This study is part of our series of verse by verse studies of Galatians, the 48th book in the Bible. Taught by our pastor, Simeon Forder, at our Sunday morning service on the 13th October 2024.

About this book

Galatians is one of 9 letters that the apostle Paul wrote to churches, or groups of churches, and was likely written around 55AD. It’s theme is grace and justification by faith alone, and it was written in response to those who had entered the church, attempting to convince others that certain works, actions, or customs were required in order to be saved. But as Paul directly explains, to believe such would mean that Jesus was wasting His time in dying on the cross, when in fact His death was required for our salvation, that we might be saved by grace – by what He has done, not what we have done.

About this study

Having told the Galatians that the law was their tutor or schoolmaster to bring them to Christ, Paul goes on in this chapter to draw a parallel with how the law treated us before we were Christians, and how our parents would have treated us as minors, before we had the capacity to act as adults. Then, he shows the Galatians the danger of what they’re trying to do, that they are actually desiring to be in bondage again. Then, in conclusion Paul will point the Galatians — and us — to the examples of Ishmael and Isaac, so that we might learn from them.

Application questions

• Are you trusting God implicitly, as a child does to their father?
• Are you trying to be self-righteous, trying to earn God’s favour?
• Are you imposing on others that which the Bible doesn’t require of them?