Well, if you're like me and our family, you have a series of Christmas plans to execute in the next few days.
Your schedules with family have been synchronized.
You've arranged your travel.
You've made final preparations for how you're going to tackle the monster that is the Christmas week.
And perhaps even this moment, maybe this is in your plan.
This is kind of a jump start for the week.
Kids are finished with school now.
They're on Christmas break.
Maybe you get a few days off.
And kind of the jump start of your Christmas celebration is this worship service here in this place.
Whatever your plans may be, Christmas is coming, ready or not.
And the text that we're going to study this morning, a simple text,
is introducing us to the execution of God's Christmas plans.
Plans that were prepared in eternity past.
Plans that were carried out in history.
Plans that are wonderfully beneficial for anyone who has eyes to see and ears to hear and a heart to believe them.
So I want to draw your eyes to Galatians chapter 4.
Just two verses here.
Verses 4 and 5.
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son, born of woman, born under the law,
to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
Well, since we're kind of parachuting into the middle of this paragraph here,
I should at least summarize for you the context here,
really a much larger context in the letter,
so that we might better grasp Paul's intention in writing these two verses.
He was writing to a group of churches who were being heavily influenced at the time by a heretical group
that sought to merge Christian discipleship with conformity to the Mosaic law or the Old Testament law.
These individuals known as Judaizers, as we might refer to them now,
they taught that while following Jesus was important,
if you were to truly be right with God,
then you must also observe such ceremonial laws as circumcision,
feast days, festival days that were put out in the Mosaic law.
Dietary restrictions, as we see being referred to.
All three of these issues are highlighted in Paul's letter to the Galatian churches
because this heretical group has come in,
and it says, yeah, Jesus is great, he's important, but he's not enough.
What you also need to do is you need to merge together this following of Jesus with conformity to the law.
And if you do those two things, you have your faith, plus you have your works,
and you bring those two things together,
then and only then can you be truly justified before God.
Can you be truly made right with God?
So Paul's letter to the Galatians is a polemic against such heresy.
It's a warning that adopting such beliefs is tantamount to abandoning God himself
and the true gospel of Jesus Christ.
Now that sounds like strong language, but it's the language that Paul actually uses.
If you just look back in chapter 1 and verse 6,
he opens the letter without thanksgiving for the church, which was unusual for Paul,
but he says in verse 6,
I'm astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ
and are turning to a different gospel.
So the issues that are unfolding in the churches of Galatia are not issues of,
that we might treat with any kind of indifference.
They are serious issues.
They're gospel issues.
In this portion of the letter in chapter 4,
Paul is arguing that the function of the Mosaic law
was never actually to offer salvation to begin with.
That's basically what the Judaizers were saying.
That's basically what a lot of people that would claim to be Christian today are saying as well.
That the function of the law,
that there is a certain measure of righteousness that you must have
and in exchange for your obedience to a list of rules and a set of traditions,
in exchange for your obedience,
God will then grant you the salvation that you then deserve.
Paul's pushing against that.
He's arguing against that fiercely here.
And he contends that the function of the law
is to expose our sinfulness
and to point us to salvation through God's promised Savior.
And beginning in chapter 3,
he uses this illustration that he begins to repeat a number of times.
An illustration that refers to the law
as a guardian,
or a tutor,
or a steward,
a household manager,
all words that Paul is using here
to describe the true function
of the Mosaic law.
And the role of this guardian
would be just as a guardian
in the homes in Roman culture
who were tasked
with overseeing the child
until he comes of age.
And it's when he becomes of age
that he is then granted
all the benefits
that belong to an heir.
That's the illustration he's using,
and that's the illustration that he's using here in chapter 4.
And so we understand then
that having started in faith,
some of the Galatian Christians
were in danger of turning back,
that's Paul's language,
turning back
from grounding their salvation in Christ
to actually grounding it
in their efforts
at obeying the law.
So that's what Paul was writing to confront,
and it's the context in which
this passage must be interpreted, okay?
And there's a lot more to that.
I would encourage you to actually go
study it on your own in detail.
Not just on your own, though.
