Closing Thoughts

Introduction (1:1-2:10)

‘A Church with a Problem’ (Gal. 1:1-12)

‘Setting the Table’ (Gal. 1:13-24)

‘Looking Back’ (Gal. 2:1-10)

‘A Church with a Problem’ (Gal. 1:1-12)

I. The Prayer of Paul (v1-5)

Defense; Disposition; God’s Deliverance Praised

II. The Perversion of the Gospel (v6-9)

The Gospel has been Perverted (def) transmuted, corrupted, distorted from it’s true use and end.

Write this down: “It’s either All by Grace, or it’s not at all by Grace” - Me. It’s either by Faith, or it’s by Works.

The Church had been Effected (v6-7a); the Offenders Cursed (v8-9)

III. The Preeminence of Christ (v10)

A Choice v10a); a Consequence (v10b)

IV. The Providence of Christ (v11-12)

Not Received by Man (v11-12a); Given by Christ (v12b)

‘Setting the Table’ (Gal. 1:13-24)

I. Times Past (v13-14)

A Religious Man; a Self-Righteous Man; a Man of Renown

II. Transformation & Tutelage (v15-19)

A Calling (v15); A Change (v16a); A Cause (v16b); a Communion (v17-19)

III. Testimony Observed (v20-24)

Truth Exposed; Change Evidenced; God was Exalted

‘Looking Back’ (Gal. 2:1-10) - (At the ‘Counsel of Jerusalem’ meeting - Act. 15)

I. Following the Call (v1-2)

Faithfulness in Service (v1a); Fellowship in Ministry (v1b); Following the Spirit (v2)

II. False Brethren Emerge (v3-5)

Tension (v3); Tares (v4); Resistance (v5a); Reason (v5b)

III. The Furtherance of the Gospel

No Partiality of Persons (v6); A Perception of Purpose (v7-9); A Plan for the Poor (v10)

Repudiation (2:11-4:31)

‘Apostles at Odds’ (Gal. 2:11-14)

‘The Doctrine of Justification’ Pt. 1&2 (Gal. 2:11-21)

‘A Confrontation of Questions’ (Gal. 3:1-5)

‘The Seed of Abraham - pt. 1’ (Gal. 3:6-18)

‘The Seed of Abraham - pt. 2’ - (Gal. 3:19-29)

The Contention of False Doctrine - (Gal. 4:1-20)

‘The Inferiority of a Fleshly Gospel’ - (Gal. 4:21-31)

‘Apostles at Odds’ (Gal. 2:11-14)

I. The Person (Peter)

Loved by Christ; Labored for Christ; In the Lineage of Christ

II. The Problem

A Confrontation Over Cowardice; A Confrontation that was Correct; A Confrontation that was Not Concealed

‘The Doctrine of Justification’ Pt. 1&2 (Gal. 2:11-21)

I. The Prelude

The People had been Troubled; The Gospel had been Perverted; The Church had been Parted; Paul Confronted Peter

II. The Position (v16)

Justification is a Judgment of Innocence Rendered; It’s Not a Pardon; It’s God who Justifies; It’s an Act, not a Process; It’s Obtained by Faith, not by Works

III. The Power (v15; 17-20)

A Testifying Power; A Transformative Power; A Transitioning Power; A Transfiguring Power

IV. The Proof (v21)

Either Grace is Important; Or the Sacrifice was Ineffective

‘A Confrontation of Questions’ (Gal. 3:1-5)

I. Who hath Bewitched You? (v1)

They were Spellbound; They Rejected Truth; They Should have Known Better

II. How was the Spirit Received? (v2)

What Work did you Do to Merit the Spirit?; Didn’t you Receive when you Believed?

III. Has your Flesh Made you Better? (v3)

He Marvels at their Mindset; He Acknowledges their Beginning; He Illustrates the Absurdity

IV. Have you Suffered for Nothing?

Their Faith brought Persecution; It Meant Nothing if Faith is Abandoned

V. How is God’s Work Completed? (v4)

Keeping the Law Yourself doesn’t Manifest the Spirit in Others; Keeping the Law doesn’t Produce Miracles

‘The Seed of Abraham - pt. 1’ (Gal. 3:6-18)

I. A Progenitor to Consider

His Condition [Righteous] (v6); His Children (v7); His Covenant (v8); Paul’s Conclusion (v9)

II. A Premise to Understand

Those Under the Curse (v10); The Law is Contrary to Faith (v11-12) - FOR SALVATION; The Curse of the Crucified (v13); The Cause of the Crucified (v14) - FOR US

III. A Promise to Claim

The Surety of the Promise

Whether Confirmed by Man (v15)

Or Especially by God (v17)

The Subject of the Promise (v16); The Simplicity of the Promise (v18)

