BIBLE STUDY GALATIANS 3-4 Part 1: 9 ARGUMENTS

THE GOSPEL AND THE LAW (Part 1)

I. NINE ARGUMENTS FOR THE SUPERIORITY OF THE GOSPEL

A. Six Arguments from Chapter 3

1. The Argument from Personal Experience (vv. 1–5)

Galatians 3:1–5 ESV

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—

a. Basic Meaning

i. You believed and showed signs (fruits) of the power of the Holy Spirit in your life so why would you turn to your own strength to finish dealing with your sin which was was clearly already finished in you

b. Life Application Principle for Reflection:

i. You cannot achieve the perfection that the Holy God demands because you are, outside of being in Christ, an unholy human being who is born in, filled, and contaminated with sin.

c. Scripture

i. Psalm 51:5

Psalm 51:5 ESV

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

ii. John 8:21-24

John 8:21–24 ESV

So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”

2. The Argument from Abraham (vv. 6–9)

a. Basic Meaning

i. God has already established that faith was what justified Abraham. Anything along with, besides or added to faith voids salvation

b. Principle for reflection

i. If Abraham, the father of the faith was justified (placed in a right relationship with God) by faith – before the law was given – why do you think keeping the law and religious rules puts you in right relationship with God (or is the way to salvation)?

c. Scripture

i. Galatians 2:16, 21

ii. Galatians 5:6

Galatians 5:6 ESV

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

iii. Ephesians 2:8-9

Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

iv. Romans 4:5

Romans 4:5 ESV

And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,

v. Romans 11:6

Romans 11:6 ESV

But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

vi. Romans 5:1

vii. Romans 3:8

3. The Argument from the Curse of the Law (vv. 10–14)

a. Basic meaning

i. The law came with the promise of blessing and cursing. Since no one could keep the law, Christ was sent as the divine Son and as a man to satisfy both blessing (for those who believed in His work) and cursing (for those who continued to try to live right- according to the law

b. Principle for reflection

i. To life that depends on keeping the law (or believes that they can be good enough to please God) is operating under the curse (the wrath of God)

c. Scripture references

Galatians 1:8–9 ESV

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

FURTHER PRINCIPLES

1. To preach this is to preach a message puts people under the curse of God and not the blessing of God.

2. To believe this kind of preaching and seeking to “do good” as a way to be acceptable to God is spiritual suicide; it is willingly putting yourself on a path that is in opposition to God.

4. The Argument from the Permanence of Faith (vv. 15–18)

a. Basic Meaning

i. The promise of salvation was fulfilled, not by the law since this would mean the promised depended on and involved many other people (“seeds” – Moses, etc); but the fulfillment of the promise was through one seed of Abraham – Jesus

b. Principle for reflection

i. To believe that you can be good enough to gain God’s pleasure makes Jesus irrelevant and you, alone, (your perfect ways) are the fulfillment of His promise. It is not “sola gratia” (by grace alone) it is “tu solus” (by you alone).

c. Scripture

i. Genesis 17:7

Genesis 17:7 ESV

And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.

1. It should be noted that the Hebrew word translated “descendants” is “zera” the singular form of the word for “Seed” But most Bibles translate “zera” into the plural “descendants”.

ii. Genesis 22:18

Genesis 22:18 ESV

and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”

5. The Argument from the Purpose of the Law (vv. 19–25)

a. Basic Meaning

i. The law was not given to impart life and a right standing with God. Its purpose was to reveal that the whole world is a prisoner of sin condemned under its judgment.

b. Principle for reflection

i. Living as if you can satisfy the demands of God only leads to greater awareness of your inability to do so and the life consequences are destructive despair, continually thinking God has left you, anxiety about your eternal condition, frustration that you just can’t seem to do enough. All of these emotions are signs of what we call mental health. Here are some signs

c. Signs of Mental Health Distress

· Impulsive behaviors

· being more irritatedthan usual

· Not functioning like their usual selves (i.e., change in habits of how they dress, general appearance, eating or sleep habits)

· Talking about feelings of loneliness or despair

· Excessive worry

· Trouble concentrating

· Substance misuse

d. Scripture

i. Rom 3:19-20

Romans 3:19–20 ESV

Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

ii. Roman 7:7

iii. Romans 10:4

Romans 10:4 ESV

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

iv. James 2:10

James 2:10 ESV

For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.

6. The Argument from the Believer’s Present Position (vv. 26–29)

a. Basic Meaning

i. Regardless of race, profession, born male or female, social status all who come to Christ must come the same way—through faith and repentance

b. Principle for reflection

i. To think that God only loves people (yourself included) because based on their social status, color, or God given gender, makes externals essential (God’s love is merited) and eliminates grace (God’s unmerited love).

c. Scripture

i. 2 Cor 5:16, 21

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

ii. Rom 3:23

Romans 3:23 ESV

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

iii. Rev 7:9

Revelation 7:9 ESV

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,