Sunday School Lesson

1. Galatians 2:1-21
True Grace
September 9, 2018
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA
What’s the number one thing?
http://quotesthoughtsrandom.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/first-things-first.jpg
The Glory of God!
https://forgodalmighty.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/cropped-sunset1.jpg
1 Corinthians 10:31 NKJV
31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6tzRiT-BrDs/TIGM_Ih3dAI/AAAAAAAAAX0/0AJWPvlAfqw/s640/Gods+Glory.jpg

2. September Memory Verse
Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with
thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God,
which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through
Christ Jesus.
References
• Stott, John R. W., The Message of Galatians (Leicester, England, Inter-
Varsity Press, 1968).
• Walton, John H., and Keener, Craig S., NKJV New Cultural Backgrounds
Study Bible (Grand Rapids, Zondervan, 2017).
• MacArthur, John, The MacArthur Study Bible (Nashville, TN, Word
Publishing, 1997).
Approach to Today’s Scriptures
• Read Galatians 2:1-21.
• Complete Paul’s defense of his apostleship.
• Review Paul’s public conflict with Peter.
• Focus on the meaning of “justification by faith.”
Introduction to Galatians
• Paul had evangelized the southern province of Galatia on his 1st
missionary journey (Acts 13 & 14).
• The main cities were Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe.
• In each city a church (congregation) had been established.
• Galatians is Paul’s letter to churches in these cities 3 years later.

3. The Problem in the Galatian Churches – False Teachers.
• Judaizers – Jewish Christians who believed that Jewish ceremonial
practices of the OT were still binding on the NT church.
• These false teachers said Gentiles had to convert to a form of Judaism to
become Christians.
• These false teachers also attacked Paul’s teachings by attacking his
qualifications as an apostle (someone taught directly by Jesus).
The Common Denominator in False Teachings.
• Faith alone in Christ alone for salvation is not enough.
• Man must somehow contribute to his own salvation.
• All false teachings have components of “salvation by works” in their
teachings.
• The Judaizers were teaching “legalism” which required following rituals for
salvation.
Bottom line for the false teaching of “salvation by works.”
• By your obedience to the law, you yourself must finish what Christ has
begun.
• Salvation by Works = You must finish Christ’s unfinished work!
• CHRIST’S WORK IS FINISHED!
John 19:30a NKJV
30a So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!”
What are some false teachings in churches today?
1. Moralism – The Christian life is one of effort in which God blesses those who
do good.
2. Legalism – We earn favor with God by what we do through obedience to
rules and regulations.
3. Antinomianism – “against the law” – obedience is no longer required
when you believe in Jesus.
4. Universalism – All people will be saved and all paths of salvation lead to
God.
How can we recognize false teachers?
A Test of Three Questions:
1. What do they believe about the Bible?
2. What do they believe about Jesus?
3. What do they believe about the way to Salvation (How to be saved from
your sins)?

4. Paul defends his apostleship in Galatians 1:11-24
• Paul considered himself an “apostle” (taught directly by Jesus) because
of the 3 years Jesus taught him in the Arabian desert after the resurrection.
• When Paul went to Jerusalem after these 3 years and talked with Peter
and James, the gospel message of Paul was exactly the same as the
other apostles.
Galatians 2:1-2 NKJV
1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also
took Titus with me. 2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them
that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were
of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain.
• This meeting with the Jerusalem Council, described in Acts 15, addressed
the Judaizers.
Galatians 2:3-10 NKJV
3 Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be
circumcised. 4 And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in
(who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that
they might bring us into bondage), 5 to whom we did not yield submission even
for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
6 But from those who seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no
difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who
seemed to be something added nothing to me. 7 But on the contrary, when they
saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the
gospel for the circumcised was to Peter 8 (for He who worked effectively in Peter
for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the
Gentiles), 9 and when James, Cephas (Peter), and John, who seemed to be
pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and
Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they
to the circumcised. 10 They desired only that we should remember the poor, the
very thing which I also was eager to do.
• Peter, James and John validated Paul’s apostleship and his calling to the
Gentiles.
• The Jerusalem Council’s decision did not validate the requirements of the
Judaizers.

5. Galatians 2:11-14 NKJV
11 Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he
was to be blamed; 12 for before certain men came from James, he would eat
with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself,
fearing those who were of the circumcision (Judaizers). 13 And the rest of the
Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried
away with their hypocrisy.
14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel,
I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles
and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?
What was Peter’s mistake?
• The Judaizers lied about James’ endorsement in v. 12.
• Peter withdrew from fellowship (meals & maybe Lord’s Supper) with the
Gentiles after the Judaizers came to Antioch.
• Peter was afraid of losing popularity with the legalistic Judaizers.
• Peter lacked the courage of his convictions.
Galatians 2:15-16 NKJV
15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 knowing that a
man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we
have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not
by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
• Verse 16 – Key verse of the Protestant Reformation.
Galatians 2:17-19 NKJV
17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found
sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I build again
those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the
law died to the law that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ; it
is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the
flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. 21 I
do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law,
then Christ died in vain.”
What is Paul saying to Peter?
• By standing with the Judaizers, you are denying the need for God’s grace
and nullifying the benefit of Christ’s death.
• Peter’s endorsement of the Judaizer’s views misrepresents God’s saving
grace.
• Salvation is by grace alone – not contingent upon Jewish laws or customs.

6. How can we understand Paul’s words in Galatians 2:16?
Galatians 2:16 NKJV
16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus
Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith
in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall
be justified.
• There are 2 basic things we must first understand:
1. God is righteous and holy.
2. We are not righteous or holy.
▪ Sin separates man from God.
Can man be made right before God?
• Paul uses the word “justified” to describe being right before God.
• “justified” – A judge declaring someone ‘not guilty’ and ‘innocent’ before
the law.
• Bible definition of “justified” – God declaring a sinner not guilty and fully
righteous before Him.
Paul begins by explaining how man cannot be justified before God.
Galatians 2:16a NKJV
16a knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law,
• “the law” – The sum total of God’s commandments.
• “the works of the law” – Acts done in obedience to the law.
• Jews believed that they could be justified by obedience.
• Judaizers believed in faith in Jesus plus obedience to the law (works
added to your faith).
What is wrong with the Jews and Judaizers believing this obedience path?
• In order for this to work, you had to keep the law perfectly from birth to
death – impossible.
• The problem with man is really our sin nature – born to sin and a sinner at
the root (radix in Latin).
• The sin nature in us manifests itself in our sinful actions and thoughts.
What is the purpose of the law?
• It is not a system of rules to be obeyed to be right with God.
• The law serves as a mirror to reveal sin, not a cure for sin.

7. The Law is a Mirror.
Summary by Martin Luther of “justification by faith and not by works.”
“I must harken to the Gospel, which teacheth me, not what I ought to do (for that
is the proper office of the Law), but what Jesus Christ the Son of God hath done
for me: to wit, that he suffered and died to deliver me from sin and death.”
What does “alien righteousness” mean and how does it apply here?
• The righteousness God demands to be justified was earned apart from me
(alien).
• This righteousness was earned entirely apart from any works I might do.
• This righteousness was earned by Christ alone – it is outside of me, or alien
to me.
How is man justified through faith in Christ?
• Imputation – To give, transfer, or grant; to credit something to the account
of another.
• Man is justified by faith in Christ by God imputing man’s sins to Christ, and
then Christ’s righteousness is imputed to man.
Man’s sin is imputed to Christ when we place our faith in Him.
• My sins of the past, the present and the future are imputed to Christ.
• Christ took my sins upon Himself at the cross as my substitute, and He
endured God’s wrath for me.
After our sin is imputed to Christ, then His righteousness is imputed to us.
• Christ’s perfect obedience is counted as mine, and I am declared
righteous.
• By placing my faith in Christ, I am justified before God and my sins are
covered by Christ.
• When God looks at me, He sees Christ’s righteousness and not my sins.

8. Imputation
Another example of imputation in Bible.
• Adam and Eve represented mankind in the Garden of Eden at creation.
• When they sinned (disobeyed God), their sin was imputed to all mankind.
What are some false teachings regarding “imputation”?
• Teaching of Infusion – We are declared righteous when Christ’s
righteousness is poured into us as we participate with the sacraments or
rituals.
• This is what the Judaizers were implying by requiring Jewish laws and
customs to be a part of salvation.
• Man must contribute = salvation by works.
A closer look at Galatians 2:20.
• Galatians 2:20 NKJV
20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives
in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of
God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
1. The Relinquished Life:
2. The Exchanged Life:
3. The Trusting Life:
“I have been crucified with Christ;”
1. The Relinquished Life:
- We surrender our own will and plans and give up ownership of
ourselves to Christ.
- Our goal in life: “Your will be done in me.”

9. “it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;”
2. The Exchanged Life:
- We have exchanged our life (will) for Christ.
- The Christian life is the Lord Jesus Christ daily living His life through us by
means of the Holy Spirit.
- The strength for living this life is from the Holy Spirit, not from our own
strength.
“the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God,”
3. The Trusting Life:
‐ Our human life is lived by faith in Jesus.
‐ We are saved by faith, we work by faith, and we walk with Him day by
day through faith, enjoying His presence and fully trusting His promises.
Sign in a dry-cleaning and dyeing business.
“We dye to live, we live to dye;
the more we dye, the more we live;
and the more we live,
the more we dye.”
Substitute “die” for “dye” apply to Galatians 2:20.
Next Sunday
Galatians 3:1-14
True Life
September 16, 2018
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA
The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
John 3:16 NKJV
16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever
believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

10. John 14:6 NKJV
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through Me.”
Romans 3:23 NKJV
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23a NKJV
23a For the wages of sin is death,
• Death in this life (the first death) is 100%.
• Even Jesus, the one who doesn’t deserve death, died in this life to pay the
penalty for our sin.
• The death referred to in Romans 6:23a is the “second death” explained in
Revelation 21:8.
Revelation 21:8 NKJV
8 “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral,
sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with
fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
Romans 5:8 NKJV
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.
Romans 6:23b NKJV
23b but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Revelation 21:7 NKJV
7 “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be
My son.”
• Romans 10:9-10 explains to us how to be overcomers.
Romans 10:9-10 NKJV
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that
God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one
believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.
Romans 10:13 NKJV
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

11. Have questions or would like to know more?
Please, contact First Baptist Church Jackson at 601-949-1900 or
http://firstbaptistjackson.org/contact/