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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
GALATIANS 1
LESSON #2
THE HERESY OF ANOTHER GOSPEL
v MEMORY VERSE: GAL 5:1
v BEFORE WE BEGIN A STUDY OF THIS BOOK ABOUT THEBONDAGE OF LEGALISM, THERE IS ONE THING THAT MUST BE CLEAR:
Ø PAUL DID NOT DISLIKE THE MOSAIC LAW. PAUL WASNOT TRYING TO DISCREDIT THE MOSAIC LAW.
§ INSTEAD, PAUL HAD GREATRESPECT FOR THE MOSAIC LAW. HIS ATTITUDE TOWARD THE MOSAIC LAW WILL BECOME CLEARER LATERIN THE BOOK.
v READ HAB 2:4 THEJUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.
Ø THIS VERSE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT IS REPEATED 3TIMES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
§ ROM 1:17 QUOTES IT ANDEMPHASIZES, THE JUST.
· MAN IS MADE RIGHTEOUS BEFORE GODBY FAITH AND APART FROM THE LAW.
§ HEB 10:38 QUOTES IT ANDEMPHASIZES, SHALL LIVE.
· THE WHOLE CHRISTIAN LIFE, NOTJUST ENTERING INTO SALVATION, IS ACCOMPLISHED BY FAITH.
§ GAL 3:11 QUOTES IT ANDEMPHASIZES, BY FAITH.
· MAN IS SAVED BY GRACE THROUGHFAITH. NOTHING NEEDS TO BE ADDED TO FAITH BECAUSE GODS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT.
v READ GAL 1:1-5 SALUTATION
Ø PAUL, AN APOSTLE.
§ WHAT IS AN APOSTLE?
· THE WORD, APOSTLE, ISUSED IN THE BIBLE IN TWO WAYS:
¨ #1. AN APOSTLE WAS ONE OF THE TWELVEDISCIPLES CHOSEN BY CHRIST, ONE WHO WAS WITH JESUS DURING HIS 3 YEAR MINISTRY ON EARTH,AND ONE WHO WITNESSED CHRISTS MINISTRY AFTER HE RAISED FROM THE DEAD.
¨ #2. AN APOSTLE IN A BROADER SENSE (USED INTHE BOOK OF ACTS) IS ONE WHO IS SENT OUT BY GOD FOR SOME SPECIFIC PURPOSE. (ACT 11:22)
§ PAUL DOES NOT LITERALLYFULFILL DEFINITION #1. HOWEVER, HE DOES FULFILL DEFINITION #2.
· PAUL SAYS THAT HE IS NOT OFMEN, NEITHER BY MAN. WHAT DOES HE MEAN?
¨ NOT OF MEN = PAUL DID NOT FULFILLSOME COURSE OF STUDY OR SOME CRITERIA ESTABLISHED BY THE DISCIPLES IN ORDER TO PROVEHIMSELF.
¨ NEITHER BY MAN = THE OTHERAPOSTLES DID NOT LAY HANDS ON PAUL AND COMMISSION HIM. HE WAS NOT CHOSEN OR APPOINTED BYMEN.
· PAUL WAS CHOSEN BY GOD. (ACT 9:15)
Ø GRACE AND PEACE (3)
§ PAUL USUALLY BEGINS A BOOKWITH THESE TWO WORDS. IT IS A FORMAL GREETING OF THAT TIME.
· THE WORD GRACE WAS A GENTILEGREETING.
· THE WORD PEACE (SHALOM) WAS AJEWISH GREETING.
§ PAUL PUTS GRACE FIRSTBECAUSE GODS GRACE MUST BE EXPERIENCED BEFORE YOU CAN EXPERIENCE GODS PEACE.
· GRACE IS INVOLVED IN ALL ASPECTSOF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.
¨ SALVATION IS BY GRACE. (EPH 2:5)
¨ WE MUST ALSO LIVE BY GRACE. (1COR 15:10) (ROM5:1-2)
Ø IF THE BELIEVER DOES NOT LIVE BY GRACE, HEDOES NOT DEPEND ON GODS GRACE. INSTEAD HE DEPENDS ON HIS OWN WORKS AND STRENGTH.PAUL SAYS THIS PERSON IS FALLEN FROM GRACE. (GAL 5:4)
· THE GRACIOUS GIFT OF GOD, JESUSCHRIST. (4)
¨ GOD THROUGH GRACE GAVE HIS SON TO DIE FOR OURSINS THAT HE MIGHT DELIVER US.
Ø DELIVER US FROM WHAT?
