Do Not Become Stuck In The Mud Of Salvation By Works, While Ignoring Faith

Do not become stuck in the mud of salvation by works, while ignoring faith. That's our message. The text is taken from Galatians 3.

Are you sure you know how salvation is obtained? Well there are many who believe salvation is earned by works. Others believe it is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. Then some others say it is by a combination of faith and works. There are so many who've been duped into believing salvation can be obtained simply by being a member of a particular denomination. And they say that all who are not a part of that denomination are doomed. Yet Jesus Christ made the way to salvation crystal clear to all in John 3:5, when He told Nicodemus, except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. How will you circumvent this? If a spiritual rebirth was not the way to salvation Christ would not have said this to Nicodemus. When we with a genuine heart repent of our sins we are born of the spirit.

You can be certain that if the heart of a man is not right in the sight of God in the first place there can be no rebirth by water, nor by the the spirit. The Lord God made this clear through Samuel His faithful Prophet thousands of years ago when He said that man looks at the outward appearance but God looks at the heart, according to 1st Samuel 16:7. Therefore the Lord has not left it up to a church or an organization to decide or determine whether someone should enter His kingdom. He Himself scans our hearts, and this is why the Apostle Paul admonishes us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, according to Philippians 2:12. In other words do not take it lightly. Your salvation is not necessarily a slam dunk.

Father we give You thanks and praise for Your love and mercy. We pray Your blessing on this message today. Send it forth under the anointing of Your Holy Spirit. That those listening may be transformed to right thinking. We thank You and Praise You In Jesus Holy name. Amen.

In Galatians 3 the Apostle Paul told the Galatians that they were foolish and bewitched to go back to believing that they can earn their salvation by the works of the law, by doing certain things. He begins the chapter by saying to them that right before your eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified. And yes, Satan uses false teachers to bewitch, to deceive well-meaning people of God and lead them astray and some lose their soul as a result of this. In the case of the Galatians they had the reports of first hand witnesses who clearly explained how Christ had been crucified to pay off the debt of our sin, and gave them the free gift of salvation. And when the Galatians heard this news initially, they repented of their sins and joyfully accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and began a new life in Him. But it was not long before those Jews of the circumcision who were bogged down in Salvation by works, deceived them into walking In the flesh again by adhering to the teachings of Judaism. Being careful to be circumcised. Being careful not to eat certain things things, while following the other dead rituals of the law.

The Achilles heel of the law is that unless you keep every command of the law you have broken all. Well here it is in Deuteronomy 27 and 26 where it says, cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law by observing them. And all the people shall say amen. Anyone my friend friend who does not fulfill or perform all of the law is cursed. This truth was reconfirmed by James 2:10 where he said, whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. Therefore those under the law are still under the curse. But those who are under Christ have been set free from the curse of the law and whom the Lord sets free is free indeed. Some have left Christianity though and gone back to Judaism. Some have left the freedom of life in Christ and gone after denominations that teach salvation based on works. And this does not make sense. Galatians 3:11 and Romans 1:17, both make it crystal clear to us that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God. In other words, no one can be saved by following the law. 2 Corinthians 5:7 Habakkuk 2:4 and Hebrews 10:38 all tell us that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, because the just shall live by faith, and all true born again believers in Christ live by faith.

The Apostle Paul is one who is very qualified to have a meaningful discussion about salvation by works, versus salvation by grace, because from his youth he had perfected the pursuit of salvation by the works of the law. Having been brought up in Judaism and having been taught by Gamaliel, a renowned teacher of the Jewish law, he became a notable expert in the law himself. Not only was he an expert in the law but he was zealous for the law and pursued all those who followed Christ. Attempting to force them to turn away from Christ and return to salvation by the Jewish law. And this meant abandoning salvation by grace through faith and picking up salvation through works. In the past he had railed violently against any who had been walking in the spirit of the one true God, and no longer holding true to the fleshly teachings of the law. But Paul had a radical transformation as we all are aware, when the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to him on the road to Damascus and asked as him why was he persecuting Him by railing against those who believed that salvation came through Jesus Christ.

When Jesus met the woman of Samaria at Jacob's well even she had tried to draw Him into a discussion of salvation by works. Here's how it played out according to John 4, she proceeded to tell Christ that the Samaritans believed that the correct mountain upon which worship of the one true God should be conducted was Mount Gerizim, located in Samaria, and not Mount Zion which was in Jerusalem. In other words she was saying the Jews were lost because they were worshiping at the wrong mountain. And Jesus Christ set us straight explaining that first of all salvation came through the Jewish people and not through the Samaritans. This area is called Nablus today and those of Samaria were claiming that was the original sanctuary in use at the time of Joshua. They believed this place now called Nablus was the place where Abraham offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice. Today it is located in the West Bank and presently under Palestinian Authority. It is also the location of recent fighting between Israel and Hamas.

