The Bible tells us...
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Join us now for the
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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Our study today is,
The Gospel of Galatians.
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Hello and welcome to the
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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We are so excited
that you are joining us
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for this beautiful quarterly.
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We're studying, The
Gospel in Galatians.
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And we hope you have your
Bible, we hope you have a pen,
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and will join in with our panel.
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Because we are going to get into
some good Bible study today.
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Now if you don't
already have a quarterly,
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you can go online
to ABSG.Adventist.org.
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That's for, Adult
Bible Study Guide.
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And you can download the
official Seventh-day Adventist
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Sabbath school quarterly
and study along with us.
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Or you can also, we want
to encourage you to go to a
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Seventh-day
Adventist church and they will
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give you a copy as well.
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Now what we'd like to
do is introduce the panel.
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I've already told them I'm
operating on two hours sleep
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so I may be just a little...
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But let me introduce this
wonderful panel that is with us.
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We have Pastor C.A.
Murray to my immediate left.
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Pastor Tom Ferguson.
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And we're so glad that
you're joining us today, Tom.
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Jill Morikone, and
Pastor Johnny Dinzey.
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You can tell my
brain is not quite going.
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Hopefully I'll
kick into gear here.
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Before we begin
we would like to...
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We always pray before we
start recording any program.
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But we would like to have a
prayer that you can join in.
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Tom, would you like
to lead us in prayer?
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Heavenly Father, we
thank You for the privilege
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of coming together
and studying Your Word.
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And as we think about
the message to the church
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in Galatia, we think about
Your Holy Spirit and the need
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for Your Spirit to
direct Your church.
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So inspire our
thoughts, our conversation,
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and may we hear from You.
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We pray in Jesus' name, amen.
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Well when we look at Sabbath,
we are on lesson number eight,
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and this is,
From Slaves to Heirs.
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And let me just kind
of back up and talk about
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how this epistle, how
the church even began.
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Paul was traveling through
Galatia and he became ill.
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And then he enjoyed the
hospitality of the Galatians.
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They took him in and
nursed him through his illness.
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So while he was there, he
preached this strong message
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of salvation by grace
through faith in Christ alone.
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And these people, you
know it's interesting,
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this was a pagan group.
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They were all Gentiles.
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They received this message
and they really were leading
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godly lives.
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So the occasion for his letter
to the Galatians, however,
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is that some Judaizers
came down from Jerusalem.
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Judaizers were people who
professed to be Christians.
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They were Jews who had
converted to Christianity.
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But they thought it
had to be grace plus works.
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So they kind of
questioned the adequacy of
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what Jesus had done for us.
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And they were
there in Galatia saying,
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"You've got to be circumcised."
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So Paul is quite upset with
them, because when they came
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they perverted this
gospel from works...
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I mean, they were
substituting works for faith,
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they were substituting
circumcision for the cross,
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bondage for
liberty, and self for Christ.
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So when the false brethren
came in, they influenced
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Peter and Barnabas who
were, Peter was visiting.
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And Paul accuses
them of being hypocrites,
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because Peter and Barnabas,
when the brethren came in,
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the Jewish brethren came
in, the Judaizers, they said,
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"Why are you eating with
these uncircumcised Gentiles?"
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So they pulled back and
they separated themselves.
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And boy, Paul, without
mincing words, he got right
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in Peter's face and
said, "You're a hypocrite.
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You don't live like this.
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You're doing this to
please the brethren."
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But now he's writing this
letter, and it's pretty strong
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that he's writing to
the Galatians saying,
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"You foolish Galatians,
who has bewitched you?"
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He is accusing these
Gentile Christians of apostasy.
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Because suddenly now
they are being gullible enough
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to accept this message
and replace the true gospel.
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So the point that Paul is making
is, anytime we try to add works
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to grace, we no
longer have any grace.
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So let's look
at our memory text.
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He says in Galatians
4:7, the memory text says,
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"So you are no
longer a slave, but a son;
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and if a son, then
an heir through Christ."
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Through God.
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The, "so," is
actually the word, "therefore."
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So on the basis of what God
has done for us in Jesus Christ,
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he is saying, "You're
no longer a slave to sin.
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Salvation is
emancipation from sin."
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And he's telling them,
when we think about what Christ
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has done for us, He's
adopted us, God has adopted us
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through Jesus as His children.
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And now Paul is saying,
"You've got to live according
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to your spiritual heritage.
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Don't back up."
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You know, this is
the same message...
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Martin Luther was
a very sincere monk
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who was trying to find a
way to be pleasing to God.
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And he would
fast and have vigils,
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and he scourged himself.
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And he just had
no peace in his soul
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until he read the
message to Galatia.
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So let's look
at Sunday's lesson.
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In Sunday it is,
Our Condition in Christ.
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And we're going to
read Galatians 3:25-26.
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And Paul writes,
"After faith has come,"
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that's faith in Christ, "we
are no longer under a tutor."
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We looked last time,
this was the pedagogue
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who was employed for the minors.
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And when you think
about it, it was more than
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just the Ten Commandments
that were the tutor.
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The Ten Commandments
revealed their sinfulness,
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it revealed God's character,
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it revealed their
need for a Savior.
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But the whole
ceremonial system was a tutor
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to teach them
about Jesus Christ.
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So he says, if you are...
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Let's see, "...you're
no longer under a tutor.
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For you are all sons of God
through faith in Christ Jesus."
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In verse 7 he told them
they were sons of Abraham,
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but now he's saying,
"Hey, you're sons of God."
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And this includes daughters,
because he goes on in verse 28
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to say there's
neither Jew nor Greek,
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slave nor free, male nor female.
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But basically what Paul
is saying is that at the
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foot of the cross, sex
and race doesn't matter.
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We are sons, it
uses that word, "sons,"
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"huios," instead of,
"children," because that means
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you're a mature person
who has come into his own
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and can inherit.
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You've got a liberated legal
status that you can inherit
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from God.
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Now we know that the, "sons of
God," was a special designation
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to Israel.
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I mean, that was
something that they considered
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themselves as sons of God.
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And God called them that
in Deuteronomy and Hosea.
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But the term,
"son of," was an idiom.
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It just meant that you bore
a resemblance to the character
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of someone or something.
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So the lesson asks,
what is it about baptism
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that makes it such
a significant event?
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Jill, would you read
Galatians 3:27-28, please?
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"For as many of you
as were baptized into
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Christ have put on Christ.
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There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is neither slave nor free,
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there is
neither male nor female;
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for you are all
one in Christ Jesus."
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You know something,
it's interesting here.
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In the Greek the word,
"baptized," as in baptized
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into Christ, this is the
passive voice, which means
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this is something that
has been done for them,
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not by them.
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It's spiritual baptism.
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The baptism of
regeneration by the Holy Spirit.
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This is how we put on Christ
and we bear Christ's image,
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a resemblance to Him.
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In the Roman-Greco
world, or the Greco-Roman world
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I think is
usually the way it's said,
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but when a boy came of
age, he would change his garment
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to signify that
adulthood had been reached
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and that he was a full citizen.
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In 1 Corinthians 12:13,
Paul explains it this way.
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1 Corinthians 12:13
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"By one Spirit we were
all baptized into one body;
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whether Jews or
Greeks, whether slaves or free,
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and we've all been made
to drink into one Spirit."
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So we are baptized into Christ,
as the Bible, Paul, tells them
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in chapter 10 and
verse 2 of 1 Corinthians,
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that they were
baptized into Moses.
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Now we are baptized into Christ.
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But I would like to read, before
I just kind of sum this up,
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let's read the most
important passage on baptism
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that there is in my mind.
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And that's Romans chapter 6.
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Romans 6:1-11
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Tom, you want to
read that for us?
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Romans 6:1-11
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"What shall we say then?
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Shall we continue in
sin that grace may abound?
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Certainly not!
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How shall we who died to
sin live any longer in it?
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Or do you not know that as
many of us as were baptized
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into Christ Jesus were
baptized into His death?
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Therefore we were buried with
Him through baptism into death,
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that just as Christ
was raised from the dead
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by the glory of the
Father, even so we also should
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walk in newness of life.
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For if we have been
united together in the likeness
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of His death, certainly we
shall also be in the likeness
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of His resurrection,
knowing this, that our old man
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was crucified with
Him, that the body of sin
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might be done away
with, that we should no longer
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be slaves of sin.
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For he who has died
has been freed from sin.
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Now if we died with
Christ, we believe that we shall
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also live with Him, knowing
that Christ, having been raised
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from the dead, dies no more.
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Death no longer
has dominion over Him.
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For the death that He died,
He died to sin once for all;
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but the life that He
lives, He lives to God.
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Likewise you also,
reckon yourselves to be dead
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indeed to sin, but alive to
God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
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So basically what
he's saying here to me...
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You all can
chime in, if you want.
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...is, vicariously we share
the crucifixion, the death,
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the burial, and the
resurrection of Jesus Christ.
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And the meaning of
baptism is, it is symbolic
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of a heart transformation
that has already happened.
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We've been baptized into
Christ by the Holy Spirit,
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born again.
00:12:29.81\00:12:31.15
But then baptism is
such an important...
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It's a seal, if you
will, of the new covenant.
00:12:34.72\00:12:39.39
So when we go
down into the water...
