We draw lines in the sand when we should dialogue. We dialogue when we should draw lines in the sand.

We draw lines in the sand when we should dialogue. We dialogue when we should draw lines in the sand.

Paul and His Letters Paul s First Missionary Journey (Acts 13-14). One Letter: Galatians Paul s Second Missionary Journey (Acts 15-18). Two Letters: 1 & 2 Thessalonians Paul s Third Missionary Journey (Acts 18-21). Three Letters: 1 & 2 Corinthians, Romans Paul s Prison Epistles (Acts 28). Four Letters: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon Paul s Pastoral Letters. Three Letters: 1 Timothy, Titus, 2 Timothy

Paul s Connection with the Galatian Churches 1. After his conversion Paul spends 3 years in Arabia & Damascus (Gal. 1:16-17). 2. Paul & Barnabas meet privately with Peter & James in Jerusalem (Gal. 1:18-24; Acts 9:26). 3. Paul & Barnabas bring a relief offering to Jerusalem (Acts 11:29-30) & stand for the gospel (Gal. 2:1-10). 4. Paul & Barnabas plant churches in Galatia on the first Missionary journey (Acts 13:13-14:20). 5. Paul and Barnabas re-visit the Galatian churches to strengthen & encourage them (Acts 14:21-28). 6. Antioch incident; Paul rebukes Peter (Gal. 2:11-14). 7. Judaizers began to teach that the law and circumcision are necessary for salvation (Acts 15:1). 8. Paul writes Galatians to defend the true gospel of grace. 9. The Jerusalem Council affirms Paul's position on justification by faith in Christ alone (Acts 15:2-35). Judaizer's Teachings 1. Attacks on Paul's authority and message (1:1-2:21). 2. The Law is essential for salvation (2:15-16; 3:1-5; 3:23-25). 3. Ritual observances are required for God's favor (4:10). 4. Circumcision is necessary for all Christians (5:2-3; 6:12-15). Galatians: Epistolary Prescript: Salutation and Greeting Background: Dueling Gospels? There is only one gospel and it is by grace through Christ! Personal Defense of Paul's Authority The Gospel of Grace = Free from the Law Doctrinal Defense of Justification by Faith Practical Defense of Christian Liberty 1:1-5 1:6-9 1:10 2:14 2:15-21 3:1 4:31 5:1 6:10 6:11-17 6:18 Introduction Body Conclusion Prescript Exordium Thesis: My message comes from Christ. (1:10-12) Defense: I am independent of others. (1:13-2:21) Independent of Human Teachers - I went away (1:13-17) Independent of Major Churches - I had one brief visit (1:18-24) Independent of Jerusalem Church Leaders - they added nothing (2:1-10) Independent of the Apostle Peter - I stood against him (2:11-14) Narratio Main Idea: Justification and life come through faith in Christ, not obedience to the law. Justification by Faith (2:15-16) Life in Christ (2:18-21) Propositio Thesis: The Gospel is of faith not law. (3:1-5) Defense: Scripture and Human Experience. (3:6-4:31) Biblical Defense (3:6-25) The Old Testament: Abraham was justified by faith. (3:6-14) The Covenants: The law does not replace the covenant of faith. (3:15-18) The Law: The law leads us to our need for faith in Christ. (3:19-25) Experiential Defense (3:26-4:31) Sonship: The law made us slaves; faith makes us sons. (3:26-4:7) Appeal: Paul's labor for them was to set them free in Christ. (4:8-20) Midrash: Faith and Law have always been incompatible. (4:21-31) Thesis: We are free in Christ. (5:1) Application: Live in freedom. (5:2-6:10) No More Bondage to the Law (5:2-12) No More Bondage to the Sinful Nature (5:13-15) Free to Live in the Spirit (5:16-26) Free to Serve Others (6:1-10) The Weak and Sinful (6:1-5) Teachers (6:6-9) All men, especially believers (6:10) Probatio When Paul heard that the Galatian churches were being persuaded to follow a different gospel that emphasized the law and circumcision, he wrote a passionate appeal defending his authority as an apostle to the Gentiles, demonstrating the superiority of the faith principle over the law, and delineating the practical application of living in the freedom of grace in order to call the church back to the true gospel of grace through faith in Christ alone. Summary: Paul s Signature and Final Appeal Peroratio Epistolary Postscript: Benediction of Grace Postscript Ken Wilson 2017

Galatians in a Sentence When Paul heard that the Galatian churches were being persuaded to follow a different gospel that emphasized the law and circumcision, he wrote a passionate appeal defending his authority as an apostle to the Gentiles, demonstrating the superiority of the faith principle over the law, and delineating the practical application of living in the freedom of grace in order to call the church back to the true gospel of grace through faith in Christ alone.

People pleasers can t be true servants of Christ. Galatians 1:10

You cannot serve both God and man. Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Galatians 1:10a

You gotta serve somebody. Bob Dylan

Paul was not a people pleaser. Or am I trying to please people? Galatians 1:10b

People Pleasers People pleasers succumb to people pressure. People pleasers ignore harmful theology. People pleasers hide from the foolishness of the gospel.

