Hello Galatians!
Notes
Transcript
A. It’s MESSAGE
A. It’s MESSAGE
The message of Galatians is the Christian’s spiritual freedom, the deliverance by Christ from the bondage of both SIN and RELIGIOUS LEGALISM!
B. It’s EMPHASIS
B. It’s EMPHASIS
Because Paul was so intensely concerned about the attacks on the gospel by the Judaizers, Galatians is the only one of his epistles that gives no word of commendation to its readers!
(1:6-7) – From that point until the closing benediction (6:18), the letter has been described by one writer as, “a flashing sword wielded by a burning heart!”
Galatians is not some detached theological essay, but a deeply personal letter written from the grieving heart of a godly man for his spiritual children, whose faith was being undermined by false teachers!
His heart-cry to the Galatians is found in (5:1)!
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
C. It’s ENEMIES
C. It’s ENEMIES
The Judaizers essentially taught that Gentiles must become Jews by circumcision before they could become Christians.
They also taught that all Christians, Jewish and Gentile, were righteous before God only if they remained under the Mosaic Laws, regulations, and ceremonies.
Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
D. It’s THEME
D. It’s THEME
The theme of Galatians (and of the entire NT) is that true freedom comes only through Jesus Christ!
Paul deals with spiritual freedom on TWO fronts:
1. (Ch 3-4) – SALVATION sets a person free from the bondage to sin and the law!
2. (Ch 5-6) – SANCTIFICATION frees a person to live out lives of faithfulness and genuine righteousness, free from sin’s control and legalistic bondage!
E. It’s OUTLINE!
E. It’s OUTLINE!
I. Personal: Paul’s Apostolic AUTHORITY - (Chapters 1-2)
II. Doctrinal: Salvation Only by GRACE through FAITH - (Chapters 3-4)
III. Practical: Living in Christian FREEDOM - (Chapters 5-6)
I. The SALUTATION! – (1:1-5)
I. The SALUTATION! – (1:1-5)
One way to deny the truthfulness of a message is to deny the authority of the one who gives it!
They not only attacked the validity of the message but also that of the messenger!
Apparently the Judaizers had convinced some of the Galatian church members that Paulwas a self-appointed apostle with no divine commission!
So at the outset of the letter Paul dispensed with the usual personal greetings and immediately began to establish the genuineness of his apostolic authority!
A. Paul’s AUTHORITY! - (vv.1-2)
A. Paul’s AUTHORITY! - (vv.1-2)
Paul claims the very title the false teachers were attempting to deny him!
An “apostle” (‘one who is sent with a commission’) was an envoy, ambassador, or messenger with a special status, enjoying an authority and commissioningfrom One higher than himself.
In its primary and technical usage, the term applied to the original Twelve!
These Twelve (Judas being replaced by Matthiasin Acts 1) were chosen to lay the foundation of the early Church!
They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,
In a WIDERsense, the term apostle is also used of men like Barnabas (Acts 14:14), Silas and Timothy(1 Thess 1:1, 2:6), and other outstanding leaders (Andronicus and Junias in Rom 16:7)!
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out
1 Thessalonians 1:1 (NASB95)
Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.
nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority.
Greet Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
These men are specifically called ‘apostles [representatives] of the churches’
As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ.
NEITHER GROUP was perpetuated!
Except for Judas, there is no NT record of an apostle in either the primary or secondary group being replaced after he died!
One of the REQUIREMENTS to be considered for the office of apostle was to be an eyewitness of the Resurrection!
beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”
Which is why Paul is specific concerning his meeting this requirement!
For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
Just as the Twelve were personally chosen, called, and commissioned by Jesus Christ, and authorized to teach in His Name (Mark 3:13-19), so Paul claims a Divine appointment (the actual event is described by Luke in Acts 9).
But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;
Paul states it succinctly to the Galatians: “…an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead” (1:1).
Paul’s authority was not man-given or self-given but God-given!
B. Paul’s MESSAGE! – (vv.3-4)
B. Paul’s MESSAGE! – (vv.3-4)
1. Christ DIED for our sins – (v.4a) – “…who gave himself for our sins”
When you turn from GRACE to a legalistic system of salvation by works, you diminish and/or ignore the significance of the death of Jesus Christ(and Paul will deal with this issue extensively in this letter)!
Salvation is not earned by one’s efforts to eliminate sin, but by one’s trust in God’s promise to forgive sin through the death of Jesus!
because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
2. Christ died to RESCUE us from this present age – (v.4b) – “…to rescue us”
John R. Stott – “Christianity is, in fact, a rescue religion.”
(Col 1:13-14) States the FACT of our FORGIVENESS, due to the CHANGE of our standing!
“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
(2 Peter 1:2-4) – States the RESULTS of our new standing, enabling us to “…participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world…”
3. Christ died according to God’s WILL – (v.4c)
(Isaiah 53:10-12) – “Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him…though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering…”
(John 1:12-13)
C. Paul’s MOTIVE! – (v.5)
C. Paul’s MOTIVE! – (v.5)
When salvation depends on works, then the one doing the works receives the glory.
However, salvation is NOT from works, but from God!
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service,
even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief;
and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.
It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.
Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.