BIBLE STUDY MANUALS: GALATIANS CHAPTER FIVE 5: TRUE BELIEVERS DO COMMIT SINS

GALATIANS CHAPTER 5, cont.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I) PAUL DEFENDS THE DOCTRINE OF CHRISTIAN LIBERTY (5:1-6:10)

B) THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS TO BE APART FROM THE LICENSE TO SIN

1) [Gal 5:13-21]:

a) TRUE BELIEVERS CAN & DO COMMIT SINS

i) INTRODUCTION

i_a) [New nature: cp. Eph 4:22-24]:

i_b) [Ro 6:6-7]:

i_c) [Ro 6:12-14]:

ii) CLEAR EXAMPLES IN SCRIPTURE OF GENUINE BELIEVERS WHO DID NOT PERSEVERE IN GOOD WORKS

ii_a) INTRODUCTION

ii_b) Solomon ended his life as an idolator (1 Kings 11)

ii_c) Many of the believers in Corinth, although five years old as Christians, were carnal and fleshly - yet they are called babes in Christ (1 Cor 3:1-3).

ii_d) One believer at Corinth was actually living in immorality with his stepmother and was brazenly unrepentant (1 Cor 5:5).

ii_e) A number of believers in Corinth were sick, and some had already died, as a result of their selfish and drunken disregard for the sacredness of the Lord's Supper (1 Cor 11:30).

ii_f) Demas, whom Paul at least twice referred to as his co-laborer in Christ's service (Col 4:14; Phlm 24), later is said by Paul to have 'forsaken me, having loved this present world' (2 Tim 4:10).

ii_g) Likewise James refers to the need to turn back fellow believers who have wandered from the truth (Jas 5:19-20)."

ii_h) Conclusion

ii_h_Compare Ro 8:6-8]:

2) [Gal 5:21b]:

a) THOSE [BELIEVERS] WHO LIVE LIKE THIS WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD =

i) BELIEVERS ARE BEING WARNED NOT UNBELIEVERS

ii) THIS IS A WARNING TO BELIEVERS WITH CONSEQUENCES IF THEY DO NOT HEED IT, NOT AN EXHORTATION TO BE FAITHFUL BECAUSE BELIEVERS WILL AUTOMATICALLY INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD THUS FALSELY EQUATING INHERITING THE KINGDOM WITH INHERITING ETERNAL LIFE

ii_a) INTRODUCTION

iii) "THOSE WHO DO SUCH THINGS" = REFERS TO GENUINE BELIEVERS NOT UNBELIEVERS

iv) GALATIANS 5:21B IS A WARNING WITH A CONSEQUENCE NOT A SIMPLE EXHORTATION

iv_a) [Compare Gal 6:8]:

iv_b) [Ro 3:22b-24]:

v) SINCE CLEAR PASSAGES ELSEWHERE IN SCRIPTURE TEACH THAT ETERNAL LIFE IS SECURE IN THE BELIEVER, LOSS OF SALVATION CANNOT BE IN VIEW

v_a) THE BIBLE TEACHES ETERNAL SECURITY

v_b) BUT INHERITANCE AND CO-RULER SHIP IS NOT A GUARANTEE

vi) INHERITING THE KINGDOM OF GOD CANNOT BE REFERRING TO INHERITING ETERNAL LIFE BECAUSE FLESH AND BLOOD CANNOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD:

vi_a) [1 Cor 15:50]:

vii) SO THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF INHERITANCES FOR THE INDIVIDUAL ONE OF ETERNAL LIFE AND ONE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD

vii_a) INTRODUCTION

vii_b) THE INHERITANCE OF BEING LET INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD, OF INHERITING ETERNAL LIFE AS A FREE GIFT FROM GOD THROUGH FAITH ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE

vii_b Ro 3:22b-24]:

vii_b Titus 3:5-7]:

vii_c) THE INHERITANCE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, I.E. OF CO-OWNERSHIP AND CO-RULER SHIP OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AS A RESULT OF A FAITHFUL LIFE

vii_c_Eph 5:1-14]:

vii_c_1 Cor 6:1-20]:

[= BELIEVERS WHO LIVE UNFAITHFUL LIVES WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD ]

vii_c_Col 1:10-12]:

[= LIVE A WORTHY LIFE AND THE BELIEVER WILL SHARE IN THE INHERITANCE OF THE KINGDOM OF LIGHT]

vii_c_[Col 3:23-24]:

[= WORK FOR THE LORD SO THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE AN INHERITANCE WHEN YOU GET TO HEAVEN AS A REWARD]

vii_c_2 Timothy 2:11-13]:

[= ALL BELIEVERS WILL LIVE FOREVER WITH CHRIST BUT IF THEY ENDURE THEY SHALL ALSO REIGN WITH HIM]

vii_c_Mt 10:32-33, 37-39]:

