March 23rd 2003

Building a Faith that Liberates - Part 1

The Book of Galatians 1:1-3:29

n    Rescued from Ourselves

n    Freedom from Our Past

n    Freedom from Religion

n    Freedom Through Faith Alone

n   Freedom Through the Spirit

n   Freedom to Be Ourselves

“Rescued from Ourselves”
Galatians 1:1-10   

Billy Graham:
“The world is looking for peace …”

I will experience true peace when:  

1. I believe that peace can only come from God

Galatians 1:1,2

“¹Paul, an apostle--sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead-- ²and all the brothers with me, 

To the churches in Galatia:”

2. I turn to Jesus alone for peace.

Galatians 1:3-5

“³Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, ⁴who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, ⁵to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

“Jesus did not die on a cross for his sins – but for yours”  

3. I realize that there is only one true message of peace.

Galatians 1:6-10

“⁶I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- ⁷which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.   ⁸But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! ⁹As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!
¹⁰Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.”  

the competition for your soul