Through the Bible with Les Feldick
LESSON 1 * PART 2 * BOOK 34
OUR POSITION AFTER SALVATION – PART 2
Now as we begin this lesson we just praise the Lord that He has saw fit to use us to create an interest once again in the study of His Word. I don’t expect everybody to agree with me, but if I can just cause people to start searching the Scriptures. We don’t have to agree on every little detail because there’s room for disagreement, but hopefully I try to stay as close to the truth as I possibly can. We’re not here for any particular denomination. I’m only here to teach the Word of God. Now our study begins in Galatians Chapter 4 and we were finishing verse 4 when we closed the last lesson.
Galatians 4:4
“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.”
That verse falls in line with what I have stressed over and over and that is that Christ’s earthly ministry was under the Law of Moses. We just spent this last week in Indiana where we just had such a response, and this is the one thing that we hear over and over. Never did they realize that Christ’s earthly ministry was under the Law. Everything that Christ said and instructed was in compliance with the Mosaic system. Not a word of this Gospel of Grace, you see it couldn’t be because He hadn’t died for the sins of the world. He couldn’t speak of His death, burial, and resurrection and have faith in that for salvation because He hadn’t died yet. We don’t get those instructions for the Church Age believer until we get to Paul. That revelation was given only to that apostle.
Oh, Christ did mention the fact that He was going to die, in fact let’s look at it again in Luke Chapter 18. These are verses that I think most people don’t even realize are in the Bible. And this is why I emphasize that when people continue to preach in the Four Gospels and totally ignore the writings of the apostle Paul, that those preaching and teaching must realize that His death, burial, and resurrection hadn’t taken place yet. They couldn’t preach our Gospel as found in I Corinthians 15:1-4. It had to be completed, and you can’t preach something until God reveals it, and at that time He hadn’t revealed it. And it’s so obvious here in Luke 18. This is at the end of His earthly ministry.
Luke 18:31-34
“Then he (Jesus) took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, `Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. (hadn’t happened yet but it will) 32. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, (the Romans) and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: 33. And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.’ 34. And they (the Twelve) understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken,”
These disciples had no idea that He was going to die on that Roman Cross. And as I showed so often in John’s gospel Chapter 20, we might as well stop there on your way back to the Book of Galatians. Here Peter and John have now run to the tomb. Everybody is shocked at what Mary Magdalene had told them (that the tomb is empty). They had no idea that He was going to rise from the dead but remember He had told them. But what had happened? It was hidden from them. God kept it secret even though He said it out in plain language. So here we are now on resurrection morning, and Peter and John run to that empty sepulcher.
John 20:8-9
“Then went in also that other disciple, (John) which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. (then the next verse tells it all.) 9. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.”
Do you see how plain all that is? They didn’t know, they had no concept of a saving Gospel of Grace based on His death, burial, and resurrection. Yet most churches spend most of their time teaching and preaching exclusively from the Four Gospels. No wonder the Church is dying on the vine. No wonder we’re going into such an apostasy, because there’s no power in this now. This is faded off the scene. His earthly ministry is part and parcel of the past just like the Old Testament economy. And now we’ve got to come into the letters and writings of the apostle of the Gentiles, the apostle Paul, for the doctrines of Grace. Now come back with me to the Book of Galatians Chapter 4 where it says He came, made of the woman, made under the Law, but what was the purpose?
Galatians 4:5
“To redeem (buy back, pay the price) for them that were under the law, that we (the whole world) might receive the adoption (position) of sons.”
Now, let’s go back to Romans. It’s been a long time since we’ve taught Romans, so I think it can bear repeating, and we’ll be coming back here more than once in these next few verses in Galatians. But in Romans Chapter 3 verse 23 for this moment:
Romans 3:23
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” That means everyone – Jew and Gentile, black and white, rich and poor. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Verse 24.
Romans 3:24
“Being justified freely by his grace (how could he justify us?) through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
Redemption is the process of buying us back. Now the first thing you always have to qualify is why does the word “redemption” have to be used? Why did God have to buy something back? Because you don’t buy something back unless you’ve owned it and lost it, right? In other words, you take something to the pawn shop; it was yours, you sold it, took a loan against it and they took over control. You cannot get it back and have control of that, whatever it is, until you pay the price of redemption.
