Ruling Out the Law

What is the law supposed to do. Listen as Paul writes to the early church in Galatia. Therefore, the law is or has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we might be justified by faith law is to sort of guard us, as it were, and lead us to make sure we end up were supposed to me and where are we supposed to may, at the foot of the cross is to tutor us to the truth of justification comes by faith, not by law to a stranger asked died tonight.

Why would God let you into heaven will if you've done that that person probably responded with something like I'm a good person, I've never murdered anyone or committed adultery or robbed a bank. Many people today believe the misconception that being good enough that keeping the law will get them into heaven, and that's not true.

The law is a tutor that points us to our need for the gospel were going to explore that truth today here on wisdom for the heart. Steven David brings this message called ruling out the law man would chase national Bank city. He was going to get a loan for $600 so I went to the smallest department and waited in line was given the papers and fill all the papers out the forms were completed and signed handed them to the teller teller costs for little bit, looking at a $600 loan request and then said excuse me for just about any disappeared was gone.

1012 minutes. Everyone standing in line was wondering what was going on. They were growing impatient about the point at which they were to say something. Suddenly the teller appeared through the door again. This time with him. The bank president also appeared in trailing along behind him. Other members of the board that the newspaper reporters soon shuffled and cameras were flashing in this man found that something rather unusual about his loan request, the day before the officers had recognized that the following day would be a time when the small loans department would reach its 1 billion smart loan so they want to make a special PR event and they decided as a board that whoever came in when that moment was reached that the bank would give him or her what they were asking to borrow as a gift so they handed that man a check for $600. I'm sure you've been him. If I were him I would've that it is zero or two, thinking I really meant $60,000 but 600 no strings attached and the president asked if he could have his picture taken with the man. It was right in the New York newspapers.

The following day the bank had chosen in a sense to reverse the laws of lending and make this man, the recipient instead of a gift. He hadn't earned it didn't necessarily deserve it chase national Bank said to the man look were going to take your dad and cover it by our account.

We can handle it out of our vast resources and you never have to pay anything. Turn that gift. Of course, not having any strings attached was not based upon some promise by this man to continue banking with but I can imagine that for the rest of this man's life. He banked with Jason national Bank. I didn't read of any promise on this man's part to be nice to the president of the bank. Although I'm sure that he told everybody what a great guy. That president was sure that the man didn't promise either to bring more clients to do their banking would chase national Bank. Although I'm convinced that for the rest of this man's life. He told people about that wonderful bank down the street only had to do was receive from the vast billion dollar resources of that bank $600. Is it any wonder that to this day the grace of God still catches us off guard. I want to remind you that Abraham is will see and have seen is not being offered a measly 600 bucks he was being offered everlasting life in the inheritance of the universe is will see. Imagine the inheritance of the cosmonauts. The Greek word used all there is is Abraham in Christ how you win a gift like that how you get in on that. I gave it you know all these things where you can win something for free Hardee's as an adult I have never won anything for free. I'm gotten a little card and scratch the grading coffin of underneath supposed to be the prize in this is sorry play get sorry play get screwed Off the bottle and it says sorry try again or never known person I know that really ever want anything significant were talking about my father-in-law.

My mom and pop were traveling up to Detroit to see is from Alanna when we were in school there for a few years and they stop the little town on the way up and went in to purchase their lunch and got the card and scratch think often life father-in-law actually one of three Atari anybody here old enough to know what it Atari seminar was the beginning of it all. Manny also one with that of the game. He became unbeatable impact our vacations would never be the same. My goal was to get close and never could. He wanted it was free. That really free, at least buys lunch to have a chance to play. But still, that isn't too much of a stretch. I will think to think that somebody for a few dollars could win something like that would be worth more but inheriting the universe winning the prize of everlasting life. When that will for the first part of chapter 4 as we have seen Paula spend most of his time telling us how we do not limit he has exposed and will expose three different ways that do not gain the gift of eternal life.

First of all, we have studied in verses 1 to 8.

