LifeMatters:

Character Matters

Galatians

Galatians 4:13

As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the

gospel to you.

Acts 15:1

“Unless you are circumcised … you cannot be saved”

Galatians 5:12

As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and

emasculate themselves!

Galatians 2:16

We have put our faith in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified

by faith in Christ, and not by observing the law.

Galatians 2:21

I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could

be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

Galatians 3:1

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very

eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.

3:2

I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the

Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?

3:3

Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by

human effort?

3:5

Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you

because you observe the law, or because you believe what you

heard?

Romans 10:17

faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Martin Luther

“the only organs of a Christian are his ears.”

3:11

Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The

righteous will live by faith."

3:14

He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might

come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the

Spirit.

3:16

The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," meaning

one person, who is Christ.

3:17

What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does

not set aside the covenant previously established by God

and thus do away with the promise.

3:23

Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed.

3:24 So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.

The Law as a Tutor …

The Law as a Railroad Track …

“The problem with the Law is not the neglect of its ceremonial

statutes, but the horrible prostitution of it which turns it from a railroad track of grace,

leading us to Christ;

into a ladder of works, on which we try to climb up to God. The transgression against God is to

presume that you can climb your way up a ladder of morality into

his favor.”

John Piper

3:25

Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision

of the law.

3:26-27

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you

who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with

Christ.

3:28

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female,

for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

3:29

If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs

according to the promise.

Galatians 2:19

For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God.

Galatians 4:6

Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our

hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father."

The LAW

or

The PROMISE

4:22

For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave

woman and the other by the free woman.

4:23

His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by the free woman was born

as the result of a promise.

Hagar = Ishmael = The law

Sarah = Isaac = The Promise

4:24

These things may be taken figuratively, for the women

represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and

bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar.

4:25

Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai …

4:26

But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother.

4:28

Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.

The Law HagarIshmael

Birth according to flesh Mount Sinai in desert

Present Jerusalem

The Promise Sarah Isaac

Birth according to the promise Mount Zion

Jerusalem in Promised Land Heavenly Jerusalem

4:30

But what does the Scripture say? "Get rid of the slave woman and

her son …

Galatians 5:1

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and

do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of

slavery.

5:4

You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from

grace.

5:5

But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the

righteousness for which we hope.

5:6

…. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through

love.

1 Peter

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping

his promise, as some understand slowness.

What if I screw up and I don’t wait on God?

5:22

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,

goodness, faithfulness,

5:23

gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no

law.

5:25

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

5:26

Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each

other.

C. S. Lewis …

"The devil is perfectly content to see you develop expressions of the fruit of the Spirit, if he can be

sure that as you mature, your pride also increases …

… just as he would be quite content to see you cured of one

terminal illness if he was allowed, in return, to give you another.”

Galatians 5:25

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.