SUNDAY SCHOOL WINTER QUARTER, The Gospel of Grace

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2 Adult Quarterly SUNDAY SCHOOL WINTER QUARTER, The Gospel of Grace A Study in the Book of Galatians QUARTERLY AIM: By the conclusion of this quarter the students will understand the concept and uniqueness of salvation by God s grace alone. DECEMBER 5 There Is Only One True Gospel! The Gospel Is a Revelation from God The Gospel Is for All People The Gospel Enables a Life of Faith JANUARY 2 The Gospel Is Justification by Faith Apart from the Law! The Power of Christ Redeems from the Curse of the Law The Purpose of the Law Is To Bring Us to Christ! Grace Enables Believers To Be Heirs in God s Family Law and Grace Cannot Be United! FEBRUARY 6 Serve One Another by Love! The Work of the Flesh Versus the Fruit of the Spirit! Christian Living Requires Individuals To Be Responsible! Christians Should Glory Only in the Cross! Timeline and Map of Galatia ADULT QUARTERLY, Sunday School, Vol. 92, No. 1, issued December 1, 2004, is published quarterly. Prepared by David Robinson; cover design by Jeff Allen; Larry E. Clements, Editor in Chief, <larryclements@abaptist.org>; Wayne Sewell, Business Manager, <wsewell@abaptist.org>. Copyright 2004, BAPTIST SUNDAY SCHOOL COMMITTEE of the American Baptist Association, 4605 N. State Line Ave., Texarkana, TX

3 American Baptist Association Through-the-Bible Series Sunday School Lessons Winter Spring Summer Fall Mark Galatians Luke 1 13:21 Isaiah Chronicles Kings Nahum Ephesians John , 2, 3 John Genesis 1 11 Job Exodus Joshua Judges Ruth 2 Samuel Chronicles Kings 1, 2 1 Kings Chronicles Kings 1 13 Joel, Obadiah Luke 13:22 24 Isaiah Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Daniel Ezekiel Nehemiah Malachi Genesis Romans Acts 1 14 James 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Corinthians Hosea, Amos, Micah, Jonah, 2 Kings 14 16, 2 Chronicles Philemon Philippians Colossians Jeremiah 2 Kings 24, 25 2 Chronicles 36 1 Peter 2 Peter Jude Revelation 1 7 Matthew 1 13 Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Acts Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon 2 Corinthians 2 Kings Chronicles Zephaniah Lamentations Habakkuk John 1 12 Zechariah Ezra Haggai, Esther Revelation 8 22 Matthew Hebrews 1 Samuel 2 Samuel Chronicles 1 10

4 1 There Is Only One True Gospel! Text: Galatians 1:1-9 Focus: Galatians 1:1-9 December 5, 2004 Key Verse: Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father. Galatians 1:4 Sunday Devotional: The Gospel Message of God s Only Savior, Acts 4:12. Application: The true gospel of Jesus Christ is always the good news of salvation by grace through faith in Christ and is never the result of a mixture of law and grace. A FIRST LOOK Understanding the nature and message of the gospel of Jesus Christ is essential to understanding the book of Galatians. The gospel is an announcement of the good news of the message of salvation. It was not given for our consideration or speculation. It was not even given for our examination. It was given so that we could immediately accept its message and be redeemed from our sins. Paul had personally preached the gospel in Galatia, Acts 16:6; 18:23. The people there had received the message of the gospel and several churches had been established, but shortly after Paul had departed from this region, other teachers had come in who taught that the gospel also included many parts of 3 Daily Devotionals M. God s Plans for Paul s Ministry, Acts 9: T. The Gospel Committed to Paul, 1 Timothy 1: W. Paul s First Mission Work in Galatia, Acts. 13:13 14:23. T. Christ s Sacrifice as Our Shepherd, John 10: F. Christ s Sacrifice Reveals the Love of God, 1 John 3:16. S. God s Righteousness Only Comes Through Christ, Romans 10:1-4.

5 4 There Is Only One True Gospel! the Jewish religion. They went so far as to teach that, to be a Christian a person first had to become a Jew. This teaching had brought confusion to the churches, and so God inspired Paul to write Galatians to set the record straight. Christianity was never intended to be an addition to Judaism. It was a complete replacement for it. Jew and Gentile alike are made one in Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:28). As we study this book, we will see the simplicity and purity of the gospel and we will see the many dangers of adding to or taking away from this wonderful life-giving message. Confusion about the nature of the gospel remains one of the most serious threats to Christianity. There are many who preach another gospel, but this will only bring condemnation to those who accept such a message. A CLOSER LOOK I. Paul s Calling Galatians 1:1, 2 1. Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) 2. And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia. When we consider any message, we should consider the source. Where did it come from and who is speaking to us? Paul gave us some valuable information about the source of his message. First, Paul identifies himself as an apostle. This made him a member of an elite group of men. The apostles were those men specifically chosen personally by Jesus to spread the good news of His saving grace. An apostle had to be personally chosen by Jesus, and he had to be an eyewitness of the resurrection (Acts 1:22). Paul met these qualifications although he was not a member of the original twelve (1 Cor. 15: 8, 9).