Paul was a bondservant of Christ. If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10c

bondservant, servant, slave (δουλος) Traditionally, servant or bondservant. Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated servant, the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that servant for slave is largely confined to biblical translation and early American times... in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished. The most accurate translation is bondservant (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

bondservant, servant, slave (δουλος) Undoubtedly the background for the concept of being the Lord s slave or servant is to be found in the Old Testament Scriptures. For a Jew this concept did not connote drudgery, but honor and privilege. It was used of national Israel at times (Isa 43:10), but was especially associated with famous OT personalities, including such great men as Moses (Josh 14:7), David (Ps 89:3; cf. 2 Sam 7:5, 8) and Elijah (2 Kgs 10:10); all these men were servants (or slaves) of the Lord. (NET)

bondservant, servant, slave (δουλος) But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. Romans 6:17-18

For Paul there's a radical difference between trying to please men" and being a "servant of Christ. For him, to accept the mantle of being a servant of Christ was to eliminate once-and-for-all the desire to please people. Scot McKnight

People pleasers have an inordinate desire to please other people; servants of Christ have an all-consuming passion to please God. People pleasers are motivated by the fear of man; servants of Christ are inspired by the fear of God. People pleasers pretend to serve God when they really intend to serve themselves; servants of Christ actually intend to serve God by meeting the needs of other people. People pleasers are anxious for approval from others and distraught when they don't get it; servants of Christ simply love others and leave approval or disapproval to the judgment of God. Todd Wilson

How to Fight People Pleasing Get into the Word of God. Fall more deeply in love with Jesus. Love people well because the consequences are eternal.

The Gospel does not have a human origin. Galatians 1:11

The Gospel must be consistently preached. For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. Galatians 1:11 (NASB)

The Gospel is not from a human mind. For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, Galatians 1:11-12a (NASB)

Paul's claim, then, is this. His gospel, which was being called into question by the Judaizers and deserted by the Galatians, was neither an invention (as if his own brain had fabricated it), nor a tradition (as if the church had handed it down to him), but a revelation (for God had made it known to him). John Stott

The Gospel came from God about Jesus Christ. Galatians 1:12

The Gospel was not passed down as a tradition of men. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. Galatians 1:12 (NASB)

The Gospel was not a new teaching of men. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. Galatians 1:12 (NASB)

The Gospel was a revelation from God about Jesus Christ. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. Galatians 1:12 (NASB)

Through a revelation of Jesus Christ Subjective Genitive A revelation from Jesus Christ Objective Genitive A revelation about Jesus Christ

Plenary Genitive The noun in the genitive is both subjective and objective. In most cases, the subjective produces the objective notion.... If both ideas seem to fit the passage, and do not contradict but complement one another, then there is a good possibility that the genitive in question is a plenary (or full) genitive. Dan Wallace

The Gospel was a revelation from God about Jesus Christ. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation [from and about] Jesus Christ. Galatians 1:12 (NASB)

The Gospel was a revelation from God about Jesus Christ. But when God, who set me apart from my mother s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. Galatians 1:15-16 (NIV)

The Gospel was a revelation from God about Jesus Christ. But when God, who set me apart from my mother s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. Galatians 1:15-16 (NIV)

The Gospel Truth: Because the source of the Gospel is heavenly not human, we must not succumb to people pressure but willingly serve Christ and His Gospel.

Application The Gospel is worth a passionate fight. Are you passionate about the Gospel?

Heresy Any teaching rejected by the Christian community as contrary to Scripture and hence to orthodox doctrine. Most of the teachings that have been declared heretical have to do with either the nature of God or the person of Jesus Christ. The term heresy is generally reserved for any belief that claims to be Christian and scriptural but has been rejected by the church as sub-christian or antiscriptural. Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms

Heresy For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds. 2 John 7-11

Application Heresy Interpretive Differences Dialogue No Tolerance Orthodoxy Trinity Grace Jesus Salvation No Tolerance Dialogue Heresy Interpretive Differences

True, we must choose wisely which hills we re willing to die on. The problem with evangelical Christianity today, however, isn t that we have a shortage of defended hills but that the one hill we should all be willing to die on the gospel is left open to attack. Part of the reason is that our churches no longer make grounding believers in a clear understanding of the gospel and teaching them the foundational doctrine of grace their highest priorities. We have countless programs, numerous activities, and overwhelming busyness, but not nearly enough people who can expound and defend the gospel. Chuck Swindoll

The Gospel The Gospel Is Trinitarian. The grace of God to make a way The sacrifice of Christ to pay the price The enablement of the Holy Spirit to believe The Gospel Is a Fundamental The Book The Blood The Blessed Hope

It is the gospel of grace, of God's free and unmerited favour. To turn from Him who called you in the grace of Christ is to turn from the true gospel. Whenever teachers start exalting man, implying that he can contribute anything to his salvation by his own morality, religion, philosophy or respectability, the gospel of grace is being corrupted....the true gospel magnifies the free grace of God. John Stott

The Gospel Truth: Because the source of the Gospel is heavenly not human, we must not succumb to people pressure but willingly serve Christ and His Gospel.