the gospel he is now advancing. Paul argued

210
00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:59,240
Speaker 3: that if the law could have made him justified before God,

211
00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:02,840
Speaker 3: it will it hath, but it did not because the

212
00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:07,280
Speaker 3: law cannot save. His life was changed because he embraced

213
00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:10,360
Speaker 3: Jesus Christ as his Lord and savior in God's grace

214
00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:14,240
Speaker 3: in order to save him. He then gave the example

215
00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:17,200
Speaker 3: of Titus, a gentile, a Greek man who came to

216
00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:19,960
Speaker 3: faith in Christ and joined Paul and Barnabas on their

217
00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:24,080
Speaker 3: missionary journey. There were Jewish believers who tried to impose

218
00:13:24,120 --> 00:13:27,880
Speaker 3: the burden of circumcision and Jewish law on Titus, but

219
00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:30,840
Speaker 3: Paul defended him and refused to let him be subject

220
00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:33,960
Speaker 3: to the bondage of legalism, which would strip away the

221
00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:38,760
Speaker 3: power of the Gospel. Paul even confronted Peter, an apostle

222
00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:41,839
Speaker 3: and the leader of the church. Paul had witnessed Peter

223
00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:45,520
Speaker 3: eating with gentiles when Jews were not around, but separating

224
00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:50,000
Speaker 3: himself from them when Jews were present. By his hypocritical actions,

225
00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:54,000
Speaker 3: Peter was creating a division between Jews and Gentiles, and

226
00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:58,120
Speaker 3: this was inconsistent with the Gospel. Not only that it

227
00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:01,480
Speaker 3: was robbing the Gospel of its power. Paul called on

228
00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:05,240
Speaker 3: Peter to examine his own life and to experience the

229
00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:08,600
Speaker 3: freedom in Christ, the freedom that we have because of

230
00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:11,240
Speaker 3: what Christ has done, not because of what the Law

231
00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:15,240
Speaker 3: has done. If Peter could enjoy his freedom, how could

232
00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:19,800
Speaker 3: he not allow others to experience that same freedom in Christ.

233
00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:23,440
Speaker 3: It takes courage to stand up for the truth, especially

234
00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:27,080
Speaker 3: when a leader may be more mature and yet is

235
00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:29,640
Speaker 3: wrong and acting in a way that undermines the power

236
00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:32,920
Speaker 3: of the Gospel. Paul was willing to confront Peter for

237
00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:35,960
Speaker 3: the sake of the advancement of Jesus Christ and the

238
00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:40,280
Speaker 3: message of the Gospel. Paul's example is one of encouragement

239
00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:43,400
Speaker 3: for all of us to stand boldally and courageously for

240
00:14:43,480 --> 00:14:47,320
Speaker 3: the truth of God's word and the power of God's message.

241
00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:51,600
Speaker 3: And as Paul continued his letter, he reminded the Galatians

242
00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:56,000
Speaker 3: just what that truth is. Justification does not come from

243
00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:59,600
Speaker 3: our human efforts, but by faith, and the object of

244
00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:02,480
Speaker 3: our faith faith is Jesus. It is our faith in

245
00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:05,720
Speaker 3: Christ that makes us righteous, not our works. To bring

246
00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:08,360
Speaker 3: this point home, Paul said that if the law made

247
00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:12,720
Speaker 3: people righteous, then Jesus died for nothing. Why then, if

248
00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:15,960
Speaker 3: we have righteousness through faith in Christ and Christ alone,

249
00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:19,840
Speaker 3: would these Galatians look to the Law to make them righteous.

250
00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:24,800
Speaker 3: Paul then pointed back to the first patriarch, to Abraham himself,

251
00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:29,240
Speaker 3: to explain that righteousness by faith is nothing new. Righteousness

252
00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:34,120
Speaker 3: has always come through faith, not works. Abraham believes God,

253
00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:37,960
Speaker 3: and his faith was credited to him as righteous. The

254
00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:40,720
Speaker 3: Law was not given to make people righteous, but as

255
00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:43,600
Speaker 3: a guardian, a guide, a teacher, until the time when

256
00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:47,760
Speaker 3: Christ came to set all people free, not only Jews,

257
00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:52,080
Speaker 3: but people of all nations. Listen to what Paul writes

258
00:15:52,080 --> 00:15:55,040
Speaker 3: in Galatians three twenty five to twenty eight about what

259
00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:59,200
Speaker 3: Jesus has done for us. These are powerful words. But

260
00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:02,280
Speaker 3: now that faith has come, we are no longer under

261
00:16:02,280 --> 00:16:05,480
Speaker 3: a guardian. For in Christ Jesus, you are all sons

262
00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:08,840
Speaker 3: of God through faith. For as many of you as

263
00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:12,200
Speaker 3: were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is

264
00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:16,040
Speaker 3: neither Jew nor Greek. There is neither slave nor free.

265
00:16:16,480 --> 00:16:19,520
Speaker 3: There is no male and female, for you are all

266
00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:25,040
Speaker 3: one in Christ Jesus. Don't miss how profound this statement is.

267
00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:28,720
Speaker 3: We are the children of God. We are the sons

268
00:16:28,760 --> 00:16:31,560
Speaker 3: and daughters of God, heirs to the promises of Christ.

269
00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:36,480
Speaker 3: We have been adopted into His eternal family, God's forever family,

270
00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:39,680
Speaker 3: and it's all because of what Jesus has done for us.

