theWord Commentaries

Fortner, Don – Discovering Christ in Galatians

• WLue777
• April 2, 2024November 20, 2023
• 0

Fortner, Don – Discovering Christ in Galatians

Extract

Paul an Apostle of Christ

” Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia: Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Gal_1:1-5)
(Gal_1:1-5)

The Book of Galatians shows us the way to true freedom. Genuine liberty is neither legalism nor licentiousness. It is the blessed freedom of voluntary bondage to Christ. It is the liberty of willing captivity to the Son of God, willingly surrendering our lives to the rule and dominion of Christ as our Lord, voluntarily giving up our lives to him, being conquered by his omnipotent, saving grace (Mar_8:34-35; Luk_14:25-33).

This true freedom is discovered when sinners are graciously forced to willingly cease from every effort to save themselves and trust Christ alone as Lord and Savior, glorying only in his cross, and trusting him as “the Lord our Righteousness” by whose blood and righteousness all the demands of God’s holy law have been fully met and satisfied forever (Jer_23:6; Rom_10:4). All who have been brought by God’s sovereign, irresistible grace to trust Christ are dead to the law. You cannot be freer than that!

The law of God no longer has dominion over us. Guided by the Holy Spirit and bringing forth fruit unto God (“the fruit of the Spirit”), the saints of God, out of gratitude and love to Christ and for God’s free gift of salvation in him, adorn the doctrine of God our Savior and seek to live for his honor and glory as the children of God in this world. The terror and fear of the law no longer rule our lives, but the love of Christ. The proud hope of earning rewards from the Almighty to gratify our lusts no longer motivates us, but the grace of God. The prison door has been opened; and we have entered into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. Not only have we found the blessing; but we have become a blessing. For it is through the children of God that God blesses the world. Download “Fortner-Don-Discovering-Christ-in-Galatians.gbk.twm” Fortner-Don-Discovering-Christ-in-Galatians.gbk.twm – Downloaded 27 times – 1.25 MB