‘The Seed of Abraham - pt. 2’ - Gal. 3:19-29

The Insufficiency of the Law

It’s Dependent (v19a); It’s Determinate (v19b)

It’s Deficient

It Requires an Intermediary (v19c-20)

It’s Insufficient for Righteousness (v21)

The Intent of the Law

The Condemnation of the Law (v21-22a); The Cooperation of the Law (v22b-23); The Counsel of the Law (v24); The Conclusion of the Law (v25); The Children are by Faith (v26)

In Identification in Christ

A Baptism is Required (v27); A Balance is Found (v28); We’re Beneficiaries of the Promise (v29)

The Contention of False Doctrine - (Gal. 4:1-20)

Sonship Examined

Progression Assumed (v1-3); Redemption by Christ (v4-5a); Adoption Enjoyed (v5-7); Inhabitation Experienced (v6)

Stunted Growth

A Regenerate Position (v8-9a); A Regressive Mindset (v9b-10); A Restless Under-Shepherd

A Forsaken Servant

A Plea for Unity (v12); Their Previous Devotion (v13-15); Their Present Distain (v16)

A Sorrowful Situation

They were Negatively Affected (v17-18); Paul was in Angst (v19-20)

‘The Inferiority of a Fleshly Gospel’ - Gal. 4:21-31

The Allegory

There was Intention; Intervention; a Celebration; Contention & Separation

The Application

Two Covenants:

Mosaic (Hagar) v. Abrahamic (Sarah)

In Bondage < at Liberty; of Man < of God; was Added < was Intended; Barren < Fruitful

Two Children

The Law (Ishmael) v. Grace (Isaac)

Of Flesh < of Promise; brings Bondage < brings Freedom; was Cast Out < is the Only Heir

Two Creations

Old Nature v. New Nature

Born of Flesh < born of the Spirit; Condemned < Cleansed; Enslaved < Free

Application (5:1-6:18)

‘Liberty or Law?’ (Gal. 5:1-15)

‘Spirit or the Flesh?’ (Gal. 5:16-26)

‘Spiritual Living’ (Gal. 6:1-10)

‘Closing Thoughts’ (Gal. 6:11-18)

‘Liberty or Law?’ (Gal. 5:1-15)

Living in Liberty (v1-6)

The Contrast w/ Bondage (v1); The Curse of the Law (v2-3); The Change in Lifestyle (v4-6)

Leaven’s Effect (v7-12)

Confronting the Cause (v7-8); The Consequence of Pollution (v9); Condemning the Offender (v10-12)

The Love of Liberty (v13-15)

Liberty not Licsentiousness (v13a); Love Fulfills the Law (v13b-14); The Lack of Love Leads to Destruction (v15)

‘Spirit or the Flesh?’ (Gal. 5:16-26)

Foundational Truths

The Cause and Effect (v16); A Crippling Conflict (v17); A Cure for the Condemned (v18)

Works of the Flesh

Sensual Sins (v19); Spiritual Sins (v20a); Social Sins (v20b-21a); A Stern Warning (v21b)

Fruit of the Spirit

The Description; The Deployment; The Duplication

Freedom in Christ

A Submissive Position (v24); A Sensible Plea (v25-26)

‘Spiritual Living’ (Gal. 6:1-10)

Restoration (v1-5)

The Call (v1); The Carry (v2); The Confusion (v3); The Consideration (v4-5)

Remuneration (v6-10)

Pastoral Compensation (v6); Promises Connected (v7-9); A Plea to Consider (v10)

Last week, I’d begun to combine the entire chapter into one message, but as my study progressed, my initial division had been the correct one, so as to properly give the chapter it’s due.

That being said, I’d broken down the first 10 verses as ‘Restoration’ - v1-5; ‘Remuneration’ - v6-10.

In these last 8 verses, I have them titled ‘Reflection’ for this reason: As we go through the verses, I am going to give you with each point, something to consider - to reflect on - with the entirety of the letter in mind.

I. Reflection

The first thing that we see is that there is a Care Demonstrated

A Care Demonstrated (v11)

First: If you read the contemporary versions of the Bible, you’d get a different understanding of the verse:

ESV: See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.

NLT: NOTICE WHAT LARGE LETTERS I USE AS I WRITE THESE CLOSING WORDS IN MY OWN HANDWRITING.

MSG: Now, in these last sentences, I want to emphasize in the bold scrawls of my personal handwriting the immense importance of what I have written to you.

In other words, they are saying that Paul didn’t write the letter itself, he just wrote the closing with big letters. This is really not important, but it just demonstrates the foolishness with which the new ‘versions’ treat the text. They make ‘letter’ plural and ‘written’ (which is past tense) to present tense.

