Holy Scriptures and Israel

Guest (Male): The study of the book of Galatians chapter 3.

Gideon Levytam: You have seen the Messiah was presented before you who died for your sins. And the second question it says really I want to learn something from you. Did you receive the Holy Spirit of God to indwell in you by the works of the law or simply by the hearing of faith? You remember Romans 10:17 faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Paul presented the gospel of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah to the Galatians. The Galatians believed the scripture and the preaching of the gospel and they have acknowledged the Lord and they have received the Holy Spirit of God into their hearts.

You know what the Bible say to us in Romans chapter 8 and I'm going to read this verse for you. Romans 8 and verse 9 Paul said it. He says listen to this very interesting verse. He says in verse 9 but ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit. If so be that the spirit of God dwell in you. And then he continue. He says if any man or a woman we can add. If and now if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his. In other words what he is really saying that if a person does not have the Holy Spirit of God indwelling him or indwelling here he or she are really not born of the spirit.

They don't belong to the Lord. Maybe they go to meetings maybe they sit in the pew maybe they sing the song maybe they even read the Bible. But if they don't have the Holy Spirit in placed within them they are not children of God. You see what Paul is saying to Galatians Galatians you have made a foolish move. You should not listen to the council of those who came and told you no no no you are not quite saved. You have to keep certain you have to have a standard to get up there to get saved.

Listen you and I brothers and sisters know our hearts very well. Even after years of being believers we violated the law of God in so many ways. I don't have to tell you you know your heart and I know mine. How many time we disobeyed the law of the Lord in so many ways. If our salvation depended upon our performance we are in poor shape. We will never be saved. We have no hope. But the Lord Yeshua the Messiah died and paid the penalty for my sins and yours when he is the only one who fulfilled the law that God had demanded for men but we failed.

And he paid for that. And when we believed on him and acknowledge him as our Messiah Lord and Savior the spirit of God came to indwell in us. So we have God the son as man who died and God the Holy Spirit the divine person indwelled in the heart of true believers in Yeshua the Messiah. Notice the third question and the fourth question that I really link together it is found in the next verse 3 you find two questions that Shaul Paul continue to us. Notice in verse 3 he said so I saw foolish having begun in the spirit and he continue this in the next question are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

See what he is saying? He asking two questions here in verse 3 you began by the spirit of God. In other word you got justified and reconciled and redeemed and the spirit of God came to indwell in you. So you began you got saved and the spirit of God indwelt in you. But now do you think that you're going to continue to live your life in the power of your flesh? You see they were justified by faith and now they wanted to live their life to be as it says here to be sanctified in the power of the flesh.

So if I keep more of this I'll be holier. But brothers and sisters it's a pleasure to seek to do the will of God but not for salvation. And actually in when it's come to all sort of law keeping and man-made rules keeping that does not set us apart or sanctify us. What sanctified us is when we are in communication with the Lord and submitting to his authority and living a life in fellowship with the Lord who said without me you can do nothing. It's not sufficient just to try to work. You see that 's why in elsewhere Paul said work out your own salvation.

He didn't say work out for your salvation but work it out in your life. Have fellowship with the Lord and read your word, pray, be broken before the Lord, use your gifts for the glory of the Lord, use and minister to the people of God, be a blessing to the people of God, have fellowship with God. That is how we are being sanctified. That's why he said are you foolish having begun in the spirit? Are you now made perfect or being sanctified by the flesh? You see why? Because the flesh in us is so sinful.

Now I know we don't like to hear it. But that's what God says. God says that at heart is deceitful above all things who can know Jeremiah? Through Jeremiah he said to our own people Israel. Paul said I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. When we say it we recognize that we don't deserve anything. It is nothing but the grace of God. That's what Paul is is amazed when he saw the Galatians. That's why he said twice oh foolish Galatians. Verse 1 of chapter 3. Are ye so foolish?

Verse 3 Why you are so foolish? Meaning simply are you so dull in your understanding in scriptural and spiritual understanding you are so dull. In Hebrew it say In the Greek it says in the Greek language simply mean lacking a spiritual and scriptural understanding. That's what he was saying to the Galatians. So he asked them already four questions and you notice he is the fifth question. Notice how interesting because he's still speaking about the person of the Holy Spirit of God because in verse 4 he says in verse 4 he says have ye suffered so many things in vain if it be yet in vain?

He's saying to them. In other word he said are you did you suffer? You remember brothers and sisters when the Galatians became believers in Yeshua they suffered by their own people who were idol worshippers. Just like Paul and the early Hebrew Messianic Jewish people suffered by our own people because they rejected their faith because of their faith in Yeshua the Messiah. So the Galatians also suffered. So in other words what we're really saying to them he says oh you suffered because you believe in Yeshua the Messiah and all this suffering was for nothing. You live for the Lord your family have excommunicated you because you are no longer believing their idols.

