The Gospel of Freedom in Christ!
A study of Galatians
Introduction:
How do we live by the Spirit and enjoy true freedom in Christ? What does that mean and what does it look like? How can living under the law actually become a hindrance to Christian faith and violate the gospel of Christ? What will God do in me when He saves me and how do I cooperate with Him?
These are just a few of the questions this letter to the Galatians answers. But the best way to discover God’s answer to these is to let God’s word speak for itself and begin by listening and learning one layer at a time. Before we dive in to find out what this says to us, we need to be observers who watch how God spoke through Paul to the church in Galatia. As we hear and understand the original message to its original audience by its original Holy Spirit inspired author, we will discover God’s word to us as well. God hasn’t changed a bit. Neither has the human need for Him and His saving work in us changed.
For those of you who are ready and willing to be blessed by God’s word, be sure to take the time to read, reflect, write and share as we go through this God given message for His people.
Overview of Lessons:
We will be studying through Galatians over the next few weeks and each week you will receive a study guide with a reading plan and study questions for you to consider as you read. We will look for key words, and I suggest that you mark them either in your Bible or on the handout and keep them for review.
We will try to let the scriptures answer the questions: Who, What, When, Where, Why and How? As we do this our goal will be to hear and understand what God says, rather than just what we think. My prayer is that we will fill our minds and hearts with God’s words and be informed by them rather than human ideas and opinions. This will be a spiritual exercise that will strengthen us for God and help us draw closer to Him. Be sure to pray and set aside time to devote to God each day for building up your walk with Him. The rewards are eternal! They are out of this world! But they make us better people while we live in this world.
I am excited to share this great message together! Let’s encourage one another daily to keep it up and stay the course! May God be glorified as we join in this together in the name of Jesus Christ, His Son, our Savior.
Lesson 1 God Gives a Message that Changes Our Lives (Start each day’s study with prayer, asking for God’s guidance and wisdom as you read His word).
Day 1 (Getting to know the author)
This letter was written by Paul and in the first two chapters Paul tells us a lot about himself. Read Acts 9:1-31, also Acts 13 and 14. What do you learn about Paul in these chapters?
Day 2 (Getting to know Paul’s relationship with the Galatians)
Read Galatians 1-2. What do these chapters tell us about Paul?
What do they tell us about the Galatians?
Mark the words: gospel and grace in different ways.
Why do you think Paul wrote this letter, based on what he says in these two chapters?
How are the Galatians doing? Who is influencing them and how does Paul feel about it?
Day 3 (Getting in deeper)
Read Galatians 3. Mark the previous words, plus mark the words: Law, Faith, Spirit and Promise in different ways. Now go through the chapter and answer the questions: What does this say to us about the law? What does this tell me about faith and the Spirit? What is this teaching us about the promise? What does this chapter tell us that Jesus did for us? (vs 1, 13-14, 22-29)
Day 4 (Keep digging deeper)
Read Galatians 4. Mark the previous words and also mark: slave, bondage, free or words that express their meaning. Now go through and observe what this chapter teaches about all these things. What Old Testament illustration does Paul give to explain freedom and slavery? What does the son of the slave do with the son of the free woman? Which one represents us?
Day 5 (Applying the message)
Read Galatians 5-6. Mark the words again, and this time add the word flesh (NIV – sinful nature). After marking all the words go back and read the chapters again asking: What does this teach about each of these key words?
Day 6 (Gathering it all in)
Read through the entire letter of Galatians noticing how these key words open up the meaning of the letter. Note what it teaches about each one. How do these all relate to one another? What does Galatians say about the Law? What does it say about the Spirit? How are slavery, flesh and law related in this letter? How are freedom, Spirit, and faith related in this letter?
Debriefing:
Well, you’ve done it! You’ve plunged into the Word of God this week and explored His message for the church in Galatia! You’ve seen how Paul writes to a church in danger. You’ve discovered key words and concepts that help us understand this letter. God speaks to us through His word here. What are some things He has spoken to you?
Come ready to share as we explore this together in our assembly!