6 Text: Galatians 1:1-9 5 The apostles were transitional figures who had personally seen the resurrected Jesus and could testify that He had indeed risen from the dead and had conquered death for everyone. The gospel is summed up in the answers to two simple questions. Was Jesus who He said that He was? Did Jesus do what He said He did? The apostles knew that Jesus was real and that He had really risen from the dead. They were called to bear witness of this fact. This was not a notion that originated in the philosophy of men. Paul was not a self-made man, neither was he made an apostle by the will of other men. The other apostles did not choose him. Jesus Christ had personally selected each apostle, and God had approved the process. This teaches us that Paul s message was sent from Heaven, not invented here on earth. Men have many good ideas. Some of them have greatly improved the way we live on earth, but none of the ideas of mankind have even begun to deal with what happens to us when we die. The message God gave deals with life after death. God raised Jesus from the dead, and God will offer this same salvation to all who trust in Jesus as their Savior. Paul wanted these brethren to know that he had been selected by God and the message that he preached to them had originated in Heaven. Furthermore, Paul wanted them to know that he was not alone in preaching this message. The brethren that were with him concurred with his beliefs, and he wanted them to know that this message was for every church in Galatia, not just one particular group. The heresy that infected these people was spread, to some degree, among every congregation in Galatia and the letter that would correct the trouble was sent to every congregation as well. II. Paul s Greeting Galatians 1: Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, 4. Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: 5. To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

7 6 There Is Only One True Gospel! Paul moved quickly to discuss the trouble in the churches of Galatia, but he was not unmindful of the need for a strong spiritual foundation in these people. In these words of greeting, Paul expressed the essence of the gospel once again. The preaching of the gospel never tires those who truly believe it. It is a spring of living water that continually nourishes and refreshes the lives of true believers. So Paul began his greeting to these brethren with this simple and concise statement of the good news of salvation. Salvation begins with the grace of God (Eph. 2:8). The grace of God is the unmerited favor that God shows to all men everywhere. Grace is the process through which we get those things that we do not deserve. It is through the grace of God that we have an opportunity to hear the gospel and be saved. Note that the grace of God brings the peace of God. One of the true tests of any message that claims to be the gospel is to see if it produces real peace in the hearts of those who accept it. Many such messages only lead to more trouble and turmoil. The truth of God will always lead to the peace of God. The grace and peace of God are available through Jesus Christ. They do not come from philosophy or from an accumulation of works. They come only from Jesus Christ and the things that He has done for all of us. This is set forth wonderfully in the next verses. Jesus gave Himself for our sins. He became sin for us, even though He knew no sin Himself so that we might have forgiveness for our sins (2 Cor. 5:21). This statement is reflexive. No one made Jesus give Himself; He did it of His own will. It was His choice to suffer and die on the cross, and His sacrifice paid the price for us. What a wonderful contrast this is to the works that men do out of dull duty. Jesus made a choice, and His choice offers us the good news of salvation. Jesus did not die to make our lives a little better. He died, was buried and rose again so that we can be delivered from the present evil world. We quickly become friends of this world. We make a kind of peace with evil and accept it on its

8 Text: Galatians 1:1-9 7 own terms, but there can be no communion between light and darkness. The purpose of Jesus is to provide deliverance from this world and a presence in a better world to come. The many false gospels that have been preached over the years mostly deal with what is in this world. Jesus offers something new and precious. He offers spiritual life in a spiritual world. Eternal life is not fleshly life relived. It is life on an entirely new plane, and this is the will of God for all mankind. God does not want anyone to perish. He wants us to come to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ and He wants us to possess the new and abundant life that Jesus gives freely. There is glory to God in this kind of life, but there is only glory to man in a message that is based on the works of men. III. Paul s Problem Galatians 1: I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7. Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. Paul expressed a kind of surprise that these folks were so quickly removed from the truth he had preached to them. This surprise also expressed his concern for them. There is no doubt that their conversion had been sincere. They were called into the grace of God, and no doubt many of them had responded in faith and true acceptance of Jesus Christ. But then someone had come along preaching another gospel. In a short time they lost their appreciation and wonder at the true grace of God in the face of another message

