Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for September 16, 2018

“Connecting the Dots”   Galatians 3:1-14   Bible Study   09/16/18

As we continue our study of Paul’s Galatian letter this morning, our focus will be on 3:1-14. Here, we discover that Paul moves from his confrontation of Peter to the interrogation of the Galatian believers. Alarmed by the influence of false teachers among them, Paul proceeds to “connect the dots” and show them that a right relationship with God is a matter of faith-line and not blood-line.

I. Evaluation of the situation (1)

• unthinking Galatians
• bewitched: cast a spell
• Christ has been “bill-boarded”
• corrupting influence of Judaizers
• crucified: completed work

II. Interrogation of the Galatians (2-5)

• argument from their own experience
• note the rhetorical questions
• reception, progression and provision
• return to the law: regression

III. Demonstration from the Old Testament (6-9)

• Genesis 12: call of God
• Genesis 15: Abraham justified
• Paul stresses Genesis 12/15
• Judaizers stress Genesis 17: circumcision

IV. Application by way of contrast (10-14)

• issue: How is one “right” with God?
• justification and condemnation
• OT references: Deut. 27:26 (10), Hab. 2:4 (11), Lev. 18:5 (12), Deut. 21:23 (13)
• focus on Christ: what He did, how He did it and why He did it

V. So What?

• “Faith is the currency that spends in God’s economy.” (Spurgeon)
• Reject any belief system that minimizes the mighty transaction of the cross.
• “In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine, a wondrous beauty I see, for ‘twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died, to pardon and sanctify me.” (George Bennard)