Living for Jesus

by making, maturing and mobilising disciples for His Glory

Galatians - Freedom in Christ Alone Study Booklet

Welcome Welcome to our first Study Booklet for 2014. This series is called ‘FREEDOM IN CHRIST ALONE.’ It will be a series from the letter of Galatians. It will help us be clear about the Gospel and so how we are saved. It will also help us know that the Gospel is always under threat by people who want to add to it or subtract from it.

Study Breakdown 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Galatians 1:1-5 Galatians 1:6-9 Galatians 1:10-24 Galatians 2:1-10 Galatians 2:11-21 Galatians 3:1-14 Galatians 3:15-25 Galatians 3:26-4:7

Feb 9 Feb 16 Feb 23 Mar 2 Mar 9 Mar 16 Mar 23 Mar 30

Galatians: Freedom in Christ Alone The Uniqueness of the Gospel God’s Amazing Grace Gospel Unity Living in Line With the Gospel You Never Leave It Behind The Law in the Gospel Life Children of God

Additional Articles



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1. 2. 3. 4.

How Christ Fulfilled and Ended the Old Testament Regime What Should Christians Do With the Old Testament Law? Justification by Faith The Recent Debate About “Works of the Law”

Pg. 34-35 Pg. 36-37 Pg. 38-39 Pg. 40-41

Diary Dates for 2014 FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL

- Launch Sunday - 2 February - Growth Groups commence - Life@Lakeshore Course commences - Seniors BBQ Cotton Tree – 18 February - Kids Alive Team Meeting – 23 February - Child Safe Training - Easter

MAY JUNE JULY

- Parenting Seminar – 11 June - Lakeshore Youth Winter Camp - Seniors Morning Tea

AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER

- Annual General Meeting – 26 October

NOVEMBER

- VISION SERIES

DECEMBER

- Community Carols – 14 December

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Vision Update Focus for 2014

WELCOMING NEWCOMERS The last couple of years at Lakeshore have seen a lot of significant changes and new ideas. We have seen people turn to Christ and others mature in their faith. Along the way, many smaller things have also grown or changed. All of this has been to live Jesus’ mission for our church by making, maturing and mobilising disciples of Jesus. It is our prayer and our goal for this next year that the hard work of making all these changes will bear fruit. We hope to see an ever increasing number of people turning to Christ, growing in faith and becoming active in ministry and mission. By God’s grace, we look forward to 2014 being a year of ‘welcoming the newcomers.’ How are you going to grow in ‘making’ disciples?
 What steps are you going to take to grow in ‘maturity’ in your faith?
How are you going to be ‘mobilised’ in serving on Sunday and through the week? Last year in November we had a special opportunity to commit to the vision and future of Lakeshore Community Church of Christ. We had the opportunity on Commitment Sunday to indicate our commitment to the Vision for Lakeshore on a Commitment Card. It was an opportunity to make a personal commitment before God to keep as reminder to pray and live out. There was as an opportunity to give a Special Gift as a once off thanksgiving offering over and about our annual weekly giving in thanks for what God has done in 2013 towards growing Lakeshore in 2014. It was an opportunity to support God’s work that we’re personally passionate about, helping to build a future for both the people or our church and the wider community. There is still opportunity to give to any of the Special Projects for 2014. Please do so via the Special Project envelopes that are on the ‘welcome table’ at the back of church. We praise God for his generosity over previous years in allowing us to continue to build and expand our ministries at Lakeshore. It is our joy to give you the privilege to give to the 2014 Projects. These will allow us to grow our current ministries and also reach out to our community with compassion.

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Projects for 2014 1. Outreach A Lakeshore Church profile raising campaign.

PRAYER GOAL—$1000

Next year we are planning a Free Community Parenting Seminar again.

PRAYER GOAL—$500

The main outreach event we hold each year is the outdoor Carols. Next year we are planning to expand this opportunity.

PRAYER GOAL—$500

2 Ministry Training Apprenticeship A key part of our 2015 Vision for Lakeshore is to raise up future leaders. We commenced the Ministry Training Strategy in September 2008. This initial apprentice has since become the Associate Pastor at Lakeshore. There is currently one young woman who is a candidate to commence an apprenticeship in 2014 and Joel Allen continues. In order to see this training apprentice commence in 2014 we are seeking funding to cover the costs for the first year of the two year apprenticeship.
 Under the recent changes any money given is tax deductible.

PRAYER GOAL—$10 000

3. Mercy Ministry Fund At the moment we provide assistance for those in need but we would like to increase our capacity for this. There are increasing opportunities in our community for people in need. For example about once a month we have contact from Glenn Chambers the Scripture Union Chaplain from Kuluin with an opportunity to help a family in need. There are also growing needs through the ministry of Cubbyhouse.

PRAYER GOAL—$1000

4. Children’s & Youth Ministry We have been blessed by God with a growing number of children and youth. We need to continue to train and equip teachers and youth leaders to disciple them. We are planning to give opportunity for teachers and youth leaders to go to a training weekend.


PRAYER GOAL—$1000

5. Building Fund We are blessed with a building that is debt free. We want to look after and make sure it is serviceable into the future.

- General maintenance leaks,lights and carpet.



- Air-conditioning to care for the older and the very young.

