Faith Baptist Church
09/20/26 Worship Service

      • John 21:17ESV

  • God of the Ages
  • Grace Greater Than Our Sin
  • O Love that Will Not Let Me Go
  • He Will Hold Me Fast
  • Iceberg illustration
    Explain:
    Context review:
    Galatians 1:6 ESV
    6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—
    1). Paul got his gospel from the Jerusalem apostles (he was dependent on them)
    Paul counters this claim in 1:11-20
    2): Paul subsequently distorted what he received from them (in order to please people)
    Paul counters this claim in 2:1-14
    Galatians 2:11–14 ESV
    11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
    Peter’s behavior- drawing back from the Gentiles when the members from the Jerusalem church came down to Antioch.
    Above the iceberg- Peter’s behavior- he separated himself.
    Below the iceberg- over one thousand years of culture and history of the Jewish nation. Peter was shaped and ingrained with certain values, beliefs, and worldviews from childhood.
    And even though Peter spent 3 years with Jesus as his disciple. Even though Peter was commissioned by the Lord and empowered by the Holy Spirit to be the Apostle to the Jews, Peter still struggled with these long held values, beliefs, and worldviews that produced behavior that was hypocoristical. It was not conduct that was in step with the truth of the gospel.
    How do you transform deeply instilled values, cultures, and worldviews? How do you change what is below the water of the iceberg in order to produce conduct that is in step with the gospel? Example? How can Peter and Paul boldly sit down for a meal with Gentile sinners and eat unclean food while the Jews are watching and judging them?
    Modern Day: How can a person who was baptized as a baby let go of their lifelong religious beliefs and worldviews and trust in Christ alone for their salvation? How can they follow the Lord in believer baptism and invite their friends and family to their Christian baptism?
    Paul wanted the Galatians to be so transformed by the gospel that their lives would be in step with the truth of the gospel.
    Friends, we must be so transformed by the gospel that we live in step with the truth of the gospel.
    What needs to change in a person for that kind of transformation to take place?
    Paul gives us three ways to live in step with the truth of the gospel.

