Do all men hate God prior to hearing the gospel?

[mbkjpreacher]

13 hours ago, Pastor Scott Markle said:

I do not agree with your viewpoint concerning Galatians 5:1-6.

I would oppose this definition for repentance.

I would oppose this denial of repentance as a prerequisite for salvation (although I recognize why holding the above definition for repentance would lead to such a denial).  I would contend that a Biblical definition for repentance would create NO contradiction between repentance and faith.

Although I might not word things precisely the same way, I believe that we are agreed here.

Brother Markle, I need a clarification which of the statement you do not agree with Galatians 5: 1-6? 

[mbkjpreacher]

Brother Markle, I did use Galatians 5: 6 to prove that 

FAITH WORKS BY LOVE 

I have three questions for this phrase "Faith which worketh by love":

1.  Is such phrase applicable only to saved people already?  

2. Can unsaved people exercise faith prior to salvation? 

3.  Would a person exercise faith if there is no love at all, but his heart is full of hatred for God?  - I think you have answer for this already.  

4.  Whose love is mentioned here, Love of God or both God and man?  

My understanding is that God's love being understood by man motivates him to love God and to exercise faith.  

 

[Pastor Scott Markle]

On 8/15/2021 at 7:27 AM, mbkjpreacher said:

Brother Markle, I need a clarification which of the statement you do not agree with Galatians 5: 1-6? 

Brother MBKJPreacher,

In order to answer this, allow me to begin with some introductory context - I believe that the primary concern (doctrinal point) for the epistle to the Galatians is the truth that our sanctification as believers is through faith by the power of the Spirit, not through the law by the power of the flesh.  I believe that the false teaching which the epistle Galatians was primarily written to combat was the teaching that our daily sanctification is through the works of the law.  I believe that the apostle Paul establishes this primary concern for the epistle in Galatians 3:1-3.  In Galatians 1 & 2 the apostle Paul substantiated his credibility as an apostle and the credibility of the message that he taught.  Then in Galatians 3:1-3 he focused attention upon the primary concern of the epistle, saying, "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?  This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?  Are ye so foolish?  Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect [sanctified] by the flesh?" 

The apostle is clearly concerned for the believers of Galatia that they are being "bewitched" by false teaching.  Thus he asks them a set of two question, with the second being built upon the first.  The first question is whether they received the gift of eternal salvation and of the indwelling Holy Spirit "by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?"  The apostle assumes that they will answer aright with the answer - "By the hearing of faith."  Then upon this foundational truth the apostle presents his second question - "Are ye so foolish?  Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?"  With his opening exclamation ("Are ye so foolish?"), the apostle reveals that this is the area of doctrinal concern wherein the believers of Galatia were being "bewitched" from the truth by false teaching.  What is that doctrinal concern - that they were foolishly following the false teaching of sanctification "by the flesh" through the works of the law.  Indeed, the apostle asked if having begun their Christian lives "in the Spirit" through faith, they should now be perfected in daily sanctification "by the flesh" (through "the works of the law").  To this question the apostle intends the answer of an emphatic - NO!  

Even so, with the remaining four chapters in the epistle, the apostle Paul substantiates his assumed answers to the above set of two questions.  In Galatians 3 & 4 the apostle substantiates the foundational truth that eternal salvation and the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit are received THROUGH FAITH, not through the law.  Then in Galatians 5 & 6 the apostle builds upon that truth the matter of primary concern (to combat the primary falsehood by which the believers of Galatia were being "bewitched") - that we believers are "made perfect" in daily sanctification THROUGH FAITH IN THE POWER OF THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT, not through the law in the power of our flesh.  Thus in Galatians 5:1-6 the apostle is providing a transition from the foundational truth of chapters 3 & 4 to the primary concern of chapters 5 & 6.  

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With this introductory context in mind, allow me to proceed with the teaching of Galatians 5:1-6.  

Galatians 5:1 - "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."  Herein the instruction is given to those who are already believers concerning their continuing stance in daily sanctification.  We believers are instructed to "stand fast" in and not be moved from "the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free."  What liberty is this?  In accord with the preceding context of Galatians 4:21-31, it is the liberty of the covenant of promise; and according to the teaching Galatians 3 & 4, this promise is the promise of life by the Spirit through faith.  So then, we believers are instructed continually in our daily sanctification to "stand fast in the liberty" of life by the Spirit through faith, and to not be "entangled again with the yoke of bondage."  What "yoke of bondage" is this?  According to the teaching of Galatians 3 & 4, this "yoke of bondage" is the bondage of the law, which could NEVER provide or produce spiritual life.

