Paul finishes his arguments to the Galatians. The Law is good, but Jesus is better.
Folly of legal observances
Galatians 4:1-20
Freedom in Christ
Galatians 5:1-15
The Spirit and the flesh
Galatians 5:16-26
Various exhortations
Galatians 6 1-10
Conclusion
Galatians 6:11-18
Letter to the Romans: Introduction and prayer
Romans 1:1-12
The power of the gospel
Romans 1:13-17
Humanity’s universal sin
Romans 1:18-32
Paul continues with his quest to prove to the Galatians that Jesus, freedom and the Spirit are worth more than the law and the letter. He heaps up comparisons: the law is like a tutor, looking after a rich child until he comes of age and claims his inheritance; it’s like trying to make God’s promises come true by human effort - as Abraham did, trying to father an heir with his slave girl Hagar rather than his wife Sarah; the law is like the flesh, it drags you down, whereas the Spirit sets you free.
Finally, and marvellously, he lists the fruit of the Spirit, and urges the Galatians to keep in step with qualities like these. I find this more motivating, like the chapter to love in 1 Corinthians, than any number of intellectual arguments or stern warnings. What inspires me in Paul’s writings is when he waxes lyrical about the good things of the Christian faith - no one can extol Christian virtues as movingly as he can.
And so on to Romans. This letter is different - written to people Paul had not met, for he had not yet been to Rome. In some ways, he uses this letter to set out his stall, to give his credentials as a theologian worth listening to. So he tackles some really big subjects - the pervasiveness of sin, what going to happen to the Jews. All this and more in a densely argued 16 chapters lies ahead of us. This is Paul going behind the scenes of salvation, and answering the question, What actually happens when we are saved? How does it work? And what about people who don’t believe? Should be gripping stuff.
Folly of legal observances
Galatians 4:1-20
Freedom in Christ
Galatians 5:1-15
The Spirit and the flesh
Galatians 5:16-26
Various exhortations
Galatians 6 1-10
Conclusion
Galatians 6:11-18
Letter to the Romans: Introduction and prayer
Romans 1:1-12
The power of the gospel
Romans 1:13-17
Humanity’s universal sin
Romans 1:18-32
Paul continues with his quest to prove to the Galatians that Jesus, freedom and the Spirit are worth more than the law and the letter. He heaps up comparisons: the law is like a tutor, looking after a rich child until he comes of age and claims his inheritance; it’s like trying to make God’s promises come true by human effort - as Abraham did, trying to father an heir with his slave girl Hagar rather than his wife Sarah; the law is like the flesh, it drags you down, whereas the Spirit sets you free.
Finally, and marvellously, he lists the fruit of the Spirit, and urges the Galatians to keep in step with qualities like these. I find this more motivating, like the chapter to love in 1 Corinthians, than any number of intellectual arguments or stern warnings. What inspires me in Paul’s writings is when he waxes lyrical about the good things of the Christian faith - no one can extol Christian virtues as movingly as he can.
And so on to Romans. This letter is different - written to people Paul had not met, for he had not yet been to Rome. In some ways, he uses this letter to set out his stall, to give his credentials as a theologian worth listening to. So he tackles some really big subjects - the pervasiveness of sin, what going to happen to the Jews. All this and more in a densely argued 16 chapters lies ahead of us. This is Paul going behind the scenes of salvation, and answering the question, What actually happens when we are saved? How does it work? And what about people who don’t believe? Should be gripping stuff.
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