    1. We Need Transformed Thinking That Leads to Transformed Trust (vv. 15-16)

    Our thinking must be radically changed by the gospel so that we choose to trust in Jesus alone for our salvation.
    Galatians 2:14 ESV
    14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
    Quotation marks are not original? When does Paul stop talking to Peter? I think the conversation that Paul had with Peter begins in v. 14 and carries on all the way until v. 21. Yet even though Paul is dialoging with Peter, his ultimate audience is the Galatians. Paul is recalling a conversation he had with Peter in order to transform the lives of the Galatians.
    Here is the beginning of Paul’s conversation with Peter- Peter you were eating with Gentiles, then when the Jewish believers from Jerusalem showed up you separated yourself from the Gentiles.
    Why did Peter do that? Because he was afraid of the Jews. He was afraid to live out his new life in Jesus. Peter was afraid of violating the Old Testament Law, even though he knew that he was no longer under the law.
    So Paul calls Peter out on this. Look Peter if you are going to live like a Gentile.
    How was Peter doing that? By eating with Gentiles and also enjoying unclean foods.
    Why was Peter living like a Gentile? Because salvation is not dependent upon keeping the Mosaic Law. Christ has come and delivered us from keeping the Mosaic Law.
    But, when Peter separated himself from the Gentiles he made an unfortunate doctrinal or theological statement. What did his actions teach?
    Gentiles, you need to follow the law if you want to be saved.
    And what does Paul say to this unspoken false teaching? Peter your conduct is not in step with the gospel. Why not? Well Paul explains the truth.
    Galatians 2:15 ESV
    15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners;
    Who is the “We”? Paul and Peter. This is one of the reasons I think Paul is still recounting his conversation with Peter. He uses the 1st person plural here.
    Peter, you and I, are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners.
    Wow that sounds harsh, doesn’t it. I am a Jew not a Gentile sinner!
    Why does Paul use these terms? Because that is how the Jewish mind worked. That is the Jewish worldview. The Jewish people were taught from a baby that they were the chosen people of God. They were the covenant people of God and the rest of the world, what were they? Gentile sinners!
    Can you hear all of the culture and history and values and beliefs that are layered in this one sentence?
    All Paul is doing is pointing out the Jewish mindset. Why does he do that?
    Galatians 2:16 ESV
    16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
    Critical central verse to the letter! Lots to unpack.
    Galatians 2:16 ESV
    16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ,
    First-
    Look Peter we are Jews and not Gentile sinners (keep in mind all of the worldview, iceberg layers in that sentence).
    Yet/But- even though that was part of our thinking- now we know something very important!
    What do Peter and Paul know?
    That a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ...
    This is a radical transformation in the Jewish mindset.
    Definition of terms.
    Justified:
    To render a favorable verdict, vindicate. To be pronounced and treated as righteous and thereby become δίκαιος, to receive the divine gift of δικαιοσύνη through faith in Christ Jesus and apart from νόμος as a basis for evaluation. This verb refers to God’s verdict of not guilty on the day of judgment.
    Present, passive, ind, 3rd, sing- this is something God does for us. We do not justify ourselves. And it has ongoing continuous effects.
    Works of the Law:
    The term “works of law” most likely refers to all the works prescribed by the Mosaic law.
    Faith in Jesus Christ:
    Objective- The only way we are declared righteous is if the object of our faith is in Jesus Christ alone.
    Illustration: I have had people try to argue with me that the words “faith alone” are not found in the Bible.
    Where does the phrase “Faith Alone” come from?
    Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)
    Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)
    Solo Christo (Christ Alone)
    Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)
    Sola Fide (Faith Alone): People are declared righteous by God through faith in Jesus Christ, apart from doing good works or earning merit.
    Now I know that the words “Faith Alone” are not exactly found here in Galatians 2:16, but they are found here.
    Galatians 2:16 ESV
    16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ,
    This is the radical transformation that must take place in our thinking if we are to be truly saved.
    Do you know this? Do you know that you are not declared righteous by God on judgement day on the basis of your works, but through faith in Jesus Christ alone?
    What do we mean by knowing? What kind of knowing produces saving faith?
    First, you must know certain essential facts. You must acquire basic knowledge of the gospel.
    God is your righteous creator. He made you for a purpose. You are accountable to Him. Yet, every persons falls short of that standard. We are all sinners. And because of our sin we deserve judgement. Because of our sin we deserve eternal separation from God in the lake of fire. But God loves you so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ. He is fully God and fully man. He lived a perfect life. He went to the cross to suffer and die for our sins. He paid the penalty for our sins that we deserve to pay. He was buried and on the third day Jesus rose again from the dead. And if you will repent of your sins, if you will turn away from your sin and turn to God. If you will put your trust in Jesus alone to save you He will!
    This is the essentials of the gospel. Do you know this information at a basic level?
    2. Second, you must agree that this information is true and that it applies to you. It is not enough to know about the gospel. You must agree that the gospel is true and that Jesus can save you personally.
    But there is one more important step to saving faith!
    Galatians 2:16 ESV
    16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus
    That is an inference to what Paul knew! We know the truth about the gospel- a person is not justified by works of the law. A person is only justified through faith in Jesus Christ.
    We know that this information is true not just for others, but for me personally.
    Now what?
    So we also have believed in Christ Jesus!
    Real saving faith is transformed thinking that leads to transformed trust.
    Illustration: Fear of flying. How many of you are afraid of flying in an airplane?
    Did you know that it is safer to travel in an airplane than a car?
    Commercial air travel is roughly 190 times safer than driving when measured by fatalities per mile traveled
    Ok- so you now have basic knowledge that air travel is far far safer that driving home in a car.
    Do you believe that this applies to you personally? Do you believe that it is 190 times safer, not just for me to fly, but for you personally to fly? Do you believe this to be true for yourself?
    Ok, here is the last step. If you truly believe that it is safe for you to fly on an airplane what comes next? A transformed trust. You have to get on the airplane. Because until you do- you do not genuinely believe in the saftey of air travel.
    And do it is with the gospel. Until you have a transformed trust you have not believed in the gospel!
    Illustration: How many of you can’t swim? Let’s say you can’t swim and you are out on the lake and you slowly move farther from shore until suddenly you hit a drop off. Now you are drowning. You can only keep your head above the water for so long. You know you can’t save yourself by means of your only effort. You don’t have the ability. But you look up on shore and you see a lifeguard. You know the lifeguard has the ability, you know he could save you personally, all you need to do is put your trust in the lifeguard. How would you verbalize your trust in that lifeguard? Help! Save me!
    Friends this is like salvation. We are all drowning. We are all sinners. We are all headed to eternal separation from the Lord in the lake of fire. But there is one who can save us! His name is Jesus. He died for us, he was buried, and he rose again from the dead. Our works cannot save us. No human effort is good enough.
    And it is not enough to know this, or to believe this is true for you personally. You must put your trust in Jesus alone.
    Romans 10:13 ESV
    13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
    Paul said it this way,
    Galatians 2:16 ESV
    16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus
    Have you ever done that? Has there ever been a time in your life when you had a transformation in your thinking? You knew that you needed to be saved and that nothing you could do could save you.
    Has there ever been a transformation of trust? Have you ever said I need to trust Jesus alone for my salvation? Have you ever called on the name of the Lord to be saved?
    This is what Peter and Paul had done- and it is what you need to do as well. Why?
    Galatians 2:16 ESV
    16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
    If you want to be justified, if you want to be declared righteous by God one day- the only possible way for God to say of you- righteous- is by faith in Christ and not by works!
    Because by works of the law no one will be justified.
    Paul is quoting from
    Psalm 143:2 “2 Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you.”
    Do you believe this? Has it transformed your trust? Are you still holding on to your own good works? Is there still a small part of you that says I am good enough? God will accept me because of my baptism? Or because I go to church? or because I partake of the Lord’s Supper? Or I read my bible? Or I give money to the church?
    Friends, you need to fully turn your back on that kind of thinking. Only by realizing how poor and pitiful and weak and vile our works of righteousness is before a holy God can we get to the point of salvation.
    Only by turning your back on your own obedience can you fully trust in Jesus.
    You need transformed thinking that leads to a transformed trust.
    This is the power that can transform our worldview, and our values, and beliefs. This is what transforms the iceberg below the water. This is what Peter needed to be reminded of so that he could turn his back on Jewish law and live in step with the gospel!
    What needs to change in a person for that kind of transformation to take place?
    A transformed thinking that leads to transformed trust.

