The Book of Galatians in 30 Tweets
David Mathis
@davidcmathis
Paul is en fuego in his letter to the Galatians. He’s flaming with a righteous apostolic anger. Best advice perhaps is don’t try this at home.
But do read it at home. Hear it preached. Study it. Write about it. Even tweet it. Whatever it takes to have Paul’s blazing fire warm the coals of your love for Jesus and for his gospel of grace.
Here’s installment number four in tweeting Paul’s epistles. We started with Romans. Then 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians. Now batting: The Book of Galatians.
For starters, here’s a one-tweet summary of the letter:
Jesus’s astounding grace is to be admired and appreciated, not added to. #Galatians
What follows are 29 more designed to walk you through six red-hot, gospel-rich chapters, each with a Galatians hashtag. Grab a Twitter account and help us get #Galatians trending today, if you would.
Here’s the full slate of Galatians tweets we’ll be dispensing throughout the morning:
Chapter 1
Jesus gave himself at the cross both for us and for God—for our good and ultimately for God’s glory #Galatians 1:1–5
There is one gospel. One path from which saving grace flows to sinners: Jesus. Every counterfeit is damnable #Galatians 1:6–9
People-pleasing is inconsistent with calling Jesus Lord. Christians are servants of the God-man—not servants of any mere man #Galatians 1:10
The Christian gospel is not the product of human reason or speculation or conversation, but only divine revelation. #Galatians 1:11–22
It makes God look really good when his people's persecutors become his gospel's preachers. Pray for the persecutors #Galatians 1:23–24
Chapter 2
Do not yield—even for a minute—when grace-despising false “brothers” slip in to spy out the legit freedom we have in Jesus #Galatians 2:1–6
As poor sinners, saved only by God’s astounding grace, it is madness to think we'd remember the gospel but forget the poor #Galatians 2:7–10
For the Christian, the final standard of our conduct is not rule or law or list, but the truth of the gospel of grace #Galatians 2:11–14
The Christian not only once despaired of self and turned to Jesus, but daily, continually, unstoppably turns to him #Galatians 2:15–21
True Christians don't nullify divine grace by trusting their effort, but celebrate the grace of Jesus’ death and life for us #Galatians 2:21
Chapter 3
It is spiritual foolishness to think we could begin the Christian life by the Spirit's strength, but keep going in our own #Galatians 3:1–4
It is spiritual foolishness to think we could connect with the Spirit by our doing rather than receiving his doing by faith #Galatians 3:5–6
It is not pedigree or performance that brings us into God’s family and his eternal favor, but receiving his grace by faith #Galatians 3:7–9
The road that leads to death is marked Law-Self-Deeds, but the supernatural path to life is called Promise-Spirit-Faith #Galatians 3:10–14
Don’t get your wires crossed. God’s law is not meant to give us life. It can’t. Only his Promise. Law has another purpose #Galatians 3:15–19
Life is by God’s Promise, not his Law. Why then the Law? Because of our sin, and to show us our need for his Promised One #Galatians 3:19–22
Law is no route to Jesus’ acceptance or ongoing approval. It’s meant to make us despair of our deeds & depend only on him #Galatians 3:23–29
Chapter 4
In God's unique Son, by faith, we are no longer slaves, but adopted sons—and amazingly, heirs with Jesus of all he inherits #Galatians 4:1–7
We only know God because he 1st knew us. Don’t give in to the sinful religious instinct that you can work your way to him #Galatians 4:8–11
It is gut-wrenching to see friends or family turn from the gospel of divine grace to trusting in their own human effort #Galatians 4:12–20
In Jesus, we are not slaves of the law, and citizens of the old city, but children of promise, and citizens of the New #Galatians 4:21–31
Chapter 5
Jesus set us free—to be free from sin, not slaves to law. It’s not your deeds that count for his acceptance, but only faith #Galatians 5:1–6
The kind of faith in Jesus that alone sets us free is a faith so full and vital that we can’t help but extend love to others #Galatians 5:6
Better to castrate yourself than trick others into shunning grace and thinking circumcision is needed to be right with God #Galatians 5:7–12
The Christian is called to true freedom—free from slavery to self, free enough to love others with self-sacrifice #Galatians 5:13–15
The short-sighted desires of sin are at odds with the desires of the Holy Spirit, our new selves, and what we really want #Galatians 5:1–26
Chapter 6
Don’t drop the hammer on a struggling brother. Be gentle. Get a shoulder underneath the load, and help him up. Like Jesus #Galatians 6:1–5
Not trusting in our do-gooding for acceptance with God frees us to be resilient do-gooders for all, esp fellow believers #Galatians 6:6–10
Opposition, persecution, affliction, come what may / Our only boast is Jesus Christ—his cross, his gospel, grace #Galatians 6:11–18
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