And you made a decision to follow Yeshua the Messiah but now all of a sudden somebody come and tell you you are not really saved and you are not really forgiven. He says so what's the point? You mean all along the last two three four five 10 years that you said that you by faith accepted the Messiah and you suffered from your own family members and your own people they've been a pagan world. You mean all this was in vain? All this was for nothing? You know imagine if the apostle Paul needed to be saved because he has to keep the law and the apostle Paul kept much of the law and yet he was unsaved.

He says I never knew thou shalt not lust or covet unless the law said thou shalt not covet. He kept outwardly all that which was given by the Lord. If you read it in Philippians I was blameless he said. But I would know about coveting if the law would not say thou shalt not covet. That's come out of our hearts. Nobody sees it but God does. Nobody knows about it but God does. And for this he will condemn us. And for this we needed the blood atonement of an animal which were temporary covering our sins.

And for this Yeshua came to die and put away our sins once and for all. And when we trusted in him we have been forgiven. Now notice the last question. This is found in verse 5. And this time he brings God the father into the to the subject that he's presenting. He presented God the son in verse 1 he said Jesus the Messiah has been evidently set forth crucified before you. That's God the son as man. Then in verse 2 he presented the Holy Spirit and he said I want you to know this only I would learn of you.

Did you receive the spirit by the works of the law by the hearing of the faith? Here is God the Holy Spirit. He came to indwell in you. But now he's speaking about God the father. It is very interesting because in verse 5 even though he doesn't mention Abba here the father but he mentioned the person of God the father and says in verse 5 notice that he says he that's God the father. He therefore that minister to you the spirit it was God the father who gave God the spirit to indwell the believers. He therefore that minister to you the spirit and work us miracles among you does he it by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith?

So he twice used the word he here. And the reference here of course is the reference to Abba God the father. And if you remember in John and I 'm going to just go back to John for a moment in John chapter 14 and verse 16 Yeshua said to the disciples. Notice what he said. John 14 verse 16 I will pray the father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you forever. Verse 17 even the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it sees him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you.

In other words Yeshua said to the disciples that he will pray to God the father and God the father will send the Holy Spirit of God to indwell everyone that believed in God the son Yeshua the Messiah. And that's why in Galatians chapter 3 in verse 5 we said he therefore that minister to you the spirit the one that gave you the spirit this is God the father and work us miracles among you. How did he do it? Galatians he's saying to them did God the father make miracles in your midst and given you the Holy Spirit of God?

Does it do us by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith? How did you receive the Holy Spirit? How did God the father gave you the Holy Spirit of God and make miracles in the midst of you in the days where he sent his servants to preach to you the gospel? How did he do it? Did he only do it give you the Holy Spirit of God when you rose up to the climax to fulfill his law and never violated his law or simply he presented the Messiah Yeshua who died on a shameful cross for the sin of this world and introduce you to him and save you will only believe on him you will be saved.

It was not done because the Galatians fulfill all the laws of God. They didn't. They failed. That's why they needed the grace of God. Now that does mean not mean that now that they live their life they're going to be lawless you know lest anybody will think for a moment brother Gideon said that now we can live in sin and everything is fine. You never find me ever saying that neither the Bible ever saying that. In fact the Bible says in Romans 6 shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. In fact the law of the Messiah is higher than the law that God had given to men on Mount Sinai.

Because Christ God the son became a man. And his demands from us is not to live loosely and do as we please. Or he says listen I'll I'll forgive you you carry on in your life do as you please. You never find ever the Lord taught that nor the apostles ever taught that neither will I ever teach that. God is holy today as he was holy in the past. The problem is not with God. The problem is with us. And therefore whenever we sin 1 John 1:9 if we confess our sins he's faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness on a basis of the shed blood of Yeshua the Messiah not on the basis of some rules or any law keeping.

Christ the Messiah become the object of the believer to the he fulfilled the law which you and I did not. He died so you and I who deserved to die will never need to die. The son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. So six questions he asked in the first five verses very very interesting questions that he asked them but the sad thing that gripped the heart of Shaul Paul is that look at it. I've labored for years. I've ministered the gospel. But somebody else came in. And instead of grasping the truth of the message of the gospel you allowed yourself to be influenced and to be bewitched by someone else.

Who has bewitched you he said? How is it possible that instead of you must say holding on to the truth of the grace of God you won't no no no it's not enough. I'm not quite saved. I got to do something God a little bit and I a little bit. Jesus died in my works. Yeshua paid the price and I have to do something. He did 90% and I'll do 10%. No. It is only him. The only thing that you and I brought to the table is our sins. He gave his life a ransom for many.

