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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
GALATIANS 2
LESSON #3
HOW TO BE A FREEDOM FIGHTER
v MEMORYVERSE: GAL 2:20
v A POSSIBLE TIMELINE OF PAULS LIFE:
Ø SAUL (PAUL) BORN 3 AD
Ø AT HOME WITH HIS MOTHER 3-8 AD
Ø STUDIED WITH HIS FATHER 8-13 AD
Ø STUDIED WITH GAMALIEL IN JERUSALEM 13-28 AD
Ø RETURNS TO TARSUS TO LEARN A TRADE 28-33 AD
Ø PERSECUTES THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH 33-35 AD
Ø CONVERSION TO CHRIST 35 AD
Ø STAYS IN ARABIA 35-38 AD
Ø VISITS JERUSALEM FOR 2 WEEKS 38 AD
Ø PREPARATION FOR MINISTRY 38-48 AD
Ø FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY 46-48 AD
Ø THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL 48-49 AD
Ø SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY 50-52 AD
Ø THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY 53-57 AD
Ø PUT IN PRISON 57-62 AD
Ø RELEASED FROM PRISON (?) 62 AD
Ø FOURTH MISSIONARY JOURNEY (?) 62-67 AD
Ø ARRESTED AGAIN (?) AND EXECUTED 67-68 AD
v SCRIPTURETELLS US TO BE PEACEMAKERS. (MAT 5:9) HOWEVER, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN IT IS NOBLER TO STANDUP AND FIGHT THAN TO HAVE PEACE AT ANY COST. PAUL IS THE EXAMPLE IN THIS CHAPTER. THEQUESTION TO CONSIDER IS, WHEN IS IT GOOD TO BE A PEACEMAKER, AND WHEN IS IT GOOD TO FIGHT?
v READGAL 2:1-10 PAUL FIGHTS FOR FREEDOM
Ø ACTS15 TELLS US WHY PAUL WENT TO JERUSALEM AND EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED THERE.
§ PAUL WENT TO JERUSALEM TOCOMMUNICATE WITH THE JERUSALEM CHURCH LEADERS AS TO EXACTLY WHAT GOSPEL HE WAS PREACHING.HE WANTED TO CLARIFY THE FACT THAT HE WAS PREACHING THE SAME GOSPEL THAT THE DISCIPLESTAUGHT.
· THISWAS NECESSARY BECAUSE OF THE OPPOSITION FROM THE JUDAIZERS THAT DISCREDITED PAUL AND HISMESSAGE.
§ THE JERUSALEM CHURCH WASCOMPOSED COMPLETELY OF JEWISH CHRISTIANS. MANY OF THOSE JEWS STILL KEPT THE JEWISH LAWSAND WENT TO THE TEMPLE.
· JAMES,THE HALF-BROTHER OF JESUS, WAS THE PASTOR OF THE JERUSALEM CHURCH.
§ MANY GENTILES WERECONVERTED TO CHRIST IN PAULS MINISTRY. THE CHURCHES PAUL ESTABLISHED WERE COMPOSEDMOSTLY OF GENTILES.
· PAULWANTED TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TEACHING AT THE JERUSALEM CHURCHAND THE TEACHING IN THE GENTILE CHURCHES.
¨ PAULREFERS TO THESE TWO GROUPS AS THE GOSPEL OF THE UNCIRCUMCISION (TO GENTILES)TAUGHT BY PAUL, AND THE GOSPEL OF THE CIRCUMCISION (TO JEWS) TAUGHT BY PETER. (GAL2:7)
Ø WERETHEY THE SAME GOSPEL? THAT WAS PAULS QUESTION WHEN HE WENT TO JERUSALEM.
§ PAUL TOOK TITUS WITH HIM.WHY?
· TOANSWER THAT QUESTION, WE NEED TO KNOW WHO WAS TITUS?
¨ TITUSWAS A GREEK GENTILE. HE WAS CONVERTED TO CHRIST BY PAUL. HE WAS NOT CIRCUMCISED, AND PAULDID NOT INSIST THAT HE BE CIRCUMCISED.
· TITUSWAS PAULS TEST CASE. HE REPRESENTED ALL THE GENTILES THAT HAD BECOME CHRISTIANS.
