This course explores Galatians through four key questions:

Galatians 1:1-24 asks, What’s at stake when we focus on people-pleasing? In this session we will get familiar with the basic historical situation in which Galatians was written so that we can better appreciate the letter. We will also start to examine how we deal with all the expectations that individuals and institutions have of us, and how we can never meet them all. We will start to see God’s solution to this most human of problems.

Galatians 2:1-21 asks, Can there be more than one gospel? There are many religions and denominations, but can there be more than one gospel, more than one “good news” from a God who loves us? We explore in this session the Apostolic Council, the word gospel, and what it means to be saved from our efforts and to experience true grace.

Galatians 3:6-29; 5:18 asks, Why did God send the law? What do we do with it now? The Bible is full of expectations that God has of us. If Christ frees us of this law, then what do we do with all the rules, including the Ten Commandments? Are we still obligated to follow them? Here, Paul urges us to leave behind the “guardian” of the law and focus on something else (see next question)!

Galatians 3:1-5; 5:1-26, 6:8-10 asks, What would it take to turn your spirituality upside down? If, as we previously learned, we are no longer obligated to follow the law, what is left over? Paul shows us that the remaining two choices are “the flesh” and “the Spirit.” Life in the Spirit is the key to transformation and Christian lifestyle. We will explore what it means to live by the Holy Spirit. How can this transform our relationship with God and with one another?

This Bible Study will lead us into October and is a perfect primer for our Reformation Day celebration on Sunday, October 31, 2021!