WE ARE ALL CHILDREN OF GOD THROUGH FAITH
Galatians 3:15–29 Lesson 5
Key Verse: 3:26 Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF 8-14-11
“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith..."
In today's passage Paul helps us to see a bird's eye view of God's salvation work. When we do, we can find three main pillars: Abraham, Moses and Jesus Christ. Through these three figures, God's plan is progressively revealed. God started salvation work through Abraham when he promised that all nations on earth would be blessed through his offspring. God fulfilled this promise through Jesus Christ. As God's salvation history unfolded, some 400 years later, God gave the law through Moses. The purpose of the law is to expose sin as sin, and lead us to salvation in Christ. Both the promise and the law point to Jesus Christ. However, God's history is based on his promise to Abraham, not the law. Paul explained God's history to the Galatians so that they might know God's intention to make people of all nations his children through faith in Christ. We must know that in Christ, there is no distinction based on race, gender, or social status. We are all children of God through faith in Christ. When we have this clear identity, we are blessed and can embrace all kinds of people in Christ.
Part l: “The Law Does Not Set Aside The Promise” (15-18)
In order to illustrate his point, Paul shared the example of a human covenant, and related it to God's promise. The word "covenant" in verse 15 comes from a rather technical Greek word (diatheke) which can be translated "last will and testament." We are familiar with a will. It is a legal document that governs the distribution of a deceased person's estate to his heirs. While the estate owner is alive, he can revise his will as he pleases. He may want to reduce or increase the inheritance of heirs based on their behavior. However, after he dies, his will cannot be changed. Nothing can be added or taken away. It must be executed as written by the deceased. And so is the covenant of God, it is a promise that can not be added to or taken away. It can not be changed. What are some of the promised of God that we Christians hold onto? What about the promise of the forgiveness of sins to all who repent and believe in Jesus? What about the promise of the resurrection? What about the promise to bear much fruit for the glory of God, in this life, as we follow Jesus? There are so many promises that God has given us that can not be added or taken away. Praise God.
In verses 16-18, Paul teaches that the inheritance God gives does not depend on the law, but on a promise; it comes by God's grace alone (18). Paul related this truth to God's promise to Abraham. God gave many promises to Abraham, such as, "I will make you into a great nation...I will make your name great," and, "...to your offspring I will give this land..." (Gen 12:2-3; 7). Yet, as Paul explains in Galatians, these promises all converge into one: "...though your offspring, all nations on earth will be blessed..." (Gen 12:3; 22:18). Paul says that "offspring" is not plural but singular, and refers to one person, who is Christ (16). In giving his promise to Abraham, God looked forward to Christ. It was the promise to bring the gospel of grace, through the Savior, to all nations. God wanted Abraham and his descendants to realize that he would keep this promise without fail. So he swore an oath.
Usually, we swear by someone greater than ourselves. In a courtroom, witnesses put their hand on the Bible and swear “to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God." But God had no one greater to swear by. So he swore by himself. Hebrews 6:17 says, "Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath." God seriously and absolutely committed himself to keep his promise. The law came 430 years later. It does not set aside the promise (17). And so the point Paul is making is, the inheritance God gives does not depend on the law, but on a promise. It comes by God's grace alone (18).
Since Paul took great pains to distinguish the promise and the law, it is worthwhile for us to consider the nature of both. In the promise God said, "I will...I will...I will...." But in the law of Moses, God said, "You shall...You shall not...You shall...." Upon this basis, John Stott commented: "The promise sets forth a religion of God--'God's plan,' 'God's grace,' 'God's initiative.' But the law sets forth a religion of man--'man's duty,' 'man's works,' 'man's responsibility.' The promise had only to be believed. But the law had to be obeyed. God's dealings with Abraham were in the category of 'promise,' 'grace' and 'faith.' But God's dealings with Moses were in the category of 'law,' 'commandments,' and 'works.' The conclusion to which Paul is leading is that the Christian religion is the religion of Abraham and not Moses, of promise and not law; and that Christians are enjoying today the promise which God made to Abraham centuries ago" Martin Luther said, "For unless the gospel be plainly discerned from the law, the true Christian doctrine cannot be kept sound and uncorrupt. But if this difference be well known, then is the true manner of justification also known, and then it is an easy matter to discern faith from works, Christ from Moses...." So, it is important for us to distinguish between law and promise.
[John Robert Walmsley Stott, CBE (27 April 1921 – 27 July 2011) was an English Christian leader and Anglican cleric who was noted as a leader of the worldwide Evangelical movement. He was one of the principal authors of the Lausanne Covenant in 1974. In 2005, Time magazine ranked Stott among the 100 most influential people in the world.] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Stott
This salvation of God, based on the promises of God, and which God himself fulfills in our lives, is purely the wonderful grace of Jesus freely given to all who believe. God's grace is the "safety net" of our soul, and the "bottom line" beyond which nothing can pass. God's grace will not allow us to fall beyond remedy. We go up and down, rise and fall, succeed and fail. Yet, through it all, God holds us in his arms of grace. This is our blessed assurance. This gives us hope, like an anchor for our souls, that is steadfast and certain no matter how stormy our lives may be (Heb 6:19).
Part ll: The Purpose Of The Law (19-25)
In verses 19-25 there are two questions. These questions were probably raised by the Judaizers. In order to answer them, Paul taught the Galatians the role of the law in God's work and history. Let’s see what Paul has to teach us…
The first question is, "Why, then, was the law given at all?" Actually, many of us have this question. Jennifer even posed this question one day during our group Bible study. We may even ask ourselves, "If we are saved only by faith in Jesus, why do we need the law? Why do have I struggled so hard to live a holy life? Why did I receive so much divine discipline in life in order to live rightly before God? Has it all been in vain?" With these questions in mind, let's see why the law was given.
Paul's answer was very clear. Look at verse 19b. "…It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come." In order to understand this verse it helps to know when the law was given to Israel, and what their national situation was. According to Genesis, God led the Israelites to Egypt in Jacob's time. God's purpose was to make them a great nation that could declare his praises to the whole world. The people suffered as slaves under Pharaoh. Then God delivered them by his mighty acts of judgment, some 430 years later (Ex 12:41). God led his redeemed people to Mount Sinai and gave them the law in order to make them a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Ex 19:5-6). They needed the law, because even though they were free, they still had the mentality of slaves. In reviewing Exodus, we find that they were ungrateful and ready to complain. They were impatient, easily angered, and often fought each other. They were greedy and sexually immoral in many ways. God gave them laws against incest, and physical relationships with animals. But they quickly forgot God, fell into idolatry, and even indulged in revelry. (Ex 32:6) What was their problem? Their main problem was that they did not have a consciousness of sin. They can be compared to people with a terminal disease who are totally unaware of it. They did not know themselves or see themselves from God’s point of view.
They were in desperate need of God and God so came to rescue them. He set out to make them his holy people. The first step was to give them the law to help them recognize sin as sin. If you know anything about medicine, when they properly diagnosed the problem in their hearts, they could realize that only God could help them. They could come to God, humbly as sinners for forgiveness and cleansing, which was offered through the sacrificial system. This sacrificial system was a shadow of Jesus' atonement for sin. The role of the law was not to save them from their sins, but to provoke, expose, and condemn sin so that they might come to God for help. As they did so, they could be trained and sanctified and grow as God's holy people. Now we understand why God gave them the law.
The promise is superior to the law both in substance and effectiveness. In verses 19c-20 Paul draws out a contrast between the law and the promise. This sharpens his argument that the promise is weightier than the law. First, the law required a mediator, the promise did not. In the NLT, (New Living Translation), these verses read, "God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people. Now a mediator is helpful if more than one party must reach an agreement. But God, who is one, did not use a mediator when he gave his promise to Abraham." We can find two points of contrast. First of all, the law was given indirectly through angels and a mediator, before it finally came to the people. At that time there was a great chasm between God and his people, because of their sin. God warned Moses not to let the Israelites go up the mountain to see him, or he would break out against them and many would perish (Ex 19:20-22). God is holy. If sinful men meet the holy God directly, they will perish. So they needed a mediator. The need for a mediator emphasizes the distance between God and man. However, God spoke the promise to Abraham directly. God was close to Abraham and so he gave his promises directly.
As a second contrast, the law was conditional. Within the covenant of the law, God and the people both had something to fulfill. If either party failed, the covenant would be nullified. On the other hand, God's promise to Abraham was unconditional. God did not require anything more of Abraham than that he believe the promise. God took full and one-sided responsibility to fulfill the promise. God kept his promise by sending Jesus Christ.
Because the promise is personal and unconditional for all who believe, it can not fail. It is based on the all mighty God and his unconditional love for sinner. Therefore, the promise is superior to the law both in substance and effectiveness.
The second question is, "Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God?" The implication of this question is that if we are saved by faith alone, the law is in opposition to the promise and we can disregard it totally. What does Paul say? "Absolutely not!" The law and the promise are not opposed to each other. In fact, they work together according to God's intended purpose. Yet the role of each is different. The law does not produce righteousness, but conviction of sin and condemnation. The law brings a guilty verdict to all people on earth, so that mankind may realize there is no way out apart from the Savior. Verse 22a says, "Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin...." Romans 3:10b says, "There is no one righteous, not even one." Romans 3:20 says, "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin." This leads to the promise.
The promise is that salvation will be given freely by grace to anyone who believes in Christ (22b-23). While the power of sin and the law are like a prison, faith in Christ is like a key. Faith opens the door and sets the prisoner free. Verse 24 says, "So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith." When we have faith in Jesus, we are no longer under the law (25). So we see that the law and the promise are not contradictory, they are complimentary; we need both. But the promise came first and is foundational to understand the purpose of the law.
Part III: We Are All One In Christ Jesus (26-29)
Thus far Paul has reviewed how God worked through the promise to Abraham and the law of Moses. We have seen how both the promise and the law point to Jesus Christ. Now we will consider what Christ has done.
Paul proclaims a marvelous blessing on those who believe. Let's read verse 26. "So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith...." It is an amazing proclamation! According to the law, it was impossible for anyone to become a child of God. People are born as slaves to sin. Their position as a slave cannot be changed. Though their living situation may improve, their slave status cannot be changed. The point is, without Jesus, we are always under the condemnation of the law. We are guilty and fearful without remedy. This is still the present condition of those who don't believe in Jesus. They try to be saved by works: like daily prayer, almsgiving, (which is giving to the poor), fasting, going on pilgrimages, and so on. However, they are greatly burdened in spirit, without peace or joy. This is the condition of all who rely on keeping the law to be righteous.
But now, in the Gospel, faith has come (25). Through faith we are set free from bondage to sin and the law. Through faith we become children of God. In Christ Jesus we are all children of God through faith (26). When we simply believe in Christ Jesus, God gives us amazing grace to become his children. John 1:12 says, "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God...."
The greatest blessing through faith in Christ Jesus is to become children of God. God not only forgives all our sins, but makes us his children. This is not just the improvement of our situation, such as becoming rich, getting accepted to Harvard University, being healed from a disease, winning a prestigious award, or marrying the most suitable person. But it is a fundamental change within us which brings us out of the dominion of darkness and into the kingdom of light. It also changes us from being like poor beggars into privileged children of God. Our status is changed from slaves to children. Sure, we have many ups and downs. Sometimes we make mistakes and fail. However, God never cuts us off from being his children. Even though we fall short, we are still his precious children. This happens when we just believe in Jesus alone. It is totally out of God's love for us. 1 John 3:1 says, "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God, and that is what we are!" What a blessing to become his children!
Verse 27 further explains the meaning of faith in Christ through the metaphors of baptism and changing our clothing: "...for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." Baptism into Christ, as explained in Romans 6:3-5, means we are united with Christ in his death and resurrection. It means the death of our old sinful nature and the birth of a new life through the power of the Risen Christ. Our inner person has fundamentally changed through a new spiritual birth as God's children. Though this new birth has happened by God's grace, we need to live out our faith in daily life. It is like changing clothes. We take off our old dirty garments and put on new clean garments (Ro 13:14). Just as we change our clothes every day, we can put on Christ every day and live a new life in him. Ephesians 4:22-24 says, "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." God sees us as his children through faith in Christ.
Now we can see ourselves as God's children through faith in Christ also. We must also see others in the same way. So verses 28-29 say, "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Our new identity as God's children supersedes any other human consideration. Distinctions based on race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, social status, wealth, education, appearance and so on become like spices. They make life spicy and interesting. But they are secondary. In essence, all who have faith in Christ are God's children and dear family members. It is wonderful, but not always easy to practice.
Dr. John Perkins, an African American, was born in New Hebron, Mississippi in 1930. His family members were sharecroppers and he grew up in grinding poverty. His brother died in his arms after being shot by a white deputy for no good reason. After moving to California, he met Jesus personally and began to live a Christian life. Later, he returned to Mississippi to work for the social and spiritual progress of his people. One night he was arrested without a charge and brutally beaten almost to death by white deputies. He said that at that moment, if he had had an atomic bomb, he would have blown up everyone around him out of his sense of vengeance. He realized that in his own soul there was a monster of racism and hatred. He could see the image of Satan in himself. So he began to seek Christ's grace for his own inner transformation. Through painful struggle, Christ began to set him free. Eventually, he could look upon white people with understanding and compassion. He often sings, "Red, yellow, black or white, they are precious in his sight; Jesus loves the little children of the world." And he ministers to many different people throughout the USA with the love of God. Today, even among Christians, there is still discrimination based on race, gender and social status. This does not please God. God wants all of his children to be one in Christ Jesus, not just in theory but in truth and practice.
