Tag Archives: Galatians

Galatians Bible Class, Pt. 58: Galatians in the Book of Concord

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Class #58:  The book of Galatians is quoted or referenced about 64 times in the Book of Concord.   The Formula of Concord, included in the Book of Concord, gives a glowing evaluation of Dr. Martin Luther’s Commentary on the Book of Galatians.  The Christian Questions with Their Answers for Those Who Intend To Go To The Sacrament, an appendix to the Small Catechism,  makes two references to the book of Galatians.  The importance of this book in supporting the Reformation’s teaching of justification by grace through faith cannot be overstated.

This study is a special pre-summary of our Galatians class.  There will be one more class summarizing the whole book of Galatians.

References: 64 times in book of Concord

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

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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

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

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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

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Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 26: Moses’ Veil Removed

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Class #26:   When God Himself spoke the law to the Jews at Mt. Sinai, the people trembled with fear and ran away.  Their reaction showed that the law certainly didn’t justify or give life.  The people cried out to Moses for a mediator, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die” (Exodus 20:19).  The sin-revealing-law announces wrath and condemnation which creates fear.  Without faith in the true mediator, Jesus Christ, the law would have resulted in death.

Later when Moses tried to speak to them, they ran away from him in fear because his face was glowing.  The Israelites were still unable to endure the full strength of the law.  The veil placed over Moses’ face so that the Israelites could stomach the law was a sign of their spiritual condition.  “Deceived by human wisdom, they did not see the true face of Moses. But only his veiled face…” (Apology, IV, 229).  With their watered-down law, they trusted in their outward and civil works, falsely thinking they had satisfied the law.

“When we are consoled by faith through hearing the Gospel of the forgiveness of sins, we receive the Holy Spirit, so that we can think rightly about God, fear him, and believe in him” (Ap. IV, 135).  Only through the coming of the promised Seed, Jesus Christ is the false opinion about the purpose of the law removed.  Without faith, we must run from the terrible wrath of God.  With sin forgiven through faith in Jesus Christ, we are able to love God—even approach him.  Though I am a poor miserable sinner who deserves punishment, I know that God loves me, has forgiven me, and is working out all things for my good.  “When a man turns to the Lord, the veil is removed” (2 Cor. 3:13-15).

Overhead: Galatians Class 26 Overhead
Handouts: Veil of Moses
Use page two of Galatians Chapter Three 15 to 25

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Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 21: The Curse of the Law

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Class #21:  Galatians 3:10 teaches that those who seek to be justified by the law are under the curse of the law.  St. Paul cites Deuteronomy 27:26, which leaves no loopholes from which we could escape from that curse.  The curse is the divine verdict/pronouncement of wrath, death and destruction by God against lawbreakers.  The curse which rests upon those who rely on works of the law is meant to contrast with the justified children of Abraham who rely on the promise of salvation in Jesus Christ through faith alone.

Overhead: Galatians Class 21 Overhead
Handouts: Page 2 of Galatians Bible Study Chapter 3 6-9

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Galatians Bible Study, Part 18: Distinguishing Justification and Sanctification

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Class #18:  There is a distinction between justification(Christ for me) and the fruits of justification, called sanctification(Christ in me).  A person is saved when he is justified by faith in Christ, “who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal 2:20).  It always follows that the person who is justified, is sanctified.  That is, God creates a new heart so that the Christian desires to please God and love the neighbor.  Nevertheless, due to the sinful nature, that sanctification is imperfect.   We are not saved by our sanctification, nor do we trust in our sanctification.  We trust in Christ for our justification, which is always perfect.

At the end of Galatians, chapter 2, St. Paul begins to speak about the results or fruits of the Galatians having been crucified with Christ(justification).  “Christ lives in(ἐν) me” and “I live in(ἐν) faith to the Son of God” (Gal 2:20).  Beginning with Galatians, chapter 3, he asks them to look at how their Christian life began, if they were now continuing to live by faith, and the suffering they had endured as a Christian.

With this lesson, we examine the Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Article III. Righteousness, 24-29, 37-54, in order to clearly speak about justification and sanctification.  We take note Of the 7+ ways to fail at distinguishing between justification and sanctification.

Overhead: Galatians Class 18 Overhead
Handout: Formula of Concord Solid Declaration III Righteousness Jan 15 2017

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Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 17: The Law has No Place in Justification

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Class #17:  St. Paul continues to emphasize the contrast between righteousness by(διά) faith in Christ and righteousness by (διά) law.   The Scriptural teaching of justification by faith cannot allow the introduction of even a drop of works-righteousness otherwise grace is frustrated and Christ died for nothing.

The law has no place in the doctrine of justification.  Of course, the law is to be used to show me my sin, so that I die to the law.  The law is no longer my master and I am no longer his servant.  Through faith in Christ, I live a new life of thankfulness toward God.

Overhead: Galatians Class 17 Overhead

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Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 16: Christ isn’t a Minister of Sin, is He?

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Class #16:  St. Paul declares that Jews know—because of the teaching of the Old Testament—that no flesh is justified by keeping the law(Ps 143:2).  Therefore, in order to be justified according to the promise of the Gospel(Mk 16:16), Christians have believed in Jesus Christ.

With Galatians 2:17-18, St. Paul shows the logical result of what happens when a Christian (who is seeking to be justified by faith) adds the requirement of keeping the law for his justification.  With verse 17, we learn that if faith in Christ alone is insufficient to save, then Christ has become a servant who lead us into sin.  Similarly in verse 18, we see that if believers in Christ need the law in order to be justified, then the church’s teaching of faith alone makes us lawbreakers.  We cannot rebuild the law as a requirement for justification, without turning Christ into a sin-causer and us back into a transgressor.  The truth of the Gospel is that important!

Overhead:  Galatians Class 16 Overhead

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Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 13: The Truth of the Gospel

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Class #13:  When it comes to “the truth of the gospel” (Galatians 2:5, 2:14, 3:1) St. Paul is not willing to budge even a little.  In matters of life and weakness, he shows forth great love and bears all things(1 Cor 13:7).  He was not critical of St. Peter eating with the Gentiles (2:12), for even St. Paul himself said, “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” (1 Cor 9:22).  However, when it comes to the truth of the gospel–that man is saved faith in Jesus Christ without the works of the law–he stands firm. To admit any law requirements into the teaching of how man is saved (declared righteous, justified) is to have “another gospel” (1:9).  When the truth of the gospel is at stake, no human office is to be respected(2:6), “we must obey God, rather than man” (Acts 5:29)

Overhead: galatians-class-13-overhead

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Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 10

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Class #10:  The false judaizing prophets, who were troubling the Galatians, had denied St. Paul’s apostolic call and perverted the Gospel. St. Paul’s response was to defend his call and to intricately connect it with the true Gospel message. St. Paul was called immediately by Jesus (not by or through men) and the Gospel of salvation by grace through faith apart from works came “through the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

The Galatians are “brothers” in the faith, because they had received the the true Gospel taught by St. Paul.

Handout: Galatians Bible Study Handout-for-11-13-2016

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