The Life Given through a Promise (Gal. 3:15-22)
Let us bless one another, Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Just the fact that we’re able to bless one another is a blessing. At least once a week, we’ll be able to bless one another, and our lives will turn out according to the blessing. The reason is because God desires to bless us.
We are going through Galatians again today. The content of Galatians might sound difficult but it’s actually quite simple, this has to be simple in order for our walk of faith to be simple. The words are not difficult but if we do not discover the truth, then our lives are bound to be difficult. Simply put, it means that our acts of the law are not going to work. There is no action of man that could ever please God. Among people, we might judge someone’s values based on their actions, and because throughout the whole week we’re’ standing before people, it’s hard for us to receive the words of God. In order for us to receive God’ Words today, we need to see how God spoke from the beginning in Genesis.
1. God’s creation
1) Man
When God created the world, He promised us that He created us in His image.
(1) God’s image (Gen. 1:27)
It means that human beings are created in God’s image, as spiritual beings, to be with God. That means humans cannot be human without God. God created animals so they can live even without God.
(2) Living being (Gen. 2:7)
Genesis 2:7, God breathed His breath of life into man, that’s the breath of life that God blows into us. It means that we’re supposed to live by the strength and will of God, and it’s impossible for humans to live with our own strength.
(3) Protect business, family (Gen. 2:15,18)
Then in Gen. 2:15, God told man to take the breath of life and to rule over the Garden of Eden with it, so our business is given to us by God. God told us to work it and to take care of it according to God’s will, and then He made the family. God saves the family so that through the family, God’s will may be fulfilled. Therefore, our business and our family can only be worked upon according to God’s will if we have God’s living breath within us.
2) Problem
However, there was a problem. That problem is not what the people of the world talk about. Where do all problems begin?
(1) Man can be God – Satan’s message (Gen. 3:5)
In Genesis 3:5, Satan says to humans, “You can be like God,” and that is the beginning of all problems, that’s how they became separated from God in their hearts.
(2) Separated from God – Other eyes were opened (Gen. 3:7)
Then in Genesis 3:7, it says their eyes were opened. In the past, their spiritual eyes were opened and they could be with God, but once they were separated from God, their physical eyes were opened and their spiritual eyes were closed. Because their physical eyes were opened, they have a lot of physical advancements. The physical eyes of America are opened so we have a lot of advancements in science and technology. If our spiritual eyes are closed, then our physical eyes are opened, and that is where all the problems really come into us.
In the past, both Adam and Eve were naked together, but once they were separated from God, they started feeling shame. They were in the exact same situation, but when they were with God, they were not ashamed and it was not a problem, but once they were separated from God, wanting to be their own God, they were ashamed, and because they were separated from God, they had fear.
If we’re afraid because something scary is happening, we can acknowledge that, but even if there’s nothing to be afraid of, we’re afraid by ourselves. Nowadays there’s a panic attack disorder, even though there’s nothing to be afraid of, we feel scared. Even though there’s nothing that makes us sad, we get depression, and even if there’s nothing to particularly make us happy, we have bipolar disorder and manic disorders. Medications can help that, but the fundamental fear cannot disappear.
Where are my eyes now? If your spiritual eyes of being with God are opened, then a problem is no longer a problem. However, because your spiritual eyes are closed and your physical eyes are opened, then things that aren’t a problem are continuously causing problems.
Religion is about getting rid of your problems, they think that, “With my good actions and deeds, I can get rid of my problems.” A religious person thinks, ‘Through my prayers or through my devotion, maybe God will know my heart and get rid of this problem for me,” there are so many people who go to church and live a religious life like this. “Because I came to church on Sunday, don’t you think God will bless me?” Not necessarily. We are blessed if we come to church and our spiritual eyes are opened and we can be with God. Do you think God will take it easy on you just because you serve the church? No, God has his own power. God is the one who can raise crunches and destroy churches.
2 Chronicles 2 says God is the one who can make us wealthy, make us poor, give us life, or give us death. That will not change based on your righteousness. Through today’s message, I hope the true gospel will go into you.