Perhaps you would even be benefited more
by studying it along with a partner,
a husband, a wife,
maybe a friend in the church.
Just decide we're going to meet together
maybe for a few weeks,
and we're going to read through
the book of Galatians together.
We're going to work against each other
to make sure we understand this context,
because it is quite important.
But what we're going to do
is we're going to zero in
on these two verses
that I read just a moment ago.
These two verses,
what they do,
the way they're functioning
in Paul's argument,
is they are revealing to us
the one that God's law,
this guardian,
points to.
It shows us the eternal plan of God,
perfectly fulfilled
in the incarnation of Jesus Christ.
It expresses for us
the glorious truth
of God's Christmas plans,
which make it possible
for us to be forgiven
and to be reconciled to Him.
And this is the gospel truth
that I hope to show you
from these two verses this morning.
Four things I want to point out to you
as we break the verses apart, okay?
The first thing is this.
I want you to see
the unfolding plan of God.
The unfolding plan of God.
Just the very first phrase
in verse four
is where we get this.
But when the fullness of time
had come,
the fullness of time
had come.
Now remember,
the language
is connected
to this illustration
Paul is using.
If you just set your eyes
on verse two
in chapter four,
the illustration refers
to a child
being under guardianship
until the day
set by his father.
That's the illustration
he's using.
But he's under guardians
and managers
until the date
set by his father,
Paul says.
Now we get to verse four.
This statement
about the fullness of time
coming
is the explanation
of the illustration
Paul's using in verse two.
So he illustrates it.
He says,
there's this kind of scenario
he puts forth
where there's a child.
He's raised by this guardian
until the date
that the father
has determined.
And then he turns
to the plan of God,
the unfolding plan of God
in history,
redemptive history.
And he says,
the fullness of time
has now come.
The date set
by the father
has come.
Now what he does
not mean here
is that when God
felt that the world's
circumstances
were most favorable
that he suddenly
decided to take action.
That's not what Paul
means by this statement.
What he means
is that the events
of Jesus'
incarnation,
including the historical
circumstances
into which he was born,
took place
at precisely
the time
God
intended.
At precisely
the time
when the fullness
of time had come,
when everything
had been accomplished
that God had intended
to be accomplished
in the orchestration
of his sovereign plan
and his providence.
Then
and only then
Christ came.
It's the unfolding
plan
of God.
Now,
I hope this
doesn't happen
to you,
but the chances
are something's
going to happen
this week.
It's going to mess
up your Christmas
plans,
right?
A few weeks
ago,
Ashlyn's birthday
is tomorrow.
Ashlyn's 13
years old tomorrow.
We celebrate,
do you want me,
do you want us
to sing to you?
You don't want us
to do it?
A couple of weeks
ago we celebrated
her birthday.
This year she wanted
to go to Winterfest
at Carowind.
She wanted to take
some of her friends
with her and some
of the girls here
went along with her.
Julie and I had,
it was a Friday night,
we had to set up
this whole plan together
where Julie was
going to drive
to Troutman
to get Annette
and Phoebe
and then she was
going to drive
down to Mooresville
to get Clementine.
Then she was
going to drive
to Matthew's
to get my niece,
Kate,
and then she was
going to drive
to the Zaxby's
next to Carowind's.
Now while she
was doing that,
Harper and I
were taking Charlie
to Gastonia
so we could drop
her off with my parents
and then we were
going to rendezvous
with them at Zaxby's
so that we could
eat dinner
before it cost,
you know,
50 bucks a plate
and then we were
going to go
into Carowind's
and enjoy the time
together.
Well,
things don't ever
happen the way
that you want
them to happen,
do they?
And Harper
and I are on
77,
485,
and 85
all at about,
I don't know,
430.
And we just
weren't going to make
it to Zaxby's
so I called Julie
and I was like,
we're not going to
be there in time,
she was already
at the restaurant,
if you'll just get
Harper and I
something to eat,
we'll eat dinner
in the parking lot
at Carowind's
and we'll go in
and we'll enjoy
the night.