PRAYER GOAL—$2500

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Ministry Training We’re excited about future gospel-workers… We believe this is God’s great plan for gospel growth. Paul pleads with Timothy to entrust the gospel “to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others”. Titus is to ensure that older men & women model their life and doctrine to those younger, for the sake of the gospel (Titus 2:1-10). Where will tomorrow’s preachers, church-planters, missionaries, teachers & evangelists come from if not today’s young men and women?

MTS Apprenticeships An MTS Apprenticeship is two years of on-the-job training based within a church or a specialist ministry team. Apprenticeships are centred on prayer, Bible study and practical ministry. The essence of MTS is not formal instruction but learning through active participation. Two years provides enough time for MTS Apprentices to establish ministries and learn from success and failure. There is no right way of serving in a ministry apprenticeship. It will involve learning from God’s word and teaching it to others, but how this will be done will vary from apprentice to apprentice.

Apprentice for 2014 - Sarah Sams

2013 Apprentice - Joel Allen

About Sarah

About Joel

Blessed to have grown up in a Christian family, my relationship with Jesus started from a young age. Moving out of home and entering University to study a teaching degree, I began to own my faith and grow in my understanding of His gift of Grace through the work of AFES. I have greatly benefited from the work of MTS and feel- what better way to serve Christ than with my life. What a privilege to be able to be trained and equipped in ministry and to encourage others to grow in their understanding of God’s love, His Word and His mission for the world. I look forward to being challenged and stretched as I learn more about the realities of ministry life and lean into God for His future plans for me.

Grew up on the Sunshine Coast, and worked in IT administration before commencing a ministry training apprenticeship at Lakeshore in 2013. He coordinates the music ministry at Lakeshore and is also studying a BTH at Queensland Theological College. Joel is passionate about seeing people come to know and grow in relationship with God through Jesus. In his spare time Joel loves to play or watch almost any sport (with a few exceptions), hang out with friends, and spend time playing and listening to music.

For those interested in partnering with Lakeshore and Sam visit: http://www.mts.com.au/donate-toapprentice/d/2384950 to make a tax deductible donation.

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Pray for us! We’d love you to join us in praying for our apprentices and their ministry while training and their future gospel work.

Notes

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Introduction to Galatians The book of Galatians is dynamite. It is an explosion of joy and freedom which leaves us enjoying a deep significance, security and satisfaction – the life of blessing God calls His people into. Why? Because it brings us face to face with the gospel. It’s very common in Christian circles to assume the “the gospel” is something mainly for non-Christians. We see it as a set of basic “ABC” doctrines that are the way in which someone enters the kingdom of God. We often assume that once we’re converted, we don’t need to hear or study or understand the gospel – we need more “advanced” material. But in this short letter, Paul outlines the bombshell truth that the gospel is the A to Z of the Christian life. It is not only the way to enter the kingdom; it is the way Christ transforms people, churches and communities.

The gospel... is not only the way to enter the kingdom; it is the way Christ transforms people, churches and communities.

We’re going to see Paul showing the young Christians in Galatia that their spiritual problem is not only caused by failing to live in obedience to God, but also by relying on obedience to Him. We’re going to see him telling them that all they need – all they could ever need – is the gospel of God’s unmerited favour to them through Christ’s life, death and resurrection. We’re going to hear him solving their issues not through telling them to “be better Christians”, but by calling them to live out the implications of the gospel. We’re going to watch Paul challenge them, and us, with the simple truth that the gospel is not just the ABC of Christianity, but the A to Z – that Christians need the gospel just as much as nonChristians.

The gospel – the message that we are more wicked than we ever dared believe, but more loved and accepted in Christ than we ever dared hope – creates a radical new dynamic for personal growth, for obedience, for love.

Paul will explain to us that the truths of the gospel change life from top to bottom; that they transform our hearts, our thinking and our approach to absolutely everything. The gospel – the message that we are more wicked than we ever dared believe, but more loved and accepted in Christ than we ever dared hope – creates a radical new dynamic for personal growth, for obedience, for love. Galatians is all about the gospel, which all of us need throughout all of our lives. It’s dynamite, and I pray that it explodes in your heart, and makes you passionate to see it do the same work in others’ hearts, as you read this book. (From ‘Introduction to Galatians’, pages 9-10, in Galatians For You, by Timothy Keller.)

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Bible Timeline

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Suggested Reading Reading a book in sync with a sermon series is a great habit – it helps you come to grips with the passages or the ideas of the series, and because you only have to read a chapter or two a week over 2 months it’s a great way to get through a good book. Here are some great books you could think about reading during this series:

The Prodigal God, by Timothy Keller (Excellent short book about the difference between Religion, Irreligion and the Gospel)

Jesus + Nothing = Everything, by Tullian Tchividjian (Looks at the difference between Moralism and Christianity)

The Cross of Christ, by John Stott (An in-depth theological look at the place of the cross in Christianity)

Living the Cross Centred Life, by C.J. Mahaney (Short book about basing everything in your life on the Cross of Jesus)

Galatians for You, by Timothy Keller (An ‘companion’ book to read alongside Galatians)

The Message of Galatians, by John Stott (A good commentary on Galatians)

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Notes

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Notes

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Notes

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Freedom in Christ Alone

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Study one - Galatians 1:1-5

How often do you send or receive a long letter/email/ facebook message to or from a friend? Do you enjoy writing and reading them?

