All right, take your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter 3. We'll be starting tonight in Galatians chapter 3, kind of where we left off last week on last Wednesday night. We've been preaching a series on Wednesday nights on rightly dividing the word. And last week, we started a doctrine that I just titled the message, The Promised Seed. And we had preached on that last Wednesday night, and we're preaching the second part to that, The Promised Seed, part two, that we are preaching tonight, Galatians chapter three. Let's go to the Lord in prayer, ask the Lord's blessings on the service, and then we'll start in chapter three. Father, we thank you again that we can stand on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ in your word. Thank you, Lord, for the songs that spoke to our hearts tonight, reminded us of your grace and mercy, reminded us of your forgiveness and of your greatness. Lord, remind me of your blood that cleanses from our sins. And Father, tonight, we do pray that you'll bless the preaching of the word of God, help us to keep it rightly divided according to truth. May the spirit of truth have preeminence here tonight with the word of truth. In the name of your son, the Lord Jesus Christ, we ask it. Amen. Amen. All right. Been dealing with this doctrine of the promise. See, And realizing the promised seed we found out last week according to the scripture was Christ himself. He was a seed that was prophesied that would come. When you read in the book of Genesis and it talked about Abraham's seed singular, Paul let us know he was talking about Christ, the one who would come. And not necessarily the children of Abraham. And we also found out that all that are the children of Abraham are not the children of promise. Do not inherit the promise that only through Isaac is the promised seed. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Bible calls them the fathers. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And we also had discussed about the fact that there's doctrine that is taught that no promises that were to Israel, that were to Abraham or the children of Israel, you will hear preachers make statements that you can never take any of those promises and put it on the church, that that's the church stealing promises, and that is not rightly divided in the Bible, and you're taking something not to you, applying it to you. I totally disagree, I believe that that the promise that we find those promises apply to the church and the reason why they apply to the church and the context that will find them and so when the Lord told Abraham I've heard over the years I can't I can't even count on both hands and both toes literally of preachers that said, that promise I'll bless thee that bless them that bless thee and curse them that curse thee. You can't put that on the church. That's only to Abraham. And it's only to the nation of Israel. And I disagree with that statement. I believe that Jesus Christ is the promise seed. And it's not only to Abraham, to the nation of Israel, but you find that that promise is to Jesus Christ. And you're the body of Christ. You've been made one with Christ. And you're the church of the living God. He's the head and you're the members. And if that promise belongs to Christ, I'll bless him that bless thee and curse him that curse thee. You have inherited that promise through Christ. And so let me say to you, anybody listening, better be real careful putting your mouth on the church of the living God. And there are saved people who have cursed the church of the living God. There are saved people who have tried to destroy the church of the living God because they got bitter and they got carnal and they got sideways and they began to let those things work in their heart and they began to try to destroy the very church they were part of. Man, I can stop popping off names, not only people that left here tried to destroy Gethsemane, but others that have left other churches that I've seen tried to destroy those churches. Let me tell you something, friend, if God holds her together, you and the whole world ain't gonna destroy it. Can't do it. And so there are just some things you better leave up to God. Some things you better take your hands off of and give it to the Lord. The Lord said vengeance belongeth to him. Anytime you take vengeance in your hands, try to vindicate something and destroy somebody because you feel like you should be vindicated, you are anti-biblical. Antibible and so we find here in the book of Galatians We'll just kind of pick up kind of where we left off look at verse 14 Just do a little bit of reading for context The Bible says that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ They might receive the promise of that. We might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith Brethren, I speak after the manner of men though it be a man's covenant yet if it be confirmed no man disannulleth or addeth thereto now to abraham and to his seed and we're going to see that paul tells us he's speaking of christ when he says seed where the promise is made he saith not and to seeds as of many but as of one and to thy seed, say it with me, which is Christ. So the promises were to Christ, that's where they, and to the nation of Israel, we understand that, but they are encompassed in Christ. So if you're in Christ, we'll see at the end of this chapter, he lets us know that because we're in Christ, we're Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. Verse 17, in this I say that the covenant What covenant is that? It's the covenant that was confirmed to Abraham. It was not the covenant of the law. He's gonna tell us that here in this chapter. All right, so look at it. And this I say, the covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ. So this covenant that was given, the covenant was given in Christ. Christ was the one who inherited this covenant. The whole covenant was based on Christ. That's what the Bible's talking about. then it says the law the law was not that covenant he's going to refer to the law the law which was 430 years after 430 years after what The covenant made with Abraham, okay? So the covenant to Abraham, the Bible says that that was in Christ, that was dealing with Christ. The law which was 430 years after cannot disannul that it should make the promise of none effect. We talked about that promise that he shall be a father of many nations. The gospel was preached to Abraham when the Lord told him numerous times in Genesis, he'd be a father of many nations. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more promise. But God gave it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serveth the law? So if the promise is not because the law and the law does not bring the promise, then what service was the law? The Bible says it was added for one reason, because of transgressions. God gave the law TO EXPOSE THE NATION OF ISRAEL, THEIR TRANSGRESSIONS. TO DEFINE TO THEM THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG, WHAT SIN IS AND WHAT RIGHTEOUSNESS IS. THE LAW WAS ADDED BECAUSE OF TRANSGRESSIONS. NOW LOOK AT THIS, TILL. THE LAW WAS ADDED TILL. THE SEED SHOULD COME. THAT'S NOT ALL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL THROUGH ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB. AGAIN, THAT SEED REFERS IN THE CHAPTER TO WHO? Christ. All right, y'all need to correspond with me or else I don't think you're listening. Or either I think that you're a bad student because you're not getting something so simple. All right, so the seed, the promised seed was who? Christ. To the seed should come, who was that seed? Christ. All right, y'all are responding well. To the seed should come to whom the promise was made. It was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator, talking about the law was ordained, but the seed is Christ. Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? Paul said, God forbid. For if there had been a law given which could have given life, fairly righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, Jew and Gentile. See, the Jews looked at the Gentiles as sinners, did not see themselves as sinners. But Paul said, if we seek to be justified by Christ, we're all found sinners. So here he said, the Scripture has concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith, which should afterwards, talking about Christ, the faith of Christ, that should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore, the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. The law is a schoolmaster. And you know what the law was given for? Because of transgression to teach man his transgression, his sin, his shortcomings. That's how we know for all have sinned to come short of the glory of God. When we all measure ourself up to the law, we've all come short. Every one of us. Every man's a sinner. There's not one man on the face of the earth that you can point to that said is not a sinner unless you were living in the days of Jesus Christ and you could have looked at him and said, that man is not a sinner. I believe in the sinless Son of God. I believe in the impeccability of Christ. With just a word means that His character and His life was impeccable. There was no fault, no sin, no shortcoming in Him whatsoever. So, verse 26, for ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. If you studied your Bible, I don't have time to deal with this right now, because Baptist brothers believe that that baptism right there is a water baptism. That is not a water baptism. The scripture clearly teaches that whenever you receive the Holy Ghost of God, that you're baptized into Christ by the Spirit of the living God. That means the Holy Ghost puts you in the body of Christ, puts you into Christ. I'm submerged in Christ. Christ did not just dwell among me, he dwells in me and I am in him. so being baptized into christ is a spiritual baptism not a water baptism baptist writers teach the only way you can get in the body of christ is that you have to be baptized instead of inside of a baptist church that is a brighter church and whenever you get baptized become a member of that church that you become a member of that body, but not necessarily the body of Christ, okay? So, this baptism is a baptism of the Holy Ghost putting you in Christ when you get saved. So, with that in mind, look at this. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. So, how you get Christ is not through water baptism. If water baptism is that baptizing of Christ, then you can't put on Christ till you've been water baptized. Let me tell you, that happened long before I got baptized in water. There's some in here right now waiting to be baptized, wanting to be baptized. You've been saved six months to a year, and now you're ready to follow the Lord and believers' baptism. So if Baptist, Bride, or Doctrine is right, then you haven't even put on Christ yet, because you haven't been baptized in the water to put you in Christ. Terrible doctrine, unbiblical, okay? This is just one passage. There's multiple passages that dispel that doctrine. But here, you've been baptized into Christ, so put on Christ. Verse 28, there's neither Jew nor Greek. I'm not a Gentile Christian. Somebody said, well, I'm a Jewish Christian. I'm a Gentile Christian. I'm just in the body of Christ, friend. All that identity has been gone. I'm in Christ. I'm one with Christ. We've been made one together. We're of the same body. There's no divisions in the body. Neither Jew nor Greek. There's neither bond nor free. There's neither male nor female for you're all one in Christ Jesus. Look at verse 29. And if you be Christ, look at me church, you're saved. If you're saved, do you belong to Christ? Are you in Christ? If you be Christ, look at this, then are ye whose seed? Abraham's seed. Abraham's my father. I'm a child of Abraham. If I'm a child of Abraham, that makes me a child of promise in Christ, which means if I'm a child of promise, then all the promises in him are amen in Christ. They're not yea and nay, they're yea in him, and I inherited the promises because I'm in Christ. Look at this, and if you be Christ, then you're Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. Now