Ministry Internship Programme 

Assessment Task Cover Sheet for 10009 

or NB4.506 

Course: Exploring Theological Themes in a NT Book – Galatians 

  

Task One:  Complete Book Survey Chart & Identify 3 Themes in Galatians 

​Please attach this to your completed assignment and hand it in to the MI

Coordinator at the Seminar Session on the Due Date
 Criteria for Assessment.

7he grade given takes account of the criteria set as covered by the following elements

Not Really Satisfactory Well Done Comments

Task Understood

Effort Made

Presentation & Style

Survey Chart Completed: Covered in class at block

• Covers whole letter

• Verse references appropriate

• ​Paragraph headings appropriate

• ​Valid​ ​sub-section headings

headingfs{recrdDy.s

• Valiod Section headings

. Appropriate Title for Letter

Gathered Important data from Text: Complete for task1

• ​People, Places, Time references

• Key Words or Ideas

• 7hemes and Data

7hemes Chosen are:

• Well stated

• ​Significant for message of letter

. Show good grasp of text

Possible applications appropriate

Stated purpose appropriate

Remarks:
GRADE​:__________________ Signature:_____________________________ Date Marked​:________________

Competence in the specified criteria Grade

Superlative Quality​: Superlative Standard of work in all criteria A+

Outstanding Quality: All Criteria mastered in an outstanding treatment A

Superior Quality: Major criteria addressed in superior treatment A-

Very Good; Major criteria addressed in very good treatment B+

Good: Major criteria addressed in good quality treatment B

Satisfactory: Most criteria covered in a satisfactory manner B-

Adequate: An adequate standard achieved in some of the criteria C+

Acceptable: Limited quality of treatment. Gaps in addressing criteria C

Marginal: Borderline coverage and treatment of the criteria

C-

Not yet Competent: Inadequate standard and coverage D

 Galatians Assignment
Theme: Faith

Passages Chosen: ​2: 15-21, 3:1-9, 3: 10-14

2:15 – 21​ Justified By Faith

Here Paul turns his attention to the truth that we are ​‘Justified by Faith​. Many Galatians have turned
away from the Gospel preached by Paul and succumbed to a false Gospel that tries to keep people in
bondage to the Law and its customs.

Paul contrasts the Gospel of works presented by Judasisers and the liberating ​Gospel of Faith taught
by Paul and the other disciples.

What exactly does it mean to be justified?

Justified or to justify (​GK dikaioō​) is a legal term and is the exact opposite of condemned. A
condemned man sits on death row but a justified man is declared righteous and freed.

What is the path to Justification?

In verse 16 Paul uses the word ‘Justified’, three times. Firstly, in a general statement, ”man is not
justified by works of the Law but through ​Faith in Jesus Christ​”, next he turns his attention to the
Jewish believers, ”even we have believed in Jesus Christ in order to be ​justified by faith in Christ​”
and finally, to listeners still clinging on to the ‘Law’, “by works of the Law no one shall be justified”.
From this we see the there is only one way to Justification that is faith ​in Jesus Christ​.

What does it take?

In verse 16 the phrase “We have believed in Jesus Christ” , Paul is emphasising the need for personal
commitment by using, the Greek word ‘eis’, this has the literal meaning commitment and as John
Stott states ‘ Not just assenting to the fact that Jesus lived and died but running to Him for refuge
and calling on Him for salvation​.”(John Stott, The message of The Galatians, p 62, 2002)

Faith Eliminate the Law?

Verses 17 and 18 address a perceived weakness in Paul’s argument. If ​faith in Jesus Christ eliminated
the law, doesn’t that promote sin? The Judasisers believed this would lead to people doing anything
they wished nullifying a person’s moral responsibility.

Paul rebukes the notion in verse 17 especially the implication Jesus was an agent of sin. He qualifies
his argument in the remainder of 17 and 18. Someone who had once lived by faith, then returns to
the Law for salivation would only prove they were a sinner incapable of fulfiling the law. Not only
were the Galatians guilty of this but also the apostle Peter. He had once eaten with Gentiles but
withdrew to the Jews when James and some other Jews arrived. Paul recounts confronting Peter in
verse 11. This reinforces the point made earlier of commitment as in Luke 9: 18 -27

Verse 19 and 20 expresses a transformation built upon a desire to live for God. Paul had to die to the
Law. Paul declares he has been crucified with Christ In order to live for God and identifies himself
with sacrifice Jesus made for all sin. He goes on to say that it s no longer he that lives but Christ in
him, the old Paul is dead and Jesus now dwells in him. However none of this in automatic unless he
has ​faith in the Son of God​ the one how loved Him and delivered himself up for him.