(3) Sin – Business, family cursed (Gen. 3:16-20)
Once their eyes were opened they saw that they were separated from God, and there were problems in the family, “it’s because of this woman,” that doesn’t just happen. Because their spiritual eyes of being with God were closed and their physical eyes were opened, they kept casting blame on one another. All he had to do was stand before God himself, but instead, he blamed it on his wife. Then the wife blamed the snake, in other words, her friend. And even the business of farming in the Garden of Eden was cursed.
Genesis 3:16-20 says the earth was cursed. Though you work so hard and toil, things don’t work out. It seems like things work out well and you even become successful, but it’s the Tower of Babel, it will collapse. What is the beginning of all problems? Wanting to be like God, and me thinking I am God.
I’m sure none of you are like that, right? But as soon as you face a problem, there is no God there, because it’s just you and that problem left, your worries and thoughts become deeper, but if God is truly with you, that problem is not a problem; it becomes an answer and a blessing. We call that prayer. Prayer is not about asking for whatever you want to get fulfilled; it is asking for God’s will to be fulfilled. If somebody doesn’t know how to pray, just pray, “May Your will be done, God.” if you don’t know how you pray in your problems and crises, just pray for God’s will to be fulfilled, that’s the prayer that comes from the gospel. Then, the works of God’s Word being fulfilled on earth are bound to take place.
Therefore, in every problem, there is a blessing and an answer. The only reason it’s a problem to us is because our spiritual eyes are closed and our physical eyes are opened. Then, there’s no way for humans to solve this problem. Even if we memorize the entire Bible, even if we memorize every word of the Bible and always live by it, it’s not going to work.. “Even if I read the bible 100 times?” Not even then, then what do we have to do? We have to believe in what God has promised us.
3) Way of Restoration
(1) Offspring of woman (Gen. 3:15)
As soon as Adam and Eve sinned against God, He promised, “I will send the offspring of the woman to crush the head of the serpent.” The offspring of woman means someone who is not born by the relationship of a man and woman, but by the Holy Spirit, this is how the child will not have Adam’s original sin. Rev. 12:2 says the devil is the serpent, Satan.
(2) Crush head of serpent (15)
The offspring of the woman will come to crush the head of the serpent, the devil, Satan, but Satan will be active until eternity, the second coming of Jesus. Satan’s authority has been broken through Jesus Christ but he still deceives us, then God promised that Satan will strike his heel.
(3) Strike the heel of the offspring of woman (15)
That is Jesus’ death on the cross. Jesus Christ died on the cross for me and solved all my curses. Even though he did die, he resurrected in 3 days. So, Satan striking Jesus’ heel doesn’t really influence him. Because Jesus Christ resurrected and has authority over Satan and death.
(4) Faith – Life (Eve) (Gen. 3:20-21)
Adam and Eve believed in that fact. In Genesis 3:20-21, they changed Eve’s name into “Eve,” because she would become the mother of all the living. Because “Eve” means life. The Eve that was once dead has changed into life because she believed in the covenant of Christ.
2. God’s Promise
1) Promise
(1) Promises between people – Changes x (Gal. 3:15)
Then, this is talking about the verse we just read, but God gives this covenant through Abraham, that the offspring of the woman would be born through his bloodline. God does not make a promise with humans after discussing it with us. Humans are spiritually dead, so there’s no way for him to talk to us, we cannot hear His Words. If someone is dead, you cannot speak to them; they’re dead. If you try to give the Word of God to someone who is spiritually dead, they cannot hear you, that’s why God did not discuss the promise of man, he just gave it unilaterally. That is God’s promise.
In today’s Bible verse, it says that even a problem made between humans cannot be changed or added. Even in nations, the more developed a nation is, the more they keep their laws, because the law is a contract made with citizens. The law is not even the truth; it’s just a rule we have as we live in this land, and the more a nation develops, the stronger their sets of rules become. In order to prevent something unfair from happening, the superpower nations have many lawyers.
