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Lesson OneGalatians: An Introduction to Paul's Epistles and a Survey of His Galatian Epistle5 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson Two1 Thessalonians-1 Corinthians: Paul's Doctrine of Last Things5 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson ThreeJudaism: The Religion Jesus Was Born Into5 Activities1 Assessment
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Course Wrap-UpCourse Completion1 Activity1 Assessment
Participants 77
Discussion Questions
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How is understanding the process of letter-writing in the ancient Greco-Roman world helpful to your study of the epistles found in Scripture?
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14 Replies
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Maybe helps to understand the author’s method of outlining all of the details query in the letters.
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Understanding the protocol that Paul and his audiences expected highlights meaning when Paul intentionally violates the protocol–like omitting the thanksgiving part in the letter to the Galatians shows how disturbed Paul is, and how urgently he wants to get the Galatians’ attention about this issue.
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It gives historical background for context and meaning.
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It makes understanding the letter easier. One can follow the flow of the meaning of the letter to its intended audience.
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Being the simple man that I am it really does not any difference to as long as it is done in a understanding way.
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In this lesson, Dr. Blomberg briefly describes both a “hard legalism” and a “soft legalism.” How would you characterize the “soft legalism” he describes? Do you have a list of dos and don’ts for yourself and/or for others?
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16 Replies
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Interpersonal relationship with God would be a more vibrant definition of soft legalism. This is a period where the Christian is not quite ready to fully serve but is being nurtured by God still.
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“Soft legalism” doesn’t replace faith with works as what saves us, but it replaces a vibrant, joyful relationship with the Jesus who saves us with a dull list of things to do or refrain from doing to keep the Jesus who saves us happy. As a missionary and a teacher, I have a list of dos and don’ts for myself in order to not cause others to stumble. God exploded other dos and don’ts for myself and others 15+ years ago when one of my children went through a period of severe depression.
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Soft legalism are a list of do’s and don’ts but not used for a prerequisite for salvation. However, things we follow within our transformed lives that we don’t feel condemned when we do or don’t do them.
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I think soft legalism are those do’s and don’ts that are subtle and don’t realize we are doing them.
I do have do’s and don’ts for myself, and am always checking myself to see if I fall into the trap of earning my way to heaven. For me sometimes they get confused with convictions that have been added in my walk with Christ, and they make me feel accomplished at times, but get convicted when I realize their enslaving condition.
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I think he means that, as Protestants, we will never say that we need to do good works to be saved. But whatever we say with our lips, we may inwardly feel that we need to perform better, if not to get to heaven eventually, then at least to get closer to God now. It’s as if our favour with God (and thereby God’s answers to our prayers) must be earned through the discipline of a list of dos and don’ts. This is what Dr Blomberg calls “soft legalism”. No, I’m not aware that I have such a list for myself and others. But I have felt it coming from other people, such as when the church presses us to report holding 3-2-1 meetings regularly on top of the cell group and fellowship meetings we already have been holding regularly, simply because the theme of the church is 3-2-1 this year. I suddenly felt, where did this list of dos come from, that now falls on my laps?
#Galatians