Somebody is lying to you! A look at Galatians 3

What does an unbeliever, believe? You have to live by a list of rules to be a Christian. You have to become righteous to be a Christian. You have to become worthy first, in order to be in the family of God. God wont love you until you get your act together. The Christian life is too hard to achieve, so I will stay a non-Christian.

But the truth is… God loves us first, no matter what weve done or what we do. (jn 3:16) God has already paid our sin debt, whether we believe it or not – we just have to receive it. and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. 1 Jn. 2:2 He welcomes us just how we are. As we repent and forsake our sin, He provides the power to walk it out in our daily lives. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. Gal. 5:16 God initiates with us first, all we do is receive what He has done. The outward will follow. A changed life is a result. But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. Rom. 6:22

Galatians 3:1-6 You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain--if indeed it was in vain? So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Why do we feel distant from God? Why is it that sometimes we feel distant from God and other times we feel closer?

How we began is how we should be living We began by believing and receiving. Our relationship with Christ began with Him initiating with us, and us responding by receiving. Nothing has changed in our relationship – He still initiates first and we respond. –Our lives are to be lived the same way we began – believing and receiving what He has already done. –When we feel close to God, it is when we are believing and trusting what is true.

Distance results when we arent receiving Just like before we came to Christ, if we believe subtly that something is up to us to work on or accomplish, we will distance ourselves from God on a daily basis. (like the unbeliever). We must live how we began – by the Spirit and hearing with faith. We must live by receiving first, not doing first. We began by receiving and doing was the result. -Same is true now. Therefore they said to Him, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." Jn 6:28,29 Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, Rom 4:4,5

Everything we need in life is by receiving what He has already done. –Strength, joy, power, understanding, motivation, will power, unction, giving, hospitality. The fruit of the Spirit in our lives (love, joy, peace, etc.) is a result – ITS FRUIT. -A result of receiving what is already true.

What are we to believe? What did we believe when we first started? –The gospel! –We never leave the good news that are sins are paid for and we are clean before God. We need the good news every day. We are also to believe and receive daily -His love for us, -that He is near (in us and we are in Him) -His kind heart towards us. -The heart is strengthened with grace as we receive the basic truths of the faith. We have strength to overcome, to live Godly lives, and to love others.

Tired out If we are not living with a receiving posture, we are living with a doing posture or its up to me posture. This is the works of the law. This will tire us and we will distance ourselves from God to some degree (just like the unbeliever, because we are unbelieving).

You really should get it together…you slacker! We start believing its too much of a hill to climb to be where we should be. We walk around with subtle guilts –I should be praying more. –I should be reading my bible more. This is the result of not living in a receiving and believing posture having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Col 2:14

Evidence of living under the works of the law. You subtly feel like you havent been doing enough. Flip side: You feel like youve been covering the base, Ive been doing what I need to do this week. If youve been living by the Spirit and receiving – none of this is an issue. You are on a ride of enjoying Jesus, via receiving what Hes already done.