let's go further. Look at Galatians chapter 4. Don't have time to deal with all of chapter 4 and 5. What happened in the book of Galatians, there were some, and you can find in the book of Acts, same thing happened. Some came from Jerusalem. And Paul began to deal with this crowd. A certain sect came from James and the brethren and the apostles in Jerusalem and showed up and told the Gentiles who've been saved by grace and by faith and have the Holy Ghost, they told them they couldn't be saved unless they did two more things. They had to be circumcised and keep the law in order to be saved. Well, they brought this up to Paul when he's come through and Paul and Barnabas, there was no small dissension and they began to argue about it and they began to try to set the record straight. And the brethren said, why don't you go up to Jerusalem and settle it with James and John and Peter and the brethren. So they go up there and they have this, I mean, they have a big discussion. Do you understand? Because there's no scripture yet for them to go by. WHEN IT DEALS WITH THIS THING. IT'S TRUTH THAT GOD HAS REVEALED TO PAUL. PAUL IS PREACHING. THERE'S REVELATION ABOUT THIS THING. SO THEY GO UP THERE AND THERE'S A LOT OF THEM THAT NOW HAVE TOLD THE GENTILE AND EVEN THE JEWS BELIEVED THAT THEY STILL HAD TO BE CIRCUMCISED AND KEEP THE LAW PLUS BELIEVE IN CHRIST AND HAVE FAITH IN CHRIST AND DO ALL THAT IN ORDER TO BE SAVED. GOD IN THE BOOK OF ACTS CHAPTER 15 STRAIGHTENING THIS MESS OUT. Get rid of that false doctrine. He's establishing the church on where she stands by grace and faith without the law because christ is the end of the law See christ. We are under the law shut up unto the faith That's christ that should afterwards be revealed and when faith has come we're no longer under the law under the schoolmaster So what happens, all the promises to the nation of Israel come down to the fact that their Messiah was gonna come, and their Messiah was the promised seed. Their Messiah, they thought, was just gonna set up a kingdom, which he is the king, and he is the king of all kings and the Lord of all lords. But yet, when they rejected their Messiah, what happened? They still began to look to the law for their righteousness. Right now, every Jew since Jesus died on the cross that died under the law without receiving Christ, I say this with a broken heart, they're in hell. There's not one Jew. Not one Jew since Jesus Christ died and shed his blood, if they rejected Christ as Messiah, the law didn't get them in. Being a child of Abraham didn't get them in. Being circumcised didn't get them in. They died and went to hell because they reject their Messiah. They did not believe the gospel. Do you realize the new covenant, the gospel in Christ, was a promise to the nation of Israel? The covenant of the New Testament was to Israel. God said, I'll make a covenant with them. And whenever it came for the covenant, do you realize only a remnant, only a remnant was saved by grace, believed that covenant. Paul was part of that remnant. The rest of Israel was cut off through their unbelief. Blindness happened unto them. There's still that same veil. When they're reading that Old Testament, they can't see Christ. They can't see Christ in Isaiah 53, they see a nation. Brother Baker, we were talking about that. The Jews today, when they read Isaiah chapter 53, some believe it was added in there, it was never in there. Others believe that has nothing to do with Messiah, that's talking about the nation of Israel as a nation. No, friend, it's talking about Christ died for your sin. Christ died for the nation of Israel. so everything here that they're waiting for their messiah all the glory that comes when the messiah shows up they took the messiah and crucified him and rejected him which was prophesied in the scripture they would do so but even after he was crucified they could have still believed he was the messiah And through him being the Messiah, do you realize what Abraham in Hebrews chapter 11 was looking for? He dwelt in tents with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and Sarah. And he dwelt in tents, and he moved around. And he had a promise that everywhere he put his foot on, and all that he could look and see, that he was gonna inherit it, and his seed was gonna inherit that land. But you know what it said Abraham was looking for? A city whose builder and maker is God. He wasn't looking, I mean, I know that's a promise, and listen, some glorious day. I'm telling you, heavenly Jerusalem, friend, you know, that's what he was looking for, same thing you and I are looking for. I'm not, hey, I'm glad that we're gonna rule and reign here on this earth, but I'm glad this isn't all I'm inheriting. A dirt ball. God made it, it's glorious, but this isn't all I'm, I'm not looking to move into something man built here on earth. I'm looking to move into the Father's house where there are mansions that Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us. And if he goes away, he'll come again and receive us unto himself, receive us unto himself. And so tonight, every Jew on planet earth, every Jew, there's a man that used to go to this church that still believed Jews could get to God without going to Christ, used to be a member of Gethsemane. Sorry, friend, heresy. You know what that man said? He said the problem in the New Testament is Paul's writings. Oh no friend, there ain't no problem in Paul's writings, that's a fact you don't believe in. No problem in Paul's writings. The Jews can stand at the wailing wall and all the wailing they can do. They die without Christ, there's gonna be weeping and wailing in hell for them if they don't receive Christ as the Messiah. How sad, spend your life praying for the Messiah and blinded to the fact He has already come. He's already showed up. Yet your Bible says that no man comes to the Father but by who? Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ. And so Christ and the New Covenant and the New Testament, every bit of it, Jesus came to the nation of Israel. When he showed up, it was all to the Jew. The Bible says because they rejected him, because they rejected him, God chose by a foolish nation, a bunch of Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy. You can read the book of Romans chapter 10, that chapter, Romans chapter 10 deals with that. Chapter 9, 10, 11, good chapters for you to read. But here what happens when we get in chapter four, verse nine. But now after that ye have known God, or rather known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Here's what happened. They're freed from the law, they've been saved by grace, saved by faith, and now they desire to be back up under the law. That bondage, desiring to be again to bondage, is not to sin in context, it's talking about the law. And here's why. Acts chapter 15. You know, when they finally had that big discussion about whether to be circumcised, keep the law, to be saved, Peter finally stood up and said, let me say something. And he talked about Cornelius and them getting saved by his mouth, the Gentiles got put in the body. You know what he said? He said, now therefore, why tempt we God to put a yoke on the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved even as they. You know what Paul's rebuking this church for? Have you begun in the spirit made perfect by the flesh? I mean, the miracles that were done, was it done by the law or done by the spirit of God? He said, I'm telling you by the spirit of God. And he said, I'm afraid of you. I'm afraid of what's going on because you're going back to the law as somehow the law benefits you and justifies you. And so he tells them. Here in this chapter, why do you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements wherein you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days, months, times, and years. I'm afraid of you lest I bestow upon you labor and vain. Hey, thank God for the Feast of Tabernacles, but I don't have to observe it. Thank God for the Feast of Trumpets, the Feast of Unleavened Bread. You know what? Somehow they were thinking that stuff under the law was gonna benefit them, but Paul said, I'm afraid of you. What are you doing? You think you'll be made perfect by the law? Somebody got to them. And he talks about they were bewitched. Chapter three, verse one, oh foolish Galatians who have bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ has been evidently set forth and crucified among you. This only would I learn of you received you the spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith. Are you so foolish having a gun in the spirit? Are you now made perfect by the flesh so forth and soul? So Paul's dealing with that chapter verse 11 I'm afraid of you lest I bestowed upon you labor and vain brethren. I beseech you be as I am Prime as you are you have not injured me at all You know how through infirmity of the flesh, I preached the gospel unto you at the first. My temptation, which was in my flesh, you despised not, nor rejected, but received me as the angel of God, even as Jesus Christ. Look down at verse 21. Tell me, you that desire to be under the law. Do you hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondwoman, and the other by a free. He's gonna tell us, but look at me, who's the bondwoman? Hagar, the free woman, Sarah. But he who was of the bond woman was born after the flesh, but he of the free woman was by promise, which things are an allegory, for these are the two covenants. I'm at the Old Testament and the New Testament. These are the two covenants. The one from Mount Sinai, which generate the bondage, which is Hagar. Ishmael, type of the flesh, Ishmael born after the flesh, after Mount Sinai. He said that's a type of the law here on the earth. That's Mount Sinai, the Ten Commandments, all the law that Israel's keeping. That's what that's a type of. For this, Agar's Mount Sinai in Arabian answered to Jerusalem, which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem, which is above, is free, which is the mother of us all. You know what Jerusalem above is a type of? And then Isaac, the promised seed. Now look what he says, for it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not, break forth and cry, thou that travailest not. For the desolate hath many more children than she which hath a husband. Now we, brethren, who's the we he's talking about? The church. He's talking about those saved by grace through faith. We, brethren, as Isaac was, are the, say it, children of promise. But as then he which was born after the flesh, which was Hagar and Ishmael, persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, which is Isaac, right? Ishmael persecuting Isaac. That's what's going on right now around the world. That's what the whole war is over. Ishmael, the flesh, persecuting him, born after the spirit, which is Isaac. This is an allegory. What is it dealing with? The new covenant of the old covenant. Look at this. Even so it is, what? Now. Nevertheless, what sayeth the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son. Tell you something, friend, those seeking the law to be justified by the law and following the law for their righteousness, cast them out. They don't inherit with the church of the living God. The Jews that are doing their best to follow God and keep the law, sorry, no promises. Don't inherit the promises. You're only gonna find it in Christ. For the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman. So then brethren, we are not the children of the bondwoman, but of the free. And that's why chapter five, verse one, stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free. Be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. You'll hear preaching. In chapter one, in a topical way, a spiritual application, trying to tell you don't go get yoked back up in the bondage of your sin. Chapter five, verse one, has nothing to do with the bondage of transgression and sin. It has to go back, putting on the yoke of looking to the law for your righteousness in context of the scripture, okay? Not being entangled again with the yoke of bondage. That same yoke that Peter said, don't, our fathers couldn't carry