Welcome to Books of
the Book, my name is
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Mark Howard and I am
a Pastor in the Michigan
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Conference of
Seventh-Day Adventist.
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I Pastor a church in
Global Michigan where
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I live with my wife
Stephanie, my two children
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Caleb and Ana Lisa.
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I also am the
director of the school of
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evangelism for the
Michigan Conference called
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the Emmanuel
Institute of Evangelism.
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I'm really
excited to be here with my
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younger brother Jim
Howard, who also is a
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Pastor in Michigan.
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Jim tell them a
little bit about yourself.
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My name is Jim Howard
and I Pastor two churches
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in Michigan, one is
the Detroit Metropolitan
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church and the other
is the South Lyon Seventh-
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day Adventist church
and I also have a family.
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I have a beautiful
wife Sonia, and two children
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Kayla and Lindsay and
I am excited to be here
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to talk about the
book of Galatians.
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I have beautiful wife too.
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One thing, Jim and
I have both had some
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background growing
up with some of the
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Adventist background
and had for some many
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years been away from
Christianity altogether.
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About the same time,
in fact we were baptized
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on the same day
back in 1992, sorry 1994.
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I always get my
dates mixed up, it's been a
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little while back and
the Lord has been gracious
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to us in helping us to
come to an understanding
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of the gospel truth
which is why we are so
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excited to be here and talk
about the book of Galatians.
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The book of
Galatians is a book that
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I think is
especially meant for the people
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at the end of time.
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It is highlighting
the present power of the
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Gospel and it is a
book that has run into some
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confusion too
in these last days.
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So we are going to
dig into this book through
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this series and I
think it is going to
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come alive for you.
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Why don't we dive in.
- yeah let's open it up.
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If you have your Bibles
at home we invite you to
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get them out because
you are going to need them
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over the course
of this presentation.
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The book of Galatians
is in the New Testament.
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Matthew, Mark, Luke,
and John the Gospels.
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After Matthew Mark
Luke, John, Acts, Romans
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1 and 2 Corinthians
and then the book of
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Galatians you'll
find it right there.
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We are going right to Chapter 1.
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Alright let's go right there.
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Let's go to
Galatians 1:6 and we will dive
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right in because in
verse 6, the apostle Paul
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introduces the actual
reason that he wrote the
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letter of Galatians.
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So right here in
verse 6 it says, "I marvel
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"you are turning
away so soon from Him who
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"called you by
the grace of Christ to
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"a different
gospel. " And then he says,
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"which is not
another; but there are some
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"who trouble you
and want to pervert
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the gospel of Christ. "
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So apparently there
was a perversion of the
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gospel that was
happening here to the
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Galatians and the
apostle Paul was wanting to
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highlight the true
gospel in the book of
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Galatians and this is
especially important for
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Seventh-day Adventists.
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We believe we have a
special calling from God
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given in Revelation
Chapter 14 to proclaim a
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message to the whole
world, and I think we maybe
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we should turn there. -
yeah absolutely, absolutely.
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Revelation 14:6. -
yes Revelation 14:6.
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It says there in
Revelation 14:6, "then I saw
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"another angel flying
in the midst of heaven,
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"having the
everlasting gospel", there's not
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been several gospels,
but the everlasting gospel
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" to preach to those
who dwell on the earth. "
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What is so powerful
about that is the idea of
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being everlasting
gospel, destroys the concept
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of the dispensational gospel
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dispensational
gospel in Christianity the
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concept is that the
gospel is the gospel.
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This is why Paul is
so emphatic, is the same
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gospel in the Old
Testament and it's the same
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gospel in the New
Testament, it is everlasting.
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What I find fascinating
also in Revelation 14
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is that when we come
to verse 12, with these
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backdrops of
these three messages.
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The apostle John
writes in verse 12 "here is
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"the patience of the
saints, here are those who
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"keep the commandments
of God and the faith of
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"Jesus," and that
addresses an issue when
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we are dealing with
the book of Galatians
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because there is a
lot of controversy over
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what law of God, the
10 Commandments has in
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connection with
the gospel message.
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There are those that
think that now we have the
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gospel we don't need
the law, but here we find
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in the very last
moments of Earth's history,
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we find a blending of
the law and the gospel
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together, those who
have faith in Jesus are
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the ones that keep
the commandments of God.