The more underdeveloped a nation is, they are not centered on the law; they are centered on who has more power. Even if there’s a law, they look down on the law, that’s a characteristic of an underdeveloped nation, and that’s why the strongest person controls it. The law doesn’t control the nation; the powerful person does, and that’s why dictators arise and just oppress the people. Satan is the one who takes God’s rule and changes it to work. Demon-possessed people are not in conversation with Satan; Satan just goes into them against their will. If someone becomes a shaman or fortune teller, it’s not because they wanted to. One day, the problem and spirits and mental illnesses just come into us, but God is not that kind of God.
(2) Promise with God – Change x
God works according to His rule and according to His promise. God gave us the promise and says He will fulfill it. You can know that promise through Genesis 15 through Abraham. God called Abraham when he was 75 years old, but He said “Your future generations will be very numerous. They were a grandpa and grandma at that time, they didn’t have any children, but Abraham believed in God’s promise and that’s why God called him righteous.
(3) God will fulfill promise
God did not call Abraham righteous because he did something, but simply because he believed in God’s promise, and therefore, Christianity is a religion of faith. But a lot of religious people argue, “Is believing all you have to do? What about your actions?” Because we believe, we act according to our faith, that’s why the actions come after. But if you don’t believe and you’re centered on the actions of humans, that can never please God.
2) Promise
(1) God – My shield, reward (Gen. 15:1)
In Genesis 15, God calls Abraham and says, “I am your shield, your very great reward.” These were the words God gave Abraham when he was very afraid; can humans be your shield? Can your possessions be your shield? Do you think your professional position will be your shield? God is your shield. There’s no one who can break that. God is your very great reward. There’s no need to get rewards from humans; we have our reward in heaven. Without a doubt, we have a reward.
That’s what God is like, so there’s no such thing as unfairness because God is fair. In this world there is no justice but people keep trying to fight for justice, and they suffer the most because it’s impossible for us to be just, but if you believe in Jesus, your eyes will change.
(2) Gave Abraham descendants (Gen. 15: 3-6)
(3) Gave the land of Canaan (Gen 15:7-10,17-18)
Then God promised, “I will give you the land of Canaan.’ Then Abraham asks God, “How can I believe Your Word?” In those times, it would be similar to someone who signs a contract, where both parties have to sign a form. Back in Abraham’s time they didn’t have very much writing, so instead of signing a contract, they would get an animal and split it in half. Both parties in the contract would have to walk through the two halves of the broken animal. After the first person goes, the second person goes. That means that if you break this promise, then your body will be split in half just like these animals, as a punishment. So, God says, “I promise I will keep my promise to you,” so Abraham brings the contracts and lawyer, and splits the animals and waits for God to pass through them. But God is supposed to sign that contract, but He didn’t do it, God has to sign that contract for the promise to be kept, and he waited all night long but God would not sign the contract.
Then at night, there was a thick darkness that came upon Abraham, and while Abraham was in a deep sleep, God signed the contract without Abraham. Afterwards Abraham did not pass through, but he should have, why is that? God says he will keep the promise himself, and that’s how much God is prepared to die if he breaks this promise. The reason he didn’t request Abraham to walk through is because Abraham couldn’t keep it even if he tried, so don’t ask about human actions. It’s impossible to keep God’s laws with the actions of humans. Try applying this into your families. The more a parent loves their child, the more they try to intercede, “This is wrong, you’re doing that wrong,” because you have to teach them what’s wrong, but that’s how they end it, and the more the child grows up like that, the more they have anger. As soon as they go into college, they just break free from their parents’ hold. When more time passes, they might just cut themselves off from their parents, but from the parents’ perspective, they did that out of love. That’s what the law is like, people do not change with the law.
Why did God give us the law? God gave us the law so it can take us to the gospel. Because we cannot keep it, we must be with Christ. So, if your family is in the gospel, then your family will save people through the gospel. For people who are moving their business, they should do this too. Yes, your employees may make a mistake, and what you should do is help them realize they made a mistake and help them stand before the gospel of Christ. But there’s a lot of churches that talk about the Word of God and only relay the law because the law is God’s Word, and because of that, everyone is bound to tremble before the law because they did something wrong, so they hang their heads low, but what God gave to us is not only the law. God gave us the law so that through the law, we can hold onto the gospel and stand before God.