Galatians 1:3

God grants us grace and peace through the gospel.

1. From verses 1-5, what basic information about this personal letter do you discover: a) Who is it from? b) Who is it addressed to? c) What is the author’s main message? d) What is the author’s relationship with the recipients? 2. The region of Galatia containing the cities of Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe (see the map on the back page). Between the members of the group, scan through Acts 13 and 14. Summarise what you learn about Paul’s history with the Galatian churches.

3. In verses 1 and 2, Paul explains his authority (i.e. the reason the Galatians need to listen and obey what he is about to say). What is the basis of Paul’s authority, and why ought the Galatians (and all other Christians) listen and obey what he says?

4. In verses 3-5, Paul explains the gospel “in a nutshell”. What does he say or imply about: a) Who we are? b) What Jesus did? c) What the Father did? d) Why God did it? Optional Question: How would you describe the gospel “in a nutshell” if a friend asked you to do so?

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Freedom in Christ Alone

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Study one - Galatians 1:1-5

5. The apostolic authority Paul describes in verse 1 applies to the entire New Testament, which was written by the original Apostles. When do you find it hardest to accept the ultimate authority of the New Testament over your life?

6. Paul says God’s glory is the motivation for everything he does (verse 5). The mission of Lakeshore Church starts with “Living for Jesus” and ends with “for His glory”. How can we be living for God’s glory?

6. How has the gospel brought “grace and peace” to your life? What is one area of your life where you long to experience more of this gospel grace and peace?

Write down prayer points, 1. For each other in your growth group, 2. For friends and family you are sharing your life and the gospel with, and 3. For the life of church as a whole.

Growth Group Members.

Family and Friends.

Church Life

Read the key verse. How would you put into your own words what we learn here about God? Pray together that God would help us to grow in our trust in Him.

For Sunday’s bible talk and next week’s study read... Galatians 1:6-9 The Life@Lakeshore course for newcomers has recently started. It would be good for every regular attender to eventually go through this course.

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The Uniqueness of the Gospel Study two - Galatians 1:6-9

What sorts of things tend to make you surprised, shocked or disappointed?

Galatians 1:6

Changing or abandoning the gospel message is shocking and fatal.

1. Read these introductory sections to Paul’s other letters: Romans 1:8-10, 1 Corinthians 1:4-7, Ephesians 1:15-17, Philippians 1:3-8 and Colossians 1:3-6. What do these have in common that is lacking Galatians? How do you think Paul would have wanted to Galatians to respond to this omission?

2. How would you describe Paul’s tone in this passage? (Give examples). Why is Paul feeling this way?

3. What does Paul say about any change to the gospel message? Why is this the case, do you think?

4. How then can we recognise and have confidence in the true gospel? (See also last week’s passage)

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The Uniqueness of the Gospel Study two - Galatians 1:6-9

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5. One popular view in our culture is that there are many ways to God and that the gospel changes with the changing years. How could you argue against that using Paul’s perspective in verses 1-9?

6. Another popular view within some churches is that we are really saved by the strength of our faith and by our right belief and behaviour. How could you argue against this using Paul’s perspective in verses 1-9?

7. Why do we sometimes not react to distortions of the gospel with the same conviction and passion that Paul does?

8. How important is maintaining the truth of the gospel to you? How is this shown in your life?

Write down prayer points, 1. For each other in your growth group, 2. For friends and family you are sharing your life and the gospel with, and 3. For the life of church as a whole.

Growth Group Members.

Family and Friends.

Church Life

Read the key verse. How would you put into your own words what we learn here about God? Pray together that God would help us to grow in our trust in Him.

For Sunday’s bible talk and next week’s study read... Galatians 1:10-24 The Life@Lakeshore course for newcomers has recently started. It would be good for every regular attender to eventually go through this course.

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God’s Amazing Grace

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Study three – Galatians 1:10-24

Ask a couple of people in the group to very quickly share their “testimony” – the story of how they became a Christian.

Galatians 1:11

The gospel does not come from human beings but from Jesus Christ.

1. What does Paul tell us about:

a) His life before becoming a Christian?



b) How he became a Christian?



c) What he did after becoming a Christian?

2. Think about the kind of person Paul had been. What is amazing, and wonderful, about verses 15-16a?

3. What kind of claims about himself does Paul seem to be answering here in these verses? Try to trace the argument he develops.

4. What result of a gospel-changed life does verse 10 demonstrate? Why does the gospel bring about such a change?

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God’s Amazing Grace

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Study three – Galatians 1:10-24

5. When do you find it hard to be a God-pleaser rather than a people pleaser? Why?

6. Paul spent significant time alone with God in Arabia (verse 17). Yet he also sought out other believers (e.g. verse 18). How can you spend more time or better quality time alone with God? How can you spend more time or better quality time with other believers?

7. What are the biggest changes which knowing God has bought about in your life?

Take Action: Share your own story of how you became a Christian with someone in the next couple of weeks (could be a Christian or a non-Christian).

Write down prayer points, 1. For each other in your growth group, 2. For friends and family you are sharing your life and the gospel with, and 3. For the life of church as a whole.

Growth Group Members.