§ GOD WANTS TO DELIVER USFROM THE EVIL PRESENTLY IN THIS WORLD AND FROM SATAN WHO CONTROLS THIS WORLD SYSTEM.
· IT IS GODS WILL THAT MAN BEDELIVERED THROUGH THE PROCESS OF BEING BORN AGAIN IN JESUS CHRIST.
· IT IS GODS WILL THAT MANREMAIN FREE OF THE EVIL MAGNETISM THAT AUTOMATICALLY DRAWS MAN INTO THAT WORLD SYSTEM.
¨ THIS DE-MAGNITIZATION IS ONLY POSSIBLE INJESUS CHRIST.
v READ GAL 1:6-9 THE GALATIAN PROBLEM STATED
Ø PAUL GETS RIGHT TO THE SUBJECT OF HIS LETTERTO THESE CHURCHES:
§ THEY ARE FALLING AWAY INTOHERESY AND FOLLOWING ANOTHER GOSPEL.
· THE WORD TURNING AWAYIS A MILITARY TERM MEANING = DESERTION.
· THE WORD GOSPEL MEANS= GOOD NEWS.
¨ THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT, THERE IS ONLY ONEGOOD NEWS PRESENTED. THIS RELATES TO THE FACTS ABOUT THE BIRTH, THE DEATH, THE BURIAL, ANDTHE BODILY RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST.
Ø THERE ARE SOME HERESIES THAT TAKE ISSUE WITHONE OR MORE OF THESE BASIC FACTS. FOR EXAMPLE, SOME DID NOT BELIEVE IN THE VIRGIN BIRTH.SOME DID NOT BELIEVE IN THE BODILY RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.
Ø THE JUDAIZERS DID NOT ARGUE WITH ANY OF THESEBASIC FACTS REGARDING THE GOSPEL.
¨ HOWEVER, THERE IS A VARIETY OFINTERPRETATIONS REGARDING THE MEANING AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THESE BASIC FACTS.
Ø THIS WAS THE CASE WITH THE JUDAIZERS. THEYDIFFERED FROM PAUL REGARDING THE MEANING OF CHRISTS SACRIFICE FOR SIN.
Ø THE JUDAIZERS WANTED TO ADD SOMETHING TO THEBASIC GOSPEL.
§ PAUL GOES SO FAR AS TO SAYTHAT THE JUDAIZERS PERVERT THE GOSPEL.
· THE WORD PERVERT IS AVERY STRONG WORD AND MEANS = TO CHANGE SOMETHING INTO ITS COMPLETE OPPOSITE.
¨ FOR EXAMPLE: LUKE USED THE SAME GREEK WORD INACT 2:20 WHERE HE SPOKE OF THE SUN TURNED TO DARKNESS.
¨ THE GOSPEL + SOMETHING ELSE = NO GOSPEL ATALL.
§ PAUL GOES SO FAR AS TO SAYTHESE JUDAIZERS ARE CONDEMNED TO HELL. (1:8) THEN TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND THESEVERITY OF HIS WARNING, HE REPEATS IT IN VERSE 9.
· THE WORD ACCURSED =DEDICATED TO DESTRUCTION.
¨ IDENTIFYING A FALSE GOSPEL:
Ø YOU DO NOT IDENTIFY THE TRUE FROM THE FALSEBY HOW POPULAR IT IS. (MAT 24:11)
Ø YOU DO NOT IDENTIFY THE TRUE FROM THE FALSEBY HOW MIRACULOUS ARE THE SIGNS AND WONDERS. (MAT 24:23-24)
v READ GAL 1:10-24 PAULS EXPERIENCES:
Ø WHY DOES PAUL GO INTO SO MUCH DETAIL ABOUTHIMSELF?
§ THE JUDAIZERS WEREDISCREDITING PAULS TEACHING AND PAULS AUTHORITY.
· THIS BROUGHT CONFUSION TO THECHURCHES THAT PAUL HAD ESTABLISHED AND TO THE PEOPLE PAUL HAD CONVERTED TO CHRIST.
Ø PAULS BASIS FOR HIS AUTHORITY:
§ HIS MINISTRY AS AN APOSTLE.
· HE WAS CHOSEN BY CHRIST.
· HE WAS THE FOUNDER OF THESEGALATIAN CHURCHES.
§ HIS CONSISTENT SALVATIONMESSAGE.
§ HIS MOTIVE FOR MINISTRY.
· HE DID NOT CHOOSE TO PLEASE MEN.
· HE DID EVERYTHING FOR THE GLORYOF CHRIST.
