Verses 1-10
Paul, an apostle, sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father,
who raised him from the dead, and all the brothers with me.
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,
who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age,
according to the will of our God and Father,
to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ
and are turning to a different gospel, which is really no gospel at all.
Evidently, some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.
But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach a gospel other than the one we preach to you,
let him be eternally condemned.
As we have already said, so now I say again,
if anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you are accepted,
let him be eternally condemned.
Am I not now trying to win the approval of men or of God?
Or am I trying to please men?
If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Well, let's pray together.
Father, thank you for your word, the Bible.
Thank you that it is written in our language, that we have access to it.
Thank you that it speaks to us of your truth.
Truth we can trust.
Truth we can build our life upon.
Truth that brings life and life eternal.
And we ask, Holy Spirit of God, that you would give us understanding, not just with our minds,
but this truth about Jesus Christ alone,
would shape our hearts,
change us in a way that helps us see
that Jesus Christ is enough
for all life.
We pray this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, I have a little equation for you as we start.
That's not minus Christ, by the way.
That's a little bullet point, so forget about the minus.
But Christ plus what
equals salvation?
Christ plus what
equals salvation.
Or, think of it in this way.
If you died tonight
and you found yourself standing before God,
and God asked you,
why should I let you into my heaven,
what would you say to God?
What's going to be your answer?
Well, if your answer starts with something like this,
because I,
because I have been a good person,
because I contribute to society,
then you are not guaranteed salvation.
But if your answer goes something like this,
because Christ,
because Christ died for me,
because Christ took the blame for my sin,
then you are guaranteed salvation.
You see,
the answer to this equation is,
Christ plus nothing
equals salvation.
In other words,
we're saying that Christ is enough.
Christ is sufficient.
That's what we've been singing and thinking about this morning.
Our salvation is not what I do,
it's not my performance,
or my work,
but what Christ has done for us.
So have a look at the reading
in Galatians chapter 1,
verse 3.
Galatians 1, verse 3.
Grace and peace to you
from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ,
who gave himself for our sins
to rescue us from this present evil age
according to the will of our God and Father,
to whom be glory forever and ever.
Amen.
So in a very succinct way,
it's saying that Christ is sufficient.
What Christ has done is enough.
We've been thinking about the Reformation
and one of the Reformers,
Ulrich Zwingli, put it like this.
Through Christ alone,
we are given salvation,
blessedness,
grace,
pardon,
and all that makes us in any way
worthy or right
in the sight of a righteous God.
You see, if we're to try and earn our salvation,
it will only break us
and destroy us.
If we're living a life whereby we think
when we stand before God,
we answer something like this,
because I,
and it's all about what I do,
it will destroy you.
Martin Luther,
who we met last week,
one of the men responsible for the Reformation,
he started his young life out as a law student.
And in the grounds of the university
where he studied,
was a statue,
a great big statue of Jesus.
And in one hand,
Jesus is holding the weighing scales of justice.
And in the grip of his teeth
is the blade of a sword.
And this statue terrified Luther
as he walked through the university grounds.
He always felt like Christ was eyeballing him.
And it continually made him feel guilty
and under God's judgment.
Well, in fear of God's judgment,
Luther gave up studying law,
chucked it all in,
and he became a monk.
He hoped in some way
that this might please God
or he could somehow earn his acceptance
before God.
Reflecting back on his life many years later,
Luther wrote this.
He says,
I myself was a monk for 20 years.
I tortured myself with praying,
fasting,
keeping vigils,
and freezing.
The cold was enough to kill me.
So he would literally go out into the snow,
kneel down and pray in the freezing cold.
I inflicted upon myself such pain
as I would never inflict again,
even if I could.
He continued,
if any monk
ever got to heaven by monkery,
great little word that,
isn't it?
Then I should have made it.
If it lasted much longer,
I would have killed myself
with vigils,
praying,
reading,
and the other labours.
You see,
this young man,
Martin Luther,
tried to work
for his salvation
through praying,
through reading,
through all these different disciplines.
You see,
the church had been teaching him that,
yes,
Christ had died for our sins,
but it did not guarantee
your eternal salvation.
In fact,
the church taught
that you were somehow
suspended on the one hand
between the grace of God
and the judgment of God.
You swung between the two
depending on how good you were.
And the only way
to avoid God's judgment
at the end
was to work off your sins
through acts of confession
or receiving grace
through the sacraments
so that the more time
that you had communion
or mass,
well then,
the more likely
you were to be in favour
with God.
And Luther was so troubled
with his sins
that he spent hours
every day
in confession.
He feared
that he was overlooking
some sin
that he wasn't aware of.
