Kress Biblical Resources :: The Gospel of Grace Displayed Practically (Gal 5:1-6:18)

Detailed Outline of Galatians

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

3. The gospel of grace displayed practically (Gal 5; 6)
   1. Stand firm in your freedom in Christ (Gal 5:1-12)
      1. Christ is our freedom—not Law-keeping (Gal 5:1-6)
         1. Christ set us free—so stand firm and don’t look to legalism for freedom (Gal 5:1)
         2. Circumcision as a requirement [Law-keeping] negates the freedom you have in Christ (Gal 5:2-4)
            1. Legalism rejects Christ’s righteousness (Gal 5:2)
            2. Legalism requires keeping the whole Law (Gal 5:3)
            3. Legalism results in a falling away from grace (Gal 5:4)
         3. Christ will perfect us in righteousness at His coming (Gal 5:5)
         4. Circumcision or uncircumcision is of no value for sanctification—only faith working through love (Gal 5:6)
      2. Combining Law-keeping and “Christianity” abolishes the scandal of the cross and perverts the gospel (Gal 5:7-12)
         1. Be careful who you let influence you (Gal 5:7-9)
            1. The legalist hinders you from obeying the truth (Gal 5:7)
            2. The Lord does not persuade you away from the truth (Gal 5:8)
            3. The leaven of legalism will affect everyone and everything (Gal 5:9)
         2. Be cognizant that legalism abolishes the scandal of the cross and perverts the gospel (Gal 5:10-12)
            1. Paul’s confidence—grace will be the focus of genuine believers rather than legalism (Gal 5:10)
            2. Paul’s concern—circumcision/legalism perverts the gospel (Gal 5:11)
            3. Paul’s condemnation—damning doctrine is serious (Gal 5:12)
   2. Serve one another in love because of your freedom in Christ (Gal 5:13-15)
      1. Love-inspired service is the anecdote for sin—not legalism (Gal 5:13)
      2. Love is the truth fulfillment of the Law (Gal 5:14)
      3. Legalism leads to spiritual cannibalism and self-destruction (Gal 5:15)
   3. Seek sanctification by the Spirit—not law-keeping (Gal 5:16-26)
      1. Walking by the Spirit introduced (Gal 5:16-18)
         1. The command and the promise to those who obey (Gal 5:16)
            1. Live life in submission to the Spirit of God (Gal 5:16a)
            2. You will not carry out the lusts of the flesh (Gal 5:16b)
         2. The conflict between the Spirit and the flesh (Gal 5:17)
            1. The flesh and the Spirit are at conflict (Gal 5:17ab)
            2. The result is a struggle in the believer’s life (Gal 5:17c)
         3. The control of the Spirit vs. the confines of the Law (Gal 5:18)
            1. The condition—if you are led by the Spirit (Gal 5:18a)
            2. The promise—you are not under the Law (Gal 5:18b)
      2. Walking by the flesh evidenced (Gal 5:19-21)
         1. The deeds of the flesh introduced (Gal 5:19a)
         2. The deeds of the flesh exemplified (Gal 5:19b-21a)
            1. Examples of sexual sins (Gal 5:19b)
               1. Immorality
               2. Impurity
               3. Sensuality
            2. Examples of religious sins (Gal 5:20a)
               1. Idolatry
               2. Sorcery
            3. Examples of attitudinal sins (Gal 5:20b-21a)
               1. Enmities
               2. Strife
               3. Jealousy
               4. Outbursts of anger
               5. Disputes
               6. Dissensions
               7. Factions
               8. Envying
            4. Examples of social sins (Gal 5:21a)
               1. Drunkenness
               2. Carousing
            5. Examples as examples—not an exhaustive list [and things like these] (Gal 5:21a)
         3. The deeds of the flesh assessed (Gal 5:21b)
            1. Their presence is a reality in a fallen world
            2. Their practice will result in exclusion from the kingdom of God
      3. Walking by the Spirit evidenced (Gal 5:22-23)
         1. The fruit is produced by the Spirit (Gal 5:22a)
         2. The fruit is focused on attitudes of the heart (Gal 5:22b-23)
            1. Love
            2. Joy
            3. Peace
            4. Patience
            5. Kindness
            6. Goodness
            7. Faithfulness
            8. Gentleness
            9. Self-Control
      4. Walking by the Spirit summarized (Gal 5:24-26)
         1. As a believer you have the guarantee of victory over the flesh—your flesh was crucified with Christ [Focus on your victory in Christ] (Gal 5:24)
         2. As a believer you have the responsibility to follow the Spirit [Follow the Spirit] (Gal 5:25)
         3. As a believer you have the responsibility to turn away from conceit, provoking others, and envy [Forsake comparing yourself to others] (Gal 5:26)
   4. Serve one another with humility and generosity (Gal 6:1-10)
      1. Serve those who are struggling spiritually (Gal 6:1-5)
         1. By helping to restore the sinning brother (Gal 6:1)
            1. You must be a believer
            2. You must be sure that your brother is actually in sin
            3. You must be walking by the Spirit
            4. You must seek his restoration in a spirit of gentleness
            5. You must be humble and careful not to fall into sin yourself
         2. By helping to carry the difficult burdens of your fellow believers (Gal 6:2)
            1. The command
            2. The consequence—love/fulfilling the Law
         3. By humbly examining ourselves and carrying out the responsibilities Christ allotted to each of us (Gal 6:3-5)
            1. The self-deceptive nature of pride (Gal 6:3)
            2. The self-examination that leads to confidence (Gal 6:4-5)
               1. Examine yourself alone before the Lord (Gal 6:4)
               2. Each person has his own assignment from the Lord (Gal 6:5)
      2. Serve those who serve/minister to you (Gal 6:6-9)
         1. Share all good things with those who teach you (Gal 6:6)
         2. Sow to the Spirit rather than to the flesh (Gal 6:7-8)
            1. It is self-deceptive to think you can honor God, but not support His ministry (Gal 6:7)
            2. It is certain that what you support will have eternal consequences (Gal 6:8)
         3. Stay steadfast in doing what is good—and in due time you will reap (Gal 6:9)
      3. Serve everyone—but especially believers (Gal 6:10)
   5. Seek to glory in the cross of Christ and His grace—rather than the flesh (Gal 6:11-18)
      1. Legalism demands emphatic Apostolic intervention (Gal 6:11)
      2. Legalism makes a good showing in the flesh, but does not satisfy the true demands of the Law (Gal 6:12-13)
         1. There is a pretense of good—but an avoidance of embracing the scandal of the cross of Christ (Gal 6:12)
         2. There is a personal failure to fulfill the Law—but a personal agenda to aggrandize self (Gal 6:13)
      3. Learning to glory in Christ’s Person and work alone is the only path to freedom and peace (Gal 6:14-18)
         1. The perspective of faith—boast in nothing but Christ (Gal 6:14-16)
            1. The commitment to glory in the cross will lead you to sanctification (Gal 6:14)
            2. The concern isn’t whether you are circumcised or not—it’s whether you are a new creation in Christ (Gal 6:15)
            3. The cross-committed life will issue in peace and mercy—even for Jewish believers (Gal 6:16)
         2. The proof of Paul’s desire to glory in Christ alone (Gal 6:17)
         3. The prayer for grace for God’s people (Gal 6:18)