GALATIANS. Learner Session Guide BOOKS OF FAITH SERIES. David Housholder. Minneapolis

Transcription

1 GALATIANS BOOKS OF FAITH SERIES Learner Session Guide David Housholder Minneapolis

2 CONTENTS What Happens to People Pleasers? 5 1 Galatians 1:1-24 Is There One, and Only One, Gospel (Good Message)? 13 2 Galatians 2:1-21 So... What about God s Rules Now? 21 3 Galatians 3:6-29; 5:18 How Do We Live by the Spirit? 29 4 Galatians 3:1-5; 5:1-26; 6:8-10

3 Galatians 3:1-5; 5:1-26; 6:8-10 How Do We Live by the Spirit? Learner Session Guide Focus Image Focus Statement We are free from the law and invited to live by the Spirit and not by the flesh. Key Verse Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. Galatians 5:16 Cultura Limited / SuperStock Gather Check-in Take time to reconnect with others in your group. Report on any homework or enrichment work. Pray Come, Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with your love, grace, and presence. Lead us in paths of new life. Protect us from following the flesh and sin. Help us to resist using the law to prevent us from following you directly. Show us the risen Christ and the heart of the Father. In Jesus name. Amen. Focus Activity Take a look at the Focus Image. Describe what is happening. How does the picture make you feel? Have you ever done this? What would turn your spirituality upside down in a good way? Session 4: Galatians 3:1-5; 5:1-26; 6:

4 Notes Open Scripture Read Galatians 3:1-5; 5:1-26; 6:8-10. What words or phrases caught your attention? What new questions were raised? What image(s) really had an impact on you? Join the Conversation Historical Context 1. Paul accuses the Galatians of being foolish (3:1, 3). Why? (You might need to do some reviewing.) What do the terms Spirit and flesh have to do with Paul s stern words? Why are these in conflict with one another? 2. What is the yoke of slavery Paul is talking about in 5:1? What does it have to do with the rite of circumcision (5:2-12)? What do you think of Paul s very harsh words? Why is he so passionate about this? Can you see why he argued his case to the Apostolic Council in Jerusalem? 3. Paul makes a strong distinction between living by the Spirit and living by the flesh. Paul doesn t really define what the Spirit is. In other words, he doesn t have a specific doctrine. According to Paul, what does the Spirit do? (Hint: Look back at all of today s text.) How would you define or describe the Spirit in one sentence or less? 4. Remember that Paul s letters likely were written before any of the Gospels, or any other New Testament books for that matter. In later books, the Spirit is sometimes called the Holy Spirit. The Christian church eventually developed a teaching called the doctrine of the 30 Galatians Learner Guide

5 Trinity many years after Paul s letters were written. Have you heard of this doctrine? Notes Now, imagine you had never heard of the doctrine of the Trinity. You had never heard about the idea of one God in three persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). But you had experienced the power and presence of the Holy Spirit and wanted to share this. In the middle of your sharing, someone asks you, Is the Holy Spirit actually God, or not? How would you answer the question without using trinitarian language? In your opinion, is it proper to read the Trinity back onto the writings of Paul? Why or why not? Paul speaks of the Spirit, the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of Christ. These names seem to be virtually interchangeable for him. Does this affect your answer to the previous question? If so, how? As trinitarian Christians, what are some of the challenges in reading pre-trinitarian writing (like Galatians)? Literary Context 1. Remember that we have called Galatians an example of a polemic letter. It s almost like a kind of teaching sermon. If you were going to put together a teaching sermon on today s text, what would the outline look like? What would be your three or four main points? 2. Compare the works of the flesh to the fruit of the Spirit. Then look at passages from some of Paul s other letters (see below). What do these passages add to the picture that Paul paints? What do they add to your understanding of Spirit and flesh? Romans 1:29-31 Romans 8:9-11 Philippians 1:11 1 Corinthians 12: Here are words for Spirit in different languages: Hebrew Ruach (ROO-ahk) New Testament Greek Pneuma (PNEW-mah) Latin Spiritus (SPEE-ree-toos) German Geist (GUYST) English Holy Spirit (based on Latin); Holy Ghost (based on German) Do you think of the Holy Spirit as masculine, feminine, or neither? Why? Can you think of any advantages and disadvantages of using a male (he), female (she), or neuter (it) pronoun for Holy Spirit? What Session 4: Galatians 3:1-5; 5:1-26; 6:

6 Notes happens when we try to communicate with those (such as most Pentecostals or charismatic fellowships) who use he for the Holy Spirit? Does it matter how we talk about the Holy Spirit and God? Why? Lutheran Context The person and work of the Holy Spirit are central to Martin Luther s thinking in his landmark work, the Small Catechism (1517). Below is the Third Article of the Apostles Creed and the explanation Luther gives: I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. WHAT IS THIS? or WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? I believe that by my own understanding or strength I cannot believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him, but instead the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, made me holy and kept me in the true faith, just as he calls, gathers, enlightens, and makes holy the whole Christian church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one common, true faith. Daily in this Christian church the Holy Spirit abundantly forgives all sins mine and those of all believers. On the last day the Holy Spirit will raise me and all the dead and will give to me and all believers in Christ eternal life. This is most certainly true. (Copyright 2008 Augsburg Fortress, Publishers) In light of our study and learning on the Holy Spirit so far in this session, what phrases in Luther s explanation stand out for you? What role does the Holy Spirit play in salvation/justification and holy living/sanctification? Do you think most Lutherans grasp the importance or centrality of the Holy Spirit, as Martin Luther did? Why or why not? 2. Lutherans have a high view of the sacraments (Baptism and Holy Communion). That is, we believe that God does real things through these actions; they are not just symbolic human rituals. We do believe that God s Spirit is a gift to the baptized person. This being the case, here are questions for discussion: How do we describe the Spirit s real presence in baptism in such a way as not to discourage people from further encounters with the Holy Spirit? 32 Galatians Learner Guide