Your Declaration of Independence [Part 1]

Pastor author and Bible teacher Alan Wright. This is an incredible golf when you talk about grace like that is so exciting. But somebody's always goes, I will live in the long Pastor Alan Wright welcome to another message of good views that will help you see your life will Dino Britt excited for you to hear the teaching today. In this series Galatians is presented at renewal the church in North Carolina able to stay with us throughout the entire program I want to make sure you know how to get our special resource right now.

It can be yours for your donation this month made to Alan Wright ministry. So as you listen to today's message go deeper as we send you today special offer. Contact us Pastor Alan.org at Pastor Alan.org or call 877-544-4860 877-544-4860. More on this later in the program. Now let's get started with today's teaching here is Alan Wright are you ready for some good days, your free in Jesus Christ Ben Franklin was known for many things, not least of which his wit, he wrote in the days leading up to the Revolutionary war. He said we have an old mother that peevish is grown she snubs us like children that scarcely walk alone. She forgets were grown up and have sense of our own.

The old mother of course, England, King George III in all his governmental ministers didn't believe that the colonists were grown up and capable of ruling themselves. That's what it boiled down to even William Pitt was a friend of America wrote of England's relationship to the colony saying this is the mother country.

They are the children.

They must obey and we prescribe something inside every child's heart says he's growing is growing up that recognizes that I need parental government and my life and that we need to learn to obey parents and we don't know enough family week and yet it while you're growing. There's also something in your heart that is yearning for the freedom of some sort of independence you were made for something more than just being mothered your whole life long year to be mothered but so you could be released as a free human being to love to live in the leave a legacy in this world. Every single one of us is yearning for freedom and this is what we're celebrating in America this Fourth of July a week and we remember the price as by which this happen.

I love this quote from Thomas Jefferson that believe me, dear Sir, there is not in the British Empire. A man will cordially love the union with Great Britain than I do, but by the God that made me, I will cease to exist before I yield to a connection on such terms as the British Parliament proposed and in this I think I speak the sentiments of America that's in November 1775. What he's saying is that there is something that is so important that is demanding within the soul of a man or a woman and demanding, and the soul of a people or a nation that while we long for there to be unity and cooperation even as it was with Jefferson and his understanding of the British Empire, not to the point of that you serve over me in any tyrannical way, or any way that limits and does not release me into my full freedom and the fruition of my life because we were made for freedom. We were made to come into this world and be prisoners. We were made to come into this world and always be under a guardian.

We were made to be free mature human beings. And so it was that we celebrate this week of this magnificent document that begins when in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impelled them to the separation we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This declaration comes to the end, we realize that it is exactly as we call it a declaration we, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in Gen. Congress, assembled, appealing to the supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these United colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved and it is free and independent states they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor. The declaration of independence because there is not only a yearning in the human breast for freedom. But even when you know that you are made to be free that you ought to be free and you're ready to behave as a free person. There is something that is essential about declaring such freedom. I want to invite you today and the sort of your spiritual declaration of independence for Paul's letter to the Galatians, which some have called the Magna Carta of the Christian gospel could also be thought of as our Declaration of Independence and announcement of freedom. The good news is that Paul is sharing is that we are not under the law in Christ and he is articulating what that mean and today within a pick up. Galatians chapter 3 in verse 15 we are in an unhurried study going all the way through Galatians and today I want to simply go through this text and began to try to explain what Paul is saying about the role of the law about the nature of our freedom in Christ and then invite you into a declaration of what it means for you to have your freedom in Christ and to literally say that together there's power in it. We've been learning in Galatians that Paul will not budge on this point that we are saved by grace through faith by no works or merit of our own at all, and most Christians that I know just like these Christians in the Galatian provinces in the first century is not that they and rejecting Christ.

It is that we tend to have our faith contaminated by a little bit of legalism and what Paul is essentially saying it to the Galatians, who were being taught that in addition to Christ that to be fully in the full Christian, you also needed to practice Jewish ceremonial laws like circumcision or policy and is it it is is no. If you add even if it's like 1% of legalism into our gospel.