You know when it by completing righteous deeds. He writes in Romans four, verse two for if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. Secondly, you win the prize by conformity to religious ritual verses 9 to 12 circumcision you can phone your baptism or church membership or whatever you want part of verse nine. Work Paul says Abraham is the father of all believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be reckoned to them. In other words, it isn't by means of religious ritual now third and will study today. Paul will go on to expose the the error on the delusion of believing that you can win the prize by keeping religious rules and regulations. Paul is basically going to remove the last crop the people naturally lean on anyway. The belief that they are going to somehow by keeping the rules. Whatever the rules may be rules. Perhaps they've even made up that they'll somehow get into heaven so notice with me now as Paul continues in chapter 4 verse 13 for the promise to Abraham or to his descendents that he would be heir of the cosmonauts was not through the law but through the righteousness of faith.

Key phrases found in the words not through the law. The article in the text. The before the law or the law is absent in the Greek text us. Paul is speaking of law in general law in general around the world that corresponds by its truth and objectivity to the nature and character of God, and this was important. By the way, because the Gentiles might've come to this thing thing you will weaving in the law. To begin with. So were really out.

We can depend on, the Jews had nobody would say they been perfect. They've missed the mark somewhere. Paul writes, Abraham and everybody else has been given in verse 13. The inheritance of the world, the universe, not by keeping the law but truly says in the text through the righteousness of faith. That is the righteousness of Christ imputed to the account of the center places her faith in God's redemptive plan in person. Now Paul is going to go on to say in these next few phrases. If you get a trust in the law, you need to understand a couple of very important things about the law number one. Those who trust in the law refuse then the free gift. He writes in verse 14 for if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified. In other words, of God promises the inheritance to those apart from the works of the law isn't given then to those who try to keep the law and those who try to keep the law are nullifying the fact that God is just promises to freaking you cannot accept a free gift and at the same time Sam award for you not understand supposed by way of another illustration that I told you that after the services that I have got to where my truck is parked just off the ministration buildings really the only good looking truck in the parking lot.

You'll see blue ice anomaly giveaways a free gift and so you know to three people shot not be thousands of people would show up because they want that Dragon I just watch everybody for Mennonite pick somebody out and I hope my keys out of town to pick you this truck is is a free gift to go they be stunned. Of course, change your life forever. But does the reaching out for the keys. As I pulled back and I said no. Remember this church.

No been baptized. No are you involved in some kind of ministry. This church no to give financially to this church. No person my truck, afraid to say archer I would know what II made a promise but to be awfully tough to tell you that give them the truck. Well, if I gave him the truck on the basis of those things that he or she promised to do the truck would not be free to be earned by requirements of those religious activities which are all wonderful would nullify the promise of a free gift and make it void Paul's point here I want to listen very carefully. You cannot accept the free gift of salvation and at the same time pay for. That means ladies and gentlemen, the implication of that according what Paul is just said is that there are millions of people her own country who are unsaved who think they are saved would have been to see because they think they have received it at the same time you're trying to pay for.

Paul says that if the promise is given by the law will find its mainline can only get it for free. What you listen to what the lay pastor and Bible expositor doll Greg Barnhouse said about people believe or say. But who in fact been deceived by mixing grace with works.

There is a category of people who will be absent from heaven who perhaps will be the angriest at their exclusion. These are those who say they believe that Jesus Christ is God's salvation is by his death upon the cross, who believe in miracles, sin, and the inspiration of Scripture. But to add some condition to salvation. Other than that of unmerited grace. There are those who are Orthodox is to the person and work of Christ to add. For example, that in addition to faith, one must observe Saturday is the Sabbath. There are still others who are Orthodox as to the person and work of Christ, but who hold that the waters of baptism take away original sin. I believe Barnhouse wrote that the church is honeycombed with such false believers who have adopted a mental attitude of acceptance of the Orthodox position of the person of Christ and the fact that he is the one and only Savior, but who in fact fuse to turn away from everything that is of the flesh and of the law in order to be saved by Christ alone. These constitute perhaps the greatest number of the tears which resemble true. We of the real children of the kingdom of God. While could it be true. Consider how many people will stand before the Lord one day on the day of judgment be cast into hell. The first remind him that they prophesied in miracles and wonders and served in the name of Jesus Christ, but there will be those, perhaps, that among that group who are self deceived into thinking that by prophesying and by serving and by doing miracles and by living in the name of Christ. They have somehow earned Meredith all deceived. Jesus will see. I never knew you.