Family and Friends.

Church Life

Read the key verse. How would you put into your own words what we learn here about God? Pray together that God would help us to grow in our trust in Him.

For Sunday’s bible talk and next week’s study read... Galatians 2:1-10 The Life@Lakeshore course for newcomers has recently started. It would be good for every regular attender to eventually go through this course.

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Gospel Unity

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Study four – Galatians 2:1-10 Have you ever had serious disagreements with other Christians that affected your Christian unity?

Galatians 2:5

Despite different groups or styles of Christians, there can only be one true gospel.

Paul was afraid that some “false brothers” (verse 4) would undermine his ministry to the Galatians by claiming that his message was different to the original Apostles in Jerusalem. 1. What was the result of the meeting? How would this have impacted Paul’s ministry from then on?

2. Why was it significant that Titus was not compelled to be circumcised? How would the gospel have been affected had he been forced to be circumcised?

3. How does this episode show the importance of pursuing unity within the church?

4. How does this story reveal that there is also diversity (different callings) within the church? Yet, what are the limits on pursuing unity (see verse 4-5)?

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Gospel Unity

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Study four – Galatians 2:1-10

5. What are some “nice” and “proper” attitudes that your culture and upbringing has taught you? How might you potentially add these on to belief in Christ as an expectation for other Christians?

6. Adding things on to the gospel leads to “earn-your-salvation” religion. In what ways does the gospel give people freedom that “earn-your-salvation” religions don’t?

7. How are you caring for the poor? How does verse 10 encourage and/or challenge you? (If you would like to think more about this, look up 1 John 3:16-17, 2 Corinthians 8:8-15, Matthew 5:43-48 and Matthew 25:31-46).

8. Our main expression of Christian unity is within our own church. How deeply rooted are you in church life? What are you doing to maintain and show unity with other believers?

Write down prayer points, 1. For each other in your growth group, 2. For friends and family you are sharing your life and the gospel with, and 3. For the life of church as a whole.

Growth Group Members.

Family and Friends.

Church Life

Read the key verse. How would you put into your own words what we learn here about God? Pray together that God would help us to grow in our trust in Him.

For Sunday’s bible talk and next week’s study read... Galatians 2:11-21

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Notes

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Living in Line With the Gospel Study five – Galatians 2:20

Have you ever had to confront someone you love? Has someone you love ever confronted you? What happened?

Galatians 2:20

Right standing with God does not come from keeping the law, but only through faith in Christ.

1. From the following verses, summarise the history of the clean/unclean food issue: Leviticus 11:1-2, Mark 7:14-23, Acts 10:9-15, Acts 10:34-35, Acts 11:1-2, Acts 15:7-11.

2. Where Peter’s actions in Galatians 2:11-13 consistent with his previous behaviour? Why does Paul confront him? What is significant about Paul’s observation in verse 14a?

3. In verses 15-16,what does Paul remind Peter about: a) Following God’s commands?

b) Having faith in Jesus?

c) From these verses, what does it mean to “justified”?

4. What doe verses 19-21 reveal about: a) What happens to someone when they become a Christian?

b) How should a Christian live their life?

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Living in Line With the Gospel Study five – Galatians 2:20

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5. From this passage, what are some wrong motivations for actions and some right motivations for actions? Choose one of these that particularly challenges or inspires you and explain why.

6. What does it mean to “live in line with the truth of the gospel”? In what areas of life do you find it most difficult to do this?

7. How would you explain the difference between being moral and being a Christian to someone who thinks being good makes them acceptable to God?

8. Is Christ’s death everything to you? What difference does this make for your love for him and your actions in life?

Write down prayer points, 1. For each other in your growth group, 2. For friends and family you are sharing your life and the gospel with, and 3. For the life of church as a whole.

Growth Group Members.

Family and Friends.

Church Life

Read the key verse. How would you put into your own words what we learn here about God? Pray together that God would help us to grow in our trust in Him.

For Sunday’s bible talk and next week’s study read... Galatians 3:1-14

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You Never Leave It Behind Study six – Galatians 3:1-14

Are there areas of your life where you sometimes forget about the truly important things because of new or interesting distractions?

Galatians 3:3

Christians are not only saved by the gospel, they also grow by the gospel.

1. What are the answers to Paul’s six questions in verses 1-5? What point is he making to the Galatians?

2. What do verses 1-5 tell us about how we grow as Christians?

3. How did Abraham become right with God (verse 6)? How is Abraham a model for the Galatians (and for us), although they were non-Jewish and lived 1500 years later?

4. Read verses 10-14. What does living by (or relying on) observing the law lead to? Why is this, do you think?

5. If verse 10 is true, how can God credit us as righteous without being unjust (verse 13)? What does trusting in this give us? Why is this exciting?

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You Never Leave It Behind

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Study six – Galatians 3:1-14

6. How can you “portray Christ’s crucifixion” (i.e. remind yourself of the gospel) to yourself again? (Think about being in church, with friends and on your own).

7. Can you relate to (or have you seen others experiencing) the “curse” of trying to justify yourself by obeying the law?

8. What causes you to become anxious, or envious, or despairing? How will remembering you are redeemed and blessed by God through his Son, and filled with His Spirit, help direct your emotions at those points?

