Day #329

Sermon - Audio
Galatians 4-6 - Reading
Galatians 4-6 - Audio

Daily Insights - Please Comment

4:3 We are also in bondage under the Law until our sacrifice came in Jesus. Not that the law was "bad," but it was an act of grace from God until the fulfillment came in Jesus.

4:3 2 different translations used - "elementary principals" (ABC's or rudimentary education) or "elemental Spirits" (evil one or demons). Paul may be saying here that Satan took a good thing (the law) and used it for an evil purpose (works-based faith). Whereas God used the law for an interim step to its fulfillment in Christ.

4:4-6 God did two things: Sent His Son and Sent His Spirit.

His Son:
"If He had not been man, He could not have redeemed men. If He had not been a righteous man, He could not have unrighteous men. If He had not been God's Son, He could not have redeemed men for God or made them the sons of God."

His Spirit:
Romans 8:15-16 It is our Spirit now bearing witness to the fact that we are children of God.

4:4-5 God's purpose was to redeem and to adopt us as sons...not just a rescue.

4:10 Paul is saying that your religion has degenerated into an external formalism. It is no longer the free and joyful communion of children with their father; it has become a dreary routine of rules and regulations.

4:11 For the above reason is why Paul states that he fears he has "labored over them in vain."

4:12-20 Paul shows his heart for the people throughout Galatia. Paul is not merely an intellectual, but also has a big heart. He displays this in the words he uses here (brethren-12 little children-19 labor as mother). This is Paul the passionate lover of souls.

4:12 The initial view of Paul was a pleasant one. Both sides not only accepted one another, but embraced.

4:13 The bodily ailment that Paul had could have kept him in Galatia when he was on his way somewhere else. This ailment could be the "thorn" in 2 Corinthians 12:7. No one is sure of the exact nature of the ailment, but it seems to have disfigured him in some way and maybe affect his eyesight. It's also possible this came from a beating that Paul experienced in his journeys.

4:14 This was all a great trial to the people of Galatia accepting him. By accepting him as an apostle, they had accepted Christ (Mat 10:40)

4:15-16 Something Drastically Changed: They did a 180, and now treated Paul as an enemy. So the people accepted Paul until they didn't like what the message was.

4:17 Paul is talking about the false teachers (they) making much of the people in Galatia. So the false teachers fawned and fussed over them in order to convince them of their message. The false teachers "shut them out" - meaning they wanted to exclude them from the freedom in Christ. They wanted to do this in order to make much of themselves(false teachers).

4:19 Paul is not satisfied that Christ dwells in them; he longs to see Christ formed in them, to see them transformed into the image of Christ, until they take the shape of Christ.

4:20 "Perplexed" - Paul is at his wits end trying to figure out what happened with these people. Paul's goal is for them to be formed in Christ, the other teachers want the glory for themselves, not God.

4:22 Historical - Jews believed themselves to be eternally safe because of the promise made to Abraham. This is just not so though - Matthew 3:9, John 8:31-44 (God's Children). Paul is stating that Jesus and JTB were saying that true descent from Abraham is through faith/spiritual and not physical. So the true sons of Abraham and the promise are those who believe as Abraham believed. We can not claim to belong to Abraham if we don't belong to Christ. As Christ was the fulfillment of the law.

4:24-27 Hagar & Sarah

Hagar = Bore children into slavery, stands for the covenant at Mt. Sinai, the law (Arabians were known as "sons of the law"). She corresponds to the state of Jerusalem outside of the acceptance of Christ as the fulfillment for she is in slavery with her children.

Sarah = Bearer of Issac, the son born into freedom, the heavenly Jerusalem that is under Christ/the promise (we are citizens). We are bound to Christ, the fulfillment, who offers freedom.

*Expect Persecution - Gen. 21:9 - Ishmael mocked Isaac. Isaac was the object of Ishmael's scorn. Many times the Ishmaels are within our physical church walls.
*We shall receive the inheritance - Gen 17:18-21 (God established it with Isaac) Gen 21:10-13

Paul switches the belief that Ishmael represents the Gentiles, but that it represents non-believers.