Verse 14 of those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified. Secondly, Paul will continue.

Not only is trusting in the law nullifying act of the free gift, but trusting in the law requires a penalty for lawbreakers and this is the logic of this master theologian, notice what he says in verse 15 he writes for the law brings about wrath, but where there is no law. Neither is there violation.

Now we get to what he means in amenability to what he doesn't mean it doesn't mean here that without a record of all there's no such thing as sin. What he means is that without a record of all there's no violation. According to that law towards learning this way. Number of years ago I was traveling on the autobahn and Europe with some missionaries traveling well over 100 miles an hour thinking to myself this is the way to travel, and we were passed by the way by cars and guys on motorcycles like we were standing still amazing.

None of us broke the law was not stated as to speed limit.

A few years ago I was a Harley-Davidson in Africa and I was racing down that dirt airstrip used by the missionary pilots nudging that bike up to nearly 60 miles an hour without a helmet on. I did not break the law. I was idiotic but I did not break any law because there's no helmet law in West Africa, the Jewish reader here is depending on getting into heaven because he happens to know the law.

Paul's point is that you guys have it, you have the speed limit, you have the helmet law you know what God requires of your heart. You've got the law you think you got people of the law. Listen, he says, in effect, that law which you are depending upon for salvation is actually going to turn around and condemn you because you have broken the Jew wasn't supposed to hope in the law wasn't there prop wasn't there. Hope how foolish the thing they hoped and would condemn them because they had broken what is the law supposed to do. Listen as Paul writes to the early church in Galatia.

Therefore, the law is or has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we might be justified by faith.

Well, what's the purpose of the law. The law is to to sort of guard us, as it were, and lead us to make sure we end up were supposed to be and where are we supposed to be at the foot of the cross is to tutor us to the truth of justification comes by faith and not by law. Law generally cannot cleanse your guilt can only really good your guilty law can't dispense mercy can just tell you you need mercy.

The law can't save. It is only a tutor showing you the need that you have for a Savior, the law is like a hallway mirror and you walk by and you look at it and you stop and you realize you got it cleaned something on your face or or calm your hair or straighten your shirt or blouse or jacket or whatever, but that mirror will never reach out and help you it will never comb your hair. Sure blouse or jacket or straighten your tie can do that it can only reveal to you that your mess and you need help. The law is like the bathroom scales by not meddling here at this particular illustration for those scales never do anything to tell you what you need never help you law is is an x-ray machine. It can only reveal the disease they can only show you the broken hearts can heal you now for the good news now and the closing argument. This great attorney like comes to the summation of his argument in verse 16 and says for this reason, in other words based on everything that we have studied in everything that you have seen and heard everything. I just explain regarding the inability of righteous deeds and religious ritual and rules and regulations of law. Being unable to save.

For that reason, he goes on to say this, look at the text. It is by what is by faith, in order that I may be in accordance with what grace so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendents only to those are of the law but also to those are of the faith of Abraham, who was the father of us all. In other words, law is overruled by three wonderful truths. Those are the three words I just emphasize you want to underline them in your text.

The first is the word faith that is trusting in what Christ alone can do for you.

The other word is grace that is receiving no undeserving the merit of Christ on your behalf, and the third word is promise that is believing that which Christ guarantees for you. So salvation is that simple. It is by means of faith in the gracious promise of God who guarantees his word, that word promise there I thought about spending an entire session on that is a wonderful word to me just quickly touch on other least two Greek words for promise's wonderful thing about the Greek language as it is so expressive. There are some very expressive words in the Greek language for this one English word, promise. One is the word, who posts Casas. It is the word which refers to a promise based upon conditions. It's a promise based upon something in return is the person is as I promise to do this if you will promise to do that. That's not the word used here, of course, God did not tell Abraham I promise to do this for you. You promise to do that. The other word for promise is the word upon galea which is the word for an unconditional promise that emanates simply from the goodness of the heart of the person who is making the promise and that is the word used in verse 16 and also you can circle the word in verse 13 as well where he talks about the promise to Abraham. It is the same word.