In today's passage we have learned that God's promise of salvation gives us undying hope and is fundamental to our relationship with him. We also learned that we are all children of God through faith in Christ. Let's accept this grace with faith. Let's see other believers as precious family members in the family of God, our Father.
Part 1: The Law Does Not Set Aside The Promise (15–18)
1. A. What is the nature of a human covenant? (3:15) B. What were God’s promises to Abraham, and how were they fulfilled in Christ? (3:16; 3:8; Gen 22:18) C. When was the law introduced, and why did it not do away with God’s promise? (3:17) D. On what basis did God give his promised inheritance to Abraham? (3:18)
Part ll: The Purpose Of The Law (19-25)
2. A. For what purpose did God add the law? (3:19a; Rom 7:7,13) B. Why did God have to give his law to his sinful people through angels and a mediator? (3:19b–20; Ex 19:21–22) C. What did Paul say about the relationship between the law and God’s promise? (3:21a) D. What is the law’s limitation? (3:21b)
3. A. What does it mean that “Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin”? (3:22a; Rom 3:10–20) B. Who alone receives what was promised? (3:22b) C. What was our situation before faith in Christ was revealed to us? (3:23) D. What is the ultimate purpose of the law? (3:24) E. In Christ, what is our new relationship to the law? (3:25)
Part lll: We Are All One In Christ Jesus (26–29)
4. A. Read 3:26–27. What is our new identity in Christ Jesus? B. Why is this so amazing and graceful? (1Jn 3:1; 1Pe 2:10) C. How does this happen to us? (3:27) D. What is the spiritual meaning of “baptized into Christ”? (Rom 6:3–5) E. What does it mean to be “clothed with Christ”? (Rom 13:13–14; Eph 4:22–24) F. What does it mean to you to be a child of God?
5. A. In Christ, what is our new relationship with other believers, regardless of human distinctions? (3:28) B. How can we accept all kinds of people into our community, and why should we? (Rom 15:7; Rev 7:9) C. How did Paul emphasize the new status of those who belong to Christ, Jew or Gentile? (3:29)
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Galatians 3:1-14
Christ Redeemed Us
Galatians 3:1-14 , Lesson 4
Key Verse: 3:13 Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF 8-7-11
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.'"
In chapters 1 and 2 Paul defended the authenticity of his apostleship and the gospel he preached among the Gentiles. In chapters 3 and 4, Paul declares that we become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. To help us understand this, Paul develops his theme through several contrasts: faith versus observing the law (3:1-14), the promise versus the law (3:15-22), and children versus slaves (3:23-4:31). In today's passage Paul speaks to the Galatians directly, addressing their spiritual problem. They had received the Spirit by believing the gospel. But after receiving this blessing, they tried to keep the law of Moses in order to maintain their relationship with God. Inevitably, they would fail to keep the law and were cursed. Paul rebuked them so that they might continue to live by faith, not by the law.
After becoming Christians, many people attempt to keep the law instead of continuing in faith. They want to do something for God in the strength of the flesh. If they seem to succeed, they become self-righteous and very proud. When they fail they fall into a sense of condemnation. Their service to God becomes a big burden and futile. They have little joy or peace in their hearts. In the long run, they feel that their life is cursed. On the other hand, there are those who live by faith. They always remember what Jesus has done for them. Based on the grace of Jesus, they serve God depending on the help of the Holy Spirit. They are humble, willing, thankful, joyful and fruitful. This is the blessed life. Today let's learn how to live a blessed life though faith in Christ.
Part 1: By Faith, Not By Works Of The Law (1-9)
In verse 1 Paul rebuked the Galatians to bring them back to gospel faith. To help them, in verses 2-5, he reminded them of their own personal experience. Then, in verses 6-9, he drew upon Abraham's example
First, Paul tried to bring them back to their senses. Look at verse 1a. "You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?" The Message Bible says, "You crazy Galatians!" The Amplified Bible reads, "O you poor and silly and thoughtless and unreflecting and senseless Galatians!" Paul rebukes the Galatians for betraying gospel faith under the bad influence of false teachers. He did not excuse them because they were young. He rebuked them sharply to help them discern the truth and muster the courage to stand on gospel faith. The word "bewitched" indicates that the devil had gripped them. The devil has been a liar and murderer from the beginning (Jn 8:44). The devil intended to destroy the souls of the Galatians. Is the devil trying to bewitch your soul in some diabolical way? We don’t have to allow this to happen. Let’s see how…
To set them free from the devil, Paul reminded them of the gospel. Look at verse 1b. "Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified." Paul's message to the Galatians focused on Christ crucified. When Paul preached this, his explanation was so vivid that the Galatians felt they were watching Christ being crucified before their very eyes. Historically, Jesus' crucifixion had taken place some 15 years earlier. But as they listened they felt that it was happening right then. Here we see that Jesus' crucifixion is not just an isolated historical event, but it is like a fountain that flows continually. It was effective for the Galatians and continues to be effective throughout time. Why is this so?
On the cross Jesus said, "It is finished" (Jn 19:30). The original text uses the perfect tense, which expresses that action completed in the past has accomplished something for all time. After his death on the cross, Christ rose again to life. This proves that his death was acceptable to God as the perfect sacrifice (Ro 4:25). Furthermore, Christ is living. Christ obtained eternal redemption through his death and resurrection (Heb 9:12). This is why his atoning sacrifice is effective to all who believe. It was effective 2,000 years ago, and in the Galatians' time, and it is effective in our time. Christ's offering has power even now to forgive our sins and save us from eternal condemnation. Every Easter conference, "Christ crucified for our sins" is proclaimed. Many people experience Christ's death for them personally and receive Jesus with tears. The cross of Jesus has power to forgive our sins. As we proclaim the cross of Christ it works mightily in people of our times. We need only to believe this gospel and its power to change hearts. How did Paul bring the Galatians back to this gospel?
First, Paul reminded them of their personal experience (2-5). In verses 2-5 Paul asked several questions, progressively, to remind them of how God had worked in their lives. In verse 2 he asked, "Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?" The book of Acts reveals that as the apostles preached the gospel, people believed the message and received the Holy Spirit. They were changed into new people. (Ac 2:38; 8:15-17; 10:15; 13:48,52). The Holy Spirit comes to dwell in those who believe the gospel message. The Holy Spirit changes us into a new creation. This does not happen by observing the law, but by believing the gospel.
The Galatians had received the Spirit by believing…but then something happened. In verse 3 Paul asked, "After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?" At first they held onto gospel faith but when they heard they should be circumcised and obey the law, they agreed. They thought they could progress in sanctification by keeping the law. Paul called them foolish. As they had begun by faith, so they needed to continue by faith. It is God who sanctifies us by faith alone (1 Th 5:23; 2 Th 2:13; 1 Pe 1:2). Some people start with faith in Jesus, then try to be sanctified by works of the flesh. Paul says it is foolish. Romans 1:17 says, "...the righteous will live by faith from first to last." Hebrews 11:6a says, "And without faith it is impossible to please God...."
In verse 4 Paul asked, "Have you experienced so much in vain--if it really was in vain?" This refers to the persecution the Galatians received. It came from legalistic Jews who opposed the gospel ministry. It also came from fellow Gentiles who felt condemned by the Christians' holy lives. The Galatians suffered a lot from persecution. But they knew it was meaningful and valuable. It purified their faith and helped them take root in Christ. They grew spiritually. When we live godly lives by faith, persecution will follow from ungodly people (2 Tim 3:12). However, God uses it for our good and it is part of the blessed life of faith (Mt 5:10-12).
When we simply believe in Jesus we experience God's almighty power. In verse 5 Paul asked, "...does God work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?" When Paul was in Galatia, the Lord confirmed his message by enabling him to do miraculous signs and wonders (Ac 14:3). God's power is experienced by faith, not by observing the law. Jesus healed those who had faith (Mk 5:34; 10:53). A zealous Muslim woman in a Muslim country became terribly sick. No one could heal her--not physicians or the local witch doctor. But when she called on the name of Jesus she was healed. She later accepted Christ as her Savior. Through several rhetorical questions, Paul helped the Galatians remember that God worked mightily in their lives through their faith, not by their observing the law. Paul helped them realize that God is pleased by faith, not by works of the flesh. God confirms this by working many miracles among us. Christians live by faith alone, from the first to the last. Are there any confirming miracles at work among you?
Second, Paul presented Abraham as an example of one who lives by faith (6-9). Abraham was the father of the nation Israel. No one could refute Abraham's example. In Abraham's time, God had not yet given his law. Abraham was justified by faith. Look at verse 6. "So also Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." This is a quote from Genesis 15:6. At that time, Abraham had hit rock-bottom. Even though he had lived by faith for ten years he had no visible fruit. God promised to make him into a great nation. But in reality, he had no son, no heir. After fighting a war to rescue Lot, he had many enemies. He was living in a rock strewn desert. And so he was fearful. He suffered from a deep sense of loss.
God comforted him in a vision. Look at Genesis 15:1-7. God said to him, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward." (1b) But Abraham responded by complaining, "What can you give me since I remain childless." (2) How did God help him? Did God give him a son right away? Did God give him money? No. Instead, God planted faith in him. God took him outside and said, "Look at the stars...so shall your offspring be." (5) God's promise was so great that it seemed irrational and ridiculous. He was an old man with no land and no child. How could Abraham believe such a great promise? Mysteriously, however, Abraham believed the Lord. Then the Lord credited it to him as righteousness. (6) Abraham did not achieve something great. He hadn't raised any disciples. And he had made many mistakes. But he believed the Lord. He regarded God as God. He fully trusted that with people it was impossible, but with God it was possible. Then God was pleased and gave Abraham an A+ in this test of faith. Here we learn that God is pleased by faith, not by works of the law. In verse 7, Paul related Abraham's faith to the Galatians. Those who have faith in God like Abraham did are the children of Abraham. Abraham's descendants are not primarily his physical descendants, but those who have the same faith.
Paul revealed God's plan to the Galatians. In verse 8, Paul quoted Genesis 12:3 and 22:18: "All nations on earth will be blessed through you." And he said, "Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham." From the beginning it was to bless the Gentiles with the gospel of forgiveness through faith. God was not exclusively the God of the Jews, but the God of the Gentiles, also. Those who rely on faith, like Abraham did, are blessed along with Abraham (9). Paul wanted the Galatians to know that God accepted them as his children by their faith. They were just as much a part of God's family as Jewish believers. Here we learn that God sees and blesses faith, not works of the law.
Even Christians can fall into the trap of trying to secure their salvation and their right standing with God by works. There is a very handsome young man who grew up in a devout Christian home. From watching his saintly mother, he concluded that Christian life meant early-morning prayer, testimony writing, inviting students to Bible study and teaching the Bible. He thought that if he did these things he would be saved. He didn’t see her faith and love for Jesus behind all these acts. But as he lived his Christian life, try as he may, he could not overcome his pride, selfishness, and lust. He once accepted Jesus' death for his sins and found freedom for a short time. He should have come to Jesus once again, repenting and believing. But soon he felt pressed to keep striving in the world in order to survive. He became busy and forgot the gospel. Then he committed a sin that hurt others and grieved him deeply. He felt completely condemned. But when he admitted he was a helpless sinner and came to God for grace, the blood of Jesus cleansed him. He tasted a spiritual joy and peace he had never known before. Now he wants to live each day in the grace of Jesus, by faith in Christ alone. As he does, he is motivated by love to share Christ with others. This is not just his story. When we just believe the gospel, God forgives all our sins and makes us his precious children. What a great blessing!
Part II: Blessed through faith in Christ, not cursed under the law (10-14).
In verses 10-12 Paul quoted Old Testament references to explain that there are two options in our attempt to seek righteousness. He quoted Habbakuk 2:4, which says, "the righteous will live by faith," and Leviticus 18:5, which says, "the person who does these things will live by them." Both are the words of God and promise us eternal life. But the roadways are different. The first way to eternal life is to have a right relationship with God by faith. The second way to eternal life is to keep the law perfectly.
What is the problem? The problem is we cannot keep the law in order to have eternal life. Verse 10 says, "For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.'" This is a quotation from Deuteronomy 27:26. Here we can find the nature of the law. The law demands perfect obedience. We cannot pick what we like to obey and discard what we dislike. We have to obey all the laws of God without fail.
Let’s think about an example about marriage. One day a lady gets engaged and marries Mr. Law. Mr. Law is tall and handsome, with a perfect physique, and is disciplined, intelligent, and a master of all trades. So, many women were eager to marry him. After the wedding they everything seemed to be great. There seemed to be a lot of structure and guidance for the new family to build itself upon. They were surrounded by others who where likeminded, all trying to follow the law. But the wife soon experienced a very painful reality. The handsome and strong Mr. Law was a perfectionist. Every morning he gets up at 4:00 a.m., reads the Bible and prays. He works hard twelve hours a day, keeps the time precisely, and never makes a mistake. He does so without fail. That would be fine if he had that sort of discipline on his own, serving his family and imposing his discipline on himself, but he demands his wife to do so as a requirement of the marriage. If she fails to do one small thing, he condemns her without mercy. “How could I have married such a useless person?!” This goes on every day, day after day, without ceasing. All joy is sapped from Mrs. Law’s heart. In its place is came depression, despair, self condemnation and fear. There is no way to get away from Mr. Law. According to the Law, Mr. Law had to die. But Mr. Law never dies. Then the only way for her to get out of this “life sapping” relationship is if Mrs. Law dies herself. A sad end to a “perfect marriage”. Can anyone bear being married to Mr. Law? Even though one keeps 99% of the law, if that person breaks one law, that person becomes a lawbreaker, divorces themselves from God and is excluded from the family of God.