At one point,
his superior,
who he used to go
confess to,
said this,
he was quite cross with him,
look here,
brother Martin,
if you are going
to confess so much,
why don't you do
something worth confessing?
Kill your mother
or father,
commit adultery,
stop coming in here
with such flumenry
or nonsense
and fake sins.
this man was plagued
so much with his guilt
that he was desperate
to try and find peace
with God.
But it wasn't until
he began to read
the scriptures
and study the Bible
for himself
that he came to see
that salvation
was guaranteed
not by his works,
but Christ's sufficient
work on the cross.
What he discovered
was not new,
it was a rediscovered truth
from the Bible.
By opening up the Bible
for himself
and reading what God
had said,
he came to see
it was all about
Jesus.
It's summarized like this,
it's in the news sheet,
you can read it there.
salvation
is according to
scripture alone,
maybe I have it here,
it is there,
salvation is according
to scripture alone
in Christ alone,
that's the part
we're going to look at today,
by grace alone,
through faith alone,
for the glory of God alone.
Of course,
this whole idea
of Christ plus works
or trying to earn
or work for your salvation
was nothing new.
The apostle Paul
had to confront it
in the church at Galatia,
which is why we read
from the beginning
of Galatians.
So let's turn there
to verse 6,
chapter 1,
verse 6.
Paul had come
to this church
in Galatia,
modern day Turkey,
and had been preaching
telling people
the good news
about Christ,
and it was just Christ
and nothing but Christ.
But something had happened.
Chapter 1,
verse 6.
He's writing to the church,
I am astonished
that you are so quickly
deserting the one
who called you
by the grace of Christ
and are turning
to a different gospel,
which is really
no gospel at all.
Evidently,
some people
are throwing you
into confusion
and are trying
to pervert
or twist
the gospel of Christ.
So there were people
who had heard
the good news
about Jesus,
but now they were
beginning to teach
the rest of the church.
So like a similar
situation to this,
the leader,
the pastor,
would stand up
and give a talk
and they were saying,
listen guys,
you've started
with Christ,
but Christ is not enough.
You need something more.
Christ will get you
so far,
but you need more
than that.
What you need to do is
you need to be
a good person.
You need to obey
everything that God
said in his laws.
So it was Christ
plus works
equals salvation.
Now this was far
too serious
to ignore.
So Paul writes
this whole letter
of Galatians
to address
the issue.
We pick it up again
in chapter 2
verse 6.
He wants to bring
them back
to the heart
of the truth.
So chapter 2,
sorry,
chapter 2
verse 16.
Chapter 2
verse 16.
He says,
we know
that a man
or a person
is not justified.
That simply means
not declared
right
before God
by observing
the law,
by doing
good things,
but by faith
in Jesus Christ.
So we too
have put our
faith in
Christ Jesus,
that we may be
declared right
before God
by faith
in Christ
and not by
observing the law,
not by doing
good things.
Because by
observing the law,
no one
will be made
right
before God.
So,
verse 21,
I do not
set aside
the grace
of God
for if
righteousness,
if right standing
before God
could be gained
through the law,
Christ died
for nothing.
If you
can go it
alone,
then the death
of Christ
is a complete
waste of time.
if you think
that you can
stand before
God and say,
because I
did
X,
Y,
and Z,
then
I will be
acceptable to
God.
If that's
true,
then Jesus
Christ died
for nothing.
He might
well not have
been born.
It's a complete
waste of time.
the point
is,
we cannot
earn
our acceptance.
Move on a little
bit to chapter 5,
verse 3.
Chapter 5,
verse 3.
Again,
I declare to
every person
who lets
himself be
circumcised,
so this was
one of the
laws of the
Old Testament,
one of the
clean laws,
that if you
were circumcised,
well then it
would give you
a right standing
before God
and acceptance
before God.
This is what
they came to
think.
He says,
if you let
yourself be
circumcised,
you're required
to obey all
the laws.
So if you
start out
life saying
it's about
being good,
then you
must be
perfectly good.
Verse 4.
You who are
trying to be
justified by
law have
been alienated
from Christ.
You have
fallen away
from Christ.
So to try
and earn
your way
before God
is to turn
away from
the very
person,
the only
one,
who can
give you
salvation.
Now you
might be
reading through
this and
you go,
no,
I don't
believe that,
or I do
believe it,
I know it's
all about
Christ.
But yet we
believe and
we practice
certain things.
So sometimes
we say,
yes,
it's Christ
plus
reading my
Bible.
Or Christ
plus so long
as I don't
get drunk
or don't
watch porn.
or it's
Christ plus
serving in
the church
or Christ
plus getting
baptized and
becoming a
member.
