Author Archive: mdhauz

Galatians Bible Class, Pt. 56: The Original Canon

Posted on by

Class #56: As St. Paul summarizes his letter, he emphasizes the essence of those who are to be considered Christian.  It is not outward actions nor the presence or absence of the mark of circumcision–the very things in which the Judaizers boasted.  True Christians walk according to the “rule”(6:16, the Greek work is from canon).

The canon is not a rulebook for outward actions.  The canon is being a “new creation” (6:15).  It is “to be created like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph 4:24).  We are righteous through faith in Christ.  We show forth holiness as faith “expressing itself through love” (5:6).  St. Paul pronounces a benediction  of “peace and mercy” upon those who have this renewal of the mind worked by the Holy Spirit.

The believer has peace in his conscience with God, as well as God’s mercy to help in the midst of afflictions.

Overhead: Overheads for Class 56
Handout: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 6 11 thru 6 18

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Galatians Bible Class, Pt. 55: A New Creation

Posted on by

Class #55: In the work of Christ’s suffering and death on the cross, St. Paul will boast!  The cross of Christ is the instrument by which the believer is saved.  Through faith in Christ, I died with Christ(Col 2:20), and Christ lives in me(Gal 2:19-20).  In my conversion to Christ, the world’s sinful desires are killed off in me.

My new life in Christ is not characterized by circumcision or uncircumcision; those outward human activities profit me nothing.  The Christian is a new creation!  We are changed from within.  God gives us His Spirit(Gal 3:2), creates in us a new pure hearts (Ps 51:10), and we are made new in the attitude of our minds(Eph 4:23-24).

Overhead: Overheads for Class 55
Handout: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 6 11 thru 6 18

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Galatians Bible Class #54: They Reject the Cross and Avoid Persecution

Posted on by

Class #54: As St. Paul summarizes his letter, he wants the Galatians to know three things about the Judaizers, who were teaching falsely.  First, they were doing it out of pride that they might “make a good showing” before others and boast of their ability to win disciples after themselves.  Second, they were requiring the law so “that they might not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.”  Third, these false teachers require circumcision, but they don’t keep the whole law.  Gal. 5:3, “…every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.”

It is the second point which is most important.  In Galatians 5:11, St. Paul said, “And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased.”  Any time you add a law requirement to the Gospel, the gospel ceases to be Gospel.   Gal 5:2, “Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.”  The Judaizers were able to avoid persecution by saying salvation is by Jesus AND the keeping the law of circumcision.

Overhead: Overheads for Class 54
Handout: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 6 11 thru 6 18

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Galatians Bible Class, Pt. 53: Do Not Lose Heart

Posted on by

Class #53: Believers are saved by faith in Jesus Christ alone.  Having been set free from from the yoke of slavery to sin (Gal 5:2), they use their freedom to serve one another in love (5:13)–especially their pastor(6:6) and fellow congregational members(6:10).

There are only two possibilities: unbelievers, doing the works of the flesh, or believers, doing the fruit of the Spirit and resisting their own sinful nature.  In today’s study, St. Paul is warning those “believers” who think that they can gratify and indulge the sinful nature and still receive everlasting life.  You might be able to deceive yourself, but God is not fooled. St. Paul is also encouraging believers to continue to do good and not lose heart! Believers continue to put to death the misdeeds of the body, so that they might live/walk according to the Spirit and produce the fruit of the Spirit.

Overhead: Overheads for Class 53
Handout: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 5 26 thru 6 10

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Galatians Bible Class, Part 52: Hearers Share with Their Pastor

Posted on by

Class #52:  Galatians 6:6 is included in Luther’s Small Catechism in the Table of Duties for “What the Hearers Owe Their Pastors.” St. Paul tells the hearer, who is being taught the Word by the teacher, to share (koinoneito) all good things with his teacher.  The word “share” is much more than simply giving someone a bite of your sandwich.  This word refers to our Christian fellowship, communion, and participation with each other in the Word (Phil 4:14ff).

St. Paul is continuing to teach the true life of sanctification, as opposed to the vainglorious who provoke and envy in their conceit. Having received salvation as a gift through faith in Christ, we walk by the Spirit. In our vocation as a hearer, we share with our pastor in all good things.

Overhead: Overheads for Class 52
Handout: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 5 26 thru 6 10

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Galatians Bible Class, Pt. 51: A Good Conscience

Posted on by

Class #51:  The vainglorious, false teachers who were active at Galatia really thought that they were something! Instead of exhibiting love toward the neighbor, their selfish ambition to please others led them to mercilessly demand obedience to their own laws.  When St. Paul says, “Let each one examine his own work, then he will have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another,” he is teaching about a true Christian’s sanctification, as opposed to those who seek their own glory.  None of our works grant peace with God, that peace only comes from faith in Jesus Christ.  When the Christian seeks to do his work properly so that God is pleased, he will have a good conscience within him.

