This Sunday Trinity Community Church begins its series preaching through Galatians and James.
Galatians: Faith Alone
James: Faith That Is Not Alone
Below is a Galatians Primer of various quotes and thoughts to prepare our hearts for our study. Each paragraph and the various quotes can stand alone. Read them, consider them, and then read the letter to the Galatians in one sitting. This post is intended to stir your minds to begin thinking, Galatians. If you are not a part of Trinity and would like to follow along in our series you can do so here.
Speaking of the letter to the Galatians William Hendrickson writes,
“It is important because in any age it answers the basic question asked by the human heart: ‘How can I find true happiness?’ ‘How can I obtain peace, tranquility, freedom from fear?'”
William Hendrickson
The problem in Galatia was not their knowledge of the Gospel, it was in the application of the Gospel. The churches of Galatia had Gospel knowledge while lacking Gospel living. They weren’t living in the good of the Gospel and the result of this was that it cheapened Christ sacrifice and elevated their works. The problem in Galatia way back then is our problem today. That is why we preach Galatians!
“The epistle to the Galatians is my epistle. To it I am, as it were, in wedlock. It is my Katherine.”
Martin Luther
Galatians IS Gospel. It is a clear, unapologetic, unpacking of the glorious Gospel. It reveals to us that we are bigger sinners than we might think and we are saved by a bigger Savior than we might believe. These truths create a radical new transformed life in the Spirit that calls us to Gospel driven growth, obedience, and dependence.
The book of Galatians is dynamite. It is an explosion of joy and freedom which leaves us enjoying a deep significance, security and satisfaction—the life of blessing God calls His people into. Why? Because it brings us face to face with the gospel. It’s very common in Christian circles to assume that “the gospel” is something mainly for non-Christians. We see it as a set of basic “ABC” doctrines that are the way in which someone enters the kingdom of God. We often assume that once we’re converted, we don’t need to hear or study or understand the gospel—we need more “advanced” material. But in this short letter, Paul outlines the bombshell truth that the gospel is the A to Z of the Christian life. It is not only the way to enter the kingdom; it is the way to live as part of the kingdom. It is the way Christ transforms people, churches and communities.
Tim Keller
Galatians has been called:
“the battle cry of the Reformation”
“the great charter of religious freedom”
“the Christian declaration of independence”
Galatians is an important letter for us to consider in our day! We have more in common with the Christians in Galatia then we might first think. I like to say that Galatians has the warning label written on its review mirror: “Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.” Though Galatian people and the Galatian problem is distant… the problems are closer than they appear. The Christian church today is in danger of losing its grip on the Gospel. Galatians helps us to see our Gospel need and then respond to it.
“The gospel is accepted – The gospel is assumed – The gospel is confused – The gospel is lost.”
Mack Stiles, Marks of A Messenger
The road of the Gospel contains two ditches. One being legalism, the other, license. Galatians addresses both.
“…Genuine liberty is neither legalism nor license. It is the freedom of ‘bondage to Christ'”
William Hendrickson
“I fear that the cross, without ever being disowned, is constantly in danger of being dismissed from the central place it must enjoy, by relatively peripheral insights that take on far too much weight. Whenever the periphery is in danger of displacing the center, we are not far removed from idolatry.”
D.A. Carson
“For all around us we see Christians and churches relaxing their grasp on the gospel, fumbling it, in danger of letting it drop from their hands altogether.”
John Stott
“The gospel is not only the most important message in all of history; it is the only essential message in all of history. Yet we allow thousands of professing Christians to live their entire lives without clearly understanding it and experiencing the joy of living by it.”
Jerry Bridges
Can’t wait!