Romans 8:17 - we are heirs with Christ.
1 Corinthians 8:10 - we are this way because we are a part of the eternal promise and can always look to Christ.

5:2-4 Paul raises the issue of circumcision which was not taken lightly by the Jewish community because of its doctrinal implications. Circumcision was a theological symbol, not just a physical one. Paul preached a message to the Gentiles that was contrary to their theology, as stated in Acts 15:1,5. The Jewish community was declaring that Christ alone was not sufficient, and that the Gentiles needed circumcision. Paul's goal in these verses is to tell the people that they can not add anything to Christ. It is in Christ and Christ alone that we are saved.

5:5 Paul uses the phrase "through the Spirit" which signifies a life in the Spirit which Paul later states in verses 22 & 23 is faith working through love.

5:7-12 There are two groups here that Paul is talking about. One is "he" or "they" = the false teachers, One is "I" = Paul

5:7 Paul uses the analogy of running a race again (see Rom 9:5, 1 Cor 9:24, 2 Tim 4:7, and maybe Hebrew 12:1). Running the race well was not just putting your beliefs in something, but those beliefs changing who you are, applying belief with behavior. "His creed is expressed in his conduct."

5:8-12 Paul traces all of the events which led them to believe in these false teachers and the effect of its end.

5:9 The affect = "A little yeast leavens the whole lump." = The error of the false teachers was spreading in the Christian community until the whole church was becoming contaminated. Same verb is used by Paul in 1 Cor 5:6.

5:10 The End = Error will not triumph in the end and Paul is assured that the Galatians will come to rest in the true gospel. He is also sure that the false teacher will fall under judgement from God.

5:12 "mutilate" = make eunuchs of themselves. Paul was concerned for the people in Galatia and for the true gospel. This is why he was so direct in his rebuke about the false teachers. It needed to stop.

5:13 "flesh" = fallen human nature that all of us inherit from our parents. We are all prone to sin.

5:13 We are not to use this "freedom" for an opportunity (aphorme - operation grounds in a battle) to indulge in our fallen human nature. It is freedom from sin and the sinful nature, not to sin. Even Jesus tells us that sin puts us back into being a slave in John 8:34. Or we can look at Paul with Titus in Titus 3:3.

5:13 "freedom and flesh" = "We have totally repudiated the claim of our lower nature to rule over us. We have crucified it. Now we seek to walk in the Spirit and are promised, that if we do, that we shall not gratify the desires of the flesh. Instead we will be ripened fruit.

5:14 We are called to love. Christian liberty is one of service to another, not one of using others for our benefit. The marks of love are given in verse 22.

5:14-15 Having liberty from the law does not mean that we don't obey God's teachings. It means that we have accepted Jesus Christ as the only way to reconciliation with God and we now live by the Spirit in obedience to the Spirit. This is the freedom with which Christ has set us free (1) and to which we are called (13) to stand firm in.

5:16-25 In the previous couple verses Paul has discussed this freedom or liberty found in Christ. However, now Paul turns us to how his can be done. It is only through the Holy Spirit that we can oppose and subdue our flesh. Paul mentions the Spirit 7 times by name in these passages, which shows us the significance he is placing on the Holy Spirit. It is Christ who sets us free, but without the continuing, directing, and sanctifying work of the Spirit, our liberty is bound to degenerate into license/legalism/etc.

5:16-17 There is an inner conflict happening between the flesh and the Spirit. Paul shows discusses this conflict within himself in Romans 7.

5:19-23 Paul lists the difference between a person who lives by the flesh and the characteristics of a Spirit-led person. These are in direct conflict with one another and forever will be.

Spirit-Led (Gal 5:22-23) Vs Flesh (Gal 5:19-21)

Flesh - 4 Categories (sex, religion, society, drink)

Sex - Paul mentions immorality, impurity, a disregard of sexual restraint

Religion - idolatry, sorcery

Society - Quarrels, Dissensions, Envy, Selfish Ambition, Jealousy, Temper, Anger,

Drink - Drunkenness, Carousing/Orgy

Spirit

Love, Joy, Peace - Our attitude toward God - God-ward

Patience, Kindness, Goodness - Social Virtues, these are more Man-ward than God-ward in direction.

Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control - more Self-Ward

The Fruit of the Spirit = the natural produce that appears in the lives of Spirit-led Christians.

6:1 - restore: “The verb is instructive. Kataritzo means to ‘put in order’ and so to ‘restore to its former condition.' We must do so in gentleness/love...but we must still do it.

Good summary of this section - “Notice the assumption which lies behind this command, namely that we all have burdens and that God does not mean us to carry them alone. “The right relationship between teacher and taught, or minister and congregation, is one of koinonia, ‘fellowship’ or ‘partnership’. So Paul writes: ‘Let him who is taught the word share (koinoneito) all good things with him who teaches.’” It isn’t payment; it is sharing.” -Stott-

11 - no typing back then.

Other's Motives: The legalists pretended to be motivated out of concern for the ones they tried to bring under the law. But Paul saw their this deception, and saw their motive was really selfish, simply desiring the honor and glory of a good showing in the flesh. They wanted the Galatians to become circumcised so they could wear the submission of these Gentiles as a badge of achievement.

Paul's Motives: Paul’s heart cares nothing for the glory that came from fame. He cared nothing for the glory that came from riches. He cared nothing for the glory that came from status and power among men. He only cared about the glory of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Day #328

Sermon - Audio
Galatians 1-3 - Reading
Galatians 1-3 - Audio

Daily Insights - Please Comment

The book of Galatians as a chapter in the master story of the Bible.

Like most of the NT epistles, the letter to the Galatians works out some of the implications of the gospel. In particular, it preserves the free grace that God has provided in the cross of Christ by resisting any temptation to think that sinners can be saved by something they do, when in fact sinners can be saved only by believing in what Jesus has done.

1:1-2 "not from men nor through man" "through Jesus Christ and God the Father" - Paul is making sure to introduce himself as a messenger sent by God, not man (apostle). The people were going away from Paul's message and turning to other false teachers. Those false teachers were likely telling the people of Galatia that Paul was an impostor and not really a true apostle. Paul even goes as far to negate the other people who travel with him from this honor. He does this in verse 2 by stating "the brothers who are with me." He did not include them in the introduction under the same headings as him. Thus, leaving a specific "title" for himself. The greeting is much the same, but Paul includes the "not from men nor through man" to drive the point home of his title as apostle.

1:3-4 "Grace and Peace" - Paul is once again starting off a letter with these two words. The salvation message can be summed up with these two. Peace - "Completeness" (restoration) Grace - "God's unmerited favor" (getting what you don't deserve). The Galatians were trying hard to make the gospel more than that, so Paul makes it a point to start off his letter explaining how grace and peace were freely given/delivered to us.

1:4 The introduction is said in such a way to show that Jesus was the sacrifice for us. 3:13 The gospel message is one of "rescue." Jesus rescued us from our sin by being the sacrifice for it.

1:5 Paul ends with giving "glory" to the Father. As usual Paul is stating that the reason why everything he just stated has happened and is true is for God's glory. Those who have led the Galatians astray are doing so to “make a good showing in the flesh” (6:12), whereas Paul will conclude the letter by stating that his sole desire is to give all the glory to Christ (6:14).

1:6 The people have been listening to a group of people, Judaizers, say that they must accept Jesus, and..... "obey the law" "get circumcised" etc. Paul wants them to know that it is by God's grace, and only through God's grace through Jesus Christ that we are saved or "set free."

1:7 Two characteristics of these "false teachers." 1. Distorting the gospel 2. Troubling the people, or Causing them anguish/distress. So when you "tamper with the gospel" you automatically "cause trouble in the church."

1:10 Paul answers his critics, and the Galatians false beliefs that he is doing this to please man or himself.

1:11-12 Divine intervention is why Paul is givin the authority to proclaim his message so boldly. Because the revelation was given from God, it gave Paul the courage to carry it out.

