Christ Chapel Bible Church Pulpit Ministry Dr. Doug CecilJuly 14, 2019

Not by WorksG A L A T I A N S 2 : 1 5 - 2 1

I. You are justified (“saved”) through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone, not by works. We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 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. vv. 15-16

A. Justification is a personal decision.

B. Justification is through a relationship “in Christ” and not through works of the Law.

II. The same way you were justified (“saved”) is the same way you live: by grace through faith.

A. When you place your trust in Jesus alone, you acknowledge that you are totally in need of God’s grace and there is nothing you can do to earn eternal life. 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! For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. vv. 17-18

B. God’s grace is sufficient for eternal life and abundant life. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. vv. 19-20

1. I have been ______________________ from the power of sin by identification with Christ. “I have been crucified with Christ.”

2. I have been ____________________________ by Christ who lives in me. “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”

3. I have been ____________________ to live life differently. “The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

C. If you add any works to obtain righteousness, then Christ’s death was insufficient. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. v. 21

Are you trusting in Jesus Christ alone for ETERNAL LIFE?

Are you trusting in Jesus Christ alone for ABUNDANT LIFE?

Application

IT IS A LIFE TOTALLY _________________________ UPON CHRIST.

IT IS A LIFE LIVED OUT OF _____________________ TO CHRIST.

1. What was helpful to you in the sermon?

2. Read Galatians 2:15-21. Jewish legalists (Judaizers) believed that obeying the law overcame sin’s power, so a gospel which repealed the law must be responsible for promoting sin. How does Paul’s argument show that just the opposite is true?

3. The old way of the law had done its job in showing us our sin. When we were saved, we died in Christ to the law and He enables us to live righteously by faith, not by works. Why can’t the law and grace ever come together to create righteousness? How can we tell if we’re adding the law to grace?

4. We usually understand how Jesus provides future eternal life for us, but often don’texperience now the abundant life He promised. How does striving through our own effortkeep us from abundance?

5. You've heard it said that ‟justification means ‛just-as-if-I’d’ never sinned.” But if God merely treated us as if we'd neversinned we’d be morally neutral and backin the Garden with untested holiness,like Adam before he sinned. This is a far cry from being clothed in the everlasting righteousness of Jesus, the last Adam. God not only took away the debt of oursin, He also gave us His righteousness!When you understand how God hastreated you, what is your response?

6. How can you focus on surrendering to the Holy Spirit instead of climbing your way to becoming more like Jesus?

COMING UP AT CHRIST CHAPELHere’s a glimpse at what you need to know for thisweek. Like to plan ahead a little more? Pick up a copyof The Source at a stand around campus or near theexits, or visit www.ccbcfamily.org/events. They’reyour source for everything going on at Christ Chapel.

TAKE THE NEXT STEP AND CONNECT. If you’ve been worshipping with us for a while, it’s time to take the next step and get connected! Text “CCBCConnect” to 555-888 and we’ll help you get started.MARRIED COUPLES, “FOR BETTER, FORWORSE” STARTS TODAY AT 5 P.M. We all knowmarriage has its ups and downs, but it’s another thing to experience it. Whether you’re in a “for better” or “for worse” moment, come and bereminded of God’s good agenda through the highsand lows. Sign up at www.ccbcfamily.org/events. GUYS, WE’RE LOOKING FOR MORE MANPOWER. ManPower is a ministry that serves the widows and single moms of Christ Chapel by helping the ladies with projects around the house. Their next serve day is this Saturday, July 20; join a team today at the Serve Kiosk or email ManPower@christchapelbc.org this week.TA ETHNE MISSIONS LUNCH IS NEXT SUNDAY, JULY 21. Come have lunch with CCBC missionaries Frank and Karren as they tell us how God is working among Muslims in Asia and the Middle East. The lunch starts at 12:30 p.m. in the Oak Room. Kids Care is available for ages 0 to 11 by RSVP through this Thursday, July 18 at www.ccbcfamily.org/KidsRSVP.SIGN UP FOR CONNECTING POINT. If you’ve been worshipping at Christ Chapel for a while but haven’t connected any further, Connecting Point is a great place to start! You’ll meet people who are putting down roots at Christ Chapel and the experience will introduce you to all the ways we’re here to help you grow in your faith. The next class meets Sundays, Aug. 4 through Aug. 18 at 11 a.m. Sign up today at Starting Point or www.ccbcfamily.org/events. READY FOR A SEASON OF GROWTH? APPLY FOR THRIVE. Thrive is a Christ-centered discipleship program that takes us to the root of sin and suffering, and teaches us to embrace the freedom found only in Christ. It’s a 13-week experience that begins in August. Learn more and apply at www.ccbcfamily.org/thrive.MAKE THE SWITCH TO OUR NEW DIGITAL GIVING PLATFORM. God is using your church to change lives — all because individuals like you want to make a difference. Text “CCBCFW” to 77977 and see how you can give to kingdom causes faster and easier than ever before.3WE’RE PARTNERING WITH DALLAS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY! Do you wish you had a better understanding of the Bible and theology? Starting this fall Dallas Theological Seminary will be offering courses onsite at our Fort Worth Campus. There’s a special Seminary Preview Day on Sunday, July 28 — join us for lunch and learn more. You can RSVP for the event at www.ccbcfamily.org/dtspreview.

SERMON BLANKS: separated, transformed, changed, dependent, devotion

SERMONDEVOTIONALSTUDY

Close in prayer by asking the Lord to show you this week how He will use this passage of Galatians in your life, and watch expectantly to see what the Holy Spirit will do.

You are justified“Justification is a declaration by God, who is righteous, concerning a person who turnsto Christ in faith. ‘Righteousness,’ then, isconformity to God's standard, and ‘justification’is God’s declaring that a person is in right standing with God. The ‘righteous’ person isthe one who is accepted before God. This action by God in declaring a person righteous is alegal pronouncement; ‘to justify’ (dikaioō)means ‘to declare righteous’ and not ‘to makerighteous.’ Unfortunately some evangelicalsand most liberal theologians view justificationas inner moral change, rather than a declarativeact by God. ... When a person is persuaded of the genuineness of the offer of salvation and believes in Christ, at that moment he is clothedin the righteousness provided by Christ, so thatHis righteousness becomes his very own —God legally pronounces him justified. God subtracts the penalty of sin and adds the standing of righteousness. The believer then has an official standing as a member of the ‘royal family,’ clothed in the robe of Christ's righteousness.”

ROY B. ZUCK