Search The Scriptures —Study 6 — Galatians 5:2-24

Study 6 From The Book of Galatians Is: Galatians 5:2-24

Spiritual freedom may be lost in two ways: (a) by false teaching, in this case the teaching of the necessity of circumcision (verse 2-12); and (b) by living to please self (verse 13-15). The secret of victory is to give the Holy Spirit full sway within us by obeying His promptings. He will subdue the flesh, and bring forth in us the fruit of Christ-like living (verses 16-25).

     1.      Verses 2-12.  To be circumcised meant taking the way of the law.  What four results would follow if the Galatians did so?  What is the way of the Gospel?

2.      Verses 13-15. How should the Christian use his freedom?

3.      Verses 16-24.  Seek to grasp the antithesis between ‘flesh’ and ‘spirit’.  What should be the attitude of the Christian towards each?  Note that the right attitude demands expression in positive action.

Notes

1. Verses 5, 6. ‘The hope of righteousness’: i.e the hope of future glory that springs from justification through believing on Jesus Christ.  Cf. Rom. 5:1, 2; 1 Pet. 1:3. Notice also the collocation here of faith, hope and love.
2. Verse 18.  The Christian is free from the law as a rule to be obeyed in order to obtain life (cf. 3:12), yet, when ‘led by the Spirit’ he does all that the law demands (see verses 24-25; cf .Rom. 8:4).
3. Verse 24.  Cf. 2:20; Rom. 6:6.

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Search The Scriptures —Study 5 — Galatians 4:8-5:1

Study 5 From The Book of Galatians Is: Galatians 4:8-5:1

    1.      According to this passage, what does Christian freedom imply?

    2.      In what way is Paul’s reaction to the Galatians’ condition indicative and illustrative of pastoral concern? Do we know any similar concern for the spiritual well-being others?   

    3.      Verses 21-31.  Paul uses Gn. 16 as an allegory. In this picture, what is the position of those ‘under law’, and what, in contrast, that of believers? What is the point of Paul’s quotation of (a) Is. 54:1, and (b) Gn. 21: 10-12?

Note 4:17, 18. A reference to the new teachers, who were eager to win the favour of the Galatians believers in order to cut them off from Paul and his gospel so that they would have no-one to turn to but themselves. If these teachers had really come to do good. Paul would have raised no objection (verse 18).

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Search The Scriptures —Study 4 — Galatians 3:19-4:7

Study 4 From The Book of Galatians Is: Galatians 3:19-4:7

1. 3:19-24. Paul seems to have made light of the law.  How does he state its purpose in this passage?

2. In what way does 3:25-4:7 demonstrate the amazing privileges and position of a Christian? Make a list of them in your own words.

Notes. 3:19, 20.  'Added because of transgressions': i.e., the law gave to sin the form of transgression and so made men conscious of guilt before God when they sinned.  Cf. Rom. 3:19, 20; 5:20; 7:7, 13.

'it was ordained by angels through an intermediary': Paul introduces these words to show that the promise is superior to the Law even in the very manner of its promulgation. In the case of Abraham God Himself spoke the promises directly, whereas the giving of the law was through intermediaries on both sides--God being represented by angels. (cf. Dt. 33:2, LXX; Act 7:53; Heb. 2:2), and the people by Moses.

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Search The Scriptures —Study 3 — Galatians 3:1-18

Study 3 From The Book of Galatians Is: Galatians 3:1-18

These verses are a fourfold argument in proof of 2:16: (a) verses 1-5, an argument from experience, (b) verses 6-9, an argument from Scripture teaching about Abraham (c) verses 10-14, an argument from the meaning of Christ’s death, and (d) verses 15-18, an argument from the fact that the covenant of promise was long prior to the giving of the law.

     1.      Unravel the arguments used by Paul in these verses to demonstrate that justification and enjoyment of the gift of the Spirit are by faith in Christ, and not by ‘works of the law’ (i.e., our own law-keeping).

2.      Verses 10-18. Distinguish between law and promise and between works and faith as bases in God’s dealing with men.  What two benefits has Christ made available for us by His redeeming work?