that yoke. We can't carry, don't put this yoke on the neck of the disciples. Don't do it. When Jesus showed up, he came to be the end of the law for the Jew, that they would find righteousness in him. See, the problem was when God gave Abraham a covenant, Abraham received the covenant by faith, not by works. And the covenant, the thing that bound that covenant was circumcision in the flesh. See, Abraham received the promise while still in uncircumcision, Paul said. He was uncircumcised. And when he exercised faith, God said, a seal of your faith and a seal of this covenant that you believe me is a circumcision of the flesh. So the circumcision of the flesh in the male children of Israel was always a sign of faith, not the law, of faith. But what happened as a nation of Israel was given the law, they quit looking by faith for righteousness and they looked to the law as a self-righteousness. And they sought it not by faith, but they sought it as it were by the works of the law, and oh, they missed Christ, because he showed up, he fulfilled the law, and let them know everything's fulfilled in me. Your righteousness is your righteousness. Did he not tell them your righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the Pharisee and the scribes? What does that mean? The law can't justify you. Christ is fixed to be the justification, okay? So justification's in Christ. And when they missed Christ, they missed it all. All, everything, all, everything, everything come to a head that it's all. If you want it all, it's in Christ. And if you reject Christ, you don't get it. And it bothered, and listen to me, I'm not, and I'm not talking about replacement theology because, see, some say, well, the church totally replaces Israel, Israel's nothing and God's done with the Jew. You know, the Jew's gonna come back around and the Jew is gonna receive their Messiah and realize the book of Zechariah, where did you receive these wounds in your hands? house of my friends." He's going to point back to Calvary and say, you did it. You did it. You were my friends and you crucified me. You're the one that nailed me to the cross. And they're going to finally believe after all these thousands of years, the nation of Israel today that does not believe Jesus. They're still setting up trying to get a temple and they're still trying to get all the garments made and get all the THE FURNITURE OF THE TABERNACLE MADE, TRYING TO GET IT ALL READY SO WHEN THE MESSIAH SHOWS UP, THEY CAN GO BACK TO SACRIFICING AND DOING THE LAWS. I'M GONNA TELL YOU, THE FALSE CHRIST IS GONNA SHOW UP. THEY'RE GONNA MAKE A COVENANT WITH HIM FOR ONE WEEK, WHICH IS SEVEN YEARS, AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK, HE'S GONNA BREAK THE COVENANT, SIT IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD, SHOWING HIMSELF THAT HE IS GOD, AND DEFILE THE TEMPLE OF GOD AND ALL THAT IS WORSHIPED. SHOW HIMSELF AS GOD. YOU FIND THAT IN THE BOOK OF THESSALONIANS. The church here was in heresy trying to get back up under the law. And so look at, I just referenced it to you, Romans chapter four. Look at Romans chapter four. You have to get your turning fingers on so we fix and turn to some other scriptures. Romans chapter four. Look at verse eight. Let's read this. How is it then reckoned, righteousness and faith to Abraham? How is it then reckoned? When he was in circumcision or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in circumcision, he's dealing with Abraham. I'm hoping that you understand the context, you can go back and read it. I got some ground to cover in the next 15, 20 minutes, so you're gonna have to give me some leeway here and just take what I'm saying, write it down, look at it. It's talking about Abraham received the covenant the promise and made the covenant with God through faith while he was yet uncircumcised and then got circumcised as a seal of faith. Then he says in verse 11, and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of righteousness of the faith which he had yet been uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all them that believe. Though they be not circumcised, that was you and I, amen? Though they be not circumcised, where you're not counting on circumcision to make you right with God, that righteousness might be imputed unto them also. And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had yet being uncircumcised for the promise That he should be heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed, and I believe you can even talk about Christ being that seed there, not just the children of Israel. It wasn't through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, then faith has made what? Void. Faith is gone, destroys faith. The promise made of none effect. Because the law worketh wrath, for where no law is, there's no transgression. Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace. To the end, what, to the end, the promise might be sure to all the seed, not to that only which is of the law, who Christ came, if they embrace Him and believe, to deliver them out from up under the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. As it is written, I've made thee a father of many nations before him, whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Look at Ephesians chapter two. Go to Ephesians chapter two. Ephesians chapter two, look at verse 11. Wherefore, remember, God told you, Paul told you in the book of Ephesians, remember what? That ye being in time past, Gentiles in the flesh. I believe everybody in here is a Gentile. Miss Janice, her mama's a Jew, right? So, half Jew, half Jew. Let me say something to you. The Bible says, don't get cross with me, but let me say something. The Bible says that you can marry whomsoever you will in the Lord. I'm not trying to point you out, but Brother Clarence and Miss Janice are interracially married. She's half Jew. Come on now. In the Lord, in the body, in the Lord. Marry whomsoever you will in the Lord. I think sometimes there can be a problem with certain people in the culture from interracial marriage that will struggle and have problems, but