Galatians & Ephesians Series

GALATIANS AND EPHESIANS-- Sermon 7

Introduction: In the previous lesson we studied I and II Corinthians. In this lesson we will complete a survey of Galatians and Ephesians. Galatians is the book of Christian Liberty. Ephesians is the book of Fullness.

GALATIANS

I. SURVEY

A. Writer: The Apostle Paul

B. Date: A.D. 57

C. Key Verse: “I do not frustrate the grace of God; for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in

vain.” Galatians 2:21

D. Theme: Man is justified by faith alone.

E. Purpose: It is written to refute the judaizers and their doctrine that a man is saved by grace, but is kept by Law.

The whole book of Galatians is the Holy Spirit’s answer to refute this false doctrine. These Judaizers were

Jewish Christians who held that all people, in order to be saved, had to come up through Judaism into Christ.

The first step was circumcision. Galatians denounced circumcision as a prerequisite for salvation.

F. This Epistle was written, not just to one single Church, but to many local churches in Galatia. Paul established

these Churches around 45-50 A.D.

II. OUTLINE

A. Salutation of the Letter - Galatians 1:1-5

B. Shock over Legalism - Galatians 1:6-2:21

1. The Perversion of the Gospel - vs. 6-9

a. Only a few years have elapsed from the preaching of Paul to the Galatians’ apostasy. Usually apostasy sets

in by slow degrees, but in this case there was a complete change over grace to law in a short space of time.

Paul was amazed that they were so soon removed from the Holy Spirit who had called them into the gospel

of Christ. These Judaizers had come in, teaching that grace was not sufficient and that the Law had to be

obeyed to insure salvation. This was an entirely different gospel from the one Paul preached, yet is was not

gospel at all. There is only one Gospel: the death, burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ as the sinner’s

substitution.

b. Paul speaking by inspiration fo the Holy Ghost, declared that he, or an angel, should preach any other gospel, he would receive God’s curse.

2. The Provision of the Gospel - vs. 10-12

a. This great Gospel that Paul preached was not his, but Christ’s.

b. Jesus Himself revealed it to Paul after his conversion.

c. This Gospel which he preached was not preached to please man; in fact, it will never please man

1. Man is a natural enemy of the grace and Gospel of God.

2. Man wants his works in his salvation; God want only faith.

d. It is good to know that if we please God in preaching His grace, we will not please man.

e. It is good to remember that if we please man, we will not please God.

3. The Power of the Gospel - 1:13-2:21

a. Paul’s Past Coversation - vs. 13-14

1. Paul uses himself as an exhibit of God’s grace and power to saved by the Gospel.

2. In his earlier life he was a true Jew, Pharisee and zealot. The challenge that he undertook was to destroy

the new sect who followed a lowly Nazarene by the name of Jesus. Paul was a wicked sinner. He calls

himself the cheif of sinners. He persecuted the Church and brought much pain and suffering to the early Church.

3. We know that the Church is indestructible; nevertheless, the reading of the Word shows us that Christ

Himself had to come from heaven to put an end to this persecution by Paul.

b. Paul’s Powerful Conversion - Gal. 1:15 & Acts 9:1-9

c. Paul Present Condition - 2:20 “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 I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

C. Spirit versus Law - Galatians 3-5 - These three chapters declare Paul’s discourse upon the doctrine of

justification by faith, and not by the deeds of the Law. In this portion of Scripture, the Spirit of God is mentioned

more times than in any of the rest of this epistle. Grace is pictured as of the Spirit, while works are declared to be

of the Law

1. Law Versus Grace

LAW GRACE

a. Revealed what God demanded of every man a. Reveals what God has done for every man

b. Demanded perfect obedience or death b. Gives life that we may obey

c. Commanded us to love God c. Tells us that God loves us

d. Commanded us to love our neighbor d. Fills us with God’s love for our neighbor

e. Revealed Sin e. Reveals a Saviour

f. Worked Wrath f. Shows Mercy