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That's right, that's
right you know this is not
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something that is
without controversy because
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there are many
Seventh-day Adventists.
00:05:07.87\00:05:10.67
- well it wasn't
without controversy in Paul's
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day. - that's why
he wrote the letter.
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Even today we are
dealing with the same thing
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because I know many
former Seventh-day Adventists
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they recognize the
Seventh-day Adventist church
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teaches the law of God
is still the will of God
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for Christians in
the New Testament times.
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They get some
well-meaning advice that hey
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read the book of Galatians.
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If you read the book
of Galatians you will see
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why we don't need to
keep the law anymore.
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I've read testimonies
of former Adventists who
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have been pointed to the book
of Galatians as their reason
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for leaving the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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That is right the book
of Galatians has become
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the key defense, or
reason for a lot of people
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in not accepting the
abiding nature of the
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Ten Commandments law.
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I know a young Adventist Pastor,
a former Adventist Pastor
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at this point, who
Pastored a church of 500
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members who said in
his testimony as he left
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the church, that he
had taken his church
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through a 20 weeks
study in Galatians and that
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enlightened them all
to the reality because
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of the gospel the law
was an important anymore.
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They use the book of
Galatians to make that
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point, but I think it
is evident and will be
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very evident in our
study together that is
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exactly the opposite
of the point that the
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apostle Paul is making
in the book of Galatians.
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That's right, I
think what we need to do is
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dive right in to
these first five verses of
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the book Galatians,
because in those first five
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verses we find the
apostle Paul not only
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introducing himself,
but also giving a little
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glimpse into the
everlasting gospel that is
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going to be the theme
of the book of Galatians.
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So let's look at
Galatians Chapter 1:1-5
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together and it says,
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"Paul, and
apostle (not from men nor
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"through man, but
through Jesus Christ and God
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"the Father who
raised Him from the dead),
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"and all the
brethren who are with me,
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"to the churches in
Galatia; Grace to you and
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"peace from God the
Father and our Lord Jesus
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"Christ who gave
Himself for our sins, that He
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"might deliver us
from this present evil age,
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"according to the
will of our God and Father,
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"to whom be glory for
ever and ever. Amen. "
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Now I have heard it
said that these verses,
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these first 5 verses
in the Bible, if there
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weren't any other
verses in the Bible that
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there is enough
here, sufficient to save
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anyone in the world.
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That is right it is a
powerful passage and let's
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just highlight
his key points here.
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We have got the
message, the first thing he
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talks about is
Grace and peace. Notice!
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"From God the Father
and our Lord Jesus Christ. "
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So already you see a
union of purpose between
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Father and Son,
contrary to, I run into a
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number of Christians
whose concept is, even
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among Christians
that God the Father stands
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against us and Jesus
is the Son that stands
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for us and because
of Jesus' sacrifice
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then God can love us.
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Almost like one is
pitted against the other.
00:08:00.88\00:08:02.51
Kind of like a
good God in a bad God.
00:08:02.54\00:08:04.31
And Old Testament God
where God was mean and
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vindictive and the
New Testament where
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- right. But here
Paul says Grace to you from
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the Father and
our Lord Jesus Christ.
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You see a concerted
effort on the part of God
00:08:13.05\00:08:15.26
the Father, God the
Son and then He goes on to
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say who gave
Himself for our sins.
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Which is a powerful
transaction and we are
00:08:19.89\00:08:21.80
going to talk
about that is we go on.
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"That he might
deliver us from this present
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"evil age,
according to the will of
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"God the Father. "
00:08:28.10\00:08:29.47
So God the Father it
is His will that we be
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delivered, not only Jesus' will.
00:08:31.17\00:08:32.87
So you have this
message of grace and peace,
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you've got the
union of Father and Son,
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you have this
transaction of Christ giving
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Himself for our sins
and a deliverance from
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sin in this present evil age.
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These are the
things we are going to
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try to unpack here.
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Wow it sounds like
the whole gospel in these
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three verses. - It
absolutely does doesn't it?
00:08:49.62\00:08:50.96
I think what we will
do is start right at the
00:08:50.99\00:08:53.80
beginning at first 3
where it says Grace to you.