Lesson 2 Taking a Closer Look at Paul’s Salvation (and ours!) (Start each day’s study with prayer, asking for God’s guidance and wisdom as you read His word).
Day 1 (From Persecutor to Preacher)
Read Acts 7:58, Acts 8:1, Acts 9:1-2. Galatians 1:11-24.
How would you describe Saul (Paul) before he became a Christian? Why did he persecute the church? Where did he go to find Christians? How dedicated was he to his mission to rid the world of Christians?
Read Acts 22:1-16.
What happened to Saul? Where was he going and why? Who did he meet on the way and how did this impact him? Who did the Lord send to tell Saul what to do to wash away his sins? Read Acts 9:17-18. What did Saul do when he heard this?
Day 2 (Paul’s Conversion, part 2)
Read Matthew 28:18-20, Romans 6:1-5, Galatians 3:26-29.
How did Saul (now Paul) explain what happens to us at baptism? Why is this important in understanding his conversion? What happened to the Galatians at their baptism? Who were they clothed with? What did they become? (See Galatians 3:26-29). What does this imply about baptism today? How important is it that we do not change the message of the gospel?
Day 3 (Paul’s timeline)
Read Galatians 1-2. Look carefully for the progression of events in Paul’s life. Mark these and notice if there is any reference to God’s working. What do you discover? What questions does this raise?
Day 4 (God’s message vs Man’s message)
Read 1 Thessalonians 2:13, 2 Corinthians 2:17, 4:1-5, Galatians 1:1-12.
Where did Paul get his message? Why does Paul stress this where ever he preaches? How important is this and why?
Read Galatians 3:1, chapter 4:8-11, 18-20; chapter 5:7-12; chapter 6:12-13. Who is Paul talking about here? What are these false teachers trying to get the Galatians to do? Why?
Day 5 (Danger of losing Salvation)
Read Galatians 1:6-9, 3:1-4, 4:8-11, 5:1-4; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27.
What is Paul concerned about for the Galatians and why? How have they become vulnerable to spiritual danger? What is Paul’s answer for their need?
Day 6 (The Truth of the Gospel)
Read Galatians 2. Note and mark what it says about the gospel.
Look at verse 5 and notice what this says about the truth of the gospel. Notice also verse 14. What is going on here that has to do with the truth of the gospel. How does this relate to Galatians 1:6-9?
Debriefing:
Well, you’ve done it again! Another week of growing deeper in the Word of God! I hope and pray you are beginning to see the richness of this letter of Paul and how it relates to our understanding of salvation in Christ. What a glorious gospel we have received! There’s no changing or update ever needed. The truth of the gospel will become clearer and brighter as we continue our study. Keep it up! God is still working in His people for His glory and our good. Be sure to come this week to assembly ready to share from your observations of what God has revealed to you from His Word!
Lesson 3 Who are these Galatians? (Start each day’s study with prayer, asking for God’s guidance and wisdom as you read His word).
Day 1 Read Galatians 1-3 marking the word: “you.”
Look back through especially chapter 1:1-10 and chapter 3 and make a note of the things Paul says about these Galatians. List them. What do you learn about them?
Day 2 Read Galatians 4-6 marking the word: “you” again.
Look back through these chapters and make a note of the things Paul says about the Galatians again. List these. What new things do you learn about them?
Day 3 Go back over chapters 1-6 paying attention to the “you” statements.
Notice any emotion Paul expresses toward the Galatians. How does Paul feel toward them? Why does he feel this way?
Day 4 Go back over chapters 1-6 paying attention to the “you” statements again.
Notice any questions and instructions Paul writes to the Galatians. Notice in every chapter what you learn about the Galatians and write a heading for each chapter that sums up what you learn about them.
Day 5 Read Galatians 1:11-2:21.
In light of the things you have learned about the Galatians from your study thus far, why do you think Paul wrote this personal story to them? What is Paul trying to tell them in this biography? How does this fit into the letter to help make them accept his instructions?
Day 6 Read the entire letter of Galatians again.
What questions or thoughts come to mind that you can apply to your faith? How are you like or unlike the Galatians to whom Paul writes? Who is the Paul in your life who helps you work through spiritual struggles? Who are you like Paul toward?
