Janissi

Adoption paints a picture of us, who were not physically born of Him like Christ was, becoming apart of his family not based on blood, but THE BLOOD of Jesus Christ. When we accept Christ as our Savior, we are born again. We are born into the family of God. We are his sons and daughters just like Christ is his son. It's encouraging because He sees us like He sees Christ. Jesus said, "greater things that we will do because He goes to the father" and because we have the "Comforter" that will allow us to do greater works than He. I'm encouraged because I know I have a place at His table that cannot be cleared away!

What does it mean to be "holy"? In what sense can you stand "blameless" before God? Being holy means to be in total fellowship with God, being obedient, and being a light in the world, as we are supposed to "be in the world and not of it." We belong to God; therefore, we follow Him and His ways. Standing blameless means to walk in obedience to God. When we do sin, using 1 John 1:9 to get back into fellowship with Him.

There is nothing scary about predestination, but it's very comforting to know that I've had a place in God's family since before the world began. I'm comforted because He called, and I know that He will never leave me. I think Paul brought up predestination to let the Gentiles know God had a plan for them, and not only the Jews. Paul was praising God because they heard and believed. He was praising God for their faith.

To be "in Christ" means to be in unison with Him. It means we are joined together with Him. He lives in us, and we live in Him. The implications of that life means that we've been changed by what He's done. Like Comfort077 quoted, "He is the vine and we are the branches..."

(Galatians 5:11) What is "the offense of the cross" that offended the Jews? That circumcision (following the law) was not the answer to be made right with God, but the cross (Jesus and Him crucified) was. How does the cross offend people in our day? People don't want to believe that Jesus is the ONLY way to God. If they had to acknowledge that, they would have to acknowledge that they are living in sin. Many people don't want to stop living the way they do, so for them to hear that they must repent is offensive. Have you noticed Christians softening their proclamation of the cross? YES! Does this help them communicate more clearly to our age or does it compromise the true message? It definitely compromises the true message. It is not popular to tell someone that Jesus Christ alone is the way to salvation. In this day and age of tolerence, many, including Christians, have picked up the notion that we shouldn't "hate" people, and if we stand up for righteousness sake, it is misconstrued as being "hateful." It seems as if people want their ears tickled. They want to hear messages of "God's love" and not His judgement. I believe this is going on a lot in churches today.

(Galatians 5:5-6) Circumcision had been the primary "mark of identity" for a believer in God. In what way has the Spirit become the new "mark of identity" for the believer? Circumcision of the heart which is "the commitment of the will and whole person to serving God." What is the evidence of the Spirit's presence in a believer's life according to verse 6? Faith which works by love.

(Galatians 5:4) Exactly what does Paul mean by "fall from grace" here? Grace is what Jesus brought. If they continued to follow the law, Christ would be of no value to them because the grace of Jesus Christ would become ineffective because they can't follow both now that grace has overcome the law. How can present-day Christian legalism cause such a "fall from grace"? People are depending on their own righteousness and good works placing the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross as ineffective. What did He die for if we could become righteous in ourselves by following some rules?

(Galatians 4:19-20) How is Paul's grief over his spiritual children like that of a parent seeing children stray? It's like a parent who has raise their child up in the fear and admonition of the Lord, and then someone comes along and just takes all that instruction away. The parent sees their child following the wrong path. The parent knows the right path, but the child can't see that the parent, who spent years teaching the child right from wrong, has pointed them in the right direction. The same way, Paul taught them, walked with them, they embraced him, believed him, and then someone (the Judiazers) come along and just take that all away. What does it look like when Christ is formed in a person? It's the picture of someone growing in the grace and admonition of the Lord. It's a picture of someone who is walking with the Lord, obeying the Lord, and the character of Jesus Christ is being formed within that person. What is the process involved in this spiritual formation? Surrendering to the Lord. Also, like "Commissioned" said, repentence.

(Galatians 4:10-11) Is celebrating different special worship days essentially wrong? No. Why did Paul grieve over the Galatians' observances? Because these days became a basis for for salvation. They became legalistic. What significance did these have in terms of their movement towards Judaism? They weren't Jews. They did not have the Jewish customs, so to incorporate the Jewish customs was legalism and according to Bruce, "impeding their faith." How can we be blessed by observing special days in our era? Observing special days can be a blessing if we focus on the Lord. How can observance of special days become legalistic for Christian believers? When it becomes a legal obligation or when it becomes bondage. If they believe observing this days leads to salvation, it is wrong.

(Galatians 4:6-7) How does the Spirit's filling demonstrate we are full sons? We are no longer servants, but sons and an heir to God! What is the special sense in which the Aramaic word abba is used to speak to one's father? It's a term of endearment. It's an informal way of addressing "Father." What is the significance of being heirs of God? We don't have to be afraid of our Father. We have full rights to our inheritance, not as step-children, but as adopted children. Are we sons in the same sense that Jesus was God's Son? Yes we are. We've been adopted. We are heirs to God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ.

(Galatians 4:3-5) In what sense were both the Gentiles and the Jews enslaved? Jew and Gentile alike were under the law. What does "redeem" mean in verse 5? It means to "buy back." What are the implications of adoption regarding a person's legal and spiritual rights? It means that the adopted person inherits everything from his adopted parent(s). In terms of spiritual, God, through Jesus Christ, redeemed up. We are heirs with God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. He is our brother, so whatever He inherited, we inherit! Praise God!!!

(Galatians 4:4) Why do you think it took so long to send the Messiah? God's timing had to be just right. What about the first century world made it fertile ground for the revelation of the Messiah and the spread of the gospel? The roads were set up for easier travel. There was a common language spoken (Greek) so communication was much easier. There had also been a common law that was put into place. It was safer to travel as well.

(Galatians 4:26-29) Do you think Jewish Christians regarded Gentile Christians as second-class citizens? Yes, they did. They felt they were superior to the Gentiles because of circumcision. Paul had to set them straight. What is the basis of our unity in Christ? The Cross. We are all one because we've been adopted into God's family. Those whom have excepted Jesus Christ as our Savior are all now related. Jesus is the head of the church. In what way does this unity pull down barriers? The barriers are pulled down because of our relationship with Christ. We've all been made equal. We are one with Christ Jesus, thus making up one with others. I believe the love we have for God and others also pulls down barriers, IF we are loving the way we should. Do any groups continue to be regarded as second-class citizens in our congregations? Yes! This question reminds me of what James said in James 2 about being a respector of persons. Many see the poor as being second-class. Some churches see other races as being second class, etc. What should we do about this? First, we should repent! Secondly, we should pray and ask God to deal with our hearts and to give us wisdom, insight, and the truth of His Word.

(Galatians 3:19-25) What was the purpose of the law? The law was a schoolmaster to show mankind sin until the Messiah came. Once the Messiah came, mankind could now be justified by faith. Was it intended to justify a person? No. Only faith in Jesus Christ could do that. In what ways did it restrain sin? They knew they needed to be holy in order for the God to dwell among them, so the law restrained them from doing ungodly acts such as idol worship. In what ways did it expose sin? It exposed sin by making them aware of what sin was. Paul said I would not have known sin.

(Galatians 3:10-14) What is Paul's argument for salvation by faith based on the concept of the "curse of the law"? If I understand the question correctly, it's based on Deuteronomy 27:26, which states, "'Cursed is the man who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out." If one was under the law, they are under the curse of the law. The law is not of faith for the "just shall live by faith." God had a plan for salvation long ago, and it was through Abraham that the blessing of faith to the Gentiles might come through Abraham. On what basis do the Gentiles receive "the promise of the Spirit" (3:14)? Faith in Jesus Christ!