So Harper and I
go straight to Carowind's,
plans have already
changed,
we get there,
we're in line to
get into the parking
lot and finally
they open up the
gates and we go
into the parking
lot and we find
our parking space,
Julie pulls in
behind us and we
get out,
we're so hungry,
we haven't eaten
all day,
we say,
where's our food
we would love to
eat and she says,
oh,
I forgot to get
you food.
So,
plan B
is already
changed.
So we go inside
and we think,
okay,
we're just going
to find us a
restaurant immediately.
Well,
there's no
restaurants immediately
unless you want
Cinnabon,
right,
when you walk
into the thing
and then there's
these shows that
we want to go to.
It's like two
hours later,
Harper and I
finally get
something to eat
at Carowind's.
The plans were
just constantly
changing,
right?
Our plans do
that.
Your plans are
going to do
that this week.
Listen,
one person or
one being that
never happens
to is God.
His plans never
change.
Nothing takes
him by surprise.
There's nothing
that he's hoping
to happen or
waiting for to
happen before he
decides to act.
That's not how
it works for
him.
No,
God has an
eternal plan that
he executes in
time and space
according to his
sovereign will and
that plan has
everything to do
with Jesus and
saving sinners from
his own wrath through
Jesus.
Now,
there's a lot of
text we could turn
to for this.
Let me just show
you one in
Ephesians chapter
one.
It's on the
screen for you
to see.
God chose us in
him, in Christ.
God chose us in
Christ, watch this
phrase, before the
foundation of the
world, before
creation.
In eternity past,
God had a plan to
save sinners.
In love, he
predestined us to
adoption to himself
as sons through
Jesus Christ.
Here's the phrase,
according to the
purposes of his
will.
He planned to do
it in him.
We have
redemption through
his blood, the
forgiveness of our
trespasses, according
to the riches of his
grace, which he
lavished upon us in
all wisdom and
insight, making known
to us here the
mystery of his
will, or we might
say his plan,
according to his
purpose, which he
set forth in Christ
as a plan, and
here's this phrase
again, for the
fullness of time.
In him, we have
attained an
inheritance, having
been predestined
according to the
purpose of him who
works all things,
according to the
counsel of his
will.
What am I saying?
I'm saying that God's
plan in Christ was
not spontaneous.
God's plan in Christ
was not happenstance.
It is his sovereign
purpose from before
creation.
It is the unfolding
plan of God in
history, the pivotal
moment of which is
the incarnation of
Jesus Christ.
You say, how do you
know that?
The Bible tells us
all about it.
You can start from
the very beginning.
Jesus is the seed of
the woman whom God
promised to Adam and
Eve that he would
rescue fallen humanity.
Jesus is the ark of
our salvation from
God's judgment pictured
in the story of Noah.
Jesus is Abraham's
offspring through which
all the families of
the earth are blessed.
Jesus is the perfect
spotless lamb pictured
in the worship of
Israel.
Jesus is the son of
David who will rule
God's eternal kingdom.
Jesus is the Messiah
foretold by the
prophets.
The birth of Jesus was
not a coincidence.
God didn't wake up one
morning and say, oh,
this might be a good
time to try to make
something happen.
No.
This was the pivotal
moment of human history
orchestrated by the
sovereign plan of God
as the event to which
all the scriptures
pointed.
So using this
illustration, Paul
reminds the Galatians
that in God's
unfolding plan, the
time to which the law
pointed was marked by
Jesus' advent, his
coming.
And because of what
God did through Christ
in the fullness of
time, we are no longer
under a guardian.
No longer under the
condemnation of the law
held in bondage to it.
The unfolding plan of
God.
Number two, I want you
to see the agent of God's
plan.
The agent of God's plan.
Now we're still in verse
four.
Just look at the next
couple of phrases.
In the fullness of
time, God sent forth
his son, born of
woman, born under
the law.
Now these brief
statements, they give
us an introduction to
the true nature of
Jesus.
He is the agent of
God's plan, carrying
out this plan in real
time and space.
Now that he was sent
forth from God, is
Paul's way of
indicating that Jesus
actually existed before
he was ever born.
That's strange.
None of us can say that,
can we?
Oh, we came into
existence at our
conception, didn't we?
Not Jesus, though.
No, Jesus was actually
sent forth in order to
be born of woman.
