SUMMARY

A church where people are told to add laws if they want to be in Gods family and receive the
promise. But, the promise was made to one person, the crucified Christ (3:16, 3:1), his gospel
blessing of the Spirit (3:14,3:2) is for all peoples in him (3:8).
A self-centred story of religion is the same as a self-story of irreligion. Both enslave people to
flesh/law. Both are narcissistic. Both are man curved in on himself.
Both play the comparison game to win or lose. Both devour others. The gospel story is union with
Christ in the Triune God. This gospel radically includes any into sonship. The people of the Triune God
are not marked by the outward of law but by the indwelling of the Spirit of the Son. Christ-formation
and Spirit-fruitfulness leads to a rich self-giving love, joy, peace, patience, kindness etc.
Galatians is written to answer the question: how are we to live the Christian life? The believers in the
region of Galatia had heard the good news of the crucifixion of the one Son Jesus for all the peoples of the
world and then been led astray by having external rules imposed as a condition of righteousness and
belonging to the church. Paul exposes this false move by calling them back to live again as adopted
sons in the Triune God. Their life will come through repenting and believing the gospel (hear with
faith).
As they participate in the divine life the Spirit will change them, bearing fruit and a harvest in their
lives. Theyre to pursue the Spirits footsteps as members of the Christian community, knowing they
no longer live, and that their living in their crucified flesh in a life of faith in the Son of God who loved
them and gave himself up for them. For the Christian: Christ our life!
And therefore the old guardian of Israel, the law, isnt needed. Neither should it be replaced by a neolaw of things to do. The Christian life is Christ. Its marked by the singular fruit (not fruits) of the Spirit
and issues in a community that resembles the vision of the law where the fatherless, widow and
foreigner are welcomed into the family freely with equality, and where the sinner is generously
restored to unhindered communion with God and all his people.

OVERVIEW
1. How does Paul know about the Galatians? 3:1, 4:12-14
He was their evangelist. He spent time with them. He was sick. They cared for him.
2. What does he think of them? 3:1, 4:19-20
Hes bewildered and perplexed and astonished by them. He considers them to be foolish. He is
anguished for them wanting to see Christ formed in them. (for their Christian formation)
3. What false teaching is he worried about? 1:6, 3:1-3. 4:9, 5:1, 6:12-13
A departure from the Father and his gospel. A divergence from the gospel to law/works/flesh. A loss of
freedom. An avoidance of the cross.
4. So what is the primary aim/purpose of this letter? 5:1, 4:19, 6:1
Freedom. Formation. Restoration
5. And whats the letters primary theme(s)/melodic line(s) 5:1, 4:7, 6:14
Stand in your freedom. Be sons. Boast in the cross.
6. If we apply the main theme (q5) to its purpose (q4) what is the message of Galatians?
Return to live as sons in Christ by the cross rather than living as cross-denying slaves.

OUTLINE OF THE BOOK

1:1-2:10 ALL ABOUT THE SON
1:1-10 CHRISTIAN IS GOSPEL
1:11-24 CHRISTIAN IS SONLY
2:1-10 CHRISTIAN IS TOGETHER
2:11-3:9 LOVED BY THE SON
2:11-3:1 CHRISTIAN IS CRUCIFIED
3:1-9 CHRISTIAN IS FOR ALL PEOPLES
3:10-4:7 ADOPTED AS SONS
3:10-3:14 CHRISTIAN IS SPIRIT
3:15-3:26 CHRISTIAN IS CHRIST
3:27-4:7 CHRISTIAN IS ADOPTED
4:8-6:18 SPIRIT-FILLED SONS

4:8-20 CHRISTIAN IS FORMATIONAL

4:21-5:1 CHRISTIAN IS FREE
5:1-14 CHRISTIAN IS LOVE
5:15-26 CHRISTIAN IS INHERITING
6:1-10 CHRISTIAN IS COMMUNITY
6:11-18 CHRISTIAN IS NEW CREATION

SHORT BIBLE REFLECTIONS

There is value in reading the Bible quickly and in reading it slowly. Itd be worth reading
Galatians quickly in one sitting, as a letter from Paul to his friends that wouldve been the way it
was first read.
Its also worth reading slowly, taking time to chew over what is said. A quick and slow read
through this letter are things you could do on your own, or perhaps over coffee with a friend.

1:1-2:10 ALL ABOUT THE SON

1:1-10 Christian is gospel
What does Paul write about what the Father has done?
To turn from the gospel message is to desert [The Father] (1v6). How does that
shape the importance of the gospel for life?
What do you think a life that pleases this God might look like?
1:11-24 Christian is son-like
[The Father] was pleased to reveal his Son to [Paul] (1v16)
Where can we go to find God?
Who does God want to know him?
How is this good news for you?

2:1-10 Christian is together

5

What words describe the Christian life, from your experience or observation of it?
What does Paul say those in Christ have? (2v4)
What does Paul do to protect this?

2:11-3:9 LOVED BY THE SON

2:11-3:1 Christian is crucified
What can we say about the Son of God? (2v20)
What does he ask of us?
What happens to those who trust him?
3:1-9 Christian is for all peoples
What did Paul speak about? How did he speak?
What do you have to do to get the blessing?
Who do you have to be to get the blessing?

3:10-4:7 ADOPTED AS SONS

3:10-3:14 Christian is Spirit
Why did Jesus die?
What is the promise?
What can we tell about the intention of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?
3:15-3:26 Christian is Christ
3v16 says that only one person will inherit the promise, who?
How can anyone else get in on this promise?
What can we say about someone who does that?
3:27-4:7 Christian is adopted
When the Father turns his eye to someone who trusts Christ what does he see?
When the Father turns his ear to someone who trusts Christ what does he hear?
How would it feel to be known like that?

4:8-6:18 SPIRIT-FILLED SONS

6

4:8-20 Christian is formational

What has happened to someone who has trusted Christ? (4v9)
What should the present experience be for such a person? (4v15)
Compare the approach of the false teachers here with Pauls desires for them
what is Pauls hope for their future (4v19)?
4:21-5:1 Christian is free
Why are rules attractive?
Whats the future of such slavery?
Whats the alternative?
5:1-14 Christian is love
What does it look like to trust Christ? (v1, v6)
What ways can Christian freedom be expressed?
How might this change things in your life?
5:15-26 Christian is inheriting
What does the life of a slave to rules look like?
What does a life indwelled by the Spirit look like?
What do those who belong to Christ do?
6:1-10 Christian is community
What two things will happen in a Christian community?
How does this compare and contrast to your experiences of community?
What would it look like for you to be in a Christian community?
6:11-18 Christian is new creation
Whats the focus for someone who trusts Christ?
Why might we not follow in their footsteps?
What basis is given for evaluating what counts in life?

FACT SHEET
Date and Location:
South Galatian Theory
Written around Acts 15, approx 49AD.
Lystra/Derbe etc.
2:1-10 fits with Acts 11:30
North Galatian theory
Written around Acts 18, 53-55 or 55-58AD.
2:1-10 fits with Acts 15.
I favour the South Theory because it fits 2:10
into Pauls collection for the famine hit
Jerusalem poor. Remember the poor is then a
mark of Jew-Gentile unity, different mission
but a shared care.

ESV STUDY BIBLE GOES WITH THE SOUTH GALATIAN THEORY.

Galatian
s

Event

Acts

Event

1:1517

Pauls conversion

9:125

Pauls conversion

1:18

three years after conversion, first visit to Jerusalem

9:2630

with Barnabas in
Jerusalem

2:110

14 years after conversion (or after first trip?), Paul meets with
pillars of the church

11:29
30

famine relief visit to

Jerusalem

2:1114

dispute in Antioch

15:12

dispute in Antioch

15:229

council in Jerusalem

Paul writes Galatians

Who
3:1 tells us that Paul was the church planter. He came, in illness (4:15) and was warmly
received. He publicly portrayed Christ as crucified
They were pagan followers of not gods (4:8) who embraced the gospel.

BRIEF GLOSSARY
1:4 The present evil age.
A catch all term for slavery to flesh and law (Judaism, traditions of my fathers 1:14)
1:23 Persecute.
Opposition by slaves to sons. Can include mockery as Ishmael of Isaac (4:29), is provoked by the cross
(5:11) and done by cross avoiders (6:12).
2:2 In vain (also 3:4, 4:11).
Refers to labour and suffering because of the gospel that is then pointless because people turn to
false gospels. Pauls labour in Galatia wouldve been in vain if its undone by false teaching polluting
the stream and flowing in behind everything he has done.
2:2 Revelation.
God reveals his Son to Paul reliably (also 1:15-16). God calls him to Jerusalem to check on them, not
so they can check on him.
2:10 Remember the poor.
Generally good but here it particularly has to do with unity. Paul is called to the Gentiles but makes
provision for the Jews a vital part of his ministry. See the collections from the
Macedonians/Phillippians and Corinthians (2 Cor 8, Phil 4 etc.) Also Romans 11, the material
blessings of the Gentiles flow to the Jews as the spiritual blessings of the Jews have flowed to the
Gentiles.
2:12 The circumcision party.
Not representative of the Jerusalem churches but they came from Jerusalem, equated with the false
brothers of 2:4.
2:20 Christ lives in me I live by faith in the Son
A reference to Union with Christ. A cruciform and resurrection life.
3:1 Foolish Galatians.
As contrasted with wise, wisdom fitting with the gospel. Its not an insult but bewilderment at his
brothers and sisters. From Proverbs Dame Folly is a pictured as a woman in the street seducing sons
to their death. Lady Wisdom also sings but her song is the gospel.
3:1 Publicly portrayed.
Painted with words in preaching. The Galatians were not eyewitnesses of the crucifixion.
9

3:8 The gospel.