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I always say baptism should
be your first act of obedience
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when you understand
justification by grace.
00:12:45.96\00:12:49.16
When you
understand what's going on.
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When we go down into the water,
it is symbolic that we have been
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buried with Christ, we
raise up to newness of life.
00:12:55.64\00:13:00.81
And this ordinance of
baptism that Christ did instill,
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this is something
that is a public confession
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of our belief in Christ.
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And it is a way
that we join the church,
00:13:15.09\00:13:17.73
it's also the way that we then
can participate in communion.
00:13:17.76\00:13:21.36
But it's basically,
you are burying your past
00:13:21.66\00:13:27.40
when you are baptized.
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- Amen. - Amen.
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So it's evidence of our faith.
00:13:30.37\00:13:33.31
That's why
baptism is so critical,
00:13:33.34\00:13:36.21
is that it is
evidence of our faith.
00:13:36.24\00:13:39.08
And it is a sign
of the new covenant,
00:13:39.11\00:13:41.02
just like
circumcision was to the old.
00:13:41.08\00:13:43.12
Now I just want to
read one more very quickly.
00:13:43.32\00:13:45.52
1 Peter 3:21
00:13:45.72\00:13:48.42
1 Peter 3:21
00:13:49.32\00:13:51.76
In verse 20, it's talking
about how eight souls were saved
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through water, in the ark.
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And Peter is
writing here, and he says,
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"There is also an antitype
which now saves us: baptism."
00:14:02.44\00:14:07.14
But now he's qualifying.
00:14:07.84\00:14:09.64
It's not the act of
water baptism that saves us.
00:14:10.08\00:14:14.05
Because he qualifies, saying,
"Not the removal of the filth
00:14:14.08\00:14:17.99
of the flesh, but the answer of
a good conscience toward God."
00:14:18.05\00:14:21.82
So there's an
antitype which now saves us:
00:14:22.42\00:14:25.46
"baptism...through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ."
00:14:25.79\00:14:29.70
So here's the way I see it.
00:14:30.00\00:14:31.90
If an unregenerate
sinner goes down in the water,
00:14:32.20\00:14:35.20
when he comes up out
of the baptismal waters
00:14:35.70\00:14:38.24
what is he then?
00:14:38.34\00:14:39.67
An unregenerate sinner.
00:14:39.71\00:14:41.04
A very wet sinner, amen.
00:14:41.08\00:14:42.88
Baptism doesn't
wash our sins away.
00:14:43.88\00:14:46.72
Only the blood of
Jesus can do that.
00:14:46.75\00:14:49.22
But as the ark
delivered Noah and his family,
00:14:49.65\00:14:54.22
it does have
something to do with our
00:14:54.82\00:14:57.16
full deliverance, I think.
00:14:57.19\00:14:59.33
It's an act of obedience.
00:14:59.36\00:15:01.63
And it is a very
important ordinance.
00:15:01.83\00:15:04.80
C.A., you want to
take Tuesday? Monday.
00:15:05.27\00:15:07.97
You know, as I look at what
Paul is attempting to do here
00:15:08.10\00:15:12.44
at Galatia, it is somewhat
reminiscent to me of Daniel
00:15:12.47\00:15:18.48
in the repeat and enlarge.
00:15:18.51\00:15:20.65
He exercises his burden
from many different aspects.
00:15:20.98\00:15:27.36
You know, he comes
at it from this aspect,
00:15:27.39\00:15:29.09
and he comes at it
from the father aspect,
00:15:29.12\00:15:30.83
and later he'll come at
it from the mother aspect.
00:15:30.86\00:15:32.59
He comes at it from
the land owner aspect,
00:15:32.96\00:15:35.20
he comes at it
from a slave aspect.
00:15:35.23\00:15:36.80
Obviously he has a
great burden to see
00:15:37.87\00:15:41.44
this particular church,
this particular faith community,
00:15:41.47\00:15:45.11
succeed for a number of reasons.
00:15:45.14\00:15:47.88
Including the one that
you mentioned, Shelley,
00:15:48.21\00:15:49.68
that it was his baby, you know.
00:15:49.71\00:15:51.38
You don't want to
see your child falter.
00:15:51.45\00:15:54.25
Most pagan religions emphasize
working to please gods.
00:15:55.55\00:16:01.66
So I have no doubt
that when he found them,
00:16:01.72\00:16:03.93
they were trapped in that.
00:16:03.96\00:16:05.56
He then sets them on the
right path, and then sees them
00:16:06.63\00:16:12.17
stumbling back into this works
oriented way of approaching God.
00:16:12.47\00:16:18.44
That must have been, pastor,
incredibly distressing for him
00:16:18.64\00:16:24.01
to see this group of
babes falling back into
00:16:24.68\00:16:31.72
a bondage situation
that he knows is going to be
00:16:32.55\00:16:35.92
detrimental to
their spiritual growth.
00:16:35.96\00:16:38.03
So like a parent would do with
a child that he really loves
00:16:38.06\00:16:43.03
and that the child
is really getting to...
00:16:43.06\00:16:45.27
You know, if your child
is running out in the street,
00:16:45.47\00:16:46.97
you don't say, "Excuse me,
but I think a car is coming,
00:16:47.00\00:16:50.57
and I think you're
just about to get smashed."
00:16:50.61\00:16:53.48
You kind of yell
and you kind of scream,
00:16:53.68\00:16:55.64
and then you make your
apologies later, you know,
00:16:56.24\00:16:58.25
but, "I need to get
you out of that street
00:16:58.31\00:17:01.28
and the path of
the oncoming car."
00:17:01.65\00:17:03.18
So this is what Paul is doing.
00:17:03.62\00:17:04.99
There is passion
here, to be sure.
00:17:05.02\00:17:06.79
There is much passion,
there is strong language,
00:17:06.99\00:17:10.09
but it is language
born of love and of a desire
00:17:10.13\00:17:13.86
to see an erring church
get put back on the right path.
00:17:14.00\00:17:18.13
And of course, we have
the pattern from Ezekiel.
00:17:18.23\00:17:21.60
If you see someone
going astray and you don't
00:17:21.64\00:17:23.67
correct them, and
they're lot in their sins,
00:17:23.71\00:17:25.07
"their blood will I
require at thy hands."
00:17:25.11\00:17:26.74
But more than that, Paul just
has a burden to see his babies
00:17:26.78\00:17:30.85
grow up in the right way.
00:17:30.95\00:17:32.31
So in Monday we're dealing with,
00:17:32.85\00:17:37.55
Enslaved to
Elementary Principles.
00:17:38.59\00:17:40.62
And of course, Paul
is using another metaphor
00:17:40.66\00:17:46.03
to try to get an
understanding of his burden.
00:17:46.06\00:17:50.23
And I'm going to
read a verse very quickly,
00:17:50.27\00:17:51.63
the first three
verses of Galatians 4:1-3.
00:17:52.17\00:17:55.94
"Now I say that the
heir, as long as he is a child,
00:17:55.97\00:18:00.91
does not differ at all
from a slave, though he is
00:18:00.94\00:18:04.75
master of all, but is
under guardians and stewards
00:18:04.81\00:18:08.28
until the time
appointed by the father.
00:18:08.32\00:18:11.45
Even so we, when we were
children, were in bondage
00:18:11.65\00:18:15.36
under the
elements of the world."
00:18:15.42\00:18:17.03
Now stop there.
00:18:17.06\00:18:18.39
Alright, I want to go
back and pick up Galatians 4
00:18:18.43\00:18:21.73
beginning at verse 1.
00:18:21.76\00:18:23.10
Because the super
structure there is built on
00:18:23.23\00:18:27.87
Galatians 3:24-25.
00:18:27.90\00:18:29.60
So let's pick up Galatians 4:1.
00:18:29.80\00:18:31.17
"Now I say that the
heir, as long as he is a child,
00:18:31.24\00:18:34.31
does not differ at all
from a slave, though he is
00:18:34.51\00:18:37.81
master of all, but is
under guardians and stewards
00:18:37.88\00:18:43.08
until the time
appointed by the father."
00:18:43.12\00:18:45.79
All of this super
structure, all of this building,
00:18:46.79\00:18:51.56
rests on the
foundation that is established
00:18:51.59\00:18:54.13
in chapter 3 verses 24-25.
00:18:54.20\00:18:57.97
That is to say that we
are under the need of a tutor,
00:18:58.47\00:19:05.54
an instructor, until we
come to faith with Jesus.
00:19:05.81\00:19:10.78
And then that is
not necessary anymore.
00:19:10.95\00:19:13.31
He picks up the idea of sons and
heirs through 26, 27, 28, 29,
00:19:14.25\00:19:20.56
and then he re-affirms this
using another angle there in
00:19:20.82\00:19:25.89
chapter 4 beginning at verse 1.
00:19:25.93\00:19:27.93
You've got an heir
who has an inheritance
00:19:27.96\00:19:31.27
but is either not aware
of it or certainly not able
00:19:31.30\00:19:34.77
to deal with it.
00:19:34.84\00:19:36.17
So then, once we come
to Jesus it's as though
00:19:36.20\00:19:40.94
you get your pin number,
you get your bank account.
00:19:40.98\00:19:44.28
You now have access to
what Christ is doing for you.