He existed before.
John chapter one.
In the beginning was the
word.
John's using word here as a
proper noun for Jesus.
In the beginning was the
word.
The word was with God.
The word was God.
He was in the beginning
with God.
All things were actually
made through him.
Jesus is the creator.
And without him was not
anything made that was
made.
And then in verse 14 he
says, and the word
became flesh.
This preexistent word,
this one existing with
God as God in eternity
past became flesh,
became a man and
dwelt among us.
And we have seen his
glory, John says,
glory as of the only
son from the father,
full of grace and
truth.
Jesus makes this very
claim himself.
In John 17, four and
five, Jesus prays to the
father, I glorified you
on earth, having
accomplished the work
you gave me to do.
And now father glorify me
in your own presence with
the glory that I had with
you before the world ever
existed.
He says.
Jesus' birth is not the
beginning of his
existence.
It's just the beginning of
his incarnation.
That's important.
That the essence of his
eternal existence is as
God's son corresponds to
the reality that his
coming indeed was via a
virgin birth.
Just as the scripture says.
People keep trying to
explain this away.
Can't explain it away if
you're using the Bible.
It just doesn't work.
He didn't become God's
son.
No.
He's always been God's
son.
Luke chapter 1.
The angel comes to Mary.
Behold, you will conceive in
your room and bear a son.
You shall call his name
Jesus.
He will be great and will be
called the son of the most
high, the son of God.
And the Lord God will give to
him the throne of his father
David.
He will reign over the house
of Jacob forever and of his
kingdom there will be no end.
And Mary said to the angel,
how will this be since I'm a
virgin?
I've never known a man.
And the angel said, the Holy
Spirit will come upon you.
The power of the most high
will overshadow you.
Therefore, the child to be
born will be called holy, the
son of God.
And then in Matthew chapter 1
in Matthew's account, all this
took place, Matthew says, to
fulfill what the Lord had
spoken by the prophet.
Behold, the virgin shall
conceive and bear a son and
they shall call his name
Emmanuel, which means God is
with us.
Not one from God is with us.
No, God is with us.
So in this simple phrase, this
simple statement in Galatians 4,
as Paul is making this argument
of the sufficiency of Christ in
his gospel, he reminds us of
Jesus's true nature, underscoring
Jesus's true divinity, deity.
But he also underscores Jesus's
true humanity.
This is the mystery of it, isn't
it?
It's the very next phrase.
That Jesus was born of woman
highlights the fact that Jesus
was not only truly God, but he's
actually truly man.
He's a real man.
That he was born under the law
means that as a true man, Jesus
was fully subjected to the
demands of God's law like every
other man and woman.
Jesus truly is the God-man.
A mystery to be sure, but a
reality that's made plain in the
scriptures.
Jesus's nature as truly God and
truly man is absolutely essential.
to God's saving plan.
He's the agent of God's plan
because only he can be the agent
of God's plan.
So we've got the unfolding of
God's plan.
We've got the agent of God's plan.
Third, we see the execution of
God's plan.
The execution of God's plan.
Now we're going to look at verse
five, just the first phrase there.
Why did he come?
Why did he send forth his son?
To redeem those who were under the
law.
To redeem those who were under the
law.
Now how is it that this child
whose birth we celebrate
executes God's plan to save
sinners?
What did the father send the son
to do so that those who are under
the law, that's me and you, that's
mankind,
what did he send him to do so that
we could be redeemed?
The manger in Bethlehem is of
course shadowed by the cross in
Jerusalem, isn't it?
The execution of God's plan
necessitated the execution of God's
son.
To redeem those who were under the
law,
Jesus was born so that he could die.
And it was all according to God's
sovereign plan.
A plan that was foretold hundreds of
years before it took place.
Isaiah tells us all about it in
Isaiah 53.
Yet it was the will of the Lord to
crush him.
He has put him to grief.
When his soul makes an offering for
guilt, he shall see his offspring.
He shall prolong his days.
The will of the Lord shall prosper
in his hand.
This is the plan of God.
Now how could the execution of
Jesus be a means of redemption for
us?
How is that even possible?
