Galatians 3: 1-14- How Works Don’t Work

Preached on October 3, 2021 by Senior Pastor Adam Utecht

Sermon Outline

  1. __________ is essential (v. 1-5)
  2. Abraham’s __________ (v. 6-9)
    1. Abraham’s credited __________________ (v. 6)
    2. Abraham’s descendants’ ____________ righteousness (v. 7-9)
  3. How to be _________ (v. 10-14)
    1. _________ by works (v. 10)
    2. By _________ (v. 11-12)
    3. In ________ (v. 13-14)  

Going Deeper

  1. Why are the Galatians so foolish (Galatians 4:1; also go back and look at Galatians 1:6-7)? In what ways do we find ourselves following a different gospel (a prosperity gospel, a social gospel, a works-based gospel)?
  2. Read John 8:44. Who is Jesus talking to (see v. 31)? The Jews are another term for religious leaders, or Pharisees. How are the Pharisees similar to Paul’s opponents in Galatia? Who is ultimately behind the deceit of the Galatian believers?
  3. John Stott describes the gospel: “The gospel is not good advice to men, but good news about Christ; not an invitation to us to do anything, but a declaration of what God has done; not a demand, but an offer.”
  4. What is Paul saying about a self-sufficient attitude in Galatians 3:3? Do you struggle with spiritual self-sufficiency? How does this attitude or mindset suppress the power of the Holy Spirit in your life?
  5. What is the answer to Paul’s last rhetorical question in Galatians 3:5? How is grace essential for our lives today?
  6. Read Genesis 12:1-3 and all of Genesis 15. Why does Paul bring Abraham into his argument that works don’t work? How is God’s covenant with Abraham different than covenants between two people?
  7. Are you one of Abraham’s offspring (Gal. 3:7-9)? How are was Abraham justified (declared innocent)? How are we justified? How does this contradict the gospel the Judaizers were proclaiming?
  8. Why are we cursed if we rely on doing good works to be saved (see Gal. 3:10)? Have you ever been able to be perfectly obedient to God’s laws, even for a day?
  9. The righteous shall live by faith. Do a quick study – what other places is this phrase found in the Bible? Read those passages in context. What does it mean that the righteous shall live by faith? How are you living by faith?
  10. Why do we have to put our faith in Christ (Gal. 3:13)? How was Jesus cursed (Deut. 21:22-23; 1 Peter 2:24)? 
  11. What will you do this week to live by the Spirit? Eph. 2:10 tells us God has prepared us to do good works. We are not saved by good works, but we are saved to do good works!