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1. God Cannot Not Be: __________________________!

Galatians 6: ⁷Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. NIV

(Job 26:7; Isaiah 40:22; Daniel 4:29-32; Daniel 5:1-28;  Jude 17-19; Psalm 73:1-19; Psalm 21-6)

2.  We Reap The Same: _____________________________!

Galatians 6: ⁸The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. NIV

(Esther 7:10)

3.  We Reap In: ____________________________________!

Galatians 6: ⁹Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. NIV

(Ecclesiastes 11:1; Ecclesiastes 8:11-13; Revelation 221-5)

1) Liberty, Not Bondage Gal 5:1-15

2) The Spirit, Not the Flesh Gal 5:16-26

3) Others, Not Self Gal 6:1-10

4) God’s Glory, Not Man’s Approval Gal 6:11-18

Chapter 6

1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted – The word for “Sin”  is paraptōma and it means “a side slip (lapse or deviation), that is, (unintentional) error.” The word “retore” Katartizō literally means to mend or repair and was used of setting a broken bone or putting a dislocated limb back in place. It is applied in Mark 1:19 to the apostles who were ‘mending’ their nets.

2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ – Cf. James 5:16; Luke 11:46

4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, ⁵for each one should carry his own load – Cf. Matt 7:3-5; 2Cor 10:12.

6      Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor – Those who feed and bless you spiritually should be supported by you financially and generously providing for the their needs. This is a consistent teaching throughout the scriptures (1 Corinthians 9:11,14; 2 Corinthians 11:7-9; Philippians 4:10-19; 2 Thessalonians 3:7-9; 1 Tim. 5:17-18).

7      Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows – “mocked” muktērizō literally means “turn up the nose at.”

To “sow to the flesh” is to pander to it, to cosset, cuddle and stroke it, instead of crucifying it. —John Stott

8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life -

What does it mean To Sow to the Spirit?

• To walk by the Spirit (5:16),
• To be led by the Spirit (5:18)
• To be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18)
• To abide in Christ and in His Word and having His words abide in us (John 8:31; 15:7)
• Walking in Christ (Col. 2:6)
• Setting one’s “mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (3:2)
• Giving one’s body as “a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God”
• not being “conformed to this world, but [being] transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:1-2).

9      Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ¹⁰Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers – The words proper “time” in verse 9 and opportunity in verse 10 is the same Greek word (kairos). Good is from agathos and has a definite article in front of it in the Greek.

11   See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand! – Paul’s’ custom was to dictate his letters to a secretary and then he would finish off the letter himself to authenticate it and give it a personal touch. Paul did this in other letters as well (see 1 Corinthians 16:21; Colossians 4:18; 2 Thessalonians 3:17).

12   Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ – “To advocate circumcision was to align the new movement with Judaism, a religion that had official Roman sanction, and therefore one that avoided persecution. The preachers Paul was opposing may have included the cross in their proclamation, but by adding the necessity of circumcision they avoided persecution.” (Leon Morris, Galatians)

16   Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God -  “The Israel of God” has three possibilities: 1) “The Israel of God” refers to the Christian church made up of Jewish and Gentile believers. 2) “The Israel of God” applies exclusively to Jewish Christians  who, in contrast with the Judaizers, followed salvation by grace through faith alone. The intent of Paul’s phrase, then, is read: “Grace and mercy on the Gentile Christians (and also) on the Jewish Christians. 3) “The Israel of God” represents the Jewish people as a whole, as in the “all Israel” of Romans 11:26-27.

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1. Ingredient #1: __________________________!

Galatians 5: ¹⁶I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. NKJV

Principle:

Holiness comes only from the ______________. Holy living does not come from _________ performance for God but from ________ performance through us by His own Spirit.

(Romans 6:11-13; Galatians 5:17)

2.  Ingredient #2: ___________________________________!

Galatians 5: ⁴You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. NIV

(John 15:1-5; 2Timothy 3:16-17; Proverbs 24:32-34; John 15:7-8; James 4:3)

3.  Ingredient #3: ___________________________________!

Galatians 5: ²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. NIV

(Hosea 14:8; 1John 4:7-19; Genesis 49:22; Song Of Solomon 4:10-5:1)

Chapter 4

3 So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world – We are sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:26), and we are heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:29). The law was just our guardian or schoolmaster (Galatians 3:24-25), to watch over us while we were “children.” The basic principles of the world (stoikeia tou kosmou) is also translated “elements of the world” (NKJV). It has the root meaning of “row”. It was used, for instance, of the letters of the alphabet, the elemental building blocks of writing.

6      Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” - Daddy

13   As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you – This suggests that Paul went into the region of Galatia because of his illness. We know that when Paul was in the region of  Galatia, they tried to stone him in the city of Lystra (Acts 14:19-20). Some think that this was the cause of the illness he mentions. According to Acts 13, Paul came to the region of Galatia –from the city of Perga in the region of Pamphylia and went first to Pisidian Antioch. Perga was a lowland, marshy area. The Galatian city of Pisidian Antioch was some 3,600 feet higher than Perga. It has been suggested that Paul’s physical infirmity was a type of malaria common to the lowlands of Perga.

