"OVERVIEW OF GALATIANS"
Notes
Transcript
Background info -
Author – Paul
Date – 49 AD
Audience – Churches in Galatia (only epistle that addresses a group of churches)
Theme – Anti – Legalism
What is legalism?
Why did Paul write Galatians?
A group of people called the Judaizers came into the churches in Galatia teaching the following things –
God needs man as much as man needs.
God Man is free to shape his own destiny based on how he lives his life.
Humans are basically good and are free from original sin. In other words they have to ability to determine their future.
Salvation is determined by the betterment of society through human actions.
They teach a work based Salvation They teach that you must live by the law.
1. Gospel of Grace Distorted -
1. Gospel of Grace Distorted -
6 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; 7 which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
Paul is shocked that the believers in the churches are turning to another Gospel. The issue is this Paul preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ and they accepted the message by faith alone, and now the Judaizers have come in and are preaching another gospel and the believers are turning to that so called gospel. Paul says these people are troubling you and are trying to distort the gospel of Christ.
1 You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?
10 I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.
12 I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves.
Paul is confident in the Lord that the believers will not turn from the true gospel which he himself preached to them. He says that the ones who are troubling you will receive the just penalty. In vs. 12 he says that the ones who are unsettling you would be emasculated the idea is that those who are preaching another gospel will be cute down.
The Judiazers have come in and preaching another gospel. They are saying that you must be circumcised in order to be saved. They are teaching work based Salvation.
This is the problem that is prevalent throughout the churches in Galatia.
Now, let’s look about how Paul defends the Gospel –
2. Gospel of Grace Defended -
2. Gospel of Grace Defended -
8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!
“Accursed”
thing set up or laid by in order to be kept. 1aspecifically, an offering resulting from a vow, which after being consecrated to a god was hung upon the walls or columns of the temple, or put in some other conspicuous place. 2 a thing devoted to God without hope of being redeemed, and if an animal, to be slain; therefore a person or thing doomed to destruction. 2a a curse. 2ba man accursed, devoted to the direst of woes. Strong, James: The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible : Showing Every Word of the Text of the Common English Version of the Canonical Books, and Every Occurrence of Each Word in Regular Order. electronic ed. Ontario : Woodside Bible Fellowship., 1996, S. G331
Paul says the ones who are preaching a gospel contrary to the one you received he is to be accursed. This person is doomed for destruction.
Justified by Christ not the Law
15 “We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; 16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.
21 “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”
Define Justification – “Declared Righteous”
Paul says that if you are justified by the law then Christ’s death was of no value.
8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.
Galatians 3:11–14 (NASB95)
11 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “The righteous man shall live by faith.” 12 However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “He who practices them shall live by them.”
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”— 14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
Galatians 5:1–4 (NASB95)
1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.
3 And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. 4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.
13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Paul’s Conclusion –
Galatians 6:12–16 (NASB95)
12 Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 For those who are circumcised do not even keep the Law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh.
14 But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16 And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
The Judiazers are trying to get the people in the churches to do specific things rather than putting their faith in Christ b/c they want to boast in the flesh. Paul says I am not boasting in the flesh rather I am boasting in the cross of Christ.
Challenge to the church –
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
1 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
SO WHAT?
Discussion -
How do you know if you are living out the deeds of the flesh? (provide examples)
How do you know if you are living out the fruit of the Spirit? (provide examples)
If you are able to identify the deeds of the flesh in your life what steps should you take to get victory?
Pick one of the fruits of the Spirit that you will commit to living out this week -
