Galatians: Discipleship Lessons

Preface 3
Table of Contents 4
Reprint Guidelines 8
References and Abbreviations 9
Introduction to Galatians 11
  Acceptance in the Early Church 11
  Location of the Galatian Churches 11
  Dating of Galatians 14
  Occasion and Purpose of the Letter 16
1. No Other Gospel (1:1-10) 18
  Salutation (1:1-5) 20
  Paul, an Apostle Sent Directly from Christ and God (1:1-2) 20
  Christ´s Rescue Mission (1:3-5) 20
  No Other Gospel (1:6-9) 22
  Another “Gospel” (1:6-8) 22
  Paul´s Pure Motivation (1:10) 24
2. The Independence of Paul´s Gospel (1:11-2:10) 26
  Revelation from Jesus Christ (1:11-12) 26
  Authoritative Sources 27
  Zeal as a Rabbinical Student (1:13-14) 28
  Paul´s Calling and Revelation (1:15-16) 29
  Not Influenced by the Jerusalem Church (1:16c-17) 31
  Paul´s Contact with the Jerusalem Church (1:18-21) 32
  Paul´s Time in Tarsus and Antioch (1:21) 32
  Paul and Barnabas Go to Jerusalem (2:1-2) 33
  The Decision Concerning Titus (2:3) 34
  Paul Distances Himself from the Jerusalem Leaders (2:2, 6, 9) 35
  James, Peter, and John Approve Paul´s Message (2:6-10) 36
3. Justified by Faith in Christ (2:11-21) 38
  Jewish Separatism 38
  Jewish Christians from Jerusalem Cause a Schism (2:11-13) 39
  The Background of Peter and Barnabas 40
  Paul Challenges Peter (2:11, 14) 41
  The Missiological Issue 43
  Both Jews and Gentiles Are Justified by Faith (2:15-21) 44
  Christ´s Death for Sin Levels the Playing Field (2:17-18) 45
  Dying to the Law (2:19) 46
  I Have Been Crucified with Christ (2:20) 47
  The Primacy of God´s Grace (2:21) 50
4. Faith Is the Key, not Law (3:1-25) 52
  Argument 1. Receiving the Spirit through Faith (3:2-5) 53
  Argument 2. Abraham´s Justification by Faith (3:6-9) 55
  Argument 3. Redeemed from the Curse of the Law (3:10-14) 56
  Argument 4. An Enduring Covenant vs. a Temporary Law (3:15-18) 58
  Argument 5. A Mediated vs. Unmediated Covenant (3:19b-20) 59
  The Law is Good, only Weak (3:21-22) 60
  The Law as a Custodian (3:23-25) 61
5. By the Spirit We Cry, `Abba, Father´(3:26-4:7) 63
  Sons of God (3:26) 63
  One in Christ (3:28-29) 64
  Slavery to the Basic Principles of the Kosmos (4:1-3) 65
  When the Time Had Fully Come (4:4) 67
  Born of a Woman, Born under Law (4:4) 69
  To Redeem Those under the Law (4:5a) 69
  Adoption or Instatement as Sons (4:5b) 70
  The Spirit of His Son Crying `Abba, Father´(4:6-7) 71
6. Freedom from the Law by the Spirit (4:8-5:12) 74
  The Slavery of Their Gentile Past (4:8-9) 74
  The Legalism of Observing Special Days (4:10) 75
  Paul´s Frustration with the Galatians (4:11) 76
  Paul´s Personal Appeal to the Galatians (4:12-15) 76
  The Problem with Zeal (4:16-18) 77
  The Agony of Childbirth (4:19-20) 78
  Allegory of Hagar and Sarah (4:21-31) 79
  Mount Sinai vs. Heavenly Mount Zion (4:24-27) 80
  The Two Jerusalems (4:25b-26) 80
  Son of the Slave Woman (4:28-29) 81
  Set Free for a Purpose (5:1) 81
  The Yoke of Slavery (5:1b) 83
  Submitting to Circumcision Alienates You from Christ (5:2-4) 83
  Faith Expressed through Love (5:5-6) 84
  The Value of Circumcision (5:6) 85
  The Judaizers Are Spoilers (5:7-10) 86
  The Penalty for Hurting the Church (5:10) 87
  The Accusation that Paul Is Preaching Circumcision (5:11a) 88
  The Offense of the Cross (5:11b) 88
  Paul´s Final Frustration (5:12) 90
7. The Spirit and the Flesh (5:13-21) 91
  We´re Not Freed to Sin (5:13) 91
  The Flesh as the Sinful Nature in Paul´s Writings 92
  Using Freedom with Restraint (5:13-14) 93

 

Destructive Behavior in the Church (5:15)

94
  Walking in the Spirit (5:16-18) 94
  1. Released by the Spirit from Bondage to the Flesh (5:16) 95
  2. Restrained by the Spirit from the Flesh´s Dominance (5:17-18) 96
  The Works of the Flesh, the Sinful Nature (5:19-21) 98
  Failing to Inherit the Kingdom (5:21b) 100
8. The Spirit and Character (5:22-26) 104
  The Fruit of the Spirit (5:22-23) 104
  1. Love 105
  2. Joy 105
  3. Peace 106
  4. Patience or Forbearance 107
  5. Kindness 108
  6. Goodness 109
  7. Faithfulness 110
  8. Gentleness 110
  9. Self-Control 111
  Crucifying the Flesh (5:24) 112
  The Ugliness of Pride (5:26) 114
  Keeping in Step with the Spirit (5:25) 114
  Cooperating with the Holy Spirit 115
9. Sowing to the Spirit (6:1-18) 117
  Restoring a Fallen Brother (6:1-2) 117
  Carry Each Other´s Burdens (6:2) 119
  Beware of Being Condescending (6:3-5) 120
  Sharing with Your Teachers (6:6) 123
  A Warning against Self-Deception (6:7) 123
  Sowing and Reaping (6:7b-9) 125
  Don´t Become Weary (6:9) 126
  Doing Good (6:9-10) 127
  Paul´s Handwriting (6:11) 128
  The Judaizers´True Motivation (6:12-13) 128
  The Offense of the Cross of Christ (6:12, 14) 129
  Boasting in the Cross (6:14) 130
  Law vs. the New Creation (6:15) 131
  The Church and the Israel of God (6:16) 132
  The Marks of Jesus (6:17) 133
  Final Benediction (6:18) 134
Appendix 1: Handouts for Group Participants 136
Appendix 2. Chronology of St. Paul´s Ministry 162
Appendix 3: Songs and Hymns from Galatians 163

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