(Instead of the rules we have *God’s Spirit in us)
Bible verses: Galatians 3:1-14
A word list at the end of each Bible study explains words that have a *star by them. These are more difficult words.
Introduction
*God’s Spirit is God’s promise to all Christians. This is God’s power in their lives. So the Christians in Galatia have *God’s Spirit to work in their lives.
Nothing we do can make us right with God. We can never obey all the rules. We should receive *punishment. But Christ has accepted our *punishment.
*Abraham was the first leader of the *Jews. He is an example of what we should do. God told *Abraham to leave his home. God told him to go to a new land. *Abraham believed and obeyed God. Because of this, *Abraham was right with God.
God made another promise to *Abraham. Because of *Abraham, everyone in the world could choose to be right with God. This promise came true when Christ came. The *Gentiles in Galatia, who are Christians, are part of this promise.
Questions
V1 ~ How does Paul describe the Christians in Galatia?
V2 ~ When did they receive *God’s Spirit?
V3 ~ How have the Christians in Galatia changed?
V4 ~ What does Paul say about difficulties and troubles?
V5 ~ How does Paul describe what *God’s Spirit can do in our lives?
V6,7 ~ How should we be like *Abraham?
V8,9 ~ What did God promise *Abraham about the *Gentiles?
V10 ~ Some *people obey the rules to be right with God. What will happen to them?
V11 ~ How does God describe the person that he has accepted?
V12 ~ How can rules take us from God?
V13 ~ What has Christ done for us? What did this cost him?
V14 ~ When we believe Christ, what can we receive from God? Why?
Something to do
Talk about why it can be hard to receive a gift. (This might be because of us, or because of the gift, or because of the one who gave the gift.)
Remind yourself of what Paul says *God’s Spirit will do. You could also read John 15:26 and John 16:13,14. (See also Galatians 5:22-23.)
A Christian, who is a leader, says that you are completely wrong. Talk about how you might answer this.
Words to explain
Abraham ~ The first leader of the Jews.
Gentile ~ a person who does not belong to *Israel’s *people.
God’s Spirit ~ God’s power in the world and in our lives.
Israel ~ the country where the *Jews lived.
Jew ~ a person who is born from *Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children (*Israel’s *people).
Jewish ~ what belongs to a Jew.
people ~ men and women.
punishment ~ what *people receive when they do wrong actions.
See the other studies in this series: Explore Paul’s letter to the Galatians.