What does a Jew and his death from
2,000 years ago have anything to do
with your life today?
This is why understanding Jesus'
true nature is so important.
That's why Paul is laying out the
argument the way that he is.
He doesn't just say that Jesus is
the son of God born of woman born
under the law just because he's
trying to fill up space and he's
being real wordy like I am.
No, there's an intention to it.
It's only after you understand that
nature that you can actually
understand this redemption.
Though as a man, Jesus was fully
subjected to the demands of the law
unlike any other man.
Jesus perfectly obeyed and fulfilled
that law.
Therefore his death was not a
judgment for sins that he committed
but it was an atonement for those
who have indeed sinned against God.
That's how he did it.
That's why it matters.
In other words, Jesus lived the life
that we were meant to live
and then he died the death
that we deserve to die.
On the cross, he laid down his life
to suffer the wrath of the Father
meant for sinners so that God
might count those same sinners
as righteous before him.
That's amazing.
Let me give you just a few passages
that echo this.
from Galatians itself.
If you want to just flip back a page
to chapter 3.
Galatians 3 verse 10.
All who rely on the works of the law
are under a curse.
In other words, if you're counting on
your ability to just kind of be good
and do your best and try your hardest
that how could God ever condemn
somebody like me
if that's what you're counting on?
Paul says you're under a curse.
He says the reason you're under a curse
is because the scriptures say
curse be everyone who does not abide
by all things written in the book
of the law and do them.
He says in other words
if you're counting on your goodness
to make it
you're under a curse
because none of us have been good enough.
All of us have fallen short
and somebody has to pay for that.
Somebody has to reckon with that.
But then look at verse 13.
But Christ redeemed us from that curse.
How?
By becoming a curse for us.
For it's written
cursed is everyone
who hangs on a tree.
Paul says the same thing
in Romans chapter 8.
For God has done what the law
weakened by the flesh could not do.
How?
By sending his own son
in the likeness of sinful flesh
and for sin
he condemned sin in the flesh.
In his flesh
with his flesh
with his body
in the execution on the cross
he condemns sin.
He deals with sin
Paul says.
Why?
In order that
the righteous requirement of the law
might be filled in us
who have not truly fulfilled it
and yet we're counted
as righteous.
2 Corinthians 5 29
For our sake
he made him to be sin
who knew no sin
so that in him
we might become
the righteousness
of God.
We sing about this
every week
bearing sin
and scoffing rude
in my place
condemned
he stood
sealed my pardon
with his blood.
Hallelujah
what a savior.
But of course
death isn't the end
for Jesus.
He defeats death
by rising from the dead
three days after that crucifixion
and this too
is the execution
of God's eternal plan.
This is what was meant to happen.
John chapter 10 tells us
Jesus says it
for this reason
the father loves me
because I lay down
my life
that I may take it up again.
No one takes it from me
I lay it down
of my own accord.
I have authority
to lay it down
I have authority
to take it up again
this charge
this mission
this plan
I have received
from my father.
Oh it's not just
that his execution
was a part of the plan
so was his resurrection
and you can't have one
without the other.
the resurrection
it shows us
that God actually
accepted Christ's crucifixion
as sufficient
for us.
Now why in the world
would Paul be referring
to this in Galatians 4?
Because he's talking
to a group of people
who are being deceived.
Somebody's telling them
that yeah
Jesus is fine
but he's not enough.
But in the resurrection
itself
God himself
tells the world
Christ is enough.
nothing else
need be done.
Receive salvation
through him.
Christ
fully satisfied
God's wrath
against every sinner
who will receive him
by faith.
There is nothing
left for you to pay.
But his resurrection
it guarantees
our future resurrection.
salvation.
Because he lives
we have the full assurance
that we too
will live.
It's the execution
of God's plan.
Fourthly and finally
the purpose
of God's plan.
The purpose
of God's plan.
Look at the last phrase
of verse 5.
It's a purpose statement.
We know that
because the first two words
so that
it's a purpose statement.
so that we
might receive
adoption
as sons.
So that we might
receive adoption
as sons.
There is a popular
idea out there
that maintains
something like this.
We are
all
God's children.
