Sermon Tone Analysis

Faith Alone

Summary: 4, Cursed by law or blessed by faith

 

Cursed By Law Or Blessed By Faith ?

Blessed by understanding the law and knowing our condition

Cursed by the law and trying to obtain righteousness by obediance.

Intro.

* A misunderstanding of the OT law is not unique to the Pharisees of Jesus’ day.

* They knew the OT law and even memorized it but they misunderstood the purpose of that law.

* Today, there are millions of people who really have no idea what the true purpose of the law is.

* They are like…

Humor- Bathroom Scales

Two youngsters were closely examining bathroom scales on display at the department store.

"Have you ever seen one of these before?"

one asked.

"Yeah, my mom and dad have one," the other replied.

"What’s it for?"

asked the first boy.

"I don’t know," the second boy answered.

"I think you stand on it and it makes you get mad."

* Paul was one of the best unsaved men that ever was; as touching the righteousness of the law, blameless,

-- When it came to external obedience to the law, Paul was, in his own eyes, without fault!

* Paul believed that his strict obedience to the law was his ticket to heaven.

* He had a law righteousness…

* Law righteousness makes you feel good about yourself.

* Law righteousness makes you feel good about yourself.

- It says, "Look what I have achieved"

Illustration - you got it backwards the law forces you to look at yourself and how you come up short.

I cant do it i will never get there .....

A man was on a life raft in the ocean.

He paddled for days to no avail exhausted and close to death he slumped over and quit and just shot up a flare for help.

It was this flare that saved him he could have never paddled to shore.

M. Henry – [Paul] thought himself [to be] healthful, sound, and whole, when [in reality] he was diseased and full of wounds, bruises, and sores, from head to foot; he lived in the utmost peace and tranquility, without the least ruffle and uneasiness, free from any terror or gloom, and in perfect security, being in sure and certain hope of eternal life; and [he] concluded if ever any man went to heaven he certainly should, since, as he imagined, he lived a holy and righteous life, free of all blame, and even to perfection;

What shall we say then?

That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.

(31) But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

(32) Wherefore?

Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law.

For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; (33) As it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumblingstone and rock of offense: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

* Abraham illustrates salvation apart from works of law

* The effects of the law are proof righteousness is apart from works of law

* What Jesus did on cross is proof righteousness is apart from works of the law

I.

The Law Brings a Curse, Not a Blessing.

3:10

deut

Not one mistake no one error ..... not one if you are 99.999%

right its all wrong

Robert Storch - happy with a 99.99 but with God that will not work ....

* The Judaizers were teaching a blessing comes from the law, but Paul was teaching the opposite.

* When we attempt to be justified by the works of the law, we are under a curse.

* Vincent Word Studies – "Better translated, "under curse".

There is no article.

The phrase is general = accursed.

Barnes – "It is here used evidently in the sense of devoting to punishment or destruction; and the idea is, that all who attempt to secure salvation by the works of the Law, must be exposed to its penalty.

It brings a curse on all who do not yield entire obedience; and no partial compliance with its demands can save from the penalty."

* Law puts us under the sentence of condemnation and death

* To be under law is to be out of the blessing of God,… to be separated from the blessing of God.

* Those who are trying to make themselves right with God by obedience to the law are under a curse, not a blessing.

* The law brings death, not life.

* The law brings condemnation, not reconciliation.

The law just tells us we are doomed

II.

The Law Requires Obedience.

3:10

* Paul quotes from the OT to support his teaching.

- Duet.

27:26

* Paul quotes from the OT to support his teaching.

- Duet.

27:26

PERFECT obedience…

* is required by the words, “in all things.”

* Not almost perfect obedience….BUT absolute perfect obedience.

* Not mostly obedience sprinkled with a little bit of disobedience.

* If you are going to go the "law way of salvation" you must be completely obedient 100% of the time.

* It’s not a hit and miss proposition, where most of the time you hit the target but sometimes you miss.

* Cursed is the person who does not carry out every detail that is written in the law.

illustration - Cal Ripken

The record of playing in 2,632 consecutive games over more than 16 years is held by Cal Ripken, Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles.

but he was not perfect he sat out after a few inning a couple of times.

B) CONTINUAL obedience…

* by the word, “continueth.”

* The demands of the law are relentless…they never cease.

* To disobey even one part of the law is to be guilty of being a transgressor of the law.

* To disobey even one part of the law is to be guilty of being a transgressor of the law.

one mistake - bomb squad one wrong wire kills the group ....

Jackie Smith - one dropped ball

Bill Buckner - one ball between his legs

just one mistake

just one mistake

III.

The Old Testament Teaches justification by faith.

V. 11

* We have the testimony of the OT Scriptures that prove that justification, (salvation) is apart from the works of the law.

* Paul quotes (also quoted in )

* According to Scripture, Paul says, it is clear, evident, and manifest that justification is by faith!

* Read your Bible,…What sayeth the Scriptures?

* Habakkuk says faith is the conditional grounds for justification, not the law.

(10) And that means that anyone who tries to live by his own effort, independent of God, is doomed to failure.

Scripture backs this up: "Utterly cursed is every person who fails to carry out every detail written in the Book of the law."

* This is no new doctrine, that men are justified by faith, it goes all the way back to Genesis and Habakkuk.

* This is no new doctrine, that men are justified by faith, it goes all the way back to Genesis and Habakkuk.

IV.

The law and faith are mutually exclusive.