SPACE Program, Book 05

HERITAGE BAPTIST CHURCH S.P.A.C.E. PROGRAM

STAGE III*****Series I “Galatians”**********Series II “Practical Christian Living”**********Series III “Building Up One Another”**********Series IV “The Christian and His Emotions”**********Series V “The Ten Commandments”**********Series VI “The Whole Armor of God”**********Series VII “A Builder For God”**********Series VIII “I John - II John - III John”**********Series IX “Running The Race”**********Series X “Stewardship”***** Now that you are entering Stage III you are qualified to any position providing youcomplete this stage. Think of it; after completing Stage III you have finished 119 lessons, 2 1/3years of studies, that most Lay-Christians won’t do in their life time.

WHAT ANACCOMPLISHMENT ! ! !

It is people like you that make a church strong, mature and spiritual. You have helpedreach and maintain the purpose of the S.P.A.C.E. program (i.e. the two goals of spiritualfamilies and unity in the church).Stage III is the long haul, but you can finish. Look what this program has done for youand your family already. You have spiritually matured and are hungry for God’s Word and arewilling to serve your Lord more through your local church. If already this has beenaccomplished in your life, just think what spiritual growth you will experience after completionof Stage III.Keep in mind; the Holy Spirit is your helper, and the Lord will strengthen you with His presence. Also, the sense of satisfaction of accomplishment, along with a great amount of confidence (confidence that will make all the difference in your life) is there to keep youmotivated to finish your task.128

GALATIANSEPISTLE OF LIBERATION

LESSON I. ..............................................................................................................GALATIANS 1LESSON II. ............................................................................................................GALATIANS 2LESSON III. ...........................................................................................................GALATIANS 3LESSON IV. ...........................................................................................................GALATIANS 4LESSON V. ............................................................................................................GALATIANS 5LESSON VI............................................................................................................ GALATIANS 6129

Lesson 1

GALATIANSEPISTLE OF LIBERATION

CHAPTER ONEINTRODUCTIONMartin Luther considered Galatians the best of all the books of the Bible. More than anyother book of the New Testament, it was the book that opened his eyes to the great truth of justification by faith. No other book (except Romans) so forcefully and pointedly answers thequestion, “Are we saved by believing or by achieving?”The message of Galatians is the message of Liberation. It is the message of true freedomof release from bondage. We have all kinds of talk about liberation movements today. Peopletalk often about “freedom”. They speak about a new morality, free speech, free love andfreedom from authority. But none of it is genuine freedom. It is all slavery. Every personsearches for genuine freedom. But the way to freedom is through the truth. Paul wrote Galatiansto establish one basic premise: Spiritual freedom comes through the truth, and that truth is JesusChrist. Knowing him is genuine freedom. See John 8:32.

I.THE GREETING. Read verses 1-5.

The Apostle sends greetings from himself and the brethren with him to the Churches of Galatia, reminding them at the same time that his authority as an apostle was of divine, nothuman origin, as some of his enemies contended. Notice the three great truths taught about JesusChrist in verse 4. From the very beginning, Paul clearly states the message of the Gospel, because it was this message the Judaizers were changing. The gospel centers in a PERSON,Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This person paid a PRICE. He gave himself for our sins by dyingon the cross. Christ paid this price that he might achieve a PURPOSE. Delivering sinners fromthis present evil world, and all of it was according to God's divine PLAN. It was God's will thatJesus die. Read Matthew 26:39; Acts 2:22-23. His death was no accident, as Mr. Moon of the Unification Church claims.

II.PAUL'S SURPRISE AT THE DEFECTION OF THE GALATIANS FROM THETRUE GOSPEL. Read verses 6-10

Paul now states what has prompted him to write this letter. Because of the greatness of their gospel, Paul is annoyed that the Galatians could so quickly accept another radicallydifferent gospel. Read verse 6. In fact, it was not another gospel at all, but a perversion of thetrue gospel. Study verse 7. Giving heed to such a distorted gospel meant trouble(confusion) for the Galatians.The seriousness with which Paul viewed these false teachers is expressed in verses 8 and9. The word “curse” is from the Greek work “anathema” which means “devoted todestruction”. In the New Testament, God specifically curses false teachers. A false teacher isfull of deceit and mischief. He is a child of the devil, the enemy of righteousness and a perverter of the right ways of the Lord.Lesson 1 (cont’d)