We're all God's children.
Perhaps you've heard that.
Maybe you've said it.
But here's the thing.
That doesn't actually
come from the Bible.
That was a phrase
that was brought to bear
at the end of the
enlightenment
when culturally
men had decided
that God and religion
was no longer necessary
that mankind
can get by just fine
on pure reason
and rationality.
But yet there was still
hundreds and hundreds
of years worth
of religion that existed.
They didn't want to
just do away with it all.
So what they did
is they tried to merge
the two together
and they said
they spoke of
the universal fatherhood
of God
and the universal
brotherhood of man.
In other words
we all belong to God.
We're all the children
of God
and we're all brothers
and sisters together.
A nice sentiment.
Not true.
It's not what the Bible
teaches.
We are all God's
creatures.
We do belong to Him
in that sense
but we are not
all His children.
In fact
in our sinful condition
the Bible describes us
as God's enemies
not His children.
That's why the New Testament
so often uses this idea
of adoption
in reference
to God's salvation.
You see it right here
in the phrase
don't you?
If Christ executed
this plan
with the purpose
that those who believe
Him might receive
adoption
might become
children of God
that means
necessarily
that those same people
at some time
were not the children
of God.
God's purpose
in His eternal plan
as executed
by Jesus Christ
is to make
His enemies
sons.
It's to make
His enemies
sons.
I just want you
to let that sit
on your mind
for just a second.
It's kind of amazing.
Who of you
would ever look
at an enemy
who hates
your guts
and wants
nothing to do
with you
and say
you know
what I'm going
to do?
I'm going to
make you
my child.
I'm going to
give you
everything that's
mine.
I'm going to
forgive everything
you've ever done.
I'm going to
turn away
from every bit
of hatred
that you've
ever put
towards me
and I'm going
to give you
everything that's
mine.
None of us
would ever
do that
and yet
that's exactly
what God
does in Christ.
Why?
God's plan
of salvation
it's not a
provision that
he makes
for us
out of pity.
Sometimes we
get this idea
that because
of God's
holiness
that you
know he
feels like
he has to
do something
because he
kind of
feels sorry
for us
so he
kind of
pinches
his nose
and he
sends Jesus
and I
go do this
thing for
anybody who
wants to
deal with
it
and he
just kind
of keeps
his distance.
That is not
at all what
we find in
the scripture
remember
this is
God's
unfolding
plan
from all
of eternity.
This is
his plan.
Why?
Why would
he do
that?
What is it
that he
actually
desires?
He desires
to be
reconciled
to us
his enemies.
Why does
he want
what's
motivating
this desire?
Love.
Romans
Romans 5
8
God
shows
his love
toward us
how?
That while
we're still
sinners
his enemies
and in that
moment don't
even want
him we're
not asking
for salvation
don't think
we need
it.
Even
then
he shows
his love
for us
by sending
Christ to
die for
us.
Ephesians
too
but God
being rich
in mercy
because of
the great
love
with which
he loved
us
even when
we were
dead in
our
trespasses
made us
alive
together
with Christ
by grace
you've been
saved.
1 John
4
9
and 10
in this
the love
of God
was made
manifest
in this
the love
of God
was put
on display
how?
That God
sent his
son
into the
world
so that
we might
live
through him
in this
is love
not that
we've
loved
him
but that
he loved
us
and sent
his son
to be
the propitiation
the full
satisfaction
for our
sins
unless we
begin to
think that
Jesus is an
unwilling
participant
in this
hear the
words of
the writer
of Hebrews
in Hebrews
chapter 12
and verse 2
he says
look to
Jesus
the founder
and perfecter
of our
faith
who for
the joy
that was
set before
him
endured
the cross
despising
the shame
and is
seated at
the right
hand of
the throne
of God
what do you
mean by
that?
you go to
Chick-fil-A
you go to
the drive
through
you do
your mobile
order
you say
you got a
mobile order
for Jared
B
they say
you want
to make
any changes
they say
no
they say
alright you can
pull forward
they say
thank you
and they say
my pleasure
it is my
joy
to serve
you in this
way
and I don't
think they
really mean
that all the
time
God sends
his son
not as an
unwilling
participant
it is
his joy
to give
himself
for us
why?