Paul shared his testimony in Romans 7. He kept most commandments. However, the commandment, "Do not covet," which deals with the inner life, convicted him of sin. Because he had broken this one law, he became like one who broke all the laws. He was condemned and destined to die. So he cried out, "What a wretched man I am!"
Paul continued to talk about the nature of the law in verse 12. It says, "The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, 'The person who does these things will live by them.'" This means the law is not based on God's grace but on human effort alone. Yet we do not have the power to keep the law. And when we fail to keep even one of God's laws, it brings curse upon us. We are condemned without mercy and receive a death penalty. God is holy. There is no exception. Any Jew or Gentile without Jesus, are all under a curse because of their disobedience to the law of God.
Going back to Mrs. Law. She was very unhappy. She cried everyday. She knew that she made a very great mistake by marrying Mr. Law. She became depressed and quiet and self destructive. She knew that there was only two ways to get out of her misery. She could arrange for someone to kill Mr. Law and then escape to another place with a new identity. But that was not going to happen. Her only other option was to end her own life and that is what she was about to do. But then, at the last moment someone came to her rescue. This person would miraculously fulfill all the requirements for setting her free from Mr. Law’s grasp. Someone would die in her place and miraculously she would be set free from this oppressive relationship. Mr. Law would have no power over her any longer. She could live a new life, free to marry another…Mr. Grace. She would life happily ever after, forever!
That is exactly what God did for us! God is love. In his great mercy, he provided a way for us to be saved. He sent his one and only Son, Jesus, as our Redeemer. Let's read verse 13. "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.'" Simply speaking, to redeem is to pay the price to free a slave. Because of disobedience all people became slaves of sin and to life under the law. There was no way out without paying the full price for our sins. Jesus paid it all for us. Jesus, who is in very nature God, kept all the law perfectly from beginning to end. Jesus was sinless. But he was condemned and crucified as a criminal. Why was he crucified? It was for our sins. He became a curse in our places. He was the perfect, sinless sacrifice. Isaiah cried out: "Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows...He was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities" (Isa 53:4-5). 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." Because of his death on the cross all of God’s righteous requirements have been satisfied. We are redeemed from the curse of the law. Those who rely on what Jesus has done are freed from the curse of the law to live a new life. Paul declared in Romans 8:1, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, Jesus!
Verse 14 tells us the result of Christ's redemption: "He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit." Here Paul concludes his argument. The Galatian believers did receive the Spirit. They did so through faith. This fulfilled the promise of blessing given to Abraham. This blessing of the Spirit comes only through faith in Christ, not by works of the law. The Spirit dwells in us and guides us. We can bear inner fruit, such as love, joy and peace. Christ redeems us from the curse of the law, and brings us under the blessing of God.
Under the curse of the law everything seemed to work against us and end in failure. We always felt condemnation and guilt. There was no hope or peace. However, when we live under the blessing of God, everything goes well. We enjoy real peace and bright hope for the future because God works for our good. This is not a theory, but reality. One person I know received the gospel and experienced the work of the Holy Spirit. Then he went off to live in his own way. He thought he would be free. But he fell under the power of sin and lived under a terrible curse. His life was about to end in disaster. Then he remembered God's word and cried out to Jesus. Miraculously he was saved. Jesus changed his destiny from curse to blessing. Christ redeemed him from the curse of the law. Just believing in Christ changes our destiny from a cursed life to a blessed life.
Today we learned that we are saved from sin and condemnation when we believe the gospel, not by works. After being saved, we should continue to live by faith, depending on what Christ has done for us. We don't need to do something for God to maintain salvation. We live by faith. We only trust Christ from beginning to end. This is the gospel, and the Christian life. This is the blessed life. May God bless you when you live by faith in Christ alone.
Part 1: By Faith, Not By Works Of The Law (1-9)
1. A. Read verse 1. What strong language does Paul use here, and why? B. In Galatia, how did he clearly portray Christ? (1b; cf. Acts 13:27–31,38–39,44; 14:21–22) C. What today might be bewitching people to turn away from Christ crucified?
2. A. In his questions, what contrast does Paul make? (2–5) B. How had the Galatians received the Spirit and experienced God’s miracles among them? (2,5) C. How had they gone astray? D. How can we maintain gospel faith and avoid legalism in our life and ministry?
3. A. How was Abraham credited righteous by God? (6) B. Who are his true spiritual children? (7) C. How did he become a role model for all believers, including Gentiles? (8–9) D. In light of this, what does God really want from us?
Part II: Blessed through faith in Christ, not cursed under the law (10-14).
4. A. What Scripture shows that relying on observing the law is cursed? (10) B. That we should rely on faith? (11) C. That the law is not based on faith? (12) D. How do these references prove that trying to live by the law is not Biblical?
5. A. Read verse 13. How did Christ rescue us from the curse of the law? B. Think about how he was cursed on the cross. How did this “redeem” us? (Jn1:29; 1Pe1:18–19) C. What can we learn here about the love of Christ?
6. A. Read verse 14. For what purpose did Christ redeem us? B. How did his death on the cross open the way for Abraham’s blessing and the promise of the Spirit to come to all who believe? C. In this study, what can we learn about relying on Christ crucified?
Galatians 3:1-14 , Lesson 4
Key Verse: 3:13 Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF 8-7-11
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.'"
In chapters 1 and 2 Paul defended the authenticity of his apostleship and the gospel he preached among the Gentiles. In chapters 3 and 4, Paul declares that we become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. To help us understand this, Paul develops his theme through several contrasts: faith versus observing the law (3:1-14), the promise versus the law (3:15-22), and children versus slaves (3:23-4:31). In today's passage Paul speaks to the Galatians directly, addressing their spiritual problem. They had received the Spirit by believing the gospel. But after receiving this blessing, they tried to keep the law of Moses in order to maintain their relationship with God. Inevitably, they would fail to keep the law and were cursed. Paul rebuked them so that they might continue to live by faith, not by the law.
After becoming Christians, many people attempt to keep the law instead of continuing in faith. They want to do something for God in the strength of the flesh. If they seem to succeed, they become self-righteous and very proud. When they fail they fall into a sense of condemnation. Their service to God becomes a big burden and futile. They have little joy or peace in their hearts. In the long run, they feel that their life is cursed. On the other hand, there are those who live by faith. They always remember what Jesus has done for them. Based on the grace of Jesus, they serve God depending on the help of the Holy Spirit. They are humble, willing, thankful, joyful and fruitful. This is the blessed life. Today let's learn how to live a blessed life though faith in Christ.
Part 1: By Faith, Not By Works Of The Law (1-9)
In verse 1 Paul rebuked the Galatians to bring them back to gospel faith. To help them, in verses 2-5, he reminded them of their own personal experience. Then, in verses 6-9, he drew upon Abraham's example
First, Paul tried to bring them back to their senses. Look at verse 1a. "You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?" The Message Bible says, "You crazy Galatians!" The Amplified Bible reads, "O you poor and silly and thoughtless and unreflecting and senseless Galatians!" Paul rebukes the Galatians for betraying gospel faith under the bad influence of false teachers. He did not excuse them because they were young. He rebuked them sharply to help them discern the truth and muster the courage to stand on gospel faith. The word "bewitched" indicates that the devil had gripped them. The devil has been a liar and murderer from the beginning (Jn 8:44). The devil intended to destroy the souls of the Galatians. Is the devil trying to bewitch your soul in some diabolical way? We don’t have to allow this to happen. Let’s see how…
To set them free from the devil, Paul reminded them of the gospel. Look at verse 1b. "Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified." Paul's message to the Galatians focused on Christ crucified. When Paul preached this, his explanation was so vivid that the Galatians felt they were watching Christ being crucified before their very eyes. Historically, Jesus' crucifixion had taken place some 15 years earlier. But as they listened they felt that it was happening right then. Here we see that Jesus' crucifixion is not just an isolated historical event, but it is like a fountain that flows continually. It was effective for the Galatians and continues to be effective throughout time. Why is this so?
On the cross Jesus said, "It is finished" (Jn 19:30). The original text uses the perfect tense, which expresses that action completed in the past has accomplished something for all time. After his death on the cross, Christ rose again to life. This proves that his death was acceptable to God as the perfect sacrifice (Ro 4:25). Furthermore, Christ is living. Christ obtained eternal redemption through his death and resurrection (Heb 9:12). This is why his atoning sacrifice is effective to all who believe. It was effective 2,000 years ago, and in the Galatians' time, and it is effective in our time. Christ's offering has power even now to forgive our sins and save us from eternal condemnation. Every Easter conference, "Christ crucified for our sins" is proclaimed. Many people experience Christ's death for them personally and receive Jesus with tears. The cross of Jesus has power to forgive our sins. As we proclaim the cross of Christ it works mightily in people of our times. We need only to believe this gospel and its power to change hearts. How did Paul bring the Galatians back to this gospel?
First, Paul reminded them of their personal experience (2-5). In verses 2-5 Paul asked several questions, progressively, to remind them of how God had worked in their lives. In verse 2 he asked, "Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?" The book of Acts reveals that as the apostles preached the gospel, people believed the message and received the Holy Spirit. They were changed into new people. (Ac 2:38; 8:15-17; 10:15; 13:48,52). The Holy Spirit comes to dwell in those who believe the gospel message. The Holy Spirit changes us into a new creation. This does not happen by observing the law, but by believing the gospel.
The Galatians had received the Spirit by believing…but then something happened. In verse 3 Paul asked, "After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?" At first they held onto gospel faith but when they heard they should be circumcised and obey the law, they agreed. They thought they could progress in sanctification by keeping the law. Paul called them foolish. As they had begun by faith, so they needed to continue by faith. It is God who sanctifies us by faith alone (1 Th 5:23; 2 Th 2:13; 1 Pe 1:2). Some people start with faith in Jesus, then try to be sanctified by works of the flesh. Paul says it is foolish. Romans 1:17 says, "...the righteous will live by faith from first to last." Hebrews 11:6a says, "And without faith it is impossible to please God...."
In verse 4 Paul asked, "Have you experienced so much in vain--if it really was in vain?" This refers to the persecution the Galatians received. It came from legalistic Jews who opposed the gospel ministry. It also came from fellow Gentiles who felt condemned by the Christians' holy lives. The Galatians suffered a lot from persecution. But they knew it was meaningful and valuable. It purified their faith and helped them take root in Christ. They grew spiritually. When we live godly lives by faith, persecution will follow from ungodly people (2 Tim 3:12). However, God uses it for our good and it is part of the blessed life of faith (Mt 5:10-12).
When we simply believe in Jesus we experience God's almighty power. In verse 5 Paul asked, "...does God work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?" When Paul was in Galatia, the Lord confirmed his message by enabling him to do miraculous signs and wonders (Ac 14:3). God's power is experienced by faith, not by observing the law. Jesus healed those who had faith (Mk 5:34; 10:53). A zealous Muslim woman in a Muslim country became terribly sick. No one could heal her--not physicians or the local witch doctor. But when she called on the name of Jesus she was healed. She later accepted Christ as her Savior. Through several rhetorical questions, Paul helped the Galatians remember that God worked mightily in their lives through their faith, not by their observing the law. Paul helped them realize that God is pleased by faith, not by works of the flesh. God confirms this by working many miracles among us. Christians live by faith alone, from the first to the last. Are there any confirming miracles at work among you?
Second, Paul presented Abraham as an example of one who lives by faith (6-9). Abraham was the father of the nation Israel. No one could refute Abraham's example. In Abraham's time, God had not yet given his law. Abraham was justified by faith. Look at verse 6. "So also Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." This is a quote from Genesis 15:6. At that time, Abraham had hit rock-bottom. Even though he had lived by faith for ten years he had no visible fruit. God promised to make him into a great nation. But in reality, he had no son, no heir. After fighting a war to rescue Lot, he had many enemies. He was living in a rock strewn desert. And so he was fearful. He suffered from a deep sense of loss.
God comforted him in a vision. Look at Genesis 15:1-7. God said to him, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward." (1b) But Abraham responded by complaining, "What can you give me since I remain childless." (2) How did God help him? Did God give him a son right away? Did God give him money? No. Instead, God planted faith in him. God took him outside and said, "Look at the stars...so shall your offspring be." (5) God's promise was so great that it seemed irrational and ridiculous. He was an old man with no land and no child. How could Abraham believe such a great promise? Mysteriously, however, Abraham believed the Lord. Then the Lord credited it to him as righteousness. (6) Abraham did not achieve something great. He hadn't raised any disciples. And he had made many mistakes. But he believed the Lord. He regarded God as God. He fully trusted that with people it was impossible, but with God it was possible. Then God was pleased and gave Abraham an A+ in this test of faith. Here we learn that God is pleased by faith, not by works of the law. In verse 7, Paul related Abraham's faith to the Galatians. Those who have faith in God like Abraham did are the children of Abraham. Abraham's descendants are not primarily his physical descendants, but those who have the same faith.