But now beloved brothers and sisters notice that he's moving alone. Paul Shaul Paul is presenting before the Galatians scriptural argument concerning the fact that salvation is by faith alone and not by the works of the law. And you know what he does? He goes back to the time when Abraham Avinu Abraham our father long before the law was given to Israel our people on Mount Sinai after they came out of the land of Egypt. And he goes back. And he showed the father of the nation of Israel the father of the Jewish people and the father of all believers Abraham in Hebrew is Abraham or Abraham later on his name was changed to Abraham and he's going all the way back.

And you notice now he asked six questions in the first five verses. And then in verses 6 to 14 he give them six biblical scripture to verify the fact that it is only by faith that one is saved and not by works. Six questions in verses 1 to 5 and six scripture Bible verses that is found in the law in Torah Moshe to show us to verify before us the fact that salvation is entirely on the basis of faith and not on the basis of law or circumcision or baptism of speaking in tongues or any other things such as this.

So notice that in verses 6 to 14 the first verse that he's mentioning is in found in verses 6 and 7 of our chapter which takes us back to Abraham our father. You notice in verses 6 and 7 Shaul Paul is seeking to prove to the Galatians that even Abraham himself was declared just. He was saved because he simply believed what God said to him at that particular day. Look at it. We read verses 6 and 7. He continue and he says in chapter 3 and verse 6 even if Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness.

Know ye therefore that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham. It takes them back to the book of Bereshit. In Hebrew we call it Bereshit. In English you said Genesis. All the way down to Genesis chapter 15 which we have already read earlier. And I want to read it for you again how God declare Abraham Abraham our father just without anything except believing what God says. And I'm reading Genesis chapter 15 and verse 1. After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abraham in a vision saying fear not Abraham.

I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward. And Abraham said Lord God what will thou give me seeing I go childless? The steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus. And Abraham said behold to me thou hast given no seed. And lo one born in my house is mine heir. And behold the word of the Lord came unto him saying this shall not be thine heir. But he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad. And he said look now toward heaven and tell the stars if thou be able to number them.

And he said unto him so shall thy seed be. So notice verse 6 beautiful. And he believed in the Lord. And he counted it to him for righteousness. Notice how simple it was. Abraham waited for a child to be born out of Sarai his wife. But it didn't come. He's waiting and waiting for the baby to be born but the baby was not born. So what does he do as we read here in Genesis chapter 15? He says Lord you know what? Take Eliezer. He lives in my house. You didn't give me any seed. Take Eliezer from Damascus.

Make him the one who's going to be my heir. You didn't give me a son. I accept the fact. Make him the heir. So God says no. This man Eliezer of Damascus is going to not going to be your heir. Out of your own bowels will come one who's going to be your your heir. And so we read he took him out. He brought him abroad. He says look toward heaven. And Abraham look up toward heaven. What does he see? He sees so many stars. And God says you see all these stars? In verse 5 he says if you can number them he says so shall thine seed be Abraham.

You going to have descendants so many. If you only believe what I say. And Abraham believed. He says he believed the Lord and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Simple faith in God's word declare the believer righteous before God. He never gave him much information that you and I have today. God saying to us today you see Yeshua the Messiah my son. He died for your sin and sins. If you will only believe in him you're going to be forgiven and you're going to have eternal life. If you only accept him as your Messiah Lord and Savior.

And if you believe in him you and I are reckoned to be righteous as before the Lord. It is so interesting brothers and sisters he Abraham believed God. He simply believed God and God reckoned to him this as righteousness. Now go with me for a moment to Romans chapter 4 just another verse to connect with it. This is very interesting because in Romans chapter 4 Paul took that same event speaking about Abraham to teach the Romans believers how Abraham was reckoned righteous by the Lord. Look at the Romans chapter 4. Romans chapter 4 verse 1.

What shall we say then? That Abraham our father is pertaining to the flesh has found. For if Abraham was justified by the works he has whereof to glory but not before God. For what says the scripture? Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now listen to these brothers and sisters verses 4 and 5. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckon of grace but of debt. If you earn your salvation you work for them you become a debtor. It's not it's not coming to you because of the grace of God.

It's because because you have earned it. You have done something to earn it. But then notice verse 5 Romans 4 verse 5. But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justify the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness. You know God justified us who are ungodly by nature. But when we believed in Yeshua the Messiah he declared us to be he counted for us for righteousness. Why? Because Yeshua paid for that.

Guest (Male): You have been listening to the Holy Scriptures and Israel with Gideon Levitan. Gideon teaches God's word from a Hebrew Messianic perspective. For more information about this ministry write to Holy Scriptures and Israel Box 1411 Niagara on the Lake Ontario L0S 1J0 or visit our website at holyscripturesandisrael.com. You are also invited to Gideon's weekly Bible teaching on Fridays at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 1 p.m. at Willowdale Christian Assembly Hall 28 Martin Ross Avenue in Toronto. Holy Scriptures and Israel is made possible by your prayers and financial support. If you would like to support the program visit holyscripturesandisrael.com.

God bless you. Shalom Shalom.