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Have you ever felt peer pressure to live your Christian life in a certain manner?
This tendency to add works to salvation has persistently been a problem throughout Christendom. For some, the concept of being "worthy" is found by following a set of staid rules and regulations on how to live. But the good news of the Gospel is not that we are required to continue conforming to the restrictions of the law - the good news is that we are free in Christ! Join Pastor Jeremiah as we journey through Galatians verse-by-verse, gaining insight and encouragement from Paul's incredible letter to that early church.
Since the beginning of Christianity, people have tried to redefine and change the Gospel. Some declare that the Gospel is doing good works, while others define it as abstaining from certain behaviors. But none of these are even close to the good news that is declared in God’s Word. The Gospel is simply this: the good news that Christ came and died for our sins so that we might become sons and daughters of God. Covers Galatians 1:1-9.
Freedom is a word that has come to be associated with doing whatever you want. But freedom is not a free-for-all, for with freedom comes certain and severe responsibilities and obligations. Paul understood this, and that is why he went so far as to rebuke Peter in front of the church. Why? Because Peter had traded his freedom in Christ for the approval of his peers. Freedom – especially freedom in Christ – must always be defended. Covers Galatians 2:11-21.
The Judaizers in the Book of Galatians sought for the new believers to return to the customs of the law. But they missed the whole point! From the very beginning, the purpose of the law was to reveal our lack of righteousness and our need for a redeemer. The law has always pointed to Christ, and now that we have Him, we no longer need to cling to the law – we need to cling to Christ. Covers Galatians 3:6-14.
In 1986, country music singer Holly Dunn had a Top-10 hit with the song, “Daddy’s Hands.” In the song, Dunn talks about the challenge of being disciplined by her father when she did something wrong, but she came to understand that even in those times of rebuke, he still loved her. Like the theme of that country song, sometimes Paul had to chastise the Galatian believers. But his occasional harsh corrections were always born and given out of love. Covers Galatians 4:12-20.
Sometimes the best way to make a point is not to make a point at all, but instead to tell a story that illustrates that truth. This is the method of teaching and instruction that Paul employs in the fourth chapter of Galatians. The story that he tells is true and the characters are real, but from the events of their lives he draws even greater truths that speak to the Christian faith and life. Covers Galatians 4:21-31.
Many of us are not good at accepting gifts. We just don’t feel comfortable receiving something that we did not work for or earn. But if we can’t accept a simple gesture of kindness from a friend, how are we to then accept the gift of salvation from God Almighty? Jesus Christ is the greatest gift of all, because He in turn brings us freedom. But there is nothing we can do to earn it. We must simply accept it. Covers Galatians 5:1-11.
When it comes to things like cleaning out the garage or flossing our teeth daily, too many times we become adept at just ignoring things that we know we need to do. Sadly, when we see a fellow Christian caught in the mire of sin, we look away in the very same manner. But God has called us not to ignore our fallen brethren, but to lift them up and restore them back into fellowship. Covers Galatians 6:1-5.
Throughout the Book of Galatians, Paul has boldly defended the Galatian believers and himself from the attacks of the Judaizers and false prophets. Most importantly, he has championed and articulated the Gospel of grace with authority and power. As he concludes this great letter, Paul bursts forth once more with a magnificent appeal to the supremacy of grace and salvation by faith in Christ alone. May we be so bold and triumphant in our own lives! Covers Galatians 6:11-18.