If I do
all of these
things,
then my
salvation will
be guaranteed
and then God
will be pleased
with me.
He'll look at
my life and
see that I'm
a good person.
But these
things, no
matter how good
they are,
and they're all
good and all
evidences of
someone who
follows Christ,
in and of
themselves,
they will
never ever
save you.
Which is why
chapter 6
verse 14,
almost the
whole letter
is concluded
here in
verse 14
of chapter 6.
verse 14.
He says,
May I
never boast
except in
the cross
of our
Lord Jesus
Christ.
So go
back to
that
illustration
at the
beginning.
If you're
standing there
before God,
what am I
going to
say?
What is
our boasting?
Is it
something I
have done,
something I
do?
or am I
going to
say it's
all because
of Jesus?
I will
boast in
nothing else
except in
what Christ
has done.
It's
Christ
plus
nothing
equals
salvation.
We're
going to
see how
this works
out in
more detail.
First,
the need
for Christ
alone.
The need
for Christ
alone.
Go back
to chapter
1,
verse 3.
Chapter
1,
verse 3.
Grace
and peace
to you
from God
our Father
and the
Lord Jesus
Christ
who gave
himself
for our
sins.
We need
Christ
because of
our sin.
Now most
of the time
we think
of sins
as a
weakness.
Really,
really bad
sins and
kind of
little sins.
They're
things that
we can
fix by
ourselves,
by being
better people
or by
trying harder.
We look
at our
life,
we see
things we
don't like,
we know
it's wrong
and we
say,
I can
change
that
myself.
I'm
able to
change
my own
life.
But sin
is not
a weakness.
It's not
a lack
of being
good.
It's not
about
trying
harder.
Sin
is a
nature
that we
have,
that we
are born
with.
Our
whole
life
is
corrupt.
In fact,
it's
rebellion
against
God.
Sin
is a
relational
problem.
It's
our
nature
which
is
in
conflict
with
God.
So we
don't
relate
to
God
as
we
should.
One
author
and
writer
by the
name
of
Mike
Reeves
paraphrases
something
that
Martin
Luther
said
and he
puts
it
like
this.
I
think
it's
quite
helpful.
Follow
along
with me
as I
read
it.
The
problem
of our
sin
goes
as
deep
in
us
as
it
possibly
can.
all
the
way
down
into
our
hearts
shaping
what
we
want
and
love.
As
a result
we
never
naturally
want
God.
We
freely
choose
to do
the
things
we
want
but
left
to
ourselves
we
shall
never
freely
choose
God
because
we
do
not
naturally
want
him.
that's
quite
a
statement
to
think
about
ourselves
like
that.
We
can't
even
if we
wanted
to
choose
to
follow
God.
Our
sinful
nature
is such
that we
are
in
conflict
with
God.
We
don't
have a
weakness
problem
something
we can
fix
ourselves
we
have
a
sinful
nature
that
wants
to
take
the
place
of
God
and
that
puts
us
on
a
collision
course
with
God's
wrath
or
God's
judgment.
So
have a
look at
chapter
3
and
verse
10.
Chapter
3
verse
10.
As
we go
through
Galatians
you're
getting a
big
overview
of what
the
book
is
all
about
the
letter
is
all
about
so
chapter
3
verse
10.