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Because the word
grace, if you look in the
00:08:56.80\00:08:59.70
Bible it is
combined with the gospel.
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In fact it's called
in Acts 20 the gospel
00:09:02.60\00:09:05.31
of the grace of God.
00:09:05.34\00:09:06.68
The grace of God
becomes the embodiment of
00:09:06.71\00:09:08.78
the gospel, so we
need to understand that
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first and foremost.
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What we want to do
throughout our study time
00:09:12.38\00:09:15.12
here, and you'll
notice this as we unpack the
00:09:15.15\00:09:18.15
book of Galatians.
00:09:18.19\00:09:19.52
And not just the
book of Galatians, but the
00:09:19.55\00:09:23.09
different passages
of the apostle Paul in
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different letters
wherein some cases he
00:09:26.26\00:09:28.90
amplifies parts
that he has written in
00:09:28.93\00:09:31.53
Galatians and we
will get to see in greater
00:09:31.57\00:09:33.70
detail the meaning
of what he has to say.
00:09:33.74\00:09:35.44
That's right
because he is writing to the
00:09:35.47\00:09:37.11
Galatians about a
message he has already given
00:09:37.14\00:09:39.57
them, so we are
getting bits and pieces but
00:09:39.64\00:09:42.31
we can fill in some
of the gaps as we look at
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what he has written
in other places and see
00:09:44.75\00:09:47.12
the message of the Gospel grace
00:09:47.15\00:09:49.28
he has
presented in other places.
00:09:49.32\00:09:51.35
I think what we need
to do is to take that cue
00:09:51.42\00:09:54.19
and go to the book of
Ephesians because I would
00:09:54.22\00:09:56.89
like to look at the
grace of God in a place
00:09:56.93\00:09:59.46
where it's amplified
and it is Ephesians 2,
00:09:59.49\00:10:01.90
so just to the right of
Galatians is the book of
00:10:01.93\00:10:05.67
Ephesians and in
Ephesians Chapter 2,
00:10:05.70\00:10:09.27
he starts right in the
beginning of the chapter
00:10:09.30\00:10:11.97
by describing
the human conditions.
00:10:12.01\00:10:14.34
"And you He made
alive, who were dead in
00:10:14.38\00:10:18.15
"trespasses and
sins", I'm in Ephesians 2:1.
00:10:18.18\00:10:21.88
"In which you once
walked according to the course
00:10:21.92\00:10:24.72
"of this world,
according to the prince of the
00:10:24.75\00:10:27.29
"power of the air, of
the Spirit who now works
00:10:27.32\00:10:29.82
"in the sons of
disobedience, among whom we
00:10:29.86\00:10:32.63
"also have all
conducted ourselves in the lust
00:10:32.66\00:10:35.30
"of our flesh,
fulfilling the desires of the
00:10:35.36\00:10:37.83
"flesh and of the
mind, and were by nature
00:10:37.87\00:10:40.37
"children of wrath
just as the others. "
00:10:40.40\00:10:42.60
He doesn't paint a
very pretty picture of
00:10:42.64\00:10:44.81
humanity does
he? - no not at all.
00:10:44.84\00:10:46.81
He says that we were
dead in trespasses and sins.
00:10:46.84\00:10:50.41
You know you cannot be
very dead, you can't be
00:10:50.45\00:10:53.65
more dead than dead,
the idea is that they had no
00:10:53.68\00:10:56.65
good inclinations,
there was nothing with which
00:10:56.69\00:10:59.59
they could
commend themselves to God.
00:10:59.62\00:11:01.39
And we should include
all of us in that it is
00:11:01.42\00:11:04.66
in me too, there is
nothing as sinners that
00:11:04.69\00:11:07.66
we have inside of us
by which we can commit
00:11:07.66\00:11:10.57
ourselves to God.
00:11:10.60\00:11:11.93
Only through
Christ can we have that.
00:11:11.97\00:11:13.57
That is what is
brought into play when you get
00:11:13.60\00:11:16.44
to verse 4, because
after describing the human
00:11:16.47\00:11:19.31
condition of being
dead in trespasses and sins
00:11:19.34\00:11:22.14
it says but God.
00:11:22.18\00:11:25.18
Those are two very
powerful words, "but God who
00:11:25.21\00:11:29.02
"is rich in mercy,"
Mercy is that desire to
00:11:29.05\00:11:32.82
give you something
better than what you deserve.