Paul revealed God's plan to the Galatians. In verse 8, Paul quoted Genesis 12:3 and 22:18: "All nations on earth will be blessed through you." And he said, "Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham." From the beginning it was to bless the Gentiles with the gospel of forgiveness through faith. God was not exclusively the God of the Jews, but the God of the Gentiles, also. Those who rely on faith, like Abraham did, are blessed along with Abraham (9). Paul wanted the Galatians to know that God accepted them as his children by their faith. They were just as much a part of God's family as Jewish believers. Here we learn that God sees and blesses faith, not works of the law.
Even Christians can fall into the trap of trying to secure their salvation and their right standing with God by works. There is a very handsome young man who grew up in a devout Christian home. From watching his saintly mother, he concluded that Christian life meant early-morning prayer, testimony writing, inviting students to Bible study and teaching the Bible. He thought that if he did these things he would be saved. He didn’t see her faith and love for Jesus behind all these acts. But as he lived his Christian life, try as he may, he could not overcome his pride, selfishness, and lust. He once accepted Jesus' death for his sins and found freedom for a short time. He should have come to Jesus once again, repenting and believing. But soon he felt pressed to keep striving in the world in order to survive. He became busy and forgot the gospel. Then he committed a sin that hurt others and grieved him deeply. He felt completely condemned. But when he admitted he was a helpless sinner and came to God for grace, the blood of Jesus cleansed him. He tasted a spiritual joy and peace he had never known before. Now he wants to live each day in the grace of Jesus, by faith in Christ alone. As he does, he is motivated by love to share Christ with others. This is not just his story. When we just believe the gospel, God forgives all our sins and makes us his precious children. What a great blessing!
Part II: Blessed through faith in Christ, not cursed under the law (10-14).
In verses 10-12 Paul quoted Old Testament references to explain that there are two options in our attempt to seek righteousness. He quoted Habbakuk 2:4, which says, "the righteous will live by faith," and Leviticus 18:5, which says, "the person who does these things will live by them." Both are the words of God and promise us eternal life. But the roadways are different. The first way to eternal life is to have a right relationship with God by faith. The second way to eternal life is to keep the law perfectly.
What is the problem? The problem is we cannot keep the law in order to have eternal life. Verse 10 says, "For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.'" This is a quotation from Deuteronomy 27:26. Here we can find the nature of the law. The law demands perfect obedience. We cannot pick what we like to obey and discard what we dislike. We have to obey all the laws of God without fail.
Let’s think about an example about marriage. One day a lady gets engaged and marries Mr. Law. Mr. Law is tall and handsome, with a perfect physique, and is disciplined, intelligent, and a master of all trades. So, many women were eager to marry him. After the wedding they everything seemed to be great. There seemed to be a lot of structure and guidance for the new family to build itself upon. They were surrounded by others who where likeminded, all trying to follow the law. But the wife soon experienced a very painful reality. The handsome and strong Mr. Law was a perfectionist. Every morning he gets up at 4:00 a.m., reads the Bible and prays. He works hard twelve hours a day, keeps the time precisely, and never makes a mistake. He does so without fail. That would be fine if he had that sort of discipline on his own, serving his family and imposing his discipline on himself, but he demands his wife to do so as a requirement of the marriage. If she fails to do one small thing, he condemns her without mercy. “How could I have married such a useless person?!” This goes on every day, day after day, without ceasing. All joy is sapped from Mrs. Law’s heart. In its place is came depression, despair, self condemnation and fear. There is no way to get away from Mr. Law. According to the Law, Mr. Law had to die. But Mr. Law never dies. Then the only way for her to get out of this “life sapping” relationship is if Mrs. Law dies herself. A sad end to a “perfect marriage”. Can anyone bear being married to Mr. Law? Even though one keeps 99% of the law, if that person breaks one law, that person becomes a lawbreaker, divorces themselves from God and is excluded from the family of God.
Paul shared his testimony in Romans 7. He kept most commandments. However, the commandment, "Do not covet," which deals with the inner life, convicted him of sin. Because he had broken this one law, he became like one who broke all the laws. He was condemned and destined to die. So he cried out, "What a wretched man I am!"
Paul continued to talk about the nature of the law in verse 12. It says, "The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, 'The person who does these things will live by them.'" This means the law is not based on God's grace but on human effort alone. Yet we do not have the power to keep the law. And when we fail to keep even one of God's laws, it brings curse upon us. We are condemned without mercy and receive a death penalty. God is holy. There is no exception. Any Jew or Gentile without Jesus, are all under a curse because of their disobedience to the law of God.
Going back to Mrs. Law. She was very unhappy. She cried everyday. She knew that she made a very great mistake by marrying Mr. Law. She became depressed and quiet and self destructive. She knew that there was only two ways to get out of her misery. She could arrange for someone to kill Mr. Law and then escape to another place with a new identity. But that was not going to happen. Her only other option was to end her own life and that is what she was about to do. But then, at the last moment someone came to her rescue. This person would miraculously fulfill all the requirements for setting her free from Mr. Law’s grasp. Someone would die in her place and miraculously she would be set free from this oppressive relationship. Mr. Law would have no power over her any longer. She could live a new life, free to marry another…Mr. Grace. She would life happily ever after, forever!
That is exactly what God did for us! God is love. In his great mercy, he provided a way for us to be saved. He sent his one and only Son, Jesus, as our Redeemer. Let's read verse 13. "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.'" Simply speaking, to redeem is to pay the price to free a slave. Because of disobedience all people became slaves of sin and to life under the law. There was no way out without paying the full price for our sins. Jesus paid it all for us. Jesus, who is in very nature God, kept all the law perfectly from beginning to end. Jesus was sinless. But he was condemned and crucified as a criminal. Why was he crucified? It was for our sins. He became a curse in our places. He was the perfect, sinless sacrifice. Isaiah cried out: "Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows...He was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities" (Isa 53:4-5). 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." Because of his death on the cross all of God’s righteous requirements have been satisfied. We are redeemed from the curse of the law. Those who rely on what Jesus has done are freed from the curse of the law to live a new life. Paul declared in Romans 8:1, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, Jesus!
Verse 14 tells us the result of Christ's redemption: "He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit." Here Paul concludes his argument. The Galatian believers did receive the Spirit. They did so through faith. This fulfilled the promise of blessing given to Abraham. This blessing of the Spirit comes only through faith in Christ, not by works of the law. The Spirit dwells in us and guides us. We can bear inner fruit, such as love, joy and peace. Christ redeems us from the curse of the law, and brings us under the blessing of God.
Under the curse of the law everything seemed to work against us and end in failure. We always felt condemnation and guilt. There was no hope or peace. However, when we live under the blessing of God, everything goes well. We enjoy real peace and bright hope for the future because God works for our good. This is not a theory, but reality. One person I know received the gospel and experienced the work of the Holy Spirit. Then he went off to live in his own way. He thought he would be free. But he fell under the power of sin and lived under a terrible curse. His life was about to end in disaster. Then he remembered God's word and cried out to Jesus. Miraculously he was saved. Jesus changed his destiny from curse to blessing. Christ redeemed him from the curse of the law. Just believing in Christ changes our destiny from a cursed life to a blessed life.
Today we learned that we are saved from sin and condemnation when we believe the gospel, not by works. After being saved, we should continue to live by faith, depending on what Christ has done for us. We don't need to do something for God to maintain salvation. We live by faith. We only trust Christ from beginning to end. This is the gospel, and the Christian life. This is the blessed life. May God bless you when you live by faith in Christ alone.
Part 1: By Faith, Not By Works Of The Law (1-9)
1. A. Read verse 1. What strong language does Paul use here, and why? B. In Galatia, how did he clearly portray Christ? (1b; cf. Acts 13:27–31,38–39,44; 14:21–22) C. What today might be bewitching people to turn away from Christ crucified?
2. A. In his questions, what contrast does Paul make? (2–5) B. How had the Galatians received the Spirit and experienced God’s miracles among them? (2,5) C. How had they gone astray? D. How can we maintain gospel faith and avoid legalism in our life and ministry?
3. A. How was Abraham credited righteous by God? (6) B. Who are his true spiritual children? (7) C. How did he become a role model for all believers, including Gentiles? (8–9) D. In light of this, what does God really want from us?
Part II: Blessed through faith in Christ, not cursed under the law (10-14).
4. A. What Scripture shows that relying on observing the law is cursed? (10) B. That we should rely on faith? (11) C. That the law is not based on faith? (12) D. How do these references prove that trying to live by the law is not Biblical?
5. A. Read verse 13. How did Christ rescue us from the curse of the law? B. Think about how he was cursed on the cross. How did this “redeem” us? (Jn1:29; 1Pe1:18–19) C. What can we learn here about the love of Christ?
6. A. Read verse 14. For what purpose did Christ redeem us? B. How did his death on the cross open the way for Abraham’s blessing and the promise of the Spirit to come to all who believe? C. In this study, what can we learn about relying on Christ crucified?
Monday, August 15, 2011
The Truth Of The Gospel: Justified Only By Faith In Christ
The Truth Of The Gospel: Justified Only By Faith In Christ
Galatians 2:11–21 Lesson 3
Key Verse: 2:16 Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF 7-31-11
(We) “know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.“ Paul uses the word "justified." In origin, it was a legal term that means "not guilty."
In this part of Galatians chapter two, Paul continued to help the Galatians stand on gospel truth by telling how he courageously rebuked Peter. Paul knew the implication of Peter's action was that the Gentiles were not accepted fully as Christian brothers. More importantly, his actions called the absolute sufficiency of the gospel into question. This problem became an opportunity for all the apostles, including both Peter and Paul, to affirm the fact that we are justified by faith in Jesus Christ alone. Paul shared his own personal testimony that reveals his secret to living by the truth of the gospel. That truth declares that we are not made righteous by zealously keeping the law, nor by practicing religious ritual. We are made Christian because we have accepted Jesus' death for our sins and Jesus’ resurrection our hope. Through a study of this passage may we challenge cultural patterns that run counter to the Gospel, in our own hearts. May we decide firmly to follow the Gospel, and not just social or religious habit or culture.
Part l: Paul Stood Up For The Truth (11-14)
In this part we find something that is very shocking to our senses, Paul rebuked Peter publicly. Look at verses 11, “When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong.” Peter and Paul were both leaders in the early church. Both of them received God's forgiveness through Jesus Christ. They were men of God who had received the Holy Spirit. They received Jesus' calling as apostles and they influenced the early churches more than anyone else. The first half of the book of Acts records mainly what Peter did, and the second half what Paul did. However, when Paul was in Antioch he was a Bible teacher, a short term missionary, whereas Peter was a pillar of the church, a direct successor of Jesus. He was like the bishop of the church. Yet Paul rebuked Peter in public. We may be a little taken back by this….but then again maybe not. In America we seem to have no problem opposing anyone. Even a school boy can stand up and rebuke the President of the USA. The issue that Paul brought up seemed to be regarding some eating fellowship among them…a small matter is seems. But it really was not a small matter for it was regarding a fundamental issue of the Christian faith. Let's see how things went.
One day they were eating together as a church. Look at verses 12-13, “Before certain men came from James, he (Peter) used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.” Peter went to Antioch, where Paul was preaching the gospel and raising disciples among the Gentiles. Maybe he was repeating the favor of Paul’s earlier visit to Jerusalem. At first, Peter ate freely and openly with Paul and the Greek Gentile believers. It must have been a happy time, eating and praising God. Maybe there was some music and testimonials.
Eating fellowship is important to Jesus' people everywhere. It is during this time that we demonstrate acceptance and love. The Lord's Supper did not begin as a formalistic ceremony but as a fellowship meal to remember Jesus' death and confirm gospel faith together. Early Christians ate together with holy joy after worship service. It was a time when all people, both Jew and Gentile converts and seekers would gather together. DuPage UBF does this. They have a fellowship lunch after every Sunday service cooked by either Joy Kim or Sarah Bahn. (We serve fruit and cookies and soda pop.) Prior to eating, DuPage UBF, share one point that they learned from the Sunday service message. They are obviously keeping this early church tradition alive. I am looking forward to the upcoming Bible school at the end of August (25th to 28th). There will, not only be lots of Bible study, prayer and music, but lots of eating fellowship and even a Barbeque one day. Please make plans to come.
Peter knew that he should accept the Gentiles for God had showed him. In Acts 10, we find that the Lord had trained Peter through a vision of all kinds of clean and unclean animals to embrace the Gentiles, preach to them, and eat with them. Acts 10:9-16 reads, “About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat." 14"Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean." 15The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." 16This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.”
This dream was not easy for Peter to accept…nor was eating with the Gentiles. Peter was raised as a pious Jewish person. Eating with Gentiles went against the very fiber of his being. He had to overcome deeply held prejudices and accept them as his own brothers and sisters. He had to learn to like Gentile food, which he had never eaten before. (He had always tried to eat kosher food. Some of the ancient Gentile food may have revolted even us today.)
