2025-11-23 Sermon Notes
| Speaker | Archibald Allison |
|---|---|
| Date | 2025-11-23 |
| Location | Emmaus Orthodox Presbyterian Church |
| Passage | Galatians 2:4-5 |
| Title | The Truth of the Gospel |
| Takeaways | [object Object] |
| Subjects | [object Object] |
💡Big Idea
Takeaways and Next Steps
📖Bible Passage
Points
What Paul Means By The Truth of the Gospel
- This is what the Apostle Paul was so concerned about.
- By the truth of the Gospel Paul is referring to the Gospel in all of its purity,
- in contrast with the message of these false[1] brothers who have added untruth to the Gospel. They taught that Christ alone is not enough, that in order to be saved we must have Christ and the works of the Law.
- What exactly is the true Gospel?
- It is the liberty which we have in and through the Lord Jesus Christ.
- What then is the liberty which we have in Christ?
- Liberty means freedom. Christ sets us free.
- John 8.36 If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
- Galatians 5.1 Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don't be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
- Galatians 5.13 For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don't use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another.
- We are set free from the Law.
- The Law demands that we perfectly follow it.
- Christ sets us free from this because He fulfilled it when we could not.
- Furthermore Christ, paid our penalty for breaking the Law.
- Therefore we are not saved by our ability to keep the Law (which does not exist). We are saved by His work of already fulfilling the Law on our behalf.
- How do we so often try to satisfy our guilt? We try to work harder to fulfill the Law. We think that our own efforts will earn our forgiveness. That’s not the Gospel.
- Instead of working, rest in the work of Christ.
- This idea that we can somehow earn our forgiveness from God is called legalism. This is the heresy that Paul is here combatting. We have been set free from legalism.
- But freedom do not mean that we should return to sin. Liberty is not a license for sin.
- Galatians 5.13 For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don't use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another.
- The Pharisees claimed to be godly men because they meticulously followed the law and yet they were corrupt hypocrites.
- The true believer does not want to do what pleases their flesh. They want to do what pleases the Lord.
Consensus on the Truth of the Gospel
- there was consensus among the genuine true men of God. Agreement.
- Acts 15:1-2 Some men came down from Judea and taught the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised after the custom of Moses, you can't be saved." Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small discord and discussion with them, they appointed Paul and Barnabas, and some others of them, to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.
- Acts 15:4-7 When they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly and the apostles and the elders, and they reported everything that God had done with them. But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses." The apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter. When there had been much discussion, Peter rose up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among you that by my mouth the nations should hear the word of the Good News and believe.
- Peter, Paul , Barnabas and James all testified that we have been freed by Christ from the burden of the Law.
- Titus also went up with Paul:
- Galatians 2.3 But not even Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.
- Galatians 2.9 and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, those who were reputed to be pillars, gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision.
- The truth of the Gospel brings about consensus. We agree because it is true. god has revealed it to us and unified us under it.
- Why do we have confessions and catechisms? It is simply because we are commanded to know what we believe clearly and be unified under the word.
- The same Gospel is preached in different tongues, cultures, nations, eras, denominations and yet Christians all over the world are united in consensus.
Contention for the Truth of the Gospel
- Contention:
- Galatians 2.5 to whom we gave no place in the way of subjection, not for an hour, that the truth of the Good News might continue with you.
- These men came to spy out our liberty and yet Paul and we Christians did not allow the Gospel to be tread upon.
Application
That the Truth of the Gospel Might Continue with You
- that the truth of the Good News might continue with you
- Paul is saying here that if Paul had not defended the truth of the Gospel then the Galatians would not have the Gospel at all.
- Why do we fight so hard to preserve the Gospel? Why is this such a big deal? It is in order that the Gospel might continue .
- Continue with you, your children and your grandchildren and every subsequent generation.
- The Lord is able to preserve the truth of the Gospel. No matter our current political situation. This is an encouraging truth.
- Come to Jesus today and rest in Him.
Further Study
💬Discussion Questions
Footnotes
the Greek word used here is pseudo. It means false or counterfeit ↩︎
2025-11-23 Sermon Notes
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On this page
💡Big Idea
Takeaways and Next Steps
📖Bible Passage
Points
What Paul Means By The Truth of the Gospel
Consensus on the Truth of the Gospel
Contention for the Truth of the Gospel
Application
That the Truth of the Gospel Might Continue with You
Further Study
💬Discussion Questions
Footnotes