9 8 There Is Only One True Gospel! that claimed to be the gospel. This gospel was a perversion of the gospel of Christ. Perversion is taking something that is reasonable or required and turning it into an evil or selfish use. The specific perversion in Galatia was the addition of many of the ordinances of the Jews to the message of the gospel. We will examine these later on, but we should note here that all of these ordinances were good and just. They were given by God, and they were given for a purpose, but they were given to the Jews. They were never applied to the Gentiles. They were never given to save men or to be anything more than shadows and illustrations of the truth that would be manifest in Jesus. It was no less than a perversion of truth to add these things to the gospel. Paul was confident that he had preached the only true gospel to these people. He was confident that he had preached all the gospel to them and that no one, on earth or in Heaven could possibly add to what he had delivered to them. To this end he gave them the strong admonition that, even if he himself, or those who were with him, should preach another gospel, they should not believe it. Truth is not true because someone you trust speaks it. Truth is truth, no matter who says it. Paul then added that, even if an angel came from Heaven and preached another gospel, they would not believe that message. This would be a troubling situation, should it occur. The angel was not from hell; the angel was from Heaven, but even so, and even if the angel was clearly identified, his message should be rejected in the light of the truth that had already been received. In fact, the angel himself would be accursed for the attempt to pervert the gospel. The reason is simple. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16). A perverted gospel cannot bring about the power to save anyone. So any man who would preach such a message places himself under a curse, and anyone who believes such a message would be in danger of being under the same kind of curse.

10 Text: Galatians 1:1-9 9 A FINAL WORD These are strong words. They convey a strong warning. Dangerous situations require strong warnings. The danger was not that someone might lose a portion of their reward. The danger was not that someone might make a mistake about some matter of Christian practice. The danger was that someone would die and go to hell because he had believed a false gospel. The gospel is perverted when something vital is omitted from it. When the gospel is made a message about men instead of a message about Jesus, it is a perverted gospel. It may sound like good news to mankind that the solutions to all our problems lie inside ourselves, but this is not the truth. A right relationship with Jesus Christ is absolutely required if we are to go to Heaven when we die. There is one God and one mediator, and that is Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 2:5). The gospel is also perverted when something is added to it. We are not saved by works. We are saved by the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. The gospel is about the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor. 15:1-4). It is not about human behavior. No amount of good works will ever save anyone. Those who are trying to work their way to Heaven are placing themselves deeper and deeper under the curse mentioned in these verses. This is a real and present danger in our world. We should be certain to preach the true gospel of Jesus Christ and we should be careful never to take anything away from it or add anything to it. Truth is not just true for some people. Truth is true whether we like it or believe it or not. Jesus was real, and He was who He said that He was. He did exactly what He said He did, and He is waiting in eternity for you and me. We need good information, and we need above all things to be right with Him.

11 2 The Gospel Is a Revelation from God Text: Galatians 1:10-24 Focus: Galatians 1:10-24 December 12, 2004 Key Verse: But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. Galatians 1: 11, 12 Sunday Devotional: Sharing the Gospel Means Telling It Like It Is, 1 Thessalonians 2:4-6. Application: The gospel involves a personal relationship with Christ that must be communicated to others. A FIRST LOOK The most powerful witness is a personal witness. Since some of the false teachers in Galatia had questioned Paul s authority and credibility, God inspired him to write this account of how he received the gospel and how he grew in grace and knowledge to the point that he could preach to others. Those who hear us have a right to know our background. We should never tell others to believe what we say because we say it. There are always false teachers who will make similar claims, and the befuddled hearer is hard-pressed to tell who is telling the truth. For this reason it is important that we recognize the divine presence in the truth of the gospel. 10 Daily Devotionals M. Seek To Please God Not Men! 2 Corinthians 5:9-11. T. Our First Allegiance Is to God! Acts 5: W. The Bible Definition of the True Gospel, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. T. Paul s Experience of Saving Grace, Acts 9:1-9. F. The Power Behind Paul s Ministry, 1 Corinthians 15:8-11. S. Paul s Testimony of His Conversion, Acts 26:1-20.