By the Lord's help, Peter overcame his legalistic prejudice and accepted Gentiles from his heart. Before the Judaizers appeared in Antioch, he could obey the truth of God and eat together with the Gentile believers with love and joy. This expressed his acceptance of them in a way that went beyond mere words. Here I remembered Dr. Samuel Lee (the co-founder of our UBF ministry) and the Korean missionaries. When he first came to America, he ate Korean food, every day in his home with gusto. One time he invited a young American man to his home to eat with him. The young man complained about something. Do you know what? He complained that the Korean food was smelly and tasteless. In regards to the smell, he probably was referring to kimchi. Dr. Lee did not get upset with the young man for not liking his food, but he prayed about this. He realized that to eat with American young people, in a joyful, meaningful way, he should learn to eat American food. He decided to like the most typical American food at that time, the McDonald’s Big Mac. He ate one Big Mac and drank one Coke for lunch every day for eight years. In this way he tried, in a very practical way, to demonstrate God’s acceptance of others in his eating habits. American young people loved it. How can you practice acceptance of others believers in regards to your eating habits? Would you eat unknown food in foreign lands, even insects, if Christians in that nation served it to you after church?
Peter was doing well in eating together with the Gentiles in Antioch. However, when men from Jerusalem arrived, representing James, Peter's attitude changed. Look at verses 12-13 again, “Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.” Peter drew back from the Gentiles and began to eat only with Jewish Christians. Paul says it was because Peter was afraid of the circumcision group. When Peter did this, even Barnabas was led astray to do the same thing. Though he didn't intend to, Peter's actions made Gentiles feel that they were not worthy to eat with the Jews--as though they were second-class members of the Christian fellowship. Our influence that we have on others is very important. We do not live in a vacuum. The life choices and the decisions we make concerning life and ministry affects others around us, especially other believers. Peter’s influence and his reaction to the Gentiles were very important. What did Paul do to counteract the influence of Peter’s choice?
Paul publically declared the truth. Look at verse 14. “When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, ‘You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?’” To some, it may have seemed like this whole “eating issue” was not an important matter. But to Paul it was very serious. If Paul ignored this matter, young Gentile coverts would be discouraged, feeling like they could never become full fledged members of the Christian church. The church could have departed from the true gospel. The extensive influence of Antioch would spread to the smaller, scattered house churches and lead them into confusion in how to express their faith. So Paul rebuked Peter in public. It was not easy for Paul to do this. However, it was an unavoidable action to protect gospel faith for the sake of future generations.
Part ll: Paul's Personal Testimony Of Gospel Faith (15-21).
Paul was not emotional in his rebuke of Peter, but truthful, respectful and gospel-centered. He supported his words with his personal testimony. Look at verse 15. “ We who are Jews by birth and not ‘Gentile sinners’ “ He reminded Peter of an inherent prejudice in the hearts of Jews toward Gentiles. The Jews considered the Gentiles "sinners." It was because they did not have the law and they did not care about the law. The Jews thought the Gentiles were like animals and would go out of their way to avoid them. However, Paul says, (we) "know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. …” (16a) He was speaking from experience. He knew that neither he, nor any other Jewish person, could keep the law. Their prejudice was actually groundless for all people are law breakers, even those who set out to keep the law meticulously. Therefore the Jews were sinners just as much as the Gentiles. Both were destined to die, face God's judgment, and be thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur if they died without knowing the Christ. The only way for both Jews and Gentiles to come to God was through the cross of Jesus.
Paul goes on to explain the “inner mechanics” of liberating Gospel faith. Look at verse 16, (we) “know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.“ Paul uses the word "justified." In origin, it was a legal term that means "not guilty." Paul uses the word "justified" in reference to God. God is the ultimate judge. He has the authority to justify a person. When God justifies a person, they are free from condemnation. In Hawthorne's classic, "The Scarlet Letter," a woman accused of adultery was condemned. She was cast out of church and her community. She was forbidden from talking with others and had to wear the letter "A" on her clothing when she went out in public. Like her, we were all condemned because of our sins. We were cut off from God, and suffered from guilt and shame. We were destined to die, face judgment, and go to eternal condemnation. Those under condemnation have no hope. Whether rich or poor, beautiful or plain, educated or not educated, elite or outcast, they have the same destination unless they receive God’s justification. To be justified by God is no small matter. It is a matter of eternal life rather than eternal death.
How can we be justified by God? Is it possible by observing the law? Is it possible by human effort? No! Absolutely not! Trying to become righteous through observing the law is like someone stuck in quicksand. Those who fall into quicksand sink more quickly as they struggle to escape. The only way to get out is to receive help from someone else. And that is what God did. While we were helpless, our merciful God provided a way out through Jesus Christ. Those who accept Christ are saved. God not only saves us from our desperate situation, he makes us his precious children. We can now call God "Father!" Our Father protects us, provides for us, disciplines us in love, and raises us in his image. Finally we will inherit God's kingdom. God gives this grace to anyone who trusts in Christ. God justifies sinners freely by his grace through faith in Christ alone. We can only thank God for his grace.
Here we can see the difference between how God sees people and how people tend to see themselves. People classify themselves according to human criteria, such as wealth, gender, social status, ethnicity, education, genealogy, nationality, and so on. They segregate themselves into classes. They are proud of their own class and despise others. However, God sees people differently. To God, all people are sinners who need the grace of forgiveness. There are rich sinners, smart sinners, hardworking sinners, talkative sinners, athletic sinners, educated sinners, handsome or beautiful sinners, and so on. Commonly, all are destined to die for their sins and face eternal condemnation. God shows no favoritism based on human distinctions.
The fact that we are all sinners complicates the matters. Let’s see why. God is holy. In order to be justified by the holy God, without God’s help, we need to meet all the requirements of the law. It is impossible for us to do this by ourselves. Only Jesus could do so. Jesus offered himself as the perfect sacrifice on our behalf. Jesus paid it all through his death on the cross. God provided the way to be justified only through faith in Jesus Christ. So that is why God recognizes only faith in Christ. God sees only two kinds of people: those who have faith in Christ and those who don't. Those who have faith in Christ are God's children and precious brothers and sisters. On this basis, they should love one another and have fellowship together. (especially eating fellowship served up by the church ladies..Hmmm.)
In verses 17-21, Paul shares a personal testimony to explain how he could live by the truth of the gospel. Verses 17-18 are not easy to grasp. Let’s read verse 17 together, “ 17 “If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! “ Simply speaking, Paul is refuting the criticism of the Judaizers towards true believers. They claimed that believing Christ alone for salvation was dangerous, for it fatally weakened a person's sense of moral responsibility. They assumed that people who believed in Jesus would use their freedom as a license to sin. In the book of Romans Paul recognizes and presents their argument by saying, "Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?" Because, ‘where sin increased, grace increased all the more’" (Ro 5:20). As we listen to other people's life testimonies, we find that those who sinned greatly in the past tend to share the most gracious testimonies. So people think, "Oh! I need to sin a lot in order to receive lots of grace from God." But shall we commit sin in order to increase grace? Some people may say "Yes." But Paul says, "Absolutely not!" In verse 18, Paul explains that if we do this we become transgressors. “If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker.”
In verses 19-20, Paul explained why we cannot go on sinning after believing in Jesus. “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” We can not go on sinning because Jesus changes us on the inside. We become a new creation. We die to the law, and the law cannot rule over us any longer. Instead we live for God. This is God’s grace to us.
We can learn the secret of Paul's success in living by the truth of the gospel. Look at verse 20 again. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." His success was not because of him and his own human willpower. It was not him, but Christ living in him. The same grace is available to us as well. When we accept Christ in faith, he comes into our hearts and unites himself with us. In a miracle of God's grace that is truly real though invisible, Christ's death becomes our death. Christ's burial becomes our burial. Christ's resurrection becomes our resurrection. Since we are united with Christ in this way, we no longer live, but Christ lives in us. Our old selves, that claimed the throne of our lives, have died. Christ now lives in us and has given us a new life. Christ is now the owner of our lives. He is the power source and the captain of our lives. While in the body, we live by faith in Christ, the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us. Romans 14:7-8 explains this well. It says, "For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord."
Verse 21 is the conclusion of Paul's testimony. It reads, “I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” If someone thinks that they can gain their salvation by their own effort, or through some manmade religion or moral code or philosophy, they will nullify Christ's death and set aside the grace of God. If that is the case Jesus suffered and died for nothing and all of God’s redemptive work throughout the millennia was for nothing. But this is not the case. Christ’s death set us free! It is very effective!
Through a study of this passage we deeply understood that we are not made righteous by keeping the law, nor by practicing religious rituals. We are made Christian because we have accepted Jesus' death for our sins and Jesus’ resurrection as our only hope. We died with Christ when we repented of our sins, and we choose to die daily to ourselves and to this world. Jesus loves us so much, regardless if we are Jew or Gentile or a person from any other cultural background. When we know Jesus’ grace our desires are changed. We want to live by faith in Jesus and love and accept all those whom Jesus loves. Let us challenge cultural patterns that run counter to the gospel starting in our own hearts. Let us follow the gospel, and not just social or religious habit or culture May the power of the Gospel enable us to live by faith daily.
Part l: Paul Stood Up For The Truth (11-14)
1. A. How did the circumcision group influence Peter to change his behavior, and what impact did this have? (12–13) B. How and why did Paul rebuke him publicly? (14) C. In this case, what does it mean to “act in line with the truth of the gospel”? D. Why was it so important for Jewish Christians to have fellowship with Gentile Christians? (3:26–29)
2. A. Read verses 15–16. How does the gospel apply to both Jews and Gentiles, and what contrast does Paul make here? B. How do people generally understand the term “justified,” and how do they pursue it? C. What does it mean to be justified only by faith in Christ? (Acts 13:38–39; Rom 1:17; 3:24–25)
3. A. How did Paul dispel misunderstandings about those who trust only in the gospel? (17–18) B. Read verse 19. What did he mean when Paul said he died to the law? (Rom 7:4) C. For what purpose? (19b)
4. A. Read verse 20. What does it mean to be “crucified with Christ”? (Rom 6:3–4) B. How was Paul changed from a self-centered to a Christ-centered person? (1Tim 1:13–14; 2 Cor 5:17; Rom 4:7–8) C. How did Christ’s love enable him to live by faith? (20b) D. In light of this, why is it so important to know Jesus personally, not just theoretically?
5. A. Read verse 21. What two ways of living after receiving Christ does Paul contrast here? B. What consequence does Paul mention? C. Why is it important to continue to live by the grace of God?
6. A. How can we live only by faith in the grace of Jesus in our personal lives? B. How can we apply this to the way we relate to others in our field of ministry?
Galatians 2:11–21 Lesson 3
Key Verse: 2:16 Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF 7-31-11
(We) “know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.“ Paul uses the word "justified." In origin, it was a legal term that means "not guilty."
In this part of Galatians chapter two, Paul continued to help the Galatians stand on gospel truth by telling how he courageously rebuked Peter. Paul knew the implication of Peter's action was that the Gentiles were not accepted fully as Christian brothers. More importantly, his actions called the absolute sufficiency of the gospel into question. This problem became an opportunity for all the apostles, including both Peter and Paul, to affirm the fact that we are justified by faith in Jesus Christ alone. Paul shared his own personal testimony that reveals his secret to living by the truth of the gospel. That truth declares that we are not made righteous by zealously keeping the law, nor by practicing religious ritual. We are made Christian because we have accepted Jesus' death for our sins and Jesus’ resurrection our hope. Through a study of this passage may we challenge cultural patterns that run counter to the Gospel, in our own hearts. May we decide firmly to follow the Gospel, and not just social or religious habit or culture.
Part l: Paul Stood Up For The Truth (11-14)
In this part we find something that is very shocking to our senses, Paul rebuked Peter publicly. Look at verses 11, “When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong.” Peter and Paul were both leaders in the early church. Both of them received God's forgiveness through Jesus Christ. They were men of God who had received the Holy Spirit. They received Jesus' calling as apostles and they influenced the early churches more than anyone else. The first half of the book of Acts records mainly what Peter did, and the second half what Paul did. However, when Paul was in Antioch he was a Bible teacher, a short term missionary, whereas Peter was a pillar of the church, a direct successor of Jesus. He was like the bishop of the church. Yet Paul rebuked Peter in public. We may be a little taken back by this….but then again maybe not. In America we seem to have no problem opposing anyone. Even a school boy can stand up and rebuke the President of the USA. The issue that Paul brought up seemed to be regarding some eating fellowship among them…a small matter is seems. But it really was not a small matter for it was regarding a fundamental issue of the Christian faith. Let's see how things went.
One day they were eating together as a church. Look at verses 12-13, “Before certain men came from James, he (Peter) used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.” Peter went to Antioch, where Paul was preaching the gospel and raising disciples among the Gentiles. Maybe he was repeating the favor of Paul’s earlier visit to Jerusalem. At first, Peter ate freely and openly with Paul and the Greek Gentile believers. It must have been a happy time, eating and praising God. Maybe there was some music and testimonials.