you have not violated the Bible. in Christ. Wherefore, remember that ye, being in times past, Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircum... I figured that would pull some knots, but we're going to tie them anyway. All right. It's all right. You'll get over it. Just believe the truth. Who are called uncircumcision by that which is called circumcision in the flesh made by hands. Look at this, let me say this again. Wherefore remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh who are called uncircumcision by that which is called circumcision in the flesh made by hands. So the Jews looked at the Gentiles called us uncircumcision. That at that time you were without Christ. Being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel. You know what it means to be part of the commonwealth of Israel? To have citizenship with Israel. Not through being a stranger, but literally be part of Israel. He said at that time you were aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel. You were strangers from the covenants of promise. That is a promise given to Abraham and that's a promise of the New Testament in Christ that also makes you a child of Abraham. Having no hope without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us. He did that when he died on Calvary by making one body. through Jew and Gentiles what he's going to tell us. that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby, and came and preached peace to you which were far off, talking about the Gentiles, to them which are not, talking about the Jew and the nation of Israel. For through him we both have access by one spirit unto the Father. Look at verse 19. Now therefore ye are no more strangers. Strangers from what? From the commonwealth of Israel. No more foreigners from what? From the people of God who are the nation of Israel. You're no more strangers and foreigners, fellow citizens. That means you become part of the commonwealth of Israel. You're citizens with the saints. With the saints. You know who the first saints were that got in? Jews. Jews who received their Messiah. Jews who believed on Christ, Jews who followed Christ, the apostles before Calvary, these were Jews that said, this is our Messiah, come see him. Can anything good come out of Galilee? Nathanael said, come and see, come and see. So they believed Christ was the Messiah. When he resurrected, you know, that is him. and they believed the gospel, the death, burial, and the resurrection, and the foundation of the church, who got in the Jesus Christ, the chief cornerstone, and then the apostles, and the Jews, and then the Gentiles got added in. Let me tell you something, friend, I am part of the commonwealth of Israel. I'm no longer a stranger. But do you realize Israel, the only Israel that God is identifying right now are those that are in Christ, the rest have been cut off? Someday when the gathering in of them comes back and they're grafted back into their olive tree as you and I against nature Wild olive tree have been grafted in and they're grafted back in you know what it is nothing but life from the dead Resurrection the nation of Israel be resurrected, but at this moment they're cut off No favor with God outside of Jesus Christ none whatsoever none now he said You're no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles. Those are Jews. Prophets, Jews. Jesus Christ himself, a Jew. being the chief cornerstone, in whom all the built and fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord, in whom ye also are built together for inhabitation of God through the Spirit. Let me show you something, Colossians chapter two. Look at Colossians chapter two. Colossians chapter two, look at verse 10 through 15. Let's read it. You're complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power, in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, putting off the body and the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ. You know what happened when you got saved? Your faith was also sealed with a circumcision. Because you believe God, it was not circumcision in the flesh, it was a circumcision in you. God cut the flesh, the flesh away from your soul and spirit. Circumcision of Christ. And what happened, listen, Abraham didn't have to do something to seal the covenant. God did the work to seal the covenant when you believe and exercise your faith. And this new covenant is also based on, if you don't have the circumcision of Christ, you're not in the body. You're not in the body, you're none of his. And so the Bible teaches here this circumcision we talked about in the Old Testament, the promises to Abraham, you had to be circumcised for that covenant. But I'm gonna tell you now God said that covenant, that was a type of the cutting away the flesh, that was a picture, a shadow and a type of the great work God was gonna do in you to put you in the church of the real circumcision. I'm gonna show you the circumcision that matters. Circumcision of flesh doesn't matter. Circumcision or uncircumcision avails nothing in Christ but a new creature. And that becoming a new creature is through this circumcision. Look what he said, buried with him by baptism. Again, that's not water baptism, that's through the Spirit of God. Wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. You being dead in your sins and uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven all your trespasses, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross. And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Look at Romans chapter two. This is important. There's so, there's been so much controversy over Romans chapter two, and I don't have any controversy over it. You may disagree, but I'm gonna tell you what I believe. Romans chapter two, this circumcision, Romans chapter two is dealing with this same circumcision Colossians chapter two is dealing with. Look in Romans chapter two. Look at verse 25. What is he talking about? What's going on here? and shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfill the law, judge thee who by the letter, when we read the word letter