There Can Only Be One

The true gospel

Scriptures: Galatians 1:1-12 and Galatians 2:15-21

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

Know: The true gospel is salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Think: Live with the assurance that I have eternal life through faith in Christ.

Do: Trust in Christ alone for salvation, and share the true gospel with others.

Notes and questions:

B1 False Gospels:

C1 Gospel of the Kingdom: repentance, baptism, faith that Jesus is Messiah and keep Moses’ Law. Source: here, here, and here. This is similar, if not the same, as the Judaism that Paul rebuked the Galatians and others.

C2 Faith plus works. Many believe this. There are the 3 sources above.

C3 Faith plus baptism, even just baptism.

C4 Being moral.

C5 The prosperity gospel, Social justice gospel, Unity gospel, All ways lead to heaven gospel, Self help, positive gospel, Mystical gospel. See the link for explanation.

C6 If someone believes into these gospels, they will end up in hell.

B2 Gospel Explained

C1 Only through Jesus Christ

D1 John 3:17 NRSV Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

D2 Acts 4:12 (MEV) There is no salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

D3 1 Timothy 2:5 (MEV) There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.

C2 After God initiates salvation and opens the heart of any human, they must request salvation: Acts 2:21 (MEV) And whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

C3 Must believe God: Acts 16:31 NRSV They answered, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.

C4 Through the shed blood of Jesus Christ: Romans 5:9 NRSV Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God.

C5 Through the resurrection (we must believe it) and life of Jesus Christ: Romans 5:10 NRSV For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life.

C6 After believing and being saved, we want to proclaim it: Romans 10:9-11 NRSV Because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (10) For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. (11) The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame.

D1 Matthew 10:32 NKJV Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.

D2 1 John 4:15 NKJV Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

C7 Ask: Romans 10:13 NRSV For, Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

C8 John 20:31 NRSV But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

C9 An angel of God during the Tribulation also preaches the Gospel: Revelation 14:6-7 NRSV Then I saw another angel flying in midheaven, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation and tribe and language and people. (7) He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, for the hour of his judgment has come; and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.

B3 Only one Gospel. There are no multiple gospels

C1 Example 1—Abraham

D1 Moses wrote about it: Genesis 15:6 NKJV And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

D2 Paul wrote to the Romans about it: Romans 4:3 NRSV For what does the scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.

D3 Paul wrote to the Galatians about it: Galatians 3:6 NRSV Just as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.

D4 James wrote about it: James 2:23 NRSV Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness," and he was called the friend of God.

C2 Example 2—Calling

D1 Joel writes: Joel 2:32 NKJV And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, As the Lord has said, Among the remnant whom the Lord calls.

D2 Peter preached: Acts 2:21 NKJV And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

D3 Paul writes: Romans 10:13 NKJV For Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

C3 Paul wrote: 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 NRSV Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, (2) through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain. (3) For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, (4) and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures.

B4 Galatians 1:1-12,

C1 Is faith really all a person needs to be saved?

C2 Galatians 1:3-5 NKJV Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

D1 Our Lord Jesus Christ

E1 Ours—believers

E2 Lord—King of kings and Lord of lords. We have submitted to Him.

E3 Jesus—the Jesus who is spoken of in the Bible.

E4 Christ—Messiah. He always has been Messiah and always will be.

E5 How should this affect us?

D2 Who gave Himself for our sins

E1 What does the word gave signify?

E2 Why is it important that it was Himself that He gave?

E3 What was His purpose?

D3 That He might deliver us from this present evil age

E1 What is the condition of our present age?

E2 Why should we be delivered from it?

D4 Why would God want this?

D5 Can anyone not glorify God?

C3 Galatians 1:6-12,

D1 What would be some reasons the Galatians are turning to another gospel?

D2 How do people distort the gospel?

D3 Why would they?

D4 What is God’s opinion of those who preach a false gospel?

D5 How does Paul know he preaches the correct gospel?

D6 How do we know what the true gospel is?

D7 What is the source of false doctrine?

B5 Galatians 2:15-21,

C1 Is the law written by Moses, who received it from God Himself, good?

C2 Can anyone keep the law? (James 2:10 GW If someone obeys all of God's laws except one, that person is guilty of breaking all of them). Breaking God’s law can be in thoughts, desires, words, and/or deeds.

C3 What important points of doctrine can we learn from Galatians 2:16?

C4 Do people sin after becoming Christians?

C5 If we start trying to live by the law, what does that do to us?

D1 Consider this translation: Galatians 2:18-19 GNB92 If I start to rebuild the system of Law that I tore down, then I show myself to be someone who breaks the Law. So far as the Law is concerned, however, I am dead—killed by the Law itself—in order that I might live for God. I have been put to death with Christ on his cross.

D2 Adam Clarke on this passage: For if I build again the things which I destroyed] If I act like a Jew, and enjoin the observance of the law on the Gentiles, which I have repeatedly asserted and proved to be abolished by the death of Christ, then I build up what I destroyed, and thus make myself a transgressor, by not observing the law in that way in which I appear to enjoin the observance of it upon others.

D3 If someone wants to follow the law, do so, but if in doing you think it is necessary for salvation, you are a heretic. If you keep the law and think you are more spiritual than others, you are in grave error. And, you will be judged by God on the basis of keeping that Law, so you will fail.

D4 So called, Torah following Christians, feel it is important, necessary to follow God’s (Mosaic) Law. They do not, of course, but feel they are more spiritual and enlightened than others. But, Paul, the Apostle, stated that this Law is what condemned him to spiritual death, which is why he exclaims, “Galatians 2:20-21 WPNT I have been crucified with Christ, so it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me; what I now live in this body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself in my place. I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing!”

D5 2 Corinthians 3:6-9 NKJV who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.

C6 Galatians 2:21 NKJV “I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

D1 Is anyone more spiritual trying to keep the Law?

D2 Does righteousness come through the Law?

D3 Can we be more spiritual doing these works?

D4 Paul is not condemning the Law. Paul is saying that no one can be justified by keeping the Law. The Law condemns. The Law made Paul realize that he was a sinner and could not be justified by keeping the Law.

B6 Next week:

C1 It’s always been faith

C2 Theme: Justified by faith

C3 Scriptures: Galatians 3:1-29