Study in Galatians

1. Study in Galatians Presentation 07

2. Faith Or Law Chap 3v1-25 Presentation 07

3. Introduction In chap 3-4 of the epistle Paul turns from both the earlier biographical material, albeit with doctrinal input, in order to concentrate upon what he saw to be the most pressing problem in Galatia – the believer’s relationship to the law. And he does so in a way that is clearly intended to challenge the views held by the false teachers who were claiming that obedience to the law was a vital necessity for salvation. Presentation 07

4. The Bewitched Galatians The opening verse of Chap.3 is designed to poleaxe his readers, “You foolish Galatians who has bewitched you?” The word ‘who’ is in the singular suggesting that Paul may be getting behind his opponents to the ‘one’ who was activating them, pulling their strings - Satan. There is no doubt that these Galatians had been well and truly converted through Paul’s preaching. But now they were in great danger and the source of that danger was surely Satan himself whom Paul describes elsewhere as an ‘angel of light’. His approaches are sometimes so plausible and come dressed in a religious guise. But the fact of the matter was that the Galatians were bewitched as if some spell were cast upon them. Presentation 07

5. TheBewitchedGalatians What is Paul’s basis for such an extravagant claim? Their current behaviour despite the fact that before their eyes Jesus has been portrayed as crucified. The word ‘portrayed’ v1is an interesting Greek word. It means to “write publicly”. If, you planned to take out a full-page advert in the local newspaper, then this is the word you would use. The idea behind using this word is to indicate that you have displayed something in such an unmistakable way that you could not possibly miss it. Paul says, Jesus was placardedbefore, the gospel headlines were unmistakably clear, it was not communicated in small print, truth that could have been easily missed! The Salvation Of God By Grace Alone Presentation 07

6. The Bewitched Galatians Another use of the word ‘portrayed’ means to write something down at the top of a list. When writing a shopping list you may put at the top of your list in large underlined letters the item that is of greatest importance. And so Paul could then be saying that when he preached, ‘Christ crucified’ was at the very top of his list, the teaching to which he gave priority. It was not something tucked away as a footnote. In the light of that, says Paul, I can only conclude you have been deceived by Satan. Paul further reveals his concern by giving them a test in theology. He asks a number of important questions. FLOWERS Bread Eggs Milk Apples Bananas Carrots Onions Presentation 07

7. A Test In Theology Question 1: Pauldraws the attention to the fact that something wonderful had happened to them while he was with them. They had received the Holy Spirit and been ‘born again of the Spirit’. A process of spiritual transformation had begun to take place! Now he asks did this come about by observing the law or by placing faith in the object of the gospel preached to you – faith in Jesus v2 ? Question 2: They had suffered as a result of their conversion to Christ. It had cost them to be known as Christians. And Paul asks is all of that going to be in vain v3-4... Presentation 07

8. A Test In Theology Paul is intent upon establishing a contrast between the gift of God’s Spirit and legal observance, between placing one’s confidence in the that God’s Spirit was doing in their lives and a confidence in their own efforts and abilities. What is Paul emphasising? Simply this, that it is not something which we do, but something that we hear that brings us into the kingdom of God! Faith comes not by doing but by hearing. And hearing about something that someone else has done for us that we could never do for ourselves. Presentation 07

9. A Test In Theology Question 3: Paul confronts them with two things that are mutually exclusive asking, “So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?” v5 What Paul intends when they answer that question, [and they must answer, ‘by believing what you heard’], is that they continue in the Christian pilgrimage as they had begun – by faith! Incidentally, Paul’s clash with Peter described in Chap. 2 highlighted Peter’s failure to do precisely this. Presentation 07

10. A Test In Theology Whenever there has been a great spiritual movement and renewal within the church, has that been as a result of human accomplishment or, by faith in God’s accomplishment in Christ alone? Here is an account of the 1889 revival in the U.K. “Men were thought to be and thought themselves to be, good religious people, having been led to search into the foundation upon which they were resting, and found it all rotten: that they were self satisfied, resting on their own goodness and not upon Christ. None of this produced any moral transformation whatsoever and then Christ was preached to them and what was the result? Many turned from open sin to lives of holiness, some weeping for sins forgiven.” Presentation 07

11. A Test In Theology Paul is saying, where the gospel message is proclaimed and met with faith, and the miracle of the new birth is apparent in both transformed lives and the gifts of the Spirit, how can getting right with God in this way be the ‘modern fad’ that his detractors suggested? His opponents appear to have been saying, “We want to stand on the same ground as our forefathers and continue in the manner in which we have been brought up, a historical religious tradition. We stand by Abraham!” Presentation 07

12. A Test In Theology ‘Very well’, says Paul, ‘I’m happy to talk about Abraham’, whom he then goes on to show was justified ‘by faith’ and not as the Jews clearly thought ‘by works’. In some churches in Scotland, people are saying to ministers of the gospel, “Your preaching is not what we are used to. We have been told to do our best and we’ll get to heaven. This is the historic position of our church”. Such people are surprised to learn that the Westminster Confession of Faith, which is their church’s subordinate standard says the very opposite. When we claim that we want traditional historic doctrine we best be sure that we know what that is. Presentation 07

13. A Test In Theology Paul cuts the feet away from his opponents by showing from scripture that Abraham’s experience was in harmony with the apostolic gospel, “Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness”v6. The true children of Abraham, his spiritual heirs, are therefore those who also trust in God alone for salvation. The scriptures foresaw that God would justify the heathen through faith and through Abraham all the families of the earth were to be blessed, Gen 12v3. Paul tells us that the gospel God preached to Abraham was a N.T. gospel. Jesus taught, “Abraham rejoiced to see my day” Jn.8v56. Justification by faith was in the mind of God when he called Abraham from Ur of the Chaldees. The gospel was there in Genesis Presentation 07

14. A Test In Theology Paul calls upon his readers to consider the two alternatives in v9-10faith and law. “All who rely on observing the law are under the curse of the law.” ‘You cannot quibble with that,’ he says, ‘for that’s what the bible teaches v10b. And so, if you are determined to remain under the law, then you are under the curse of God’. How so? Read v11-12… If law-keeping is the ground you choose to stand on, then the law demands perfection from you or you are condemned! It is no answer to say, “Well no one is perfect,”that is precisely Paul’s point. Nobody can be justified by keeping the law because nobody has kept it – save Jesus. Presentation 07

15. A Test In Theology Paul then turns to the other side of the argument in v13 and says Christ has redeemed us precisely from this situation that we find ourselves in, from under the curse of the law. It was by being made a curse for us upon the cross that he cancelled the debt we owed God’s law. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law v14,in order that the blessing of Abraham – justification through faith - might come to the Gentiles through him. In addition we receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Presentation 07

16. A Test In Theology Paul is saying, ‘this is my gospel and here is your alternative. I challenge those who trust in their works to secure their salvation to look to the scriptures. They will not find there salvation through law keeping but only condemnation and curse. On the other hand, let me focus upon another curse. A curse that is rightly ours under the regime of the law but which became Christ’s when he assumed it as his own. And so the more you think of the cross of Christ in relation to the O.T. law, the more marvellous you will begin to see that it is.’ Presentation 07

17. A Test In Theology Christ became a curse for us that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles through him. Do you see the antithesis between curse and blessing? He became a curse for us so that the blessing of Abraham spoken of in Gen.12 might become ours, who believe in Jesus Christ. Here is the promise of justification by faith and associated with it, the promise of the Spirit, for the two are inseparable. You cannot be justified without the Spirit because it is the Spirit who makes justification a reality in our lives. Presentation 07