1:13-14 Pre-Conversion = Paul persecuted the church zealously. You see the words "violently" "destroy" "zealous" all being used when he describes his previous life. This is confirmed in Acts 8:3, 26:5&10

1:13-14 It would take God, and only God, to change a man with that much passion and hatred for Christianity...and God did it.

1:15-16a Conversion = Paul was not searching for God or His mercy. God chose and found him. This is why Paul takes NO credit for the conversion, but states that "when he set me apart" and "when he who called" etc.

1:16b-2:1 Paul is trying to make it clear that the theology & message of Jesus Christ was given directly to him by Jesus Christ and no one else, including Jesus' disciples. He wants to make sure that his audience knows the message he is giving is from God himself.

2:2 Paul went to visit the other apostles after 14 years, because of a revelation from God. While Paul was there he preached the gospel that he had been preaching all along and the other apostles approved of the message Paul was preaching. So the Galatians were not only against Paul, but against the other apostles as well. This would have probably shook them up a bit.

2:7-2:10 All the other apostles agreed at that time that Paul's mission was from Christ, to preach to the Gentiles the message of Jesus Christ's salvation and the freedom that comes from that. One of Paul's main goals was to help the poor, which he claims he is eager to do. We can see him doing so in (Rom 15:25,26, 1Cor 16:1-3, 2 Cor 8-9)

Paul could care less what Peter's stature is, only that he was condemning the gospel message with his actions (not accepting the Gentiles when the Jewish people were around). Paul makes this rebuke public, not to shame Peter, but to show everyone how important it is to keep the gospel true and untouched. This once again shows Paul's true concern, the true gospel.

2:17-21 Paul's critics are saying that the gospel Paul is preaching is dangerous and relieves people from any moral obligation. So it's ok to sin, etc. Paul answers them back harshly with a "Certainly Not!" Christ is not the "author of our sins." Paul's claim is that it is impossible for someone who has accepted Jesus Christ or "is justified," to go back to their old life since they are now changed / new creation. 2 Corin 5:17, Gal 6:15

2:19-20 Paul is stating that "we have been crucified with Christ and risen up with him." This is the new creation of which he speaks for those who are justified. How can we possibly be changed and still continue in our old ways/old flesh?! Paul does not see this as a possibility. Thus Paul is always seeking to live in a way that pleases God, yet not at all depending on his own actions for justification.

3:6-9 Paul is relating the Abrahamic covenant back to these Gentile believers. It was through faith that Abraham was justified, thus the Abrahamic Covenant is one of Justification. "All nations will be blessed through you." This is Paul relating the current situation to a previous promise. The Gentiles are now blessed and included in this covenant of justification. Romans 4

3:10 Sin is lawlesness, a disregard for the laws of God. So by breaking the law, we have all fallen under the curse of God. The law has exposed our sinful nature, because it is by it that we know what sin is.

3:13-14 Hanging on a tree was seen as a curse, and Paul even states here that Christ had to become a curse in order to take away our curse. Many Jews had a very difficult time with Jesus being a curse (hanging on a tree), for good reason by the way, and therefore they didn't accept Him. That is, until many of them realized that He had to do this for their sins.

3:14 Three-Fold Blessing (Justification, Eternal Life, Promised Spirit)

History - Abraham - Isaac - Jacob - All died outside of promised land (430 yrs. pass). Promise to Abraham = God says I will, I will, I will, Promise is one of faith and grace.

3:26-28 Three things that we are in Christ | 1.(26&27) In Christ we are sons of God - God is no longer seen as our judge or tutor, but our Father. God is only our Father if we adopt Jesus Christ into our lives. God is Jesus' Father and the Father of those who accept Jesus. 2.(28) In Christ we are all one - We belong not only to Christ but to one another as brothers and sisters. Therefore, the barriers that plague this world (sex, race, color, etc.) have no barrier under Christ. 3.(28) In Christ we are Abraham's seed - We see our place in the unfolding story of God.

3:27 Baptism is a sign of this union, Paul would not preach against the law for salvation and then require us to another action for salvation.