¨ WOULDTHE JEWS AT THE JERUSALEM CHURCH SAY THAT THESE GENTILES WERE NOT TRUE BELIEVERS IN JESUSCHRIST?
Ø THEANSWER TO THIS QUESTION WAS WHY PAUL TOOK TITUS. HE WANTED TO SETTLE THIS ISSUE. WOULD THEJERUSALEM CHURCH FORCE TITUS TO BE CIRCUMCISED?=
Ø READACT 15:1-35 THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL
§ WHAT PROOFS DOES PAUL USEFROM HIS EXPERIENCE AT JERUSALEM TO PROVE TO THE JUDAIZERS THAT HIS MINISTRY IS VALID?
· HECITES THE RESULTS OF THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL.
¨ -1.THE GOSPEL TO THE GENTILES WAS THE SAME GOSPEL PREACHED TO THE JEWS. (GAL 2:8)
¨ -2.THE DISCIPLES AND CHURCH LEADERS (JAMES, PETER, AND JOHN) ACCEPTED PAUL AND BARNABAS ASFELLOW CHRISTIAN MINISTERS SENT TO THE GENTILES.
¨ -3.THE CHURCH SHOULD NOT PUT THE GENTILES UNDER THE MOSAIC LAW. IF THE JEWS COULDNTKEEP THE LAW, THE GENTILES SHOULD NOT BE PUT UNDER THIS BONDAGE. (ACT 15:10, 19)
Ø GENTILESDO NOT HAVE TO BECOME JEWISH TO BE SAVED.
Ø THECOUNCIL, THEREFORE, DID NOT INSIST TITUS BE CIRCUMCISED.
¨ -4.THE ONLY RESTRICTIONS PLACED ON GENTILES WAS THAT THEY DO NOTHING TO OFFEND UNBELIEVINGJEWS THAT WOULD KEEP THEM FROM SALVATION. (ACT 15:20)
§ AS A LEADER, HOW DID JAMESHANDLE THIS CHURCH PROBLEM?
· HELISTENED TO EACH SIDE PRIVATELY.
· HELISTENED TO A PUBLIC DEBATE AMONG THE LEADERS.
· HEMADE A DECISION BASED ON A VOTE OF CONSENSUS OF OPINION. (ACT 15:22)
· HEUSED THE WORD OF GOD TO SUPPORT HIS DECISION. (ACT 15:15)
· HECOMMUNICATED THE DECISION TO OTHER CHURCHES BY LETTER AND BY SENDING MISSIONARIES.
v READGAL 2:11-15 THE HYPOCRISY OF A DOUBLESTANDARD
Ø PAULSEXPERIENCE IN ANTIOCH
§ THE CHURCH IN ANTIOCH HAD AMIXED CONGREGATION: SOME JEWS BUT MOSTLY GENTILES.
§ THE PROBLEM:
· JEWSWHO CAME TO CHRIST FROM JUDAISM WERE USED TO EATING KOSHER FOOD. HOWEVER, GENTILES WHOCAME TO CHRIST FROM PAGANISM WERE USED TO EATING MEAT OFFERED TO IDOLS.
· INTHE EARLY CHURCH, COMMUNION WAS ALWAYS CELEBRATED AFTER A COMMON POT LUCK DINNER. BECAUSEOF THE DIFFERENT EATING HABITS, JEWS WERE OFFENDED BY THE GENTILE FOOD. THEREFORE, THEYHAD 2 TABLES OF FOOD, ONE FOR JEWS AND ONE FOR GENTILES.
¨ PAULALWAYS ATE WITH THE GENTILES.
¨ PETERVISITED THE CHURCH AND ATE WITH THE GENTILES UNTIL SOME LEGALISTIC JEWISH LEADERS CAME TOTHE CHURCH. BECAUSE PETER WAS AFRAID TO BE SEEN EATING WITH GENTILES, HE MOVED TO THEJEWISH TABLE.
Ø PRO29:25 THE FEAR OF MAN BRINGETH A SNARE
Ø ACCORDINGTO PAULS DOCTRINE, IT DID NOT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE AT WHAT TABLE A PERSON ATE. THEPOINT WAS THAT ONE SHOULD BE CONSISTENT IN PRACTICE TO MATCH ONES BELIEFS.
