Galatians Lesson #10

Related Articles

Galatians

September 21, 2015

Galatians Lesson #1

January 17, 2010

Galatians Lesson  #2

January 17, 2010

RETURN TO SYLLABUS
GALATIANS 5:1-12
LESSON #10
THE CONSEQUENCES OF ONE’S CHOICE OF BONDAGE OR FREEDOM

v     MEMORY VERSE: GALATIANS 5:5

v     IN OUR LAST LESSON WE DISCUSSED PAUL’SALLEGORY CONCERNING HAGAR AND SARAH. THE ASPECTS OF THIS ALLEGORY GO BEYOND WHAT WE HAVEALREADY DISCUSSED.

v     REVIEW OF THE LAST LESSON:

HAGAR, THE BONDWOMAN	SARAH, THE FREEWOMAN
REPRESENTS BONDAGE TO THE LAW OR LEGALISM	REPRESENTS FREEDOM IN GOD’S GRACE

 

ISHMAEL, THE SON OF THE FLESH	ISAAC, THE SON OF PROMISE
REPRESENTS THE SINFUL FLESH NATURE OF MAN	REPRESENTS THE NEW SPIRITUAL NATURE OF A MAN BORN AGAIN THROUGH JESUS CHRIST

 

v     PAUL LINKS THE CHILD TO THE MOTHER.

Ø      HAGAR WAS A SLAVE SO HER CHILD WAS UNDER THEBONDAGE OF SLAVERY.

Ø      SARAH WAS FREE SO HER CHILD IS FREE.

v     PAUL SAYS THE TWO CANNOT LIVE TOGETHER.

Ø      IN THE STORY OF HAGAR AND SARAH, THERE WAS NOCONFLICT IN THE HOUSE UNTIL ISAAC WAS BORN. TO RESOLVE THE CONFLICT, HAGAR AND HER SON HADTO LEAVE HOME.

§         ACCORDING TO THE ALLEGORY,THE FLESH NATURE OF MAN IS IN CONFLICT WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO LIVES INSIDE OF THEBORN-AGAIN BELIEVER. (4:29-30)

·        THAT CONFLICT DID NOT BEGIN UNTILTHE BELIEVER WAS BORN AGAIN. 

THE FLESH NATURE WITHIN ALL HUMANS	THE BORN-AGAIN SPIRIT NATURE WITHIN ALL BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST
THE FLESH NATURE DESIRES TO DO MAN’S WILL	THE HOLY SPIRIT DESIRES TO DO GOD’S WILL
THE FLESH NATURE CANNOT SHARE IN THE INHERITANCE OF ETERNAL LIFE	THE SPIRIT NATURE INHERITS ETERNAL LIFE
THE FLESH NATURE CANNOT BE CHANGED EITHER BY EDUCATION OR BY FORCE	THE NEW SPIRITUAL NATURE CAN BE CHANGED ONLY BY THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT

·        THE CONFLICT ENDED WHEN ISHMAELLEFT ABRAHAM’S HOME WITH HIS MOTHER HAGAR. HOWEVER, THAT WAS ABOUT 17 YEARS AFTERISAAC’S BIRTH.

¨      THERE’S A SPIRITUAL LESSON HERE.

Ø      THE CONFLICT WITHIN THE BORN-AGAIN BELIEVERBETWEEN HIS OLD FLESH NATURE AND HIS NEW SPIRITUAL NATURE RAGES UNTIL THE BELIEVER ISWILLING TO CAST OUT THE OLD FLESH NATURE. THAT TAKES TIME. THIS IS WHY IT IS WRONG TOIMMEDIATELY JUDGE A NEW BELIEVER WHO IS TRYING TO GET HIS LIFE TOGETHER. WE ARE ALL APROGRESSIVE, CONTINUOUS WORK IN PROGRESS.

§         READ ROM 7:15-25  THE CONFLICT OF THE TWO NATURES.

v     READ GAL 5:1-6  THE APPLICATION OF THE ALLEGORY TO PERSONAL LIFE

Ø      WE HAVE LEARNED THAT JUSTIFICATION IS BYFAITH.