Notes

1. Verses 2, 5. ‘By hearing with faith’: this is an abbreviate expression for hearing the word of the gospel and receiving it with responsive or obedient faith. Cf. Rom. 10:8-17
2. Verse 7. 'The sons of Abraham': in the sense of spiritual likeness. Jn. 8:39.
3. Verses 8.9. Paul interprets the promise of Gn. 12:3b to mean that just as Abraham received the blessing of justification by faith (Gn. 15:6), so a time would come when men of all nations would ' in Abraham', i e, through his seed, which is Christ (verse 14, 16), receive the same blessing in the same way.LINK TO THE VERSES LISTED

Search The Scriptures —Study 2 — Galatians 2

Study 2 From The Book of Galatians Is: Galatians 2

1.      Verses 1-10. Why does Paul consider his Jerusalem visit significant? What issues were at stake, and what facts were confirmed?

2.      Verse 11-21. What were Paul’s motives for his opposition to Peter?  How does he justify the stand which he took? Try to express in your own words the truth declared in verses 16 and 20.

3.      What may we learn from this chapter concerning the principles which should govern Christian fellowship, church unity and ministerial co-operation?

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Search The Scriptures —Study 1 — Galatians 1

Study 1 From The Book of Galatians Is: Galatians 1

1.      What does Paul say in verses 1-10 (a) about God; (b) about Christ; (c) about himself; (d) about the gospel?  Note these things carefully, for they lay the foundation on which the Epistle rests.

2.      Verses 11-24. How does Paul show that the gospel is a revelation of God?  What does his personal testimony demonstrated? What significance has this for the Christian?

Note. Verse 10 is parenthetical. Paul appears to have been charged by his opponents with being a man-pleaser.  So, after writing verses 8 and 9, he interjects a pertinent question. What he means is: ‘Words such as I have just written do not look like man-pleasing, do they?’  

                                                             

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Search The Scriptures —Study 0 — Galatians Introduction

Study 0 From The Book of Galatians Is:  Introduction to Galatians

The particular situation with which the Epistle deals must be kept in mind if its great argument is to be understood. Paul had preached the gospel of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ to the Galatians, who were of Gentile race.  They had welcomed him with enthusiasm, and many had believed (4:14, 15). But, they had later been visited by Jewish-minded Christian teachers who had told them that it was not enough simply to believe on Jesus Christ: they must also be circumcise and keep the law of Moses.  These teachers had further cast doubts upon Paul’s apostleship, and had sought to undermine his authority. We can understand with what mingled sorrow, indignation and deep concern Paul refutes the teaching of the legalists, and defends both his own position and the truth of the gospel which he had proclaimed.

The question at issue assumes a different form today, but is nonetheless vital. Is acceptance with God to be obtained by any effort of ours, or is it, as the gospel declared, the free gift of God’s grace through the redemptive work of Christ, to be obtained by faith alone?  The enduring value of this Epistle lies in the answer given by Paul, under the inspiration of the Spirit, to this question. 

Search The Scriptures —Study 17 — Revision of the book of Joshua

Study 17 From The Book of Joshua Is: Revision of the book of Joshua

With this revision, we conclude the book of Joshua. I hope you have been blessed through this lesson I know I have been. So, tomorrow, we will start the book of Galatians. I can’t wait.

1.      By looking through the book of Joshua as a whole, clarify the outline of events in your mind.

2.      What encouragements and warnings have you gained? What does the book teach of (a) the character of God, and (b) His purposes for His people?

Search The Scriptures —Study 16 — Joshua 24

Study 16 From The Book of Joshua Is:  Joshua 24

1.      Note the place chosen by Joshua for this occasion. Cf. Gn. 12:6, 7; 33:18, 19; Jos. 8:32-35 Acts 7:16. In what other ways did he seek to make this as impressive and memorable an event as possible? Consider verse 2:13; 14, 15; 19, 20, 23; 25-28.

2.      What evidence is there in this chapter, despite all that God had done, of the superficiality and instability of the Israelites’s religious life? Cf. Ho. 6:4.

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Search The Scriptures —Study 15 — Joshua 23

Study 15 From The Book of Joshua Is:  Joshua 23

1.      Verses 1-13. To whom was Joshua speaking on this occasion?  On what conditions does the fulfillment in verse 5 depend?

2.      How is the faithfulness of God shown in this chapter? Cf. the similar statements in 21:43-45 and 1 Sa. 7:12. Can you endorse these?

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