INTRODUCTION TO GALATIANS

Eric Reese

This doctrinally oriented letter, possibly Paul's first, was a precursor to Romans and its development of the doctrine of “Justification by grace through faith” apart from Judaism's emphasis on a works righteousness by obedience to the Mosaic Law and traditions of the elders (i.e., Oral Traditions)..

1.  That people are justified by faith in Jesus Christ -- nothing less and nothing more 

Primary Doctrine Oriented

This letter stirred the fires of the Protestant Reformation.

1. Martin Luther said, "the little book of Galatians is my letter; I have betrothed myself to it; it is my wife."

2. John Wesley said he found lasting peace from a sermon on Galatians.

GALATIANS

Date: ????

The North Galatian theory. This older view holds that the letter was addressed to churches located in north-central Asia Minor (Pessinus, Ancyra and Tavium). It is held that Paul visited this area on his second missionary journey, though Acts contains no reference to such a visit. Galatians, it is maintained, was written between A.D. 53 and 57 from Ephesus or Macedonia.

Two Major Theories

2. The South Galatian theory. According to this view, Galatians was written to churches in the southern area of the Roman province of Galatia (Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe) that Paul had founded on his first missionary journey. Some believe that Galatians was written from Syrian Antioch in AD48-49 after Paul's first journey and before the Jerusalem council meeting (Ac 15).

Two Major Theories

1. It was written to the Northern Ethnic Area of the GALATIA. (Right in the middle to Modern Turkey to the north)

Acts 16:6-76 They passed through the [c]Phrygian

and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in [d]Asia;

 7 and after they came to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them;

Two Major Theories

13 Paul and his companions then left Paphos by ship for Pamphylia, landing at the port town of Perga. There John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem. 

14 But Paul and Barnabas traveled inland to Antioch of Pisidia.[c]

Acts 13:13-14

Roman’s Providence of Galatia, therefore its the churches mentioned in Acts chapter 13 and 14.

1. Thyatira in the province of Lydia (located in what is now western Turkey) was famous for the red [variety of purple] dye”.

2. Iconium-was the capital city of Lycaonia, in Asia Minor (today Turkey), situated about 120 miles / 195 kilometers inland from the Mediterranean Sea.

1. Judaizers were Jewish Christians who believed, among other things, that a number of the ceremonial practices of the OT were still binding on the NT church.

2. Following Paul's successful campaign in Galatia, they insisted that Gentile converts to Christianity abide by certain OT rites, especially circumcision. They may have been motivated by a desire to avoid the persecution of Zealot Jews who objected to their fraternizing with Gentiles (see 6:12).

 

Purpose

3. The Judaizers argued that Paul was not an authentic apostle and that out of a desire to make the message more appealing to Gentiles he had removed from the gospel certain legal requirements.

4.Paul responded by clearly establishing his apostolic authority and thereby substantiating the gospel he preached.

Purpose

5. By introducing additional requirements for justification (e.g., works of the law) his adversaries had perverted the gospel of grace.

6.The people Paul had lead to Christ were being place into bondage because of legalism. It is by grace through faith alone that people are justified, and it is by faith alone that they are to live out their new life in Christ.

Jesus never talked about Justification by Faith never used the word.

Jesus talks about the Kingdom his first sermon “ Kingdom of God, his last sermon, and parables Kingdom of God.

Paul on the other hand rawly used the “Kingdom of God”

Paul talks about Justification “ How is a person right with God?”

Jesus - Apostle Paul

Jesus talks about how a person live in the light of knowing God.

How do you hold these two together?Here is the conflict of the book of Galatians.

Why? Because there were a group of Jews who believe the only way you were to be in the Kingdom of God were to be Jewish.

They believed that Paul could not preach to the Gentiles believe and repent until they committed themselves to the Law of Moses.

Now this was not a minor conflict.

How is a person right with God?Are people right with God because the join the Ancestral Religion i.e. become Jewish first?

Are people right with God through Faith and repentance in Christ along plus nothing?

You may believe that’s a dumb question? But in the early church this was a BIG question until Acts 15.

The Early Church in the meeting decided you did NOT need to do Jewish stuff to fallow a Jewish Savior.

The Early Church decided that Jesus was not the Savior ONLY of Israel but the Savior of the World!

The Protestant Reformation was started because of the book Galatians and Romans Chapter 4.

These book cause the Catholic Priest of Old Testament Professor Martin Luther to begin to think about “ How is a person right with God?

In Act 15

-Martin Luther grew up in a system where he was told.

-“If you do these things right at the right time in the right place with the right words.

- Then he would be right with God!

How are we RIGHT with God?

-But he read the book of GALATIANS that said he is right with God base on the finish work of Jesus Christ receive by human faith plus NOTHING!

-We need to Scream it out today!!!! You are right with God base on Faith NOT WORKS!!!!!!

How are we RIGHT with God?

-There are people in Baptist Churches that think the more you do things in the church the closer you are to God.

- I remember thinking oh my goodness this person smoke. Going to Hell for smoking

How are we RIGHT with God?

I need to be part of a Baptist Church?

I need to be baptize in a Baptist Church?

I went to Africa and in the Baptist Church they were dancing doing the worship???????

How are we RIGHT with God?

The opening verse identifies the author of Galatians as the apostle Paul.

Author

1This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead.

Galatians 1:1

2 All the brothers and sisters[a

] here join me in sending this letter to the churches of Galatia.

3 May God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ[b] give you grace and peace. 

Galatians 1:2-3

4 Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. 

5 All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.

Galatians 1:4-5

Christianity is a Life-Style

It’s an Encounter with Christ – It’s a moment when you say, I realize I am a sinner and need help from a LOVING GOD!

Turning away for your way of life, Giving your life to Christ.

That encounter CHANGES your life. No Change No Christ.