GALATIANS

Series Title:

Standing By Grace In Union With Christ;

The Believer’s Relationship To The Law

 

 

I. Rescued By Grace

 

 

I. Introduction: Desertion from Paul’s Gospel Is Desertion from the Gospel (1:1 – 2:21)

            A. Greeting: Paul’s Apostolic Authority (1:1 – 5)

            B. Problem Explained: Desertion from the Gospel (1:6 – 10)

            C. Paul’s Gospel Delivered from God, Not People (1:11 – 2:21)

 

 

Main Idea

   The main point in the opening of the letter is Paul’s desire for the Galatians to enjoy grace and peace.  He was called as an apostle so that they would enjoy such blessings, and Christ died and has been raised from the dead so that grace and peace would be theirs.  Paul writes this letter because he wants to protect the gospel and because he cares deeply about the Galatian believers.  Paul had a close relationship with the Galatians (4:13 – 15). 

 

We will see throughout Galatians that the fundamental issue is the cross of Christ.

 

The following quote is from the introduction to the book of Galatians in John Brown of Haddington’s Self-Interpreting Bible.  He defines the theme of the epistle.

“Justification by faith alone is the theme of this epistle.  With a logical acuteness, an appropriateness of illustration, and a power of application, unequalled even in the Bible, is this grand theme set forth.  All sources of knowledge, all forms of authority, – direct divine teaching, inspiration, personal experience, the testimony of Christ, the statements of the Old Testament, – are all employed to elucidate and enforce the doctrine of justification by faith.  This epistle is a model of controversial theology.  Truth is defended and error exposed with equal clearness and decision.  There is no tampering with incipient heresy.  There is no attempt to throw the cloak of Christian charity over a false principle.  There is no effort to cultivate fraternal union at the expense of fundamental truth.  Purity of faith is its pervading maxim.  Until this is established and recognized, there can be no real unity or peace in a church.”

 

 

 

Theme

Christ’s death has brought in the age of the new covenant (3:23–26; 4:4–5, 24), in which believers do not have to become Jews or follow the outward ceremonies of the Mosaic law (2:3, 11–12, 14; 4:10). To require these things is to deny the heart of the gospel, which is justification by faith alone, not by obedience to the law (2:16; cf. 1:6–7). In this new age, Christians are to live in the guidance and power of the Spirit (chs. 5–6).

 

A crisis has hit the church in Galatia. The church came into being as a result of God’s Spirit at work in Paul’s proclamation of the gospel (3:1–5; 4:13–15). But within the short space of time since Paul left (1:6), the church has been visited or infiltrated by false teachers whom Paul calls those “who trouble you” (1:7) or “those who unsettle you” (5:12). These teachers have convinced the Galatians of a false gospel, which requires them to be circumcised. Paul sees that these pseudo-Christians merely want to win converts for their own prestige: they want to win approval from the Jewish authorities by showing how effective they are in converting Gentiles to a form of Judaism (6:12). Since the Jewish establishment approves of the fact that they are making Gentiles Jewish, the false teachers have the best of both worlds: they have created a sect of which they are the leaders, and they also escape any Jewish persecution. One further effect of this on the Galatians appears to have been the division within their church, presumably over these issues of circumcision and law that the false teachers have raised (5:15).  ESV Study Bible, by Crossway Publishers; Wheaton, Ill.

 

 

I. Introduction: Desertion from Paul’s Gospel Is Desertion from the Gospel (1:1 – 2:21)

            A. Greeting: Paul’s Apostolic Authority (1:1 – 5)

 

Sender: Paul and fellow believers (1:1 – 2)

Paul’s apostleship derives from God rather than from human beings, so that he is defending himself against the objections of the opponents.  Other believers concur with Paul’s gospel.

 

– Paulos apostolos.  The word apostolos is apostle and means a “sent one,” messenger,” “delegate.”  “With Paul, an apostle is an emissary of God, similar to the prophets of the Old Testament, with special authority and status in Christ for the sake of the gospel” (Thomas Schreiner).

           

The resurrection of Jesus Christ signifies that the new age has dawned.  So by going back to the Law of Moses, the Galatians were turning the clock back in salvation history.

 

2. Prayer wish (1:3)           

 

The Greek word for grace in the New Testament is charis.  “God’s grace in Paul refers to his free mercy that is lavished on all who believe in Jesus Christ. Grace in Paul must not be limited to unmerited favor but also refers to God’s transforming power…the Galatians are in danger of accepting a “gospel” that denies the grace of God” (Thomas Schreiner).

           

 

3. Purpose of Christ’s death (1:4)

 

– The Greek word for rescue is exaireo.  This verb means to take out of, to pluck out, and tear out.  It also means (in the middle voice) to select or choose.

 

The new age of salvation has broken into time by Christ’s death and resurrection, which has delivered believers from this present age (1:1, 4).  The closing verses of this letter helps the reader to understand Paul’s purposes in writing the letter as well as to indentify the false teachers.

 

4. Glory to God (1:5)            

 

– The entire plan of salvation and the action to save is done entirely by God, therefore to Him alone belongs the glory.

 

 

Closing Quote:

 

“It is better to feel desperate and weak like a child and to hide ourselves in Christ’s righteousness than it is to feel strong and confident in ourselves” (Thomas Schreiner).