§ IF YOU ARE LEGALISTIC INTHE PRESENCE OF SOME PEOPLE, AND FREE IN THE PRESENCE OF OTHER PEOPLE, YOU ARE A HYPOCRITAND YOU CAUSE OTHER CHRISTIANS TO STUMBLE. PETER CAUSED BARNABAS TO DO WHAT HE DID.
· THEDOCTRINES THAT PETERS ACTIONS DENIED:
¨ THEUNITY OF THE BODY OF CHRIST. (2:14)
¨ JUSTIFICATIONBY FAITH. (2:15-16)
¨ FREEDOMFROM THE LAW. (2:17-18)
¨ THEGOOD NEWS (GOSPEL) OF JESUS CHRIST. (2:19-20)
¨ THEGRACE OF GOD. (2:21)
§ PAUL CONFRONTS PETER, ANDPETER EVIDENTLY ACCEPTED THE CRITICISM.
§ PAUL USES PETERSACCEPTANCE OF CRITICISM AS AN ARGUMENT AGAINST THE JUDAIZERS.
· TRYINGTO KEEP THE LAW PRODUCES A LOT OF INCONSISTENCIES IN CONDUCT.
v READGAL 2:16-21 THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION BYFAITH
Ø WHATDOES JUSTIFICATION MEAN?
§ JUSTIFICATION IS A LEGALTERM BORROWED FROM THE COURTS. JUSTIFICATION IS AN ACT OF GOD THAT DECLARES THE BELIEVINGSINNER IS RIGHTEOUS IN GODS EYES THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.
· ITIS A ONE-TIME ACT. IT IS NOT A PROCESS.
· GODDECLARES THE SINNER IS RIGHTEOUS WHETHER HE IS OR NOT.
· JUSTIFICATIONMEANS YOU ARE NOT GUILTY.
· JUSTIFICATIONMEANS YOUR SINS ARE NEVER REMEMBERED AGAIN.
Ø WEWHO ARE JEWS BY NATURE AND NOT SINNERS OF THE GENTILES. (15)
§ PAUL DOES NOT IMPLY THATGENTILES WERE SINNERS AND THAT JEWS WERE NOT SINNERS. THE WORDS SINNERS ANDGENTILES WERE USED INTERCHANGEABLY TO MEAN THE SAME THING TO THE JUDAIZERS WHOSAW THEMSELVES AS SUPERIOR TO THE GENTILES.
Ø JUSTIFICATIONFOR THE JEW:
§ IF THE JEW EXPERIENCEDFAILURE AT TRYING TO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE LAW OF MOSES, HE MUST ABANDON THE LAW AND COMETO GOD BY FAITH IN CHRIST.
Ø JUSTIFICATIONFOR THE GENTILE:
§ IF THE GENTILE EXPERIENCESSALVATION BY COMING TO GOD BY FAITH IN CHRIST, HE HAS NO NEED TO KEEP THE LAW.
Ø THEREFORE,WHETHER JEW OR GENTILE, ALL ARE SINNERS WHO NEED TO COME TO CHRIST BY FAITH.
Ø PAULSHYPOTHETICAL ARGUMENTS: (17-21)
§ IF THE LAW WERE STILL INEFFECT, COMING TO GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST BY FAITH WOULD BE A SIN AGAINST THE LAW.
· THEREFORE,PAULS CONCLUSION IS THAT THE JUDAIZERS INSISTANCE THAT THE LAW IS STILL INEFFECT IS RIDICULOUS. CHRIST DOES NOT MAKE THE JEWS SINNERS WHEN THEY FORSAKE THE LAW,THEY ARE ALREADY SINNERS AND NEED CHRIST TO SAVE THEM.
¨ IFA PERSON GOES BACK AND TRIES TO DO THINGS BY LAW AFTER HE IS SAVED, HE MAKES HIMSELF ASINNER AGAIN BECAUSE HE ONLY PROVES AGAIN HIS INADEQUACY TO KEEP THE LAW.
§ IF A PERSON COULD BE SAVEDBY KEEPING THE LAW, THERE WAS NO NEED FOR CHRIST TO COME TO EARTH AND SUFFER CRUCIFIXION.