It’s the same way in Scripture. The reason God had to pay a price of redemption, first for Israel, nationally, and for the whole world in general, was because that which was once God’s – He lost it. Satan picked it up. And so he’s holding it tight until God pays the price of redemption. Now when I say that Israel was lost, that goes back to when the brothers sold Joseph into slavery. It was sinful, it was wrong. But when they did that, God lost control of the little Nation of Israel, although it was still embryonic. But God lost control. They ended up in Egypt and for those 215 years they were under the control of the Egyptian yoke. And now when they finally come out, as it’s recorded in the Book of Exodus, what do we call Exodus? The book of redemption, because what is God doing? He is paying the price to bring Israel out from under bondage, out from Egyptian control, and back to Himself where He originally had them. Of course, the price of redemption there is more symbolic than actual, because it was the blood of the lamb that kept them safe on the night of the Passover. And it was the power of opening the Red Sea that brought the nation out to God Himself. But He redeemed them. He paid the price and He brought them back.
Now for the whole world population in general, He paid the price with His own Blood. The Cross of Calvary is where Christ paid the price of redemption. When Adam sinned, the whole human race fell under the control of Satan. And so He has paid the price of redemption for how many? All. You’ve heard me stress for the last several months on the programs, that when Christ died, He paid the price for every human being’s sin. He has paid the price of redemption for everyone. But you can’t appropriate it until faith comes into the picture. Now back to Romans Chapter 3. So He has justified the believer, freely, because of that price that He paid to bring them back from under the control of Satan. Now verse 25.
Romans 3:25a
“Whom (speaking of Christ Jesus) God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood,….”
Why the Blood in this verse? Because the Blood is the price of redemption. Without the shedding of Blood there is no remission. And had not Christ shed His Blood then the redemption price would have never been paid. Satan would still claim us as his own. It was paid and it’s done. Now verse 26 and what beautiful language –
Romans 3:26
“To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness:(God’s righteousness) that he (God) might be just, and the justifier of him which (what?) believeth…”
Not a lot of other things, but to him who believeth. Now let’s come back to Galatians 4 once again. He came made of the woman, for only one purpose. First, to be the King of Israel, but when they rejected that, then His eternal purpose was to go the way of the Cross, to shed His Blood, to pay the full price of redemption. And it’s paid in full. Now verse 5.
Galatians 4:5
“To redeem them that were under the law, (which was Israel. But it didn’t stop with Israel, thank goodness. It spread to the whole human race) that we (now Paul speaks in terminology that includes everybody, Jew and Gentiles, because after all he’s writing to Gentiles) might receive the adoption of sons.”
This adoption could never happen without the price of redemption. It had to be one of the first processes in the plan of salvation. Now let’s go back to Romans Chapter 3 and we’ll look at a different verse.
Romans 3:19a
“Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law;…”
Now compare that with Galatians and what did it say? He came to redeem them that were under the Law. But the next part of the verse in Galatians 4 says that we, the whole general race, might receive the adoption of sons – and now back to Romans 3:19, not only to them under the Law, which was Israel –
Romans 3:19b
“…that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”
Now whose mouths are we talking about? The whole human race! Not just Israel. The whole human race has to understand that there is not a word of argument that they can offer. It’s going to be amazing, we’re not going to be there of course, but I know from Scripture, that I can guarantee it that when lost humanity comes up before the Great White Throne, up there in Revelation 20, there’s not going to be any argument. They’re not going to debate the issue. There won’t be a great big jury trial. But individually they’re all going to come before that righteous Judge, which will be Christ Jesus Himself.
And even though He did express in His earthly ministry, they are going to say, “But Lord didn’t we do this, or that and cast out demons.” And He’s going to say, “Depart from me, for I never knew you.” But other than that, there’s going to be no argument. They’re suddenly going to see the record, the Lamb’s Book of Life and their name isn’t in it. And they’re going to see that long list of evil deeds and works that they know they’re guilty of. No argument and He’s going to consign them to their eternal doom. I know people don’t like to hear that. They like to think that they’re good enough and they’re going to somehow slip in. But, NO THEY’RE NOT!!
I will never forget one old fellow that I did a lot of business with and he said, “Les, I hope that someday I can sort of shimmy under the door.” No, it’s not going to work that way. And some like to think that maybe they can barter with old Peter at the Pearly Gates. No, it’s not going to work that way either. But those that are lost are suddenly going to be brought to the Great White Throne with no argument, realizing that they have been guilty of unbelief and rejecting and they’re going to go to their eternal doom. Now back to Romans 3:19.
