making the scriptures plain

Notes

Paul was shocked. The believers in the churches of Galatia were listening to those who questioned Paul and his message, the Gospel of grace. In this letter to the Galatian believers, Paul affirmed that this Gospel was revealed to him by Jesus Christ Himself. 'I am amazed,' he said, 'that you are turning away from it so soon. You must have been bewitched if you can't obey the truth that you have been taught.'

He reminded them that no one is justified by anything that they do, but by faith in Jesus Christ. If righteousness came through the law rather than by God's grace then Christ's death would have been in vain, he cried. Instead Jesus Christ was crucified to 'buy us back' from the curse of the law. He became a curse in our place.

God had promised Abraham that one of his descendants would be the Saviour. The law was in fact added 430 years later because of transgression, until the Saviour came. How then could the promise be cancelled by the law?

Paul pointed out that the Scriptures say that everyone is sinful. But for those who believe there is the promise by faith in Jesus. So the law should in fact bring us to Christ, so that we can be justified by faith. Everyone who is baptised is one in Christ and heirs to the promise. For at the right time God did send the promised Saviour, His own Son, to be born of a woman and subject to the law, to redeem those under the law, so that they could be adopted as His sons. So we are not servants but heirs of God through Christ.

Stay free in Christ, Paul urged, not under a yoke of slavery. For if you seek justification through the law, then you are separated from Christ and fallen from grace. With Jesus, faith works through love. So the Galatians' current views clearly did not come from Him. Paul instructed them to support one another in order to fulfill the law of Christ. The people who were influencing them just want to be seen doing the right thing. But with Jesus, what matters is not how good you appear to be but whether or not you have been born again. It's a matter of the heart.

Jesus Christ gave himself for our sins

Gal.1.1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)
Gal.1.3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
Gal.1.4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
Gal.1.5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

For do I now persuade men, or God?

Gal.1.6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Gal.1.7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

Gal.1.10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
Gal.1.11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

Who separated me from my mother's womb

Gal.1.12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Gal.1.15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
Gal.1.16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
Gal.1.19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.
Gal.1.22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:
Gal.2.4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me

Gal.2.16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Gal.2.17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
Gal.2.19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

I am crucified with Christ

Gal.2.20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Gal.2.21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

The law was added because of transgressions

Gal.3.1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
Gal.3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Gal.3.14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Gal.3.16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
Gal.3.17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

Ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator

Gal.3.18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
Gal.3.19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

All the children of God

Gal.3.20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.
Gal.3.22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
Gal.3.24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Gal.3.26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed

Gal.3.27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Gal.3.28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Gal.3.29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

An heir of God through Christ

Gal.4.4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
Gal.4.5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Gal.4.6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Gal.4.7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Gal.4.14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
Gal.4.19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

Stand fast Christ hath made us free

Gal.5.1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Gal.5.2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
Gal.5.4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
Gal.5.6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

Gal.5.8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.
Gal.5.24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Fulfil the law of Christ

Gal.6.2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Gal.6.12 As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.
Gal.6.14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
Gal.6.15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

Gal.6.17 From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
Gal.6.18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.