Write down prayer points, 1. For each other in your growth group, 2. For friends and family you are sharing your life and the gospel with, and 3. For the life of church as a whole.

Growth Group Members.

Family and Friends.

Church Life

Read the key verse. How would you put into your own words what we learn here about God? Pray together that God would help us to grow in our trust in Him.

For Sunday’s bible talk and next week’s study read... Galatians 3:15-25

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The Law in the Gospel Life

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Study seven – Galatians 3:15-25

What sort of contracts are you committed to?. How do you feel about these?

Galatians 3:24-25

Now that faith in Christ has arrived, the law has finished its job of convicting us of sin.

1. Paul argues that the law given 430 years later to Moses does not supersede God’s promises of salvation to Abraham. Summarise his argument in verses 15-20 step by step.

2. The role of the law:

a) What doesn’t the law achieve (verse 21)?



b) What does the law achieve (verse 22-23)?



c) So, what is the point of the law (verse 24-25)

3. Christians are no longer under the supervision of the law (verse 25). Does this mean Christians shouldn’t be concerned about obeying the law, do you think? Why / why not? (See also Galatians 2:19-20)

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The Law in the Gospel Life Study seven – Galatians 3:15-25

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4. Why do people need to know God is a God who has laws before they can truly understand why Jesus’ death is good news?

5. How might a professing Christian end up coming under the “curse” of law-observance without realising it? What would they need to do?

6. How does knowing about God’s law increase your gratitude to Christ? What difference does this make to the way you feel towards God?

7. Why do you personally try to obey God’s laws? Do you ever obey them for the wrong reasons?

Write down prayer points, 1. For each other in your growth group, 2. For friends and family you are sharing your life and the gospel with, and 3. For the life of church as a whole.

Growth Group Members.

Family and Friends.

Church Life

Read the key verse. How would you put into your own words what we learn here about God? Pray together that God would help us to grow in our trust in Him.

For Sunday’s bible talk and next week’s study read... Galatians 3:26-4:7 Good Friday Service: 9am, Friday 18 April. Easter Sunday Services: 9am and 6:30pm, Sunday 20 April.

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Children of God

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Study eight – Galatians 3:26-4:7 What is your favourite thing about having parents? What is your least favourite thing?

Galatians 4:4-5

Christians are children of God.

1. Who is adopted as a child of God, and why (verse 26-27)?

2. What exactly does Paul mean in verse 28? Do these different types of people no longer exist?

3. Why is it wonderful to be a child of God? a) Galatians 3:29



b) Galatians 4:1-5, 7



c) Galatians 4:6

4. What is the connection between the work of the Son and the Spirit?

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Children of God

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Study eight – Galatians 3:26-4:7

5. Verse 27 says we are “clothed” with Christ, a metaphor that refers to our identity in Christ, our closeness to Christ, our imitation of Christ and our acceptability to God. In which area of your life do you most struggle to remember that you’re clothed with Christ? What difference would it make to be more aware of this?

6. Which barriers divide people where you live/work/study? How are these broken down within your church, and what do you do to help this?

7. Adoption is something we can both understand and experience. How can you meditate on the Son’s work more, and ask the Spirit to increase your experience of adoption more?

Write down prayer points, 1. For each other in your growth group, 2. For friends and family you are sharing your life and the gospel with, and 3. For the life of church as a whole.

Growth Group Members.

Family and Friends.

Church Life

Read the key verse. How would you put into your own words what we learn here about God? Pray together that God would help us to grow in our trust in Him.

For Sunday’s bible talk and next week’s study read... one of the accounts of Easter. Good Friday Service: 9am, Friday 18 April. Easter Sunday Services: 9am and 6:30pm, Sunday 20 April.

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Appendices

Article: How Christ Fulfilled and Ended the Old Testament Regime The glory of Jesus Christ shines more clearly when we see him in his proper relation to the Old Testament. He has a magnificent relation to all that was written. It is not surprising that this is the case, because he is called the Word of God incarnate (John 1:14). Would not the Word of God incarnate be the sum and consummation of the Word of God written? Consider these summary statements and the texts that support them.

3. Jesus came to fulfill all that was written in the Law and the Prophets. All of it was pointing to him even where it is not explicitly prophetic. He accomplishes what the Law required.

1. All the Scriptures bear witness to Christ. Moses wrote about Christ.

4. All the promises of God in the Old Testament are fulfilled in Jesus Christ. That is, when you have Christ, sooner or later you will have both Christ himself and all else that God promised through Christ.

