SURREY CHAPEL – Fellowship Group Notes for the 10th/11th October 2012
Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians

Chapter 3 : 1-25 The Law and the Gospel

F.B.Meyer –The Law leads to Christ. The Mosaic Law was not designed to be the final code of the religious life, but to prepare the soil of the human heart to receive Jesus Christ in all the fullness of His salvation. 
Dr John MacArthur -Because these believers had allowed themselves to be deceived, they also were projecting to the deceived unbelievers around them the thinking that Christianity was a matter of law rather than faith. They had robbed themselves of the fullness of God’s blessing and were in danger of robbing the world of the knowledge of the only way of salvation.

FOOLISHNESS   v 1-9
How would you define ‘foolishness’ and ‘bewitched’.
Why does Paul call the Galatian Christians foolish? (v1 & v3)
A)-The Gospel and the Galatians
v1 	What had been presented to them?
v2	How did they respond and Who did they receive?
v3-5	How had their reliance changed?
Warning –don’t fall back on human effort. We can only be saved by Christ, and then continuing on with Him and finally ‘finishing the race’ with Christ - - and it is all by grace.
B)-The Gospel and Abraham.
          v6      What did Abraham do? See also Hebrews 11v8-11 (note- not ‘believed in God’
          –    but ‘believed God’).   What did he receive? Can you explain what the means?
         v8-9   How do we benefit from this –and how is v9 an assurance for us?
What are we in danger of substituting for faith?
ONE WAY ONLY    v 10 – 14
A) Problem of the Law v 10 -12
         v10   Is shocking. Who is under the curse?  What is Paul saying about someone who  
         seeks to ‘earn’ God’s acceptance? Are they not doomed to failure?
         v11-12  What does relying on the law have to do with faith? 
B) Promised blessing  v 13-14
        v13   What is God’s method for removing the curse? What does ‘redeemed’ mean?
        v14   How have we benefited and what have we received? How do these blessings come
        to us? See also –Romans 5v1-2 and Romans 8v2  
WHY THE LAW?    v 15 – 25
A) Promise which is changeless v15-18
        v15  What example does Paul use? A will cannot be changed –after death of the person.
        v16  Now Paul takes us to a binding deal –what is it?
        v17-18 Note the word ‘promise’. Who make it, confirms it and brings it to pass?
B) Purpose of the law   v19-25
        v19  What is the question and answer that Pal gives?
        v20-21 –Is saying what the purpose is not
        v23-25 How does explain that the law leads us to Christ?.
If you had to make the case for grace, to a religious friend who insisted that ‘salvation can’t be a free gift!’ ‘Surely, we have to do our part’, what would you say?
												D.J.
PRAYER POINTS:
Praise God for the priceless privileges that belong to us in Christ.
Pray that we might be living as a son and heir.
Surrey Seniors –Oct 19th –History of Eastons Coaches
Surrey Smarties – meeting on Friday at 10 am