so that
we might
be
his
why did
God make
such a plan
of redemption
and go to
such great
extent
to save
sinners
because of
his great
love
because he
desires to
be reconciled
to us
because he
wants to
adopt us
into his
family
and make
us heirs
of eternal
life
now let me
finish this way
let's go back
to the context
the Galatian
Christians were
beginning to
waver from
this gospel
why would you
ever want to
do that
right?
and yet
the temptation
to do that
is real
isn't it?
how many times
have we been
in churches
or maybe
we've been
the guilty
party in a
church
that see
someone come
to Christ
exemplify faith
put their
trust in
Jesus
and then we
come behind
that and we
strap on the
bondage of the
law afresh
all over again
the temptation
is real to do
that
and the Galatian
Christians were
starting to
waver from it
they were
tolerating this
idea that the
grounds of our
justification
before God
is our
conformity to
the law
so Paul
writes a
whole letter
to correct
them
if a righteous
standing before
God can be
gained through
good works
Christ died
for no reason
that's another
argument he makes
in the letter
think about that
if this is
God's plan
and God's
plan was to
send Christ
to save
sinners through
his death
and resurrection
and then invites
us to come to
him by faith
how could we
possibly say
that it's our
works then
that somehow
merit salvation
if that was
true
if we could
actually be
saved by our
works
then Christ
came for
no reason
then his
incarnation
has no
purpose
let alone
his death
and resurrection
but the reality
of God's
eternal plan
to save
sinners
through Christ
the very
fact that
that is his
plan as
presented in
the scriptures
proves that
no amount
of personal
righteous
can actually
atone for
your sins
this isn't
an exchange
of good
deeds
what a
mockery
that is
to God
the one
who in his
great love
goes to
such great
lengths
to provide
salvation
through Christ
by his own
grace
what a
mockery
it is
for any
person
to turn
to God
and then
say
look at
all that
I've
done
for you
won't
you please
let me
into heaven
what a
mockery
how then
can someone
be saved
it's not
by our
righteousness
it's through
Jesus'
righteousness
through faith
in his
identity
as the
son of
God
whose
death
satisfies
God's
wrath
and whose
resurrection
gives us
the hope
of eternal
life
it is
by faith
alone
in what
Christ
has done
that any
one of
us
can be
saved
again
Galatians
3
in fact
this is
even
closer
if you'll
just set
your eyes
up to
the top
of the
page
probably
Galatians
3
24
to 26
in the
midst
of the
same
illustration
Paul's
been
giving
so then
the law
was our
guardian
until
Christ
came
in order
that we
might be
justified
by
faith
but now
that faith
the faith
in the
revelation
of Jesus
now that
faith has
come
we are
no longer
under a
guardian
for in
Christ
Jesus
you are
all sons
of God
through
faith
that's it
salvation
is received
only through
faith
turning from
sin and
unbelief
to trust
Jesus as
Savior
which
necessarily
means that
you also
submit
to him
as
Lord
because
of this
plan
of
salvation
is
motivated
by his
love
he
accomplishes
it
and
he
invites
us
to
receive
it
doesn't
he
force
it
upon
us
he
invites
us
to
receive
it
these
are
the
words
of
Jesus
in
Matthew
11
come
to
me
he
says
come
to
me
all
who
labor
and
are
heavy
laden
what
is that
labor
the
labor
of
trying
to
achieve
something
through
the
law
that
you
can't
achieve
come
to
me
all
who
are
laboring
trying
to
do
your
best
and try
your
hardest
I
will
give
you
rest
he
says
take
my
yoke
upon
me
upon
you
learn
from
me
for
I'm
gentle
and
lowly
in
heart
and
you
will
find
rest
for
your
soul
for
my
yoke
is
easy
and
my
burden
is
light
so
then
in
all
you're
giving
and
receiving
this
week
as
you
execute
your
Christmas
plans
don't
neglect
the only
gift
that
ultimately
matters
which
is
what
God
has
given
us
in
his
Christmas
plans
salvation
through
Jesus
Christ
alone
for