00:19:44.48\00:19:50.35
The law has
brought you to that point.
00:19:51.32\00:19:53.62
So now you can access what
Christ has for you directly
00:19:53.66\00:19:57.59
because you have a new
understanding, a new walk,
00:19:57.63\00:19:59.66
with Jesus Christ.
00:20:00.13\00:20:01.56
So it's part of
his understanding that
00:20:01.60\00:20:05.47
you don't want to
go back to those days
00:20:06.07\00:20:08.94
when you're trying to
work yourself into a pleasing
00:20:09.04\00:20:12.11
relationship with Christ.
00:20:12.14\00:20:13.61
You don't want to return to
the time when you are working
00:20:13.71\00:20:17.61
to please Christ
doing acts of the law.
00:20:17.65\00:20:21.58
Now you are accessing
what Christ has done for you.
00:20:21.62\00:20:26.22
You've got credit and
you've got an account with Him,
00:20:26.25\00:20:29.56
and you have an unlimited
supply of faith and grace
00:20:29.59\00:20:35.56
that you are old enough now,
mature enough now, to walk in.
00:20:35.66\00:20:40.80
Don't go back to that old way
of trying to work your way into.
00:20:41.00\00:20:46.21
Accept what has
already been done for you
00:20:46.44\00:20:48.41
and walk into that.
00:20:48.44\00:20:49.78
And I can see
Paul's burden here.
00:20:49.81\00:20:51.78
Because if you have a
child who has been freed,
00:20:51.88\00:20:55.88
if you have, how can I
say it, you have a standing,
00:20:56.02\00:21:02.06
why would you want to
go back to a slave status?
00:21:03.73\00:21:08.33
You're an heir
now. You're an adult.
00:21:08.36\00:21:10.77
You can do
things in Christ Jesus
00:21:10.80\00:21:15.37
that you could
not do before Christ.
00:21:15.47\00:21:18.17
He has given you an account.
00:21:18.24\00:21:19.74
As Elder Bradford use to
say, "You can write checks now."
00:21:20.11\00:21:22.98
Amen.
00:21:23.01\00:21:24.35
You've got an
account, write some checks.
00:21:24.38\00:21:26.45
And they will not bounce
and they will not be overdrawn.
00:21:26.85\00:21:29.38
So trying to go back to
digging gold out of the ground
00:21:29.68\00:21:34.02
is something that
you don't want to do.
00:21:34.92\00:21:37.13
And Paul doesn't
want to see them do that.
00:21:37.16\00:21:38.49
What he wants you to
do is access that account
00:21:38.56\00:21:41.20
that Christ has given you
because you are a full son,
00:21:41.23\00:21:44.43
a full heir, a full...
00:21:44.77\00:21:47.27
As we said
yesterday, what's the term?
00:21:47.60\00:21:49.40
Mishpocha, you are
part of the family now.
00:21:49.44\00:21:51.71
And as part of the family,
there are privileges and rights
00:21:52.04\00:21:54.51
that accrue to
being part of that family.
00:21:54.58\00:21:56.78
So now exercise
those privileges and rights
00:21:56.81\00:22:00.05
and stop acting like a beggar.
00:22:00.08\00:22:01.88
Stop acting like
someone who's trying to get in.
00:22:01.92\00:22:04.12
You're in.
00:22:04.15\00:22:05.52
And you've got the rights
that are apportioned to those
00:22:06.02\00:22:09.92
who are in.
00:22:09.96\00:22:11.66
Amen. Wonderful.
00:22:11.69\00:22:13.76
Tom, would you like
to tell us about how God
00:22:14.56\00:22:18.47
sent forth His Son
and His perfect timing?
00:22:18.50\00:22:21.84
You know, I love this verse.
00:22:21.94\00:22:23.27
I invite everyone to
come together as we read
00:22:23.30\00:22:26.14
Galatians 4, we're
going to read verse 4.
00:22:26.17\00:22:29.58
And it says, "But when
the fullness of time had come,
00:22:29.88\00:22:33.18
God sent forth his Son, born
of woman, born under the law."
00:22:33.38\00:22:37.39
First I want to talk
about, "the fullness of time."
00:22:37.82\00:22:40.22
You know, nothing in
this world gets ahead of God.
00:22:41.06\00:22:45.33
He foreknows
exactly what His plan is.
00:22:46.29\00:22:49.40
He reveals that plan.
00:22:49.43\00:22:50.80
As a matter of fact,
"the fullness of time,"
00:22:50.83\00:22:52.43
according to Daniel 9:24-27.
00:22:52.47\00:22:57.61
And you know, it's
interesting because here we are
00:22:58.17\00:23:02.21
in enemy territory, and
God has proclaimed what He is
00:23:02.24\00:23:07.08
going to do.
00:23:07.12\00:23:08.45
And the enemy, in all of
his energy, all of his force,
00:23:08.55\00:23:12.42
all of the fallen
angels, working against
00:23:12.75\00:23:15.69
what God's plan was.
00:23:15.72\00:23:17.99
In spite of that, exactly
when Jesus was supposed to come,
00:23:18.43\00:23:23.33
He came.
00:23:23.37\00:23:24.73
So it shows that even
though we're living in a world
00:23:25.03\00:23:27.67
where there is a power
struggle that is going on,
00:23:27.70\00:23:30.84
even pre-Christ days
when the enemy had dominion
00:23:31.27\00:23:36.28
in this world, took that
away from the first Adam,
00:23:36.31\00:23:38.95
the second Adam was
going to come and retrieve
00:23:39.08\00:23:42.68
the keys to this world again.
00:23:42.72\00:23:44.29
- The second Adam is
who? - It's Jesus Christ.
00:23:44.32\00:23:46.62
And that was going to happen,
not too early, not too late,
00:23:47.19\00:23:51.49
but in the fullness of time.
00:23:51.53\00:23:53.03
And that happens in our
life too, because often times
00:23:53.36\00:23:57.70
we're wondering, "Why, Lord?
00:23:58.33\00:23:59.93
Why are You taking so long?"
00:24:00.04\00:24:01.37
But in the fullness of time,
He works out His good pleasure.
00:24:01.44\00:24:04.54
And the enemy is working
all the time to discourage us,
00:24:04.81\00:24:07.71
to make us look in other places.
00:24:07.94\00:24:09.91
Well, we know from
Israel's history that the enemy
00:24:09.94\00:24:13.52
did have a lot of success.
00:24:13.55\00:24:15.18
But in the fullness of
time Christ came anyway.
00:24:15.48\00:24:19.52
Now part of that our lesson
brings out is the very fact
00:24:19.55\00:24:23.12
that the Roman Empire
was in charge of the world.
00:24:23.16\00:24:25.79
It was a world
power at the time.
00:24:25.83\00:24:27.73
So there was a relative peace,
there was a language commonality
00:24:27.96\00:24:32.93
throughout society so
that messages could be spread
00:24:32.97\00:24:36.14
around the world.
00:24:36.17\00:24:37.51
It's interesting because
that Roman Empire is exactly
00:24:38.14\00:24:41.31
one of the enemy's
tools to thwart God's
00:24:41.34\00:24:44.88
influence in this world.
00:24:44.91\00:24:46.45
And God used that very
environment to reach the world.
00:24:46.82\00:24:52.42
So in the fullness
of time Jesus came.
00:24:52.49\00:24:54.89
And He came in the
condition that is under the law.
00:24:54.92\00:24:58.79
It's interesting,
as I was studying this,
00:24:59.06\00:25:01.56
there are two applications
to, "under the law,"
00:25:02.00\00:25:05.50
that I was discovering.
00:25:05.53\00:25:06.94
And one of them is
found in Galatians 3:13.
00:25:06.97\00:25:13.64
Galatians 3:13
00:25:14.64\00:25:16.44
"Christ has redeemed us
from the curse of the law,
00:25:16.48\00:25:19.61
having become a curse for us,
(for it is written, 'Cursed is
00:25:19.65\00:25:22.38
everyone who
hangs on a tree.')..."
00:25:22.45\00:25:23.89
So He came under
the curse of the law.
00:25:24.22\00:25:27.76
When I think of
this, it always amazes me
00:25:28.19\00:25:32.53
to think that God has
condescended to the level
00:25:32.83\00:25:36.00
that He had from
where He had been.
00:25:36.03\00:25:38.17
And our Creator, in
becoming our Redeemer
00:25:38.67\00:25:41.74
in the fullness of time,
knowing that the enemy had done
00:25:41.77\00:25:44.91
so much to thwart His efforts,
00:25:44.94\00:25:46.78
He came under
the curse of the law.
00:25:47.51\00:25:50.21
So He was subject to
the same temptations.
00:25:51.05\00:25:54.08
He was subject to the
frailty that happens after sin
00:25:54.12\00:25:59.79
had entered the world.
00:26:01.52\00:26:04.03
He was subject to all
of the satanic attacks
00:26:04.46\00:26:07.23
that you and I are subject to.
00:26:07.30\00:26:09.73
And when I think of
Him doing that, I am amazed
00:26:10.53\00:26:14.57
when I think of the plan
of salvation and the fact that
00:26:14.60\00:26:16.44
He was willing
to do that for me.