§         REMEMBER THAT THIS OCCURSAT ONE POINT IN TIME WHEN YOU ARE BORN AGAIN AND GOD DECLARES YOU ARE RIGHTEOUS THROUGHJESUS CHRIST.

Ø      NOW WE ARE LEARNING THAT SANCTIFICATION IS BYFAITH.

§         SANCTIFICATION IS THEPROCESS BY WHICH THE HOLY SPIRIT IS MAKING YOU MORE LIKE CHRIST. THIS PROCESS CONTINUESFROM THE TIME YOU ARE BORN AGAIN UNTIL YOU GO TO BE WITH CHRIST.

Ø      “…BE NOT ENTANGLED AGAIN WITH THEYOKE OF BONDAGE.” (5:1)

§         THIS IS OUR KEY VERSE FORTHE BOOK OF GALATIANS AND OUR THEME FOR THE BOOK.

·        ONCE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED BYFAITH, YOU DO NOT WANT TO GO BACK TO A PERFORMANCE-BASED LIVING.

¨      MANY CHRISTIANS LIVE A DO-IT-YOURSELF KIND OFCHRISTIAN LIFE.

Ø      THIS KIND OF CHRISTIAN LIFE IS LEGALISM. ITIS DOING THE THINGS YOU THINK OTHERS EXPECT OF YOU. IT IS THE WORK OF TRYING TO LIVE UP TOTHE EXPECTATIONS OF OTHERS IN REGARDS TO OUTWARD PERFORMANCE.

¨      DISCUSSION:

Ø       WHATIS YOUR DESCRIPTION OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE INCLUDING THOSE THINGS THAT SHOULD BE PART OFTHE CHRISTIAN LIFE?

§         IF WE EXAMINE OUR LISTSCAREFULLY, WE NEED TO ASK OURSELVES IF IT IS POSSIBLE TO FULFILL OUR LISTS AND NOT BE ACHRISTIAN.

·        IF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS BASED ONOUTWARD PERFORMANCE, IT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED EVEN IF A PERSON IS NOT BORN AGAIN.

¨      THIS IS PERFORMANCE-BASED LIVING JUST LIKETHE PHARISEES.

·        GOD CALLS THE BELIEVER IN JESUSCHRIST TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF LIVING THAN A LEVEL BASED ON OUTWARD PERFORMANCE.

¨      TRUE LIBERTY IN JESUS CHRIST IS AT THE HIGHERLEVEL. THIS LIBERTY IS NOT BASED ON RULES AND REGULATIONS. IT IS BASED ON A PRINCIPLE THATPAUL WILL GIVE US LATER IN THE BOOK.

§         “…IF YOU BECIRCUMCISED, CHRIST SHALL PROFIT YOU NOTHING.” (2)

·        TRYING TO KEEP THE MOSAIC LAW,TRYING TO KEEP RULES AND REGULATIONS, TRYING TO KEEP OTHER PEOPLE’S EXPECTATIONS,TRYING TO KEEP YOUR OWN SET OF EXPECTATIONS, WILL PROFIT YOU NOTHING. IN REALITY, TOATTEMPT TO LIVE THIS WAY DEVALUES THE MINISTRY OF CHRIST.

¨      WHEN YOU TRY TO ADD LAW TO FAITH, YOU ARESAYING THAT CHRIST’S SACRIFICE WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO SAVE ME AND TO SANCTIFY ME.

¨      THESE LEGALISMS DO NOT MAKE YOU MORE LIKECHRIST. WHY?

Ø      THEY ARE SELF-RIGHTEOUS WORKS.

§         SELF-RIGHTEOUS WORKS DO NOTBRING GLORY TO GOD.

§         SELF-RIGHTEOUS WORKS DO NOTCHANGE THE SPIRIT OF MAN. THEY TOUCH ONLY THE SOUL.

§         “…WHOSOEVER OFYOU IS JUSTIFIED BY THE LAW IS FALLEN FROM GRACE.” (4)

·        THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT VERSEAND OFTEN MIS-UNDERSTOOD. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE PHRASE, “FALLEN FROM GRACE”,IN ITS CONTEXT.