3) Promise
(1) To Abraham (Gal. 3:16)
In Gal. 3:16, it talks about the promise that was spoken to Abraham and to his seed. God promised Abraham, “I will give the land of Canaan to your future generations,” in order for us to get that promise, there’s nothing we have to do; we just believe it, and Abraham believed it. Here it says, “The scripture doesn’t talk about Your seed,” but to many seeds.
(2) Descendants – Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:16)
The very first promise God gave in Genesis 3:15 about the offspring of the woman, God is now promising to send Jesus Christ through Abraham, and that’s why the father of our faith is Abraham and as long as we believe in Jesus Christ, we are Abraham’s offspring and receive his inheritance. It is impossible to receive that by acts of the law.
(3) Law – Cannot do away with the promise (Gal. 3:17)
The law and the actions of the law are different. The law is God’s Word, but the actions of the law are the acts of humans. It is impossible to satisfy God with our actions of the law, then what is the role that this law plays?
3. Receive the promise through faith
1) Law
(1) Locked up everything under the control of sin (Gal. 3:22)
In Galatians 3:22, it says that now because we have the law, we are revealed as sinners. In Korea, there’s chaos, there’s scandals going on with the district attorneys, and do you know why? The police officers do not have specialized knowledge on the intricacies of the law but you can only pick out these criminals if you have specialized knowledge of the law, so the district attorneys know the law very well and pick out the nuances. So, God gave us the law so that all people will be trapped under the law.
(2) Became our guardian (Gal. 3:24)
Does that mean God is an evil God who wants to trap us under the law and to make us sinners? No, that is not the case, it says in Gal. 3:24 that the law is our guardian and guide to Christ. During the age of Rome, the people would have slaves, and the slaves would take the children back and forth from school, they would be guardians or chaperones, so the law is just like that guide; it takes us somewhere but it cannot teach us. The law is simply the initial guardian who takes us to Christ. Because we need the law in order to see our sin and to know humans’ limitations. That’s why we need the Christ.
Does that mean if the law didn’t exist, we wouldn’t be sinners? We were sinners since Genesis. That’s why God gave us the law, so that through the law, we would go to Christ and then become righteous before God. If you end the law with just the law, that becomes a curse. These are things that happened a lot in the church. We just finish it with the law. We have a standard of saying, “You’re wrong,” and we end it with that, but that’s not what we should emphasize. We should help them go to Christ.
If you look at people, there are some people who commit crimes, and we might judge people like that, but we shouldn’t end it with that. We need to help them to stand before Christ. Because you’re weak, you must stand before Christ, that’s why through the law, you give them the gospel. But if someone just ends it with the law, then that’s a legalistic person, centered on the actions of the law,and the only result of that is a curse. However, if you use the law to take them to the gospel so they may realize that, it turns into a blessing. In my life, there’s a problem or crisis, but if you stand before the gospel, it changes.
If the churches become weak in the gospel, it means they become stronger in the law, then all their words are correct because these are the words of God, but all of them are trapped under the guilt trip of sin and cannot budge, so they go out of the church and do other things. If you emphasize the law in your parenting as well, the children will act well before you but they will be different elsewhere. The reason they act differently in the church and outside in the world is because there’s something else put into them, but if they have the gospel put into them, they will stand the same inside the church and out in the world. We save people through love and forgiveness. We use the law to reveal their sin and to take them before Christ.
(3) Faith in Christ – Righteous (Gal. 3:22)
So, in Gal. 3:22, it says, “So that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe,“ it means that we are changed into righteous people. Someone might look very just and righteous before humans, but they might still be sinners before God, and that’s why we must stand before God. Before God, there’s nothing we can boast about. Because we’re spiritually dead and God only saved us through His grace by Jesus Christ, our actions are always dirty. We have no ability to be correct. That is why we are only going in the path of righteousness by Christ, His righteousness. A person will change depending on Christ’s time schedule and grace.