00:26:16.47\00:26:18.07
And the other application
to being under the law,
00:26:18.84\00:26:24.11
He actually came and was
following the old covenant,
00:26:24.31\00:26:29.38
traditions, the
laws that were designed
00:26:30.39\00:26:34.16
as a tutor, as we've read.
00:26:35.76\00:26:37.33
As a matter of fact,
let's go back to Galatians 3
00:26:37.36\00:26:40.06
and look at verses 23 and 24.
00:26:40.10\00:26:42.83
Now it's interesting
that in an earlier lesson
00:26:43.20\00:26:46.23
it was pointed out that
Jesus actually, He came to
00:26:47.24\00:26:52.31
the Sanctuary at
the age of twelve
00:26:52.74\00:26:54.74
and watched the
services at that time.
00:26:55.74\00:26:58.65
And for the first time
in His life He realized
00:26:58.71\00:27:02.62
that was pointing to Him.
00:27:02.65\00:27:04.55
So whenever, from that
time on, whenever He studied
00:27:06.15\00:27:09.69
that topic, He
understood His role.
00:27:09.72\00:27:12.76
And now you think about
it, all of those seven annual
00:27:14.00\00:27:18.57
services, feast
days, all of that was
00:27:18.63\00:27:21.70
pointing to
Jesus; and He saw that.
00:27:21.80\00:27:25.01
So with the context,
the perspective He had
00:27:25.77\00:27:28.44
was not the perspective
of this rabbi or that rabbi.
00:27:28.48\00:27:31.45
It was the
perspective of God the Father.
00:27:31.48\00:27:34.08
The Holy Spirit was
giving Him enlightenment
00:27:35.08\00:27:37.69
to understand that all
of these things were a tutor
00:27:37.72\00:27:42.62
to lead them to Himself.
00:27:42.92\00:27:45.09
Now we know that the church,
00:27:45.13\00:27:46.76
some of the
church figured that out.
00:27:47.86\00:27:49.53
As a matter of fact, Paul
is writing about it right here.
00:27:49.56\00:27:52.00
So you know that as a messenger
to the church in Galatia,
00:27:52.40\00:27:54.87
he did figure this out.
00:27:54.90\00:27:56.24
This is verse 23 of Galatians 3.
00:27:56.44\00:27:59.54
"But before faith came, we were
kept under guard by the law,
00:27:59.57\00:28:04.01
kept for the faith which
would afterward be revealed.
00:28:04.31\00:28:07.95
Therefore the law was our
tutor to bring us to Christ..."
00:28:08.62\00:28:12.55
And I think, Shelley,
you had mentioned earlier
00:28:12.59\00:28:14.76
sometimes there are those
that think we're trying to
00:28:15.22\00:28:18.49
keep the law by
keeping the Sabbath.
00:28:18.53\00:28:20.16
Because they say, well the
law there, if you look at the
00:28:20.20\00:28:22.23
original language, this isn't
just the seven annual sabbaths.
00:28:22.26\00:28:26.94
This is dealing with
even the Ten Commandment law
00:28:26.97\00:28:29.94
as a tutor to bring us...
00:28:29.97\00:28:32.14
And they're right.
00:28:32.24\00:28:33.58
Because that's exactly the case.
00:28:34.04\00:28:35.81
But what is the end?
00:28:36.31\00:28:38.05
The "tutor brings us to Christ.
00:28:38.08\00:28:40.98
that we might be
justified by faith.
00:28:41.25\00:28:43.75
And after faith has come, we
are no longer under a tutor."
00:28:43.79\00:28:47.39
You know, that as a Christian,
as a Seventh-day Adventist
00:28:47.79\00:28:50.63
Christian, I can have
assurance of salvation by being
00:28:50.66\00:28:54.00
saved by grace
through faith alone.
00:28:54.00\00:28:55.53
It's empowering grace.
00:28:55.60\00:28:57.63
That the law of God
is being kept in me...
00:28:58.13\00:29:00.30
- Liberating. - Yes it is.
00:29:00.34\00:29:02.30
His Word is my guide,
and if I allow Him to be Lord
00:29:02.60\00:29:06.31
of my life each and
every day, I am free in Christ.
00:29:06.34\00:29:10.51
And that it, you know,
it's interesting because
00:29:10.78\00:29:13.25
we do what God wants us
to do as an act of faith.
00:29:13.28\00:29:16.85
It's sort of like,
when Noah built the ark,
00:29:16.89\00:29:18.39
it was an act of faith.
00:29:18.42\00:29:19.75
James tells us, "Faith
without works is dead."
00:29:20.59\00:29:23.09
So it's an evidence
that Christ is in us
00:29:23.12\00:29:26.06
and we are listening
to His voice exclusively
00:29:26.09\00:29:28.50
and not another.
00:29:28.53\00:29:29.86
Because when I
first come to Christ,
00:29:29.90\00:29:32.07
I'm limited to
my own perspective.
00:29:32.10\00:29:33.87
And my own
perspective limits my witness.
00:29:34.10\00:29:38.54
And God wants me to learn more
and more of His perspective.
00:29:38.61\00:29:42.01
You know, it's interesting
too, the lesson brings up,
00:29:42.18\00:29:43.95
"Why did Christ have
to take on our humanity
00:29:43.98\00:29:46.65
in order to redeem us?"
00:29:46.68\00:29:48.02
And I realize my times is short.
00:29:48.15\00:29:49.75
You know, God cannot die.
00:29:51.15\00:29:53.46
And if He didn't take on
humanity, He couldn't have
00:29:54.86\00:29:57.56
been our substitute.
00:29:57.59\00:29:58.93
So He had to become like us.
00:29:59.13\00:30:01.26
After 4000 years of sin
He came in our likeness.
00:30:01.30\00:30:07.00
And He also came...
00:30:07.30\00:30:10.51
You know, I ask
Christians a lot, I say,
00:30:10.54\00:30:12.91
"Well, what was
the reason Jesus came?
00:30:12.94\00:30:14.28
Why did He come?
Why did He come?"
00:30:14.31\00:30:15.64
And I hear, "To
die on the cross."
00:30:15.68\00:30:17.41
"To be our Savior."
00:30:17.45\00:30:19.05
To reveal the Father.
00:30:19.48\00:30:21.18
To reveal who God really is.
00:30:21.22\00:30:23.25
And in so doing,
He died on the cross.
00:30:23.28\00:30:25.55
We see the character of the
Father when we look at Christ.
00:30:25.59\00:30:28.16
Now God's commission to us is
for people to see the character
00:30:28.52\00:30:31.93
of God in us.
00:30:31.99\00:30:33.33
And until we are no
longer under the tutor,
00:30:33.36\00:30:35.73
trying to work
our way to heaven,
00:30:36.13\00:30:37.47
that's impossible.
00:30:37.50\00:30:38.83
We must be in Christ
and receiving His grace.
00:30:38.90\00:30:41.50
He came to redeem
us or to adopt us.
00:30:43.34\00:30:45.87
That's Galatians 4:4-5.
00:30:45.94\00:30:48.08
Romans 8:3 says He came
to condemn sin in the flesh.
00:30:49.01\00:30:54.32
He had to come in our likeness
and have victory over sin,
00:30:55.08\00:31:01.62
and lead the way and
show us the way to the Father,
00:31:02.09\00:31:05.59
show us the way to have victory.
00:31:05.63\00:31:07.13
Romans 8:4
00:31:08.26\00:31:09.60
Let's go to Romans 8:4.
We have a short time here.
00:31:11.03\00:31:14.80
I always wonder if I'm going
to have enough to fill the time,
00:31:17.87\00:31:20.31
and then when I get
going it's too much.
00:31:20.34\00:31:24.31
Okay, Romans 8:4.
00:31:25.41\00:31:27.88
"...that the
righteous requirement of the law
00:31:28.68\00:31:30.65
might be fulfilled in us
who do not walk according
00:31:30.69\00:31:33.66
to the flesh but
according to the Spirit."
00:31:33.69\00:31:36.96
You know, the law
is teaching us moral
00:31:37.33\00:31:41.36
and spiritual standards of God.
00:31:41.40\00:31:43.06
It's an inscription
of His own character
00:31:43.10\00:31:45.37
when we think of
the Ten Commandment law.
00:31:45.40\00:31:47.14
It is a righteous requirement.
00:31:47.24\00:31:49.04
It's impossible for us
to do in our own strength.
00:31:49.07\00:31:52.87
But it is a
righteous requirement.
00:31:52.91\00:31:54.74
So that's
another reason He came,
00:31:55.08\00:31:56.48
so that this is possible for us.
00:31:56.51\00:31:58.08
And in closing, let's
go to Colossians chapter 1.
00:31:58.41\00:32:05.12
Verses 15 through 18.
00:32:08.09\00:32:09.89
"He is the image
of the invisible God,
00:32:13.56\00:32:15.53
the firstborn
over all creation."
00:32:15.60\00:32:17.93
By the way, that is
His position, not His rank.
00:32:18.20\00:32:23.94
"For by Him all things
were created that are in
00:32:24.07\00:32:26.21
heaven and are on
earth, visible and invisible,
00:32:26.24\00:32:28.88
whether thrones or dominions
or principalities or powers.
00:32:28.91\00:32:31.15
All things were created
through Him and for Him.
00:32:31.18\00:32:33.52
And He is before all things,
and in Him all things consist."
