| Teacher: Rusty Kennedy Series: Galatians (Acts) |
Rusty's Notes | |
Pizza dough
FREEDOM OF THE CHRISTIAN
Galatians 5:1-15
1 For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm then and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.
- Summary of Chapter 3 & 4
- Yoke – Oxen, slaves & interpretation of law.
- Yoke – Control by someone or something over your behavior.
- The unsaved person wears a yoke of sin (Lam. 1:14)
- The religious legalist wears the yoke of bondage (Gal. 5:1)
- The Christian who depends on God’s grace wears the liberating yoke of Christ.[1]
2 Take note! I, Paul, am telling you that if you get yourselves circumcised, Christ will not benefit you at all. 3 Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to do the entire law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace.
- According to Acts 15:1–2 (1 Some men came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom prescribed by Moses, you cannot be saved!” 2 But after Paul and Barnabas had engaged them in serious argument and debate, the church arranged for Paul and Barnabas and some others of them to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem concerning this controversy.), the Judaizers believed that acceptance of this ancient Jewish ritual was absolutely necessary for salvation and incorporation into the people of God.[2]
- Paul was strongly opposed to the Judaistic theology which insisted that circumcision was necessary for salvation.[3]
- His point is that anyone who insists on living under the law fails to trust in Christ.[4]
- Paul is saying that you cannot mix Law and grace.
- If you choose to live by 1 law you choose to live by all the Law… rather than to live by only grace.
- 99% grace and 1% law = bondage to all Law.
5 For we eagerly await through the Spirit, by faith, the hope of righteousness.
- “Hope of righteousness” – Glorification concerning our behavior.
- Hope “of righteousness” – Glorification of those who are already in the state of righteousness.
- It has to filter with all 66 books.
- Abraham was credited righteousness.
- The Church was made righteous.
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith working through love.
- This enables us to contrast the two ways of life.
- When you live by grace, you depend on the power of the Spirit; but under Law, you must depend on yourself and your own efforts.
- The efforts of the flesh can never accomplish what faith can accomplish through the Spirit.
- And faith works through love—love for God and love for others. Unfortunately, flesh does not manufacture love.
- Too often it produces selfishness and rivalry (see Gal. 5:15).[5]
- In 2 verses, Paul incorporated faith, hope & love.
7 You were running well. Who prevented you from being persuaded regarding the truth?
- Mike Rodgers was running well
- But someone posted lane restrictions
- They became disqualified.
- Still Olympians… you just competed and came away disappointed.
8 This persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough.
- The process of leaven (yeast)
- Matthew 13:33 – He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into fifty pounds of flour until all of it was leavened.” [6]
10 I myself am persuaded in the Lord you will not accept any other view. But whoever it is that is confusing you will pay the penalty. 11 Now brothers and sisters, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. 12 I wish those who are disturbing you might also let themselves be mutilated!
- Paul actually wants them to cut themselves off from the religious community claiming to principles of Christianity.
- Become impotent and unable to produce new converts.
13 For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.
- We are prone to go to extremes.
- One believer interprets liberty as license and thinks he can do whatever he wants to do.
- Another believer, seeing this error, goes to an opposite extreme and imposes Law on everybody.
- Somewhere between license on the one hand and legalism on the other hand is true Christian liberty.[7]
- Anytime you want negative things to occur to someone, we call that “walking according to your flesh.”
- Paul, is saying, “It’s not about you… look around.”
14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself. 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.[8]
- Flesh refers to fallen human nature, the center of human pride and self-willing.
- Flesh is the arena of indulgence and self-assertion, the locale in which “the ultimate sin reveals itself to be the false assumption of receiving life not as the gift of the Creator but procuring it by one’s own power, of living from one’s self rather than from God.”[9]
- Wild animals in a deadly fight—to warn the Galatians that attacking one another ultimately will destroy their community.[10]
[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 713). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[2] George, T. (1994). Galatians (Vol. 30, p. 356). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[3] Campbell, D. K. (1985). Galatians. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 605). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[4] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Ga 5:2). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[5] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 715). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[6] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Mt 13:33). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[7] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 717). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[8] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ga 5:1–15). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[9] George, T. (1994). Galatians (Vol. 30, p. 377). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[10] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Ga 5:15). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[11] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 717). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
- 16 oz. / 3 ½ cups all purpose flour (King Arthur unbleached)
- 1 ½ teaspoons large grain salt (sea salt)
- 2 teaspoons dry yeast (Red Star – opaque sealed canister in fridge – keeps it dormant; yeast dies at 110 degrees) (do not use quick rise yeast, causes it to lose flavor/texture)
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 oz. / 4 teaspoons of olive oil
- 10 oz. / 1 ¼ cups warm water (keep below 110 degrees, otherwise yeast is at risk)
- Stir the yeast, salt and sugar into the flour. (Pour salt on one side and yeast on the other before mixing. Salt retards yeast as well as sugar)
- Add the honey, water and olive oil to the flour mixture and knead the dough for 7-9 minutes until it is smooth and elastic.