12 Text: Galatians 1: We do this when we make our experiences personal and share them with others. The biblical command to witness serves a twofold purpose. First, it communicates the gospel to others who need to hear it. Second, it confirms the faith of the one doing the witnessing. If Paul had only sought to make the people of Galatia happy, he would have told them that it did not matter what or whom they believed. Paul was seeking to please God, and, before God, it matters greatly that we believe and practice the truth. A CLOSER LOOK I. Paul Believes the Gospel Galatians 1: For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. 11. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. 13. For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: 14. And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. Persuading and pleasing men are mutually exclusive with being the servant of Christ. A servant answers to his own master (Rom. 14:4). And it is enough for the servant to please his lord. This did not mean that Paul wanted the people of Galatia to deliberately dislike him or reject his message. On the contrary, he desired that they hear and believe the truth

13 12 The Gospel Is a Revelation from God of the gospel, but it does mean that telling the truth is more important than earning the applause or praise of others. The message that Paul preached in Galatia was not a philosophy or an idea of any man. Often we apply human reasoning to spiritual matters. The result is mostly confusion. There are many things that make perfect sense to our human minds that are not at all in keeping with spiritual truth. We read in Isaiah 55:8, 9. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. The way that seems so right to human reasoning is a way of death and destruction. Perhaps the message of the false teachers made sense to the intellect of the Galatians. Even if it did, it was to be discarded in the face of the revelation of Jesus Christ. The gospel is a message of power. It does things and it changes people. There was no greater evidence of this than the life of Paul himself. His conversion to Christ was a well publicized event of the first century. Paul was from the tribe of Benjamin and was a Pharisee. He was well thought of and highly respected among the orthodox Jews of his day. In matters of the Law, he did not take a back seat to anyone. As far as zeal was concerned, he had persecuted churches without mercy. In every way possible, Paul had shown himself to be an expert in Judaism. Not only did Paul adhere to the teachings of the Old Testament, he was also an expert in the many traditions that had been added over the years to these teachings. The Pharisees had literally hundreds of obscure and arcane traditions that to them had the same force as the Old Testament Law, but in a moment of time on the road to Damascus, Paul saw that all these things were hollow. He learned the simple truth that Jesus was alive and that Jesus was telling the truth about everything. In that moment of clarity, Paul gave his heart to the Lord and the gospel became a reality to him. He became an eye-

14 Text: Galatians 1: witness to his own salvation. From that moment on, Paul was a changed man. Paul reminded these people and us that we need to remember that we are saved from something as we are saved for something. We need to remember the sin that we practiced and also remember how Jesus has changed us. This makes the gospel a real message, and it makes it much easier to see the error of falsehood. Never forget how you came to Christ. II. Paul Receives Instruction Galatians 1: But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, 16. To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: 17. Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. 18. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. 19. But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother. God saved Paul for a purpose, just as He saves us for a purpose (Eph. 2:10). God had this purpose in mind all the days of Paul s life, although Paul did not realize it until well into his adulthood. The purpose of God for Paul was that he would fill the highest calling possible. He was to be a preacher. Preaching the truth is not a matter of life and death. It s far more important than that. It is a matter of eternity in Heaven or an eternity in hell. There are many great things that men can aspire to do for each other, but none of them is greater than preaching the gospel. We read in Romans 10:15, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

15 14 The Gospel Is a Revelation from God When Paul was told of his divine mission, that is, when God called him to preach, he did not seek the advice of others. No doubt his fellow Jews would have only discouraged him. Paul did not seek the advice and counsel of the other apostles. God calls preachers; preachers do not call each other. This is not to say that men have nothing to teach each other. There are many great and valuable lessons we can learn as we study and work together. When problems arose in the churches of Asia Minor, Paul went up to Jerusalem and had a conference with Peter and the other apostles, and the matter was resolved satisfactorily, but, in the matter of his calling and his message, this could only come from God. So Paul went into Arabia for three years and allowed God to prepare his heart for the work of preaching the gospel. Before we can preach the truth, we have to know the truth. We have to practice the truth. We have to live what we are teaching others. This takes time. The time we spend alone with God is never wasted. In those precious moments we learn to live with Christ day by day and appropriate the truth of the Bible to our daily lives. We learn to accurately interpret the Word of God. We learn the power of obeying the simple commands of Jesus, and we learn how to have communion with and dependence on the Holy Spirit. This course of study took Paul three years to complete. When he was through, he journeyed to Damascus. He was spiritually prepared when Barnabas sent for him to help with the teaching of the church in Antioch in Syria. It was from this church that Paul was separated to the work of being a missionary. During that time Paul had only visited with Peter for fifteen days, and he had also seen James, the Lord s brother. Surely this was minimal contact. Paul was stating that he received what he preached from God, not from men. Paul was not preaching his ideas or the ideas that had been mutually agreed on by a council of apostles. He was preaching a message that God had given him and a message that he had

16 Text: Galatians 1: personally applied to his own life for a period of years. In short, he knew what he was talking about. III. Paul Preaches the Gospel Galatians 1: Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not. 21. Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia; 22. And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ: 23. But they had heard only,that he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. 24. And they glorified God in me. Paul lived in Tarsus, and this was in Syria and Cilicia. Paul had gone home to share the gospel with his own family and friends. We often seek a far away field where we can serve the Lord, but we have a place to serve the Lord already. It is right where you are, and it is among the people that we know right now. Those who will not go next door to spread the message of the gospel will not go halfway around the world either. Paul had been changed by the message of Christ and by the things he had learned. He abandoned his career as a Jewish lawyer. He gave up his ambition to be wealthy or powerful. He sought instead to please Jesus and to preach the gospel to those in his life. The true gospel changes those who hear it and believe it. This is such a strong truth that, if we have not experienced any change at all, we have reason to question our own belief (2 Cor. 5:17). Paul had lived this truth before God used him to write these words. The people of Judea did not know who Paul was. They did not recognize him by sight, but they had heard how God had changed this man from a persecutor into a preacher. What was Paul preaching? He was preaching the faith that he once tried to destroy.

17 16 The Gospel Is a Revelation from God The man who had been the worst enemy of Christians had now become an advocate of Jesus. God had changed this man, and God had also changed the people in Galatia. They had found Jesus, as Paul had, and they needed to get in touch with these changes to avoid and counteract the false gospel that was preached to them. Paul had a testimony that caused others to glorify God in his behalf. A FINAL WORD This is a not so subtle reference to the fact that all the laws and regulations that Paul had studied so thoroughly had not been able to change his heart. This is suggesting to the Galatians that these things, when mixed with the gospel, will not make the gospel richer, but they will only diminish this wonderful message. The only thing that could help Paul was a personal meeting with Jesus. We can try our best to keep all the laws we know and imagine, but, when we get through, we will still be lost. Only when we repent of our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior will we truly be saved. Every saved person knows this deep in his heart. If you are truly saved, you know that your works did not save you. You know that the Law of Moses had no part in it. You may not understand all that has happened, but, if you know Jesus, you know that He alone is responsible for your salvation. Paul knew that he was not saved as the result of a philosophical search for the truth. He was not saved by keeping all the laws and rules of the Pharisees. He was not saved because he had a lot of influential friends. Paul s salvation and his message came from Heaven. We should all insist that the things we believe come from Jesus Christ and not from any other source. Only then can we be assured that we are believing the truth. Remember that Jesus said plainly, I am the... truth (John 14:6).

18 3 The Gospel Is for All People Text: Galatians 2:1-10 Focus: Galatians 2:1-10 December 19, 2004 Key Verse: And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. Galatians 2:9 Sunday Devotional: The Jerusalem Council Refuted False Teachers, Acts 15:1-30. Application: All people regardless of time, place or circumstance, must be saved by faith alone through grace alone. A FIRST LOOK The false teachers in Galatia had attacked Paul and the message that Paul preached. They charged that Paul was a self-made apostle and that he had fabricated the things that he preached. So Paul was charged with the dual task of defending himself as an apostle and the message that he proclaimed. In many ways Paul s defense was simply an explanation of the history that he had lived since his conversion. We find Paul just stated the facts. If he was telling the truth about these experiences, then Daily Devotionals M. Adapting To Reach the Lost Where They Live, 1 Corinthians 9: T. The Danger of False Apostles, 2 Corinthians 11: W. The Test of False Prophets, 1 John 4:1-3. T. Warning: Do Not Change God s Message of Grace! Jude 3-5. F. In Christ and His Word There Is True Freedom! John 8: S. Use, Do Not Abuse,Christian Liberty! 1 Peter 2:

19 18 The Gospel Is for All People he could be presumed to be telling the truth about other matters. We see in these verses that Paul emphasized the communication of the gospel. The gospel message is not some frail thing that must be preserved or isolated. This message is alive and powerful. It needs to be preached to a lost and dying world. The best defense of the gospel is to preach it at every opportunity. As Paul stated here, he had done this, and he had been more than willing to explain what he did and why he did it. No one has an exclusive right to the truth. Truth is truth for everyone. It is as true for those who do not believe it as it is for those who do. Truth is absolute, and we need to treat it that way. Every human being is a sinner and needs to hear the message of salvation. The Jews needed to hear the gospel and so did the Gentiles. A CLOSER LOOK I. Paul Defends His Ministry Galatians 2: Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. 2. And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain. 3. But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised: 4. And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage. Paul began by emphasizing that fourteen years had passed since he had visited with Peter (Gal. 2:1). He report-