But on that day Christ made a great announcement when He said to the woman. Woman believe Me the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem worship the Father. You worship what you do not know. We Jewish people worship what we know, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming and now is when the true worshippers will worship The Father in spirit and truth. For The Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is a Spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth. While there are millions of Jews in the world today, there are less than a thousand Samaritans still around apparently, according to at least one source.

In this instance we see quite plainly where someone is saying to Christ Himself. If you do not worship in the place where we worship then you are lost. Likewise those sent by the devil to the Galatians were telling the Galatians that they were lost because they were not following the laws of Judaism. And Jesus Christ was telling the woman at the well that He was the Eternal fountain that gives the water of Life which quenches the thirsty soul. For He said to her whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life. And He was saying to all who would believe, that merely following the law will not lead them to this fountain of living water who is the Holy Spirit.

He was telling her that while salvation came through the Jewish people. The new season that was coming and which had now already come through Him. Was a season in which the people of the world would worship the Heavenly Father in spirit and in truth, which is the only way to have pure and true worship. And He said that The Father is looking for people to worship Him in this manner. Not just Jewish people but people everywhere. People who will truthfully declare their sinfulness, repent of their sins and receive God's Holy Spirit. And thereafter their worship would be pure ,it would be holy, because they've been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb who is Jesus Christ our Lord. And only in this way are we able to worship God in spirit and in truth.

But let us turn again to the discussion that the Apostle Paul was having with the Galatians, who drank from this fountain of life. Who through the Spirit of the Living God had become a fountain of water, springing up in their hearts into everlasting life. But were now returning to walking according to the law, instead of continuing to walk and worship God in spirit and in truth. In Galatians 3:5 he asked them whether the Lord had used His spirit-led servant to work miracles among them and to bring healing to some of them by the works of the law or was it by believing confidently in the message of faith. For there's no evidence of miraculous things, miraculous works happening by simply following the law at any time in the history of the world. There's no evidence of fiery revival bursting forth from those who simply followed the law.

He then takes the discussion all the way back to Abraham, the father of all nations, who lived 2,000 years before His coming, according to Genesis 15-6. He said the Word of God declared that Abraham believed the Lord when He told him that his descendants shall be like the stars in the heavens. And because Abraham believed this would happen it was credited to him as righteousness. At the time when Abraham was alive the law was not yet given to Moses, who did not come along until 430 years later. Yet we know that Abraham became justified and righteous for the Word of God declares that he was clothed in righteousness because he simply believed God's Word. And so today we can be saved and will be counted as righteous by simply believing the promises of God through His Son Jesus Christ. Galatians 3:9 then tells us that those who believe in salvation through faith are therefore blessed along with faithful Abraham and righteous like him.

So how do we put a cap on this teaching? How do we conclude this without discussing the worth and value of works in the life of the Christian believer? Well the Apostle Paul in Galatians 6:9 encourages us not to grow weary in well-doing? Telling us and assuring us that in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up? So clearly this tells us that works play a role in the life of every believer in Christ? For in another place we are told whatever work we do for the Lord do it with our entire being. And do it unto the Lord and not to be seen by men. So yes there is a very important part to be played by the works we do. I will leave you with a great exaltation, passed on to us by the Apostle Paul. One of the hardest workers in the entire history of Christianity, where he said therefore my beloved brethren be steadfast, be immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. Knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Yes my friend be abounding always in the work of the Lord. Born again believers must busy themselves in the work of the Lord. Make your moments, make your minutes, your hours, your weeks, your months and your years count by serving your God, serving your fellow man in the Kingdom of the Most High God, until Christ returns with your reward for faithful work in His kingdom. But you are saved by grace, it is a free gift. God bless and keep you in Jesus name. Amen.

You've been listening to this message and perhaps you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Savior. We want to give you an opportunity to make that commitment today. Please engage your heart and say this prayer after me:

-Father I am a sinner.

-I'm sorry for all my sins.

-Dear Lord I crave Your forgiveness.

-Please forgive me.

-Thank You Lord for Your forgiveness.

-Today I invite Jesus Christ into my heart.

-Dear Lord Jesus make my heart Your home.

-I give You the key to my heart because I now belong to You forever.

-Please give me the Holy Spirit to lead me into all truth.

-Thank You Lord for saving my soul. Amen.

Welcome friend, there are many here awaiting the return of the Good Master. We feel His return is near. In the meantime we encourage you to become water baptized as quickly as possible.

Begin reading the Word of God every day, it is your daily food. Begin in the Book of John, and then go to Matthew, Mark and Luke reading, audibly as often as possible. Pray daily, of course attend at your local church. And one glad morning the Savior will come and receive us all unto Himself, and we shall indeed forever be with the Lord. God bless and keep you in Jesus mighty name. Amen.