00:32:33.82\00:32:37.92
Have their being
because of Christ.
00:32:38.22\00:32:40.59
"And He is the head
of the body, the church,
00:32:40.62\00:32:42.89
who is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead,
00:32:42.92\00:32:45.06
that in all things He
may have the preeminence."
00:32:45.09\00:32:48.30
That's another reason He came.
00:32:48.60\00:32:50.13
- Well said. - Amen.
00:32:50.17\00:32:52.43
On Wednesday we look at,
The Privileges of Adoption.
00:32:52.53\00:32:56.14
Let's turn back to Galatians
4 and we're going to read
00:32:56.17\00:32:59.64
the verse that you
just read, Pastor Tom,
00:32:59.67\00:33:02.34
and look at it from a
little different angle.
00:33:02.41\00:33:05.35
Instead of the
fullness of time and God coming
00:33:05.38\00:33:07.95
as our substitute and sacrifice,
we're going to look at
00:33:08.12\00:33:11.42
Him redeeming us
and then us becoming
00:33:11.45\00:33:13.66
sons and daughters of God.
00:33:13.69\00:33:15.26
So Galatians 4, let's
look at verses 4 and 5.
00:33:15.29\00:33:19.13
"When the fullness
of the time had come,
00:33:20.03\00:33:21.90
God sent forth His Son, born
of a woman, born under the law,
00:33:21.96\00:33:26.67
to redeem those
who were under the law,
00:33:26.70\00:33:30.21
that we might receive
the adoption as sons."
00:33:30.24\00:33:33.71
I want to look at this from
two perspectives to begin with.
00:33:33.74\00:33:36.58
First, why did Jesus come?
00:33:36.61\00:33:39.41
Why was He born?
00:33:39.45\00:33:40.78
First, to redeem us.
00:33:40.82\00:33:42.28
And second, that we would be
able to have the privilege of
00:33:42.32\00:33:46.05
being adopted as
His sons and daughters.
00:33:46.09\00:33:49.02
If we look at, to redeem,
in Webster it literally means,
00:33:49.06\00:33:52.69
to buy back.
00:33:52.79\00:33:54.46
Refers to the price of freedom
for a hostage or a slave,
00:33:54.63\00:33:57.97
to buy them back.
00:33:58.00\00:33:59.33
In the Greek the word means,
to buy up, to ransom or redeem.
00:33:59.80\00:34:04.84
It's used, that word, "redeem,"
four times in the New Testament.
00:34:05.24\00:34:08.51
And interestingly enough, all
times are in Paul's writings.
00:34:08.54\00:34:12.31
It's used in Galatians,
Ephesians, and Colossians.
00:34:12.61\00:34:15.92
But what are we redeemed from?
00:34:15.98\00:34:18.12
You know, to be
redeemed, it almost indicates
00:34:18.15\00:34:21.02
coming from a
negative background.
00:34:21.49\00:34:23.46
Otherwise, why would you
even need to be redeemed?
00:34:23.49\00:34:26.19
You come from
something bad in the past
00:34:26.23\00:34:28.40
in order to be
redeemed from that.
00:34:28.60\00:34:30.47
And the lesson brought out,
I want to look at four things
00:34:30.50\00:34:33.00
that we're redeemed from.
00:34:33.03\00:34:34.37
First, the
condemnation of the law.
00:34:34.40\00:34:37.81
We see that, and you referred
to this, I think, Pastor Tom,
00:34:38.84\00:34:42.11
on Galatians 3, if we
turn back just one chapter,
00:34:42.71\00:34:45.38
Galatians 3:13.
00:34:45.58\00:34:47.32
"Christ has redeemed us
from the curse of the law,
00:34:47.68\00:34:51.25
having become a curse for us."
00:34:51.29\00:34:53.62
Redeemed us from
the curse of the law.
00:34:53.76\00:34:55.59
And Romans 3 talks
about this as well.
00:34:55.62\00:34:59.56
Let's turn back
to Romans 3:23-24.
00:34:59.59\00:35:06.47
Romans 3:23-24
00:35:06.84\00:35:09.37
Verse 23, "All have
sinned and fallen short
00:35:09.57\00:35:13.07
of the glory of God..."
00:35:13.11\00:35:15.14
We're all under
that condemnation.
00:35:15.38\00:35:17.51
"...being justified
freely by His grace through the
00:35:17.65\00:35:22.08
redemption that is
in Christ Jesus..."
00:35:22.15\00:35:24.92
Because the Lord
Jesus justifies you and I,
00:35:25.19\00:35:28.32
because He says, "I can bring
you back into right standing."
00:35:28.52\00:35:31.89
Through the redemption that took
place when He died on the cross,
00:35:31.93\00:35:35.73
we are freed from the
condemnation of the law.
00:35:35.83\00:35:39.73
Second, we're freed
from the power of sin
00:35:40.14\00:35:43.24
that enslaves us.
00:35:43.27\00:35:44.94
In Romans, we're in Romans,
let's just turn over a chapter
00:35:45.04\00:35:47.71
to Romans 6.
00:35:47.74\00:35:49.08
You want to read that,
brother Johnny, Romans 6:22.
00:35:49.78\00:35:54.05
Verse 22, "But now
being made free from sin,
00:35:54.45\00:35:59.09
and become servants to God, ye
have your fruit unto holiness,
00:35:59.19\00:36:04.13
and the end everlasting life."
00:36:04.16\00:36:06.63
We are freed from being
a slave or a servant of sin
00:36:06.90\00:36:11.20
and brought into
the kingdom of light.
00:36:11.43\00:36:14.30
Mollie Steenson always says,
00:36:14.34\00:36:15.77
"Transformed out of
the kingdom of darkness
00:36:15.84\00:36:17.97
and brought into the
kingdom of God's dear Son,
00:36:18.07\00:36:20.21
into the kingdom of light."
00:36:20.24\00:36:21.58
Freed from the power
of sin that enslaves us.
00:36:21.61\00:36:24.95
Think of Matthew
1:21. What does it say?
00:36:24.98\00:36:27.32
"Thou shalt call His name Jesus,
00:36:27.35\00:36:29.85
for He shall save His
people from their sins."
00:36:29.88\00:36:33.72
First, we're redeemed
from condemnation of the law.
00:36:34.02\00:36:36.52
We're redeemed
from the power of sin.
00:36:36.56\00:36:38.36
Third, we're redeemed
from the power of Satan.
00:36:38.39\00:36:41.50
Let's look at Hebrews 2:14-15.
00:36:41.76\00:36:47.67
And Shelley, do you have
that? You want to read that?
00:36:50.24\00:36:52.17
Hebrews 2:14-15
00:36:52.21\00:36:54.81
Hebrews, if I can find
chapter 2, verses 14 and 15.
00:36:54.84\00:36:59.25
"Inasmuch then as the
children have partaken of flesh
00:36:59.31\00:37:02.55
and blood, He Himself
likewise shared in the same,
00:37:02.58\00:37:07.16
so that," that's a purpose
statement, "through death
00:37:07.56\00:37:11.19
He might destroy him
who had the power of death,
00:37:11.23\00:37:14.86
that is, the devil..."
00:37:14.93\00:37:16.26
And let's read verse 15 too.
00:37:16.63\00:37:18.47
"...and release those
who through fear of death
00:37:18.57\00:37:22.40
were all their
lifetime subject to bondage."
00:37:22.44\00:37:25.97
So we're not only released
from the condemnation of the law
00:37:26.01\00:37:28.71
and from being a slave
to sin, but we're freed
00:37:28.74\00:37:31.88
from the power of Satan.
00:37:31.91\00:37:34.82
And freed from
the power of death.
00:37:35.48\00:37:37.35
It mentions that
too in that verse.
00:37:37.39\00:37:39.05
And that's number four.
00:37:39.09\00:37:40.42
Freed from the power of death.
00:37:40.46\00:37:41.82
You see it there
and you also see it in
00:37:41.86\00:37:43.53
1 Corinthians 15:56-57.
00:37:43.56\00:37:46.73
"The sting of death is sin,
00:37:46.76\00:37:49.33
and the strength
of sin is the law.
00:37:49.36\00:37:52.07
But thanks be to God..."
00:37:52.10\00:37:53.44
I think this is one of
my favorite scriptures.
00:37:53.47\00:37:55.17
"Thanks be to God,
who gives us the victory
00:37:55.40\00:37:59.14
through our Lord Jesus Christ."
00:37:59.17\00:38:01.24
We're given...
Victory is a gift.
00:38:01.48\00:38:03.21
Victory is not something
that we strive for, we struggle,
00:38:03.28\00:38:08.18
we grit our
teeth and try harder.
00:38:08.22\00:38:10.82
Victory is a gift.
00:38:10.85\00:38:13.56
In Jesus, that's right.
00:38:13.76\00:38:15.09
And here it's tied in
that victory with being
00:38:15.12\00:38:18.53
freed from death, being
freed from the sting of sin
00:38:18.56\00:38:21.16
and the sting of death.
00:38:21.20\00:38:22.53
So we're not only,
when we're redeemed,
00:38:22.73\00:38:25.03
we're not only freed
from all these things,
00:38:25.07\00:38:27.87
we're also adopted.
00:38:27.97\00:38:29.67
So let's look at that.