You not only diluted you poison it. You turn it into something not only that is not powerful to affect change in the way God has has designed the gospel of Jesus Christ to do but you introduce an unlimited potential for fear because as soon as you add to the cross and resurrection of the Lord Jesus your own righteousness in any measure, even only be one part of 100 even it will be one part of the thousand, you will never know when you've done enough, and the accuser Satan himself will use this point to taught to to to tyrannize to condemn so what Paul is saying is that your freedom and Christ is not only an announcement of some good news. Hey, you're free and you're forgiven, but this is the power of God under salvation. The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and we been learning about this and in recent weeks. What we've been saying is it Paul ingeniously begins to speak to these Jewish readers by appealing to their love of being sons of Abraham. They are the Jewish people, the sons of Abraham because God called Abraham and gave him a promise and said you'll be a father and a father of a nation it back your descendents to be more numerous than the stars in the sky. If you could count them and so genealogically the Jewish people would see them. So as we descended from Abraham and therefore were set apart were special and were sons of Abraham, and in what what is happening to Galatian provinces is that the laws of Moses. Ceremonial laws like circumcision had been taught and so people were now taking Mosaic law as if it superseded the promises that were given to Abraham so very ingeniously. Paul, under the unction of the Holy Spirit here begins to speak to them at this point of connection about being sons of Abraham, and he because described that would really it is to be a son of Abraham is something that far transcends a bloodline that when God made a promise to Abraham that his seed would be blast what Paul to show us today as it is ultimately referring to Jesus Christ so that whoever accepts Christ by faith is in Christ and therefore if you're in Christ, you are figuratively in Abraham's redefining what it means, therefore, to be a son of Abraham. We pick up reading here in Galatians chapter 3 verse 15 for a text that is of critical importance in understanding the role of the law and the supremacy of grace challenge right will have more teaching in a moment from today's important series an option for 99 days in a row. Someone tells you, I love you my letter for Satan.

When you feel cherished.

The what would happen if I'm hundred vaccine person inside Mashantucket enough.

Any measure abound. The Colletti anymore. When that one day contaminate the meaning of the other 99 days when 1% of conditional love poison.

The other 99% which is 1% of lies enough to spoil grace instead of locking introduce an unlimited capacity for fear if I don't measure up. When my having rejected when the Judaizers infiltrated the Galatian church.

They pass Apollo is outraged and read a letter that describes the essence of the gospel of grace and why it must not be mixed with any form of Alan Wright's 12 message idea series trumpets the power of the gospel in order to set you free, and power you share grace. It's called Galatians and asked the gospel discover the purity and power the grace of God. When you make your gift to Alan Wright ministry said I will send you Pastor Alan's messages in an attractive CDR pump with your digital download as our way of saying thanks for your partnership, six 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website Pastor Alan.like today's teaching now continues here once again is Alan writing verse 15 of Galatians chapter 3 to give a human example brothers. Even with a man-made covenant. No one knows it or adds to it once it has been ratified. Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring.

It does not say and offsprings referring to many but referring to one and to your offspring, who is Christ. This is what I mean the law, which came 430 years afterwards does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God so as to make the promise void. For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise, but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.

Why then the law it was added because of transgressions, until offspring should come to whom the promise had been made. It was put in place through angels by an intermediary non-intermediary implies more than one but God is one, is the law then contrary to the promises of God. Certainly not for if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith Abraham, about 2000 years before Christ and then Moses, about 1500 years before Christ. The promise that was given to Abraham.

Paul is saying came way before the Mosaic law. So however you understand this, Paul seems to be saying you must put an end to the big sweep of redemptive history. I cannot over emphasize this that when you read your Bible when you listen to a message when you establish your logical framework in life, however important it may be to memorize individual portions of Scripture and look at certain promises and claimants of our important that may be the, the whole of Scripture is one big story and the most important thing you can know about reading your Bible and understanding all of it is it is all one big story. It is what theologians call a metanarrative. What this means is that Genesis and Exodus and Leviticus are absolutely related to the Psalms, which are also absolutely related to the gospel which are absolutely related to the epistles is all part of an unfolding story. In fact, the uncanny thing about the Bible is that there were so many different people writing in so many different eras of time, all under the unction of one spirit and it comes together is one big story that's always the most amazing thing about the Bible is what Paul is doing is he's putting this into this framework of Abraham and Moses and Christ, and he sees demonstrating this promise and Abraham came 500 years before the Mosaic law. Okay, so what ever you want to say about the law.

Start with this. Paul is saying the law, which came after the promise cannot nullify the promise because God's promises will never be nullified. This is where he compares any saying at verse 15 to give human example me another way to put this, he might just say let me just give you an everyday example, brothers, and he says like with a man-made covenant and the word here really is for like will or testament. So that's the image I think it's here not like with like any man's will. No one knows or adds to it once it has been ratified what he saying is that God made a covenant with Abraham and spoke to hands we see in Genesis 12 in Genesis 15 that I'm going to bless you.