271
00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:44,240
Speaker 3: This adoption means that we are truly free and favored

272
00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:47,520
Speaker 3: by God. Paul calls the Galatians to not walk away

273
00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:50,360
Speaker 3: from this freedom, but rather to walk in it. It

274
00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:54,080
Speaker 3: is a freedom to love and serve god fully. But

275
00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:58,160
Speaker 3: Paul knew also he needed to caution against misunderstanding this freedom.

276
00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:01,000
Speaker 3: Our freedom in Christ is not license to live in

277
00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:03,840
Speaker 3: sin as we please. It is a freedom to live

278
00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:07,000
Speaker 3: by God's grace in the power of his Spirit. He

279
00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:09,760
Speaker 3: then explained what it looks like to live by God's Spirit,

280
00:17:10,160 --> 00:17:13,200
Speaker 3: giving us the fruit of the spirit, love and joy,

281
00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:17,000
Speaker 3: and peace and patience and kindness and goodness and faithfulness

282
00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:20,600
Speaker 3: and gentleness and self control. All of this flows out

283
00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:24,560
Speaker 3: of a life committed to follow Jesus Christ. The work

284
00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:27,640
Speaker 3: of the Holy Spirit is to fuel us for godly

285
00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:31,080
Speaker 3: living and to fill us that we might produce the

286
00:17:31,119 --> 00:17:34,000
Speaker 3: fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is

287
00:17:34,119 --> 00:17:38,760
Speaker 3: Christ's likeness, and he reproduces himself in us by the

288
00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:42,760
Speaker 3: power and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Finally, Paul

289
00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:46,960
Speaker 3: concludes by acknowledging that we will fail, and he impressed

290
00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:50,360
Speaker 3: upon the Galatians that they must support and encourage one

291
00:17:50,359 --> 00:17:54,159
Speaker 3: another and bear one another's burdens. The Christian life was

292
00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:56,840
Speaker 3: never meant to be lived alone. It was true then

293
00:17:57,200 --> 00:18:00,440
Speaker 3: and it's true today. Dear God, we thank you for

294
00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:03,560
Speaker 3: this powerful letter that Paul gave to the Galatians and

295
00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:06,359
Speaker 3: to us. We are so grateful that we are not

296
00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:09,560
Speaker 3: saved by our own works, because we could only fail,

297
00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:12,600
Speaker 3: but by your grace, through your cross, in the power

298
00:18:12,680 --> 00:18:15,720
Speaker 3: of your resurrection, we are saved from our sins. You

299
00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:19,080
Speaker 3: live in our lives, and we can live forever with you,

300
00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:22,800
Speaker 3: all because of Christ. God, help us to walk in

301
00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:25,399
Speaker 3: the fullness, in the freedom, in the favor that you

302
00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:28,000
Speaker 3: have given us in Christ. And may we live to

303
00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:33,000
Speaker 3: humbly serve you and point others to your Son. In Jesus' name. Amen,

304
00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:36,480
Speaker 3: thank you for listening once again to the Bible in

305
00:18:36,520 --> 00:18:40,359
Speaker 3: a year podcast. I'm Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas, pastor

306
00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:43,880
Speaker 3: of Prestonwood Baptist Church. You can download the Prey dot

307
00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:47,439
Speaker 3: Com app and make prayer and Bible study a priority

308
00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:50,280
Speaker 3: in your life. And if you are enjoying this podcast,

309
00:18:50,359 --> 00:18:53,159
Speaker 3: please let others know share it with someone else so

310
00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:56,600
Speaker 3: that they can also join our journey with Jesus through

311
00:18:56,640 --> 00:19:00,399
Speaker 3: the scriptures. God bless you and thank you for join us.

312
00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:09,120
Speaker 4: This episode is sponsored by Meta Share, an innovative health

313
00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:13,440
Speaker 4: care solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.

314
00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:19,760
Speaker 5: Hello, I'm doctor Tony Evans, and I'm excited to have

315
00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:24,480
Speaker 5: you join me on this new podcast. Heroes in the Bible.

316
00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:25,280
Speaker 4: Come to me.

317
00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:29,919
Speaker 2: Boy, you and your God will crumble beneath my feet.

318
00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:32,359
Speaker 1: He beckoned the giant and said.

319
00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:34,840
Speaker 4: I come to you in the name of the Lord

320
00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:37,480
Speaker 4: of Hosts and creator of the stars.

321
00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:40,560
Speaker 5: You know, we all have giants that we face in

322
00:19:40,600 --> 00:19:43,560
Speaker 5: our life, and when you understand that the greatness of

323
00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:47,840
Speaker 5: God affects our ability to handle the giants of life,

324
00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:52,679
Speaker 5: it will encourage, inspire, and challenge all of us to

325
00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:56,000
Speaker 5: our faith in God and our growth in Jesus. Christ.

326
00:19:56,400 --> 00:20:01,119
Speaker 4: Look past his height and appearance. Samuel Man sees the

327
00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:05,240
Speaker 4: outward appearance. They see the strength of the man's arms,

328
00:20:05,560 --> 00:20:07,720
Speaker 4: but the Lord looks into the heart.

329
00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:10,800
Speaker 5: Listen to Heroes in the Bible with Doctor Tony Evans

330
00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:16,560
Speaker 5: on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get

331
00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:17,480
Speaker 5: your podcast