Series Summary:

#Galatians #2026

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Starter

If you have surrendered your life to Jesus, what is something that He has set you free from?

Pray

Study Questions

"Gospel" in Greek is εὐαγγέλιον (transliterated as euangelion), which translates literally to "good news" or "glad tidings". Derived from eu ("good") and angelia ("message" or "tidings"), it was used in the New Testament to describe the announcement of salvation through Jesus Christ (Yahweh is Salvation the Messiah). The word gospel is used 76 times in the New Testament. Galatians uses the word gospel more than any other new testament book.

In chapter one Paul writes, ”I am amazed that you are so quickly turning away from Him who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel.”(1:6) In Chapter two He writes, “But we did not give up and submit to these people for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel  would be preserved for you.”(2:5). Chapter three tells the church to place their faith in the gospel. “The Scripture saw in advance that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and told the good news ahead of time to Abraham.” (3:8) Now He reminds believers that of their identity that they are heirs of the gospel. “And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise.” (3:29) He repeats that identity telling them they are children of the gospel “Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.” (4:28) Now we have the freedom of the gospel. “For you were called to be free, brothers; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.” (5:13)

READ: Galatians 5:1-16

  1. Galatians 5:1 states, “Christ has liberated us to be free. Stand firm then and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
    1. What is the natural response of someone who has been set free and liberated? (short term and long term)
    2. When believers are not responding in those ways, what are they saying to themselves and to others about the freedom of the gospel?
  2. How does Romans 8:1-3 help us to understand Galatians 5:1?
  3. What 3 things do the following verses tell us to “stand firm” in?
    READ: Exodus 14:13, 1 Corinthians 16:13, 2 Thessalonians 2:15
    1. What might those things look like practically day in and day out to live in freedom?
  4. A yoke is a farming implement put on an animal that connects them to the work they were created and purchased to do. What are the “yokes” of slavery that people tend to put back on and submit to in christian circles today?
  5. What do the following verses teach us about the symbol of the “yoke”? READ: Leviticus 26:13, Deuteronomy 28:47, 1 Kings 12:4, Matthew 11:28-30, Galatians 5:1

Circumcision was the Old Testament outward fleshly symbol given to God’s surrendered covenant men who were to believe and lead in the Lord coming to save them. Circumcision did not save people. Jesus called the circumcised religious leaders “sons of their father the devil”, “a brood of vipers”, “fools”, and “hypocrites”. When Jesus crucified His flesh, He set us free from that covenant and established the outward symbol of water baptism in place of circumcision as we wait for His coming final salvation.

  1. How was the motive for people getting circumcised the issue according to **Galatians 5:2-6** and not just the act itself?
  2. Paul praised Titus, who was fully greek, for not going along with the legalists who told him he needed to be circumcised to be fully saved. (Galatians 2:3-5) Paul also required that Timothy who was half Jewish be circumcised if he was going to go on the missionary journeys with him. (Acts 16:3) Why?
    1. What is the typical response of “free” Christians today when they are asked by church elders to do something like Paul asked of Timothy? Why?

Galatians 5:5 says, “For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.”

  1. Discuss why a modern false translation of Galatians 5:5 might be something like, “For through our strength, by sight, we eagerly make things happen for the hope of what we think we want to be right.”
  2. What things does Galatians 5:5 say will be evident in our lives if we are living in freedom through the Spirit?