Studies
Different types of Bible studiesGalatians Study #1
March 1st, 2009The Fight For Grace and Truth
One of those battles that the Apostle Paul thought was worth fighting for was the battle over the
Gospel of Grace.
He writes to the churches in Southern Turkey (what the Romans called Galatia).
To understand Galatians you must understand Acts 13-15
Acts 13:2-3
Acts 13:42-43
Acts 14:3
God confirmed the message of his grace
Then they come back: Acts 14:26-28
- We call that the first missionary journey
#1. Political: every time the church in Jerusalem began to preach to the Gentiles they got
persecuted
- Acts 7:54-58 (Stephen preached against Jewish beliefs) immediately he was stoned and his followers were thrown out of Jerusalem
- Acts 10-12 (Cornelius was converted) persecution broke out and James was beheaded (Acts 12:2)
Christian they stopped being a Jew
Acts 15:1
- Then the new guys started trying to discredit Paul (as a person and an Apostle)
1. Are you sure he’s a real Apostle
* Paul never walked with Jesus he wasn’t among the 12 “he’s not real”
2. Paul doesn’t teach a complete gospel
All he talks about is GRACE, he doesn’t talk about the rest of the stuff that we talk about
(circumcision)
3. His gospel leads to loose living
- Were here to teach you how to keep the law (rules and be holy)
- So they went up to Jerusalem to discuss this question
- Chapter 1 & 2: Paul defends his apostleship against claims that he’s not an Apostle
- Chapter 3 & 4: Paul defends the gospel of grace and he argues that his gospel is a complete gospel and doesn’t need any additions.
- Chapter 5 & 6: Paul defends the life of freedom and he argues that his gospel does not lead to a life of loose living but instead to a life that is in step with the spirit and leads to Holiness
Now that’s my introduction:
All these issues will show up in the first 5 verses of Galatians
Galatians 1:1-5
- Now this introduction is different than all other introductions Paul gives for one reason: There’s no Thanksgiving.
- Paul in vs. 1-5 gives us reasons why the Gospel is worth fighting for.
- What does it mean that the gospel originated in the will of God?
- Salvation from God: that means any gospel that is true has to be a gospel of grace because God reached out to you before you knew you were lost and even wanted to be saved.
- The death of Jesus was God’s idea (the cross was not an accident)
- Jesus is the chief cornerstone (foundation)
- They received directly from God what were to believe and pass on to our children.
- Any gospel or religion that exalts man is not from God
- Jesus Christ took responsibility for your irresponsibility: that’s the only answer to your sin
- The great flaw of legalism: legalist fail to understand the meaning of the death of Jesus
- Originates in the will of God
- Exalts Jesus not man
- Frees man from sin
Did you know that Christianity was a rescue operation?
That word is only used 2 other times in the New Testament
A. To describe Joseph while he was in Pharaoh’s dungeon (God rescued him and placed
him in a place of power).
B. Acts 12: Peter said to the angel, now I realize that God has rescued me from Herod
and set me free.
A gospel that sets men free doesn’t make people careless it makes them love forever the one that
set them free.
Question: What’s man’s part in salvation?
The answer is: Man needs to beg God to rescue him.
If you add 2% to the gospel (it doesn’t make you 2% wrong) it makes you 100% wrong.Galatians 1:5
- Why did Paul end his introduction like this?
- Because what were fighting for is the Glory of God
#1. Read 1 chapter a day of the book of Galatians
#2. If you’re studying the Bible beg God to rescue you
#3. Give God the glory for every situation in your life (good or challenging)