00:38:29.70\00:38:31.04
We're adopted as
His sons and daughters.
00:38:31.07\00:38:32.74
Let's go back to Galatians 4:5.
00:38:32.77\00:38:37.05
"...to redeem those
who were under the law,
00:38:37.15\00:38:39.68
that we might receive
the adoption as sons."
00:38:39.88\00:38:43.69
That word, "adoption," I
can't pronounce it in the Greek,
00:38:44.89\00:38:48.42
but it actually comes
from two different Greek words.
00:38:48.46\00:38:51.49
It comes from,
"hyiós," meaning, "son,"
00:38:51.53\00:38:54.46
as well as,
"títhemi," meaning, "to place."
00:38:54.63\00:38:57.87
So literally, the
placing of a son, or adopting.
00:38:57.90\00:39:03.24
It indicates the nature and
condition of the true disciples
00:39:03.30\00:39:06.78
of Christ who have
the privilege of becoming
00:39:06.81\00:39:09.21
the sons of God.
00:39:09.24\00:39:10.85
Now in the Greco-Roman world,
they had, the lesson brought
00:39:11.21\00:39:15.42
this out, six
privileges of adoption.
00:39:15.45\00:39:18.55
The adopted son becomes
the true son of his adopter.
00:39:19.55\00:39:23.19
Which makes sense.
00:39:23.22\00:39:24.56
We would do that
here in the United States.
00:39:24.59\00:39:26.09
The adopter agrees
to bring up the child
00:39:26.36\00:39:29.30
and to provide for him or her.
00:39:29.33\00:39:31.27
The adopter cannot
repudiate his adopted son.
00:39:32.47\00:39:36.54
The child cannot
be reduced to slavery.
00:39:37.01\00:39:40.34
The child's natural
parents cannot reclaim him.
00:39:40.71\00:39:44.25
And adoption establishes
the right to inherit.
00:39:44.51\00:39:47.55
Now I think as we look at
the comparison between that
00:39:47.58\00:39:50.65
and our privilege as
the adopted children of God,
00:39:50.85\00:39:54.09
I think that breaks
down just a little bit.
00:39:54.12\00:39:56.93
Number five says, the
child's natural parents
00:39:57.39\00:39:59.56
cannot reclaim him.
00:39:59.63\00:40:00.96
And to be honest, we
can choose to let go of God.
00:40:00.96\00:40:04.47
Now He adopts us
and He wants to keep us,
00:40:04.50\00:40:07.30
but we can choose.
00:40:07.34\00:40:08.67
2 Peter 2 talks about
those who have tasted Christ
00:40:08.70\00:40:11.61
and then have turned away.
00:40:11.64\00:40:14.48
So we can make a choice
to say, "I want to be..."
00:40:14.51\00:40:17.31
What do you say?
Unadopted. Is that a word?
00:40:17.35\00:40:19.21
"I want to choose to turn away."
00:40:19.25\00:40:21.15
But the privilege, the
rights, of being a child of God,
00:40:21.38\00:40:27.96
we receive the Holy Spirit
as a pledge of our inheritance.
00:40:27.99\00:40:33.86
Ephesians 1:13-14, "...in
whom also, having believed,
00:40:33.90\00:40:38.23
you were sealed with
the Holy Spirit of promise,
00:40:38.27\00:40:42.87
who is the guarantee of our
inheritance until the redemption
00:40:42.90\00:40:46.81
of the purchased possession,
to the praise of His glory."
00:40:46.84\00:40:50.48
Like the Holy Spirit is the
down payment, you could say.
00:40:50.51\00:40:53.31
The guarantee
of our possessions.
00:40:53.35\00:40:56.25
We receive when we are adopted
as His sons and daughters
00:40:56.69\00:41:00.79
the family rights
and privileges of being a
00:41:00.82\00:41:04.13
son and daughter of God.
00:41:04.16\00:41:05.49
Let's turn to 1 John 3.
00:41:05.53\00:41:06.93
1 John 3:1
00:41:08.26\00:41:10.80
And do you have
that, Pastor Tom?
00:41:13.23\00:41:14.84
- Sure. - 1 John 3:1
00:41:14.87\00:41:16.74
"Behold what manner of love
the Father has bestowed on us,
00:41:17.44\00:41:20.68
that we should be
called children of God!
00:41:21.31\00:41:23.61
Therefore the
world does not know us,
00:41:23.91\00:41:25.78
because it did not know Him."
00:41:25.81\00:41:27.32
Yes, what a privilege!
00:41:27.35\00:41:29.85
If you go down in
chapter 3 verse 10,
00:41:30.05\00:41:33.52
it says, "In this
the children of God and
00:41:33.82\00:41:35.36
the children of the
devil are manifest."
00:41:35.39\00:41:37.53
So that tells me
we have a choice.
00:41:37.56\00:41:39.96
We can be a child of
God with the privileges
00:41:40.00\00:41:43.93
and rights of being
an inheritor of Him,
00:41:43.97\00:41:47.87
or I can make a
choice and I can choose to be
00:41:47.90\00:41:51.57
a child of the enemy.
00:41:51.61\00:41:52.94
And we're all born
under sin, but Jesus says,
00:41:53.01\00:41:55.68
"I want to redeem you and I
want to adopt you as My child."
00:41:55.71\00:42:00.32
And it takes a choice.
00:42:00.35\00:42:01.68
And not only do we have the
privilege of the inheritance
00:42:01.72\00:42:04.35
with Him and such
peace and joy and the rights
00:42:04.39\00:42:08.42
and privilege of
being His son or daughter,
00:42:08.46\00:42:10.56
we get an intimate Father/child
relationship with Him.
00:42:10.79\00:42:14.63
We see that in Galatians
4. Let's turn back there.
00:42:14.66\00:42:17.37
Galatians 4:6-7
00:42:18.07\00:42:21.70
"Because you are
sons, God has sent forth
00:42:22.04\00:42:26.01
the Spirit of His
Son into your hearts,
00:42:26.04\00:42:28.08
crying out, "Abba, Father!"
00:42:28.11\00:42:31.51
In the Greek it literally
means, "Daddy," "Papa."
00:42:31.78\00:42:35.95
It's an intimate dependent
relationship term between
00:42:36.15\00:42:40.12
us and our heavenly Father.
00:42:40.16\00:42:41.79
"Therefore you are no
longer a slave but a son;
00:42:41.89\00:42:45.19
and if a son, then an
heir of God through Christ."
00:42:45.23\00:42:48.10
So what a privilege is ours
to be God's sons and daughters.
00:42:48.13\00:42:52.33
And I think, if I
really walked in that,
00:42:52.37\00:42:56.20
if we walked in the
knowledge of who we are,
00:42:56.40\00:42:59.57
the knowledge and assurance of
being God's sons and daughters,
00:42:59.61\00:43:02.84
what a difference that
would make in the world.
00:43:02.91\00:43:04.85
Well, we now come to
Thursday in the lesson.
00:43:07.12\00:43:11.25
And that is entitled,
Why Turn Back to Slavery?
00:43:11.29\00:43:16.26
This part of the lesson
takes us into Galatians 4:8-20.
00:43:16.76\00:43:23.60
And so because there
are many verses here,
00:43:23.87\00:43:27.30
we're not going to be able
to talk about all of the verses
00:43:27.34\00:43:30.11
and all of the
wonderful things that are there.
00:43:30.14\00:43:32.67
But let's begin there
in verse 8, Galatians 4:8.
00:43:33.07\00:43:36.98
"Howbeit then,
when ye knew not God,
00:43:37.01\00:43:42.58
ye did service unto them
which by nature are no gods.
00:43:42.62\00:43:45.95
But now, after
that ye have known God,
00:43:46.92\00:43:50.13
or rather are known
of God, how turn ye again
00:43:50.16\00:43:54.20
to the weak and
beggarly elements,
00:43:54.20\00:43:56.93
whereunto ye desire
again to be in bondage?"
00:43:57.13\00:44:00.54
So we'll stop
there for a moment.
00:44:00.67\00:44:02.07
Because Paul is continuing his
discussion about the Galatians.
00:44:02.44\00:44:09.54
In chapter 1 he
says, "I marvel,"
00:44:09.88\00:44:12.41
and, "You foolish Galatians."
00:44:12.81\00:44:15.82
And now here, he's going
back, "How turn ye back?"
00:44:16.02\00:44:20.29
Now this is interesting,
because the people that
00:44:20.32\00:44:22.66
came in that bewitched
them were bringing them,
00:44:22.72\00:44:27.60
trying to bring
them away from Christ.
00:44:28.00\00:44:30.67
And so as you
read Galatians 4:8-20,
00:44:31.13\00:44:36.10
you have to ask yourself,
"What did they go back to?"
00:44:36.17\00:44:39.11
And reading several things
you see, what were the Galatians
00:44:39.57\00:44:46.28
before Paul came along?
00:44:46.31\00:44:47.75
- They were what? - Gentiles.
00:44:48.15\00:44:49.68
Gentiles, heathens, pagans.
00:44:49.75\00:44:53.32
So they used to
actually do sacrifices to idols.
00:44:54.02\00:44:59.06
So what did they go back to?
00:44:59.66\00:45:02.70
Now that's the
question that comes up
00:45:03.47\00:45:05.67
as you read these verses.
