Wednesday                     Recap of Galatians                     August 26, 26 

Justification by faith is the heart of the gospel.

The purpose for Paul writing to the churches in Galatia was to correct the false teachings of the Judaizers.

1. Paul establishes his authority as an apostle of Jesus Christ.

a. His authority was founded upon: God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the resurrection of Christ.

2. Paul boldly claims the gospel was revealed directly by Jesus Christ.

3. Paul establishes himself as a trusted spiritual leader and further establishes this by demonstrating that credible leaders develop privately before they are publicly recognized.   

a. Galatians 1:18-24, 2:1-10

i. 3 years between Arabia and Damascus.

ii. 15 days with Peter and James. 

iii. 14 years in Syria and Cicilia.

b. Before seeking influence, Paul sought intimacy with God.

c. Paul further demonstrated credibility by also associating, submitting and respecting trusted leadership, while being held accountable WITHOUT compromising truth. And by STANDING UP to those who opposed God’s truth and sought unity around the gospel. 

i. Galatians 2:2-3,6-9

The emphasis remained on the gospel—the gospel always withstands careful examination. 

4. He asked 6 questions confronting their foolishness in verses 1-5.

Paul is proving one simple truth: Everything God has done in your life came through faith—not performance.

5. He proves it through Abraham.

a. Galatians 3:6-9 

i. Abraham believed and was justified by faith.

What is Biblical faith?

Faith is not positive thinking.

Faith is not wishful thinking.

Faith is personal trust in the faithfulness of God.

Faith has value only because of its object.

Saving faith rests completely upon Jesus Christ.

6. The promise is greater than the Law. It’s permanent. The Law came 430 years later and could not cancel God's promise. The law had temporary purpose. Faith is the channel into God’s family. The Promise creates one family.

7. Paul questions their purpose of the law: holiness or works. He uses Abraham to illustrate the difference between the law and grace. He teaches that grace will do what our efforts fail to do. Declares that Law and grace cannot live together. And to choose grace. 

8. Stay free! Don’t get tied up again!

a. Our hope is based on faith in Christ alone.

b. The offense of the cross leads one to freedom. And the fulfillment of the law is based on love.

9. Living by the Spirit’s Power.

a. The answer to lust.

i. The Holy Spirit gives you inner strength to fight temptation.

10. The Grace of God In Motion.

a. Galatians 6:1-5

i. The law of Christ is a prevailing command.

b. Galatians 6:6-10 

i. The process God placed into motion for all people. 

 c. Galatians 6:11-15

i. The emphasis (ALL CAPS) was added from Paul against this false teaching.

 d. Galatians 6:16-18

i. The results of salvation: peace and mercy.

Galatians 6:1-5 

THE GRACE OF GOD IN MOTION:

1.    The law of Christ is a prevailing command.

a.    You who are spiritual… meaning Christ followers walking in the Spirit.

b.    Restore a person in the spirit of gentleness. 

c.     Galatians 5:22-23 …But the fruit of the Spirit is… GENTLENESS…

d.    Consider that this could be you. Raise your own alertness.

e.    The warning: Examine your own actions.

Galatians 6:6-10 

THE GRACE OF GOD IN MOTION:

2.    The process God placed into motion for all people. 

a.    First, this refers to fellowshipping and sharing the spiritually and morally excellent things learned from the Word. 

b.    Second, the principle of sowing and reaping has the effect of reaping in greater quantity than we sow.   

c.     Matthew 13:8 

d.    Third, be patient when you start sowing good, you will reap a good harvest if you don’t quit.

e.    Fourth, share the harvest.

John Wesley said it so concisely: “Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”

Galatians 6:11-15

THE GRACE OF GOD IN MOTION:

3.    The emphasis (ALL CAPS) was added from Paul against this false teaching.

a.    The Judaizers were motivated by religious pride.

b.    Paul said our only praise should be in the cross of Christ!

c.     The world has been crucified to me and I to the world.

Galatians 6:16-18

THE GRACE OF GOD IN MOTION:

4.    The results of salvation: peace and mercy.

a.    Paul said he wears the brand of my new Master, Jesus Christ.”

b.    The grace of Christ be with your spirit. 

c.     Galatians 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,

ONE BIG CHOICE:

Galatians 5:16 

1.    There is an answer to dealing with lust. 

a.    When we get saved, we have a new inner spiritual nature, but we still live in an unredeemed body. 

b.    Romans 8:23-25 

c.     The Holy Spirit gives you inner strength to fight temptation.