[= TAKE UP YOUR CROSS AND BE WORTHY: CONFESS AND BE CONFESSED BEFORE THE FATHER OR DENY AND BE DENIED YOUR INHERITANCE]

vii__c_Mt 5:1-3, 5, 10-12]:

[= BELIEVERS RECEIVE POSSESSION OF THE KINGDOM FOR FAITHFUL SERVICE AS A REWARD]

[Compare Ro 4:1-2]:

[Compare Eph 2:8-9]:

[Compare Ps 2:6-8]:

[Compare Heb 12:2 which reaffirms this point]:

2 cont.) [Gal 5:21b cont.]:

b) CONCLUSION: UNFAITHFUL BELIEVERS WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD BUT THEY WILL OCCUPY IT:

i) INTRODUCTION

i_a) ETERNAL SECURITY, DETAILED STUDY

i_b) THE REFORMED PERSEVERANCE VIEW OF GAL 5:19-21 IS NOT BIBLICAL

a) EXPLANATION OF THE REFORMED PERSEVERANCE VIEW OF GAL 5:19-21

b) EVALUATION OF THE REFORMED PERSEVERANCE VIEW OF GAL 5:19-21:

b_i) Eternal Salvation Is Not Conditioned Elsewhere In Scripture Upon Persevering In Good Works

b_ii) Scripture Provides Clear Examples Of Genuine Believers Who Were Not Faithful:

c) GALATIANS CHAPTER 5 IS ADDRESSED TO GENUINE BELIEVERS NOT UNBELIEVERS

d) PAUL SAYS THAT GENUINE BELIEVERS CAN WALK IN THE FLESH

e) FUTURE JUDGMENT OF THE BELIEVER'S WORKS FOR REWARDS IN HEAVEN IS IN VIEW, NOT SALVATION

e_i) [Jn 3:18]:

f) THE BIBLICAL DOCTRINE OF ASSURANCE OF SALVATION IS IGNORED

f_i) [1 Jn 5:12-13]:

g) THE FALSE DOCTRINE OF WORKS SALVATION IS PROMOTED

i_c) THE WORTHY WALK VIEW IS NOT SUPPORTED BY GAL 5:19-21

a) EXPLANATION OF THE WORTHY WALK VIEW

b) EVALUATION OF THE WORTHY WALK VIEW

b_i) BELIEVERS ARE IN VIEW IN GAL 5:19-21, NOT UNBELIEVERS

b_ii) THE CONTEXT OF A WARNING WITH CONSEQUENCES IS NOT ADDRESSED

i_d) THE PRESENT REWARDS VIEW DOES NOT FIT GAL 5:19-21

a) EXPLANATION OF THE PRESENT REWARDS VIEW OF GAL 5:19-21

b) EVALUATION OF THE PRESENT REWARDS VIEW OF GAL 5:19-21

b_i) One must be resurrected from the dead in order to inherit the kingdom

b_ii) PRESENT BLESSINGS IN THIS AGE CANNOT BE EQUATED WITH FUTURE INHERITANCE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD

i_e) THE FUTURE REWARDS VIEW BEST FITS GAL 5:19-21

a) EXPLANATION OF THE FUTURE REWARDS VIEW

b) EVALUATION OF THE FUTURE REWARDS VIEW:

b_i) THE FUTURE REWARDS VIEW ANSWERS ALL OF THE SHORTCOMINGS OF THE PRECEDING VIEWS

1) It does not suggest that persevering in good works is a condition of eternal salvation in addition to believing in Christ.

2) It has no difficulty with the many examples in Scripture of genuine believers who walked in the flesh.

3) It sees those being addressed as genuine believers, as the context clearly shows.

4) It has no argument with the fact that the context acknowledges the possibility that genuine believers might walk in the flesh.

5) It is completely compatible with the ethical nature of the passage and the fact that judgment according to one's works is in view.

6) It does not eliminate assurance of salvation.

7) It does not produce a works - salvation mentality.

8) It is in harmony with the eschatological aspect of the expression found in 1 Cor 15:50.

9) And, it does find in the passage a clear warning to believers."

2 cont.) [Gal 5:21b cont.]:

c) FINAL NOTE ON GAL 5:21b

II) [Gal 5:22-23]:

A) THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IN THE FAITHFUL BELIEVER'S LIFE

III) [Gal 5:24]:

A) BELIEVERS ARE UNDER THE CONTROLLING INFLUENCE OF THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT WHICH HAS BROKEN THE CONTROL OF THE SIN NATURE

1) [Compare Ro 6:3]:

IV) [Gal 5:25]:

A) EVEN THOUGH BELIEVERS HAVE THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT WHO HAS CONTROL OF THE BELIEVER'S LIFE, THE BELIEVER STILL HAS A CHOICE TO RESIST OR KEEP IN STEP WITH GOD'S LEADING STEPS

1) [Compare Ro 6:11-13]:

V) [Gal 5:26]:

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