He
says
all
who
rely
on
observing
the
law
so
everybody
who
tries
to
earn
their
salvation
by
doing
good
things
or
everyone
who
thinks
they
can
fix
their
life
themselves
have
the
power
within
themselves
to
change
themselves
all
who
rely
on
observing
the
law
are
under
a
curse
are
under
God's
judgment
for
it
is
written
there's
a
quote
here
from
Deuteronomy
in the
Old
Testament
cursed
is
everyone
who
does
not
continue
to do
everything
written
in the
book
of
the
law
so
going
back
God
had
said
to
his
people
if
you
obey
me
you
will
be
blessed
if
you
love
me
as
you
should
and
do
everything
I
tell
you
to
do
I
will
accept
you
if
you
disobey
me
you
will
be
cursed
if
you
don't
love
me
as
you
should
I
will
judge
you
so
it
was
really
quite
simple
obey
God
and
you
will
avoid
judgment
but
the
problem
was
and
the
same
problem
exists
for
us
as
well
we
cannot
obey
God
fully
and
completely
we
don't
have
that
ability
within
ourselves
to
do
it
so
as
it
says
at
the
end
of
verse
10
cursed
or
judged
is
everyone
who
does
not
continue
to
do
everything
that
God
says
now
just
try
that
maybe
you're
thinking
here
well
you know
what
I
can
I
can
actually
be a
good
person
I
can
if I
put
my
mind
to
it
I
can
obey
God
and
do
everything
he
asked
me
to
do
well
just
try
for
one
day
to
be
a
good
person
that
means
a
whole
day
24
hours
without
thinking
saying
or
doing
anything
that
you
know
you
shouldn't
just
try
it
even
try
it
for
the
duration
of
this
meeting
but
you
can't
I'm
telling
you
now
you
can't
you'll
find
out
our
sinful
nature
our
inability
to
choose
and
obey
God
means
we
are
under
the
curse
of
God
we're
under
his
judgment
we
deserve
his
judgment
because
we
fight
against
him
we
want
to
replace
him
you
see
the
greatest
problem
that we
all
face
is not
unemployment
it's not
getting sick
it's not
our mortgage
repayments
our greatest
problem that we
can face
is God's
justice
because
God is
committed
to judging
sin
all the
evil
all the
wickedness
that we
see
and read
about
on our
news
and
and all
the things
we
hear
God
must
deal
with
that
he's
not
going
to
let
it
go
and
that
means
God
must
judge
my
sin
within
my
heart
and
because
I
have
a
sinful
nature
God
must
judge
me
sometimes
we hear
a phrase
like
this
you know
the
difference
between
the
sinner
and
the
sin
well
we
can't
really
separate
the
sin
from
the
person
we
have
a
sinful
nature
and
if
God
is
going
to
judge
sin
he's
going
to
judge
me
you
see
without
Christ
I
stand
under
the
curse
of
God
the
judgment
of
God
I
need
Christ
and
I
need
Christ
alone
second
the
sacrifice
of
Christ
alone
so
look
at
verse
13
we
get
this
wonderful
response
in
verse
13
wonderful
news
Christ
redeemed
us
from
the
curse
of
the
law
by
becoming
a
curse
for
us
he
became
a
curse
for
us
that
little
phrase
those
two
words
for
us
means
that
Christ
exchanged
places
with
us
Christ
becomes
my
sin
he
becomes
my
curse
my
judgment
man
I
want
to
read
a
couple
of
quotes
here
they're
quite
long
but
you
follow
along
with
me
they
come
again
from
Martin
Luther
who
wrote
a
commentary
like
an
explanation
of what
Galatians
is all
about
and here's
what he
said
on this
issue
follow
along
with
me
as I
read
all
the
weight
of the
matter
stands
on this
word
or phrase
for
us
for
Christ
is
innocent
as
concerning
his
own
person
so he's
never done
anything
wrong
he was
perfect
but
Christ
bears
all
the
sins
of
all
men
in
his
body
not
that
he
is
guilty
of
any
but
that
he
received
them
being
committed
or
done
by
us
and
laid
them
on
his
own
body
we
must
know
him
to
be
wrapped
in
our
sins
in
our
curse
in
our
death
and
in
all
our
evils
as
he
is
wrapped
in
our
flesh
and
blood
whatever
sins
I
you
or
we
all
have
done
or
shall
do
hereafter
they
are
Christ's
own
sins
or
else
we
would
perish
forever
again
let me
read
another
one
follow
with
me
our
most
merciful
father
seeing
us
to be
oppressed
and
overwhelmed
with
the
curse
of
the
law
and
that
we
could
never
be
delivered
from
it
of
our
own
power
sent
his
only
son
into
the
world
and
laid
upon
him
all
the
sins
of
all
men
saying
be
thou
Peter
that
denier
Paul
that
persecutor
and cruel
oppressor
David
that
adulterer
that
sinner
who
did
eat
the
fruit
in
Eden
that
was
Adam
that
thief
who
hanged
upon
the
cross
and
be
thou
that
person
who
has
committed
the
sins
of
all
men
see
therefore
that
thou
pay
and
satisfy
for
them
now
just
think
about
that
last
bit
where
he
begins
to
personalize
it
it's
like
saying
to
Jesus
you've
become
Peter
the
denier
Jesus
you've
become
Paul
the
persecutor
Jesus
you've
become
David
the
adulterer
now
put
yourself
in
that
situation
Jesus
doesn't
just
take
our
sin
he
takes
our
place
it's
like
he
becomes
us
in
love
Christ becomes sin for us.
But that means justice must still be done.
Sin must be punished.
The curse must fall.
Either it will fall on us
or it will fall on someone else.
So Christ becomes sin for us
and therefore he is cursed for us.
Verse 13.
Let's read verse 13 again.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law
by becoming a curse for us
for it is written
and again it's a quote from the Old Testament
cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.