Eating fellowship is important to Jesus' people everywhere. It is during this time that we demonstrate acceptance and love. The Lord's Supper did not begin as a formalistic ceremony but as a fellowship meal to remember Jesus' death and confirm gospel faith together. Early Christians ate together with holy joy after worship service. It was a time when all people, both Jew and Gentile converts and seekers would gather together. DuPage UBF does this. They have a fellowship lunch after every Sunday service cooked by either Joy Kim or Sarah Bahn. (We serve fruit and cookies and soda pop.) Prior to eating, DuPage UBF, share one point that they learned from the Sunday service message. They are obviously keeping this early church tradition alive. I am looking forward to the upcoming Bible school at the end of August (25th to 28th). There will, not only be lots of Bible study, prayer and music, but lots of eating fellowship and even a Barbeque one day. Please make plans to come.
Peter knew that he should accept the Gentiles for God had showed him. In Acts 10, we find that the Lord had trained Peter through a vision of all kinds of clean and unclean animals to embrace the Gentiles, preach to them, and eat with them. Acts 10:9-16 reads, “About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat." 14"Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean." 15The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." 16This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.”
This dream was not easy for Peter to accept…nor was eating with the Gentiles. Peter was raised as a pious Jewish person. Eating with Gentiles went against the very fiber of his being. He had to overcome deeply held prejudices and accept them as his own brothers and sisters. He had to learn to like Gentile food, which he had never eaten before. (He had always tried to eat kosher food. Some of the ancient Gentile food may have revolted even us today.)
By the Lord's help, Peter overcame his legalistic prejudice and accepted Gentiles from his heart. Before the Judaizers appeared in Antioch, he could obey the truth of God and eat together with the Gentile believers with love and joy. This expressed his acceptance of them in a way that went beyond mere words. Here I remembered Dr. Samuel Lee (the co-founder of our UBF ministry) and the Korean missionaries. When he first came to America, he ate Korean food, every day in his home with gusto. One time he invited a young American man to his home to eat with him. The young man complained about something. Do you know what? He complained that the Korean food was smelly and tasteless. In regards to the smell, he probably was referring to kimchi. Dr. Lee did not get upset with the young man for not liking his food, but he prayed about this. He realized that to eat with American young people, in a joyful, meaningful way, he should learn to eat American food. He decided to like the most typical American food at that time, the McDonald’s Big Mac. He ate one Big Mac and drank one Coke for lunch every day for eight years. In this way he tried, in a very practical way, to demonstrate God’s acceptance of others in his eating habits. American young people loved it. How can you practice acceptance of others believers in regards to your eating habits? Would you eat unknown food in foreign lands, even insects, if Christians in that nation served it to you after church?
Peter was doing well in eating together with the Gentiles in Antioch. However, when men from Jerusalem arrived, representing James, Peter's attitude changed. Look at verses 12-13 again, “Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.” Peter drew back from the Gentiles and began to eat only with Jewish Christians. Paul says it was because Peter was afraid of the circumcision group. When Peter did this, even Barnabas was led astray to do the same thing. Though he didn't intend to, Peter's actions made Gentiles feel that they were not worthy to eat with the Jews--as though they were second-class members of the Christian fellowship. Our influence that we have on others is very important. We do not live in a vacuum. The life choices and the decisions we make concerning life and ministry affects others around us, especially other believers. Peter’s influence and his reaction to the Gentiles were very important. What did Paul do to counteract the influence of Peter’s choice?
Paul publically declared the truth. Look at verse 14. “When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, ‘You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?’” To some, it may have seemed like this whole “eating issue” was not an important matter. But to Paul it was very serious. If Paul ignored this matter, young Gentile coverts would be discouraged, feeling like they could never become full fledged members of the Christian church. The church could have departed from the true gospel. The extensive influence of Antioch would spread to the smaller, scattered house churches and lead them into confusion in how to express their faith. So Paul rebuked Peter in public. It was not easy for Paul to do this. However, it was an unavoidable action to protect gospel faith for the sake of future generations.
Part ll: Paul's Personal Testimony Of Gospel Faith (15-21).
Paul was not emotional in his rebuke of Peter, but truthful, respectful and gospel-centered. He supported his words with his personal testimony. Look at verse 15. “ We who are Jews by birth and not ‘Gentile sinners’ “ He reminded Peter of an inherent prejudice in the hearts of Jews toward Gentiles. The Jews considered the Gentiles "sinners." It was because they did not have the law and they did not care about the law. The Jews thought the Gentiles were like animals and would go out of their way to avoid them. However, Paul says, (we) "know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. …” (16a) He was speaking from experience. He knew that neither he, nor any other Jewish person, could keep the law. Their prejudice was actually groundless for all people are law breakers, even those who set out to keep the law meticulously. Therefore the Jews were sinners just as much as the Gentiles. Both were destined to die, face God's judgment, and be thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur if they died without knowing the Christ. The only way for both Jews and Gentiles to come to God was through the cross of Jesus.
Paul goes on to explain the “inner mechanics” of liberating Gospel faith. Look at verse 16, (we) “know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.“ Paul uses the word "justified." In origin, it was a legal term that means "not guilty." Paul uses the word "justified" in reference to God. God is the ultimate judge. He has the authority to justify a person. When God justifies a person, they are free from condemnation. In Hawthorne's classic, "The Scarlet Letter," a woman accused of adultery was condemned. She was cast out of church and her community. She was forbidden from talking with others and had to wear the letter "A" on her clothing when she went out in public. Like her, we were all condemned because of our sins. We were cut off from God, and suffered from guilt and shame. We were destined to die, face judgment, and go to eternal condemnation. Those under condemnation have no hope. Whether rich or poor, beautiful or plain, educated or not educated, elite or outcast, they have the same destination unless they receive God’s justification. To be justified by God is no small matter. It is a matter of eternal life rather than eternal death.
How can we be justified by God? Is it possible by observing the law? Is it possible by human effort? No! Absolutely not! Trying to become righteous through observing the law is like someone stuck in quicksand. Those who fall into quicksand sink more quickly as they struggle to escape. The only way to get out is to receive help from someone else. And that is what God did. While we were helpless, our merciful God provided a way out through Jesus Christ. Those who accept Christ are saved. God not only saves us from our desperate situation, he makes us his precious children. We can now call God "Father!" Our Father protects us, provides for us, disciplines us in love, and raises us in his image. Finally we will inherit God's kingdom. God gives this grace to anyone who trusts in Christ. God justifies sinners freely by his grace through faith in Christ alone. We can only thank God for his grace.
Here we can see the difference between how God sees people and how people tend to see themselves. People classify themselves according to human criteria, such as wealth, gender, social status, ethnicity, education, genealogy, nationality, and so on. They segregate themselves into classes. They are proud of their own class and despise others. However, God sees people differently. To God, all people are sinners who need the grace of forgiveness. There are rich sinners, smart sinners, hardworking sinners, talkative sinners, athletic sinners, educated sinners, handsome or beautiful sinners, and so on. Commonly, all are destined to die for their sins and face eternal condemnation. God shows no favoritism based on human distinctions.
The fact that we are all sinners complicates the matters. Let’s see why. God is holy. In order to be justified by the holy God, without God’s help, we need to meet all the requirements of the law. It is impossible for us to do this by ourselves. Only Jesus could do so. Jesus offered himself as the perfect sacrifice on our behalf. Jesus paid it all through his death on the cross. God provided the way to be justified only through faith in Jesus Christ. So that is why God recognizes only faith in Christ. God sees only two kinds of people: those who have faith in Christ and those who don't. Those who have faith in Christ are God's children and precious brothers and sisters. On this basis, they should love one another and have fellowship together. (especially eating fellowship served up by the church ladies..Hmmm.)
In verses 17-21, Paul shares a personal testimony to explain how he could live by the truth of the gospel. Verses 17-18 are not easy to grasp. Let’s read verse 17 together, “ 17 “If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! “ Simply speaking, Paul is refuting the criticism of the Judaizers towards true believers. They claimed that believing Christ alone for salvation was dangerous, for it fatally weakened a person's sense of moral responsibility. They assumed that people who believed in Jesus would use their freedom as a license to sin. In the book of Romans Paul recognizes and presents their argument by saying, "Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?" Because, ‘where sin increased, grace increased all the more’" (Ro 5:20). As we listen to other people's life testimonies, we find that those who sinned greatly in the past tend to share the most gracious testimonies. So people think, "Oh! I need to sin a lot in order to receive lots of grace from God." But shall we commit sin in order to increase grace? Some people may say "Yes." But Paul says, "Absolutely not!" In verse 18, Paul explains that if we do this we become transgressors. “If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker.”
In verses 19-20, Paul explained why we cannot go on sinning after believing in Jesus. “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” We can not go on sinning because Jesus changes us on the inside. We become a new creation. We die to the law, and the law cannot rule over us any longer. Instead we live for God. This is God’s grace to us.
We can learn the secret of Paul's success in living by the truth of the gospel. Look at verse 20 again. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." His success was not because of him and his own human willpower. It was not him, but Christ living in him. The same grace is available to us as well. When we accept Christ in faith, he comes into our hearts and unites himself with us. In a miracle of God's grace that is truly real though invisible, Christ's death becomes our death. Christ's burial becomes our burial. Christ's resurrection becomes our resurrection. Since we are united with Christ in this way, we no longer live, but Christ lives in us. Our old selves, that claimed the throne of our lives, have died. Christ now lives in us and has given us a new life. Christ is now the owner of our lives. He is the power source and the captain of our lives. While in the body, we live by faith in Christ, the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us. Romans 14:7-8 explains this well. It says, "For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord."
Verse 21 is the conclusion of Paul's testimony. It reads, “I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” If someone thinks that they can gain their salvation by their own effort, or through some manmade religion or moral code or philosophy, they will nullify Christ's death and set aside the grace of God. If that is the case Jesus suffered and died for nothing and all of God’s redemptive work throughout the millennia was for nothing. But this is not the case. Christ’s death set us free! It is very effective!
Through a study of this passage we deeply understood that we are not made righteous by keeping the law, nor by practicing religious rituals. We are made Christian because we have accepted Jesus' death for our sins and Jesus’ resurrection as our only hope. We died with Christ when we repented of our sins, and we choose to die daily to ourselves and to this world. Jesus loves us so much, regardless if we are Jew or Gentile or a person from any other cultural background. When we know Jesus’ grace our desires are changed. We want to live by faith in Jesus and love and accept all those whom Jesus loves. Let us challenge cultural patterns that run counter to the gospel starting in our own hearts. Let us follow the gospel, and not just social or religious habit or culture May the power of the Gospel enable us to live by faith daily.
Part l: Paul Stood Up For The Truth (11-14)
1. A. How did the circumcision group influence Peter to change his behavior, and what impact did this have? (12–13) B. How and why did Paul rebuke him publicly? (14) C. In this case, what does it mean to “act in line with the truth of the gospel”? D. Why was it so important for Jewish Christians to have fellowship with Gentile Christians? (3:26–29)
2. A. Read verses 15–16. How does the gospel apply to both Jews and Gentiles, and what contrast does Paul make here? B. How do people generally understand the term “justified,” and how do they pursue it? C. What does it mean to be justified only by faith in Christ? (Acts 13:38–39; Rom 1:17; 3:24–25)
3. A. How did Paul dispel misunderstandings about those who trust only in the gospel? (17–18) B. Read verse 19. What did he mean when Paul said he died to the law? (Rom 7:4) C. For what purpose? (19b)
4. A. Read verse 20. What does it mean to be “crucified with Christ”? (Rom 6:3–4) B. How was Paul changed from a self-centered to a Christ-centered person? (1Tim 1:13–14; 2 Cor 5:17; Rom 4:7–8) C. How did Christ’s love enable him to live by faith? (20b) D. In light of this, why is it so important to know Jesus personally, not just theoretically?
5. A. Read verse 21. What two ways of living after receiving Christ does Paul contrast here? B. What consequence does Paul mention? C. Why is it important to continue to live by the grace of God?
6. A. How can we live only by faith in the grace of Jesus in our personal lives? B. How can we apply this to the way we relate to others in our field of ministry?
To Preserve the Truth of the Gospel
TO PRESERVE THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL
Galatians 2:1–10 Lesson 2
Key Verse: 2:5 Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF 7-2011
“5 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you.”
In lesson 1 we learned the core of the gospel and the uniqueness of the gospel. There is no other gospel except the gospel of Christ. From the first, the ministry to non-Jews was controversial. Rigid Jewish Christians tried to make Paul push his Gentile converts to become Jews: (i.e., to be circumcised and accept Jewish laws and rituals, in order to be full-fledged Christians.) Paul went to Jerusalem and laid the gospel he preached before those who had been closest to Jesus. He wanted to hold on to the truth of the gospel and protect the freedom believers have in Christ. The apostles in Jerusalem did not add or subtract from Paul's message. They recognized that God was working through Paul to bring Gentiles to God, just as God worked through Peter to bring the gospel to the Jews. They did not like some of the ways of life of the gentiles, but they realized that God loved them, just as they are, and had sent Jesus to die for the sins of all people. In this lesson we will learn how to preserve the Gospel truth and not give in to the trends today that seem to force us to compromise the truth of God. We will learn Paul's uncompromising attitude and the nature of the gospel.
