Category Archives: Galatians

Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 41: Not a License to Sin

Posted on by

Class #41:  St. Paul has presented the truth of the believer’s justification through faith in Jesus Christ alone.  He has made it clear that anyone who admits the bondage of the yoke of the law into the article of justification has “fallen away from grace” (5:4).  Last of all, St. Paul tells the Galatians to remove the false teachers from the congregation.

Beginning with 5:13, St. Paul builds on this foundation of Christian freedom and directs the members to “Serve one another through love.”  The Galatians are not to use their Christian freedom as a license(permission) to sin.  St. Paul encourages and exhorts them to do true good works of love, which flow from faith.

 

Overhead: Galatians Class 41 Overhead
Handout: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 5 16 thru 21

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 40: The Judgment on False Teachers

Posted on by

Class #40:  If the baptized life of a Christian were a race, the Galatians were running it well.  They were justified by faith in Christ alone, and were continuing to hear and follow God’s Word.  But then false teachers persuaded the congregation to admit a little law into the article of justification.  This little leaven of false teaching quickly replaced the cross of Christ with outwards works.  This law created troubled consciences.

Having taught the Galatians the false teachings propagated by the Judaizers, St. Paul now asks the question, “Who hindered you from obeying the truth?”  All heads turn toward the false teachers.  Now, what will the Galatians do?  Having no other mind (than Christ’s), they are to remove the false teachers and their false teaching.

Overhead: Galatians Class 40 Overhead
Handout: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 5 2 thru 15

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 39: In Great Weakness

Posted on by

Class #39: “…as soon as the Holy Spirit has initiated his work of regeneration and renewal in us through the Word and the holy sacraments, it is certain that we can and must cooperate by the power of the Holy Spirit, even though we still do so in great weakness….  There is therefore a great difference between baptized people and unbaptized people because, according to the teaching of St. Paul, “all who have been baptized have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27), are thus truly born again, and now have a liberated will — that is, as Christ says, they have again been made free. As a result, they not only hear the Word of God but also are able to assent to it and accept it, even though it be in great weakness. But since in this life we have received only the first fruits of the Spirit, and regeneration is not as yet perfect but has only been begun in us, the conflict and warfare of the flesh against the Spirit continues also in the elect and truly reborn” (FC SD II 65, 67-68).

“We should not and cannot pass judgment on the Holy Spirit’s presence, operations, and gifts merely on the basis of our feeling, how and when we perceive it in our hearts. On the contrary, because the Holy Spirit’s activity often is hidden, and happens under cover of great weakness, we should be certain, because of and on the basis of his promise, that the Word which is heard and preached is an office and work of the Holy Spirit, whereby he assuredly is potent and active in our hearts (2 Cor. 2:14ff.)” (FC SD II 12-14).

Overhead: Galatians Class 39 Overhead
Handout: Faith working through love handout
Handout 2: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 5 2 thru 15

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 38: Faith Working Through Love

Posted on by

Class #38:  In chapter 5, verses 1-4, St. Paul is warning the Galatians against requiring the keeping of any law into the article of justification by faith.  Those who are trying to be justified by law–which is impossible–have already fallen from grace.  The works-righteous requirements of the Judaizers does not avail anything, but only separates from Jesus Christ.

With verse 5-6, St. Paul contrasts the actions of those who follow the false teachers with the actions of himself and those who have remained true to his doctrine.  True believers “wait.” That is, they know that they are already justified through faith in Jesus Christ.  They wait for the final judgment when it will be revealed that they were, in fact, the saved ones. This godly waiting is not a lack of activity.  A confident, waiting faith produces love toward the neighbor.

Note: At a few points in this recording, there is an annoying clicking from a failing microphone battery.

Overhead: Galatians Class 38 Overhead
Handout: Faith working through love handout
Handout 2: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 5 2 thru 15

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 37: The Whole Law

Posted on by

Class #37:  Having completed his teaching on salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone, the Apostle St. Paul now drives home what would be the result for the Galatians, if they obeyed the yoke of law provided by the Judaizers.

  • Christ will profit you nothing.
  • You will be a debtor to the whole law.
  • You will be estranged from Christ.
  • You will have fallen from grace.

Those attempting to be justified by even the smallest part of the Law have already fallen from grace.

Overhead: Galatians Class 37 Overhead
Handout: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 5 2 thru 15

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 36: Freedom by Faith

Posted on by

Class #36:  “For Christ has set us free, not for a political freedom or a freedom of the flesh but for a theological or spiritual freedom, that is, to make our conscience free and joyful, unafraid of the wrath to come.  This is the most genuine freedom; it is immeasurable” (LW, Vol. 27, p.4).