20 Text: Galatians 2: ed the original visit in Galatians 1: Paul was emphasizing that his ministry and his message came from Jesus. There was evidently some tendency among the false teachers to lump all believers together and to think that Jerusalem was the headquarters and that Christianity was a kind of political movement or a sect of the Jews. Paul contradicted this notion clearly. For fourteen years he had been preaching without direct contact with the brethren in Jerusalem. But when Paul did go there, he was accompanied by Barnabas and Titus, and he went at the invitation of God to defend his ministry. Paul preached among the Gentiles. This angered the Jewish believers who taught that Christians had to keep Jewish rituals and even be circumcised. Paul knew that such things were not necessary to be saved or to serve the Lord, but to avoid confusion or to keep his work from being in vain, he went to Jerusalem to defend the things he had preached and his apostleship itself. The point Paul made here was that, if the other apostles could accept him and his message, his critics in Galatia should also accept it. He pointed out that the apostles did not compel Titus to be circumcised. Then Paul pointed out an often neglected doctrine. That is the doctrine of liberty of conscience. The idea is that every believer has the right and duty to study the Bible and determine for himself what the Word teaches. Historically, Baptists have stood firmly for this idea. There were those in Galatia who insisted on bringing other believers into bondage to their own ideas and interpretations. False teachers usually insist that they have some special insight and that what they say should not be questioned. They seek to impose their ideas on others. The truth does not need that kind of activity. The truth needs to be preached. When it is, the Holy Spirit will accompany it to our hearts, and we will know for ourselves that we are hearing the truth. We can then examine what we hear in the light of the Word of God, and we can make up our own

21 20 The Gospel Is for All People minds about what we believe. This is the liberty that we have in Christ. True, it is easier to listen to what others say and never study for ourselves. When we do, we can easily be led astray. No matter what preacher you may hear, and no matter how much you love and trust that person, study the Bible for yourself. No true preacher will ever resent this. Those who preach the truth will welcome your examination of what they say. It is the false teacher who will tell you to accept what he says without question. II. Paul Defends Peter s Ministry Galatians 2: To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. 6. But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me: 7. But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; 8. (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:). Paul did not in any way consider himself answerable to Peter or the other apostles. He was willing to cooperate with them on every level, but he was never in subjection to them. One of the great principles of the Bible is that we can cooperate with compromise. This is the basis of real fellowship. Too often, there are those among us that insist that we walk in lockstep on every issue. This can only happen in a cult. True believers will differ on certain issues; yet, they will unite in important issues for the sake of the work of the Lord.

22 Text: Galatians 2: Paul made the important point that God does not show partiality to any individual person. We read in Romans 2:11, and Peter stated in Acts 10:34 that God is not a respecter of persons. This means that God is more interested in what you believe than He is in showing partiality to your personality. We please God when we believe what the Bible teaches and then, put those teachings into practice in our lives. We do not please God when we offer Him our wonderful personalities but then refuse to accept what His Word teaches us. The men in Jerusalem had nothing to add to Paul s ministry. What Paul had done among the Gentiles would stand or fall on its own merits. It would not matter that other churches approved or did not approve what he did in his ministry. As we read in Romans 14:4, we should not judge another man s servant. Every servant must answer to his own master, and in spiritual matters our Master is Jesus. Ultimately, Jesus will judge what every one of us has done to help or to harm His kingdom work here on earth. The men in Jerusalem did not have a judgmental attitude toward Paul, although the false teachers in Galatia did. When the brethren in Jerusalem heard of the great blessings that God had given the Gentile believers, they rejoiced in what God had done in these faraway places. These brethren concluded that the gospel had been given to Peter to preach to the circumcised and that the gospel had been given to Paul to preach to the uncircumcised. It was the same gospel, and it was available to all men everywhere. There are two important lessons in these simple verses. First, we should learn that we are not interchangeable in the work of the Lord. Every one of us has special abilities and talents that we can use in the service of the Lord. We should discover them and we should then use them for Christ. We cannot wait for someone else to do our work for us. Every one of us is saved for a purpose. God has a place for you to labor in His vineyard, and you should be actively using your talents in His service. The Lord of the harvest is looking for workers, not spectators (Luke 10:2).

23 22 The Gospel Is for All People Then we learn that the gospel is for all people everywhere. The Jews in Jerusalem needed to hear the gospel, but so did the Gentiles in Samaria and the people in Galatia and those in the uttermost parts of the earth. There has always been a temptation to ignore the needs of those who are foreign to us, but we must realize that mission work is never an option. God does not teach us to do mission work if we feel like it or if we really desire to. He gave His churches a specific and clear commandment to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). III. The Apostles Approve Paul s Ministry Galatians 2:9, And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. 10. Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do. James and Peter and John ministered to a congregation that was largely Jewish. Paul ministered to congregations that were mostly Gentiles, but there was no conflict between them. There was no winner and no loser in this meeting. These brethren, who were the leaders of the church in Jerusalem, saw that Paul had received the same grace that they had. God had indeed blessed Peter, James and John, but God had also blessed and used Paul and Barnabas and Titus. The wonderful blessing of the work of God is that it takes place on many levels. No one person could ever know all the ways that God was working throughout the world. But we should cooperate and have fellowship with each other. The brethren in Jerusalem showed this by extending the right hand of fellowship to Paul, Barnabas and Titus. The Pharisees had rules that declared that a Jew became unclean by merely touching a Gentile, so this was an overt sign of acceptance. This meant more in this context than it

24 Text: Galatians 2: might in our day. We commonly shake hands with everyone we meet, but the Pharisees had nothing to do with Gentiles and this included touching them in any way. The leaders in Jerusalem also thought it good that Paul should have a ministry among the Gentiles and that they should have a similar ministry among the Jews. There was no real conflict here. You do not have to be a Jew to be saved and neither do you have to be a Gentile to be saved. Whether you are a Jew or a Gentile, Jesus died for your sins and you can find salvation by repenting of your sins and trusting Him by faith. As we read in Acts, the brethren in Jerusalem were careful to try to see to it that these two groups could work together. They asked Paul to do his best to avoid deliberately offending the Jews. One of the ways this could be done was by always remembering the poor. Paul was glad to agree to this sensible advice. A FINAL WORD Many people in the first century saw Christianity as an extension of Judaism. Being a Christian was just another way to be a Jew. There were Pharisees and there were Sadducees and now there were Christians as well. Stephen s great sermon had declared an end to his notion; yet, the idea persisted for many years. The false teachers in Galatia had questioned Paul s authority because he did not preach that Gentiles had to become Jews before they became Christians. These false teachers attempted to add the weight of Jewish ritual to the faith of those in the Galatian churches. The great lesson here is that the gospel is the same no matter who you are or where you are. God does not show partiality to anyone. The Jews needed to be saved and the Gentiles needed to be saved. Then all needed to follow the Lord in baptism and get themselves into scriptural New

25 24 The Gospel Is for All People Testament churches. Then they needed to study the Word and to grow in grace and knowledge and to assume their proper place in the service of the Lord.

26 4 The Gospel Enables a Life of Faith December 26, 2004 Text: Galatians 2:11-21 Focus: Galatians 2:11-21 Key Verse: I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 Sunday Devotional: Forgiveness and Justification Are Only in Jesus,Acts 13:38, 39. Application: We can only live a life of faith as we allow Christ to live through us. A FIRST LOOK Jesus sternly condemned the Pharisees for preaching one thing and practicing another (Matt. 23:27). This practice is called hypocrisy. One of the most insidious applications of hypocrisy is to teach that there is one set of standards for the average group and another set for the elite. This was the attitude of many Jews in the first century. They were understandably proud of their spiritual heritage, and they thought that they had a favored position before God. They further taught that to be right with God, it was necessary to become as they were. Daily Devotionals M. The Real Purpose of the Law, Romans 3: T. Abraham s Example of Salvation Apart from Works, Romans 4:1-5. W. Loving Confrontation Can Aid Spiritual Growth, Proverbs 27:5, 6. T. Jesus Makes Up for Our Failure To Keep God s Law, Romans 8:1-9. F. God s People and the Ministry of Reconciliation, 2 Corinthians 5: S. Not by Our Works But by His Mercy! Titus 3:5. 25

27 26 The Gospel Enables a Life of Faith Yet, even the Jews were not consistent in their application of the rules of Judaism. This was the error of the Pharisees. They insisted that others carry burdens that they casually set aside when it was their turn to bear them. In our lesson today, we see that it is never right to do wrong no matter who you are or what position you may occupy. Peter was one of the great apostles in Jerusalem; yet, he could not be excused for his inconsistent conduct. All men are sinners, and, no matter how long we have been saved or how much God has used us, we can still be wrong. When we are wrong, we need to allow the truth to correct us. Every child of God should begin his study of the Bible with a prayer that God will lead him into truth. We should be willing to listen to the truth, and we should also be willing to set our prejudices aside so that we can believe the truth. Then we should go on from there to build our belief system on the firm foundation of the truth that is Jesus Christ. A CLOSER LOOK I. An Inconsistent Way To Live Galatians 2: But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 12. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. 13. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. 14. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