Part I: We Did Not Give In For A Moment (1-5)
As we studied last time, after his conversion, Paul went to Arabia for three years, most likely to study the Bible personally and deeply. Then he went to Jerusalem and met Peter and James briefly. Afterward he spent time in Syria--where Antioch was, and Cilicia--where his hometown Tarsus was. In 2:1-10 Paul tells of a second visit to Jerusalem fourteen years after his conversion. Scholars disagree about the nature of this visit. Some say it was to attend the Jerusalem Council (Ac 15). But the word "privately" (2) seems to preclude this. Moreover, the words "in response to a revelation" tell us that he was not summoned, but inspired by the Holy Spirit. Most likely this visit is the one mentioned in Acts 11:30 (12:25). While delivering a relief offering, Paul had a private audience with Jewish Christian leaders. We can learn several things about Paul’s faith and attitude. Let’s see.
First, Paul did not give in for a moment. Look at verses 1-2. “Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. 2 I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did this privately to those who seemed to be leaders, for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain.” In these verses Paul tells the Galatians how God helped him resolve a similar and previous crisis in the Antioch church. The gospel had worked mightily in Antioch in the hearts of Greek Gentiles. They became genuine Christians. Then some fake Christians invaded the fellowship. Paul exposed their motive. Look at verse 4, “. 4 This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves.” These fake Christians wanted to make Gentile Christians "slaves" of Jewish legalism, robbing their God-given freedom in Christ. They claimed the support of the Jerusalem church. So, young Gentile believers in Antioch were confused. They were wavering inwardly. Paul needed wisdom to help them. He must have prayed earnestly. Then he was inspired to visit Jerusalem. He brought Barnabas and Titus. He presented the gospel he preached to the Gentiles and put forth Titus as a fruit of his ministry. Look at Titus 1:4-5, “To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. 5 The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.” Titus was a genuine Greek…a Gentile. Yet he was a very sincere Christian and a leader of the Church. God was working powerfully through Titus. His changed life testified that the Gentile believers were being transformed into Christ's disciples apart from the help of Jewish legalism. Titus was the clear evidence. The Jerusalem leaders realized that Paul's message and ministry were the work of God and accepted Titus without compelling him to be circumcised. This set a precedent. In this way Paul defended the gospel and protected God's flock in Antioch.
However, it was not easy for Paul to stand on the Gospel truth. Look at verse 5. "We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you." There was severe pressure on Paul to not speak up and just give into the status quo. There were sharp disputes between Paul and the circumcision group. Paul was misunderstood. He must have been branded as rebellious and unorthodox. However, he did not give in for a moment.
Paul was not a stubborn and unyielding person. He was always ready to concede in cultural matters to win others over to Christ. We can see this in his dealing with Timothy. Timothy's mother was a Jewess, and his father a Greek. To Jewish thought, Timothy was a Jew. So Paul had him get circumcised. It was not for salvation, but to honor his true Jewish identity. Paul did not try to make Gentiles into Jews however, nor did he try to make Jews into Gentiles. Paul confessed in 1 Corinthians 9 that he became like the Jews to win the Jews, and like those not having the law to win them. Paul became all things to all people so that by all possible means he might save some (1 Cor 9:20-23). In regards to preserving gospel faith, Paul was uncompromising--a courageous fighter.
Here we can learn something here from Paul. Generally, we should concede in cultural matters. But in order to preserve the gospel and defend the faith of young Christians, we must not give into enemies of the gospel even for a moment. We must fight for the gospel truth as a matter of life and death. Last year Franklin Graham said, in regards to Muslims, "God loves them. I want them to know that they don't have to die in a car bomb, they don't have to die in some kind of holy war to be accepted by God. But it's through faith in Jesus Christ and Christ alone." As a result, the U.S. Army rescinded his invitation to speak at the national day of prayer. It was a painful rejection. But Mr. Graham did not waver in his stand for the gospel truth. He stood his ground. He was rejected by people, but accepted by God. Likewise, we must clearly and courageously stand on the gospel amidst spiritual forces that oppose the Gospel truth.
There are many “false gospels” that threaten to enslave our lives if we let them. All other religions, other than Biblical Christianity, threaten to impose on us, some set of rigid standards and laws that they claim as necessary to receive salvation and enter into some sort of relationship with God. There are philosophies of life that set out to capture our hearts and enslave us by its tenants and in doing so make us “slaves” of our sinful nature and drag us through life as if there were a ring in our nose. There are false Gospels, such as the “health and wealth” gospel, that says that people will be blessed by God even if they don’t pick up their own crosses and follow Jesus in their practical, daily lives. But we all know that with grace comes apostleship. With grace comes truth. With any love there is sacrifice.
Other “false” gospels burden us and hinder us from loving God and loving others. These false gospels may seem appealing at first. Why? They gratify our sense of self righteousness. They offer a way feel right before God using our human efforts. They offer a way for us to receive some sort of human glory and recognition. We feel that we are “growing” and getting somewhere with these false teachings. People who share any false Gospel experience some happiness in bring others over to their cause. They may even feel that they are doing a service to God and to humanity. But we must not let these false gospels infiltrate our hearts and our families and churches. Can you think of any other false gospels that are trying to enslave us today?
We must know that is only Jesus and what he accomplished on the mount of Calvary that gets us saved. This is the only good news of salvation! 1 Corinthians 15:4-5 reads, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,” Repenting of our sins and believing the Gospel is totally enough to free our hearts from the power of sin and help to set us free to live by the truth and to live a life of love and service to God, loving God and loving others. The Gospel frees our hearts from condemnation and sets our hearts free with the love and the grace of Jesus.
We must never confuse spiritual and church discipline with a legalism. Sure we study the Bible a lot and promote daily prayer and other Christian activities. But participating in these has nothing to do with being saved and becoming a child of God. It all has to do with loving Jesus and getting to know Jesus better. It has to do with becoming a stronger Christian. We do not do it to be save or get more saved. We do it because we love Jesus and want to know him more.
Let’s face it. If we are going to stand our ground, in regards to the Gospel, we need to know what the Gospel has to say. According to a 2009 Barna study on religion,
“Bible reading has become the religious equivalent of sound-bite journalism. When people read from the Bible they typically open it, read a brief passage without much regard for the context, and consider the primary thought or feeling that the passage provided. If they are comfortable with it, they accept it; otherwise, they deem it interesting but irrelevant to their life, and move on. There is shockingly little growth evident in people’s understanding of the fundamental themes of the scriptures and amazingly little interest in deepening their knowledge and application of biblical principles.” We need to engage in regular spiritual disciplines like prayer and Bible study, not to get saved by legalistic activities, but to know what the Gospel actually is and what is says and then, by faith, stand our ground on the precious truth of God.
The kids must stand their ground in the Gospel. They are in an atmosphere were everything is expected to receive absolute acceptance. They are being taught that we should never discriminate, and we should not, but this attitude spills over into the spiritual realm in the hearts of Christian youth. For example people think that God has no requirements when it comes to entering heaven and dwelling eternity with Jesus. There is trend to think that as long as you are a sincere person and don’t hurt anyone, then that is enough. There is extreme pressure not to open our mouths and declare with boldness, that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and that no one can come to the Father except through Jesus. (Jn 14:6) To do so means that you might loose some friends. But remember Galatians 1:10, “ Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ” In standing your ground, and not giving in for a moment, you will become closer friends to God.
Part ll: Paul’s Call And Mission From God Confirmed (6-10)
Second, there is one gospel but different preachers and mission fields. Look at verses 6-10. The Jerusalem leaders added nothing to Paul's message. (6) They did not say, "Your message was okay, but you are missing this main point." Or, "This part is irrelevant and unnecessary." Instead, they said, "Amen! What a beautiful, truthful gospel message." They confirmed that the gospel Paul preached was the same gospel they preached. Paul's gospel message must have revealed his deep understanding of the Gentiles and how the gospel was given to them. The Jerusalem leaders concluded that it was precisely God's work in him. That is not all. Look at verse 7, “On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews.” They realized that God called Paul to preach to the Gentiles, just as he had called Peter to preach to the Jews. The same God was working in and through both of them. So they recognized Paul as being on par with Peter. They gave Paul the right hand of fellowship, publicly acknowledging him as God's servant with the true gospel message. They agreed to serve God in their respective mission fields as coworkers in the gospel. They made only one request of Paul--that he continue to remember the poor--the very thing he was eager to do. (10)
Here we see that there is one gospel, but different preachers and mission fields. While the gospel that Paul preached was essentially the same as that of Peter, John and James, each one's way of expressing the Gospel and their emphasis was different. We see this clearly, as we compare their written works in the Bible. Their conversions, mission callings, educational backgrounds, life experiences, and personalities were all different. These distinctive factors affected how they presented the gospel. But it was the same gospel.
The gospel can be expressed in different ways, while retaining its essential truth. The gospel may be compared to water in a jar. The jar can be small or large; it can be round, square or triangular. However the water inside the jar is still water. In the same way, the gospel is still the gospel, though it is preached by different people in different languages and nations.
When we hear mission reports from different nations, we find that the people of each nation are different. However, we also realize that the same God is working through the same gospel message in people of each nation. It is God who appoints and uses gospel workers in each mission field. So we are to regard as partners all whom God is using to preach the true gospel. We should accept them as brothers and sisters in Christ, embracing our diversity.
God has given us a unique mission field. Some of us have been called to serve campus students through one to one Bible study and discipleship. Most of us have come from student backgrounds. We have felt the suffering of typical students. We know from personal experience that they suffer, not from hunger and lack of shelter, but from meaninglessness of life, boredom, loneliness, issues of acceptance and lack of hope. These are the issues that drove me deeper and deeper into sin and father and farther away from Jesus. These are the issues that Jesus and his Gospel solved in my life. Through the Gospel, Jesus filled my heart with his love, grace and forgiveness. He healed me and showed me the way to eternal life and how to have a personal relationship with him. He showed me that he wants to love all students. He led me to this mission field, so that my changed life can be a source of hope and inspiration to other college students. I thank God for our mission field. We are surrounded by beautiful campuses, intellectuals and our nation’s future leaders. It is a challenging mission field. We must recognize and pray for other mission fields of servants of God, and devote ourselves to whom God has called us to serve.
They all co-worked together. Look at verses 9-10, “James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews. 10 All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.” James, Peter and John were a team and Barnabas and Titus were a team. There were no lone wolves among them. They were unified. They were not just interested in their own business. They were interested in God’s work being done among them in their own respective mission fields. They were willing to be inconvenienced in order to travel together on a mission, a mission to preserve the Gospel among the churches. The work of God goes on though much faithful and committed co-working. We co-work together, not to be saved, but to become more effective Gospel workers, instruments through which Jesus can spread his life giving Gospel to a world in need.
In today’s lesson we learned that we must take a clear and absolute stand on the gospel of Jesus Christ. We must never waver in our faith, but stand firm and share the only Gospel that brings, life, forgiveness and the peace of God and eternal life. Thank Jesus for keeping us from becoming enslaved by false religions and false philosophies of life. Let us decided to stand firm and share the true Gospel with others. Let us dig deep into the Bible so that we know what the true Gospel is. You can not take a stand on something that you do not know it. Let us co-work with others as we take our stand with others believers around us. May the liberating and life giving true Gospel go forth across the NIU and Kish College and the people of DeKalb.
Part l: We Did Not Give In (1-5)
1. A. To what does “fourteen years later” refer? B. What motivated Paul to visit Jerusalem? (1–2,4) [Based on his use of the words “privately” and “in response to a revelation,” Paul’s trip to Jerusalem seems to be prior to his going to the Jerusalem Council, which was a public event and instigated by a sharp dispute and debate at Antioch with the circumcision group (Ac15:1–2).] C. Who was with him? D. In Paul’s mind, why was this matter so serious? (2b)
2. A. Who was Titus? (3b; Tit1:4–5) B. How did his presence with Paul in Jerusalem further validate the Gentile gospel ministry and set a precedent for all Gentile believers? C. Who were the “false brothers,” and what was their real motive in forcing Gentiles to be circumcised? (4)
Part ll: Paul’s Call And Mission From God Confirmed (5-10)
3. A. Read verse 5. How did Paul express his uncompromising spirit with the false brothers? (5a) B. Why did he oppose them so strongly? (5b) C. What is “the truth of the gospel”? (1Co15:3–4; Gal2:16)
4. A. What can we learn from Paul’s shepherd’s concern for Gentile believers? B. Why was preserving the truth of the gospel so crucial for the Galatians, and, for the history of Christian missions? C. How is the gospel truth being challenged in our time, and what can we do to preserve it? (5a)
5. A. How did the leaders in Jerusalem respond to Paul and his message? (6–9) B. How could they agree to part ways amicably and work for the gospel respectively? (8–10) C. How would the Jerusalem leaders’ acceptance help Paul in his Gentile ministry?
Galatians 2:1–10 Lesson 2
Key Verse: 2:5 Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF 7-2011
“5 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you.”
In lesson 1 we learned the core of the gospel and the uniqueness of the gospel. There is no other gospel except the gospel of Christ. From the first, the ministry to non-Jews was controversial. Rigid Jewish Christians tried to make Paul push his Gentile converts to become Jews: (i.e., to be circumcised and accept Jewish laws and rituals, in order to be full-fledged Christians.) Paul went to Jerusalem and laid the gospel he preached before those who had been closest to Jesus. He wanted to hold on to the truth of the gospel and protect the freedom believers have in Christ. The apostles in Jerusalem did not add or subtract from Paul's message. They recognized that God was working through Paul to bring Gentiles to God, just as God worked through Peter to bring the gospel to the Jews. They did not like some of the ways of life of the gentiles, but they realized that God loved them, just as they are, and had sent Jesus to die for the sins of all people. In this lesson we will learn how to preserve the Gospel truth and not give in to the trends today that seem to force us to compromise the truth of God. We will learn Paul's uncompromising attitude and the nature of the gospel.