John 5:39, 46: You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me. . . . If you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. 2. All the Scriptures are about Jesus Christ, even where there is no explicit prediction. That is, there is a fullness of implication in all Scriptures that points to Christ and is satisfied only when he has come and done his work. “The meaning of all the Scriptures is unlocked by the death and resurrection of Jesus.” (Graeme Goldsworthy, Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture, p. 54) Luke 24:27: And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

Matthew 5:17-18: Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

2 Corinthians 1:20: For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. 5. The law was kept perfectly by Christ. And all its penalties against God’s sinful people were poured out on Christ. Therefore, the law is now manifestly not the path to righteousness, Christ is. The ultimate goal of the law is that we would look to Christ, not law-keeping, for our righteousness. Romans 10:4: For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. Therefore with the coming of Christ virtually

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Article: How Christ Fulfilled and Ended the Old Testament Regime everything has changed: 1. The blood sacrifices ceased because Christ fulfilled all that they were pointing toward. He was the final, unrepeatable sacrifice for sins. Hebrews 9:12: “He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” 2. The priesthood that stood between worshipper and God has ceased. Hebrews 7:23-24: “The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.” 3. The physical temple has ceased to be the geographic center of worship. Now Christ himself is the center of worship. He is the “place,” the “tent,” and the “temple” where we meet God. Therefore Christianity has not geographic center, no Mecca, no Jerusalem. John 4:2123: “Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. . . . But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.’” John 2:19-21: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. . . . He was speaking about the temple of his body.” Matthew 18:20: “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

“[Jesus] said to them, ‘Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him . . . (Thus he declared all foods clean).’” 5. The establishment of civil law on the basis of an ethnically rooted people, who are ruled directly by God, has ceased. The people of God are no longer a unified political body or an ethnic group or a nation-state, but are exiles and sojourners among all ethnic groups and all states. Therefore, God’s will for states is not taken directly from the Old Testament theocratic order, but should now be reestablished from place to place and from time to time by means that correspond to God’s sovereign rule over all peoples, and that correspond to the fact that genuine obedience, rooted as it is in faith in Christ, cannot be coerced by law. The state is therefore grounded in God, but not expressive of God’s immediate rule. Romans 13:1, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” John 18:36: “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting.” Let us worship the wonder of Christ who unleashed these massive changes in the world. How Christ Fulfilled & Ended the Old Testament John Piper | February 23, 2005 www.desiringgod.org

4. The food laws that set Israel apart from the nations have been fulfilled and ended in Christ. Mark 7:18-19:

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Article: What Should Christians Do With the Old Testament Law? Should we read it? Obey it? Ignore it? Or what? First, it’s important to understand what Old Testament (OT) law is… There are hundreds of laws found in the OT books Exodus to Deuteronomy, but not all laws are created equal. Out of all those laws, 10 of them have a special place – the 10 commandments. The 10 commands were spoken directly by God to Israel from the fire and the cloud that covered the mountain (Ex. 19:16-18), and the rest of the laws were given by God through Moses. In fact it’s fair to say that all the other laws are really just breaking down the 10 commands into specific cases for a particular group of people (Israelites), for a particular time in history (before Jesus), and in a particular place (Israel)… Here’s an example: Take the 6th command “Do not murder”... What happens if I kill someone accidently? Let’s say, ummmm... I don’t know... because I’m chopping down a tree with my axe, and the axe head flies off the handle and it kills someone? Well Deuteronomy 19:1-7 tells you what to do. It’s not really a new law, just a particular application for the 6th command. Jesus changes the way the law is to be applied to Christians today Christians are a different group of people, living in a different part of history (after Jesus’ death & resurrection), living in a different place (everywhere on earth). And Jesus changes the way the law is to be applied to Christians today because he is the 10 commandments. Jesus is a living, breathing, walking, talking, human example of the 2 great commands to love God and love your neighbour. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law (Matt. 5:17-20). If you want to know what it would be like for someone to actually love God with all their heart, soul, mind, & strength, and to love their neighbour as they love themselves, and to keep all the 10 commands… then look at Jesus. • All of the OT commands can be summarised in just 10 commands • And the 10 commands be summarised in just 2 commands (Matt. 22:37-40) • And those 2 commands can be summarised in 1 person – Jesus. So if Jesus fulfills the OT law, what should Christians do with it?

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Article: What Should Christians Do With the Old Testament Law? If you’ve been asking this question for a while, you’re in good company! Christians have been asking this question ever since the ascension of Jesus. In Acts 15 the apostles form a council in Jerusalem to sort out this question because “certain individuals came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: ‘Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.’” So should Gentile (non-Jewish) Christians and Jewish Christians obey the law of Moses (OT law) now they follow Jesus? There is some discussion, but the short answer is no (Acts 15:28-29). And it’s clear in other places in the new testament that we aren’t under the law of Moses but under the law of grace (have a look at Romans 6:14, Galatians 2:19-21, Ephesians 2:11-22). So you’re free to eat bacon, wear clothes made of 2 types of material, and live in a mouldy house (all things you couldn’t do in the OT); but there is still a place for the 10 commands in the Christian life. You see, even though you don’t have to follow the 10 commands – because you are one with Jesus and he is the 10 commands – they still show us how we should relate to God and to each other. That’s why the apostle Paul can tell us that it is right for us to follow the 5th commandment when he quotes it in Ephesians 6:1-3. What Should Christians Do With the Old Testament Law? MICHAEL DICKER | FEBRUARY 19, 2010 www.fervr.net

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Article: Justification by Faith God did his most deadly work to destroy hopelessness and futility and provincial cowardice. He gave up his Son to torture and death. A perfect life, a perfect death, and the decisive work was done.

