Galatians Outline

Paul wrote this letter to churches he founded on his first missionary journey who are losing their way. False teachers have told them it’s not enough to have faith in Jesus, they must also keep the Law. Paul wrote this letter to correct that view.

Main Themes:

1. Paul is an apostle, equal to the other apostles of Jesus and he is absolutely trustworthy.
2. The true gospel is justification by faith. There is no other gospel.
3. The gospel leads to freedom because it solves our two biggest problems: God’s wrath and our slavery to sin.

Outline of Galatians by Krisan Marotta

• 1:1-5—Greeting
• 1:6-10—Overall thesis: There is no other gospel.
• 2:1-14—Theme 1: Defends his apostleship.
  • 2:1-10—Visit to Jerusalem (Acts 11:27-30) meets with Peter & James in private; Titus is not compelled to be circumcised.
  • 2:11-14—Paul rebukes Peter in Antioch over the same issue troubling the Galatians. Paul could rebuke Peter because they believed the same gospel.
• 2:15-16—Theme 2: Defines justification by faith.
  • 2:17-21—Refutes a common objection that his gospel promotes sinful behavior.
• 3:1-4:31—Details five persuasive arguments for justification by faith alone.
  • 3:2-5—Argues from experience. Did you receive the Spirit because you got your act together and finally started keeping the law? Or because you heard the gospel and believed it? You received the Spirit because you have faith.
  • 3:6-14—Argues Scripture supports our experience. From the beginning, justification came through faith. God promised He would bless all those who have faith like Abraham.
  • 3:15-22—Appeals to common sense. God made a promise to Abraham, but the Law is a deal which came later. The deal does not nullify the promise. God gave the Law to teach us we are sinful.
    • 3:23-4:11—Explains the purpose of the Law. The Law teaches us we are sinful and need a savior. But having learned that lesson, we should graduate from law-keeping to the maturity of faith.
  • 4:12-20—argues from his relationship to them.
    • 4:12-16—Paul reminds the Galatians of their attitude toward him. He contrasts how they viewed him when he first met them with how they view him now.
    • 4:17-20—Paul reminds the Galatians of his attitude toward them. He contrasts his attitude toward them with the attitude of the false teachers.
  • 4:21-31—uses a story from biblical history as an illustration.
    • 4:24-327—The Story
    • 4:28-31—The Application
• 5:1-12—Theme 3: The gospel brings freedom from the Law and slavery to sin because the gospel solves our two biggest problems.
• 5:13-6:10—Paul gives a series of four exhortations. These are implications of the gospel.
  • 5:13-24—Exhorts them not to use freedom as an excuse to indulge in sin.
  • 5:25-6:5—Exhorts them to humility and loving others.
  • 6:6-8—Exhorts them to invest in the truth.
  • 6:9-10—Exhorts them to pursue doing what is good.
• 6:11-18—Final Thought in Paul’s own hand. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision matters when it comes to salvation

Series: Galatians: Living by Faith

Study: Galatians Resources

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Copyright © 2024 · Krisan Marotta, WednesdayintheWord

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