04: Justification by Faith Alone – Teaching Plan
Key Thought: Sinners can be justified in God’s sight only by accepting what God has done for them in Christ. Through faith we may die to self and let Christ live His life in us.
1. Have a volunteer read Galatians 2:15-17
A. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
B. Why does Paul state that the Jews by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles? What point was he making?
C. Personal Application: How as an SDA Christian could you use Paul’s words in reaching the unchurched, and yet also rebuke and remind SDA’s that their salvation is only through justification?
D. Case Study : One of your relatives states, “Why does Paul keep using the word justified? Isn’t that a legal term? I heard that God didn’t need to have His ‘ounce of flesh’ and that we are not to look at the cross and salvation in legal terms.” How would you respond to your relative?
2. Have a volunteer read Galatians 3:21-25
A. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
B. What is Paul’s point about being saved by the law? Why can’t righteousness be by the law?
C. Personal Application: In today’s society, how willing are people to listen and learn from others? Is it true that everyone has an opinion and really doesn’t want to hear anyone else’s? Share.
D. Case Study : One of your friends states, ”What law was Paul writing about here as a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ that we might be justified? Does that mean we don’t have to follow the Ten Commandments?” How would you respond to your friend?
3. Have a volunteer read Galatians 2:19-21
A. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
B. How can Paul be dead to the law through the law?
C. Personal Application: Do you feel like that you have been crucified to sin? Or are you being crucified – going through a slow painful lingering death – to sin and self now? Or haven’t you been crucified yet?
D. Case Study : One of your neighbors states, “How is Paul crucified with Christ? How does this affect how Paul lives in the flesh? What does he mean by saying that Christ lives in him?” How do you respond to your neighbor?
4. Have a volunteer read Galatians 5:6
A. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
B. What does Paul mean here about his statement concerning circumcision? (Compare I Corinthians 7:19) Do these two Scriptures clash or agree with each other? Share.
C. Personal Application : How is our faith manifested in love? What concrete evidence do we have concerning our faith in God and our love for others?
D. Case Study : Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this
week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with
them.
(Note: “Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.” MH p. 149)
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