00:11:32.85\00:11:35.42
"Who is rich in mercy
because of His great love
00:11:35.49\00:11:37.96
"with which He loved
us. " That is the source
00:11:37.99\00:11:40.43
here of what is about to come.
00:11:40.46\00:11:42.00
"Even when we were
dead in trespasses," we have
00:11:42.03\00:11:45.40
nothing to commend
ourselves to God, "made us
00:11:45.43\00:11:48.70
"alive together with
Christ (by grace you have
00:11:48.74\00:11:51.51
been saved)" and that
by grace you have been
00:11:51.54\00:11:54.31
saved in the new
King James that is in
00:11:54.34\00:11:55.98
parentheses, it is a
parenthetical statement
00:11:56.01\00:11:58.51
that basically is
saying the same thing as
00:11:58.55\00:12:01.12
made alive together with Christ.
00:12:01.15\00:12:02.48
So by giving us that
grace, that grace isn't
00:12:02.52\00:12:08.16
just something that changes
00:12:08.19\00:12:10.33
the ledger in heaven.
00:12:10.36\00:12:12.49
The grace of God
actually makes us alive
00:12:12.53\00:12:14.93
spiritually. - that
is right, that is right.
00:12:14.96\00:12:17.33
So grace, the idea that
is being conveyed here, a lot
00:12:17.37\00:12:20.50
of times we use the
term unmerited favor which
00:12:20.54\00:12:23.81
that simply means undeserved.
00:12:23.87\00:12:25.74
The idea of grace,
what grace is conveying is,
00:12:25.81\00:12:28.34
and this is what Paul
lays out here as he shows
00:12:28.38\00:12:30.98
the human condition
and then he comes, as you
00:12:31.01\00:12:33.95
said in verse 4, but
God He is contrasting, He is
00:12:33.98\00:12:36.85
saying in essence
that there is nothing
00:12:36.89\00:12:38.65
you have that
deserves this goodness.
00:12:38.69\00:12:40.36
There is nothing that
you have that deserves it,
00:12:40.42\00:12:43.09
but God in contrast, but
God even though you don't
00:12:43.12\00:12:45.79
deserve it,
because He's rich in mercy.
00:12:45.83\00:12:47.96
Because of His
goodness, He is going to offer
00:12:48.00\00:12:50.60
you what you don't
deserve in salvation.
00:12:50.63\00:12:53.50
By offering to make you
alive where you are dead now.
00:12:53.54\00:12:57.31
- Amen, Amen and so
we have unpacked this
00:12:57.34\00:13:00.74
idea of the grace of
God being unmerited favor
00:13:00.78\00:13:03.48
of God, not just the
unmerited favor but the
00:13:03.51\00:13:06.28
unmerited favor that
results in a tangible
00:13:06.31\00:13:09.05
raising up of spiritual life.
00:13:09.08\00:13:10.99
That means being born
again, God coming into
00:13:11.02\00:13:13.09
the heart and
giving us a new nature.
00:13:13.12\00:13:15.16
What we want to do
is go back to Galatians
00:13:15.19\00:13:18.13
where it says Grace
and peace to you and
00:13:18.19\00:13:21.06
unpack what it means.
00:13:21.10\00:13:22.53
That the peace of God
can be ours because that
00:13:22.56\00:13:25.40
is equally part of the gospel.
00:13:25.43\00:13:26.87
Well peace is where it
really comes alive Jim.
00:13:26.90\00:13:30.24
This is where we
find the power to connect
00:13:30.27\00:13:33.54
with the grace so
I am really looking
00:13:33.61\00:13:35.44
forward to this.
00:13:35.48\00:13:36.81
That is right, so
what we are going to do is
00:13:36.85\00:13:38.65
take a short break
and as soon as we are done
00:13:38.68\00:13:40.28
with that break we
are going to dive right in
00:13:40.32\00:13:41.88
to Galatians
Chapter 1 and understand
00:13:41.92\00:13:44.19
a little bit more
about the grace and peace
00:13:44.22\00:13:46.52
that is ours
through God the Father
00:13:46.55\00:13:48.66
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:13:48.69\00:13:50.39