Two Objections to God's Grace

Gary DeLashmutt
Galatians 2:15-21

Paul starts his arguments against the Judaizers on the topic of grace. Paul passionately addresses their objections, believing that this is the most important topic to drive home. The two objections are: 1) grace is unjust because it makes my good works meaningless, and 2) grace is dangerous because it promotes moral laxness.

No Give on the Gospel

Gary DeLashmutt
Galatians 1:6-10

Paul starts off defending the Gospel message against the Judaizers. Their main teaching is that salvation requires both faith and works. Paul insists that this or any other message taught by anyone else (including angels) is false. He isn't a religious bigot, but instead just very insistent on the Galatians knowing the truth about the very important and weighty topic of salvation, even if it makes him disliked by people.

A Preview of the Letter

Gary DeLashmutt
Galatians 1:1-5

Shortly after Paul left the Galatians, the Judaizers visited the Galatian churches and attacked Paul's message and his authority. Paul give his thesis for the rest of the letter which is to defend his own authority, which comes only from Christ's calling, as well as the Gospel message itself.

Why the Law?

Jim Leffel
Galatians 3:19-4:7

Paul argues for the goodness of grace by explaining the purpose of God's law. The Law was used by God to diagnose our moral guilt before God, and to show what God is truly like. The Law was given temporarily for people to see their need for forgiveness through Jesus Christ. Once that happens, people have total access to God and a new reality on how to live and relate with God personally.

Two Indicatives and Five Imperatives

Dennis McCallum
Hebrews 10:26-31

After thoroughly explaining how the cross was more than sufficient, the author now moves on in his argument to results of the cross. These results benefit humanity immensely. People can now: 1) come to God in prayer with confidence, 2) have assurance of the future, 3) think of others before themselves, 4) fellowship with one another, and 5) give and receive encouragement.

Grace is Promise

Jim Leffel
Galatians 3:15-18

Paul continues to argue for grace, as evidenced through the Old Testament. The content of God's promise through the Old Testament is seen through the creation, the patriarchs, and the history of the nation of Israel. At the center of the Old Testament is a hope rooted in the "seed" or descendant, which was ultimately fulfilled through Jesus Christ. The key element of God's promise is that the conditions cannot be added to, reflecting God's message of grace from the beginning.

Continuing Under Grace

Jim Leffel
Galatians 3:1-14

Paul is aware that the Galatians are totally blinded by the self-righteousness that comes from trying to be growing with God through the Law. Instead, he urges them to remember grace-empowered living by being led by the Holy Spirit instead of human effort. He shows that even in the Old Testament, God's way always was centered around grace. Instead of trying to self-improve through moral goodness, God asks us to trust in Him over our own goodness and to respond to His leading in our lives. As we do this, we encounter more and more freedom from living under the acceptance and love that comes from His grace through Jesus Christ.

Grace is Pardon

Jim Leffel
Galatians 2:11-21

Paul rebukes Peter for his hypocrisy and how his actions don't communicate the truth of the gospel to Jews and Gentiles. The grace of God motivates people to obey God based on total undeserved acceptance and contrasts legalism, where acceptance before God is based on our works or by obeying the law. The gospel pardons sinners by justifying based on Christ's righteousness and unites us with Christ, allowing us to live radically new lives based on a new identity in Christ. Living lives based on being pardoned by God's grace will be characterized by genuine love, gratitude, and a positive focus because of God's mercy.

Paul: Revolutionary of Grace

Jim Leffel
Galatians 1:10-2:10

Paul combats the Judaizers by defending the message of the Gospel of God. Paul uses his own personal testimony as direct revelation of God and evidence for the real life-transforming power of grace, which not only transformed his motivation but was also accepted by the apostles of Jesus Christ. The grace of God called Paul into a life of radical service for God and others, reflecting God's compassion and mercy towards a zealous sinner. It also cost Paul much of what he once thought was valuable, as the message of grace showed him that God's purposes were bigger. This teaching also includes a testimony by Mary Barnum highlighting the offensiveness of the gospel message.