That being said, Paul hand wrote this letter himself to the church…

‘This is how much I care’

…as it’s accepted that typically, Paul would have dictated many of his letters. For instance, the book of Romans is attributed to Paul in Rom. 1:1; but then at the close, we see Romans 16:22 “I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord.” But here, Paul is not simply dictating this to another to laboriously write, but he’s taken the time & effort to pen this all down himself.

He cared about the church in Galatia, the people who had been bewitched so much that he took the time & effort to write this letter of rebuke to them - 3,084 WORDS!. AND UNDERSTAND - THAT LETTER WASN’T A FUN ONE TO WRITE FOR PAUL!

It wasn’t a letter of doctrine like Romans

It wasn’t a letter of correction like 1Corinthians

It wasn’t a letter of commendation like 1Thessalonians

It was a letter of rebuke! I’ve had to write a few of these - they are not fun! But Paul cared enough about them to try and help them!

The Bible tells us: Proverbs 27:5–6 “Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”

By Paul’s willingness to take the time & effort to write this painful letter, it demonstrates the depth of love & care that he had for these people.

A Care Demonstrated

Causes Defined (v12-13)

‘This is all they want’

Paul throughout the letter has spoken about the evil doctrine that those have brought into the church, and what he thought about them:

a ‘perverted gospel’ - ‘let them be accursed’ (Gal. 1:7-9)

He called them ‘leaven’ who will ‘bear his Judgment’ (Gal. 5:9-10)

He wished they were ‘cut off’ (Gal. 5:12)

In these verses he’s now telling them WHY they are doing this - and he gives two reasons:

They didn’t want to bear persecution (v12)

You must remember, in that day to preach the truth of the Gospel, you were seen as a heretic and skirted death - Paul before his conversion saw this first hand! Consider Stephen (Act. 6-7) The best way to not suffer persecution was not to reject the law & circumcision as a means of salvation, but by combining the two.

Church, do you know how best to not suffer persecution? By ecumenicism. Just exactly what the Judaizers were doing. Do you know how best to not suffer persecution today? By being ‘FOR’ everything and not being ‘AGAINST’ anything.

(Show pics of Billy Graham & Joel Osteen)

So he says ‘The reason they are doing this is because they don’t want to suffer persecution that speaking truth brings.’

Church - when you take a stand for truth, it has a tendency to separate the wheat from the chaff. Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

They wanted credit for their conversion (v13)

They also wanted the credit for gaining another follower to their doctrine. They are ‘building up THEIR church’.

Let me just say this: There’s nothing wrong with having a large church. I don’t envy pastors of large churches. But the majority of large churches today are heretical - and I’d rather pastor a small church following Biblical principles than a large church that’s is ‘ecumenical’ and has the ‘anything goes’ type doctrine.

Today, there are a few other reasons as to why the ‘Jesus +’ doctrine flourishes

Ignorance

They just don’t know any better, and too apathetic to care

Inheritance

‘That’s what daddy was…’

Pride

Same pharisaical mindset that stood praying in the temple.

We see Causes Defined

A Cross to Glory (v14a)

‘This is what we should care about’

We have many cares in this life…

We care about other’s perceptions of us

We care about our comfort & how we feel

What we SHOULD care about is - what we SHOULD glory in is the ‘Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ’.

The Cross:

The Image of Sin’s Consequences

The penalty that was due unto us

The ‘emblem of suffering and shame’

What Jesus endured for our Salvation

The picture of Sacrifice & Submission

So that we could be free

We care about so many things - but church, what do YOU glory in? What do you find satisfaction & joy in? CHURCH, THIS IS WHAT WE SHOULD GLORY IN! THIS IS WHAT WE SHOULD CARE ABOUT!

For too many, Christianity is an accessory to their life instead of the center of it. Church, it should be the center!

A Cross to Glory

A Crucifixion to Experience (v14b)

‘This should be our attitude’

Our attitude, our mindset, our goal that by HIS CROSS, not only was Jesus crucified, but WE are crucified:

The Cares of the world are dead to me

I am dead to the cares of the world

This is at least the third time Paul has spoken of Crucifixion in this epistle.

He spoke first about how Crucifixion brought new, better life:

Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

He spoke about how Crucifixion was a proof of new life:

Galatians 5:24 “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.”

Now he speaks in summary to the effect & purpose of the Crucified life:

Galatians 6:14 “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”

Church let me ask you - is your attitude of life to be Crucified unto the world & the cares thereof?

A Crucifixion Experience - which then leads into

A New Creature as Evidenced (v15)

‘This should be our evidence’

This is a key verse. Paul says “You can be circumcised or not, it doesn’t matter a bit - what matter is whether or not you’re a new creature”.