Romans 3:19b
“…that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”
A lot of people think it should say “and all the world may become fit for Heaven!” But that’s not what it says. It says all the world may become GUILTY! And there’s no way of getting into a place of freedom and liberty as long as you’re guilty. Not even in the secular world (I hope). Now verse 20 and I love these two verses to show people that all their law-keeping, all their good works, all their legalism, will be for nothing, because –
Romans 3:20a
“Therefore by the deeds of the law (trying to live the good life according to format of the Ten Commandments) there shall no flesh be justified in his sight:…”
They may be good enough in man’s sight, but they’ll never cut it when they come under the scrutinizing eyes of the Lord Jesus. And so no flesh is justified in his sight, why?
Romans 3:20b
“…for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
All the Law can show mankind is their sinfulness, not their salvation. Isn’t it amazing how Satan can totally counterfeit the issue? Now today, Satan has convinced millions, probably billions, that if they do the best they can, if they keep the Law, at least as much as possible, somehow they’ll make it. They’ve got that idea and it’s just stuck in their craw and they refuse to see what the Book says. The Book says they’re never going to make it. Because by the keeping of the Law, is no flesh justified. But we have to experience that price of redemption, which is by having our faith in that shed Blood of Calvary.
Now let’s move on in the moments we have left, to verse 6 of Galatians 4. Now then, since it’s established that the Law could not save, but that the work of the Cross has redeemed us and as soon as we are redeemed we are placed by the right of adoption into that place of full maturity in the Body of Christ. I think I mentioned in our last taping that there are two concepts in Scripture. One is that when we come in as a new believer, how do we begin? Babes in Christ, and we desire the sincere milk of the Word, the simpler things.
But as we grow and as we come through the Christian experience, we finally reach the place where we are ready for the strong meat of the Word. Not just the simple things but also the strong meat. Let’s go to Ephesians Chapter 1 and verse 5 for the other concept. And that concept is that the moment that we’re saved God puts us right up in that place of full responsibility like this tutored son. Like that little lad, for years, was constantly being taught and encouraged and reprimanded by his tutor. But when the day came, he was presented as a full partner with that father. Now remember the two concepts. We come into the Body of Christ as babes in Christ, no matter whether we’re six or sixty and we grow in grace and knowledge. But positionally, and that’s what the great book of Ephesians is all about – our position in the Body of Christ.
Ephesians 1:5a
“Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto Himself,…”
That does not mean that we’re legally transformed from one family to another. But the word “adoption” coming out of the Greek and the Roman practice was like we’ve just seen and that was the placing of that son as a full partner and heir with the father. That’s what adoption means. Now God has predestined us. He has kept that place open for every believer, that the moment he is saved, there he is, right where God intended him to be from eternity past. And so that’s what the predestination is about is the position.
Ephesians 1:5b
“…according to the good pleasure of his will.”
Now, I’ve got to take you back to Acts Chapter 2 again. We use some of these verses over and over because I think they are so fundamental to understanding everything. Peter is preaching on the day of Pentecost and he’s preaching to the Nation of Israel, still under the Law. And look what he says-
Acts 2:22,23
“Ye men of Israel, hear these words; (did those Jews know their Old Testament? Of course they did! They were taught in the whole idea of the Law and the Old Testament prophets and so forth. Even though they were in rank unbelief, yet they knew these things from the Old Testament) Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23. Him, (Jesus of Nazareth) being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:”
You know what he could have also said? “And he has reserved you a place. He has adoption waiting for you.” But Peter didn’t know that. But God did. God had the foreknowledge of everything from eternity past up until the time that it is finally consummated and will continue until the end of time. Nothing in all of God’s working was unknown to that predeterminate counsel of God back there in eternity past. The Triune God saw everything and that’s beyond our human comprehension. He saw it all! He knew back in eternity past that we would be sitting here in Tulsa, Oklahoma this afternoon. There is nothing beyond His knowledge and He knows exactly what’s ahead of us, even though we don’t. Let’s look at verses 4 & 5 again –
Galatians 4:4b-5
“…God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5. To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”
He went through that whole finished work of the Cross, arose from the dead, appeared to the eleven for forty days, ascended back to Glory and then revealed to this next great man in human history, the apostle Paul, or Saul of Tarsus, all of these doctrines of grace. And until Paul comes they are unknown. That’s why he refers constantly to the mysteries, the secrets that were kept in the mind of God. I’m so thrilled that people are seeing this, by the hundreds. People are finally understanding that it’s only through the revelations to this apostle that we now understand that eternal purpose of God in the crucifixion and in calling out that body of Gentiles, which we call the Church. Not under the Law, but under grace.