So the curse, the judgment,
the punishment for not fully obeying God
and doing everything as God has said
is judgment.
It was death.
Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.
So in taking my sin on himself
Christ now becomes guilty
deserving of judgment.
And as Christ died on the cross
he is being treated as a sinner
because at that moment
Christ is a sinner.
With his arms nailed to the cross
his feet nailed to the cross
the curse falls not on us
but it falls instead on Jesus.
He absorbed the wrath
for my sin.
John's Gospel
that we read earlier as we were singing
at the end of the Gospel
where Jesus dies
John records there
that as Jesus died
he cried out
it is finished.
In other words
it's over.
At the cross
justice has been done.
Sin has been punished
once and for all.
There's nothing left
for us to do.
Let me quote again
from Martin Luther
on his commentary
in Galatians.
He says this
follow along with me
Let us receive
this most sweet doctrine
this sweet truth
so full of comfort
with thanksgiving
and with assured faith
which teaches
that Christ
being made a curse
for us
that is a sinner
under the wrath of God
put upon himself
our person
and laid our sins
on his own shoulders
saying
I have committed
the sins
which all men
have committed
because he has taken
upon himself
our sins
not by constraint
not because he was forced
but of his own good will
it pleased him
to bear the punishment
and wrath of God
not for his own person
not for his own good
but for our person
for our good
so making a happy exchange
with us
he took upon himself
our sinful person
and gave unto us
his innocent
and victorious person
wherewith we being now
clothed
are freed
from the curse
of the law
he's telling us
that the sacrifice
of Christ alone
is sufficient
to deal with our sin
and our deserved judgment
so when we stand
before God
it's not because I
it's because Christ
third the rewards
or if you're taking notes
you might like to change
the word rewards
to blessings
because I think sometimes
when you say reward
it's something you earn
or you're thinking you earn
so change that to blessing
so the blessing
through Christ alone
the blessings
that we receive
because of what Christ
has done
are told for us
in chapter 3
verse 26
look at chapter 3
verse 26
you are all sons
or all children
of God
through faith
in Christ
Jesus
by trusting
your life
to Christ alone
by boasting
in Christ alone
our life
is forever changed
our identity
changes
our future
changes
instead of receiving
curse
we now receive
blessing
two things
quickly
that we receive
two wonderful blessings
if our faith
is in Christ
alone
first we become
children
of God
by faith
in Christ
alone
I am adopted
into the family
of God
I become a son
or a daughter
of God
the barrier
of sin
is completely
removed
so I am now
treated
as God's
own son
so look at
verse 6
of chapter 4
verse 6
because
you are sons
God sent
the spirit
of his son
into our hearts
the spirit
who calls out
Abba
which means
father
you see
without Christ
our relationship
with God
is one of guilt
and judgment
we are just like
Martin Luther
wandering around
the university grounds
terrified
of God
but now
because of Christ
I can call him
father
I am loved
and treasured
as his own son
the relationship
that Christ
has with the father
now becomes
ours to enjoy
and that means
when you or I
sin
and we continue
to sin
we don't need
to run in
fear from
God
we can come
to the father
without fear
we can come
in repentance
knowing that he
accepts us
forgives us
loves us
no longer do I
need to hide
my sin from him
no longer do I
need to try and
fix my own life
I no longer
need to fear him
I can now come
to him
and enjoy him
and receive
from him
that blessing
of being
a child
of God
but not only
that
we also
become
heirs
of God
look at verse 7
chapter 4
verse 7
so you are
no longer
a slave
but a son
and since
you are a son
God has made
you also
an heir
now
the eldest son
in the family
maybe you are
here the eldest
child in your
family
the eldest son
in the family
always was the
legal heir
to the father's
estate
so when the
father died
everything would
legally be
transferred to
the eldest son
he would inherit
everything that
belonged to the
father
now because of
Christ
we are now
treated by God
as if we are
the eldest son
we have become
heirs
so all that
belongs to
Christ
the true
eldest son
now becomes
ours today
we have an
inheritance
a glorious
future
to look forward
to
and the good
news of that
is
that even
when I sin
even when I
mess up
I am not
disqualified
from that
inheritance
even when I
fail and fall
God doesn't
strike me out
and say that's
too many times
you are no
longer going to
receive your
inheritance
because Christ
has dealt
with my sin
past
present
and future
I am
guaranteed
that future
inheritance
with him
so
salvation
is in
Christ
alone
remember that
equation at the
very beginning
it is Christ
plus nothing
equals
salvation
not because
I
but because
Christ
let's pray
together
may I
never boast
that