Galatians 5:17-18

2.    There is a reason for the battle we experience. 

a.    Romans 7:5-6 

b.    Know this: This struggle proves you are alive in this world. 

c.     Settle this in your mind: Temptation is uninvited and not a reflection of your new identity. 

d.    James 1:14-15 

Galatians 5:19-21 

3.    These sinful works encompass three areas of human life: sex, religion, and relationships.

a.    The flesh is fundamentally opposed to God. 

Galatians 5:22-24 

4.    The results of walking in the Spirit feeds the Spiritual fruit while starving the works of the flesh. 

a.    Walking by the Spirit/Surrender: Yielding daily choices to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

b.    Our action: Actively choosing a lifestyle of obedience instead of gratifying carnal urges.

c.     Power: Relying on Christ’s strength rather than human willpower alone.

Galatians 5:25-26

5.    The only answer is to live and walk in the Spirit. 

a.    Conceit-Let us not become conceited, literally holding of false or empty opinion (of ourselves). 

b.    Provocation-Provoking one another. It is a denial of the Spirit-filled life to provoke or challenge other people to measure up to one’s own private viewpoints. 

c.     Envy-Envying one another. Envy is specifically the sin of wanting something that belongs to someone else to which one has no right or claim. 

BOTTOM LINE:

Galatians 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

TRUE FREEDOM:

Galatians 5:1a 

1.    Standfast: Holding your ground.

a.    Galatians 5:1b

b.    Galatians 5:2-4 

c.     Legalism produces the physical appearance without the inward change needed to become Christlike.

d.    The result of legalism causes a person to only try to please others, which will lead to judging others and end up living to self instead of living unto Jesus.

Galatians 5:5-6

2.    Our hope is based on faith in Christ alone.

Galatians 5:7-10 

3.    What will cause you to be disobedient?

a.    Legalism is not a divine teaching.

b.    There is a natural tendency of leaven—affect the whole. 

Galatians 5:11-13 

4.    The offense of the cross leads one to freedom.

a.    Romans 6:15-18

b.    Your trip following Jesus will be detoured if sin tries to tag along.

c.     The standard for the believer is the life of the Lord Jesus.

Galatians 5:14-15 

5.    Paul states the fulfillment of the law is based on love. 

a.    Matthew 22:36-40 

b.    When we try to live by the law instead of allowing grace to fill our lives, we will inevitably find ourselves in conflict with others. 

c.     Where grace is absent, strife is never far behind.

d.    This is when unity is threatened and freedom of the Spirit is quenched.  

e.    Law produces condemnation; grace produces transformation.

f.      Galatians 5:1 

THE TRIUMPH OF GRACE:

Galatians 4:21 

1.    Paul questions their purpose of the law: holiness or works. 

a.    1 Peter 1:13-16 

Galatians 4:22-27 

2.    Paul uses Abraham to illustrate the difference between the law and grace. 

a.    God’s promises often require patient faith. 

b.    Ishmael became the product of flesh rather than faith.

3.    Paul teaches that grace will do what our efforts fail to do. 

a.    Genesis 17:1-5

b.    God’s grace changes our identity.

c.     Isaac was born by God’s promise, not man’s ability.

d.    The things that God births in our lives are a result of His grace.

Galatians 4:28-29 

4.    Paul declares that Law and grace cannot live together.

In Paul’s Illustration:

a.    Hagar represents the Law.

b.    Ishmael represents the flesh.

c.     Sarai represents grace.

d.    Isaac represents believers.

e.    The flesh always opposes the Spirit.

f.      Listen to Paul and stop living under the condemnation that Christ has already removed.

Galatians 4:30-31

5.    Paul is telling us to choose grace. 

a.    Law and grace cannot cohabit as the basis of salvation.

b.    Reject every form of self-righteousness.

c.     Cast out what pulls you down and cling to grace!

Conclusion:

When we are waiting and things seem slow to come about, remember faith obeys before it understands.

Delay does not mean denial.

Faith is proven not only by believing God's promise but by waiting for God's timing.

Trust in Jesus Christ and His grace and follow Him all the way!