Galatians 3:1-14

Galatians 3:1-14 

Attention Grabber – “You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?”

– Galatians 3:1

“Bewitching” (Gk: baskaino) – to beguile, enchant, mesmerize with evil intent 

** Bewitching Agents:

• News Media

• Social Media

• Celebrities

• Satan

• Our “Flesh”

The Result:  Foolishness = literally: not thinking

• = figuratively: stupid, intellectually lazy, unwilling to engage the mind

Practices for Staying Unbewitched in a Bewitching Culture

Practice 1 - Choose faithful sources.

Galatians 3:1b-2 – “Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law or by believing what you heard?”

“Clearly Portrayed” = Placarded, publicly exhibited

Point: Trusting any other source before or contrary to the Bible is dangerous and unwise.

Practice 2 – Practice zero tolerance deviation.

Galatians 3:3 – “Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?”

Point: The Salvation Process begins and ends with Grace, not works.

C. S. Lewis – “An open mind, in questions that are not ultimate, is useful. But an open mind about ultimate foundations either of Theoretical or Practical Reason is idiocy. If a man’s mind is open on these things, let his mouth at least be shut.”

Practice 3 – Follow faithful examples.

Galatians 3:6-7 – “Consider Abraham: ‘He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.’ Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham.”

Note 1: Abraham preceded Moses (and, therefore, the Law) by 430 years! ...yet...Abraham was saved.

Note 2: Abraham was saved before he was circumcised.

Genesis 17:24 – “Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised.”

Galatians 3:8 – “The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”

Point: The best role models point us to grace.

Practice 4 – Remember Facts...reject opinion.

John R. W. Stott – “The law requires works of human achievement; the gospel requires faith in Christ’s achievement. The law makes demands and bids us obey; the gospel brings promises and bids us believe.”

** Here are the essential “facts” Paul wants noted:

v. 1b – Jesus crucified in the crux of our salvation

v. 9 – Faith activates God’s blessings.

vs. 10 – Law = Cursing; Faith = blessing

v. 11 – “The righteous will live by faith.” (Habakkuk 2:4)

Helpful Questions to Discern Fact from Opinion:

1. To what degree do I find this new teaching present and illustrated in Scripture?

2. Does this new teaching emphasize faith instead of works for salvation?

3. Does the life of this new teacher consistently model, not only what he/she teaches, but

   what Christ taught?

The Bottom Line – “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.”

- Galatians 3:14

Galatians 2:1-21

Conflict in the Church

Galatians 2:1-21

“To triumph fully, evil needs two victories, not one. The first victory happens when an evil deed is perpetrated; the second victory, when evil is returned.”

- Miroslav Volf (Croatian Theologian)

I. Conflict with Fake Christians – Galatians 2:1-5

Key Verse (2:5) – “We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you.”

Principle: Do not give one inch to those who would destroy the church. ... “We did not give in to them for a moment...”

Application: Attack the policy not the person. ... “so that the truth of the Gospel...”

II. Conflict with the Majority – Galatians 2:6-10

Principle: Every faithful believer is equally important in God’s plan.

v. 8 – “For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles.”

Application: Find common ground.

v. 10 – “All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.”

III. Conflict with the Leader – Galatians 2:11-15

Principle: Leaders are accountable, too.

v. 11 – “When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong.”

Application: Treat everyone equally.

v. 16b – “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.”

IV. Conflict with False Teachings – Galatians 2:17-21

Principle: Protect the integrity of the Gospel at all cost.

v. 18 – “If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker.”

Application: Maintain a no compromise approach.

v. 21 – “I do not set aside the grace of God...”

Conclusion: Finally...for whom do you live?

v. 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.

The Difference? – the Love and Sacrifice of Christ overwhelm me.

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A Quick Word about “Justification”

** Justification, simply put, means that God declares a sinner right with himself.

• It is an act of God whereby he declares a sinner right with him because of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

• Justification does not excuse our sin, ignore our sin, or endorse our sin. Rather, our sin is fully punished, Christ having taken our penalty for us. He was our substitute (see: 1 Peter 3:18).

  o Because the wrath of God is satisfied in Christ (see: Isaiah 53:4–6), we are free from condemnation (see: Romans 8:1), and God remains both “fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus” (see: Romans 3:26, NLT).

• Justification is NOT a process...it gives an immediate change of status with God for the recipient

• Justification changes the status of the sinner (i.e.: from condemned and cursed to beloved and

  saved), not the content of the sinner’s heart.

• Justification comes apart from the Law and is realized through faith in Jesus Christ, alone (see:

  Romans 3:21-26)

• In justification, God “imputes” the right standing of Jesus Christ onto the sinner (see: 2 Corinthians 5:21)

Faith Fellowship Boca · Galatians 2:1-21

Galatians 1:11-24

Paul’s Calling

Galatians 1:11-24

“Everyone will be forgotten, nothing we do will make any difference, and all good endeavors, even the best, will come to naught. Unless there is God.”

- Pastor Tim Keller

I. Paul’s Calling is to Preach the Gospel – Galatians 1:11-12

** Denial of 3 Possible Sources of the Gospel

 Comes not from “man” 

o Point: Paul didn’t invent this Gospel - Not according to “man”

o Point: Paul received this Gospel from Jesus himself - Not taught by “man”

o Point: The Gospel is not something humans are doing...it’s of God. 

 Point: Paul’s source is God himself...through revelation

Either on the road to Damascus – see Acts 26:12-18

Or during his time to Arabia – See Galatians 1:17-18

William Barclay – “God sends every individual into the world with a part to play in his purpose.

II. Paul’s Calling and his “Credentials” – Galatians 1:13-14

Oswald Chambers - “The greatest competitor of devotion to Jesus is service for Him. The one aim of the call of God is the satisfaction of God, not a call to do something for Him.”

** Before Jesus, Paul confused his Calling with his Credentials.

• Paul’s Jewish credentials are impeccable (see also Acts 22:2-5; Philippians 3:3-6)

o Persecutor of the church - See Acts 22:4-5

o Climbing the ranks of the Pharisees more quickly than his peers – see: Acts 22:3 o “Zealous” = radical in fulfilling and enforcing the Law

Point: Paul’s had been a fanatic in defending the Law.

 III. Paul’s Calling began a New Obedience – Galatians (1:15-17)

Truth: A Calling from Jesus always begins with an Encounter with Jesus. Note: 

God knew his plan for Paul and set him apart “from birth”...

...this “pre-natal calling” confirms what the Psalmist says in Psalm 139:13-16 –

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

IV. Paul’s Calling Transforms his Reputation – Galatians 1:18-24

The Result (see: vs. 23-24): “They only heard the report: ‘The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.’ And they praised God because of me.”

Point: All of the evildoers could not change what God was doing.

Application: What can you learn about your calling?

** Martin Luther on a Christian’s Calling

“The maid who sweeps her kitchen is doing the will of God just as much as the monk who prays – not because she may sing a Christian hymn as she sweeps but because God loves clean floors. The Christian shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.”

The Takeaways from Paul’s Calling:

1. The Significance of your life is discovered in God’s calling.

2. The Impact of your life is in fulfilling God’s calling.

3. The Key to your calling is revealed only by Jesus.

   
    

Faith Fellowship Boca · Galatians 1:11-24