7: The Road to Faith – Discussion starters
- The road to faith. Does your faith ever falter when you face hard times? Are you ever bewildered by the experiences that confront you in your Christian life? Do doubts ever strike you as you try to wrestle with issues that seem too vast to comprehend? Are you ever stricken with doubt and agonize for the faith you need to carry you through? Where has that faith gone when you need it so much?
- The law and the promise. Why do you suppose Paul’s congregation was bewildered by the big difference between the law and God’s promises? From your
perspective, which is more important? If the law is not the source of our relationship with Christ, does it stand in any way in opposition to it? Wouldn’t it be easier to honor a law in our belief system that guarantees our salvation? Obey and be saved. - “Under the law.” In Galatians 2 and 3, how does Paul make it plain that being under the law makes salvation possible for us? Is a person who follows the law of God a legalist? Can a legalist be a Christian? If not, why not? What was the big mistake the Galatians were making regarding the law they loved and cherished? Do we ever make a similar mistake in our walk with Christ today?
- The law as “our guard.” How did the law change God’s promise to Abraham? Or did it? In Galatians 3:19-20, is Paul saying that the law was given to us because of our sins? If we had never sinned, would we ever have needed the law of God? In what way it the law a “guard” for us? What does it guard us from? How was the law God gave to His children a blessing to them?
- The law as our schoolmaster. After reading the description of a pedagogue in today’s lesson, do you think we should consider the law as schoolmaster and pedagogue? Why or why not? Do you ever compare what you do and say on a day-to-day basis with God’s will for you? How do you handle the discrepancies? How can we relate to the law in a way that draws us closer to God?
- The law and the believer. “But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.” Galatians 3:25. By “tutor,” isn’t Paul freeing us from the pedagogue? Is there a relationship between our being forgiven and the life we live? Wouldn’t it be great if we could do anything we wanted to do and never have to think of the possibility of sinning? Does such a possibility exist? Or must we wait until we’re translated to eternal life?
The answer to the first two questions is yes, for those that claim to put their faith and trust in God. When these circumstances occur we look for help in the scripture such as John 14:13,14; 15:7; 16:23; Luke11:9, and others. Our prayers become as sincere and often as possible. All sorts of doubts creep in. Is that the abundant life that we envision?