here, that's talking about the old, that's talking about the law, the covenant, the old covenant. Okay, by the letter and circumcision doth transgress a law. Look at verse 28. For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly. You go to the nation of Israel right now or here in America you can find Jews circumcised. They can trace their lineage back to Abraham through Isaac and Jacob. these jews but he said this man that has this circumcision he is not a jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which was outward in the flesh but he is a jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart here's where the key is in the spirit Not in the letter. I'm gonna show you two other passages. Look at me. When he says in the spirit, he's not talking about in my personal spirit. That's not what that verse is talking about. He is comparing spirit and the letter. The spirit is the New Testament, the New Covenant. The letter's the Old Testament, the Old Covenant, okay? This circumcision that you and I have had. You know what made Abraham a Jew? Wasn't called a Jew before circumcision. Know what Abraham made a Jew? Through circumcision. You know what I am tonight? I'm a Jew, which is not one outwardly, but I am one inwardly. And I've made a covenant with God by promise and Christ did the work of the circumcision. The circumcision cutting way of the flesh, the circumcision of the heart. And here's what he said. He said, that circumcision, some believe that a man, that a man that is not saved in Christ Just like the Jews were trying to fulfill the law, and though they were circumcised, if they broke the law, it made their circumcision uncircumcision. But a lost man who didn't embrace Christ, he could try to keep the law, and if he fulfilled the righteousness of the law, then his uncircumcision became circumcision, and the circumcision, God looked at him, gave him a circumcision of the heart and accepted him. I've heard that taught and preached, and I'm like, you're brain dead. I'm sorry, I'm bad, I say like brain dead, that's brain dead. That's not what that's talking about. Here's why, the circumcision is not something that God did for a man outside of Christ. This circumcision is in Christ, and the key is, it is in the Spirit and not in the letter. Whose praise is not of men, you can't see it, it's inward, but of God. Let me show you two passages that prove that. And we must lie in Scripture up with Scripture to prove a truth. Look at Romans chapter seven, verse six. Romans chapter seven, verse six. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held, that we should serve in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. He's not talking about newness of my personal spirit. The newness of a new covenant compared to the oldness of the old covenant. Look in, look, let me show you another passage. Look at, let's see, where did I have it at? Look at 2 Corinthians chapter three. 2 Corinthians 3 reveals the same truth. 2 Corinthians 3, look at verse, 2nd time, look at verse 5. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God. Oh, what a message in that. Verse 6, who also hath made us able ministers of what? The New Testament, not of the letter, the letter is what? The Old Testament, the Old Covenant. So he's made us able ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life. He's not talking about that circumcision over Romans chapter two being your spirit circumcised. It is a circumcision that comes from believing the new covenant, which is Christ and Calvary and the blood and grace and faith. So Romans chapter two is clearly a saved man in the kingdom of God, in the body of Christ, who is a Jew, which is one inwardly, not outwardly. I'm looking at a bunch of spiritual Jews. Every one of you. Every single one of you are Jews, inwardly is what your Bible says, whose praise isn't gonna be of man, but God looks down and he looks at all the circumcision that he has, the circumcision of Christ, and every one of you and your praises of God, you have believed the gospel. And you are a Jew which is one inwardly, not outwardly. So I hope that's a blessing to you. Oh my goodness. Some of y'all said, you done gave us a plate full. We're going back for more. Let me read you a couple verses of Romans chapter 11. Romans chapter 11. I spoke of this, but I want you to see it. Romans chapter 11, read you a couple verses here. Verse one, I say then, hath God cast away his people? Talking about Israel. God forbid. Why? Paul said, for I am also an Israelite. of the seed of Abraham of the tribe of Benjamin. Paul said, God didn't cast away all Israel. He said, I'm a Jew. I'm of the tribe of Benjamin. I'm an Israelite. I'm in the literal lineage of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, okay? So he says, no, he hadn't cast off his people. Then he says, God hath not cast away his people, which he foreknew. What, know you not that the scripture saith of Elias, the scripture, excuse me, the scripture saith of Elias, how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets. Dig down thine altars, and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved myself seven thousand men, which have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time, also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. You know what he's telling us? Elijah said, Lord, I'm the only one left. There's nobody left. The Lord said, Elijah, you're just one among 7,000, son. There's a remnant that I reserved that hadn't bowed the knee. You know what Paul said? There may not be a whole lot of Jews believe they're Messiah, but there's a remnant that did. A remnant received the promise. A remnant embraced the covenant. A remnant believed what the scripture said. A remnant has accepted it. And so Paul said, even now there's a remnant of the Jews. And he says, and if by grace, then it is no more of works. Otherwise, grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace. Otherwise, work is no more work. Well, it sounds like a bunch of double talk, doesn't it? What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for, but the election. See, he