15   What has happened to all your joy? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me – His illness affected his eyesight?

28   Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise –

Chapter 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 – There is a definite article in front of freedom. It is “The Freedom.”

16   So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature – Living “by the Spirit” means that we submit to his authority, welcome his guidance, accept his correction, live under his restraint, rely on his power, and allow him to unify us with other believers.

19   The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; – Acts is plural.

Sexual Immorality is from the Greek word porneia, from which we get the English pornography. Any illicit sexual activity.

Impurity – is from akatharsia, “unclean” and was used medically to refer to an infected, oozing wound. It is the negative form of katharsia, the word from which we get catharsis, a cleansing.

Debauchery – (aselgeia) unrestrained sexual indulgence without shame.

20   idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions

Idolatry – (eidololatria) Worshiping man-made images of whatever sort. Witchcraft –  pharmakeia, we get pharmacy and pharmaceutical. It was originally used of medicines in general but came to mean mind-altering drugs. Many ancient religious ceremonies involved occultic practices in which drugs were used to induce communication with deities; closely related to sorcery.

Hatred – is echthrai in the plural and refers to hateful attitudes, which result in actions.

Discord – is eris and is among individuals, including wrong attitudes and bitter conflicts.

Jealousy – is zelos This word has also become the English word zeal. There is a good zeal and a bad zeal. This is the bad one! (4:17-18).

Fits of Rage – is thumoi are sudden, unrestrained expressions of hostility toward others.

Selfish ambition – (eritheiai) Started as a word meaning “to work for pay.” Over time, it began to mean the kind of work that is done just for money. Then it was used to describe politicians who campaign for election, not for what service they can give to the government and the people.

Dissensions – dichostasiai Strong disagreements or quarrels.

Factions – haireseis – Originally simply meant “to choose.” Over time, it came to mean someone who divisively expressed their “choices” or opinions.

21   and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God

Envy – (phthonoi) A desire to possess something awarded to or achieved by another and the twisted logic that cries “Unfair!” If I can’t have that, they shouldn’t get it either!

Drunkenness – methai – Probably is referring to the pagan worship ceremonies that many of the Gentile converts of Galatia had once participated in.

Orgies – komoi – Drunken, carousing “parties,” often filled with sexual promiscuity, were associated with festivals of some pagan gods.

22   But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness and self-control – Fruit is singular.

Love (agape)—Love as shown by Jesus, whose love is self-sacrificing and unchanging, and as demonstrated by God who sent his Son for sinners (Romans 5:5). Love forms the foundation for all the other fruit listed (see 1 Corinthians 13).

Joy (chara)—An inner rejoicing that abides despite outer circumstances.

Peace (eirene)—An inner quietness and trust in God’s sovereignty and justice, even in the face of adverse circumstances.

Longsuffering (makrothumia)—Patiently putting up with people who continually irritate us. The Holy Spirit’s work in us increases our endurance.

Kindness (chrestotes)—Acting charitably, benevolently toward others, as God did toward us.

Goodness (agathosune)—Reaching out to do good to others, even if they don’t deserve it.

Faithfulness (pistis)—Reliable, trustworthy.

Gentleness (prautes)—Humble, considerate of others. Even when anger is the appropriate response, as when Jesus cleared the temple, gentleness applies even force in the correct way.

Self-control (egkrateia)—Mastery over sinful human desires and their lack of restraint.

(Galatians 2:11-13)

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Bewitched:

1. By: ___________________________________!

Galatians 3: ¹You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. NIV

(Ephesians 4:14; Hebrews 12:2-3)

2.  By: ____________________________________________!

Galatians 3: ³Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? NIV

(Philippians 1:6; Galatians 5:25)

3.  By: ____________________________________________!

Galatians 3: ⁵Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? NIV

(John 3:14-16; 2Kings 18:3-4; Galatians 3:24)

1) He is no seeker after popularity (Gal 1:10)

2) His revelation was from Christ (Gal 1:11,12)

3) His zeal forsaken for something better (Gal 1:13,14)

4) He preached grace before he met with any other Apostles (Gal 1:15-24)

Chapter 2

14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? – Cf. 2Peter 3:15-16

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

Dead to the Law

• Dead to the law Rom 7:4; 6:14

• Crucified with Christ Gal 2:20

• Buried with Him Rom 6:3,4 – (“Body”: 3X) Mt 27:58-60

• Raised with Him Rom 6:8-11

• Ascended, seated with Him Eph 2:4-6

20   I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me – Scholars have looked at Paul’s phrase “I have been crucified with Christ” in different ways. This could mean that:

• all believers participate in the benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection;
• all believers experience death and new life because Christ did so on their behalf;
• all believers will have experiences like those Christ endured (Romans 8:17; Philippians 3:10);
• all believers actually participate in Christ’s death and resurrection because of the mystical union that believers have with the Lord (see also Romans 6:4-8; Colossians 2:12-14, 20; 3:1-4).