(Ill.) I love animals. I’m not a dog or cat person, I love them both… while I love them, I’m not a good trainer. The best I’ve done is to train them enough to not poop or pee in the house. That being said, I’ve seen people train dogs to do neat things. You can train them to sit, speak, stand, roll over, etc. You can even train a cat to use the toilet! But here’s the thing: Even though you can train a dog to do those things, it’s still a dog!

My point is, you can teach morals to someone - but it doesn’t mean that they’ve been born again. It’s not a list of ‘do’s & don’ts’ - it’s a revelatory change that takes place.

(Ill.) I saw this puppet song on youtube this week - ‘Bullfrogs & Butterflies - both been born again’. When a tadpole becomes a bullfrog, it didn’t just learn to hop - it changed completely!

This is the thing that troubles me.

(Ill.) When I got saved, I was changed. Do you know what didn’t change? All my ways about me. For instance: I didn’t stop cursing immediately, but it brought conviction when I did. I was transformed internally - the main change wasn’t that I kept a law now that I didn’t use to - BUT WHAT CHANGED WAS THE WAY I SAW THE WORLD & MY PLACE & PURPOSE IN IT!

Many people who profess to be Christians haven’t experienced a transformation - and if they haven’t experience a transformation, then they’ve not experienced Salvation. MOTHS & BUTTERFLY’S BOTH FLY - BUT ONLY ONE HAS BEEN BORN AGAIN!

A New Creature is evidence

A Commendation and a True Church (v16)

‘To whom I seek these blessings for’

I expected to spend much time on this verse, as it could have a drastic impact on the way we view things, but time will not allow for a full dissection, so here is the overview.

Paul is praying peace & mercy upon those who ‘walk according to this rule’. Meaning, this doctrine - what he’s been teaching - Salvation is by GRACE ALONE THROUGH FAITH ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE. This is whom he’s blessing.

Some might say ‘That’s awful isolationist’ - but church, I don’t wish peace on lost people and certainly not on heretics preaching false doctrine, for a few reasons:

First: Remember 2 John 10–11 “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”

Secondly, why would you wish peace on lost people? So they can sit in a state of peace all the way to Hell? I want unrest for them! Maybe then, they will turn unto the Prince of Peace!

Next we see a rare term given: Time & again we have seen the term ‘God of Israel’, but here we see a change when Paul says the ‘Israel of God’.

What he’s saying in that is ‘The TRUE CHURCH of God’ The TRUE PEOPLE OF THE PROMISE.

There’s much confusion today concerning the Jewish people. Many are critical of them & hate them without cause, others embrace them and defend them simply because they are Jewish & they trace it back to Gen. 12:1-3.

But here’s the thing. IF those promises are NOT to the physical seed of Abraham, but through the seed of Christ as established here in Gal. 3, where does that leave you?

Understand, this doctrine is not one established only in this book, consider the great doctrinal book of Romans:

Romans 2:28–29 “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”

Romans 9:6 “Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:”

That being said, when concerning the Middle East we should not judge according to appearance, but Judge Righteous Judgment. Simply take the merits of the situation and Judge according to that, not on anything else.

That being said, I side with Israel, not because of some faulty Bible application, but because they’re in the right.

A Commendation & True Church

A Confidence Displayed (v17)

‘I am confident in my testimony’

In this, some ‘Christian’ mystics & Catholics think Paul is talking about a thing called ‘stigmata’. This is where wounds resembling those of Christ upon the Cross magically appear on a person. This is NOT what Paul is talking about.

Consider the context. Just prior to this Paul is referencing again circumcision - this is where men physically changed in compliance with the law. Paul says ‘they’re so concerned about circumcision, I’m more concerned about bearing the marks of Christ!’

Paul was confident that His testimony and the things he’d experienced made him look more like Jesus.

Let me ask you this: Are you confident in your testimony? Does your testimony and the things you’ve experienced make you look more like Jesus?

Paul had a Confidence Displayed

A Closing Blessing (v18)

‘I only want the best for you’

It would be easy for the recipient to get this letter and think “He doesn’t love me, else he wouldn’t have been so hard on me”.

But we’re reminded that Paul only wanted the best for them. He desired that the ‘…grace of the LORD Jesus Christ be with <your> Spirit.’.

Church, as we close this epistle, I want to take this opportunity to remind you that sometimes the instruction from this pulpit might seem harsh. You might feel attacked in some way (I’m sure there were some Galatians who felt that way when Paul called them foolish). But the truth is, if I didn’t love you, I wouldn’t give you the truth as I do.

It’s not because of a lack of love, but a preponderance of it whereby I instruct you as Paul instructed the sheep under his care.

Paul only wanted the best for them - as I do for you.

Conclusion