Galatians 5:2 - "Behold, I Paul [whose ministry and message was validated in chapters 1 & 2] say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing."  Considering the contextual teaching of verse 1, it appears that some were teaching that circumcision was a necessary work of the law for a believer's spiritual sanctification.  Even so, the apostle is presenting the warning that pursuing such a focus on circumcision and the works of the law will cause us believers to lose "the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free" and will entangle us again "with the yoke of bondage."  If we pursue daily sanctification through the law, Christ and His life in us will become spiritually unprofitable to us.  

Galatians 5:3-4 - "For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.  Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace."  Herein the apostle shifts back to the foundational truths of Galatians 3 & 4 - that if an individual teaches and believes that eternal justification is "by the law," then such an individual would have no part in eternal salvation through Christ by God's grace.  Rather, such an individual would be required (a "debtor") to take hold of eternal justification through an absolutely perfect obedience to "the whole law" (which no individual can actually accomplish, as per Galatians 3:10-12).

Galatians 5:5 - "For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith."  Herein the apostle returns to the matter of our daily sanctification as believers, emphasizing that the believers daily walk is a focus upon the Spirit, rather than a focus upon the law.  Specifically the apostle speaks concerning our daily hope as believers for the promise of our eternal future in glory.  Each day as believers we wait in hope "through the Spirit" (not through the law).  Each day as believers we wait in hope "for the hope of righteousness."  What is this "hope of righteousness"?  It is our glorification and reward in the life to come.  Each day as believers we wait in hope by means of faith.  Grammatically in this verse the prepositional phrase "by faith" does not modify the word "righteousness."  Rather, in this verse the prepositional phrase "by faith" modifies the verb "wait."  How do we believers wait in hope through the Spirit?  We do so "by faith."  The power of our patient waiting is "through the Spirit;" the object of our patient waiting is "for the hope of righteousness;" and the means of our patient waiting is "by faith."

Galatians 5:6 - "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love."  Herein the apostle continues his teaching concerning our daily sanctification as believers.  In the matter of our daily sanctification as believers, circumcision or uncircumcision will avail nothing.  Rather, what will avail something in our daily sanctification is to walk by FAITH.  Just as we began by faith, so we must walk daily by faith.  Furthermore, this daily walk of faith will work itself out and demonstrate itself "by love."  In the phrase "faith which worketh by love," it is not the love which motivates the faith.  Rather, it is the faith which is actively working by showing love.  Yet how is this love to be defined?  For whom is this love to be administered?  Within the context of Galatians 5, this love is a love for one another (not a love for God).  Consider Galatians 5:13-15 - "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.  For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.  But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another."  In fact, Galatians 5:14 teaches us that such a godly love for our neighbor will cause us to fulfill the righteousness of the law.  By walking in the Spirit through faith, we will be spiritually sanctified to bring forth the godly fruit of love for others; and this godly fruit of love itself will be a fulfillment of the righteousness of the law.  Thus in the matter of daily sanctification, by pursuing the influence of the Spirit through faith, rather than pursuing the works of the law, we still fulfill the righteousness of the law through the power of the Spirit.

[Pastor Scott Markle]

4 hours ago, mbkjpreacher said:

Brother Markle, I did use Galatians 5: 6 to prove that 

FAITH WORKS BY LOVE 

I have three questions for this phrase "Faith which worketh by love":

1.  Is such phrase applicable only to saved people already?  

2. Can unsaved people exercise faith prior to salvation? 

3.  Would a person exercise faith if there is no love at all, but his heart is full of hatred for God?  - I think you have answer for this already.  

4.  Whose love is mentioned here, Love of God or both God and man?  

My understanding is that God's love being understood by man motivates him to love God and to exercise faith.  

 

Having presented my posting above, I believe that I have provided sufficient context for my answers to your above questions -

1.  Yes, because Galatians 5:6 is talking about how our daily faith as believers will work itself out in love for others.

2.  In order to answer this question, I will need you to be more specific - Can they exercise faith in what or whom?

3.  No.  A lost sinner must turn in repentance from loving the darkness more than love of the light to love of the light more than love of the darkness, in order to come in faith unto Christ for salvation.

4.  Love for others as a fruit of walking in the Spirit through faith.  (For this reason I do not believe that Galatians 5:6 has any application at all to the matter of a lost sinner's decision of love and faith.)

Edited August 16, 2021 by Pastor Scott Markle