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Why the Law?

Jim Leffel

Galatians 3:19-4:7

Paul argues for the goodness of grace by explaining the purpose of God's law. The Law was used by God to diagnose our moral guilt before God, and to show what God is truly like. The Law was given temporarily for people to see their need for forgiveness through Jesus Christ. Once that happens, people have total access to God and a new reality on how to live and relate with God personally.

Keywords

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Two Indicatives and Five Imperatives

Dennis McCallum

Hebrews 10:26-31

After thoroughly explaining how the cross was more than sufficient, the author now moves on in his argument to results of the cross. These results benefit humanity immensely. People can now: 1) come to God in prayer with confidence, 2) have assurance of the future, 3) think of others before themselves, 4) fellowship with one another, and 5) give and receive encouragement.

Keywords

{"passage": "Hebrews 10:26-31","passageabreviated": "Heb 10:26-31","passagetiny": "Heb 10:26-31","teacher": "Dennis McCallum","teachingDa...

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Grace is Promise

Jim Leffel

Galatians 3:15-18

Paul continues to argue for grace, as evidenced through the Old Testament. The content of God's promise through the Old Testament is seen through the creation, the patriarchs, and the history of the nation of Israel. At the center of the Old Testament is a hope rooted in the "seed" or descendant, which was ultimately fulfilled through Jesus Christ. The key element of God's promise is that the conditions cannot be added to, reflecting God's message of grace from the beginning.

Keywords

{"passage": "Galatians 3:15-18","passageabreviated": "Gal 3:15-18","passagetiny": "Gal 3:15-18","teacher": "Jim Leffel","teachingDate": "...

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Implications of the Finished Work

Dennis McCallum

Hebrews 8:16-10:22

The author of Hebrews argues the sufficiency of Jesus' work on the cross. Four implications of Christ's finished work include: 1) the Old Testament forms are obsolete; 2) no further need for forgiveness; 3) no works based on guilt feelings; and 4) bold access to God. Thanks to what Jesus did, Christians can live in close communion with God and express gratitude through praise and meditating on His Word and how that affects our lives.

Keywords

{"passage": "Hebrews 8:16-10:22","passageabreviated": "Heb 8:16-10:22","passagetiny": "Heb 8:16-10:22","teacher": "Dennis McCallum","teac...

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Continuing Under Grace

Jim Leffel

Galatians 3:1-14

Paul is aware that the Galatians are totally blinded by the self-righteousness that comes from trying to be growing with God through the Law. Instead, he urges them to remember grace-empowered living by being led by the Holy Spirit instead of human effort. He shows that even in the Old Testament, God's way always was centered around grace. Instead of trying to self-improve through moral goodness, God asks us to trust in Him over our own goodness and to respond to His leading in our lives. As we do this, we encounter more and more freedom from living under the acceptance and love that comes from His grace through Jesus Christ.

Keywords

{"passage": "Galatians 3:1-14","passageabreviated": "Gal 3:1-14","passagetiny": "Gal 3:1-14","teacher": "Jim Leffel","teachingDate": "10/...

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Grace is Pardon

Jim Leffel

Galatians 2:11-21

Paul rebukes Peter for his hypocrisy and how his actions don't communicate the truth of the gospel to Jews and Gentiles. The grace of God motivates people to obey God based on total undeserved acceptance and contrasts legalism, where acceptance before God is based on our works or by obeying the law. The gospel pardons sinners by justifying based on Christ's righteousness and unites us with Christ, allowing us to live radically new lives based on a new identity in Christ. Living lives based on being pardoned by God's grace will be characterized by genuine love, gratitude, and a positive focus because of God's mercy.

Keywords

{"passage": "Galatians 2:11-21","passageabreviated": "Gal 2:11-21","passagetiny": "Gal 2:11-21","teacher": "Jim Leffel","teachingDate": "...

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Paul: Revolutionary of Grace

Jim Leffel

Galatians 1:10-2:10

Paul combats the Judaizers by defending the message of the Gospel of God. Paul uses his own personal testimony as direct revelation of God and evidence for the real life-transforming power of grace, which not only transformed his motivation but was also accepted by the apostles of Jesus Christ. The grace of God called Paul into a life of radical service for God and others, reflecting God's compassion and mercy towards a zealous sinner. It also cost Paul much of what he once thought was valuable, as the message of grace showed him that God's purposes were bigger. This teaching also includes a testimony by Mary Barnum highlighting the offensiveness of the gospel message.

Keywords

{"passage": "Galatians 1:10-2:10","passageabreviated": "Gal 1:10-2:10","passagetiny": "Gal 1:10-2:10","teacher": "Jim Leffel","teachingDa...

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Christianity at the Crossroads

Jim Leffel

Galatians 1:1-9

Paul begins his letter to the Galatians, where he emphatically argues for the truth found in the Gospel, as legalistic Judaizers were trying to distort God's message of salvation. The true Gospel says that humans are incapable of being righteous before God, but through Jesus Christ they can have eternal life by asking for God's mercy to apply to them, apart from works. The false teachers Paul was combating added obedience to the law as means to salvation and growing with God, a theological debate that has plagued Christianity. The difference between works and faith is wide-spread in areas including: 1) our approach to God; 2) our acceptability; 3) our spiritual state; 4) the real issue between us and God; and 5) the power to live.

Keywords

{"passage": "Galatians 1:1-9","passageabreviated": "Gal 1:1-9","passagetiny": "Gal 1:1-9","teacher": "Jim Leffel","teachingDate": "09/16/...

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Admonish One Another (Part 2)

Jim Leffel

Ephesians 5:21

The second part of a two-part series on admonishing one another with the focus on how to properly give admonishment. We must spend time in reflection and prayer thinking about the other person rather than react out of anger or hurt. Relational closeness, encouraging rapport, humility, and grace are all key when addressing someone's hurtful behaviors. It is an unpopular task because it is difficult to do well, but an important task that can change someone's life. It is also a practical way that we can love one another.\r\n

Keywords

{"passage": "Romans 15:14-14","passageabreviated": "Rom 15:14-14","passagetiny": "Rom 15:14-14","teacher": "Jim Leffel","teachingDate": "...

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