Foundations (Year Two)

“Encountering the New Testament”

Session #4. Encountering

GALATIANS, ROMANS & CORINTHIANS

The NT Writings

Letters of Paul:Galatians (48/49 CE)1 & 2 Thessalonians (51-

52)1 & 2 Corinthians (53-57)Romans (56-57)Prison letters (61-62):

(Colossians, Ephesians, Philemon & Philippians)

Pastoral letters (64-66): (1, 2 Timothy & Titus)

Written earlier:Letter of James

(40’s/50’s)

Written later:Letters of Peter (64-66)Mark (68-70 )Matthew (70-80)Luke-Acts (70-80)Hebrews (50’s/60’s?)Letter of Jude (50’s ?)Writings of John:

Gospel, Letters & Revelation (90-96)

Paul(by El

Greco c. 1587-92)

Conversion

& early journeys of

Saul

(Acts 9,11,12/ Gal. 1)

“I was blind but now I see”

Paul: The missionary (Acts 13 )

Paul’s three (post-conversion) convictions:

1. His whole previous way of life lay under the rebuke of God (Phil. 3:4-11)

2. The Jesus whom he had been persecuting was the Son of God, truly alive and in ultimate control (1 Cor. 15; Col. 1:15-20)

3. He (Paul) had been called to take this message to the world (Gal. 1:1, 13-17)

Paul’s Gospel

A New LORD – Jesus, the Christ (Phil. 2:5-11)

A New Message – Forgiveness/ Eternal Life as

gift (Acts 5:20; Gal. 1:6-9)

A New People – Church (Jew/ Gentile)

incorporates & replaces Israel (Acts 13:47;

14:27; Gal. 3:28)

A New Life-Principle - “Life by the Spirit”(Rom. 8; Gal. 5)

The first missionary journeyPaul & Barnabas GALATIA 47-

49 CE

The Gospel (or Christian Message)

Galatians: the importance/ foundation of the Gospel (Gal. 1:6-9; 2:16)

Romans: the content/ structure of the Gospel (Rom. 1:1-4, 15-17)

Corinthians: the application/ outworking of the Gospel (1 Cor. 1:18-25; 15:1-5 &

11 Cor. 4:3-4; 5:17;11:4)

Galatians

“There is no document in the NT more indisputably Paul’s than the letter to the Galatians” FF Bruce

“The magna carta of Christian freedom”“The Christian declaration of independence”“The battle cry of the Reformation”

“The letter to the Galatians is my letter - To it I am, as it were, in wedlock. Galatians is my Katherine!” (Martin Luther)

Paul writes to the Galatian churches?

The first Christian heresy

What this teaches us:

Resolving conflicts in the church

Lessons fromActs 15:1-35

The Church

Council at

Jerusalem

49 CE

Jewish legalism

Christ +……

The difficulty (vv.1-5)

A disagreement…or something more?

Is doctrine important?

Primary & secondary doctrines?

What’s going on up in Galatia?Heresy = any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established

doctrine

The discussion (vv. 6-21)

Setting the scene (vv.1-5)

The testimony of PeterThe testimony of Paul (& Barnabas)

The verdict of JamesThe consent of the (whole) church

The decision (vv. 22-35)

The letter (make it clear for all)

The couriers (Judas & Silas)

The requests (not absolutes!)

What’s all this got to do with us?

1. Diversity in non-essentials unity in essentials

2. Knowing where & when to draw the line

3. Acknowledge dependence on the larger Church (orthodox = right thinking)

4. Celebrate what God is doing

Don’t let the fundamentals become incidental – or the incidentals will be come fundamental

The Message of Galatians

Introduction

PERSONAL

DOCTRINAL

PRACTICAL

Conclusion

A defence of the Christian

messenger (1:11-2:21)

A defence of the Christian

message (3:1-4:31)

A defence of the Christian’s

liberty (5:1-6:10)

Paul’s introduction

Of himself:

Sent by GodSupported by

the church leaders

Paul’s signature(“Grace &

peace…”)

Of the gospel:

To alter with it is to desert God

There is only one gospel

To tamper with it is to risk damnation

Test the messenger

Paul’s credentials

“Called by God, Saved by God & Given the Gospel by God” (1:11-24)

“Accepted by the Church” (2:1-10)

“Took his stand – no matter who opposed him” (2:11-21)

Two key texts

“Know that a person is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ.

So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.” (2:16)

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.

The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (2:20)

I live by faith Christ lives in me

Defence of the Gospel #1. (Ch.3)

On what basis did you receive it?On what basis did Abraham receive it?What’s the (real) alternative?

An illustration: A covenantA promiseA law (to lead us to

faith)

“You foolish Galatians” (A promised gift)

Defence of the Gospel #2. (Ch.4)

God redeemed us as slavesGod adopted us as sonsGod treats us as heirs

An illustration: Two sonsTwo womenTwo cities

“You are all sons of God through faith” (Adoption)

Living out the Gospel (5-6)

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free”

Stand firm in your freedomDon’t give in to legalism (in any form)Keep running the good raceServe one another in love”

“Live by the Spirit” Watch yourself/ Carry one another's burdens“Sow to the Spirit”Watch yourself/ Don’t get caught up in pride

The second missionary journeyPaul & Silas EUROPE 49-

52 CE

The second missionary journey

Conflict between Paul & BarnabasBarnabas & Mark go to Cyprus/ Paul & Silas to Asia

Timothy joins the mission team“The man of Macedonia” - Go West young man!Philippians conversions: Lydia, Slave girl & JailorThessalonica (The persecutors)Berea (The disciples)Athens (The philosophers)Corinth (18 months of fruitful ministry)Ephesus - Antioch

Paul writes his first two letters“To the Thessalonians” (from Corinth)

The third missionary journeyPaul GREECE & ASIA 53-58 CE

The third missionary journey

Asia MinorEphesus (three levels of spiritual warfare)

…but three years of fruitful ministryMacedonia – Greece (3 months) - MacedoniaMiracle at Troas (Eutychus)Farewell to the Ephesian eldersTyre – Caesarea – JerusalemReport to James & the bishops

“When they heard this, they praised God”

Paul writes “To the Corinthians” 56-57 CE

Letter #1 From the CorinthiansLetter #2 1 Corinthians (56)Letter #3 A severe letter Letter #4 2 Corinthians (57)

Paul writes “To the Romans” 57-58 CE

The Letters to the Corinthians

1 CorinthiansA severe letter (2 7:8)Warning: Repent &

sort out the problemsIssues: Social

MoralPracticalSpiritualDoctrinal

2 CorinthiansAn encouraging letterThanksgiving:

Gratitude for responseMinistry: Comfort

ReconciliationGenerousityWarfareSuffering