2) Faith – Within me
(1) Promise of life (Jn. 1:4)
(2) Promise of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 3:14)
In Galatians 3:14, He has given us His life through the promise of the spirit. The spirit is the spirit that saves, we call that the Holy Spirit. Demons, Satan, evil spirits, these are the ones who destroy human lives, but the life of the Holy Spirit is inside of us. That’s the Spirit of the One who finished all problems on the cross in John 19:30, you have to understand that to understand the gospel. If you don’t understand this, then you do not understand the gospel.
“If you say, ‘everything is finished,’ then why do I have a problem?” It means you don’t have the gospel. Being naked was not a problem before, it wasn’t a problem with God, but afterward, it became a problem. If you don’t understand the gospel, it will be a problem. A lack of money is not the real problem because Paul learned how to be content in poverty and in wealth. Why is the coronavirus a problem? Your spiritual state was already in problems and is now being revealed because of covid, so it will change depending on what your eyes are.
If someone has life and Christ is their master, nothing is a problem for them. But for someone who’s trying to be like God, to be their own God, a problem is a problem for them, and that’s why when they go out into the world, most people say Covid-19 is a problem. It’s correct with physical eyes, however, people who have Christ as their master can laugh at that, because they’ve seen how God blesses through the pandemic.
You have to quickly escape from your religious life. Your hard work will not do it. God is already working hard. Even right now, He is moving this world around Christ. Even right now, God is raising His children and taking that away. Even now, God is moving all the birds and eggs and taking them away. Not only that, but the animals in the ocean. God maintains all the billions of humans in the world, God maintains every brain cell. You don’t usually think about that, but I hope you will think about that for the gospel. No need for me to do that because I have confidence, but that’s your own misconception. For people who do that, you should do it for the gospel, why for the gospel? What am I saying? It means God is maintaining every single one of your cells, everything moves according to God’s sovereignty.
(3) Filling of the Holy Spirit (Ac. 1:8)
The Holy Spirit is now within me, but I have my own thoughts too. If the Holy Spirit is within me, but I follow my thoughts instead, we go in separate directions because my thoughts are not God’s thoughts, and Romans 6 says the thoughts of the flesh are death. The filling of the Holy Spirit is bringing God’s thoughts into my thoughts. “The Holy Spirit within me, please control my thoughts and my heart.” That is not talking about gaining some supernatural strength, but the Holy Spirit lives within me, controlling my thoughts, heart, subconscious, and unconscious, and that’s how my thoughts will change to become God’s thoughts. My thoughts are typically depressed, but I will never be depressed because the Holy Spirit is controlling my thoughts and emotions.
In the past, people used to be bound by superstition and traumas, but because they’re controlled by the Holy Spirit, they overcome those, because we’ve been given life, we enjoy it by faith. What is the greatest blessing? It is my thoughts changing into thoughts of God by the Holy Spirit. That’s what it means for the spiritual state to be changed. Just like Adam, before he was separated from God, he was naked, but only after he sinned did that become a problem. When God’s image, God’s life was inside of him, nothing was a problem. Even his business, he maintained the Garden of Eden very well. Only from the moment when he wanted to become God himself, did the earth become cursed.
So it’s not going to work, even with your hard work. Your problem cannot be solved, that problem itself shouldn’t be a problem at all. Just with human actions, building the Tower of Babel, that doesn’t get rid of human’s problems. God’s thoughts have to come into my thoughts, my subconscious, and emotions, for that to not be a problem. May this time of worship be that time.
May the God within me control my thoughts and heart. Students stop relying on your studies, but ask for the spirit of God to control your thoughts and heart. That’s not your actions, our walk of faith is about our faith. The act of coming to worship isn’t what blesses you, but while you worship, you believe, and that is your blessing, and you’re able to believe because God’s grace is upon you. Abraham did not have any children, but he believed God would give him offspring, so that was his blessing. So I hope every time you remember, you will pray for the filling of the Holy Spirit.