In other words, the promise of salvation is unconditional is delivered simply because of the goodness of the heart of God and the question would be, then, can God fail to keep his word. If a promise is only as good. Even the unconditional one of the character of the one giving it. How secure are we in God's promise to us. We are as secure as his character, and how secure is that we are entirely eternally secure is based on my response after I receive it is based upon the goodness of his character. I usually have a little fun of wedding rehearsals that I conduct a change.

The words run a little bit as I have them work through them just in not having fun, but also to make the point that I hope they come back to and remember I did one sometime ago I was having the bride repeat after me as we practiced on the stage shy Monica take you to him. I get down there to that part right, especially for richer or for poorer, and I'll say, for richer or for richer, and course everybody sort of chuckles and the bride looks at me like United I lose my place and I want them to laugh a little bit of his later life might not be funny.

They might be as poor as dirt. The promise is just that it means there are any loopholes. The that the width of the spectrum from riches to poverty my vow remains the same. Repeat after me. I would say for better or for worse. Some women say later, but I did not get this worse.

You know that that's the breadth of that spectrum doesn't matter.

Remember the secret. I read this past week of one-woman Success Rd., Derek MacFarlane's grandmother on her 50th wedding anniversary was asked about her secret. She said well on my wedding day. I decided to choose 10 of my husband's false, which for the sake of our marriage I would overlook like this one a lot. One of the guests asked her to name the false typical. She replied to tell you the truth I never did get around to writing them down. But whenever my husband did something that made me hopping mad. I would say to myself. Lucky for him. That's one of the 10. I believe every Wi-Fi to do that. Amen and base sounding. Amen the valves that you made in front of some church or chapel are valves that you intended to keep.

That's why you you might have rented your tuxedo and you might've rented those really shiny black shoes, but you did not rent your wedding ring. You know, rent. But Abraham and everyone of you have been given a promise by God, who will never break his word. It doesn't depend upon your natural birth. Paul is explained in chapter 4, but your spiritual birth. This in a matter of national heritage but spiritual inheritance is not something you are born into. It is something you are born again into it is not the gospel of grace. It is the gospel of grace. Think for a minute the grace of Chase national Bank who gave to that unsuspecting customer that particular day. Do you think for a minute that they struggled over that amount of money to give to that man. I guarantee you they did it without breaking a sweat. They would spend more on that 10 times that a year just giving gifts away to people who client with my friend, do you think that God put heavens reservoir at risk when he erased your debt of sin do you think for a moment that that you had so much to be forgiven that God really stretched the limits of his grace in order to forgive his grace is great enough and deep enough to cover everything about you not only at that moment of salvation, but for the rest of your life.

It is a vast ocean, but drops as it were easy to promise does not depend upon the one receiving depends upon the one giving.

And for those of us who have received by faith promise independently of righteous deeds in our hands independently of religious rituals that we have done to our bodies with our bodies independently of anything related to what he is just talked about in terms of rules and regulations of law, we have simply come in by his deep, unfathomable grace, he is handed to you someone who is deeply in debt sin gift that erased all of the liability and frame your soul poured into your bankrupted heart the riches of his glory and his righteousness want to try to get in. By keeping the law, and nullify the promise in the end be shown that you couldn't keep it and you didn't keep. Instead, Paul summarizes just receive the gift by faith. This fast promise. The unconditional gift of grace for which over the law, God's grace actually made a way possible for us as we believe his promises simply by faith.

If you haven't done so.

Respond in faith to that gospel today your listing to wisdom for the heart with Stephen Devi. Today's lesson is called ruling out the law.

If you need help understanding the gospel we have a presentation on our website and our smart phone app called God's wisdom for your hearts. You'll find us online@wisdomonline.org wisdom international app is available in the iTunes and Google play stores and of course you can access the website and install the free of charge. I hope you'll do that today our number is 86 648 Bible 866-482-4253. Join us next time.

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