In this passage, Paul will tell us what faith in the gospel does to us. When we truly believe, what happens to us? Paul will explain it to us in fairly radical terms, first by telling us what we were (the bad news) and then by telling us what we are (the good news). So, let us look first at what we were.
Read moreThe Law Complements the Gospel Because It Combatted Sin until Christ Arrived & Reveals Our Need for Christ (Galatians 3:19-22)
Last week, we began looking at how the law complements the Gospel, the first way being that it arrived after Christ was promised - over four centuries after the promise made to Abraham and his offspring.
Read moreThe Law Complements the Gospel Because It Arrived after Christ Was Promised (Galatians 3:15-18)
In a sense, there is no bigger question than the one Galatians attempts to answer: How do we relate to God? Do we experience God as a reward for good works? Do we gain fuller and more complete revelation of him by keeping more of his law as revealed in nature, conscience, or Scripture? Or do we encounter God by his grace? Do we enjoy him through faith in his promises?
Read moreThe Gospel of Grace Brought the Spirit to Us (Galatians 3:10–14, ESV)
Through this passage over the past couple of weeks, we’ve examined two reasons the gospel of grace transfers us from curse to blessing: it shows us the way of faith and that Christ is the one to consume the curse. The third reason the gospel transfers us from curse to blessing is that it brought the Spirit to us. Because Jesus died and rose, when we believe in him, we become recipients of the Holy Spirit (cf. Eph. 1:13-14, 2 Cor. 1:22). He is God, and he makes his home in us. Paul explained this truth this way:
Read moreGospel Blessing: Christ Was Cursed for Us (Galatians 3:10–14)
Last week, we began looking at how the gospel transfers us from curse to blessing, the first way being that it promotes the way of faith. The second reason the gospel transfers us from curse to blessing is that Christ was cursed for us. This is what we must believe. For this point, Paul again quotes from Deuteronomy. He wrote:
Read moreThe Gospel of Grace Promotes the Way of Faith (Galatians 3:10-14)
How can someone enjoy and experience God? How can we become fully human as God intended? How can we be released from paralyzing guilt and shame? How can we attain abundant life? How can we be free?
Read morePaul Used the Example of Abraham to Demonstrate Gospel Truth (Galatians 3:1-9)
The book of Galatians is a letter detailing a struggle for the gospel of grace. Paul was a first-century apostle, and God's purpose for Paul was to send him to the non-Jewish (Gentile) nations with the good news of Jesus.
Read moreThe Gospel is Worth Every Sacrifice and Asks for Our Ongoing Trust (Galatians 3:1-5)
As Paul is writing to the Galatians, he pivots toward defending gospel doctrine to help them turn back to Jesus and the sufficiency of His cross. He poses a series of rhetorical questions, each highlighting some of the beautiful benefits of the gospel. Through Paul’s initial questions that we studied last week, we saw how the gospel unleashes the Spirit and supplies the necessary resources to become complete. Today, we’ll examine two more questions Paul asked to help them see the gospel afresh.
Read moreThe Gospel Unleashes the Spirit & Supplies Resources to Become Complete (Galatians 3:1-5)
When Paul went to Galatia with the gospel, he had clearly and powerfully depicted Jesus for them. He had publicly portrayed Jesus Christ as crucified to the Galatians (1). He had set Jesus and his cross before their eyes (1). With power, clarity, and boldness, Paul had brought these Galatians to the foot of the cross. It was like they had seen the cross, not just with their eyes, but with their souls. But now they were turning from Jesus and the sufficiency of his cross—and Paul could not believe it!
Read moreA Gospel-Aligned Life is Lived by Daily Faith (Galatians 2:20b-21)
Following Paul’s public rebuke of Peter for bowing to the fear of man, he moves into sharing a beautiful picture of what life should look like when justified by faith in Christ. In our past two posts in Galatians, we saw how the gospel-aligned life is free and for God, is totally identified with Christ, and today, we will see how it is a life of daily faith, a dependence upon Jesus.
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