In you shall all the nations be blessed. This is about Abrahams seed being the Christ who will lift the
curse and bring blessing to all kinds of people. Inclusion of all kinds of peoples is vital to the gospel in
Galatians. Hence the denial of the gospel by excluding certain kinds of people.
3:8 Gentiles = Nations = Peoples.
Greek is ethnos.
3:16 Christ
The one Spirit-anointed seed of Abraham. Those in him share his anointing. To receive the gospel is
to receive the Spirit (3:1-15).
3:29 Abrahams Offspring
The Christ (3:16)
4:15 Blessedness
Experiential joy from the Holy Spirit of believing the gospel and being united to Christ.
4:24 Allegorically
Or, Typologically. Events, institutions and people in the Old Testament find true significance in the
gospel. Allegory can be fanciful but Paul approves here.
5:21 Will not Inherit the kingdom of God
Slaves dont inherit, sons do. Slaves are under the law and do the works of the flesh (5:18-19)
5:24 Crucified the flesh
Union with Christ, as in 2:20 by believing the gospel.
6:14 Boast
Or, glory, obsession.
6:16 New creation
The goal of the gospel is the re-creation of all things.
6:17 The Marks of Christ
Contrasted with circumcision, the crucifixion of the flesh and persecution because of the cross.

10

DISCIPLESHIP 1: OBSERVATIONS
Six observations from Paul disciple-ing the Galatian churches in Galatians 1:1-3:1 with the
gospel of Christ.
1. DISCIPLESHIP IS PERSONAL HOW YOU RELATE TO
THE FATHER & THE SON.

Discipleship is about relationship with the one who called you

by the grace of Christ in the gospel. 1:6. False pathways are
desertions of the Father and turns to a different gospel which is
really no gospel at all (v6-7). This is foolish (3:1) which is to
say it is a relational betrayal, giving ones heart to Dame Folly
instead of Lady Wisdom.
Folly and Wisdom are not always easy to discern the wise and
the fool both build houses, in Jesus parable, but when the storm
hits the difference becomes obvious. Ensuring youre not a fool
but are growing in wisdom would be a good idea.

See Proverbs, 2 Timothy 2-3 for more on Wisdom.

2. THE GOSPEL IS TRINITARIAN FATHER, SON, HOLY

SPIRIT FOR ALL PEOPLES.
The gospel is a revelation of the Son by the Father for all
peoples (1:16)
The Father ensures that the Son is available to be called on.
a. From the Father
b. Concerning the Son
c. For all peoples (Gentiles)

Where do you start when you talk about God? The first thought
should be Jesus. Seeing Jesus as the Son we know God as
Father. All other attributes and considerations flow from this
basic divine shape.
The two major events in the Biblical story are the Exodus and
the Crucifixion-Resurrection. Israelites say God is whoever
rescued us from Egypt God says I am Father, let my son go
and his Son leads his adopted son to himself. The Christian says
Yes, and God is whoever raised the crucified son from the dead.

Trinity series coming to Grace Church on Sunday evenings in

July 2015.

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3. DISCERN WHERE TO FIGHT.

Sometimes the frontline isnt where the fight is 2:5. Paul fights
for the truth of the gospel to remain with the Galatians by going
to Jerusalem. He does this so that the source of the gospel in his
culture (Jerusalem) isnt polluted. Where does the battle rage
today?
Read the Bible fast cover to cover in 90 twenty mins sittings
reading about 10 chs at a time.
Read the Bible slow study a book in detail.
Do a Bible Overview (coming to Grace Church in the autumn).

4. HOW DO TO PASTORAL CARE.

Pauls pastoral care of Peter in Galatians 2:11-3:1 is unusually

public because of the nature of Peters failing. Not only was it
public at Antioch it gets put in Scripture. But Peter is used to
this.
Paul tells Peter what he already knows.
Paul walks Peter back to the cross.
Paul tells Peter what he knows but cant see well enough to tell
himself.
This is why we form Christian communities so we can gospel
one another back to the cross.
Who is gospel-ing you?
Who can you gospel?

5. INCLUDE ALL WHOM THE GOSPEL INCLUDES.

The story Paul tells in 2:11-3:1 is about broken relationships.

Peter was eating with Gentiles like a Gentile but he separated
12

from them and re-imposed Jewish food laws. Paul confronts him
to say that he knows this isnt right.
Justification is by faith in Christ.
a) Legal right standing with God doesnt require performance
of laws.
b) Belonging to the community doesnt require outward ethnic
markers like food laws rather the inward work of the Spirit.
c) We join the family of God in the courts of adoption through
faith in Christ who loved us and gave himself for us (2:20).
The ethical concern of the Old Testament law was largely about
caring for the widow, orphan and foreigner those who couldnt
provide for themselves. In a world indoctrinated with survival of
the fittest we might easily leave the weak behind. But the gospel
welcomes all comers no performance is necessary.

What might we need to change so we can include others

without requiring change of them?
Who can you eat with? You have 21 meals a week, how many
could you share with others in the next week and express unity
with?
What adjustments should be made in your life? How can you
become like those in your life?

2:9-10. To include all doesnt mean including every. Paul and Peter
had different callings though Paul remains committed to provide
for others (2:10) and this is central to the plot of the NT.

6. TELLING THE STORY

Paul appeals to the Galatians with three stories invite

them home.
Paul appeals to the Galatians by taking them back to
seeing the cross painted in his preaching (3:1)
Paul embodied his message in weakness (4:13)

DISCIPLESHIP 2: GOSPEL IS A VERB

Pray and read Galatians 3:1-14

How is the Christian life begun?

13

How is the Christian life continued?

Discuss: The gospel isnt just the ABC but the A-Z of the Christian life.

Work through the exercise WHAT DO YOU LOVE? in groups.

14

WHAT DO YOU LOVE?

Everyone has a worldview, a story that makes sense of the world as they see it. These can be held
consistently or inconsistently, may be true, partial true, or false, conscious or
sub-conscious.
We are inconsistent thinkers and passionate lovers. Were prone to see the
world wrongly. John Calvin wrote: There is no colour in this world that is not
intended to make us rejoice and yet, the heart is an idol factory
We should tread carefully around our idols and myths
It is our painful duty to wake the world from an enchantment. The real universe is
probably in many respects less poetical, certainly less tidy and unified, than they had
supposed we must treat the myth with respect. It was all (on a certain level) nonsense:
but a man would be a dull dog if he could not feel the thrill and charm of it. For my own part,
though I believe it no longer, I shall always enjoy it as I enjoy other myths... CS Lewis
If you really knew me youd know that my life only has meaning if.
[which of these describes you]
o
o
o
o
o

I have power and influence over others (Power)

I am loved and respected by___ (Approval)
I have this kind of pleasure experience, a particular quality of life. (Comfort)
I am able to get mastery over my life in the area of _____. (Control )
people are dependent on me and need me. (Helping)
1

1 List of idols from Tim Keller

15

o someone is there to protect me and keep me safe. (Dependence)

o my parents/other family members are happy, and happy with me. (Family)
o I am completely free from obligations or responsibilities to take care of
someone. (Independence)
o I am highly productive and getting a lot done. (Work)
o I am being recognized for my accomplishments, and I am excelling in my work.
(Achievement)
o I have a certain level of wealth, financial freedom, and very nice possessions.
(Materialism)
o I am adhering to my religions moral codes and accomplished in its activities.
(Religion)
o this one person is in my life and happy to be there, and/or happy with me.
(Individual person)
o I feel I am totally independent of organized religion and am living by a selfmade morality. (Irreligion)
o my race and culture is ascendant and seen as superior. (Racial/cultural)
o a particular social grouping or professional grouping or other group lets me in.
(Inner ring)
o Mr. or Ms. Right is in love with me. (Relationship)
o I am hurting, in a problem; only then do I feel worthy of love or able to deal with
guilt. (Suffering)
o my political or social cause is making progress and ascending in influence or
power. (Ideology)
o I have a particular kind of look or body image. (Image)
Part 1. IDOLS. Share your story with your group.

Whats your idol? (or the myth enchants you) [from the list above]
How did/does that show in your life and drive your behaviour?
How does your idol make sense to you emotionally?
How does your idol make sense to you intellectually?
Tell your story as persuasively and attractively as you can talk about why you
love your idol/myth.

Part 2. JESUS. Help one another to apply the gospel

How did and does the gospel of Jesus confront the longings you pursue from your
idol?
How did and does the gospel of Jesus comfort the longings you pursue in your
idol?
What does it cost you to follow Jesus?
How is Jesus a better Saviour?

16

Therefore, behold, I will allure her and speak tenderly to her. Those who were
not my people I will call my people and her who was not my beloved I will call
beloved Hosea 2

DISCIPLESHIP 3: SONSHIP
Pray and read Galatians 3:15-4:7.
The Old Testament law is used in many and various ways in the New Testament. Paul
highlights a particular usage in Galatians.
He argues that the promise of God was particularly made for Christ (3:16) and having been
ratified was unbreakable. The law then, 430 years later, cannot modify this promise. Rather
the law acted in a preserving and fencing-in way to keep Israel until the Christ would come
from their family, 1400 years after the promise.
Now the Christ has come
Consider these questions:
When the Father turns his eye to someone who trusts Christ what does he see?

When the Father turns his ear to someone who trusts Christ what does he hear?

How would it feel to be known like that?

17

DISCIPLESHIP 4: INHERITANCE
No longer slaves but sons
What happens to slaves? (4:30, 5:21)
What happens to sons? (3:29, 4:7)
Sons inherit the Spirit
Trace through Galatians for every reference to the Spirit and note what is referred to.
Note that references to Jesus as the Christ imply the Spirits work, as the Father anoints him with the
Spirit.

Sons share in new creation

What counts is a new creation? (6:15)
Discuss this:
Paul believes that this God has a purpose for the created world. More
specifically, he believes that the present evil age will give way, in Gods good
time, to the age to come, in which Israel and the world will be redeemed from
the power of the false gods. This apocalyptic belief was widespread in Pauls
Jewish world, certainly in sectarian Judaism but also in groups that would not
have thought of themselves in that way. This belief is not, or at least not
necessarily, dualistic; indeed, insofar as it envisages the present world being set
to rights rather than being abandoned, it emphasizes the goodness and Godgivenness of creation, while allowing fully, perhaps too fully sometimes, for
creations having been invaded, taken over, distorted, and deceived by forces of
evil and destruction. Pauls understanding of God in Galatians includes the
belief that the true God has broken into the world, in the person of Jesus and the
power of the Spirit of Jesus, to usher in the long-awaited new age and so to
redeem Israel and the world N.T. Wright
To further your conversation here you may want to watch Episode 1 of For the Life of the World.

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SERIES SHAPE
Week

Pass

KeyV

Subject

1:1-23

1:16

Father of the
Son

2:1-10

2:5

Foundations

Felt need/ apologetic

The experience of not knowing God.
Can God be known and if so how From
creation to God of power from the Son to
God of love.
A message for all peoples?
Exclusive, imperialistic or beautifully
inclusive?
Groundwork precedes fruitfulness.

2:11-3:8

3:8

For all peoples

Excluding stories.
Broken community.
Religion is about fear, hypocrisy, guilt
Living for what others think of you

3:1-14

3:14

Faith comes by
hearing

3:9-4:7

3:16

Family

4:8-20

4:19 (4:9)

Formation

4:21-5:12

5:6

Freedom

Christians are all about moral crusades...

Hypocritical Christians telling others what to
do
Holier than thou
Do I have to work for God?
Can I be part of his people?
Who can be saved?
Is God against certain kinds of people?
How to grow.
Religion
= manipulative
= draining
= oppressive
= egoistic
How to be free.
Religion makes people kill people

5:14-26

5:24

Fruitfulness

How people change.

Self help...

6:1-10

6:2

Friendship

How to build community.

Friendship

10

6:11-18

6:14, 6:15 Future present

How to remake the world.

Reputation

19

Irreligion
Religion
Flesh/Works-of-Law/Slave
Im the author
Im the author of my story
of my story I
I discover god.
am god.
My freedom to I will restrict your
be, regardless
freedom for my own ends
of you

Gospel
Spirit/Faith/Son

Christ has been revealed to all

peoples so believe in him.
Christ sets people free together
stay with christ and with people

Im not
acceptable
because of
x,y,z
I dont care
what you tell
me to do
Slaves to self I
define myself
I choose my
future

Youre not acceptable

because of x,y,z

Christ loved and gave himself for

all peoples so look to him from AZ, welcome those he welcomes.

I do what Im told

Christ did what you couldnt and

wouldnt do hear with faith!

Slaves to rules the rules

define me
I choose your future

Christ the son shares his sonship

be in him. Christ defines me.
Christ is your future -

Me killing me to
be free

Me killing others to be
free

I decide what I
will do,
I devour you to
enjoy myself
I survive by
casting off
others
I make my
world

I decide what I will do,

I devour you to prove
myself

Christ was killed to give us

freedom so live in that freedom
by loving
Christ can be trusted to change
me, so i pursue the spirit of the
son and he bears fruit in me

I survive by crushing
others

Christ cared for us so we carry

others

I make my world

Christs cross is Gods way to a

renewed creation

5
6

10

20

21

INTRODUCTION
What would you know if you really knew me? Youd know that Im the kind of person who is inclined
to think that I can be a Christian. Im a good person. I have Christian Organisations on my CV. I grew
up attending church and knowing that I was better than other people. Not everyone is like that. Some
are the reverse. A friend said you me: I fear that if you really knew me you wouldnt want to be my
friend. He asked if I felt the same. I took a moment before answering that I dont feel like that. Im
outwardly unimpressive and I dont tend to make a great first impression but deep down I think that
if you really knew me youd like me. My friend and I are similar really. Both of our lives readily orbit
around ourselves and what we think of us. Martin Luther said that the problem with humanity is
incurvature: man curved in on himself.
Incurvature. Self-obsession. Self-centredness. Self-righteousness, whether viewing ourselves well or
poorly. Its a common trait in 21st Century culture and in humanity for millennia.
When Paul wrote a letter to Christians of Galatia, Turkey in the first century it was exactly this that
he was responding to. He knew these people well. Hed visited them when they were pagans,
worshipping idols and going about their own business. Hed told them about the crucifixion of Jesus
of Nazareth and its relevance to their lives and they had looked out from themselves to Jesus,
entrusting themselves to him. Itd turned their lives inside out.
Before long Paul moved on to tell others in other places this good news. Influential voices took his
place and began to teach that though Paul had served them well by teaching them of Jesus, hed only
given them the ABC and not the A-Z. There was more to see.
The Galatians being devout and keen believers had listened in and begun to follow this teaching. It
seemed plausible since it was rooted in the same Scriptures Paul had shown them that had explained
the meaning of Jesus death. They began to get circumcised and to keep special holy days among
other practices. And as they sought to grow their joy faded. The tangible blessings they had enjoyed
as those in Christ diminished. Something had gone wrong.
Word reached Paul and he responds in a letter that helped them and has served people for centuries.
Martin Luther was deeply affected by the message of Galatians and called it My Katherina after his
wife.
22

Broadly speaking Pauls approach is to represent to the Galatians what he had previously taught
them. He gives them a Trinitarian Gospel applied to their incurved approach to life. The great cure to
self-devotion is Triune. They had drifted from the story of the Father who revealed his Son, the Son
who loved them and gave his life for them, and whose life they had entered into by the Holy Spirit.
Paul exposes the folly of their divergence from the gospel and seeks to win them back, with love and
anguish for them.
In April 2014 media coverage was given to Josie Cunningham. This young woman had received
cosmetic surgery on the NHS. This had not been popular. She was then reported to want an abortion
so that she could appear on a reality TV show. The headlines were damning. And we might want to
agree that this seems bad. We might also note that having grown up in the UK in the past 20 years
she had grown up in a world that considers abortion to be a legitimate career move and in which a
reality TV show appearance and the hope of a big house and a pink Range Rover are worthy
aspirations. For right or wrong, and of course culpably, she conformed to the story she lives in. Later
she decided against the abortion, perhaps beginning to see through the story that the same media
who condemned her had paraded before her throughout her childhood.

THE ONE SON

At the heart of Pauls message to the Galatians is 3:16.
[16] Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, And to
offsprings, referring to many, but referring to one, And to your offspring, who is Christ.
(Galatians 3:16 ESV)
We will return to the context of this verse later but at this stage its vital to see how this is Pauls
response to the Galatian heresy.
Paul states that Gods promise (the gospel) was made to Abraham and his offspring. Paul quibbles
over the grammar and states that though Abraham was indeed to have many offspring, at the truest
level this needs to be understood as a promise of a singular offspring. Not Isaac or Ishmael or the 12
tribes or any other number. But one. The one offspring. And that offspring is not Moses or David or
Solomon but Christ.
All Gods promises are for the Christ. The Old Testament anticipates his coming. And the New
Testament writers say: this Jesus is that long expected Christ. There is to be one who receives the
promise. The Spirit-anointed Son of the Father, Jesus. Messiah (Hebrew) = Christ (Greek) = The
Anointed One.

23

He will get everything. No-one else gets anything. He will

receive the Spirit. He will receive the New Creation. Its
terribly exclusive. And yet, in its exclusivity is the beautiful
inclusivity.
Religions of self make sweeping offers of life. Accept this
culture and youre blessed! Practice these practices and
youre blessed! Be from this ethnicity or class or gender and
youre blessed! Theyre all excluding.
But the Christ will graciously welcome any. Anyone can look
to him and be included in him. Anyone can be in Christ. And anyone who is in Christ will get
everything just as he does. We want it to be about us but the gospel is the antithesis of that. The
gospel story is all Christ. And because it is, it can be for any one.

THE OLD AND NEW PERSPECTIVE ON PAUL

Teachers were visiting churches in Galatia and teaching them to add works of the law to their faith
in Christ.
The Old Perspective on Paul. The mainstream view says that they were advocating an effort
based righteousness, do these things and you will be counted righteous. Against this the
Christian says, have faith in the Christ and youll be counted legally righteous. Following Jesus
is being counted righteous.
The New Perspective on Paul. This says the teachers were saying that belonging to the people
of God entails bearing ethnic markers, like circumcision, food and clothing laws and holy days.
These are the works of the law. Against this the Christian says, have faith in Christ and you
belong to his people by the Spirit. Following Jesus is belonging to his family.
The Vanhoozer Solution. Kevin Vanhoozer brilliantly argues2 that UNION WITH THE
CHRIST / ADOPTION are the key to resolving the tension. In his witty lecture he says that if
we take legal righteousness to the courts of adoption we can cast this in familial and relational
terms within the doctrine of our union with Christ. We need to think of being counted
righteous and we need to think of belonging to the family. Both matter. Both are evident in
Galatians.

2 VIDEO: http://thinktheology.co.uk/blog/article/the-wright-piper-debate-resolved-by-the-kjv
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PART 1: HE REVEALED HIS SON FOR

THE PEOPLES (1:1-2:10)
In the opening sections of Pauls letter we can observe a difference from other letters. The deeply
troubling Corinthians are met with thanksgiving but the Galatians with astonishment (1:6). There is
an urgent problem to address.
The letter begins with instruction on the gospel (1:1-10) before the telling of three stories from
Pauls life, each relevant to the Galatian situation (1:11-3:1) which set Paul up to address the
Galatians and make an appeal to them. Telling stories is a common approach in letters (see Gordon
Fee on Phillippians). A small amount of personal testimony will feature later in the letter in 4:13-15,
5:7-12, 6:17 though there will be substantial instruction in chapters 3-6.
1:1-10 CHRISTIAN IS GOSPEL
1:1-5 WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?
Paul gives an extended summary of the gospel which includes reference to God the Father. This is
vital in Galatians and fits with Pauls Trinitarian emphasis.
The gospel is the Triune plan to deliver us from the present evil age. Its a filling up of the Exodus
deliverance in which Jesus led his people out of Egypt, to meet their God at the heart of their camp at
the Tabernacle and to be his people in this world, living like their God. The present evil age may be
understood as any fleshly life, whether religiously devout by the laws demands or the pursuit of not
gods. Paul was delivered from being extremely zealous for religion, the Galatians from pagan
idolatry.
1:6-10 WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE GOSPEL IS LOST?

THE FATHER DESERTED. Turning from the gospel represents a

A world without the
gospel experiences
relational abandonment of the God who called the Galatians into his
alienation
from the
family. Keeping with the gospel isnt about being picky its about
Father, good news is
relationship with God himself. A world without the gospel is a world
twisted into bad news,
without God and a world of relational abandonment.
peoples lives are in
THE GOSPEL DISTORTED. Evidently changing the gospel means that it
turmoil, people feel good
about competing with
is represented falsely. A world without the gospel is without good news,
others, those who seem
and even presents good news as bad news.
to have good news are
THE PREACHER DAMNED. The gospel preacher is meant to be a
deathly.
messenger of hope. Without the gospel they are dead men walking.
Grievously representing a false story about God and doubtless believing
their own message. Doubly dead.
THE WORLD DELIGHTED. The world, humanity, loves its own story. Without the gospel, at least for a
while, we will enjoy the freedom to disappear into ourselves. People pleasing rules in a gospel-less world
and The Comparison Game rules. Compare to win, or compare to lose, but in its each man for himself.

25

THE CHURCH DISTURBED3. The gospel establishes the church well. A gospel-centred church is messy
but able to unite, to grow, to be a place of safe welcome. Without the gospel the church is troubled and in
the end unworthy of the name church.

Christian is gospel.
1:11-21 CHRISTIAN IS SONLY
1:11-21 WHAT HAPPENED WHEN PAUL WAS CONVERTED TO CHRIST?
Paul here tells his conversion story. This story is told repeatedly in the New Testament. He says that
Jesus was revealed to him. Moreover he changed from being a persecutor to a preacher, he was
deeply zealous for his religion but had his life turned in a new direction. He was rescued from this
present evil age of self-serving religion.
Its not uncommon to call such dramatic turn arounds a Damascus Road experience. Note here that
Pauls experience is fundamentally that God the Father revealed His Son to Paul that he might be
preached to the Gentiles (nations, peoples. Gk = ethnos). Every Christian has received a revelation of
the Son. Its what it means to be a Christian. Our experience of that, and memory of that beginning,
may vary, but there is no Christian without knowing the Son.
Luther notes that in the gospel God conveys to us his inestimable treasures.
Curiously Paul states his independence.
Any other new believer insisting theyd responded to a supernatural revelation and made no attempt
to verify and test it would be treated with suspicion. For Paul its establishing his case.
He establishes that it was divine revelation not human teaching that gave him his gospel. He missed
nothing. He knows the Triune God. And he bends over backwards to establish his apostolic
independence. His testimony is supported by the Judean churches who didnt know him but said: the
persecutor has turned preacher. And they praised God for him. Hes confident, not in self, but in the
gospel of the Son.

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
Athanasius was born in Egypt in the days of Diocletians persecution of Christian. The Early Christians
werent Western, they were Middle Eastern, Turkish and North African. The gospel isnt Western its a
message with Middle Eastern origins intended for all the peoples of the world. Christians were commonly
martyred.

3 I found this alliteration on The Gospel Coalition website

26

Constantine became Emperor and made Christianity the mainstream religion of his empire. Division began
to arose as martyrdom ended, in peace-time you have time to fall out. That wouldnt have been good for the
empire so Constantine called 1800 Bishops to Nicaea, Turkey to resolve this dispute.
Over 300 came to hear the teaching of Arius who claimed that Jesus was not the eternal Son of God. The
council condemned him. In The Da Vinci Code Dan Brown writes that this was the invention of Christianity,
but it was one of many defences of the faith against spurious ideas. Urban legend suggests that St. Nicolas
(Santa) was so furious he punched Arius on the nose. When Athanasius became Bishop of Alexandria soon
after he continued the churchs defence against Arianism.

The followers of Arius shelter their heresy under the word 'unoriginate.
[without origin] ' A similar sense may be found in the words 'Almighty,'
and 'Lord of the Powers . But, God is not Almighty and Lord over Him, he
exercises power through the Word. The Arians define God from creation,
and use Unoriginate to dishonour the Son. They fail to read that those
who do this dishonour the Father (John 5:23). If they had any concern at
all for reverent speaking and the honour due to the Father, they would
acknowledge and call God Father,.. ...it is more pious and more accurate to
signify God from the Son and call Him Father, than to name Him from His
works only and call Him Unoriginate. All they do is signify that Gods works have an origin.
Father has its significance and bearing only from the Son. Unoriginate is a word of the Greek
philosophers who do not know the Son. Father is what the Son said: I am in the Father, and the
Father is in Me and, He that has seen Me, has seen the Father, and I and the Father are One; but
nowhere is He found to call the Father Unoriginate. The Son teaches us to pray saying: When you
pray, say, O God Unoriginate, but rather, When you pray, say, Our Father, in heaven Luke 11:2.
We are not baptised into the name of the Unoriginate and originate, but into the Name of Father,
Son and Holy Spirit. We are made sons in the Son and use the name Father. The Arian name for God
is fantasy.
Note that Arius knows God by
looking at creation, for Athanasius by
looking at The Son. Note that Arius
prays to the Unoriginate, for
Athanasius to The Father. For Arius
God is Power, whereas for
Athanasius God is Love. For Arius
God is The Omni-god, omnipotent,
omniscient (after Greek Philosophy).
For Athanasius God is Triune.
Arianism tends towards selffocussed obedience of God or angry
Atheism.
27

This was 300 years after Paul wrote to Galatia but the fight remains the same. Paul tells Galatia, this
is no miserable self-religion. The Galatians as Christians had entered into the new creation life of
sons in the Son. God has made himself known, in the Son. Therefore we signify God as Father.
2:1-10 CHRISTIAN IS TOGETHER
2:1-10 WHY DID PAUL GO TO JERUSALEM? WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME OF HIS VISIT?
Paul tells another story. He went to Jerusalem a second time.

He goes because of a revelation (2:1).

He goes to ensure that hes not running in vain (2:2). Hell ask the Galatians later if theyve
suffered in vain (3:4)
He goes to preserve the gospel for the Galatians. (2:5) Sometimes you serve someone best not
by going to them but by work done elsewhere.

Is Paul checking his own theology or that of Jerusalem?

He wouldve run in vain if his own gospel was false.
His lack of deference to the Jerusalem leaders who
seemed influential (v6) suggests hes not going to
get himself checked out. It seems unlikely that he ever
thought this given the previous story, and given that
he has just told this story.
However, if the Jerusalem church has strayed then a
polluted source will undermine all his church planting
by adding to the gospel he preaches. He takes Titus as
a test-case (will they force him to be circumcised), and
encounters false brothers who spy on freedom. Later
hell get Timothy circumcised to enable his work in the
Synagogues but here it wouldve been evidence of a
divergence from the gospel.
God sends Paul back to Jerusalem by a revelation and
he finds that the Jerusalem churches have not
strayed. This is cause for celebration and the right
hand of fellowship. One gospel but different callings.

REMEMBER THE POOR

They add nothing but ask that Paul
remember the poor. This is no addition but
rather a statement of unity. Paul is to take the
Spiritual blessings of the Jews to the Gentiles,
and as famines come to Israel they can share
material blessings with the Jewish churches.
Paul does this on his travels, and takes a
detour to Jerusalem to deliver this money on
his way to Rome. This answers Agabus
prophetic warning in Acts 11. This is about
concrete expression of gospel unity more
than the needs of the poor, though Christians
should do good to all, especially the church
(Galatians 6:10)

The South Galatian Theory: The letter was written around Acts 15. Approx 49AD. Lystra, Derbe etc.
Paul and Barnabas are together in Galatians 2 so the events must precede their separation. Aligns 2:1-10
with Acts 11:30 which explains remember the poor with reference to the famine and Pauls collections for
the Jerusalem churches, so that the Gentile Churches share their material blessings with the Jewish
churches who shared their Spiritual blessings with the Gentiles.

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The North Galatian Theory: The letter was written around Acts 18 when Paul visits Galatia for a
second time. 53-55 / 55-58AD. The main historical view. Paul visits the north Galatian region in Acts
16:6, 18:23. Aligns Galatians 2:1-10 with Acts 15.
In summary 1:1-2:10: Christian is gospel. Christian is sonly. Christian is Together.

THE MESSAGE OF 1:1-2:10 ANYONE CAN KNOW THE SON

Imagine (its easy if you try) a world of alienation, disturbance, where everyone competes to get
to the top of the ladder. Imagine a self-centred world. Its not difficult to imagine. Know how such
a world is divided. And know that such a world imagines that religion - especially Christianity - is
the last thing it needs. A God imposing himself on us? How excluding! How divisive! And yet Paul
says, God is a Father who has made his Son known, and not just known to an self-righteous
superior few, but actually to all peoples (1:16). A personal introduction from a personal God made
for all people in every culture. Not to impose, nor to divide, but to unite people. A new humanity
where the Comparison Game can die, and where the rich care for the poor. A story worth telling
everywhere.

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PART 2: 2:11-3:9 THE SON LOVED ME

AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME
Another story and then a return to speak to the Galatians.
The passage is framed by reference to the gospel. Peter is seen to be out of step with the gospel
(equivalent to the later sense of being out of step with the Spirit). And we end (3:8) with a statement
of the gospel.
There are endless ideas about how to summarise the gospel and Galatians isnt necessarily offering a
definitive answer but it gives us an answer. Scripture preached the gospel to Abraham.
In him will all nations (peoples) be blessed.
This seems brief but if we consider that in him means Abrahams offspring, the one Christ. And
that this one brings blessing by his being cursed. Then this is a statement akin to Christ crucified,
the message Paul gave in 3:1.
Whats often missing is the reference to all nations or peoples. We easily preach individualistically,
Jesus is for you. But the message is bigger. Jesus is crucified for all peoples, for any of the peoples of
this world to receive. Divergence from the message of the cross, or implying it isnt for all peoples is
going to be a divergence from the gospel.
2:11-14 WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE? WHY WAS IT A CATACLYSMIC MOMENT?
WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES MOTIVATION MAKE TO THE MEANING OF THE
EVENT?
Turn on the CCTV and observe the scene Paul records of his clash with Peter, recorded for Peters
humility and our benefit in Scripture as are many of his failings.
A group are sat at a table in a room with two tables. Theyre wearing diverse clothing and appear to
represent different ethnicities. A hog roast is on the table. Another group arrive and sit at the other
table. One man gets up from the first table to join them. A few more follow him. Then another figure
gets up and confronts them for doing this.
On the surface it looks like someone getting angry at his friend for being hospitable and welcoming
newcomers. But Paul says this is a fear-driven hypocritical denial of the gospel.
Christian ethics are complicated. Here Peter re-imposes food laws on himself, and implicitly on the
Gentile believers at his table, by breaking fellowship with them to eat with law-keeping people. This
is gospel denial. But in Romans 14 Paul will say that to give up certain foods can be the very pinnacle
of gospel-centred life for the sake of another. Likewise the possible circumcision of Titus wouldve
denied the gospel, whereas the actual circumcision of Timothy advanced the gospel. Paul will later
write that neither circumcision or non-circumcision counts for anything, only faith expressed
through love and a new creation.

30

Outward life is an unreliable measure because what counts is belief. Jonathan Edwards argues that
such behaviour is evidence of nothing4. Youd expect to see a changed life if someone believes the
gospel but a changed life doesnt prove they have.
A Christian can be quite inconsistent outwardly and be utterly consistent with the gospel. Selfcentred religions tend to require much more conformity.
Peters failing here is that he lives by fear of people (2:12) people-pleasing instead of God-pleasing
(1:10). Hes living for people which effectively means hes living for himself and his own reputation
rather than for the pleasure of the Triune God.
He is also hypocritical (2:13). He knows better, and lives better, than hes living that day. He leads
people astray into hypocrisy, even Pauls gospel partner Barnabas, not by words but by his actions
and becomes a silent preacher of a false gospel as he adds to the gospel and particularly does so by
implying that the gospel is only for those who
WALK ME OUT OF HERE
carry the ethnic markers of Old Testament
Israel, therefore excluding brothers and sisters.
We argued and people who care do. And it was
In this he stands condemned (2:11, 1:8) for his
ridiculous. The conversation rolls on and you start to
crime and for believing his own message.
think, how did we get here. We dig in deep and
theres no face-saving way to get out of the hole.
Paul confronts him because so much is at stake
Take the spade off me! and better still Walk me
(2:11). He records the story in this letter,
back to the cross again. I need people who can take
because what happened at Antioch is
me back through everything I know, back to the level
happening in Galatia, though the issue presents
ground at the foot of the cross of Jesus who loved me
slightly differently.
and gave himself for me. Maturity isnt sinlessness, but it
2:15-21 WHATS THE EFFECT OF
might be something close to repenting back to Christ
ADDING LAW TO THE CHRISTIAN
readily, quickly, and even asking someone to help you. A
LIFE? WHERE IS THE CURE TO BE
true friend can do that. Restoring (6:1) you back in step
FOUND?
with the gospel, back in step with the Spirit.
Peter is hypocritical because hes out of step
with himself as much as the gospel. His own
convictions dont fit his behaviour.
But when I saw that their conduct was not
in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, If you, though a Jew, live like a
Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?
The argument is presented in a chiasm.
[15] We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners;
[16] yet
we know that a person is not justified by works of the law
but through faith in Jesus Christ,
so we also have believed in Christ Jesus,
in order to be justified by faith in Christ
4 See Jonathan Edwards: Religious Affections or Sam Storms: Signs of the Spirit
31

and not by works of the law,

because by works of the law no one will be justified.
i.e.
Justification is not by works of law
Justification is by faith in Jesus Christ
So we believed in Christ Jesus
To be justified by faith in Christ
And not by works, since works dont justify
They believed in God to be justified by faith because thats how it happens. Whether justification is
about being counted righteous or belonging to the family, the way to righteousness and the way to
belonging is faith in Christ.
GOSPEL CARE
What is the gospel? (3:8)
How are Peter and the Galatians getting out of
step with the gospel?
How does Paul supply gospel care for Peter
and the Galatians?

Paul walks Peter through things that Peter knows. The

conversation is reported one-sidedly. Peter need say
nothing. He knows all that Paul says. Theyre Jews not
Gentiles Sinners but they live like Gentiles. They dont
keep the food laws Jesus repeatedly told Peter about
this. They know that its not works of law but faith
that justifies. And so theyve believed in Jesus and been
justified. They stand righteous because of Christ. They
belong in the people of God by faith. So do the

Gentiles.
An objection is anticipated. If Peter is found to have sinned by breaking food laws, will that imply
Christ loves sin? Paul says no. Actually, if Peter puts the law back in hell only prove that he sins. This
is not news. The law was a good thing that served Peter and Paul by putting them to death so they
could believe. But it had done that role already.
They had died with Christ. Where is the Christian on Good Friday? On the cross with Jesus. Dying
with Christ we no longer live.
The antidote to self-religion: Im dead. RIP.
I was born. I died with Christ. I was born again. A new creation.
What life we do live, is lived in this flesh, in our dying corpse of a body with its old habits and desires,
waiting for our new creation body. And we live that life by faith in the Son of God who loved us and
gave himself for us. The alternative of works of the law is a life that says the Christs death was
meaningless. Peter wouldnt want to say that but that day in Antioch he was saying that by his
actions. His life told a false gospel.
The story Paul tells Peter leads him not to focus on his failing but to return to the cross. The story
Paul tells is of UNION WITH CHRIST. Peter is focussed on the life he can live. Paul says what
happened to Christ happened to you.

32

Rory Shiner illustrates this with a plane in his book One Forever.5 He asks,
what relationship do you need with a plane? Do you need to be under it? To
follow it? To be inspired by it? (The plane-spotter say: I believe I can fly!
but they cant) What you need is to be in the plane. And if you are then
where the plane goes you go.
Get on the plane. Get in Christ.
3:1-9 WHERE DID THE CHRISTIAN LIFE BEGIN?
HOW SHOULD IT CONTINUE?
Paul takes Peter back to the cross and he does the same for
the Galatians in 3:1. Theyve been foolish, bewitched.
Deceived into Spiritual Adultery, lured away. Thats how folly
works in Proverbs.6 Lady Wisdom sings the gospel song.
Dame Folly sings words that at times sound identical and yet
are false gospels. Folly entices Sons away from Wisdom into
her home so she can kill her Slaves. Outward actions reflect
our heart. Conformity to outward standards isnt enough.
The gospel way is a question of heart and desire not just
behaviour.

DID PETER REPENT?

Paul leaves the story, like the end of
Jonah But this is an early letter and
the message of 1 & 2 Peter isnt the
meaninglessness of the cross, and
more importantly there are reasons
to tell stories. If Paul writes to Galatia
and says Peter made your mistake
and refused to repent, how about
you? thats not as compelling as
Peter made your mistake, and
repented, will you?

So why dont Iif Im really honestfind God attractive?

I answer from my own conversion as I realized, He cares
for me! And all I have to do is enjoy his love! For others maybe its a matter of telling the Spirit
who shares Gods lovethat you long for a taste of that love. Be humble: dont add conditions. Just
come to him to enjoy him as he is in himself. Start by telling the Father you want to know and enjoy
his Son.7
If your eyes dont catch a glimpse of the cross as you turn the pages of Scripture, youre likely to
spend much of your day staring at yourself, wallowing in endless introspection, rather than staring at
your Savior, delighting in his costly love.8
In Galatia, Paul had preached. He had publicly portrayed Christ as crucified.
3:1 LUTHER - So vividly had he described Christ to them that they could almost see and
handle Him. As if Paul were to say: "No artist with all his colours could have pictured Christ
to you as vividly as I have pictured Him to you by my preaching. Yet you permitted
yourselves to be seduced to the extent that you disobeyed the truth of Christ."
5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7AKATss18s
6 http://www.biblicalhorizons.com/biblical-horizons/no-43-the-dramatic-structure-of-proverbs/
7 http://spreadinggoodness.org/?p=1693 (Ron Frost, Our Attractive God)
8 http://www.justinbuzzard.net/2007/11/06/bible-reading-are-you-making-it-to-the-cross/
33

Preaching isnt informing, its painting a picture with words. Saying: look! We see this illustrated in
the painting from Luthers church in Wittenberg by Lucas Cranach that pictures Luther and his
people as he preaches Christ Crucified to them.

Unlike Peter who couldve seen Jesus crucified, the Galatians had seen through his preaching. How
blessed they were! They began their
Christian lives by hearing with faith to
receive the Spirit, even in persecution,
even in seeing miracles. Every step by
faith. The gospel isnt just the ABC but is
the A-Z. At its heart the sent Son who
loved us even to his own death in our
place.
The Gospel is better than
unconditional love. The Gospel says, God accepts you just as Christ is. God has contraconditional love for you. Christ bears the curse you deserve. Christ is fully pleasing to the
Father and gives you His own perfect goodness. Christ reigns in power, making you the
Fathers child and coming close to you to begin to change what is unacceptable to God
about you. God never accepts me as I am. He accepts me as I am in Jesus Christ. The
centre of gravity is different. The true Gospel does not allow Gods love to be sucked into
the vortex of the souls lust for acceptability and worth in and of itself. Rather, it radically
de-centres peoplewhat the Bible calls fear of the Lord and faithto look outside
themselves. (David Powlison, Idols of the Heart and Vanity Fair)
The love of God tells the greatest story but were so perverse that we sometimes even turn Gods
love for us in on ourselves.
Charles Simeon:
The Christian is not contented with acknowledging the love of Christ to mankind in general; he views
it especially as it respects himself; and delights in contemplating his own personal obligations to him.
O how wonderful does it appear, that Christ should ever love such a one as him, and give himself for
him! That for such a wretch as him, he should submit to all the shame and agonies of crucifixion! And
though he cannot perhaps at all times say, My beloved is mine, and I am his, yet the most distant
hope of such a mercy fills his soul with joy unspeakable and glorified.
THE MESSAGE OF 2:11-3:9 THE SON LOVED AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ALL
PEOPLES
Were sucked into the vortex of our souls lust for acceptability in ourselves. Its devastating
for us and leads us to define ourselves against others, to be suspicious of them, to want people
to do things our way or hit the highway. Its deathly. But the Son of God loved us. He took our
place in death to give us life whoever we are, wherever were from. And he asks only that we
look to him and find our life in him. Its not about following his rules, nor about being inspired
by him but by having our self-life ended so we can live a new life with him and with all his
people. A new story.
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PART 3: 3:10-4:7 ANYONE CAN BE

ADOPTED IN THE SON
3:10-14 WHERE DOES THE LAW LEAVE PEOPLE? HOW DOES CHRIST DEAL WITH THE EFFECT
OF THE LAW? WHATS THE IMPACT ON THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD?
Triune life is about the Father revealing his Son. Its about the Son
who gives himself. And its about the Spirit who catches people up
in divine life.
The Spirit is the great promise of the gospel, its the Spirit (of the
Son) who is sent into the hearts of those who find their life in the
Christ.
Paul writes strongly against the appeal of the law. He argues from
the law that the law itself says reliance on law is the way to curse. Besides which, righteousness
(whether legal right standing or belonging in the family) comes by faith, as Habakkuk wrote. Faith
looks, whereas the law by contrast is a doing thing.
Israel had found themselves cursed though they shouldve enjoyed blessing. But, under the terms of
law (born under law) the Son came and averted the curse from them. The blessed Son hung on a tree
(cursed) to bring blessing to those who were under curse. By doing this the Son bought blessing to
Jewish Christians and blessing to the Gentiles. God will bless the peoples in the gospel. With his
promise. A promise that isnt, as we might expect, righteousness but the Spirit!
Those who have the Spirit are counted righteous like Abraham. But when telling the Triune Gospel
its insufficient a Christian lives in God. The church fathers were wise to speak of DEIFICATION.
We enter into Gods life, into the Sons relationship with the Father by the Spirit. Christian life is
about INDWELLING, and PARTICIPATION in the life of the Triune God.
THE LAW
3:15-21 HOW DOES THE PROMISE WORK? WHAT DOES THAT TELL US ABOUT
THE LAW? WHY THE LAW? ARE LAW AND PROMISE ENEMIES?
And now to understand the law! The New Testament draws many lessons from the Old Testament
law which build together into a beautiful portrait of the role of law in the Christians life. Here Paul is
addressing the specifics of the Galatian problem.
Paul sets his illustration (3:15). Man-made covenants arent changeable. When you agree the deal
you cant change the terms. When the house sale has been completed the deal is certain.
Whats the point? God made his promise to Abraham for Abrahams offspring and when the gospel
had been so stated thats the gospel. Nothing else that happens can change how inheritance is to
come. Its Christ (3:16).

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Yet, 430 years later (3:17) the God

who promised to Abrahams
offspring gives Israel his law at Sinai.
What we can know is that this cant
change the promise. If law was the
way to inherit then it would, but it
isnt so it doesnt (3:18).
As Paul writes Q&A we know we
understand him if we would ask what
he asks. If the promise cant be
changed and the law isnt the way to
inherit then one ought to be asking
what exactly God was doing giving
the people the law at Sinai.
Why then the law? (3:19)

Law: Because of Transgression. Law and sin are related. Straightforward enough.
Law: Until the offspring to whom the promise had been made had come. i.e. until Christ.

The Scripture says:

It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had
been made
Which more plainly means:
It was added because of transgressions, until Christ
Sin makes the law necessary for Israel until the singular offspring of Abraham comes.
Law (3:19) comes from God to angels to Moses to Israel, whereas God is One i.e. the promise is
direct from Father to Son. The law is qualitatively lesser than the promise, though that doesnt mean
the law isnt good. This sentence about mediators is difficult!
If we understand what Paul says we should anticipate the question he will ask. God has given two
things The Promise and The Law. Are the law and promise contrary? Has God got two conflicting
approaches? No, says Paul. They dont exist for the same purpose. I have an oven and a fridge. They do
different things but theyre not enemies. The fridge serves the oven and ensures that what it cooks is edible.
3:22-25 WHAT WAS THE GOOD PURPOSE OF THE LAW FOR ISRAEL?
[22] But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ
might be given to those who believe. [23] Now before faith came, we were held captive under the
law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. [24] So then, the law was our guardian
until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. [25] But now that faith has come, we
are no longer under a guardian,
The theme is fairly clear.
Scripture imprisons under sin [Israel] were held captive imprisoned [under a] guardian until
Christ but now no longer under a guardian. The law serves to imprison and guard Israel until she
reaches maturity, and Christ comes.
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So, why does Israel need a guardian to imprison them because of sin until Christ comes?
People differ, heres my reading from this passage.
Getting from Abraham to the Christ is the big deal here. Matthew needs to be able to write his
genealogy. Following the line is easy in Genesis. A son, a grandson, 12 sons, easy to ask is any of these
the Christ. A family goes to Egypt and is contained in the region of Goshen until the Exodus. Theyre
identifiable, even when there are a million of them.
But, by Sinai the people are free. Free to worship, free to sin. And repeatedly to sin by intermarrying
with the peoples and whoring after their gods. The people begin to disappear. Tribe after tribe falls.
By the exile only a remnant will remain. And thats with the law to mark them out as holy as I am
holy a people like their Christ.
Most of the law is about the tabernacle which means you can understand Christ Crucified, bearing
the curse etc. The rest is largely about ensuring this people live differently, by their clothes and their
food and their holy days and their care for the fatherless, widowed or foreigner. A Christ-like people.
A community who fulfil the law is an attractive people.
Without law Israel wouldve vanished into the nations by their sin. With the law the line continues
until Christ, and indeed to this day (nearly 4000 years later) we can find people who look back to
father Abraham.
Biblically, after Christ the law is no longer needed for this purpose. The line has completed as
Abrahams offspring has come. And for those who find their life in the one offspring, it will be the
Spirit will mark this family distinctively. There are no more generations to be preserved and guarded,
but all who live in Christ by the Spirit. They grow up into inheritance as the law finishes its role and
returning to follow the guardian when you can relate to your parents is peculiar.
Its possible for rules to apply to a certain group of people for a certain time, but not to all people in
all times. The law is Triune God revealing Scripture, but that
SONS, ORPHANS, SLAVES
doesnt mean all law is law for all people. Today the Sinai law
means we can understand the grammar of the gospel by
In Galatians the opposite of sonship is
interpreting the cross as Hebrews does by reading Leviticus.
slavery not being an orphan. A slave is
nonetheless fatherless and futureless.

Law reveals the character of God from the kind of people

who would look like him. In an ironic twist Paul will write that
those who live by the Spirit are people of love, which is what the law filled-up looks like. Try to keep
law and you feed the flesh and divide from people, repent and believe the gospel, pursing the Spirit,
and you end up filling up the law by loving people. The law is deeply reflective of the priorities of the
Triune God. His love is jealous (Exodus 20:1-3). His concern is for the fatherless, the widow and the
foreigner, and so his people will adopt orphans, care for widows
ADOPTION
and gladly include those from different ethnicities and cultures.
All these vulnerable groups will find a home in the Christ. Each
When the Father turns his eye to you, what
would struggle to come with strong credentials to prove
(or who) does he see?
themselves but each can look to Christ and be welcomed.
When the Father turns his ear to you, what
(or who) does he hear?

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How will he regard you?

How does that feel?

Paul says now Christ has come, the guardian can stop guarding, and we can all be sons of God.
Charles Simeon: Every Christian, from a rebel and an enemy, becomes a son.
WHEN THE FATHER TURNS HIS EYE
3:25-29 WHAT DOES A CHRISTIAN LOOK LIKE?
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY? WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR CHRISTIAN
FUTURE? WHEN THE FATHER TURNS HIS EYE TO YOU, WHAT DOES HE SEE? HOW DOES THAT
AFFECT YOU?
[25] But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, [26] for in Christ Jesus you are
all sons of God, through faith. [27] For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on
Christ. [28] There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and
female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. [29] And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's
offspring, heirs according to promise.
Sons by faith are baptised into Christ, clothed in Christ. They look like Christ. Theyre unified with
other sons. The old divides of Jew and Gentile, Male and Female, Slave and Free can no longer divide.
Theyre real differences, beautiful differences at times, but the gospel gathers all together.
And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring
Which is to say: And if you are Christ's, then you are [Christ]
Those who belong to Christ are now Abrahams offspring. We become the one offspring. As the
church fathers put it, in terms that feel to us like theyre on the edge of heresy, God became man so
man could become God. We think of divine substance. God thinks relationally. Those who belong to
Christ are Christ. They look like Christ, will be treated like Christ, related to as Christ, inherit like
Christ. He gets all, so they get all.
Charles Simeon: By believing in Christ, we become perfectly one with Christ
When the Father turns his eye to the Christian he sees his son. As one Bible teacher puts it, Stop and
let the paint dry on that.
WHEN THE FATHER TURNS HIS EAR
4:1-3 WHATS THE PICTURE FOR ISRAEL AND THE LAW?
Sons and slaves as children look the same. They live under a guardian. The difference is what happens
when the guardian stops guarding them. Israel lived as a slave (under law, after the Exodus). At the
right time she would either continue as a slave or mature to sonship in the gospel. This summarises
the teaching of chapter 3.
4:4-7 IDENTIFY THE TWO SENDINGS OF THE FATHER? WHATS THE EFFECT ON
THE PEOPLES? WHEN THE FATHER TURNS HIS EAR TO YOU WHAT DOES HE
HEAR? HOW DOES THAT FEEL?

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The Father sent his Son at the right time. Through the cross we gain adoption as sons. Here is the
centre of the Trinitarian gospel. The goal of the gospel isnt just righteousness but adoption into the
divine family.
Slaves to self can become sons of God. The Father sends his Son and then the Spirit of the Son. The
Spirit cries out from believers Abba Father. Romans states that we can cry that too, but here the
emphasis is all on what God does not what we do. He cries. As you sleep, as you walk down the road,
as you sin: youre caught up in Triune life. Not just dressed up as a son, but filled up as a son is. No
longer a slave, now an heir! Christ gets all, so in Christ we get all.
ABBA FATHER
People debate whether the Hebrew Abba is the childish cry to Daddy, or a more mature
cry to Dad. The point is more that it is Jesus cry to his Father.
Abba is the cry of the Lords Prayer, of Gethsemane, of Father, your will be done and
Father forgive them and Father, into your hands I commit my spirit The point is that we
get Jesus relationship with his Father. All that he has, those adopted in him also have. So the
Son says to those asking him how to pray, not say, Jesus Father but say, Our Father. Enter
the Sons relationship with the Father.
This opens up a rich vein of inquiry to explore the nature of the Sons relationship with the Father.
One might read the Psalms to hear this conversation. The Son saying The Lords my Shepherd (Psalm
23), the Father speaking of his Spirit-anointed son as My heart overflows, with a song concerning the
beautiful, beautiful of Adams sons (Psalm 45) for example. Just as the Christian can appreciate the
Spirit crying Abba and then join in, so too we can hear the Christ using the Psalms in his relationship
with his eternal Father and then we can join in the conversation as we approach the Father as our
Father in Christ.
Adopted Sons in Christ, live by being crucified with Christ and faith in the Son of God who loved
them To repent and believe the gospel is to pursue the Spirit and sow to the Spirit. A life that does
this bears fruit (not fruits) in relational character.
The Incurved Story is about what I do its self-centred, divisive, complicated, joyless, its
futureless. The Triune Story is self-giving, uniting, repenting, joyful, inheriting.

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PART 4: 4:8-6:18 SPIRIT FILLED SON

4:8-20. CHRISTIAN IS FORMATIONAL WHATS IT LIKE TO BELIEVE THE
GOSPEL? WHATS THE GOAL OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE? HOW DOES IT FEEL TO
MINISTER THE GOSPEL TO OTHERS?
4:8-11 The Galatians past is worship of not gods. In adding law to Christ theyve turned back to the
weak and worthless principles of the world. Not pagan idolatry but religion. In chapter 5 hell call it
falling from grace not in scandalous sin but in the horror of self-religion.
In the gospel they came to be known by God. The gospel reconciles God to us. And they came to
know God.
As they embrace holy days Pauls gospel labour seems in vain. 4:12-20 Paul wants the Galatians
back, not following him but like him. He preached to them in a time of illness and they embrace his
words and him. They received Pauls gospel as if Paul was Christ himself. The preaching of the word
of God is the word of God, especially on the lips of a cruciform life.
Self-centric messages drain joy, whereas the gospel refreshes. Gospel-centred people are refreshing
people. V15: What has become of your blessedness? or the blessing you felt? or your joy? (Depending
on your translation). They had the blessing of the gospel, the Holy Spirit who produced joy and
tangible blessing in them. That joy has diminished. The life of law is deathly as all flesh and sin life
ultimately is.
The false teachers are manipulating the Galatians. The way of the false teachers is persecution and
mockery, and sometimes with a sweet tongue that seems appealing. But the motive is bad.
Paul however labours to see Christ formed in them. Theyre clothed in Christ. Theyre filled with the
Spirit of the Son. Yet, Christ is yet to be fully formed in them.
Christian discipleship is formational. Christ is our life and as we repent and believe the gospel, the
Spirit will form Christ in us.
Gospel ministry is perplexing and marked by anguish that is comparable to the pain of childbirth. Paul
longs to be with them.
4:21-5:14 CHRISTIAN IS FREE WHATS THE CHRISTIAN STORY? HOW DO
SLAVES AND SONS RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER? HOW IS A SON TO LIVE? WHY
IS SLAVERY APPEALING? WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A SON LIVES AS A SON?
21-27 Paul writes words which put terror into modern Bible readers. This may be interpreted
allegorically. The contemporary reader has been educated to hate allegory, despite it being carefully
and commonly used in church history. What he has in mind isnt a fanciful allegorical method, but like
the best Bible teachers in the history of the church, a Typological method, that sees a gospel story
told in the story of Israel.

