A Final Gospel Appeal

Part 3

Text: Galatians 6:11-18

April 30, 2012

Introduction/Review:

I.          Paul reiterates his authenticity and authority as an apostle. vv. 11, 17

II.         Paul reiterates the sufficiency of the cross for salvation. vv. 12-14

Lesson:

III.       Paul reiterates the necessity of the Holy Spirit’s work in applying salvation. v. 15

The gospel is God’s life-giving word, creating a new world out of nothing (Rom. 4:16-17; 1 Pet. 1:23, 25; Michael Horton, For Calvinism, p. 102).

“…the whole excellence of the gospel depends on this, that it is made life-giving to us by the grace of the Holy Spirit” (John Calvin, Calvin’s Commentaries, vol. 20, p. 187).

 “Regeneration…is something that happens to those who do not have the moral capacity to convert themselves…” (Michael Horton, The Christian Faith, p. 574).

“…circumcision (when treated as a necessary rite for covenant membership) places one within the sphere of law, which because of sin leads only to the curse, while faith in Christ places one within the sphere of the covenant of grace that God made with Abraham. Circumcision counts for nothing: everything turns on faith in Christ, announced by the gospel (Ro 2:17-29)” (Michael Horton, The Christian Faith, p. 733).

“For as God, the Creator of the world, pours forth upon us the brightness of the sun, and gives us eyes to receive it, so, as the Redeemer, in the person of His Son, He shines forth, indeed, upon us by His gospel, but, as we are blind, that would be in vain, if He did not at the same time enlighten our understandings by His Spirit. His meaning, therefore, is, that God has, by His Spirit, opened the eyes of our understandings, so as to make them capable of receiving the light of the gospel (John Calvin, Calvin’s Commentaries, vol. 20, p. 200).

Reflection:

If a new creation is what counts but is beyond our effort, how is the new creation possible?

“It is when we take into account God’s recreative power and grace that the contradiction between the call of God and the sinful condition of the called is resolved” (John Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied, p. 96).

Are you a new creation? This is what counts!

© John Fonville

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