says the whole nation didn't get it, but there's a remnant, the election of grace. Paul, Peter, Andrew, I mean, on and on, Mary, Jesus's mother, Mary Magdalene, I mean, Cleophas, I mean, you can just start naming all the saints that believe. That's a remnant according to grace. So the election obtained it, but the rest were blinded. Look in verse 28 through verse 33. Concerning the gospel, They, to amount the Jews, are enemies for your sake. They've rejected Christ in the gospel, therefore they're enemies for our sake, but it's touching the election, to amount the Jews that have believed, they are beloved for the Father's sake. Know what he said? That part of the Jews out there that have rejected their Messiah, they're the enemy. But the Jews that have, the remnant that did receive their Messiah, oh, they're beloved because of a promise. The Father's sake is not a capital F, it's a small f, don't miss that. He's talking about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God made a promise to them, and therefore some of the seed, the remnant received, others, and the rest were blinded. The Bible tells us that. The rest were blinded. Philippians chapter three, I got three minutes, I can do it. Philippians chapter three, look at this. Philippians 3, I don't have time to read verses 1 and following, but look at verse 2. It said, beware of dogs. That's the Gentile dogs. Beware of evil workers. That's those that say they're good, but yet they're evil. Beware of the concision. This is interesting. Beware of the concision. You know what the concision is? That is those that believe circumcision is what makes you right with God. that teach that. Beware of them. Look at verse three. Look what Paul said. He's talking about the church here. Don't miss this. This is powerful. For we are the circumcision. Let me say to you on planet earth, there's only one circumcision right now that God is looking at that means anything. It's the church of the living God, not the Jew. We are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit. That's talking about the New Testament, the New Covenant. In the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. None whatsoever. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. Paul said, I could, if you want to talk about in the flesh, if any other man think that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, Paul said, I more. Circumcise the eighth day of the stock of Israel. Of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the law of Pharisee, concerning zeal, persecuting the church. Touching the righteousness which is of the law, blameless. But look what Paul said. What things were gained to me? He said, all that that I told you that I thought was my righteousness and a gain to me and meant something. All those things that were gained to me, those I count a loss. For who? Because he's the promise. Shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Christ is the promise seed. Yea, doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but done that I may win Christ. And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death. Last passage, you gotta see this verse, Galatians. Some may wanna crucify me for this, some may disagree with me on this, but nevertheless, I'm gonna tell you what I believe. Not scared to tell you what I believe. Look here in the book of Galatians. With all that's been said and all that we can preach for the rest of the book of Galatians, realize that we are now fellow citizens of the household of God. We're no more strangers and we're no longer foreigners. We are part of the household of God. We are fellow citizens. We are in Christ. We are Jew, which is one inwardly, not outwardly. We have a circumcision that God did and not us and the praises of God and not of men. We are sealed. We are baptized by the Spirit of God into Christ. All the promises are in Him. We inherit it all because we're joint heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. In Galatians chapter 6, there's no doubt in my mind that when Paul goes to chapter 6, look at verse 12. This is what I believe. As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, Talking about being circumcised in the flesh. They constrain you to be circumcised. Only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. Christ is it, preach Christ, not anything else. Not Christ plus something, minus something. Christ, faith, grace. For neither, they themselves who are circumcised keep the law. He just made them all transgressors and every bit of their circumcision just became uncircumcision. They're in the same boat every Gentile was. God counted them all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all, the Bible said. But they desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh. But God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision. What's gonna avail anything but a new creature? Verse 16, and as many as walk according to this rule, As many as walk according to this rule, peace be upon them and mercy and upon the Israel of God." Listen to me. I'm going to make a statement. I don't think Paul is saying right now that he's calling, he said the only ones that have peace are those that walk according to this rule. When he says the Israel of God, he's not pointing back to all those Jews that are cut off, that are following the law. He's talking to the Jews that received the covenant, and us Gentiles receiving that circumcision by faith. And when he says the Israel of God, he's talking about you. He's talking about you. Right now, I'm telling you right now, there'd be some preachers that I know sitting in this service would be sackcloth and ashes rentin' their garment. You called us the Israel of God. That's you. You are the Israel of God according to this passage of scripture. Rightly divided according to a King James Bible. Amen? Hope it was a blessing to you tonight. Amen? I know there's a lot of scripture, a lot of, you say, man, I wanna know how to study my Bible. I just taught you how. Just do that, you'll be all right. Amen? Let's stand to our feet, be dismissed in prayer.