In verse 21 Paul affirms the Grace of God and that his argument in no way dimishes it’s role but if the
Law was really the way to Salvation then Jesus would have died for nothing and the implications
would be that the Gospel would be dead and the central character, Jesus would in someway been
outside the will of His Father.

3:1-9 Faith Is the Only Way

In this passage Paul affirms that ​faith in Jesus​ is the only way. The Galatian’s gaze had been diverted
from Christ Crucified to the Law. Had they been bewitched? Paul knew all too well that teachers of a
false Gospel had been at work. The father of all lies, the devil, is trying to place the Galatians back in
to bondage. In verses one and two Paul tackles the seemly irrational acts of the Galatians. First, he
recounts how before their very eyes Jesus was portrayed as crucified and then asks,”Did you receive
the Spirit by works of the law or by ​hearing with Faith​”. The Galatians had begun well as we see in
Paul’s next statement,”Having begun in the Spirit are you now ending with the flesh.” It’s easy to
have sympathy with the Galatians, essentially a gentile church with little knowledge of Mosaic Law
and new in their faith. How plausible the teachings of the Judaisiers must have seemed. Paul brings
them back to their experience and asks,” Does the one (God) who supplies the Spirit to you and does
miracles amongst you do so by works of the law or by ​hearing with faith​”. The Galatians knew in
their hearts the true gospel was one of faith.

What about the Mosaic Law?

Some Galatians eagerly listening to this letter would have doubts and confusion in there minds. But
Paul now delivers the knock out blow, by taking the readers back to before the Mosaic Law to the
time of Abraham. In verse 6 he writes “Abraham believed in God and this was accredited to him as
righteousness.” And so we see that Abraham was to ​Justified by Faith​. In the next verse he confirms
that true sons of Abraham are ​men of faith.​ How much the Galatians must have celebrated at this
point? Free from the law and circumcision once more. But there’s more, Paul in the next verses
illustrates his conclusions are indeed in harmony with scripture the by quoting Gen 12:3, using
scripture as if it’s God talking. What the scripture say’s God say’s, to disagree would place it’s
authority in doubt. Paul illustrates how God had always planned to ​justify gentiles by faith​, they
shall blessed with ​Abraham who had faith

3:10-14 The Curse of the Law!!

Paul starts this passage with,”For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse”. ​Without Faith
all stand under the curse of the law and Paul asserts in verse 11, no man may be justified through
the law. This implies not only the ignorant Gentiles but also the Jews. This would have stung the ears
of the Judasisers, a cursed man is rejected by God. Many saw Jesus as cursed and rejected by God
and according to Bishop Stephen Neil that when Christ Crucified was preached sometimes the Jews
would shout back ‘Jesus was accursed’.

In verse 13b Paul quotes Deuteronomy 21:23, the similarities of Jesus hanging on the cross and the
Mosaic Law that states an executed criminal must be hung on a tree or stake after stoning was
obviously vivid in the minds of many Jews. But at the beginning of verse 13 it illustrates that Jesus
has redeemed us from the curse of the law. By becoming a curse for everybody. Jesus redeemed us,
bought us out of slavery to the law (exēgorasen). ​To all who have faith His death has bought us life
(v11b)

The Spirit Through faith

Verse 14 we find that the blessing bestowed on Abraham can now be given to ​gentiles through
faith, ”the promise of the Spirit through faith​”

Summery

The glue that is the substance of our relationship with God is ‘Faith’. It is central to the Gospel and
intrinsically related to the working of justification. Abraham was justified through faith, further all
can receive the same blessing as Abraham by having faith in Jesus. We receive this blessing by
listening with faith, believing in Jesus, dying to the Law and receiving Jesus in to our Lives. In contrast
living by the law is to live under a curse and forever condemned.

Christian Service Example

Object Lesson

You Need

Almost full glass of water.

A piece of card (Shinny on one side).

Hold the cardboard over the top of the glass of water and turn it over.

Take your hand away and the water should stay in the glass.

Trusting something you cannot see is called Faith. Although you can not see God(Jesus) you can still
know he is real.

The air you can not see is still stronger than the gravity keep the card in place.