3) Faith – In the field
(1) Working of the Holy Spirit (Ac. 2:1-13)
(2) Business, work – Blessing of finding the 70 regions, 70 disciples (Lk. 10:1-20)
Businesspeople, I pray you will stop trying to manipulate your own brain, but pray to bless everyone you meet. Stop trusting in your skills and everything you’ve studied, but trust in God’s power. If the Holy Spirit works within me, then pray for the Holy Spirit of God to work in all the fields I’m connected to, then what will happen?
Matthew 12:28 says, “if it is by the power of the Holy Spirit that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you,” that’s what we call intercessory prayer. For those who pray for others, their fields will change. If I’m a business owner, I pray for all those who work at my business and those who are connected to my business, that’s the blessing God has given to us, and I pray the students will do this at school.
Why did God give us our work and our business? The business itself is not the goal. The Garden of Eden, the business God gave to Adam and Eve were not the goal. There’s something God wants to do through this business. May your thoughts change quickly.
Your business is not the goal; God wants to use your business to fulfill His goal, what is that? It is to save lives. Only God can save lives and that is His goal. That’s why God gave you your job. God gave you that job to use as an instrument or tool to save people’s lives. But if your priorities are changed and you work so hard, that’s just your diligence, and once time passes, you’ll realize that was in vain. That’s only a business that can help maintain your body until you die, right? What else do you make money for? So you can eat, sleep, and use it. Why do people want to succeed even more? So they can eat better food, wear better clothes, and sleep better. But those are the thoughts of the people of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 6 who were destroyed. Abraham was not like that. God gave the blessing of 100 years to Isaac and he was not like that, either. God gave you your business to fulfill God’s goal. God gave you your business so you can use it to find the disciples and to save people’s lives. Because you need to have a business in order to have employees, coworkers, and people connected to your job. God entrusted that business to you to save those people.
May the blessing of your priorities being changed take place today. What about pastors? It’s not for my pastorship; my pastorship is used to save the world; that is how God uses me. That’s what the Bible says. I believe God is working according to His Word even now. If you’re raising your children to fulfill your goals, you’ll be at a loss. As long as your child is with you, God has entrusted them to you so that they can follow God’s will. If you’re using your child as an instrument of gain for yourself, that is Genesis 6, the flood, and the curse of the Tower of Babel.
(3) Posterity – Works of saving the 70 tribes, 70 nations (Mt. 28:18-20)
This is why we raise up the next generations because they know the culture, they know the language of this land, and they can save the many ethnicities who are here. If you don’t know this, you immigrate here and wonder, “Why did I come here? This was not what I planned,” and the kids will wonder, “Why was I born here?” That’s how it will turn out. But Joseph and Daniel went into a foreign land and changed the entire nation. We are pouring everything we have to raise our next generation to be like that.
Conclusion
1. Me, church, business – Unprecedented never repeated answer
2. Answer of saving the church, region, posterity
3. Let’s have an individualized time of concentration.
Let us conclude the Word. We can never please God with the actions of man. We are regarded as righteous before God by the works Christ did for us. The law is a guide that guides us to Christ, so the word of the law is necessary, but only so that we can hold onto Christ. Yes, you do have to live an upright life, but it is so you can proclaim Christ. May this blessing be overflowing in your personal life, your family, and your business.
Prayer
Let us pray holding onto the Word we received, it’s a short prayer, but I hope it is a prayer that God answers.
Offering Prayer and Newcomer Prayer
Father God, we thank You. We thank You for saving us from being trapped under the law, but making us as righteous children of God by faith in Jesus Christ. We thank You for allowing for us to be within the grace of God that brings the law to completion through Jesus Christ. We have received everything from God, and we are giving You offering to save lives. We confess that You are the One Who gives and takes away. We pray that you will bless this offering so it may be used to save the future generations, to save all nations and the Temple construction to save the world. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, amen.
Father God, we thank You. We pray You will bless the newcomers so that they will receive the power to have life and to save lives just as You promised. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, amen.
Benediction
Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the unending love of God, and the indwelling, working, guidance, and communion of the Holy Spirit, be upon all the people of God of all nations and the future generations who desire to enjoy and testify of the gospel of Christ, be upon all their businesses, studies, and their work, be upon us from now until forevermore always, amen.