1 John 1:6-10 speaks of our Christian freedom from sin.  Believers do not walk in darkness.  Yet, it is not that we are sin-free.  We continually confess our sin and He continually forgives and cleanses us.  We say, “No,” to our own sinful nature and fight against it.  The Gospel promises freedom from sin, law, death, wrath, and the devil.  Through faith in Christ, I do not fear death, as I have the promise of eternal life.  Christ has taken the wrathful curse so that the devil’s accusations are not true.  I am not going to hell for my sins, I am forgiven.

“Therefore one’s spirit must be trained, so that when it becomes conscious of the accusation of the Law, the terrors of sin, the horror of death and the wrath of God, it will banish these sorrowful scenes from its sight and will replace them with the freedom of Christ, the forgiveness of sins, righteousness, life, and the eternal mercy of God” (LW, Vol. 27, p.5)

Overhead: Galatians Class 36 Overhead
Handout: Freedom Study 2 in the Conscience

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 35 Freedom from Wrath (in the Conscience)

Posted on by

Class #35:  Last Sunday we began with a thematic overview of freedom and St. Paul’s summary statement in 5:1, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty/freedom by which Christ has made us free.”

This Sunday we begin to unpack the New Testament liberty/freedom that we have in Christ.  The law cannot secure our freedom, either by refraining from sin or by doing good works.  It cannot provide freedom from wrath.  Only faith in Christ created by the Word of Gospel can set us free from the eternal wrath of God.

For what answer was St. John the Baptist looking when he said to the Pharisees and Sadducees, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”

Overhead: Galatians Class 35 Overhead
Handout: Freedom Study 2 in the Conscience

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 34: Freedom

Posted on by

Class #34:  The Galatians Bible Study restarts after a summer hiatus. We begin with a thematic overview of freedom and St. Paul’s summary statement in 5:1, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty/freedom by which Christ has made us free.”

The general idea of freedom is “to be at one’s own disposal” (in contrast with a slave). With political freedom, the laws (constitution) form the limits of individual freedom and protect that freedom.  With philosophical freedom, man seeks an independent self-determination by withdrawal from that which oppresses (false dogma from the world, inner desires, etc. ) so that there is an inward peace and control of the inner soul.

St. Paul’s liberty/freedom as taught by the New Testament is quite different from those ideas.  Galatians 4:7 says, “You are no longer a slave but a son….”  Man cannot be a free agent either outwardly or inwardly; there is no self-dominion(Romans 6:20-22, 7:23). Believers in Jesus Christ have been given a liberty/freedom of which St. Paul exhorts us to stand fast in it(5:1). It is freedom from sin, law, God’s wrath, and death.

Overhead: Galatians Class 34 Overhead
Handout: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 4 21 thru 31

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 33: Sarah and the Promise

Posted on by

Class #33:  Not all of the sons of Abraham are sons of the promise.  In Genesis 15:1ff, God tell Abram that the heir(Savior) would come from Abram’s body.  Before God’s words made it clear that the line of the Savior would come from Sarah’s body as well, Sarah tried to provide children by means of Hagar.  Although Hagar’s son, Ishmael, and his descendants were sons of Abraham, they were not sons of the promise.

The promises of the law are conditional and always in doubt (Ex 19:15, Dr. 28:9, Ps 95:7).  The promises of the gospel are unconditional and are sure.  The gospel promise is that through faith in Jesus Christ you will be saved.

Overhead: Galatians Class 33 Overhead
Handout: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 4 21 thru 31

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 32: Abraham’s Mother’s Day

Posted on by

Class #32:  St. Paul was not reading into the historical account of Genesis, chapters 16-21, when he declared that the children of Hagar and Sarah teach us about two covenants: the law and the promise.  The Scriptures themselves bear witness to Jesus (John 5:39) that all who believe in Him receive forgiveness of sins (Acts 10:43).

These Old Testament stories are not designed to teach simple morals (e.g. don’t make fun of others).  Instead, they show us believers, like ourselves, who struggle with life as they believe in the Savior.  Abraham and Sarah are beyond the age of child-bearing, but they know that God has promised a Savior-descendant.  The actions of Hagar and Ishmael reveal a disdain for the promise of God and rejection of the Savior.  Those who reject salvation by faith in the Savior are “cast out” of the Christian church.

Overhead: Galatians Class 32 Overhead
Handout: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 4 21 thru 31

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS