An Outline On The Book Of Galatians
Updated: Oct 14, 2021
I recently went for a conference on the Reformation. For those of you who don't know - Martin Luther was a huge figure who changed the history of the Christian faith, most of which I definitely cannot note down here in detail. But basically he opened up a debate against the church saying that Justification was by faith.
The reason there was a conference on it is because we are coming up to the 500th year mark since he first spoke. And no this is not the Martin Luther who said "I have a dream".
At this conference Terry Virgo did two lectures/preaches on Galations, he started with an outline on the book of galatians and then spoke on being free in Christ. Terry Virgo is a leader who began a network of churches called NewFrontiers which now has over 1500 churches across 70 nations.
This message impacted me deeply and I wanted to share what were the major points that touched me, it was mainly to do with the entire law debacle and us being justified by faith alone:
He Attacked The Law
Paul attacked the law. In Galations 2:16 (ESV), it says "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 and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified."
Paul is revealing the pointlessness of following the law here. Don't try to follow the law! It's inadequate! Don't try to claim yourself right by the law
He Shows The Profound Eschatological Work Of The Cross
The cross takes us now to a new place. In Galations 2:19-20, it says "For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Through the law I died to the law so that I might live, I have been crucified through Christ. We are hidden in him. We were in Adam, now in Christ. Paul is saying when Christ was crucified, I am now crucified with him. My relationship with the law is now 'over'.
Through the law I died to the law - what it means is that when Jesus on the cross God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us. Jesus was a law breaker. He became sin for us.
The Law Carries A Curse
Galatians 3:10, "For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.”"
You are under a curse If you are under the law.
The Law Brings About A Slavery
The law ties you down before God and before men. It wants you to be tied down and it gives you rules and regulations before men
It Separates You From Other People
The law elites people. For example, Peter - When the Jewish people came he withdrew to be with the Jews and not the Gentiles, Paul here gets angry and says "What are you doing?" By doing that, you are saying "I am with the true people of God and the gentiles are not", and Paul was furious with that. Don't let the law separate you from people!
The Law Makes You Put Your Confidence In Yourself
In modern world, law rules in our daily life. Don't believe that you can get to being right with God by following rules - for example by saying "I will spend x amount of time with God everyday", or "I need to read this many chapters per day". It isn't going to take you anywhere.
Disciplines vs The Law
One thing that I enjoyed from what Terry said here is the difference between (a) Disciplines and (b) the law. They are two separate things. Don't put them together. He mentioned on how he enjoyed his quiet times with God, how he thanks God for disciplines and we needn't look at disciplines as laws.
We as believers we struggle with the law, we need to get into a mindset knowing that we don't have to impress God. When i read my bible - I don't have to impress God! There's nothing that I could do that could earn me favour with God. Jesus has already impressed God and i am found in him! Passive righteousness is the phrase Luther used to use and Terry seconds him!
The Bible is lovely - we go to it for truth. Embrace grace. There are countless churches infiltrated by legalism and we need to work against it - Paul himself is furious with it.
Legalism loses the gospel! This is the clarification that the reformation brought, we need to be confident in the gospel again!