Galatians Lesson 01 (Text: Galatians 1:1-24)
Introduction to Galatians Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, wrote this letter to the believers in Galatia around A.D. 58. It was written to expose false teaching, and in defense of the “pure gospel”. After Paul had preached in Galatia, and established the church, others came down from Jerusalem and taught many false ideas which some of the Galatians accepted. These false teachers mixed Jewish religion and keeping Jewish laws, along with teaching salvation through Jesus Christ. They taught that salvation depended not only on belief in the Lord Jesus Christ, but also on abiding by Jewish law. They also taught that leading a separate life as believers, required the keeping of the Law, as well as Jewish ritual and the help of the Holy Spirit. Paul marveled that they had departed from the grace of Christ unto another gospel (1:6). Galatians 1:8 and 9 warn of this false teaching. Read 2:16 and 20. Paul’s heart was broken over the condition of the Galatians. (3:1-3) “The just shall live by faith”, is an important doctrine of the grace of God. It is quoted in Galatians 3:11, Romans 1:17, Hebrews 10:38, and in the Old Testament book of Habakkuk 2:4. These words about the just living by faith have had a tremendous influence in many lives, among them Martin Luther and John Wesley. A believer is saved by the grace of God, by faith in Christ alone, and not by works. See Ephesians 2:8-10, and 3:17. The grace of God teaches holy living. Read Titus 2:11-15. Grace teaches believers to live for Him and to look for Him. We work for God because we are already saved, and not to be saved by these works. The Galatians were trying to mix grace and law.
Galatians – “The magna carta of Christian freedom”
Key Verse: Galatians 5:1 “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
Key Words: Law – found 32 times; Faith – found 21 times; Free – found 7 times.
Theme: Liberty, not bondage, God has given liberty to believers in Christ. We are not to be entangled again with the yoke of bondage (the law).
Date: 55 A.D.
Writer: The Apostle Paul (see I Corinthians)
Written to: believers in Galatia (shortest of Paul’s writings) from Rome
The Book: Number in Bible – 48th Book in the Bible; Number of Chapters – 6; Number of verses – 149; Number in order of writing – 9th in New Testament.
Purpose: To refute and offset the teaching of the Judaisers. They were teaching that after salvation was obtained through Christ, it must be maintained by works.
Divisions:
Chapter 1 – The cross and deliverance from an evil world
Chapter 2 – The cross and crucifixion
Chapter 3 – The cross and redemption from the curse
Chapter 4 – The cross and adoption into Sonship
Chapter 5 – The cross and its continued offense
Chapter 6 – The cross and its persecutions
Outline:
I. Personal, grace and the Gospel (1-2)
a. Grace declared in Paul’s message (1:1-10)
b. Grace demonstrated in Paul’s life (1:11-24)
c. Grace defended in Paul’s ministry (2:1)
1. Before the church leaders collectively (2:1-10)
2. Before Peter personally (2:11-21)
II. Doctrinal, grace and the law (34) – Paul proves that salvation is not through keeping the law
a. Personal argument from experience (3:1-5)
b. Scriptural argument – Abraham’s faith (3:6-14)
c. Logical argument (3:15-29)
d. Dispensational argument (4:1-11)
e. Sentimental argument (4:12-18)
f. Allegorical argument (4:19-31)
III. Practical, grace and the Christian life (5-6)
a. Liberty, not bondage (5:1-5)
b. The Spirit, not the flesh (5:16-26)
c. Others, not self (6:1-10)
d. God’s glory, not man’s approval (6:11-18)
Miscellaneous:
1) Galatians called “Paul’s explosive epistle” – every sentence a thunderbolt. Every word a stick of dynamite.
2) Relates to the Book of Romans
In Galatians we shall find:
1) A law that had been satisfied
2) A love that had been manifested
3) A life that must be lived
4) A liberty that had been secured
The Quizzes located to the right are all based on what you will read in this book. It is strongly advised that you read through this book 2-3 times, and have it open when you take the quizzes.