¨      IF YOU ARE TRYING TO APPROACH GOD AND BECOMEACCEPTABLE TO GOD BY YOUR OWN SELF-RIGTHEOUS WORKS, INSTEAD OF BY FAITH, YOU ARE FALLENFROM GRACE.

Ø      NOTICE PAUL USES THE WORD “JUSTIFIED”IN THIS VERSE. REMEMBER THAT JUSTIFICATION OCCURS AT ONE POINT IN TIME WHEN YOU ARE BORNAGAIN.

§         WE LEARNED THAT THE LAWDOES NOT MAKE ANYONE RIGHTEOUS AND ACCEPTABLE TO GOD (JUSTIFIED BEFORE GOD). THAT PERSONWHO IS COMING TO GOD BY THE WORKS OF HIS OWN EFFORTS IS NOT USING GOD’S GRACE TO BEJUSTIFIED. HE IS NOT BORN AGAIN, AND HAS NEVER BEEN BORN AGAIN BY WORKS. THEREFORE, HE ISFALLEN FROM GRACE BECAUSE HE IS NOT TRUSTING IN CHRIST (GOD’S GIFT OF GRACE) BYFAITH.

Ø      “WE THROUGH THE SPIRIT WAIT FOR THE HOPEOF RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH.” (5)

§         THE WORD “WE”REFERS TO BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST WHO ARE JUSTIFIED (MADE ACCEPTABLE TO GOD) BY FAITHAND HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVING INSIDE OF THEM.

·        THE BELIEVER IS NOT LIKE THENON-BELIEVER WHO IS TRYING TO MAKE HIMSELF GOOD ENOUGH TO BE ACCEPTABLE TO GOD. BECAUSETHE BELIEVER IS BORN AGAIN, HE HAS THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO WORKS INTERNALLY TO MAKE HIS LIFERIGHTEOUS.

¨      NOTICE THAT THIS SANCTIFICATION PROCESS OFGRADUALLY BECOMING RIGHTEOUS IS ALSO BY FAITH.

¨      NOTICE THAT THE BELIEVER DOES NOT EVERACHIEVE RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THIS LIFE ON EARTH. HE WAITS FOR THE COMING OF CHRIST.

§         “THE HOPE OFRIGHTEOUSNESS” = JESUS CHRIST

·        THE BELIEVER WAITS IN HOPE FORTHE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH WHEN BELIEVERS GO TO BE WITH THE LORD, WHO IS OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.IT IS AT THIS POINT IN TIME WHEN THE BELIEVER TOTALLY GETS RID OF THE FLESH NATURE ANDRECEIVES HIS NEW GLORIFIED BODY.            

Ø      THE FIRST HINT CONCERNING THE PRINCIPLE OFSANCTIFICATION: (6)

§         “…FAITH WHICHWORKETH BY LOVE” (6)

·        THE SANCTIFICATION PROCESS OFBECOMING RIGHTEOUS (LIKE CHRIST) IS BY FAITH.

·        SANCTIFICATION WORKS BY LOVE NOTBY LAW.

¨      REMEMBER THE CONTRAST BETWEEN A SLAVE AND ASON THAT PAUL PRESENTED EARLIER IN THE BOOK?

Ø      A SERVANT OBEYS HIS MASTER BECAUSE OF FEAR.

Ø      A SON OBEYS HIS FATHER BECAUSE OF LOVE.

§         PAUL TOLD US THAT BELIEVERSARE NOW SONS AND NOT SERVANTS.

§         IN GAL 5:6 PAUL TELLS USTHAT THIS SANCTIFICATION PROCESS WORKS IN OUR LIVES BECAUSE WE LOVE GOD.

·        THE PERSUASION OF LOVE IS FARMORE EFFECTIVE IN A PERSON’S LIFE THAN A SET OF RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT PRODUCEFEAR AND GUILT.

v     READ GAL 5:7-12  THE FAR-REACHING ASPECTS OF THE JUDAIZERS

Ø      PAUL REBUKES THE GALATIAN PEOPLE FORPERMITTING THE JUDAIZERS TO PERSUADE THEM INTO THE FALSE DOCTRINE OF LEGALISM.