00:45:05.70\00:45:07.34
Now the lesson brings out
that Paul does not make it clear
00:45:07.64\00:45:12.37
exactly what they were doing.
00:45:12.41\00:45:14.11
But you see some
elements here and there
00:45:14.31\00:45:16.24
because he mentions some.
00:45:16.31\00:45:17.65
Let's continue reading.
00:45:17.68\00:45:19.01
So now we are in verse 10.
00:45:19.71\00:45:26.35
"Ye observe days, and
months, and times, and years."
00:45:26.65\00:45:30.79
So you see, this is
one of the clues as to
00:45:30.83\00:45:34.00
what they were doing.
00:45:34.03\00:45:35.36
So we ask
ourselves, did they go back to
00:45:35.93\00:45:38.90
the Jewish
practices of sacrifices?
00:45:39.37\00:45:42.27
Or was there a mixture of
what they use to do before
00:45:42.57\00:45:45.71
with what the Judaizers,
the people that bewitched them?
00:45:46.04\00:45:50.01
There was probably
a mixture of the two
00:45:51.51\00:45:54.48
in their practices
which embraced some of the
00:45:54.52\00:45:57.29
Jewish traditions and
some of the Jewish ceremonies
00:45:57.32\00:46:00.29
and perhaps some of
the things they use to do.
00:46:00.36\00:46:02.49
Whatever it was, it was wrong
because they left the gospel,
00:46:03.36\00:46:08.80
the true gospel.
00:46:08.83\00:46:10.20
And so I remember Pastor Ricardo
that was here for many years,
00:46:10.40\00:46:14.44
he used to say, "The
devil doesn't care what side of
00:46:14.47\00:46:16.94
the boat you fall off as
long as you fall off the boat."
00:46:16.97\00:46:19.61
And so we have here that
Paul is seeking to rescue them
00:46:20.21\00:46:25.08
from this state, this bondage
that they went back into.
00:46:25.28\00:46:30.72
The words here are very strong.
00:46:30.92\00:46:33.62
Notice again in verse 9,
let me start at verse 9 again.
00:46:34.42\00:46:39.16
"But now, after
that ye have known God,
00:46:39.19\00:46:41.13
or rather are known of
God, how turn ye again..."
00:46:41.16\00:46:43.93
These words, "turn ye
again," are very strong
00:46:43.97\00:46:46.94
and even seem to imply,
"You went back to the beginning
00:46:46.97\00:46:51.07
as to the condition
you were in before."
00:46:51.11\00:46:53.27
What condition
were they in before?
00:46:53.38\00:46:54.78
They were in a lost condition.
00:46:54.81\00:46:56.24
So now Paul is trying
to rescue them from this
00:46:56.54\00:47:00.08
condition that they are in.
00:47:00.12\00:47:01.45
And so he says,
"Ye observe days,
00:47:01.78\00:47:03.45
and months, and
times, and years."
00:47:03.49\00:47:04.89
Now some people have
taken Galatians 4:10 to say,
00:47:04.92\00:47:08.39
"Oh they're talking
there about those people
00:47:08.62\00:47:10.46
that keep the Sabbath still."
00:47:10.49\00:47:12.06
And so this is an
incorrect analysis of this.
00:47:12.59\00:47:16.77
It's, I would say,
a weak interpretation
00:47:16.80\00:47:19.93
of these scriptures.
00:47:19.97\00:47:21.30
Because Paul is
talking about ceremonial things
00:47:21.70\00:47:24.64
they use to do.
00:47:24.67\00:47:26.01
And I ask you the
question, when did God establish
00:47:26.04\00:47:29.14
the Sabbath day?
00:47:29.24\00:47:30.98
- Before sin at
creation. - Before sin entered.
00:47:31.01\00:47:33.62
Before a ceremonial
system was established.
00:47:33.65\00:47:36.48
So therefore, you cannot
put the Sabbath in this package.
00:47:36.52\00:47:40.16
Because if sin had not entered,
the children of the Lord
00:47:40.19\00:47:45.43
would have been
keeping the Sabbath, you see.
00:47:45.69\00:47:48.30
So you cannot put this
in this package and say
00:47:48.43\00:47:50.93
it brings you into bondage.
00:47:50.97\00:47:52.60
So this is not what
Paul is referring to.
00:47:53.80\00:47:57.64
So let's continue reading
there. Now we go to verse 11.
00:47:57.91\00:48:00.64
"I am afraid of
you, lest I have bestowed
00:48:00.68\00:48:02.88
upon you labour in vain."
00:48:02.91\00:48:05.28
Paul is concerned
that the efforts he put in
00:48:05.31\00:48:08.35
have come to be nothing.
00:48:09.68\00:48:12.15
Now he says,
"Brethren, I beseech you..."
00:48:12.42\00:48:14.76
This is strong again,
saying, "I am really concerned."
00:48:14.79\00:48:17.49
"I am begging you,"
some people can even say.
00:48:17.53\00:48:20.96
"I beseech you, be as I
am; for I am as you are:
00:48:22.56\00:48:25.97
you have not injured me at all.
00:48:26.00\00:48:27.80
Ye know how through infirmity
of the flesh I preached
00:48:28.04\00:48:32.01
the gospel unto
you at the first.
00:48:32.04\00:48:34.11
And my temptation which was
in my flesh ye despised not,
00:48:34.14\00:48:37.68
nor rejected; but
received me as an angel of God,
00:48:37.71\00:48:41.52
even as Christ Jesus."
00:48:41.55\00:48:43.08
So here, Paul is reminding
them of how they embraced him
00:48:43.39\00:48:47.86
and accepted the
wonderful things that he was
00:48:47.89\00:48:50.19
sharing with them about Jesus,
the gospel of Jesus Christ.
00:48:50.23\00:48:53.36
That salvation is by grace
through faith in Jesus Christ.
00:48:53.40\00:49:00.04
And so, here Paul
is appealing to them
00:49:00.07\00:49:02.67
and how they received him.
00:49:02.70\00:49:04.91
Now we continue.
00:49:05.44\00:49:06.78
"Where is then the
blessedness ye spake of?
00:49:08.68\00:49:11.41
I bear you record,
that, if it had been possible,
00:49:11.45\00:49:14.58
ye would have
plucked out your own eyes,
00:49:14.62\00:49:16.58
and have given them unto me."
00:49:16.65\00:49:18.32
So Paul is saying,
"You were so sincere,
00:49:18.35\00:49:21.36
so embraced the gospel,
that you were willing to
00:49:21.39\00:49:23.99
go the extra mile, you know."
00:49:24.03\00:49:26.13
Some people say that the Jews
were compelled to walk a mile
00:49:26.66\00:49:31.43
when the Roman
citizen came to them and said,
00:49:31.47\00:49:34.50
"Hey, carry my luggage."
00:49:34.54\00:49:37.51
The Jew was compelled
to walk with them one mile.
00:49:37.87\00:49:40.11
That was what the law required.
00:49:40.14\00:49:41.48
After he walked a mile,
or however they measured
00:49:41.78\00:49:46.95
the distance in those
days, the Jew no longer was
00:49:46.98\00:49:50.12
bound by the law to do that.
00:49:50.15\00:49:51.65
He could cast it on the
ground and spit on the ground
00:49:51.69\00:49:54.29
and say, you know,
"Be gone with you."
00:49:54.32\00:49:56.56
But here we have an interesting
thing where the Galatians
00:49:57.16\00:50:02.46
were willing to
go the extra mile.
00:50:02.50\00:50:04.17
"You were willing to
pluck out your own eye,"
00:50:04.20\00:50:06.20
to embrace him
and minister to him.
00:50:06.63\00:50:09.57
Now here is what we have.
00:50:09.70\00:50:11.04
"Where is then the
blessedness ye spake of?
00:50:13.78\00:50:15.88
For I bear you record,
that, if it had been possible,
00:50:15.91\00:50:17.88
ye would have
plucked out your own eyes,
00:50:17.91\00:50:19.45
and have given them to me.
00:50:19.55\00:50:20.88
Am I therefore become your enemy
because I tell you the truth?"
00:50:21.05\00:50:24.45
You see, Paul is
sharing with them the truth.
00:50:25.02\00:50:27.46
Bringing them back to
the gospel of Jesus Christ.
00:50:27.49\00:50:31.19
And so, I bring
you the words of Paul.
00:50:31.53\00:50:35.96
He says, "Have I
become your enemy
00:50:36.43\00:50:38.13
because I tell you the truth?"
00:50:38.17\00:50:39.60
He is helping them,
he is trying to lead them
00:50:39.63\00:50:43.07
to understand that in
Jesus, walking with Jesus,
00:50:43.27\00:50:47.24
is where true
salvation is found.
00:50:47.28\00:50:49.44
So in verse 17, talking about
the people that bewitched them,
00:50:49.48\00:50:54.38
"They zealously
affect you, but not well;
00:50:54.42\00:50:57.39
they would exclude you,
that ye might affect them.
00:50:57.75\00:51:01.19
But it is good to be zealously
affected always in a good thing,
00:51:01.22\00:51:06.26
not only when I
am present with you.
00:51:06.29\00:51:08.06
My little children..."
00:51:08.20\00:51:09.53
Notice the words he uses.
