We've finished up our journey through Galatians, and next week we will take a deeper look at the fruit of the Spirit. During this bridge between the two, I'd like to summarize some major points from Galatians, picking one major concept from a key verse in each chapter: 

Chapter 1: Verses 15-16 But when the one who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me by His grace was pleased to reveal His Son in me in order that I would proclaim the gospel about Him among the Gentiles...

Paul is sharing his calling from God as an apostle to the Gentiles. Here was a man who persecuted Christians and was dramatically changed to be a strong evangelist and teacher. No one is hopeless. God can transform anyone!

Chapter 2: v. 16 But knowing that a person is not justified by the works of the low, if not by faith in Jesus Chris, and we have believed in Christ Jesus so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified.

v. 19b-20: I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me, and that life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Paul lays the facts on the line here: keeping the law does not save. Salvation is available by faith in Jesus, who paid the price the law required.

We do not have to be slaves to this world's systems and temptations! Christ lives in and through us!

Chapter 3: Verses 24-26  So then, the law became our guardian until Christ, in order that we could be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

For a time, the law guided people into living in right standing with God. But Christ fulfilled the need of the law, because no one could keep the law perfectly. It pointed out our need and Christ met that need!

Chapter 4: Verse 7 So that you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, also an heir through God.

Paul reminds the Galatians of their standing as sons of God...there is no need to behave like a slave when you are a child of the King!

Chapter 5: Verse 1: For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

Don't create more rules for yourself in order to honor God. As His Spirit lives in you, and you nurture that relationship, characteristics such as love, joy, patience and self-control will naturally grow in you without the need of lots of laws and rules to govern your behavior.

Galatians 6: Verse 9 And let us now grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap if we do not give up.

Do you ever feel like giving up? This verse encourages us to not allow ourselves to "grow" weary. That implies that we could possibly sense when we are starting to grow weary and should take steps at that time to refresh ourselves, and accept the refreshing of others. Invest time to refresh yourself so that you won't be tempted to give up in doing good to others.

What have you learned from Galatians?