Ø      “A LITTLE LEAVEN LEAVENETH THE WHOLELUMP” (9)

§         LEAVEN IS YEAST THAT MAKESBREAD RISE. IT IS USED SYMBOLICALLY THROUGHOUT SCRIPTURE IN BOTH THE OLD AND NEWTESTAMENTS TO REPRESENT SIN OR SOMETHING EVIL.

§         READ MAT 13:33

·        INTERPRETATION OF THIS PARABLEWITH THE CONTEXT OF GAL 5:

¨      LEAVEN = IT REPRESENTS THE FALSE DOCTRINE OFTHE JUDAIZERS THAT PROMOTED LEGALISM.

¨      THE WOMAN = SHE REPRESENTS A FALSE RELIGION

¨      THE 3 MEASURES OF MEAL = THIS REPRESENTS THENEW TESTAMENT GOSPEL OF THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT (THREE) WHO BRINGSSINNERS TO SALVATION IN FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD AND ONE ANOTHER.

·        SIGNIFICANCE OF THEINTERPRETATION:

¨      THE JUDAIZERS HIDE THE EVIL OF LEGALISM (ASEXPLAINED BY PAUL IN GALATIANS) IN THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL. THIS EVIL WILL EVENTUALLYPERMEATE THE WHOLE CHRISTIAN RELIGION OVER TIME.

Ø      WE CAN SEE THE FULFILLMENT OF THE PROPHECYGIVEN BY JESUS. THE EVIL LEAVEN BEGAN IN THE EARLY CHURCH WITH THE JUDAIZERS AND THEGNOSTICS. IT CONTINUES TODAY THROUGHOUT CHRISTIANITY.

¨      YEAST OR LEAVEN MAKES BREAD TASTE GOOD. ITIS, THEREFORE, SOMETHING THAT IS PLEASING TO THE NATURAL MAN.

Ø      WE HAVE LEARNED THAT LEGALISM IS PLEASING TOTHE FLESH NATURE OF MAN.

¨      IN CONCLUSION, ANYTHING THAT IS ADDED TO THEBASIC DOCTRINES OF THE GOSPEL PREACHED BY PAUL AND THE APOSTLES TO MAKE IT MORE ACCEPTABLETO THE NATURAL MAN IS AN ADDED EVIL THAT WILL EVENTUALLY PERMEATE AND CHANGE ALL OFCHRISTIANITY.

Ø      PAUL DOES NOT PREACH CIRCUMCISION. IF HE DID,IT WOULD BE MORE ACCEPTABLE TO THE JEWS. (11)

§         BECAUSE THE TRUE GOSPELWITHOUT LEGALISM IS UNACCEPTABLE TO THE NATURAL MAN, THE JUDAIZERS PERSECUTE PAUL.

·        THE OFFENSE OF THE CROSS TO ALLTHAT THE WORLD SYSTEM APPROVES:

¨      AN OFFENSE TO MAN’S MORALITY BECAUSE MAN’SSELF-EFFORTS WILL NOT JUSTIFY HIM BEFORE GOD.

¨      AN OFFENSE TO PHILOSPHY BECAUSE IT TEACHESTHAT TRUTH COMES FROM REASON AND NOT BY FAITH.

¨      AN OFFENSE TO EDUCATION BECAUSE CHRISTREVEALS TRUTH TO THE SIMPLEMINDED AND NOT NECESSARILY TO THOSE WITH HIGH DEGREES.

¨      AN OFFENSE TO MAN’S WILL BECAUSE CHRISTCALLS FOR AN ULTIMATE SURRENDER OF SELF.

¨      AN OFFENSE TO POWER AND PRESTIGE BECAUSECHRIST CHOOSES THE POOR AND HUMBLE.

¨      AN OFFENSE TO MAN’S PRIDE BECAUSE GODSAYS MAN IS SINFUL AND MUST BE BORN AGAIN.