Part I: We Did Not Give In For A Moment (1-5)
As we studied last time, after his conversion, Paul went to Arabia for three years, most likely to study the Bible personally and deeply. Then he went to Jerusalem and met Peter and James briefly. Afterward he spent time in Syria--where Antioch was, and Cilicia--where his hometown Tarsus was. In 2:1-10 Paul tells of a second visit to Jerusalem fourteen years after his conversion. Scholars disagree about the nature of this visit. Some say it was to attend the Jerusalem Council (Ac 15). But the word "privately" (2) seems to preclude this. Moreover, the words "in response to a revelation" tell us that he was not summoned, but inspired by the Holy Spirit. Most likely this visit is the one mentioned in Acts 11:30 (12:25). While delivering a relief offering, Paul had a private audience with Jewish Christian leaders. We can learn several things about Paul’s faith and attitude. Let’s see.
First, Paul did not give in for a moment. Look at verses 1-2. “Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. 2 I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did this privately to those who seemed to be leaders, for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain.” In these verses Paul tells the Galatians how God helped him resolve a similar and previous crisis in the Antioch church. The gospel had worked mightily in Antioch in the hearts of Greek Gentiles. They became genuine Christians. Then some fake Christians invaded the fellowship. Paul exposed their motive. Look at verse 4, “. 4 This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves.” These fake Christians wanted to make Gentile Christians "slaves" of Jewish legalism, robbing their God-given freedom in Christ. They claimed the support of the Jerusalem church. So, young Gentile believers in Antioch were confused. They were wavering inwardly. Paul needed wisdom to help them. He must have prayed earnestly. Then he was inspired to visit Jerusalem. He brought Barnabas and Titus. He presented the gospel he preached to the Gentiles and put forth Titus as a fruit of his ministry. Look at Titus 1:4-5, “To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. 5 The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.” Titus was a genuine Greek…a Gentile. Yet he was a very sincere Christian and a leader of the Church. God was working powerfully through Titus. His changed life testified that the Gentile believers were being transformed into Christ's disciples apart from the help of Jewish legalism. Titus was the clear evidence. The Jerusalem leaders realized that Paul's message and ministry were the work of God and accepted Titus without compelling him to be circumcised. This set a precedent. In this way Paul defended the gospel and protected God's flock in Antioch.
However, it was not easy for Paul to stand on the Gospel truth. Look at verse 5. "We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you." There was severe pressure on Paul to not speak up and just give into the status quo. There were sharp disputes between Paul and the circumcision group. Paul was misunderstood. He must have been branded as rebellious and unorthodox. However, he did not give in for a moment.
Paul was not a stubborn and unyielding person. He was always ready to concede in cultural matters to win others over to Christ. We can see this in his dealing with Timothy. Timothy's mother was a Jewess, and his father a Greek. To Jewish thought, Timothy was a Jew. So Paul had him get circumcised. It was not for salvation, but to honor his true Jewish identity. Paul did not try to make Gentiles into Jews however, nor did he try to make Jews into Gentiles. Paul confessed in 1 Corinthians 9 that he became like the Jews to win the Jews, and like those not having the law to win them. Paul became all things to all people so that by all possible means he might save some (1 Cor 9:20-23). In regards to preserving gospel faith, Paul was uncompromising--a courageous fighter.
Here we can learn something here from Paul. Generally, we should concede in cultural matters. But in order to preserve the gospel and defend the faith of young Christians, we must not give into enemies of the gospel even for a moment. We must fight for the gospel truth as a matter of life and death. Last year Franklin Graham said, in regards to Muslims, "God loves them. I want them to know that they don't have to die in a car bomb, they don't have to die in some kind of holy war to be accepted by God. But it's through faith in Jesus Christ and Christ alone." As a result, the U.S. Army rescinded his invitation to speak at the national day of prayer. It was a painful rejection. But Mr. Graham did not waver in his stand for the gospel truth. He stood his ground. He was rejected by people, but accepted by God. Likewise, we must clearly and courageously stand on the gospel amidst spiritual forces that oppose the Gospel truth.
There are many “false gospels” that threaten to enslave our lives if we let them. All other religions, other than Biblical Christianity, threaten to impose on us, some set of rigid standards and laws that they claim as necessary to receive salvation and enter into some sort of relationship with God. There are philosophies of life that set out to capture our hearts and enslave us by its tenants and in doing so make us “slaves” of our sinful nature and drag us through life as if there were a ring in our nose. There are false Gospels, such as the “health and wealth” gospel, that says that people will be blessed by God even if they don’t pick up their own crosses and follow Jesus in their practical, daily lives. But we all know that with grace comes apostleship. With grace comes truth. With any love there is sacrifice.
Other “false” gospels burden us and hinder us from loving God and loving others. These false gospels may seem appealing at first. Why? They gratify our sense of self righteousness. They offer a way feel right before God using our human efforts. They offer a way for us to receive some sort of human glory and recognition. We feel that we are “growing” and getting somewhere with these false teachings. People who share any false Gospel experience some happiness in bring others over to their cause. They may even feel that they are doing a service to God and to humanity. But we must not let these false gospels infiltrate our hearts and our families and churches. Can you think of any other false gospels that are trying to enslave us today?
We must know that is only Jesus and what he accomplished on the mount of Calvary that gets us saved. This is the only good news of salvation! 1 Corinthians 15:4-5 reads, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,” Repenting of our sins and believing the Gospel is totally enough to free our hearts from the power of sin and help to set us free to live by the truth and to live a life of love and service to God, loving God and loving others. The Gospel frees our hearts from condemnation and sets our hearts free with the love and the grace of Jesus.
We must never confuse spiritual and church discipline with a legalism. Sure we study the Bible a lot and promote daily prayer and other Christian activities. But participating in these has nothing to do with being saved and becoming a child of God. It all has to do with loving Jesus and getting to know Jesus better. It has to do with becoming a stronger Christian. We do not do it to be save or get more saved. We do it because we love Jesus and want to know him more.
Let’s face it. If we are going to stand our ground, in regards to the Gospel, we need to know what the Gospel has to say. According to a 2009 Barna study on religion,
“Bible reading has become the religious equivalent of sound-bite journalism. When people read from the Bible they typically open it, read a brief passage without much regard for the context, and consider the primary thought or feeling that the passage provided. If they are comfortable with it, they accept it; otherwise, they deem it interesting but irrelevant to their life, and move on. There is shockingly little growth evident in people’s understanding of the fundamental themes of the scriptures and amazingly little interest in deepening their knowledge and application of biblical principles.” We need to engage in regular spiritual disciplines like prayer and Bible study, not to get saved by legalistic activities, but to know what the Gospel actually is and what is says and then, by faith, stand our ground on the precious truth of God.
The kids must stand their ground in the Gospel. They are in an atmosphere were everything is expected to receive absolute acceptance. They are being taught that we should never discriminate, and we should not, but this attitude spills over into the spiritual realm in the hearts of Christian youth. For example people think that God has no requirements when it comes to entering heaven and dwelling eternity with Jesus. There is trend to think that as long as you are a sincere person and don’t hurt anyone, then that is enough. There is extreme pressure not to open our mouths and declare with boldness, that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and that no one can come to the Father except through Jesus. (Jn 14:6) To do so means that you might loose some friends. But remember Galatians 1:10, “ Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ” In standing your ground, and not giving in for a moment, you will become closer friends to God.
Part ll: Paul’s Call And Mission From God Confirmed (6-10)
Second, there is one gospel but different preachers and mission fields. Look at verses 6-10. The Jerusalem leaders added nothing to Paul's message. (6) They did not say, "Your message was okay, but you are missing this main point." Or, "This part is irrelevant and unnecessary." Instead, they said, "Amen! What a beautiful, truthful gospel message." They confirmed that the gospel Paul preached was the same gospel they preached. Paul's gospel message must have revealed his deep understanding of the Gentiles and how the gospel was given to them. The Jerusalem leaders concluded that it was precisely God's work in him. That is not all. Look at verse 7, “On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews.” They realized that God called Paul to preach to the Gentiles, just as he had called Peter to preach to the Jews. The same God was working in and through both of them. So they recognized Paul as being on par with Peter. They gave Paul the right hand of fellowship, publicly acknowledging him as God's servant with the true gospel message. They agreed to serve God in their respective mission fields as coworkers in the gospel. They made only one request of Paul--that he continue to remember the poor--the very thing he was eager to do. (10)
Here we see that there is one gospel, but different preachers and mission fields. While the gospel that Paul preached was essentially the same as that of Peter, John and James, each one's way of expressing the Gospel and their emphasis was different. We see this clearly, as we compare their written works in the Bible. Their conversions, mission callings, educational backgrounds, life experiences, and personalities were all different. These distinctive factors affected how they presented the gospel. But it was the same gospel.
The gospel can be expressed in different ways, while retaining its essential truth. The gospel may be compared to water in a jar. The jar can be small or large; it can be round, square or triangular. However the water inside the jar is still water. In the same way, the gospel is still the gospel, though it is preached by different people in different languages and nations.
When we hear mission reports from different nations, we find that the people of each nation are different. However, we also realize that the same God is working through the same gospel message in people of each nation. It is God who appoints and uses gospel workers in each mission field. So we are to regard as partners all whom God is using to preach the true gospel. We should accept them as brothers and sisters in Christ, embracing our diversity.
God has given us a unique mission field. Some of us have been called to serve campus students through one to one Bible study and discipleship. Most of us have come from student backgrounds. We have felt the suffering of typical students. We know from personal experience that they suffer, not from hunger and lack of shelter, but from meaninglessness of life, boredom, loneliness, issues of acceptance and lack of hope. These are the issues that drove me deeper and deeper into sin and father and farther away from Jesus. These are the issues that Jesus and his Gospel solved in my life. Through the Gospel, Jesus filled my heart with his love, grace and forgiveness. He healed me and showed me the way to eternal life and how to have a personal relationship with him. He showed me that he wants to love all students. He led me to this mission field, so that my changed life can be a source of hope and inspiration to other college students. I thank God for our mission field. We are surrounded by beautiful campuses, intellectuals and our nation’s future leaders. It is a challenging mission field. We must recognize and pray for other mission fields of servants of God, and devote ourselves to whom God has called us to serve.
They all co-worked together. Look at verses 9-10, “James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews. 10 All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.” James, Peter and John were a team and Barnabas and Titus were a team. There were no lone wolves among them. They were unified. They were not just interested in their own business. They were interested in God’s work being done among them in their own respective mission fields. They were willing to be inconvenienced in order to travel together on a mission, a mission to preserve the Gospel among the churches. The work of God goes on though much faithful and committed co-working. We co-work together, not to be saved, but to become more effective Gospel workers, instruments through which Jesus can spread his life giving Gospel to a world in need.
In today’s lesson we learned that we must take a clear and absolute stand on the gospel of Jesus Christ. We must never waver in our faith, but stand firm and share the only Gospel that brings, life, forgiveness and the peace of God and eternal life. Thank Jesus for keeping us from becoming enslaved by false religions and false philosophies of life. Let us decided to stand firm and share the true Gospel with others. Let us dig deep into the Bible so that we know what the true Gospel is. You can not take a stand on something that you do not know it. Let us co-work with others as we take our stand with others believers around us. May the liberating and life giving true Gospel go forth across the NIU and Kish College and the people of DeKalb.
Part l: We Did Not Give In (1-5)
1. A. To what does “fourteen years later” refer? B. What motivated Paul to visit Jerusalem? (1–2,4) [Based on his use of the words “privately” and “in response to a revelation,” Paul’s trip to Jerusalem seems to be prior to his going to the Jerusalem Council, which was a public event and instigated by a sharp dispute and debate at Antioch with the circumcision group (Ac15:1–2).] C. Who was with him? D. In Paul’s mind, why was this matter so serious? (2b)
2. A. Who was Titus? (3b; Tit1:4–5) B. How did his presence with Paul in Jerusalem further validate the Gentile gospel ministry and set a precedent for all Gentile believers? C. Who were the “false brothers,” and what was their real motive in forcing Gentiles to be circumcised? (4)
Part ll: Paul’s Call And Mission From God Confirmed (5-10)
3. A. Read verse 5. How did Paul express his uncompromising spirit with the false brothers? (5a) B. Why did he oppose them so strongly? (5b) C. What is “the truth of the gospel”? (1Co15:3–4; Gal2:16)
4. A. What can we learn from Paul’s shepherd’s concern for Gentile believers? B. Why was preserving the truth of the gospel so crucial for the Galatians, and, for the history of Christian missions? C. How is the gospel truth being challenged in our time, and what can we do to preserve it? (5a)
5. A. How did the leaders in Jerusalem respond to Paul and his message? (6–9) B. How could they agree to part ways amicably and work for the gospel respectively? (8–10) C. How would the Jerusalem leaders’ acceptance help Paul in his Gentile ministry?
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