Who wrote the book?
For whom was the book written for?
What is the purpose of the book?
-Will this book tell a story or is it a letter?
CHAPTER 1
Vs :1 Who sent him?
Vs 3-5: What does this verse say?
Jesus rescued you from this evil world. Does your life reflect your gratitude of being rescued?
Have you transferred your loyalty from this world to Christ?
Vs6-10: Some people during this time were preaching the gospel different. They taught that salvation was by living by the Jewish law and custom such as circumcision and diet. Faith in Christ was enough. This undermines that salvation is a gift not a reward for certain deeds. There is only one way for salvation, and that is by what mean?
Vs 10 Do you spend your life trying to please everybody?
Who’s approval are you seeking, Other or God’s?
If other’s, why?
Why does it matter that you please others?
What about God’s approval, why does it matter?
Vs11-14 Where did Paul’s message come from?
Why was Paul’s message better than others?
Paul had a proven history and acceptance, by his conversion, by the church that he was sent by God.
Vs 16-18 Paul spent 3 years away learning form God. The he consulted Peter. Paul built his relationship with the Lord.
Vs 24 Paul begins to preach and people recognize him and notice the difference in him.
We may not have the same experience as Paul, but still our life should honor God in every way. When people look at you, do they recognize that God has made changes in you?
If not why?
What are you going to do to change that?
What did you learn from Chapter 1?
CHAPTER 2
Vs 1-3 Paul, even thought he had been preaching for 14 years, submitted himself to the Apostles about what he was preaching. When you have a revelation about something, do you discuss it with your authority, such as parents or pastors, to be sure you’re on the right path?
Vs 4 Who do you think the false brethren/brother might have been that were trying to bring bondage to them?
Vs 5 When someone tries to bring bondage into your life about your Christian walk, what should you do?
Vs 6 According to this verse, does God have favorites?
Vs 7-9 did Paul receive the approval of the pillars of the church?
Who are the pillars of the church according to verse 9?
What are the pillars also known as?
Vs 10 What did the apostles tell Paul to remember?
Vs 11-17 Why did Paul feel that he needed to correct Peter?
Who’s action was right, Peter or Paul?
Do leaders miss it from time to time?
This is why accountability is so important. To have someone else in our life who may see our action and help us see our wrongful ways. If Paul didn’t bring correction to Peter what would have the result been because of Peter’s actions toward the Christian Gentiles?
Vs 15-17 If observing the Jewish laws cannot justify us, why should we still obey the Ten Commandments and other Old Testament laws?
Paul was not against the law, but the law cannot make us acceptable to God. The law is still important and has a role to play in the life of a Christian.
The law: 1) guards us from sin by giving us standards for behavior, 2) convicts us of sin, leaving us opportunity to ask for God’s forgiveness and 3) drives us to trust in the sufficiency of Christ because we can never keep the Ten Commandments perfectly. The law can not save us, but after we become Christians, it can guide us to live as God requires.
Vs 17 From whom should we seek justification from?
Who saves us?
We as humans can never keep the law perfectly, that is why we seek our salvation from Jesus Christ by faith and not by our actions.
Vs 20 What does this verse mean to you?
What does it mean by, “I have been crucified with Christ”?
We are no longer alone for Christ lives in us. He is our power for living and our hope for the future.
Vs 21 Believers today may still be in danger of acting as if Christ died for nothing. How?
What did you learn from Chapter 2?
Chapter 3
Vs 1-4: What do you think happened to the Galatians that Paul would talk to them in this way?
Vs 5-9: What was Paul trying to remind the Galatians about?
Vs 10-14: What was the law that Paul was referring to?
See Deut. 27:26. Paul referenced this passage.
The “curse” brings condemnation because everyone has broken the “law” at one time or another. But Christ took the curse upon himself by hanging on a “tree’=Cross. He did that so that we would not have to endure our own punishment. We just have to accept Christ by faith to be saved from the curse. Also part of the Jewish law was that anyone who wanted to be considered Children of God must be circumcised. The Galatians during this time were teaching that no one could be an heir to Abraham without being circumcised.
Vs 15-18: The law was established to reveal God’s nature and how we are to live. However, the law also revealed our imperfections and how we cannot live without God’s promise/covenant made with Abraham.
Vs 19-20 What purpose did the law serve?
Vs 21-25 What is life like before faith?
What is life with faith?
Vs 26-29 What does these scriptures mean to you? Summarize verses 26-29.
What did you learn from Chapter 3?
Chapter 4
Vs 1-2 The law back then was that a child/son was seen as a slave, even though he was an heir to their father, until the time that the Father established as adulthood.
Vs 3-7 What do these verses say to you?
Under Roman law, an adopted child was guaranteed all legal rights to his father’s property, even if he was formerly a slave. He was not a second class son; he was equal to all other sons. As adopted children of God, we share with Jesus all rights to God’s resources.
Vs 8-12 Once again, Paul was addressing the “Salvation by Grace”. Why? What was he telling the Christians this time?
Vs13-16 Paul was accepted and received by the Galatians. Once Paul brought correction to their lives, they treated Paul as if he was an enemy. How do you respond when correction is brought into your life? Do you humbly listen and take it to the Lord or does the messenger become your enemy?
Vs 17 The false teachers claimed to be religious authorities and experts in Judaism and Christianity. Appealing to the believers’ desire to do what was right, they drew quite a following. Paul said, however, that they were wrong and that their motives were selfish. False teachers are often respectable and persuasive. That is why all teachings should be checked against the Bible.
Vs 18-20 Paul was a spiritual father to them and it grieved him to know that those whose lives he invented into were going back to their previous ways of living.
Vs 21-31 Paul contrasted those who are enslaved to the law with those who are fee from the law. Paul explained that what happened to Sarah and Hagar is an allegory/picture of the relationship between God and people. Paul was using a type of argument that was common in his day and that was probably being used against him by his opponents.
What did you learn from Chapter 4?
Chapter 5
Vs 1 What is this verse saying?
Christ came to set us free from laws and regulations. Christ came to set us free, not for whatever we want to do because that leads back to selfish desires (slavery), but to live unselfishly.
Vs 2-4 What did Paul mean by that God can not help you?
Christ’s provision for our salvation will not help us if we are trying to save ourselves. Obeying the law does not make it any easier for God to save us. All we can do is accept his gracious gift through faith. Our deeds of service must never be used to try to earn God’s love or favor. Trying to save ourselves by keeping all God’s law only separates us from God.
Vs 5-6 How are we to live? Why?
Vs 6 “Faith expressing itself in love.” What is meant by this?
Vs 7-10 What and who is Paul talking about?
Vs 11-12 What does Paul’s persecution have to do with any of this?
Vs 13 Paul says we are to live in freedom not to sin but to do what?
If we are free, then why can’t we do whatever we want?
Freedom or license to sin is no freedom at all, because it enslaves you to Satan, others, or your own sinful nature. Christians are free to do right and to glorify God through loving service to others.
Vs 14-15 Without love, we become critical of each other. Have you ever talked behind someone’s back? What was you focus on, negative or positive?
If there are problems that need to be addressed, it is better to confront in love than to gossip.
Vs 16-18 What forces are fighting each other constantly? Why? (use backside if needed)
Vs 19-21 What does fleshy desires produce?
Vs 22-23 List the Fruit of the Spirit:
Vs 24-26 What does this mean to you?
God is interested in every part of our life, not just the spiritual part. As we live by the Holy Spirit’s power, we need to submit every aspect of our life to God: emotional, physical, social, intellectual, and vocational. Because you are saved, you should live like it. The Holy Spirit is your source of your life, so follow his leading.
What did you learn from Chapter 5?
Chapter 6
Vs 1-3 No Christian should ever think that he or she is totally independent and doesn’t need help from other, and not should feel excused from the task of helping others. If a Christian brother/sister needs correction or encouragement, what will you do?
Vs 4-5 When you do your very best, do you feel good about the results? Do you need to compare yourself to others? Why/Why not?
People make comparisons for many reasons. Some point out others’ flaws in order to feel better about themselves. Other simply want reassurance that they are doing well. When you are tempted to compare, look at Jesus Christ. His example should inspire you to do your very best, and his loving acceptance will comfort you when you fall short of your expectations.
Vs 6 What do you think this scripture is saying?
Vs 7-8 What does this verse mean to you?
It’s a natural law to reap what we sow. If you gossip about your friends, you will lose their friendship. Every action has results. If you plant to please your own desires, you’ll reap a crop of sorrow and evil. If you plant to please God, you’ll reap joy and everlasting life. What seeds are you sowing?
Vs 9-10 What is Paul telling us not to do? Why?
Do we always receive the results we want, when we want them? Why is that?
Vs 11 (Up to this point, Paul probably dictated the letter to a secretary. Here he takes the pen into his own hand to write his final, personal greetings.)
Vs 12-13 Some of the Judaizers were emphasizing circumcision as proof of holiness-but ignoring the other Jewish laws. People often choose a certain principle or prohibition and make it the measure of faith. Some may abhor drunkenness but ignore gluttony. Other may despise promiscuity but tolerate prejudice. The Bible in its entirety is our rule of faith and practice. Can we pick and choose the mandates we follow?
Vs 14 Things of this world were not important to Paul. How much do the interest of this world matter to you? Why?
Do the interests of this world really matter?
Vs 15-16 What is it that really matters?
Vs 17-18 If you believe in Jesus Christ, you have been set free. Instead of going back into some form of slavery, whether to legalism or sin, use you freedom to live for Christ and serve him as he desires.
What did you learn from Chapter 6?
Candy McKee 