00:51:09.56\00:51:10.90
"My little children, of
whom I travail in birth again
00:51:10.93\00:51:14.60
until Christ be formed in
you, I desire to be present
00:51:14.64\00:51:18.01
with you now, and
to change my voice;
00:51:18.04\00:51:20.88
for I stand in doubt of you."
00:51:20.91\00:51:22.71
So he is concerned, he is making
these things known unto them.
00:51:22.91\00:51:28.68
And he is leading
them to the truth.
00:51:28.98\00:51:32.09
And you see in Galatians a
development of the gospel again
00:51:32.12\00:51:36.73
as Paul shares with them.
00:51:37.29\00:51:39.03
I love the scriptures
that have been shared,
00:51:39.96\00:51:42.76
"When the
fullness of time had come,
00:51:42.80\00:51:45.03
God sent forth His
Son to deliver those that
00:51:45.07\00:51:49.60
were under the law."
00:51:49.64\00:51:50.97
So that's what
Christ came to do.
00:51:51.01\00:51:52.67
And this is what Paul is
trying to help them again.
00:51:52.71\00:51:54.78
"You went back to bondage.
00:51:54.81\00:51:56.68
How can you do that
when you had liberty
00:51:57.35\00:52:00.72
and freedom in Jesus Christ?"
00:52:00.75\00:52:02.52
And Paul is as a
father speaking to them
00:52:02.75\00:52:06.09
with fatherly care,
"My little children..."
00:52:06.12\00:52:08.82
And so I see in the language
of Paul the language of God.
00:52:09.29\00:52:15.76
How He also speaks to us.
00:52:16.33\00:52:18.67
And you see the same
thing developed in John.
00:52:19.07\00:52:21.90
You read 1 John 3:1,
"Behold, what manner of love
00:52:22.00\00:52:27.81
God has bestowed upon
us, the we should be called
00:52:27.84\00:52:29.98
the children of God."
00:52:30.08\00:52:31.58
And if you read 1 John 2:1,
John uses the same language.
00:52:31.75\00:52:35.42
"My little children,
these things I write unto you,
00:52:37.12\00:52:39.89
that ye sin not."
00:52:39.92\00:52:41.26
So we see the children
of God, as they present
00:52:41.29\00:52:45.66
the gospel to
others, they understand that
00:52:45.69\00:52:49.60
those that accept the
gospel, they feel like they are
00:52:49.80\00:52:52.33
under their care, they
strive to help them understand.
00:52:53.00\00:52:56.24
They don't want to
see them go astray.
00:52:56.27\00:52:57.84
They want to see them
continue in the way of the Lord.
00:52:57.87\00:53:00.68
- Amen. - Amen.
00:53:00.74\00:53:02.08
You know, when I think
of, "the fullness of time,"
00:53:02.11\00:53:04.41
I think of Sir Isaac Newton.
00:53:04.45\00:53:06.08
Because the scriptures, in
Daniel, actually prophesied
00:53:06.11\00:53:11.85
the time of the
coming of the Messiah.
00:53:11.89\00:53:14.32
And here, Sir Isaac
Newton, the mathematician...
00:53:14.36\00:53:16.96
15th century was he
or? Anyway, 14th or 15th.
00:53:16.99\00:53:20.93
Yeah, sounds good to me.
00:53:20.96\00:53:22.26
But here he is this
brilliant mathematician
00:53:22.33\00:53:26.43
who, it was those scriptures,
it was the prophecies
00:53:26.67\00:53:30.64
of Daniel that convinced
him that the Bible was the
00:53:30.71\00:53:34.48
inerrant word of God.
00:53:34.51\00:53:37.18
So I just think of,
"the fullness of time;"
00:53:37.25\00:53:40.02
exactly when Jesus was
suppose to enter in, He did.
00:53:40.05\00:53:44.45
And what a blessing this
lesson is, that we would know
00:53:44.65\00:53:49.42
that we have been
adopted as children.
00:53:49.62\00:53:52.76
That's all what it's about.
00:53:52.79\00:53:54.46
And Jill, you've got
something you wanted to say?
00:53:54.46\00:53:56.06
I do, and I was supposed to
read this Bible during my time.
00:53:56.10\00:53:59.90
If I can just read one verse.
00:53:59.93\00:54:01.64
This is from a
precious 3ABN viewer who
00:54:01.67\00:54:04.41
sent several of us Bibles.
00:54:04.44\00:54:06.01
And I love this
Bible, it is personalized.
00:54:06.34\00:54:08.94
And I just wanted to
read that one verse about us
00:54:08.98\00:54:11.11
being adopted, because it
puts your own name into it.
00:54:11.15\00:54:15.25
And to me it makes such a
difference when you think about
00:54:15.55\00:54:17.85
being adopted as
God's son or daughter.
00:54:17.89\00:54:20.36
It says, we're in Galatians
4:7, "Jill is no longer a
00:54:20.59\00:54:27.50
bondservant, but a
daughter; and if a daughter,
00:54:27.50\00:54:30.57
then an heir of
God through Christ."
00:54:30.63\00:54:33.50
And so, the whole
Bible puts your name in it.
00:54:33.70\00:54:36.97
And I think that's so incredible
when we read the Word of God
00:54:37.01\00:54:40.88
to personalize it.
00:54:40.91\00:54:42.28
And it's not applying to Pastor
Tom, which it does apply to you,
00:54:42.31\00:54:45.38
or to Pastor C.A., or
Shelley, but it applies to us
00:54:45.51\00:54:49.15
individually, personally.
00:54:49.18\00:54:50.75
So when we have, as we
can, come to that scripture
00:54:51.45\00:54:56.42
and realize that God
has given me His Spirit,
00:54:56.46\00:55:00.23
I am an adopted
child, I am an heir of God,
00:55:00.26\00:55:05.53
a co-heir with Christ Jesus.
00:55:05.57\00:55:08.27
And Paul is saying,
"Hey, that whole old system
00:55:08.30\00:55:12.41
that these Judaizers are
trying to introduce you to,
00:55:12.44\00:55:15.41
this idea of
salvation by faith plus works,
00:55:15.44\00:55:20.82
that was all done away with.
00:55:21.02\00:55:22.98
It was not
suppose to be like that."
00:55:23.02\00:55:25.32
We're actually going to
look at that in an upcoming
00:55:25.35\00:55:27.62
lesson, that the Mosaic
covenant was supposed to
00:55:27.82\00:55:31.13
have been an
extension, a progression
00:55:31.16\00:55:34.50
of the Abrahamic covenant.
00:55:34.56\00:55:36.30
But my point is this, God is so
good to each and every one of us
00:55:36.50\00:55:42.87
as His adopted children.
00:55:42.90\00:55:44.34
We may call on Him.
00:55:44.57\00:55:46.37
"Abba," in the
Aramaic, as Jill has said,
00:55:46.57\00:55:49.98
in Aramaic, "Abba,"
is, "Papa," "Daddy."
00:55:50.11\00:55:54.25
And when you go to the
Lord, you can cry out to Him
00:55:54.45\00:55:58.99
on that intimate level.
00:55:59.15\00:56:01.32
And know, somebody
brought this up earlier,
00:56:01.42\00:56:05.19
we don't want to fall off the
ditch into the area of legalism,
00:56:05.39\00:56:12.60
we don't want to fall off the
ditch into the area of license.
00:56:12.83\00:56:16.74
Because being a child of God
00:56:16.84\00:56:21.18
doesn't give us
a license to sin.
00:56:21.21\00:56:23.35
But what happens is,
when we were talking earlier,
00:56:23.48\00:56:26.85
when you were
talking, Tom, that the liberty
00:56:26.88\00:56:29.95
of knowing who you are in
Christ, knowing your identity
00:56:29.98\00:56:33.32
in Christ, this is
what makes you want to obey.
00:56:33.36\00:56:38.89
When you understand God's
love, you're ready to express
00:56:38.93\00:56:44.27
your appreciation for
salvation and your love for Him
00:56:44.40\00:56:49.27
through obedience.
00:56:49.30\00:56:50.64
So we'll get to all of
those in future lessons.
00:56:50.71\00:56:53.11
Right now, just on
behalf of our panel, once again
00:56:53.14\00:56:56.44
we thank you for being
here with us, Johnny, and Jill,
00:56:56.48\00:57:00.58
Tom, and C.A.
00:57:00.68\00:57:02.72
Always has
something wonderful to say.
00:57:02.92\00:57:05.12
On behalf of the
panel and on behalf of 3ABN,
00:57:05.32\00:57:08.52
we're just so thankful
that you've joined us today
00:57:08.56\00:57:11.36
and hope that
you'll tune in again.
00:57:11.39\00:57:12.99
Next week we're going to
be talking on lesson nine
00:57:13.03\00:57:15.83
about, Paul's Pastoral Appeal.
00:57:15.86\00:57:18.67
But our prayer for you is that
the grace of our Lord and Savior
00:57:19.00\00:57:23.27
Jesus Christ, the love of
the Father, and the fellowship
00:57:23.30\00:57:26.71
of the Holy Spirit
will be with you always,
00:57:26.74\00:57:30.35
with you and yours.
00:57:30.38\00:57:32.75
God bless you.
00:57:32.78\00:57:34.12