§ THE MAJOR PERIODS OFPAULS LIFE:
· PAUL, THE PERSECUTOR OF THECHURCH:
¨ BEFORE PAUL WAS SAVED, HE THOUGHT HE WASDOING GODS WILL WHEN HE PERSECUTED THE CHRISTIAN CHURCHES. (1:13-14)
¨ PAUL STRONGLY DEFENDED JUDAISM AS THE RIGHTWAY TO GOD. HE BELIEVED IN THE LAW AND TAUGHT IT.
· PAULS MIRACULOUS INWARDCONVERSION FROM JUDAISM TO CHRISTIANITY:
¨ PAULS CONVERSION WAS ACCOMPLISHED BYGODS GRACE. (1:15-16)
¨ PAULS CONVERSION WAS FOR THE BENEFIT OFOTHERS. (1:16)
¨ PAULS CONVERSION WAS FOR THE GLORY OFGOD. (1:24)
· PAUL, THE PREPARED PREACHER:
¨ AFTER PAULS CONVERSION, HE HAD NOCONTACTS WITH OTHER BELIEVERS FOR AWHILE. (1:16) WHY?
¨ GOD KEPT HIM SEPARATED SO THAT HE COULDPREPARE PAUL TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE GENTILES.
Ø PAULS THREE YEARS IN ARABIA (1:18) INSTUDY, PRAYER, AND MEDITATION WAS LIKE THE THREE YEARS PREPARATION THAT THE DISCIPLES HADWITH JESUS.
¨ PAUL VISITS PETER AND JAMES IN JERUSALEM, BUTHE DID NOT STAY THERE LONG ENOUGH TO BECOME INDOCTRINATED BECAUSE HIS LIFE WAS IN DANGER.(18-20)
Ø THEREFORE, PAUL DID NOT GET HIS APOSTLESHIPFROM THE OTHER APOSTLES.
Ø THEREFORE, PAUL DID NOT GET HIS MESSAGE FROMTHE OTHER APOSTLES.
¨ PAUL RETURNED HOME TO TARSUS TO BEGINMINISTRY. (1:21-23)
¨ EVENTUALLY THE OTHER APOSTLES AND BELIEVERSACCEPTED PAUL AND HIS MINISTRY AS BEING FROM GOD.
v APPLICATION:
Ø WHEN WE BEGIN TO READ PAULS BOOKS, HEALWAYS MENTIONS EITHER FAITH, HOPE, OR LOVE, USUALLY IN THE FIRST CHAPTER. THEWORDS THAT PAUL MENTIONS TELL US WHAT WAS LACKING IN THE CHURCH OR CHURCHES OF HISREADERS.
§ IF WE EXAMINE THIS FIRSTCHAPTER OF GALATIANS, WE CAN DETERMINE WHICH OF THESE THREE CHARACTERISTICS (FAITH, HOPE,LOVE) ARE MOST NEEDFUL IN THE CHURCHES OF GALATIA.
· THE GALATIAN CHURCHES LACKED THEFAITH THAT PAUL WAS TEACHING (1:23). INSTEAD THEY ADDED WORKS TO THEIR MEAGRE FAITH.
¨ THE KEY INGREDIENT THEY LACKED IN THEIR FAITHWAS THE ELEMENT OF GODS GRACE.
¨ WE WILL SEE LATER THAT THESE CHURCHES ALSOLACKED LOVE, BECAUSE LEGALISM KILLS LOVE. HOWEVER, THE PROCESS INTO LEGALISM BEGAN WITH ALACK OF FAITH.
Ø BECAUSE THEY WERE ARGUING OVER LEGALISM, THEYDID NOT HAVE PEACE. WITHOUT PEACE, THERE WAS NO LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER.
HOMEWORK
GALATIANS 2
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERSTO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.
v APPLICATIONOF GAL 1
Ø WHICHOF THE THREE CHARACTERISTICS DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST LACKING IN YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE,FAITH, HOPE, OR LOVE?
Ø WHATDO YOU NEED TO DO TO REMEDY THIS LACK?
§ FAITH (READ ROM 10:17)
§ HOPE (READ ROM 5:2-5)
§ LOVE (READ 1JOH 2:5)
v PREPARATIONFOR GAL 2
Ø READGAL 2:1-21
§ READ ACT 15:1-35 AND ANSWERTHE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:
· WHYDID PAUL GO TO JERUSALEM?
· WHYDO YOU THINK HE TOOK TITUS WITH HIM?
· WHATPROOFS DOES PAUL USE FROM HIS EXPERIENCE AT JERUSALEM TO PROVE TO THE JUDAIZERS THAT HISMINISTRY IS VALID?
v MEMORYVERSE: GAL 2:20