- After kneading the dough, place it in an oiled container. Cover the dough and allow it to rise for 30-45 minutes or until it is doubled in size. (Dough rising places: On top of refrigerator is 85 degrees causing it to rise faster, in the window seal it is cooler and causes it to rise slower. Create a hot box by boiling water in microwave and then immediately closing the dough in the oven. The humidity/heat combination will cause it to rise rapidly.)
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into two equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and allow the dough to rest, covered for about 5 minutes.
- After resting, roll the dough pieces out to about ½” thickness making sure to retain the circular shape of the dough.
FREEDOM OF THE CHRISTIAN
Galatians 5:1-15
1 For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm then and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.
- Summary of Chapter 3 & 4
- Yoke – Oxen, slaves & interpretation of law.
- Yoke – Control by someone or something over your behavior.
- The unsaved person wears a yoke of sin (Lam. 1:14)
- The religious legalist wears the yoke of bondage (Gal. 5:1)
- The Christian who depends on God’s grace wears the liberating yoke of Christ.[1]
2 Take note! I, Paul, am telling you that if you get yourselves circumcised, Christ will not benefit you at all. 3 Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to do the entire law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace.
- According to Acts 15:1–2 (1 Some men came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom prescribed by Moses, you cannot be saved!” 2 But after Paul and Barnabas had engaged them in serious argument and debate, the church arranged for Paul and Barnabas and some others of them to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem concerning this controversy.), the Judaizers believed that acceptance of this ancient Jewish ritual was absolutely necessary for salvation and incorporation into the people of God.[2]
- Paul was strongly opposed to the Judaistic theology which insisted that circumcision was necessary for salvation.[3]
- His point is that anyone who insists on living under the law fails to trust in Christ.[4]
- Paul is saying that you cannot mix Law and grace.
- If you choose to live by 1 law you choose to live by all the Law… rather than to live by only grace.
- 99% grace and 1% law = bondage to all Law.
5 For we eagerly await through the Spirit, by faith, the hope of righteousness.
- “Hope of righteousness” – Glorification concerning our behavior.
- Hope “of righteousness” – Glorification of those who are already in the state of righteousness.
- It has to filter with all 66 books.
- Abraham was credited righteousness.
- The Church was made righteous.
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith working through love.
- This enables us to contrast the two ways of life.
- When you live by grace, you depend on the power of the Spirit; but under Law, you must depend on yourself and your own efforts.
- The efforts of the flesh can never accomplish what faith can accomplish through the Spirit.
- And faith works through love—love for God and love for others. Unfortunately, flesh does not manufacture love.
- Too often it produces selfishness and rivalry (see Gal. 5:15).[5]
- In 2 verses, Paul incorporated faith, hope & love.
7 You were running well. Who prevented you from being persuaded regarding the truth?
- Mike Rodgers was running well
- But someone posted lane restrictions
- They became disqualified.
- Still Olympians… you just competed and came away disappointed.
8 This persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough.
- The process of leaven (yeast)
- Matthew 13:33 – He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into fifty pounds of flour until all of it was leavened.” [6]
10 I myself am persuaded in the Lord you will not accept any other view. But whoever it is that is confusing you will pay the penalty. 11 Now brothers and sisters, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. 12 I wish those who are disturbing you might also let themselves be mutilated!
- Paul actually wants them to cut themselves off from the religious community claiming to principles of Christianity.
- Become impotent and unable to produce new converts.
13 For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.
- We are prone to go to extremes.
- One believer interprets liberty as license and thinks he can do whatever he wants to do.
- Another believer, seeing this error, goes to an opposite extreme and imposes Law on everybody.
- Somewhere between license on the one hand and legalism on the other hand is true Christian liberty.[7]
- Anytime you want negative things to occur to someone, we call that “walking according to your flesh.”
- Paul, is saying, “It’s not about you… look around.”
14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself. 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.[8]
- Flesh refers to fallen human nature, the center of human pride and self-willing.
- Flesh is the arena of indulgence and self-assertion, the locale in which “the ultimate sin reveals itself to be the false assumption of receiving life not as the gift of the Creator but procuring it by one’s own power, of living from one’s self rather than from God.”[9]
- Wild animals in a deadly fight—to warn the Galatians that attacking one another ultimately will destroy their community.[10]
- How you “feel” vs what the Spirit leads you to do in love.
- The key word, of course, is love. The formula looks something like this:
- liberty + love = service to others
- liberty − love = license (slavery to sin)[11]
[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 713). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[2] George, T. (1994). Galatians (Vol. 30, p. 356). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[3] Campbell, D. K. (1985). Galatians. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 605). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[4] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Ga 5:2). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[5] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 715). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[6] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Mt 13:33). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[7] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 717). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[8] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ga 5:1–15). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[9] George, T. (1994). Galatians (Vol. 30, p. 377). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[10] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Ga 5:15). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[11] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 717). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
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