Chapter 3

1    You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified – “foolish” does not mean that they were mentally deficient; rather, (anoetos) means that they are intelligent yet are not using that intelligence to perceive the truth (the same Greek word is used in Luke 24:25; Romans 1:14; 1 Timothy 6:9; and Titus 3:3). “Bewitched” βασκαίνω Baskainō means to come under a magic evil spell.

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? -  Cf. Luke 11:9-13

Six Old Testament Quotes – Gal 3:6-14

1) Gal 3:6-7             Gen 15:6

2) Gal 3:8-9             Gen 12:3

3) Gal 3:10             Deut 27:26

4) Gal 3:11             Hab 2:4

5) Gal 3:12             Lev 18:5

6) Gal 3:13-14          Deut 21:23

6    Consider Abraham: “He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” – Gen 15:6 – This was before he was circumcised (cf. Gen. 17:24; Romans 4:9-10).

8    The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” – He believed the gospel. (Gen 12:3). And also, Abraham acted the whole thing out Gen 22:15-18; Heb 11:19; cf. James 2:20-22.

10   All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” – Deut 27:26

13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” – The word “tree” ξύλον xulon means wood, not usually a tree; it was used of gallows, crosses, etc. (Deut 21:23).

“I am told that it is preposterous and wicked to call the Son of God a cursed sinner. I answer: If you deny that He is a condemned sinner, you are forced to deny that Christ died. It is not less preposterous to say, the Son of God died, than to say, the Son of God was a sinner.”… “Whatever sins I, you, all of us have committed or shall commit, they are Christ’s sins as if He had committed them Himself. Our sins have to be Christ’s sins or we shall perish forever.” Martin Luther (Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians (1535) by Martin Luther Translated by Theodore Graebner (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1949) Chapter 3, pp. 106-135)

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. - This number comes from Exodus 12:40, which says that Israel’s captivity in Egypt lasted 430 years. Genesis 15:13, however, has 400 years for the period of slavery. Rabbis solved the problem by taking 430 as the time between Abraham’s covenant and Moses receiving the law at Mount Sinai. They took 400 years to mean the time Israel served as slaves in Egypt).

20 A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one. - The law depends on two parties, the promise depends on God alone.

(1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

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1. The Gospel: __________________________!

Galatians 1: ⁶I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—⁷which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. NIV

(1John 2:15-17; Luke 8:14; Luke 12: 15; Matthew 19:21-24; Ephesians 5:5)

2.  The Gospel:  ____________________________________!

Galatians 1: ⁸But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! NIV

(Luke 17:1-3; 1Corinthians 9:16; Galatians 1:3-5; Acts 4:12; Romans 3:23; John 14:6; Matthew 7:13-15)

3.  The Gospel:  ____________________________________!

Galatians 1: ⁹As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! NIV

(Acts 16:25-34)

Written from Antioch of Syria in about A.D. 48-50  just before the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15).

The Judaizers - The term Judaizer originates as a transliteration via the Latin of the Greek verb ioudaizein (ioudaizō). The normal meaning of the verb was “to live as a Jew in accordance with Jewish customs.” They taught that Gentiles must become Jews by circumcision before they could become Christians and that all Christians, must obey the Mosaic laws, regulations, and ceremonies (see 2:3-5,11-14; 3:3-5; 4:8-11, 21-31; 5:1-4; 6:12-13). And like the super-apostles in Corinth, they also tried to undermine Paul’s authority.

Chapter 1

1 Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—²and all the brothers with me, To the churches in Galatia: – He is an apostle sent by Jesus Christ and God the Father. The word Christ is used 529 times in the N.T. Of those, 379 are used by Paul.

The resurrection was accomplished : by the Son: John 2:19, 10:18; by the Father: Rom 6:4; Gal 1:1 by the Spirit: Rom 8:11

3    Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ – typical Pauline greeting. Paul uses the word “grace” (charis)100 times. In the rest of the N.T. in only appears 55 times.

6    I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel – The word quickly (ταχέως tacheōs) is where we get our word tachometer.

9    As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! – Anathema; eternally condemned. Cf. Matt 23:15.

11   I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up – Literally, ‘the gospel that I gospelled to you.”

12   I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ – Cf. Acts 9.

“Paul did not receive instruction from Ananias. Paul had already been called, enlightened, and taught by Christ in the road. His contact with Ananias was merely a testimonial to the fact that Paul had been called by Christ to preach the gospel.” (Martin Luther)

15   But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased – Cf. Ephesians 1:4-5.

17   nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus – Arabia extended all the way to the city of Damascus and was known as Nabatea.