Bible study - Galatians

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I’m about to start a study of Galatians with my Evangelical girlfriend. We’ll be using this guide by Timothy Keller. As far as text, I’ll be reading the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible (RSV-2CE); she has the NKJV. I’ve also given her the single volume Ignatius guide of Galatians/Ephesians. (I don’t know how much she’ll look at the Ignatius, but I’ll probably do those study questions, too.)

A couple of questions: Specifically, is anyone here familiar with this particular Keller guide? Any comments?

And, in general, what are some common issues that I might expect as we go through this epistle? From a quick skimming of Keller’s introduction, I already see “faith/works” looming. What has been your experience with Galatians?

Any feedback, suggestions, etc., would be most welcome. And, of course, prayers for both of us!
 
Eruorto said:
I’m about to start a study of Galatians with my Evangelical girlfriend. We’ll be using this guide by Timothy Keller. As far as text, I’ll be reading the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible (RSV-2CE); she has the NKJV. I’ve also given her the single volume Ignatius guide of Galatians/Ephesians. (I don’t know how much she’ll look at the Ignatius, but I’ll probably do those study questions, too.)

A couple of questions: Specifically, is anyone here familiar with this particular Keller guide? Any comments?

And, in general, what are some common issues that I might expect as we go through this epistle? From a quick skimming of Keller’s introduction, I already see “faith/works” looming. What has been your experience with Galatians?

Any feedback, suggestions, etc., would be most welcome. And, of course, prayers for both of us!
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I hope you realize that it is the mission of Evangelicals to pull you out from The Church that Jesus Christ founded. I have been invited to such bible studies a few times and they all wound up with the evangelicals ganging up on the Catholics.
I’d turn down the invitation to the bible study and find a Catholic bible study to invite her to attend with you. She won’t be attacked at yours like you will be at hers.
 
Thank you! To clarify, it’s just the two of us studying Galatians, so I’m not too concerned about being ganged up on. 🙂 But I hope to learn from others’ experiences about what disagreements tend to come up regarding this letter so I’m not caught off guard.
 
Galatians isn’t quite the faith vs. works book that you would find in Romans and Ephesians. Quite clearly Paul is warning the people against following the laws of Moses and he generally refers to them as “works of the law.” You need to distinguish that from works in general. One of the great divides between Protestantism and Catholicism is that Protestants regard the sacraments as works and Catholics do not. So in many instances when Protestants say Catholics have a works based religion they are talking about the sacraments.

One verse that I find tends to frustrate the once saved always saved crowd is Galatians 5:4. They have a lot of trouble with that verse but it plainly states that one can lose his salvation. You can’t fall from grace unless you had already been in a state of grace.
 
Zenas said:
One verse that I find tends to frustrate the once saved always saved crowd is Galatians 5:4. They have a lot of trouble with that verse but it plainly states that one can lose his salvation. You can’t fall from grace unless you had already been in a state of grace.
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I have always been fond of Galatians. Protestantism drove me away for a long while from Christianity, Catholicism pulled me back. This is just my story, I am not condemning our Protestant cousins, however Ignatius is my confirmation name if that tells you anything.

Anyway, this very verse is part of my core disagreement with Protestants. Rejection of this critically important concept gives many license to treat others horridly and call yourself a Christian “cause I am already saved.” I have a few wonderful Baptist friends, but they go to a huge and very active Baptist church. They also have a daughter that converted, I am proud to say and… this caused them to do some heavy investigation, and we are now considered “just fine!” :D;)
 
Am I on the right track here?

In the first chapter, we see that Paul is arguing against Judaizers in Galatia who are teaching that Christians must not only believe in Christ, but also adhere to the Mosaic Law in order to be saved, which denies the sufficiency of Jesus’ sacrifice.

So… they are sort of trying to remain under the Old Covenant as well as the New? The problem would then be that, as the “works of the [Mosaic] law” could not bring about salvation, they are saying you have to do stuff that is actually ineffective. If this is the case, is Paul even talking about “faith/works” (as I’ve heard some Evangelicals - and this guide - put it, “faith plus”)? Or just about old, ineffective Law/rituals/practices that did not confer grace versus new, effective [Christ’s] sacrifice that does?
 
Hello Eruorto.

You said:
Am I on the right track here?
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In the first chapter, we see that Paul is arguing against Judaizers in Galatia who are teaching that Christians must not only believe in Christ, but also adhere to the Mosaic Law in order to be saved, which denies the sufficiency of Jesus’ sacrifice.
Click to expand...
So… they are sort of trying to remain under the Old Covenant as well as the New? The problem would then be that, as the “works of the [Mosaic] law” could not bring about salvation, they are saying you have to do stuff that is actually ineffective. If this is the case, is Paul even talking about “faith/works” (as I’ve heard some Evangelicals - and this guide - put it, “faith plus”)? Or just about old, ineffective Law/rituals/practices that did not confer grace versus new, effective [Christ’s] sacrifice that does?
Click to expand...
I think you are on the right track.

See also:

COMMENTARY ON SAINT PAUL’S EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS
by St. Thomas Aquinas
Translated by F.R. Larcher, O.P.
(here)

dhspriory.org/thomas/english/SSGalatians.htm

God bless.

Cathoholic
 
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