We are to consider ourselves, not on the basis of man’s approval or in comparison with others, but in accordance with our God-given vocation and on the basis of whether God is pleased, not men. The Small Catechism says, “Consider your place in life according to the Ten Commandments,” and “…that all my doings and life may please you.”  Knowing that our meager accomplishments are due to the grace of God in gifting us with everything that we have–our competence comes from God–we ought to think of ourselves in humility.

Overhead:Galatians Class 51 Overheads
Handout: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 5 26 thru 6 10

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Galatians Bible Class, Pt. 50: Abundantly Gifted

Posted on by

Class #50:  By the grace of God and not by works, we were saved through faith in Christ! Even beyond this, Christians have been abundantly gifted with the gift of the Holy Spirit and “the fruit of the Spirit.”  St. Paul warns us in Galatians 5:26 not to become conceited, lest we mistakenly take credit for the putting to death of our sinful passion and desires, and for the new walking in the Spirit. The vainglorious person will not be merciful and loving toward his neighbor, but provoking and envying.

Jesus’ unconditional love for us led Him to bear our burden, even unto the cross. Our God has redeemed each one of us in a spirit of gentleness. To be spiritual is to use the Spirit’s gifts to gently restore a weaker brother.  We are not strong of ourselves, but continue to trust in Christ, lest we also be tempted.

Overhead: Overheads for Class 50
Handout: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 5 26 thru 6 10

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Galatians Bible Class, Part 49: The Fruit of the Spirit

Posted on by

Class #49:  In Galatians 2:20, it say, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” My conversion (at a point in the past) is solely the work of God and it is completed.  But now that I am converted, Christ presently lives in me.  That work continues.  In Romans 6:6, it says, “…our old man was crucified with Him…that we should no longer be slaves of sin.”  Now that I am converted, I presently live differently–in service to my new master, Christ.  In Galatians 5:24, it speaks of the believer’s completed action in the past.  “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”  Once converted by Christ, believers are not unwilling.  They, too, have kicked the flesh off the throne.

Having been converted by God(Gal 2:2, Rom 6:6), so that I, too, crucified the flesh(Gal 5:24) in the past, I now presently continue to put to death the sinful nature within me(Rom 8:13). In Romans 8:13, it says, “For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”  I walk by the Spirit, who brings forth the fruit of the Spirit within me.  Either I deny my sinful nature and do good works, or I confess, when I fall into temptation, and receive forgiveness.

Overhead: Overheads for Class 49

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Galatians Bible Class, Pt. 48: Description of a Believer

Posted on by

Class #48:  We need to be careful how we speak about the description of the believer.  St. Paul draws a clear distinction between the unbeliever and the believer.  The unbeliever is a slave to the law relying upon it for salvation, while the believer is a son of God living by faith in Jesus Christ.  Because of this great difference, the unbeliever and the believer live differently.  The unbeliever indulges the sinful nature, gratifies its desires, and thus condones and perpetuates the works of the flesh.   Believers are led by the Holy Spirit, and thus have been set free to show forth the fruits of the Spirit and love to the neighbor.

In order to clarify last week’s lesson, we begin this lesson with four theses from C.F.W. Walther’s book, The Proper Distinction between the Law and the Gospel.  The believer has been given new desires as seen in St. Paul’s list of the fruit of the Spirit.  However, due to the sinful nature, the believer is constantly assailed and frequently does not progress beyond the will to the action.  Nevertheless, the believer, unlike the unbeliever, is not ruled by his sinful nature so that He sins purposefully.  A person living in mortal sin falls from grace.

Overhead: Galatians Class 48 Overhead
Handout: Handout for Class 48 Law and Gospel

Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 47: Repudiating the Works of the Flesh

Posted on by

Class #47:  The works of the flesh are OBVIOUS–and thus St. Paul lists them for us.  Those who claim to be Christian, while at the same time perpetuating these obvious works of the flesh, are not Christian at all.  Those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Even while St. Paul is pointing out fake Christians, he  is warning the true Christians to walk in the Spirit and not gratify the desires of the lust of the flesh.  The Holy Spirit leads Christians to love their neighbor.  Believers are not moved by the Law, but by the freedom of the Gospel.

St. Paul reminds us that we belong to Jesus Christ.  When we recognize the desires of the flesh to do these works, we repudiate them.  We do not consent to do them, nor do we resolve to live in them.  We avoid the works of the flesh.  If we find that we have done them, we confess them.

Overhead: Galatians Class 47 Overhead
Handout 1: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 5 16 thru 21
Handout 2: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 5 22 thru 26

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS