Know: Explain the relationship between the promise of salvation and the law.
Feel: Sense the contrast between our relationship to God through His promise of grace and through the law.
Do: Accept the promise of grace through faith while at the same time benefiting from the law.
Learning Outline:
Know: Covenant Promise
How is God’s regard for the law reflected in His plan for justification by faith?
What is the purpose of the law in a system based on God’s promise of grace?
Feel: Intimate Encounters
How did the power and drama of the encounter with God at Mount Sinai teach Israel about God’s nature?
How does this encounter with God compare and contrast with the intimate relationship that God had with Abraham and His promises to Him?
Do: Pathway to the Promise
How may we choose to benefit from relating to the law as a mirror, teacher, and guide to Christ?
How can we use this relationship to the law to help us develop a more intimate relationship with the Promise Giver?
How can the law increase our faith?
Summary: Our salvation is based on our acceptance, by faith, of Christ’s righteousness and redemption. The law serves to illustrate God’s character and mirror our own deficiencies, leading us to the only Source of righteousness.
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: This week’s lesson seeks to help us understand the role of the law—the “law of love.” Our ability to practice this law in our faith walk is the manifestation of divine grace.
Just for Teachers: A good thought/discussion exercise to pursue with your class is to ponder why Paul spends so much time distinguishing between the role of faith in salvation and the role of the law. Focus on the cultural context of the time to help further elucidate why the Galatians needed instruction with respect to the role of faith and the law in salvation and the lesson Paul is trying to impart.
Discuss With the Class: We know from reading the Bible and tracking the story of the Jewish people that the law, both moral and ceremonial, was central to their culture and tied intricately to their faith in the coming of the Messiah. In Exodus we read of God giving the law and also His instructions about which tribes and persons should be tasked with leadership in assuring those laws, both their implementation and survival. Yet, is it not interesting that Jesus had very little to do with the established “religious” leaders of the day—the rabbis, scribes, Sadducees, Pharisees, and so on—when these were the very leaders who were focused on the preservation of the law?
Consider This: We can discern from Jesus’ lack of engagement with these leaders that the law they were focused on was not the law with which Jesus was concerned. The Pharisees and Sadducees wanted “compliance” with standards, and when individuals were out of compliance, they were there to judge and punish the offenders (John 8:1–11). Jesus and the law He was concerned with dealt with few of the things the established church of the day was interested in upholding. Why was this so?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: A culture of legalism occurs in faith communities when the understanding and practice of the “law” shifts away from God’s “law of love” to the modeling of human-made laws and legal systems. We know from reading the Bible that the religious culture into which Jesus was born had become legalistic even though, in principle, the Jewish religion always was grace-oriented. We see evidence that this legalistic culture continued throughout His life and after His death, necessitating Paul’s letter to the Galatians, which desperately sought to redraw emphasis on the gospel, namely that we are saved by grace through faith and that God’s law is a “law of love and grace.” Perhaps the extent to which we struggle with the concepts set out in Galatians—specifically the role of faith and the law in the life of believers—reflects that too often we, too, like those in Jesus’ day, need to reorient our thinking.
Bible Commentary
In order to appreciate fully the message that Paul is seeking to relay in Galatians about the role and relationship of faith and adherence to the law, it is even more important to define the law that is in question. Looking to the cultural context within which Paul is writing can help to identify the law to which he is referring—and the law to which he is not.
During a time in which it seemed as if the whole world was embracing Greek culture, certain Jewish groups arose that were concerned with preserving their cultural and religious traditions. The Sadducees believed that only the five books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) were authoritative, and these men were interested in preserving adherence to the laws laid out in those books. The Pharisees were interested in preserving Jewish ways and particularly the law of Moses, and they developed applications of the law for everyday life. It is interesting, then, that the most famous Pharisee in all the Bible—although few people realize that that’s what he once had been—is the apostle Paul (Phil. 3:5). Who better, then, to write the letters of the Bible, such as Galatians, which sought to change the thinking perpetuated by the teachings of the Pharisees and similar groups fixated on the rigorous application of the law to all facets of life in society?
The challenge of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and how their story is instructive to this lesson, is that the law at the root of their interest included, but was not limited to, the same law we are interested in and value—the Ten Commandments. It is of paramount importance, then, to learn from the mistakes they made in subverting the very law of God they outwardly claimed to uphold. When Jesus was on earth, He reserved His harshest words for them.
It is important to remember that God’s law derives from the nature of God’s perfect moral code and character. God’s law is universal, transcendent, and inspired to exhort us to live fully and completely in the shadow of His grace. God’s law is there to instruct and guide us in how to come closer to the Divine and how to gain a richer and deeper understanding of His love. As Paul states in Galatians 5:14, the law is summed up in one directive: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself ” (NKJV). Having the law of God in your heart means having love in your heart (Ps. 40:8). A community of faith that has the law of love in their hearts can never be one that is legalistic in a human sense. Further, belief in God and a focus on His gift of life to us can do nothing but instill love in us for others, naturally showing how faith leads to the law of love in our hearts.
Consider this: How does considering Paul’s message in Galatians 3, within the cultural and religious context of the time, shed light on the relationship between faith and observing the law? How does the law function in our growth in God’s grace—the results of which are the fruit of the Spirit, noted in Galatians 5:22—the first of which is love, followed by joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: The lesson study used the metaphor of the law functioning as a magnifying glass so that we can better see our own sins. Encourage the class to discuss how the law might be used in different ways—for example, ways that help us to focus on the beautiful character of God and the ways in which the law can help us enact godly principles in our lives. Encourage students to adapt new ways of thinking about the law, since what we emphasize and focus on translates into how we act and live in ways we aren’t even aware of. As Hebrews 12:2 states: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (NIV); focusing on the beautiful character of God helps us to enact the very principles He established in living out the law.
Thought Questions:
How does understanding the context of the religious culture in the New Testament help to illuminate what Paul is saying to the Galatians in chapter 3?
Why is it that Galatians 3 continues to be so relevant today, particularly in light of the fact that the issue of faith versus works is a continuing point of dialogue and discussion in faith communities?
STEP 4—Create
Many of us, in the privacy of our hearts, feel judged either by others or by our own internal standards with respect to the ways we fail in keeping God’s law. How does the lesson Paul shares in Galatians help us reorient our minds and hearts? How can refocusing on our faith in God, His grace, through the perfect gift and beautiful character of Jesus, soften our hearts toward our own failings and those of others? How can we, drawing from that spirit of forgiveness and grace, refocus our lives to truly live out our highest calling to be sons and daughters of Christ by grace alone through faith, living a life in keeping with God’s law and bearing all the fruits of the Spirit?
What can you do—first in your own life and then within your family, your circle of friends, and finally your community of faith—to reorient the emphasis of conversations and activities to a faith-based (as opposed to a works-based) experience in God?
Second, if our understanding of God’s law is currently aligned more with human legal applications, how can we refocus our understanding of the law of God as being that of love? How can that translate into churches, schools, and other communities so that we uplift others by focusing on the opportunity for happiness and peace (for ourselves and others) through the law of love?
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Key Text: Galatians 3:18
The Student Will:
Learning Outline:
Summary: Our salvation is based on our acceptance, by faith, of Christ’s righteousness and redemption. The law serves to illustrate God’s character and mirror our own deficiencies, leading us to the only Source of righteousness.
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: This week’s lesson seeks to help us understand the role of the law—the “law of love.” Our ability to practice this law in our faith walk is the manifestation of divine grace.
Just for Teachers: A good thought/discussion exercise to pursue with your class is to ponder why Paul spends so much time distinguishing between the role of faith in salvation and the role of the law. Focus on the cultural context of the time to help further elucidate why the Galatians needed instruction with respect to the role of faith and the law in salvation and the lesson Paul is trying to impart.
Discuss With the Class: We know from reading the Bible and tracking the story of the Jewish people that the law, both moral and ceremonial, was central to their culture and tied intricately to their faith in the coming of the Messiah. In Exodus we read of God giving the law and also His instructions about which tribes and persons should be tasked with leadership in assuring those laws, both their implementation and survival. Yet, is it not interesting that Jesus had very little to do with the established “religious” leaders of the day—the rabbis, scribes, Sadducees, Pharisees, and so on—when these were the very leaders who were focused on the preservation of the law?
