Kress Biblical Resources :: The Gospel of Grace Delineated Doctrinally (Gal 3:1-4:31)

Detailed Outline of Galatians

The True Gospel Boasts in Christ Alone Rather Than Mixing Law with Grace

2. The gospel of grace delineated doctrinally (Gal 3; 4)
   1. An examination of personal salvation and the gospel of grace (Gal 3:1-6)
      1. The questions about the Galatians’ salvation (Gal 3:1-5)
         1. Did someone entice you to turn your focus away from the cross of Christ [the redemptive work of Christ]? (Gal 3:1)
            1. Law-Keeping religion is devoid of wisdom (Gal 3:1a)
            2. Law-Keeping religion is demonic (Gal 3:1b)
            3. Law-Keeping religion is damning (Gal 3:1c)
         2. Did your regeneration come by works of the Law or by hearing with faith? (Gal 3:2)
            1. The means of regeneration is of singular importance (Gal 3:2a)
            2. The means of regeneration is hearing with faith—not works of the law (Gal 3:2b)
         3. Does your sanctification come through works of the Law or through living by faith? (Gal 3:3-4)
            1. Sanctification comes through living by faith (Gal 3:3)
            2. Suffering for Christ is vain if you are relying on works of the law (Gal 3:4)
         4. Does God’s power come through law-keeping or hearing by faith? (Gal 3:5)
      2. The quotation about Abraham’s salvation (Gal 3:6)
         1. Abraham’s salvation is typical of all believers’ salvation (Gal 3:6a)
         2. Abraham’s salvation came through faith (Gal 3:6b)
   2. An exposition of the biblical data concerning salvation by faith rather than law-keeping (Gal 3:7-4:7)
      1. The promised blessings of Abraham—salvation by faith to the nations (Gal 3:7-14)
         1. An exposition of justification from Gen 12:3 (Gal 3:7-9)
            1. The proposition—those who are of faith are sons of Abraham (Gal 3:7)
            2. The proof from Scripture that God would justify Gentiles by faith—Gen 12:3 (Gal 3:8)
            3. The pronouncement—those of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer (Gal 3:9)
         2. An exposition of judgment based on law-keeping from the Pentateuch and the Prophets (Gal 3:10-14)
            1. The proposition— law-keepers are under a curse (Gal 3:10a)
            2. The proof from Scripture—Deu 27:26 (Gal 3:10b)
            3. The proposition—no one is justified by law-keeping (Gal 3:11a)
            4. The proof from Scripture—Hab 2:4 and Lev 18:5 (Gal 3:11b-12)
            5. The proposition—Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law (Gal 3:13a)
            6. The proof from Scripture—Deu 21:23 (Gal 3:13b)
            7. The pronouncement—the blessing of Abraham and the Spirit of God do not come through law-keeping, but rather through faith (Gal 3:14)
      2. The purpose of the Law (Gal 3:15-25)
         1. The covenant with Abraham is not nullified by the coming of the Law (Gal 3:15-18)
            1. The explanation of covenants in general—binding and unalterable (Gal 3:15)
            2. The explanation of the Abrahamic covenant promises—the Law could not negate or alter it (Gal 3:16-18)
               1. The promises were to Abraham and His Seed (singular)—that is Christ (Gal 3:16)
               2. The previously ratified covenant could not be changed by the coming of the law—which was 430 years later (Gal 3:17)
               3. The promised inheritance of the Abrahamic covenant is not based on Law, but on the promise itself (Gal 3:18)
         2. The coming of the Law was a temporary addition to help identify sin and mediate between God and man until Christ would come (Gal 3:19-20)
            1. The Law was added to identify sin (Gal 3:19ab)
            2. The Law was given via angelic and mosaic mediation (Gal 3:19c)
            3. The Law was a temporary addition until Christ (Gal 3:19d)
            4. The Law was bi-lateral, whereas the Abrahamic covenant was unilaterally given by God (Gal 3:20)
         3. The contribution of the Law was not to impute righteousness, but rather to convict everyone as under sin and in need of a Savior (Gal 3:21-25)
            1. The Law was not contrary to the Abrahamic promises, but rather complimentary (Gal 3:21)
            2. The lesson from Scripture is that all are under sin—and the promise of faith comes to those who believe (Gal 3:22)
            3. The Law acted as legal guardian of the people of God until the faith was revealed (Gal 3:23)
            4. The Law acted as a tutor to lead people to faith in Christ (Gal 3:24)
            5. The Law is no longer the guardian-tutor for those who trust in Christ (Gal 3:25)
      3. The privileged position of those who trust in Christ [rather than law-keeping] (Gal 3:26-29)
         1. Those who believe in Christ are sons of God (Gal 3:26)
         2. Those who are baptized into Christ are clothed with Christ (Gal 3:27)
         3. Those who are in Christ are one in Him—equal status before God in Christ (Gal 3:28)
         4. Those who belong to Christ are beneficiaries of the Abrahamic promises (Gal 3:29)
      4. The proper relationship between the law and salvation by grace through faith (Gal 4:1-7)
         1. The illustration introduced—a child heir under a tutor has the same rights as a slave until the father’s appointed time (Gal 4:1-2)
            1. As long as the heir is a minor, he has the same rights as a slave, though he is the owner of all (Gal 4:1)
            2. He is under guardians and managers until the appointed time (Gal 4:2)
         2. The illustration applied to believers in Christ—we were under bondage to the Law until God gave us the Spirit of His Son (Gal 4:3-7)
            1. Our position before Christ—under bondage (Gal 4:3)
            2. Our position because of Christ—sons and heirs of God (Gal 4:4-7)
               1. The plan of redemption (Gal 4:4)
               2. The purchase of redemption (Gal 4:5)
               3. The privileges of redemption (Gal 4:6-7)
                  • Intimacy with the Father (Gal 4:6)
                  • Inheritance from the Father (Gal 4:7)
   3. An exhortation to turn away from legalism and turn back to the gospel of grace (Gal 4:8-31)
      1. Recognize that legalism/law-keeping is just as much slavery as paganism (Gal 4:8-11)
         1. When you were a pagan, you were in bondage (Gal 4:8)
         2. Why now—after coming to know God—would you turn back to bondage? (Gal 4:9-10)
            1. The leading question (Gal 4:9)
            2. The legalistic observances (Gal 4:10)
         3. Was my gospel work among you in vain? (Gal 4:11)
      2. Remember the blessings of coming to Christ and the freedom of gospel-based fellowship (Gal 4:12-20)
         1. The call to follow Paul’s example and gospel (Gal 4:12)
         2. The call to remember the blessing of gospel fellowship (Gal 4:13-15)
            1. The reason Paul originally preached to them (Gal 4:13)
            2. The reception he had with them (Gal 4:14)
            3. The reversal now of that sense of gospel blessing they originally had (Gal 4:15)
         3. The concern over influences that lead to bondage to the flesh rather than truth that leads to Christlikeness (Gal 4:16-20)
            1. A question of truth (Gal 4:16)
            2. A quest for personal influence (Gal 4:17)
            3. A quest for proper influence (Gal 4:18-20)
               1. Seeking influence is good if it’s for the right reason (Gal 4:18)
               2. Seeking others out of a desire to help them see their identity in Christ is good (Gal 4:19)
               3. Seeking confirmation of grace in others is good (Gal 4:20)
      3. Recognize the distinction between children of the flesh and children of the promise—between fleshly means and faith (Gal 4:21-31)
         1. The admonition to would-be law-keepers—to really understand the Scriptures (Gal 4:21)
         2. The analogy of Abraham’s two sons and the two covenants—to illustrate fleshly means vs. faith (Gal 4:22-31)
            1. Two sons of Abraham—one born because of human effort and reasoning, the other because of God’s promise (Gal 4:22-23)
               1. Two sons by two wives (Gal 4:22)
               2. Two means—the flesh and the promise of God (Gal 4:23)
            2. Two covenants (as applied to those seeking to live by law and those seeking to live by faith)—Mosaic and Abrahamic (Gal 4:24-31)
               1. The illustration introduced (Gal 4:24a)
               2. The illustration explained (Gal 4:24b-27)
                  • Abraham’s two wives represent two covenants (Gal 4:24b)
                  • Hagar represents those who are slaves to Law (Gal 4:24c)
                  • Present Jerusalem/Judaizers are slaves to the Law (Gal 4:25)
                  • Heavenly Jerusalem signifies those of us who are gospel children—those who trust the promise not the flesh (Gal 4:26)
                  • Isaiah 54:1 confirms this (Gal 4:27)
               3. The illustration applied (Gal 4:28-30)
                  • Again, believers are comparable to Isaac—children of promise, not children of the flesh (Gal 4:28)
                  • Just as Ishmael persecuted Isaac, so Law-keepers will persecute gospel believers (Gal 4:29)
                  • Just as God called for separation from the slave-son, so gospel believers must not allow Law-keepers to continue to influence them (Gal 4:30)
                  • Believers are not slaves bound by the Mosaic covenant—but free from the Law (Gal 4:31)