· THEREFORE,PAULS CONCLUSION IS THAT KEEPING THE LAW NEVER SAVED ANYONE.
¨ DISCUSSION:
Ø WHATDOES GAL 2:20 MEAN TO YOU?
| I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST | WHEN JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS, I WAS THERE WITH HIM. |
| NEVERTHELESS I LIVE | HE DIED SO I COULD LIVE. |
| YET NOT I, BUT CHRIST LIVETH IN ME | I AM NOT ALONE. CHRIST IS IN ME. THIS BODY NOT ONLY HOUSES ME BUT IT HOUSES CHRIST. |
| AND THE LIFE WHICH I NOW LIVE IN THE FLESH | THIS PHYSICAL LIFE I NOW LIVE IS CHRIST LIVING HIS LIFE THROUGH ME. |
| I LIVE BY THE FAITH OF THE SON OF GOD | EVERY DAY I LIVE BY FAITH, NOT WORKS. HE GIVES ME THE FAITH TO OVERCOME. |
| WHO LOVED ME AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME. | ALL THIS IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE HE LOVED ME AND DIED FOR ME. |
¨ WHENA PERSON COMES TO GOD THROUGH CHRIST BY FAITH, HE IS DEAD TO THE LAW. (20) IT IS A PASTEVENT THAT OCCURRED 2,000 YEARS AGO ON THE CROSS. THEREFORE, HE IS ALREADY DEAD TOPERFORMANCE-BASED LIVING. HE NOW LIVES BY FAITH IN GODS GRACE.
Ø IFHE PUTS HIMSELF BACK UNDER THE LAW ONCE HE IS SAVED, HE REBUILDS THE LAW AND AGAIN MAKESHIMSELF A SINNER. (18)
v APPLICATION:
Ø DISCUSSION:
§ HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN IT ISBETTER TO MAKE PEACE OR WHEN IT IS BETTER TO FIGHT?
· ERROR#1: DONT CONFUSE A PERSONAL ISSUE WITHPRINCIPLE.
¨ OFTENWE FIGHT BATTLES THAT INVOLVE ONLY OUR OWN DESIRES.
Ø MAKESURE THE BATTLE IS FOR THE GOOD OF EVERYONE.
· ERROR#2: DONT CONFUSE A SECONDARY CAUSE FORA SIGNIFICANT PRINCIPLE.
¨ NOTALL PRINCIPLES ARE WORTH FIGHTING FOR.
· ERROR#3: DONT CONFUSE COMPROMISE ANDCOWARDICE.
¨ IFWE DESIRE PEACE AND COMPROMISE ON SECONDARY OR PERSONAL ISSUES, WE ARE DOING WHAT IS BESTFOR ALL.
¨ IFWE SEEK PEACE AND COMPROMISE ON THE PRIMARY ISSUES OF FAITH, WE ARE COWARDS IN THE FACE OFOPPOSITION.
§ LIKE PAUL, WE NEEDGODS WISDOM AND SUPERNATURAL DISCERNMENT TO DETERMINE WHEN TO MAKE PEACE AND WHEN TOFIGHT.
HOMEWORK
GALATIANS 3:1-14
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERSTO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.
v APPLICATION FOR GAL 2
Ø CONSIDER YOUR CONDUCT.
§ DOES YOUR CONDUCT CHANGEACCORDING TO THE PEOPLE YOU ARE WITH?
§ IF PAUL OBSERVED YOURCONDUCT, WOULD HE REBUKE YOU IN THE SAME WAY HE REBUKED PETER?
§ WHAT CHANGES DO YOU NEED TOMAKE IN YOUR CONDUCT TO CONFORM TO YOUR BELIEFS?
§ ARE YOU TRYING TO MIX LAWAND GRACE IN YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE? ARE THERE SOME THINGS YOU DO TO TRY TOPLEASE GOD?
v PREPARATION FOR GAL 3:1-14
Ø READ GAL 3:1-14
§ WHY DO YOU THINK PAUL USESABRAHAM AS AN EXAMPLE IN HIS ARGUMENT AGAINST LEGALISM?
v MEMORY VERSE: GALATIANS 3:11