40

Sarah the free

Jerusalem above whose

children Christians are

Hagar
the slave

Jerusalem present- enslaved

with her children

Sinai

Two lines to trace the story of the gospel and the false gospel. The gospel goes straight from
Abraham to his Offspring. The false is seen repeatedly. Sinai isnt the problem but its mis-read and
mis-applied as a way to life and thats deadly.
Isaiah tells that the barren woman will be fruitful.Against what youd expect to happen, life will come.
28-31 Were reminded of the way that Ishmael persecuted Isaac. Slaves will oppose the free. Paul
persecuted the church before he became her preacher to the peoples. Slavish religion is suspicious
and fearful of gospel freedom.
The slavish teacher of false gospels should be ejected. Dont listen to them! Slaves will not inherit,
only sons. The church is Sarahs true son, in her true son Christ. We are children of the promise.
5:1 The rallying cry is raised. Youre free. Dont enslave yourself.
5:2-6 To accept circumcision is to cut yourself off from Christ. Such a person obligates themselves to
the whole law by relying on it. It is a severing from Christ, to play on the image of circumcision. Such
law keeping means a fall from grace! Note that circumcision isnt the Sinai law but should be seen
with Sinai as a temporary measure marking out the people until the Christ comes.
The promise preceded circumcision and its completion does away with this outward sign.
Repentance and faith, baptism and the indwelling of the Spirit mark the free.
Yet understand, that circumcision and non-circumcision count for nothing in Christ. What counts is
faith expressed through love.
5:7-12 The Galatians were running well. They made a good start in the gospel. They enjoyed life in
the Triune God. Theyve been hindered, persuaded by a persuasion that does not come from him
who called you (1:6) the Father has not imposed law on them. Leaven has got into the lump. But
Paul is confident of their repentance and restoration to freedom. And the false teachers will get their
sentence.
Paul doesnt preach circumcision (11), for if he did he wouldnt be persecuted. The cross offends and
thats why he gets opposed. The additions of rules are people pleasing. The flesh loves a to do list.
Paul suggest that the teachers who trouble/unsettle them by insisting on persecution could do with
being emasculated. Give them a full measure of what they peddle to others.
5:13-14 Returning to the theme of v1 Paul reminds them that theyre called to freedom, brothers.
But the question is what do you do with your freedom?
Freedom can be used to indulge the flesh and revive it from its crucified state. Or freedom can be
used to love one another. Love fulfils the law.
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I am
Free

Try to
Keep the law
by loving

I become
a slave
who
persecutes

I am
free

Use my freedom
to love

I fulfil
the law

5:15-26 CHRISTIAN IS FRUITFUL WHATS THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING A

CHRISTIAN? WHAT DOES SLAVERY LOOK LIKE? WHAT DOES SONSHIP LOOK
LIKE? WHAT HAPPENS IN THE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN?
A warning frames this section in v15 and v26 against devouring and biting and provoking and
envying and being conceited.
The instruction is simple: walk by the Spirit and you wont gratify the desires of the flesh. It doesnt
say DONT gratify the flesh and youll walk by the Spirit. This isnt a call to be anti-flesh (and fleshcentric) but to be pro-Spirit.
The Spirit and flesh have opposite desires. And because of this well at times be kept from what we
want to do. The Christian has new desires from the Spirit. The war is won but the battle will be lost at
times. The Christian life will be messy and inconsistent and marked by sin and repentance rather
than a flawless record.
Those led by the Spirit are not under law.
Those under law do the works of the flesh. Law and flesh look like opposites, one is devout and the
other licentious but they stand together. Those who pursue the law live fleshly lives of self-righteous
meanness.
There are obvious evident works of the flesh. Theyre nasty. Theyre divisive.
Those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God (21)
This cannot mean those who sin sometimes. The mixed desires of the free keep them from always
following the Spirit. Christians will sin. The issue is that those ruled by law and flesh are slaves. Slaves
dont inherit. Sons believe the gospel and will inherit. They are heirs.
Those who pursue the Spirit will see fruit in their lives. These arent a list of fruits but a singular fruit.
If youre in the singular offspring then the singular Spirit who lives within you will gradually produce
a singular fruit which transforms your relationships. Be suspicious of yourself if you experience fruit
in serious imbalance because that might just be slavish imitation.
24: Those who belong to Christ (those who are Christs 3:29) have crucified the flesh with its
passions and desires. We live the Christian life by dying. I no longer live! My union with Christ in his
crucifixion is the end of me. And now I live by faith in the crucified one. My flesh is mortified.
And so, If we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
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Peter imposed law and got out of step with the gospel he was out of step with the Spirit. But life in
the Spirit is the opposite. Spirit-pursuing is gospel believing from beginning to end. And the Spirit
who marks out this new family is the one who builds this new family. The flesh would have us eat one
another, but the Spirit calls us to feed on Christ and find life together in him.
6:1-10 CHRISTIAN IS COMMUNITY WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY?
1-5 Friendship at the foot of the cross is something beautiful. A community of slaves imagines that no
one ever sins were too good for that. And when something undeniable happens everyone is
scandalised. But among sons sin is expected. Brothers will sin. They will fail to do what they want to
do. Their sin wont mean that Christ endorses sin, itll mean they need the gospel.
The Non-Gospel Church
My sin is scandalous or swept under the carpet.
My sin is rule-breaking.
My sin is my effort to be holy.
My sin is an opportunity for you to trample me
under foot.
My sin is why I want to avoid the cross.
My sin is overcome by effort.

The Gospel Church

My sin is to be expected.
My sin is relational betrayal and return to slavery.
My sin is when I follow the flesh instead of the
Spirit.
My sin is an opportunity for you to restore me, to
carry my burdens as Christ bore them to Calvary.
My sin is, therefore, why I need the cross.
My sin is overcome by God's work of new
creation.

And in this community we dont reject those who sin, we dont rejoice over their fall as it elevates us
in the comparison game. Spiritual people will seek to restore sinners and carry them.
We should be warned that we too can be tempted and we shouldnt take this caring community as an
excuse not to watch ourselves and carry ourselves. If we fall others will lift us but let us seek to avoid
falling.
To carry one another is to fulfil the law of Christ. He carried us. Let us carry others.
6 In a seemingly isolated thought Paul says they should share what they have with their teachers.
The false teachers manipulated them to love them. It would be a false move not to honour true
gospel teachers.
7-9 The gospel is not a game. Dont mock God. Sowing and reaping is how nature works, its how life
works. If youre sowing to the flesh youll reap its corruption. Whereas sowing to the Spirit reaps
eternal life. Its not about how you live but how you live is reflective of who you are. Sons embrace
sonship, slaves cant help but be slaves. Sons desire the Spirit, but fail at times. Slaves desire slavery
though they may present as good religious types.
10 Sons will do good. Theyre members of the community first of the church family and of the
wider human race. Theyll do good to all, especially the household of faith.

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6:11-18 CHRISTIAN IS NEW WHATS THE MUSIC OF INCURVED STORIES?

WHATS THE MUSIC OF THE GOSPEL? WHAT COUNTS FOR THE CHRISTIAN?
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT IF YOU LIVE IN THE TRIUNE GOD?
11 Paul writes this. Hes emphatic.
12-13 The false teachers want to make a good show in the flesh. Theyre all about pleasing people
and impressing them. They want to avoid persecution for the cross. They live for self. And they dont
even live up to the standards they impose on others so they can boast about their followers and try
to deceive the world.
14- 18 Paul is utterly different. His boast is the cross, hes obsessed with the cross. Its his glory. Hell
take any persecution it entails. You want to see marks on Pauls body outwardly he has the marks of
Christ (17).
Charles Simeon (cited in Stott The Cross of Christ):
A nominal Christian is contented with approving of the way of salvation by a crucified
Redeemer: the true Christian loves it, delights in it, glories in it, and shudders at the thought of
glorying in anything else.
There has been crucifixion between Paul and the world. The relationship that bound him to please
the world has been put to death. He no longer lives to the world. The flesh is dead. The old is gone.
Once more he says, its not that circumcision is a big deal. What counts is new creation (15). The
gospel is creating a new world to be inherited by sons in the Son. The world as it was always meant to
be has begun. The present evil age will pass away. A renewed creation comes in which humanity will
live in the Triune God. This is the rule if you want rules. New Creation! God and man dwelling
together on earth, heirs in the heir.
Charles Simeon:
Set your affections on things above, and not on things on the earth. Let all your joys flow from the
contemplation of his cross. Thus shall you dwell in God, and God in you: you shall be one with God,
and God with you: and the very instant that the ties between the world and you shall be finally
dissolved by death, you shall soar as on eagles wings, to take possession of the crowns and kingdoms
that await you in a better world
Peace and mercy on such people, and on the Israel of God. This is for Galatia, this is for all the true
family of Abraham, all who live in the one offspring, Christ.
As a person with incurvature I still tend towards making my life about me. I revive my dead flesh. I
take myself seriously. I make it about what I do. The cure, the only cure, is to hear again with faith
the good news of Jesus the Spirit-anointed Son of the Father who is my life.

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Photos in this document Gabe Rodriguez NW Aeropress Competition - Creative

Commons
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gaber/
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/

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