Consider This: We can discern from Jesus’ lack of engagement with these leaders that the law they were focused on was not the law with which Jesus was concerned. The Pharisees and Sadducees wanted “compliance” with standards, and when individuals were out of compliance, they were there to judge and punish the offenders (John 8:1–11). Jesus and the law He was concerned with dealt with few of the things the established church of the day was interested in upholding. Why was this so?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: A culture of legalism occurs in faith communities when the understanding and practice of the “law” shifts away from God’s “law of love” to the modeling of human-made laws and legal systems. We know from reading the Bible that the religious culture into which Jesus was born had become legalistic even though, in principle, the Jewish religion always was grace-oriented. We see evidence that this legalistic culture continued throughout His life and after His death, necessitating Paul’s letter to the Galatians, which desperately sought to redraw emphasis on the gospel, namely that we are saved by grace through faith and that God’s law is a “law of love and grace.” Perhaps the extent to which we struggle with the concepts set out in Galatians—specifically the role of faith and the law in the life of believers—reflects that too often we, too, like those in Jesus’ day, need to reorient our thinking.
Bible Commentary
In order to appreciate fully the message that Paul is seeking to relay in Galatians about the role and relationship of faith and adherence to the law, it is even more important to define the law that is in question. Looking to the cultural context within which Paul is writing can help to identify the law to which he is referring—and the law to which he is not.
During a time in which it seemed as if the whole world was embracing Greek culture, certain Jewish groups arose that were concerned with preserving their cultural and religious traditions. The Sadducees believed that only the five books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) were authoritative, and these men were interested in preserving adherence to the laws laid out in those books. The Pharisees were interested in preserving Jewish ways and particularly the law of Moses, and they developed applications of the law for everyday life. It is interesting, then, that the most famous Pharisee in all the Bible—although few people realize that that’s what he once had been—is the apostle Paul (Phil. 3:5). Who better, then, to write the letters of the Bible, such as Galatians, which sought to change the thinking perpetuated by the teachings of the Pharisees and similar groups fixated on the rigorous application of the law to all facets of life in society?
The challenge of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and how their story is instructive to this lesson, is that the law at the root of their interest included, but was not limited to, the same law we are interested in and value—the Ten Commandments. It is of paramount importance, then, to learn from the mistakes they made in subverting the very law of God they outwardly claimed to uphold. When Jesus was on earth, He reserved His harshest words for them.
It is important to remember that God’s law derives from the nature of God’s perfect moral code and character. God’s law is universal, transcendent, and inspired to exhort us to live fully and completely in the shadow of His grace. God’s law is there to instruct and guide us in how to come closer to the Divine and how to gain a richer and deeper understanding of His love. As Paul states in Galatians 5:14, the law is summed up in one directive: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself ” (NKJV). Having the law of God in your heart means having love in your heart (Ps. 40:8). A community of faith that has the law of love in their hearts can never be one that is legalistic in a human sense. Further, belief in God and a focus on His gift of life to us can do nothing but instill love in us for others, naturally showing how faith leads to the law of love in our hearts.
Consider this: How does considering Paul’s message in Galatians 3, within the cultural and religious context of the time, shed light on the relationship between faith and observing the law? How does the law function in our growth in God’s grace—the results of which are the fruit of the Spirit, noted in Galatians 5:22—the first of which is love, followed by joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: The lesson study used the metaphor of the law functioning as a magnifying glass so that we can better see our own sins. Encourage the class to discuss how the law might be used in different ways—for example, ways that help us to focus on the beautiful character of God and the ways in which the law can help us enact godly principles in our lives. Encourage students to adapt new ways of thinking about the law, since what we emphasize and focus on translates into how we act and live in ways we aren’t even aware of. As Hebrews 12:2 states: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (NIV); focusing on the beautiful character of God helps us to enact the very principles He established in living out the law.
Thought Questions:
STEP 4—Create
Many of us, in the privacy of our hearts, feel judged either by others or by our own internal standards with respect to the ways we fail in keeping God’s law. How does the lesson Paul shares in Galatians help us reorient our minds and hearts? How can refocusing on our faith in God, His grace, through the perfect gift and beautiful character of Jesus, soften our hearts toward our own failings and those of others? How can we, drawing from that spirit of forgiveness and grace, refocus our lives to truly live out our highest calling to be sons and daughters of Christ by grace alone through faith, living a life in keeping with God’s law and bearing all the fruits of the Spirit?