28 Text: Galatians 2: Barnabas and Paul were ministers in the church at Antioch. It was at Antioch in Syria that the disciples were first called Christians. On some occasion, Peter came to visit the brethren in Antioch. We do not know whether Paul and Barnabas invited him or whether he just came to visit. When Peter arrived, he enjoyed fellowship with the Gentile brethren there. He ate with them and made no difference in those who were Jews and those who were Gentiles. But when the Jews in Antioch saw this, they scolded Peter for his behavior, and Peter changed his habits. Peter withdrew from the Gentiles and had little to do with them. Peter was afraid of the Jews. Adding to the confusion was the claim of the Jews that the Jewish and the Gentile believers should be separated. Following Peter s example, many of the other Jewish believers in the church also joined Peter in withdrawing from the Gentile believers. Even Barnabas got caught up in the spirit of things and joined in this dissimulation. The word dissemble means to be hypocritical or inconsistent. This incident shows us the power of false claims and the power of example. Peter was having a great time of fellowship until someone criticized him. In fear he changed his behavior to suit his critics, and others followed him. No matter what we do, there will be someone who will criticize, but we should never yield to criticism just because it is offered. We should also realize that our behavior will influence the behavior of others for good or for bad. This could have been a bad situation. There was even difference between Paul and Barnabas over this issue, but Paul stood for the truth, and Paul told the truth. He confronted Peter, before them all (verse 14). Paul s logic was unassailable. He reminded Peter that he was not living like a Jew. Peter was not keeping the Jewish ordinances. Instead, Peter was living like the Gentiles. This does not mean that Peter was being disrespectful of the Jews, but it does mean that he was not personally living according to the teachings of the Law of Moses. But Peter was teaching the Gentiles that they should live according to

29 28 The Gospel Enables a Life of Faith the Law. In fact, he was compelling the Gentiles to keep the Law that he was not keeping himself. As Jesus said, it is easy to see the splinter in another s eye while we overlook the beam that is sticking in our own eye (Matt. 7:3, 4). II. A Wrong Way To Build a Life Galatians 2: We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 17. But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. The Jews considered themselves to be righteous and everyone else to be a sinner. But Paul pointed out that the Jews were saved from the same sin that they saw in the Gentiles. When we examine the truth of the gospel, we will see that all men everywhere meet at the cross of Christ. All other distinctions disappear there, and we find ourselves sinners in need of a Savior. No one was ever justified by the works of the Law. The Law was a teacher that was to bring us to Christ by showing us that we could not behave our way into righteousness. This is what Jesus made so clear in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 7. Even those who kept the Law outwardly could never keep it in their hearts. But faith in Jesus does justify us and makes us right with God. We are changed by what Jesus does for us and in us. Anyone who is saved knows this. Those who have repented of their sins and placed their faith in Jesus know that there was no work of the flesh involved in this transaction. It is what we believe that makes all the difference.

30 Text: Galatians 2: No matter how true our salvation experience is, we are still sinners in our flesh. When we are saved, there is a new nature born in us, and that nature cannot sin, but that treasure is still contained in a human form. That human body is sinful. This is why we have to die to go to Heaven. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. So we will either be changed at the coming of Jesus, or we will be resurrected in a new body to match our redeemed spirit. This does not make Jesus a servant or minister of sin, but it does show us that we cannot build a life of service to Jesus on the works of the flesh. What we do in our flesh does not save us, and it cannot be a foundation for a spiritual life after we are saved. This is just what the legalists were teaching. They taught that the Gentiles had to be circumcised, that they had to be subject to the Law of Moses and that they had to engage in the Jewish rituals. As Paul pointed out to Peter, Peter had not lived this way. God had specifically told Peter about his diet (Acts 10:9-17), and Peter had reported his experiences openly to the brethren (Acts 11:1-4). In fact, it was Peter who had preached that God was no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). This kind of inconsistency will not lead to a life of faith in Jesus, and it will not lead to a life of service for the Lord. God had changed Peter s mind about what food to eat and about the place of the Gentiles in the kingdom work of churches. Now the legalists in Antioch had changed his mind back to believe the other way. This is clearly not the way to build a consistent life of service to God. III. A Right Way To Build a Life Galatians 2: For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19. For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 20. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh