NOTE: Free content of the Explore devotional today moves on to studying Galatians—but if you were enjoying our series on 1 Timothy, you need to go to www.thegoodbook.com to get the Explore devotional and carry on. Great discounts available, exclusive to Biblestudytools.com users—see the bottom of this post.
Gospel truth Galatians 1 v 1-5
Paul was a church-planting missionary. After he planted a church and left a region, he continued to help the new congregations through his letters. One of these is this epistle to the Christian churches in part of modern-day Turkey, written by Paul only 15-20 years after Christ’s death.
Paul and his role
Read Galatians 1:1
• How does Paul describe himself (v 1)?
• What can you learn from verse 1 about what an apostle is?
• Who is Paul writing to (v 2)?
Paul and his message
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TIME OUT
Imagine a child asked you what the Christian gospel is.
• How would you outline the gospel to them?
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Read Galatians 1:3
In verses 1-5, Paul offers us an outline of the gospel—and it’s all about Jesus.
• What does Paul, God’s “apostle” (meaning “messenger”), tell us about Jesus in:
• v 1?
• v 3?
• v 4?
• This letter is all about the gospel. Given that Paul is writing to professing Christians in churches, why might this be a surprise?
The most obvious fact about the historical setting of this letter is often the most overlooked! In Galatians, Paul’s going to explain in detail what the gospel is and how it works. And his audience of this outline of the gospel are people who already call themselves Christians.
Christians need the gospel as much as non-Christians do! Our problems in the Christian life come because we often lose
or forget the gospel. And we progress in our faith only as we grasp and apply the gospel in deeper ways.
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APPLY
It is very common in Christian circles to assume that “the gospel” is something just for non-Christians.
• When was the last time you thought hard about the gospel message, simply for your own sake?
• Are there parts of your life in which you haven’t thought about how the gospel should shape your attitudes or actions?
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PRAY THRU
Thank God for His gospel, and ask Him to help you never to think you should move beyond it to more “advanced” doctrines.
Ask God to show you where your life needs to be changed by His gospel message.
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This devotional is taken from Explore—a daily Bible-reading devotional from the good book company which enables you to engage with Scripture and which will encourage, equip and inspire you to live for Christ. Explore features contributions from pastors such as Dr Timothy Keller, Mike McKinley and Tim Chester.
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