Galatians 3:1-2, “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?”
The Apostle Paul wrote to the professed Christians at the church of Galatia
and asked them one all-important question. Paul said, all I want to know is
one thing, and just one thing... “THIS ONLY WOULD I KNOW OF YOU”
...
Galatians 3:2, “...Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”
Wow! This matter of salvation by faith verses by works was so important that Paul stressed the importance of this truth above the remainder of his letter. Paul told them, I have one critically important question for you, and I just want to know one thing... Did you receive Jesus Christ by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith? Paul puts them on the spot doctrinally; which is what he asks: FAITH or WORKS, for it cannot be both?
The Word of God plainly teaches that salvation cannot be by both grace and works...
Romans 11:6, “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”
Romans 11:6 identifies most religions in the world today as fraudulent and of the Devil. Most religions teach a works-based plan of salvation and yet still label it as God's grace, but it is no longer grace just as Romans 11:6 warns.
The very moment that you add any self-righteous work (such as water baptism or the keeping of Sacraments) to simple childlike faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ, then you have corrupted the Gospel. The Roman Catholic and Lutheran teachings on salvation by Baptismal Regeneration and sacramental salvation are works, and; therefore, are not based in the free grace view of the Gospel as taught in the holy Scriptures.
The following information is quoted from page 31 of the excellent work by Dr. Martin R. DeHann (1891-1965), titled 508 ANSWERS TO BIBLE QUESTIONS (copyright 1952)...
Is the Lutheran Teaching of Baptism Scriptural?
I have read very carefully what you had to say concerning the Lutheran teaching of baptism. The teaching of baptismal regeneration as taught by the Catholic and Lutheran churches is a denial of the doctrine of salvation by grace.
I agree with Pastor DeHaan, the very suggestion that water baptism has the power to wash away a person's sins is a blatant DENIAL of the doctrine of salvation by grace. The Bible plainly teaches that salvation comes by God's free grace in response to a sinner's faith in Christ Jesus...
Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
God's grace is greatly overlooked, misunderstood, and outright ignored in many religious circles these days. It is apostasy. No man deserves eternal life, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). You don't deserve to go to Heaven, and neither do I. We are too sinful and corrupted by birth. So filthy in fact that God says we are guilty of breaking all His Commandments even if we violate just one of them (James 2:10). Surely, no one can fully comprehend just how holy and righteous God truly is. This is why we are admonished in Proverb 3:5-7 to trust the Lord with all our heart, and lean not unto our own understanding. We are to fear God and depart from evil.
The Apostle Paul had only one concern when he wrote to the churchgoers in Galatia, wondering if they were genuine Christians or not. Paul wanted to know how they think they got saved... by works or by faith? Paul teaches them that anyone who preaches another Gospel than the Biblical Gospel of salvation by grace through faith is CURSED!!! (Galatians 1:7-9). And that includes angels Paul said. Even if an angel were to appear and preach a different Gospel, let him be cursed (Galatians 1:8).
There has always been only one Gospel, and it is the very same Gospel by which Abram (later to be re-named Abraham) was saved in Genesis 15:6, “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness” (see Romans 4:3-6).
I sincerely ask all my web visitors... THIS ONLY WOULD I LEARN OF YOU...
Galatians 3:2, “...Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”
What makes you think that you're going to Heaven one day? Hopefully you want to go to Heaven, and I'm sure you do. Only a fool would want to burn in the literal sulfuric flames of Hell, suffering God's wrath and vengeance for all eternity. Have you believed a lie? Has the Roman Catholic religion duped you into believing that you are saved by faith and works, when the Bible clearly teaches in Romans 11:6 that salvation cannot be by works; otherwise it is no longer of grace. Ephesians 2:8-9 adamantly proclaims that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, the sinless Lamb of God. Romans 3:20 warns that “by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
Please make certain that you are wholly trusting in the finished work of Christ, and not in the Sacraments of Roman Catholicism in order to get to Heaven. Phooey on the sacraments of the Lutheran religion that damn men's souls to Hell. Phooey on the false teachings of Scientology, Church of Christ, Seventh Day Adventism, Greek-Orthodox, Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, Christian Science, the Church of England, the Unitarian Universalists (whose membership is 18% atheist), Freemasonry, and so many other apostates who foolishly trust in self-righteous works to get to Heaven.
The Bible teaches a free-grace view of the Gospel. That is, eternal life is free to every sinner, because Jesus paid our sin debt in full with His precious, literal, physical, blood (1st Peter 1:18-19; 1st John 1:7; Hebrews 9:12, 22-24; Revelation 1:5; 7:14). Salvation is freely paid for (Romans 5:15, 6:23), freely offered (Romans 10:13), and freely received (Revelation 22:17).
Never let the demonic idea remain in your mind that salvation can be of both works and grace, for that is the LIE Satan will use to lead you to Hell for everlasting punishment when you die in your sins without Christ. Grace, and only God's grace toward undeserving sinners like you and me, can bring salvation, which is through faith alone in the Son of God, Jesus Christ. John 20:31, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”
Make sure you are saved. If you are comfortable attending Catholic religious services, something is very wrong in your heart. Roman Catholics trust in faith and works to get to Heaven, which is no faith at all according to Romans 11:6. They've believed a LIE of Satan. The best place to hide a LIE is between two TRUTHS. This is exactly what Satan has done with Catholics, who are extremely arrogant and woefully blinded by their sinful pride. The truth has few friends these days. The Bible is truth (John 17:17). Jesus Christ is truth (John 14:6). The Holy Spirit is truth (John 14:17; 15:26). Jesus said God the Father can only be worshipped in spirit and IN TRUTH (John 4:24). The Bible can be summed up with just one word... TRUTH! Yet this sin-cursed world wanders in utter darkness, falling into their own graves over each other, the blind leading the blind into damnation and perdition forever in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:11-15; 21:8).