But there are millions who are numb to hope because of the God-belittling things they have done and how ugly they have become. They don’t lift lofty arguments against God’s Truth; they shrug and feel irretrievably outside. They don’t defy God consciously; they default to cake and television. Except for the periodic rush of sex and sport and cinema, life yawns. There is no passion for significance. For many, no passion at all. There is a Christian version of this paralysis. The decision has been made to trust Christ. The shoot of hope and joy has sprung up. The long battle against sin has begun. But the defeats are many, and the plant begins to wither. One sees only clouds and gathering darkness. The problem is not perplexing doctrine or evolutionary assaults or threats of persecution. The problem is falling down too many times. Gradually the fatal feeling creeps in: the fight is futile; it isn’t worth it. Along with this hopelessness and futility, especially since 9/11, provincial cowardice captures many Christian minds. They fear that it may sound conceited to call every people group in the world to trust Christ or perish. It seems too global. Too sweeping. Too universal. To say it takes their breath away. And, worse, it brings down the wrath of the tolerant. What could be more arrogant than to think that the infinite variety of need in all the cultural groups of the world could be met by a single Savior! It is astonishing that the Biblical gospel of justification by faith alone answers these three human failures: the hopelessness of unbelievers, the feeling of futility from falling down, and the fear of making global claims for Christ. To the numb and listless sinner, feeling beyond all hope of godliness, the Bible says, “To the one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness” (Romans 4:5). God justifies the “ungodly.” This truth is meant to break the back of hopelessness.

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Article: Justification by Faith The connection between the sinner and the Savior is trust, not improvement of behavior. That comes later. It’s this order that gives hope. “For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law” (Romans 3:28). The basis of this wild and wonderful hope (the ungodly justified) is “Christ for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:4, literal translation). Through faith alone God counts the ungodly as righteous because of Christ. “For our sake [God] made [Christ] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Let all who are paralyzed by the weight of sin and the powerlessness to change turn in here. To the fallen saint, who knows the darkness is self-inflicted and feels the futility of looking for hope from a frowning Judge, the Bible gives a shocking example of gutsy guilt. It pictures God’s failed prophet beneath a righteous frown, bearing his chastisement with brokenhearted boldness. “Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my cause and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light” (Micah 7:8-9). This is courageous contrition. Gutsy guilt. The saint has fallen. The darkness of God’s indignation is on him. He does not blow it off, but waits. And he throws in the face of his accuser the confidence that his indignant Judge will plead his cause and execute justice for (not against) him. This is the application of justification to the fallen saint. Broken-hearted, gutsy guilt. For the squeamish fellow afraid of making global claims for Christ, the biblical teaching on justification explodes his little world. It says: the deepest problem to be solved is the same for every human being, because every human is a descendant of Adam. And the problem to be solved is that “by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners.” “One trespass led to condemnation for all men.” The only solution to this universal condemnation is a “second Adam” who provides “the free gift of righteousness” to all who hear the gospel and believe (Romans 5:1719). Therefore Christ, the second Adam, the giver of righteousness, is the only global Savior. Embrace as your treasure the gift of justification. There is no part of your life where it is not immeasurably precious. Justification by Faith John Piper | August 12, 2002 www.desiringgod.org

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Article: The Recent Debate About “Works of the Law” Recently a “new perspective” has developed over what the term “works of the law” means in 2:16; 3:2, 5, 10. Many interpreters believe Paul is talking about the Mosaic ceremonial law only— circumcision, the dietary laws, the other laws which are about keeping ritually “clean”. In this view, “works of the law” is not moral performance in general, but the adoption of Jewish cultural customs and ethnic boundary markers. And so the Judaizers are not urging the Galatian Christians to adopt a worksrighteousness system of salvation (i.e. the idea that you must obey particular laws in order to be right with God). Instead, the argument goes, these teachers are insisting that Gentile Christians take on Jewish ethnic markers and become culturally Jewish. So in this “new perspective” the Judaizers are not legalists, but nationalists. And Paul is therefore not opposing salvation by works, but rather racial and ethnic exclusivity. This means that Paul’s purpose in the book of Galatians is to insist that all races and classes sit down equally at the “table of God”, because we are all one in Christ. I have taken extensive time to weigh the pros and cons of this “new perspective”, and I believe it is very helpful in several ways, but that it cannot overthrow the essence of the historic, classic approach. This is not the place for in-depth analysis, and what follows is certainly not intended to be any sort of last word, but here are my brief conclusions…

In 2:11-15, Peter is clearly in the grip of this, having been influenced by the Judaizers (2:12). These teachers were pressing Jewish cultural boundary markers on Gentile Christian converts. And so, works of the law probably does include this. But nationalism is a form of legalism. Legalism is adding anything to Jesus Christ as a requirement for full acceptance with God. A moral superiority that comes from good works or from racial and cultural superiority grows out of the same spiritual root. The gospel is that we are saved through what Christ does, and not by what we do or are. So when the Judaizers called the Gentile converts to the works of the law, they were calling them to adopt Jewish cultural identity, but they were also pulling them into a form of self-salvation. Human achievement was becoming the basis for their standing with God. This is seen in how Paul speaks of the “works of the law” in Romans (where the term is used in Romans 3:20, 27, 28.) On the one hand, this term does bear ethnic significance for the Jews. It was by works that Israel sought to establish itself in its relationship with God (Romans 9:30-10:3). But on the other hand, Paul associates the works of the law with “boasting” (Romans 3:27-28).

This is key, because throughout the Scriptures “boasting” is used about what you rely on and have pride in (see Jeremiah 9:23-24; 1 Corinthians 1:31). Paul says that boasting in, or trusting in, yourself is what You cannot ultimately drive a wedge between underlies the works of the law. So while nationalism and legalism as if they are works of the law can mean relying on (or two separate things. Indeed, the book of boasting in) nationalism, it cannot only mean Galatians addresses a controversy that had at that; nationalism is a form of self-salvation, or its heart a racial/ethnic pride and superiority. legalism. And it is this that Paul means by the

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Article: The Recent Debate About “Works of the Law” phrase “works of the law”.

rules (3:1-5).

So, ultimately, we must still read the book of Galatians as Paul’s defence of the gospel of free grace against winning God’s favour by human accomplishment or status. The new perspective can’t dislodge the classic understanding of Galatians. But this debate over the term “works of the law” is nonetheless helpful to us in two ways.

In the same way, spirit-deadening moralism would not grow in our churches by blatant, obvious denials of the doctrine of justification by faith alone. This truth is much more likely to be undermined in new forms of demanding cultural conformity or other approaches, which in our own culture and time are just as subtle as the Judaizers were in theirs.

First, it shows us how subtly the gospel can be undermined from within the Christian church and community. The new perspective shows us that the Judaizers were not full-bore legalists who flatly rejected Christ. As we’ll see, they were not saying: You don’t need Jesus. If you are a good person, you will to heaven anyway. It is highly unlikely the Galatians would have been duped by such a blatant contradiction of the gospel message that saved them. Instead, the Judaizers were saying: Jesus was critical and crucial to getting you saved, of course, but faith in Him alone is not enough to grow you into full acceptance with God. You will now have to adopt the full range of Mosaic ceremonial and cultural customs. This is much more subtle. It is saying: You were related to God by grace, but now you have to grow in Him by trying very, very hard to obey all these particular

Second, this debate shows us that the book of Galatians has been read too much as a rather academic debate about doctrine. But Paul is not only concerned about a breakdown in the doctrinal beliefs of individuals. He also has a deep concern about a breakdown in Christian unity and community. It is important to see how much the book of Galatians is addressed to the problems of racial and cultural exclusivity, and other social aspects of Christian living. The truths of the gospel are not matters only for the ivory tower, for lecture rooms and doctoral theses; they are fundamental to everyday life, in the heart and the home, with congregation members and co-workers. By Timothy Keller (From the appendix of Galatians for You, p.195-7)

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430 YEARS

• • •

covenant: with Israel through Moses aim: to highlight sin and point to Jesus result: works of the law bring cursing: condemnation and death

THE LAW

THE LAW = our guardian (or teacher) until Jesus came (3:24)

MOSES = the mediator of the law (via angels)

ABRAHAM = the father of all who are justified by faith

US

© Mark Barry 2011. Please do not republish without permission, but feel free to copy for personal use.

THE PROMISE, THE LAW & JESUS GALATIANS 3

JESUS redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us (3:13)

the new age of THE SPIRIT

covenant: with all of humanity (by faith) aim: to fulfil God’s promise to Abraham result: faith in Jesus brings blessing: justification and life

• • •

• • •

covenant: with Abraham (by faith) aim: to give God’s inheritance to Abraham’s ‘seed’ result: faith in the promise of God brings blessing: justification and life

JESUS

THE PROMISE

ACTS 13:4 - 14:28 AD 46-48

Syracuse

Rhegium

Puteoli ITALY

(1) Syrian Antioch (2) Selucia 13:4 (3) Salamis 13:5 (4) Paphos 13:6 (5) Perga 13:13 (6) Pisidian Antioch 13:14 (7) Iconium 13:51 (8) Lystra (9) Derbe 14:6 (10) Lystra 14:6 (11) Iconium 14:21 (12) Pisidian Antioch 14:21 (13) Perga 14:25 (14) Attalia 14:25 (15) Antioch 14:26

MALTA

SICILY

Forum of Appius

Three Taverns

Rome

ADRIATIC SEA

MOESIA

Fair Havens

Cyrene CYRENE

ACHAIA

Corinth

BITHYNIA GALATIA

BLACK SEA PONTUS

Lasea

Alexandria

MEDITERRANEAN SEA

Salmone

EGYPT

Paphos

Ptolemais

CYPRUS

Salamis Damascus

PALESTINE

Jerusalem

Caesarea Samaria

Sidon Tyre

Pergamum CAPPADOCIA Thyatira Mitylene Philadelphia ASIA PISIDIA Smyrna Antioch Chios Iconium Laodicea Ephesus CIA LYCONIA ILI Miletus PAMPHYLIA C Derbe Tarsus Colossae Athens Samos Lystra Attalia Cenchrea Perga à start LYCIA Cos Antioch Cnidus Rhodes Selucia Myra Patara CRETE SYRIA

Assos AEGEAN SEA

Troas

THRACE Philippi MACEDONIA Neopolis Amphipolis Samothrace Thessalonica Berea

DALMATA

By Mark Barry © 2008 AFES www.afes.org.au Please do not republish without permission, but feel free to copy for personal use.

PAUL’S FIRST MISSION

S IRU EP

N

Living for Jesus

by making, maturing and mobilising disciples for His Glory

Galatians - Freedom in Christ Alone Study Booklet