The Apostle Paul is the most influential Christian writer of all time, having written 13 of the 27 books in the New Testament. Galatians was the first, and its message about grace still reverberates throughout history.
Talking Points:
- On his first missionary journey, Paul traveled through the region of Galatia to share the gospel and plant churches. He preached about Jesus in the synagogues from a Jewish perspective. Then he expanded beyond the Synagogues and his message exploded among the Gentiles (non-Jewish people). Acts 13:14,43
- A group of false believers infiltrated the Galatian churches to bring a different message. The Judaizers’ message was that salvation = Jesus + works. They wanted to require the Gentile believers to become Torah-observant and get circumcised, eat kosher, observe the Sabbath, etc. The biblical message is clear from cover to cover: salvation = Jesus + nothing.
- Paul wrote Galatians in response to the false “gospel” of the Judaizers. The central theme of Galatians is the “sweet spot” of grace, where there is true freedom – not bondage to works on one side or to sin on the other. Galatians 1:6-8, Romans 3:22
Discussion:
- Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- Have you ever been on a missions trip? If you have, share about it and how it impacted you.
- Read Acts 13:14,43. Why do you think Paul and Barnabas went to the synagogue instead of somewhere else? Why did they emphasize grace in their teachings?
- Review the Judaizers equation: Salvation=Jesus + works. What’s wrong with the equation? Why would Paul call them false believers?
- Read Galatians 1:6-8. What are some modern day beliefs that twist the Good News of the Gospel? How is that impacting the Church today?
- Read Romans 3:22. What makes us right with God? Why doesn’t grace give us a license to sin?
- Have you trusted in Jesus alone for salvation? Or have you fallen for a different “gospel”?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