Debriefing:
Isn’t it amazing how much more comfortable you have become with the message of this letter? Don’t you feel like you understand more of the struggles Paul faced as he wrote these Galatian Christians? Isn’t it interesting how we can identify with the things we learn from this little letter? I hope you are able to see how important it is to read this over and over and how much more God has to teach us when we look into the scriptures prayerfully and give it time to work into our hearts. There is great blessing of spiritual strength from God’s word when we humbly receive it planted in us!
Lesson 4 Finding the freedom of Christ in the truth of the gospel (Start each day’s study with prayer, asking for God’s guidance and wisdom as you read His word).
Day 1 Read Galatians 1:1-12
What does Paul stress about where the gospel came from? How does he make this clear? Who might be saying that Paul got his message from man? How important is it that we receive and accept the right gospel message?
Think about the gospel you received? What is it and how has it been distorted? How do you know you have the correct gospel message today?
Day 2 Read Galatians 2.
Look at verse 4. What is happening here? Who are these false brethren and what liberty is he talking about? Read Acts 15:1-11 What were the men from Judea teaching about salvation? What freedom in Christ were they violating? How does Galatians help us understand what was being taught by the false brethren?
Day 3 Read Galatians 3:1-14.
How do you receive the Spirit according to this? (NIV does a poor job translating the first five verses – it says in verse 2 and 5: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? The correct translation of this is: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by hearing with faith? The reason this is important is found at the end of chapter 3 where it says: 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. In other words, hearing with faith does not exclude baptism into Christ, but “believing what you heard” seems to do so. Faith has a visible manifestation in baptism and Acts 2:38 tells us that this is when we receive the Holy Spirit. This is consistent with Paul’s teaching in Galatians 3 when you read both the first and the last part of the chapter together.)
What are the works of the Law? (Remember Acts 15?) How does Paul describe the tension between “Law” and “Faith”?
Look up the quotes from the Old Testament in verses 6,8,10,11,12,13.
Do you know the story of Abraham? How was he made right with God? What law did he have? What was his relationship with God based on? We will look more into this in the days ahead.
Day 4 Review Genesis 12-22 giving special attention to the statements of God to Abraham.
Notice: Genesis 12:1-4, 15:1-21, 17:1-8, 18:9-15, 21:1-13, 22:15-18.
What do these verses tell us that help us understand Galatians?
Day 5 Read Galatians 3-4 in light of Genesis 12-22.
How does Paul interpret the events in Abraham’s life and apply them to the Christian life?
Day 6 Read Galatians 5.
How does Paul speak of the Spirit, faith, and freedom for the Christian?
How does he speak of the Law and the flesh as contrary to the Christian life?
Where do you see people being in bondage or slavery? Where can they find freedom?
Debrief:
Freedom in Christ! We have such a gift of God as we listen to the gospel and respond in faith. God’s Spirit is given to us just as he promised. We can’t possibly find redemption by keeping the law and there is nothing but slavery in following our fleshly desires. Christ is the answer! The truth of the gospel must be preserved and shared as is without improvement or change! It is this that God uses to bring us into the blessing of the freedom he promised long ago to Abraham for all nations. May we rejoice in His great love and grace!
Lesson 5 Special Concepts for Saved Souls (Start each day’s study with prayer, asking for God’s guidance and wisdom as you read His word).
Day 1 Read through Galatians again!
Mark the words: Justified, redeemed and righteous in a special way. Make note of their relationship with the other words you have marked.
Day 2 Go back over the key words: Justified, redeemed and righteous in their context.
When we seek to be justified, what dangers do we face regarding works of the Law?
How does Paul say we are justified, redeemed or made righteous? What key word does he use in connection with these?
Why is this so important in Galatians?
Day 3 Read Galatians 3
How was Abraham made righteous? How does this conflict with being justified by keeping the Law? What did Jesus redeem us from? (vs 13) Why? (vs 14).
What purpose did the Law have? (vs 19-22)
Why is the Law unable to save us?
Look carefully at verses 23-29. Notice the word faith. What do verses 24-26 say about faith? How has faith affected our relationship with the Law and with God?
