Galatians Week 2

Intro- have you ever been trapped? Porto Potty

Galatians Fast Facts

Author- The Apostle Paul

Recipients- The Church’s of the Galatian region (modern day Turkey)

Purpose- To Address false teaching (required food laws and circumcision) that was threatening to sabotage their freedom in Christ.

Major Themes- Freedom In Christ, Unity in Christ, and The Spirit-filled Life.

The New International Version (Chapter 5)

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

You were made to be free.

Paul for Everyone: Galatians and Thessalonians (God’s Promise and Abraham’s Faith (Galatians 3:1–9))

A famous story tells of the tight-rope walker Charles Blondin (1824–97), who set up a rope across Niagara Falls and walked across several times. So confident did he become that he made the journey backwards as well as forwards, and performed various tricks on the way, like sitting on a small stool and eating a meal. But the most famous trick was when he asked for a volunteer to be carried over on his back. In what must be one of the most supreme acts of physical trust ever placed by one human being in another, a brave, or perhaps foolish, man stepped forward, and was carried over on the great man’s shoulders.

Now supposing, halfway across, the man had said to Blondin: ‘Look here, this is all very well, but I really don’t trust you any more. I think I’d better do the rest by myself. Let me down and I’ll walk from here without you.’ One can only imagine the retort he would have got, not only from the professional, but from any watching friends or family. Had he taken leave of his senses? How did he suppose he would get across by himself?

That is exactly the reaction Paul has on hearing that his beloved Galatians are thinking of getting circumcised.

The New International Version (Chapter 3)

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?

The source of The Spirit in anyones life is Jesus’ sacrifice not the works of the Law or anything else.

The New International Version (Chapter 3)

3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? 4 Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? 5 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?

The New International Version (Chapter 3)

6 So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” e

Our right relationship with God begins with belief not action.

The New International Version (Chapter 3)

7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. 8 Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” h 9 So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

Faith is the entry point of the family of God.

God’s intention from the beginning was redemption and relationship with all people.

The New International Version (Chapter 3)

10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” m 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” o 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.” p 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” r 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

Quotes Habbakkuk

The curse of the sin could not be broke by the burden of the law, only Jesus could do that.

The New International Version (Chapter 3)

15 Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” w meaning one person, who is Christ.

The New International Version (Chapter 3)

17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

The promise came before the law.

New Living Translation (Chapter 3)

19 Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people. 20 Now a mediator is helpful if more than one party must reach an agreement. But God, who is one, did not use a mediator when he gave his promise to Abraham.

New Living Translation (Chapter 3)

21 Is there a conflict, then, between God’s law and God’s promises? Absolutely not! If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it. 22 But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ.

New Living Translation (Chapter 3)

23 Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed.

24 Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. 25 And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian.

Freedom comes from Jesus only.

God’s promise is for all who would believe.

You were made to be free because of Jesus.