Faith working through Love
Bible Text: Galatians 5:6, Galatians 5:13-15, John 13:1-17, John 13:34-35 | Preacher: Andrew Love | Series: Galatians | Introduction
The book of Galatians has one central message: you come to God by faith (in Christ) alone
Faith always produces fruit and works
A living faith
A life of love for God and our fellow man
v6 – Faith working through love
Paul says that Christianity is not about externals
Love is the great hallmark of the Christian
We love God because He first loved us
We love one another because He has placed His love in our hearts
Love is the great hallmark of the Christian – examples
We love our brethren
Looking at Faith working through Love
Emphasising v13-15
Overview:
A love that serves the church
A love that fulfills the law
A love that is not carnal
A love that serves the church
v13
We have been called effectually through God
Called to Christ
Called into a state of liberty and freedom
We are no longer condemned by the law
We are not to use freedom as an opportunity for the flesh
The freedom is to love and honour God
There are always two great dangers for the Christian:
Legalism
Hedonism
Both extremes are wrong
Serve one another through love
cf John 13:1-17
Jesus did the work of a slave/servant
He was showing true Christian service
He was showing what it meant to love God and your neighbour
If you do menial tasks for the Lord – blessed are you (John 13:16-17)
Examples of tasks within the church
This is the path to Christian liberty
It is always better to give than to receive
It is always better to serve
We must die to self
cf John 13:34-35
(An ‘old’ commandment made new in Jesus)
A new commandment
We are called to love as Jesus has loved us
Examples of how Jesus loved His disciples
Ultimately leading to the cross
Jesus final sacrifice stands alone … but we can sacrifice to one another
A most powerful witness to the world
Let us learn to love one another
Examples of early Christian love (from Tutulian and Dinesious)
Reading 1 John 3:16-19
John 15:12
What is our Christian service to the brethren/Church like?
A love that fulfills the law
v14
The law of God has not been abrogated or annulled by Christ but fulfilled
The love of Christ conforms us to the law of God
The law is not for the righteous but the ungodly
Because the law is written on our heart – it is there to lead us in paths of righteousness
Not ‘do not’ but rather ‘you shall’
Reading Romans 13:8-10
Explanation
The very love of Christ has been written on our heart
The gospel drives us – Christ has loved us
Quote from John Bunion
God commands and enables us to love (even those we struggle to love)
A love that is not carnal
v15
Problems within the Church of Galatia
Fights and squabbles – over doctrine, over Jewish traditions, some were insisting in their own ways
If you continue in this way you are in danger of destroying the Church of Jesus Christ
Quote from Ian Hamilton, Thomas Watson and John Calvin
We must remember that we are to build up and edify one another
How to overcome carnality?
Reading 1 Cor 12:16-17, 21-23
Remember that every Christian is born of God and is a valuable member
The weakest (in our eyes) need to be given the greatest honour
Learning to forgive
We are not always aware of offence
The hardest time to love is when you are wounded
Consider the amazing love of God for us – yet how much we have hurt Him
Reading Eph 4:31-21
Forgiveness brings healing and restoration
Love will cover a multitude of sins – Reading 1 Pet 4:8
Being patient
Love bears all things
Are we patient with those who are different to us
We need to learn to put others needs before our own
Even Christ did not serve Himself
The word devouring speaks of wild animals
This is not to be within the church
Closing Remarks