Notice how verse 26 explains when faith makes us children of God. When does that happen? How does this impact our relationships with all others who are God’s children with us? Who’s descendants do we become so that we receive the promise of God’s blessings? (vs 29, see also 6:16).
Day 4 Read Galatians 2:15-21.
What does Paul mean in verse 19. The answer is in verse 20! But how? Read Romans 6:1-11. Notice carefully verses 6-9. Now read Romans 7:1-6. Notice carefully verses 4-6. How is Jesus’ death made available to us by faith? What happens when I believe in who Jesus is and accept His salvation work for myself in baptism?
Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-5. What is the gospel?
Read 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10. Notice what verse 8 says about the gospel. What MUST we obey in this verse?
How does Paul explain baptism in light of the truth of the gospel? Read Galatians 3:26-28 again.
Day 5 Review what Galatians says about the key word righteous, righteousness.
Notice Galatians 2:21; 3:6,11,21; 5:5 where the word occurs and review each context.
What if righteousness came through the law, what would that mean in regard to Jesus dying on the cross? Why?
How did Abraham receive righteousness? How does Paul connect that with us?
Why do we know that no one is justified by the Law? (hint: what does the Law itself say in 3:11?).
If God could have given us a Law that would save us (justify us) how would we be saved? (3:21).
What hope does this righteousness from God give us? What are we waiting for? (5:5).
Read Philippians 3:8-11. Notice what this says about righteousness. Where does it come from? Who do we need to know to receive it? How is Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection part of this?
Day 6 Review what Galatians says about the key word redeem, redeemed.
Galatians 3:10-14, and 4:1-7. How did Jesus redeem us? What does His redemption do for us?
How is our redemption related to our faith? How is it related to our freedom in Christ?
Debrief:
What an amazing God we serve! He is the one that justifies us, gives us righteousness, and redeems us. These are spiritual blessings that are ONLY found in Jesus Christ! Without them, we are enslaved to sin, under the curse of the Law, and bound for destruction. With them we are set free in Christ for eternal life, adopted into the family of God and filled with the Holy Spirit of promise! God’s great gift of grace is ours to enjoy and return praise for.
Lesson 6 The ongoing battle between the flesh and the Spirit (Start each day’s study with prayer, asking for God’s guidance and wisdom as you read His word).
Day 1 Read Galatians 5:13-24
How do we act when we follow our fleshly desires? Where do they lead us?
Read James 1:12-18 and Colossians 3:1-17. How are these passages alike? What do they tell us about dealing with our fleshly desires? What do you learn about how living according to the Spirit is connected to Christ’s death and resurrection?
Day 2 Read Romans 6
How are we set free from the power of sin? What does this scripture teach us about our freedom from sin and the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ?
Day 3 Read Romans 7:5-25
What does the Law do for us according to these scriptures? What power is there to rescue us from this body of death?
Day 4 Read Romans 8
How does the Spirit work in our lives to help us overcome sin? What happens if we do not set our minds on the Spirit? What happens when we do set our minds on the Spirit?
Read Galatians 6:7-9. How do we cooperate with the work of God’s Spirit according to this passage? What happens when we do not cooperate?
Day 5 Read Galatians 5-6.
Do you see the consistency of the scriptures in all these places we have studied? Is not God’s word wonderful and true!
Make a note of the common ideas you find in this week’s readings thus far.
Day 6 Read Galatians 5-6 again.
How have you found freedom and strength from God to face the fleshly desires in your life? What has this study done to give you guidance to walk in the Spirit? Where do you see yourself as strongest in the Spirit’s work in your life? Where are you weakest?
Debrief:
Well, this is perhaps the most practical lesson thus far in our study of Galatians. It is important that we build a good understanding of the message before jumping to the application of it for our lives. The power of God unto salvation is in the gospel! Remember that Paul said we receive the Spirit by hearing with faith. I hope and pray you have heard with faith the message of God in this letter. May His grace and peace keep you as you enjoy the freedom in Christ that Jesus purchased for you in His death. May you bear much fruit of the Spirit as you sow to please Him.