Ø      PAUL WANTS THESE JUDAIZERS, THAT PREACHEDCIRCUMCISION, TO BE “CUT OFF”. SPIRITUALLY HE MEANS CASTRATED. HE DOES NOT WANTTHEM TO PRODUCE MORE CHILDREN OF SLAVERY AND FALSE DOCTRINE.

v     SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:

Ø      TURNING FROM GOD’S GRACE TO LEGALISMWILL CAUSE YOU TO BE A LOSER:

§         THE YOKE OF BONDAGE AND THELOSS OF FREEDOM: (1)

·        YOU WILL LOSE YOUR LIBERTY (1)BECAUSE YOU GIVE POWER TO RULES AND REGULATIONS AND TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO WRITE THEM.

·        YOU PUT YOURSELF UNDER A YOKE OFBONDAGE TO LEGALISM THAT IS HEAVY TO BEAR INSTEAD OF PUTTING YOURSELF UNDER THE YOKE OFCHRIST THAT IS EASY TO BEAR. (MAT 11:28-30)

§         THE DEBTOR AND THE LOSS OFWEALTH: (2-6)

·        YOU WILL BECOME A DEBTOR TO THELAW (3) BECAUSE YOU TRY TO KEEP IT, AND YOU CANNOT DO IT.

¨      YOU WILL LOSE THE WEALTH OF THE GUIDANCE ANDTHE RICHNESS OF JOY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT.

¨      REMEMBER THAT THE BELIEVER IS NOT A BANKRUPTSLAVE BUT A MATURE SON ABLE TO INHERIT THE RICHES OF HIS FATHER.

§         THE RUNNER AND THE LOSS OFDIRECTION: (7-12)

·        PAUL SAYS THESE CHRISTIANS WERERUNNING THE RACE WELL AND THEN STOPPED. (7)

¨      PAUL FREQUENTLY USED THE IDEA OF RUNNING ARACE AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE AFTER THE BORN-AGAIN EXPERIENCE.

Ø      IN THE GREEK GAMES, A PERSON HAD TO BE ACITIZEN BEFORE HE COULD ENTER THE OLYMPICS.

§         A PERSON MUST BE BORN-AGAINBEFORE HE CAN RUN THE RACE OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.

·        BECAUSE PAUL USES THE SYMBOLISMOF A RACE, THESE GALATIAN PEOPLE WERE SAVED (CITIZENS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD). THEY WERENOW RUNNING THE RACE OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE BY FAITH. THEY STOPPED AND LOST THEIR DIRECTIONBECAUSE OF THE JUDAIZERS.

Ø      NO TRUE CHRISTIAN WHO LOVES GOD AND WHOUNDERSTANDS THE BOOK OF GALATIANS WILL WANT TO BE A LOSER. WE ALL WANT TO BE WINNERS.CHRISTIANS WHO ARE PERSUADED INTO LEGALISM ARE IGNORANT OF THE TRUTHS IN THIS BOOK. (JOH8:32,36) THEY ARE IGNORANT OF THE TRUE FEEDOM WE HAVE IN JESUS CHRIST.

HOMEWORK
GALATIANS 5:13-26

THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERSTO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.

v     APPLICATION OF GAL 5:1-12

Ø      READ THE FOLLOWING SCRIPTURES REGARDING YOURFREEDOM: 

LUK 4:18	1COR 10:29
JOH 8:32, 36	2COR 3:17
ROM 6:6-7,18	COL 2:20-22
ROM 7:6	HEB 9:15
ROM 8:1-2	1PET 2:16
1COR 7:22-23	REV 1:5
1COR 9:19

Ø      ARE THERE ANY AREAS OF YOUR THINKINGREGARDING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE THAT NEED TO CHANGE TO FULFILL THE FREEDOM YOU HAVE IN JESUSCHRIST?

v     PREPARATION FOR GAL 5:13-26

Ø      READ GAL 5:13-26

§         WHY IS TOO MUCH FREEDOM NOTA LICENSE TO SIN?

§         WHAT IS THE BETTER WAY TOWIN THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE FLESH NATURE AND THE HOLY SPIRIT OF WHICH BOTH LIVE WITHINTHE BELIEVER?

v     MEMORY VERSE:  GALATIANS 5:13