You're gonna be blessed, and you're going to be a blessing in all the world can be blessed through you will make your name great and he spoke of this this unilateral unequivocal powerful promise to Abram.

It was like issuing a a a statement of the will of what your inheritance is what Paul is saying to the Galatians is that when someone has written out there will and it is ratified and we know that course you could change your will with you will why you're still living but once the testator dies in the will is executed, no matter how much somebody might wish that you would have changed it. Nobody can change it at that point. So when you fill out your will and you leave at least 10% during all the church and after you go to be with Jesus and we're celebrating that 10% and then somebody in your family come. This is not 10% shutdown of the chart we say well we can't change it now.

The will has already been ratified already been executed so just use an everyday example icing. Even in human contractual or covenantal arranges like a will. What is executed and ratified, you can go back and change in a say in how much more so with God. God spoke a covenantal like a will and testament to Abraham. So what ever you want to understand about the law, you must understand this, the promise of God's grace came first, and it stands nothing will undo this so the law that came through Moses. However, you're going understand it Paul saying you must see it not as standing in contradiction to superseding diminishing or diluting any of the promise that was given to Abraham. It must be something different. You must be misunderstanding. It Galatian Christians. If you think you need to go back somehow let this supersede the promise came first, God always been a God of grace and his redemptive plan has always been one of mercy and is always been through this seed, Jesus Christ. So establishing that this is the beginning point of it. Then he moves on here to say in verse 19 why then the law and this is what everybody wants to ask if soon as you start talking about grace and were saved by God's grace and were justified by God's grace through faith and to be justified means it's just as if I'd never send and it means more than that, it means is just as if I had lived a meritorious life like Jesus. It means that I am forgiven, not by my merit, but by Jesus is and it means that I am rewarded not by my merit, but by Jesus Christ. This is an incredible gospel and when you talk about grace like that is just so exciting. But somebody is always goes, I will why then the law that's Paul's question to answer any answers that here is explicitly is anyplace in the New Testament. Why then the law verse 19 it was added because of transgressions, until the offspring that that singular seed should come to whom the promise had been made. The law was added because of transgressions, he says elsewhere and Romans.

The law essentially serves this initial important function that lets you know what San is it let you know about the problem. It's a good thing if you got a problem and you discover that it's a problem it's a bad thing. If there's something that is destroying you and you don't even know it. When writing today's teaching your declaration of dependence.

Alan is back in a moment with additional insight on this for your life in our final word today stick with us the power of blessing your life, discover God's grace filled vision for your life by signing rights, free daily bless your heart with grace and encouragement. Alan writes a daily blessing.

It's free. Just a click away. Pastor Alan got away.

Send unconditional love and the other 99% will just 1% of lies enough to spoil grace instead of locking introducing unlimited capacity for fear if I don't measure up. When my having rejected when the Judaizers infiltrated the Galatian church. They pass Apollo is outraged and read a letter that describes the essence of the gospel of grace and why it must not be mixed with any form of Alan writes 12 message idea series trumpets the power of the gospel in order to set you free empower you with care grace. It's called Galatians and asked the gospel discover the purity and power the grace of God.

When you make your gift Alan Wright ministry said I will send you Pastor Alan's message as an attractive CD album with your digital download as our way of saying thanks for your partnership. Call us at 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website. Pastor Alan.like Alan. As we continue in our series on Galatians and said teaching the reporting the part right here for it so your Declaration of Independence is their realization that we come to, and we we would put some focus on what we say.

You know what I am blessed I am here there's a declaration being made when when you really see the gospel deeply, you realize it offers you a life of grace and promise and faith, not of law, and curse and works, and I think what Paul is saying to the Galatians and in the reason for this. The title of this message is that we are called to declare the freedom that is yours. This is my Declaration of Independence in Christ. I am ready. I'm not under law no longer a guilty prisoner under guard, I'm free. I'm no longer a foolish child under a guardian on free and free to live love and to leave a legacy and free to enjoy God follow God.

Obey God and be filled with God nothing is a good thing Daniel did just even if you don't feel it yet say it and sometimes if you say it and think on and off, then eventually your feelings will match but this is who we are in Christ were free. Today's good news message is a listener supported production Alan Wright Ministries