    2. We Need Sobering Certainty that Leads to Bold Conclusions (vv. 17-18)

    Paul now points Peter to a conclusion that every true believer must acknowledge about themselves. And based on this conclusion, the certainty, it will lead Paul and Peter to bold action, bold conclusions.
    Galatians 2:17 ESV
    17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!
    What does Paul intend when he says, “we too were found to be sinners?”
    Is Paul refuting the idea that he and Peter are sinners? Or is Paul eagerly admitting to the truth that he and Peter are sinners?
    But, if in our endeavor to be justified in Christ...
    What is Paul saying? In the process of learning how a person is truly justified in Christ- will that individual come to learn that he or she is a sinner?
    Is this essential to become justified in Christ? Absolutely!
    Found- The word “found” (εὑρέθημεν) has a legal and forensic meaning, denoting one’s standing before God as Judge and Lord of all. It refers to the verdict pronounced by the Divine Judge, whether one is “found” to be guilty or innocent.
    If you were to stand before God as Judge and Lord over all and he were to render a verdict based on your own righteousness how would you be found?
    Would God say, “I find the defendant to be guilty! He is a sinner!”
    I have been a pastor for 20 years. I can tell you without any hesitation that if I had to stand before God on the basis of my own merit. If God judged the works of my life I would absolutely be found guilty.
    Why? Because in my endeavor to be justified in Christ God has opened my eyes to just how sinful I really am.
    Isaiah 64:6 ESV
    6 We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
    Illustration: dead animal on the side of a road- garment stained with that!
    Why do some people refuse to see themselves as sinners? Because they don’t understand how pure God is!
    Habakkuk 1:13 CSB
    13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil, and you cannot tolerate wrongdoing.
    We don’t compare ourselves to the right source. Illustration: playing basketball against my 8 and 10 year old boys vs. playing against anyone in the NBA.
    Galatians 2:17 ESV
    17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!
    Sinners!
    Galatians 2:15 “15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners;”
    What is Paul saying? We are the same! We are just as much a sinner as any Gentile! Do you know how radical that admission is for a Jew? That is worldview altering stuff!
    But this is where we must get before we are ready to believe the gospel!
    Now all of this is key to the next part of Paul’s argument!
    If we are found to be sinners (like the Gentiles) and we are! then is Christ a servant of sin?
    Here Paul is refuting a charge of the false teachers in Galatia. The false teachers were saying that Paul was causing people to sin by preaching a gospel of faith alone apart from the works of the law.
    They were saying that when Paul abandoned the law he made himself a sinner and he makes everyone else a sinner by preaching faith in Christ alone apart from the works of the law.
    Do Paul is refuting this claim.
    When we trusted in Jesus alone, apart from the works of the law, when we acknowledged that we were sinners like the Gentiles and we stopped following the law like the Gentiles- does this mean that Christ serves the interests of sin? Is Christ in this law free gospel promoting sin? Is Christ encouraging sin by removing the law?
    How does Paul answer? Certainly not! Absolutely not!
    Galatians 2:18 ESV
    18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor.
    Here Paul flips the tables on his opponents. And he reminds Peter of the devastating consequences of his actions.
    For if I rebuild what I tore down. What is Paul referring to here? The Law. The Mosaic Law. How was the law torn down? Through Christ!
    Romans 7:4 “4 Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.”
    So If I rebuild what I tore down- if I put myself back under the law as a necessary part of my salvation- if I trust not in Christ alone, but also in my ability to keep the law- what happens? I prove myself to be a transgressor!
    To reach back to the law as grounds for his righteousness would in effect place Paul back under his sin. Why? Because to do so denies the righteousness that is in Christ!
    So Peter when you withdrew from the Gentiles, in effect you told them they had to obey the Mosaic law. I know you did that because you were afraid of being labeled a sinner.
    But when we found justification through Christ alone, we acknowledged that were we sinners just like the Gentiles. We acknowledged that our own righteousness was insufficient. We understood that we no longer needed to keep the OT law for our salvation. Christ did not promote sin when he set us free from the law. Actually, those who rebuild what Christ has torn down become the transgressors. We dare not in any way deny that our righteousness is in Christ alone!
    Application:
    Going to a friends baby baptism. Do not rebuild what Christ has torn down. Do not in any way cause someone to think that the righteousness of Christ is insufficient and that there works can in any way declare them righteous before a holy God.
    Lord’s Supper- do not rebuild what Christ has torn down. Do not depend in any way upon this table to further your righteousness. Sure, it causes us to remember what Christ has done for us on the cross. And that remembrance has immense spiritual value. But the act of eating and drinking alone? May it never be.
    We are sinners. Our justification is found in Christ alone! So don’t rebuild what Christ has torn down. Don’t depend on your own works. All that leads to is transgression.
    Paul wanted the Galatians to be so transformed by the gospel that their lives would be in step with the truth of the gospel.
    Friends, we must be so transformed by the gospel that we live in step with the truth of the gospel.
    What needs to change in a person for that kind of transformation to take place?
    We need transformed thinking that leads to transformed trust.
    2. We Need Sobering Certainty that Leads to Bold Conclusions
    3. Reckon the value of being united with Christ. I no longer live, but Christ in me. I live by faith in the Son of God. 19-21

      • Galatians 2:14ESV

      • Galatians 2:15ESV

      • Galatians 2:16ESV

      • Galatians 2:16ESV

      • Galatians 2:16ESV

      • Romans 10:13ESV

      • Galatians 2:16ESV

      • Galatians 2:16ESV

      • Galatians 2:17ESV

      • Isaiah 64:6ESV

      • Habakkuk 1:13ESV

      • Galatians 2:17ESV

      • Galatians 2:18ESV

  • In Christ Alone
Faith Baptist Church
faith@fbcocon.org
262-567-0040
http://www.fbcocon.org
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