It's Always Been Faith

Theme: Justified by faith

Scriptures: Galatians 3:1-29

Objectives: (From the D6 Fusion Sunday School Lesson book)

Know: Justification has always been through faith, even in the Old Testament.

Think: Maintain an awareness that I am totally dependent on Christ for salvation and for power to live for Him each day.

Do: Continue to walk by faith each and every day.

B1 Galatians 3:1-5 NKJV O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain–if indeed it was in vain? Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

C1 What did the Galatians have a clear description of?

C2 Why did they not obey the truth? (Wilbur Pickering notes, Perhaps 3% of the Greek manuscripts omit “that you not be persuaded by the Truth (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.)).

C3 How does this verse apply to the Galatians (and perhaps, to us): Proverbs 14:15 NKJV The simple believes every word, But the prudent considers well his steps.

C4 How would you summarize Jesus’s death? Give some physical aspects of Jesus’s death and some spiritual aspects.

C5 Does keeping the Law bring salvation, forgiveness of sins, and reconciliation with God?

C6 Can any human keep God’s Law?

C7 Could Paul, the Apostle, keep God’s law?

C8 There are 3 questions in this text. How do WE answer these questions?

D1 You began by God's Spirit; do you now want to finish by your own power?

D2 Did all your experience mean nothing at all?

D3 Does God give you the Spirit and work miracles among you because you do what the Law requires or because you hear the gospel and believe it?

C9 Note the contrast between works of the law and hearing of faith. The Galatians knew little or nothing of the Law. What they had experienced was a result of hearing the Gospel, not keeping Mosaic Law.

B2 Galatians 3:6-9 NKJV just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.

C1 The Scripture referred to is the spoken word that God spoke to Abraham. The only written Scripture at that time was possibly Job.

C2 What did Abraham do to be accepted by God as righteous? Did He keep the Law or believe? How could Abraham have kept the Law of Moses?

C3 How are Israelites put right with God? How about Gentiles?

C4 What Gospel did Abraham hear? How is that Gospel different from the Gospel of today?

B3 Galatians 3:10-12 NKJV For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.” Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.”

C1 What does trying to keep the Law result in?

C2 How much of the Law is each person required to obey?

C3 Is keeping the Law just in outward actions or in thoughts, desires, words, AND deeds?

C4 How many people have been justified by the Law?

C5 What does the Law have to do with faith?

C6 What does the Law require?

B5 Galatians 3:13-14 NKJV Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

C1 Explain how Christ became a curse for us.

C2 How does Christ redeem us from the Law’s curse? Redeem has the idea of buying back something. We humans are sold under sin; we are enslaved to it. We are set free by faith and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.

C3 How does a person receive the Spirit promised by God?

B6 Galatians 3:15-18 NKJV Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it. Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ. And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect. For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

C1 Wilbur Pickering notes: Less than 3% of the Greek manuscripts, of inferior quality, omit “in Christ” (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.). Without Christ, the Seed, there would have been no promise.

C2 If 2 people agree on a business or legal matter, they have a written contract. Can it be changed or broken without the other agreeing to it?

C3 Who then can break God’s agreement with Abraham?

C4 Who is the descendant (singular, not plural)?

C5 What does God’s promise to keep this covenant mean today?

C6 What is the difference between a gift and an obligation?

C7 Did Abraham earn righteousness or receive it as a gift?

B7 Galatians 3:19-20 NKJV What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one.

C1 What is the purpose of the Law? Is it to forgive sins and find reconciliation with God?

C2 What was keeping (trying to keep) the Law meant to do?

C3 How long was the Law to last (stay in effect)?

B8 Galatians 3:21-22 NKJV Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

C1 Does this mean that the Law is against God's promises?

C2 Does the Law bring life?

C3 What is the whole world (every human) enslaved to?

C4 What is the gift of salvation based on?

C5 Who receives this gift of salvation? Is it law keepers or those with faith in Christ?

B9 Galatians 3:23-25 NKJV But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

C1 What did the Law do to us before faith (the Gospel) was revealed?

C2 What was the purpose of the Law?

C3 How are people put right with God?

C4 Does the Law have authority over us?

B10 Galatians 3:26-29 NKJV For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

C1 God looks upon believers as His children. Was it through keeping God’s Law or faith in Jesus Christ?

C2 Is salvation’s status different if one is a male or female, a slave or nonslave, between Jews or Gentile?

B11 A topical study on...Obey the truth…

C1 Truth is reality (the correspondence theory of truth).

C2 Truth needs to be in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds.

C3 Yahweh is the only source of 100% truth.

C4 The Bible, given by inspiration by the Holy Spirit, is 100% truth.

C5 The Gospel is truth.

C6 Truth is rejected by many because it may bring discomfort in revealing the real person we are.

C7 God desires for us to come to the full knowledge of truth: 1 Timothy 2:4 WEB who desires all people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth.

C8 How can a person be deceived?

B12 Next week:

C1 Rags to Riches

C2 Theme: Heirs of God

C3 Scriptures: Galatians 4:1-31