By Jennifer R.Thabiti Anyabwile recently posted about a session he heard at a conference which summarized the entire book of Galatians. He listed the 29 gospel indicatives (things that are "done") and 13 gospel imperatives (things we are "to do") from the book of Galatians. Since Tim is preaching through this book and many are memorizing it, I thought this list would be helpful for us to review.
29 Indicatives
- The gospel is rooted in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Gal. 1:1).
- The gospel delivers us from the present evil age to the glory of Christ (Gal. 1:3-5).
- There is only one gospel and to desert it is to be damned (Gal. 1:6-9).
- The gospel is ours by divine revelation and not human imagination (Gal. 1:10-12).
- The gospel is grounded in a gracious election (Gal. 1:15).
- The gospel is constantly in danger of being lost and needs to be defended (Gal. 2:4-5).
- The gospel that saves Gentiles is the same gospel that saves Jews (Gal. 2:7-9).
- There are ethical imperatives that follow the gospel (Gal. 2:11) and no ethnic distinctions in the gospel (Gal. 2:12-14).
- The gospel is good news that we are justified by faith in Jesus Christ and not by works of the Law (Gal. 2:15-16).
- Through the gospel, we are identified with Christ and His work on the cross (Gal. 2:20).
- The love of Christ for sinners is made evident in the gospel (Gal. 2:20).
- We receive the Holy Spirit by faith in the Gospel, the same Spirit who justifies and sanctifies (Gal. 3:2-5).
- The gospel that saved Abraham in the past is the same gospel that saves us in the present (Gal. 3:7-9).
- Relying on good works not only does not save but actually curses (Gal. 3:10-11).
- The gospel is the good news that Christ has redeemed us from the curse as our penal substitute (Gal. 3:13-14).
- The gospel is rooted in a covenantal promise that precedes the law (Gal. 3:17).
- The law is good because it shows us our sin (Gal. 3:19, 21).
- The law is good because it is our school teacher who leads us to Christ to be justified by faith (Gal. 3:25-26).
- The gospel unites us to Christ where we’re all one in Him–soteriological not ecclesiological (Gal. 3:27-29).
- The gospel is grounded in Trinitarian theology (Gal. 4:4-6).
- Gospel redemption leads to adoption as a child of the Father (Gal. 4:7).
- The gospel gives us a knowledge of God freeing us from rules (Gal. 4:8-11).
- Faithful ministers will be passionate for the ministry of the gospel even if it results in anguish and a broken heart (Gal. 4:12-20).
- Works-salvation leads to slavery, while Mt. Sinai leads to freedom (Gal. 4:21-31).
- To pursue salvation by works obligates us to keep the entire law perfectly (Gal. 5:1-3).
- To be justified by works is to fall away from justification by grace through faith (Gal. 5:4-6).
- The gospel that saves us also sanctifies us (Gal. 5:7-8).
- To preach a false gospel invites judgment and calls for the strongest condemnation from the faithful (Gal. 5:10-12).
- The indicative of the gospel naturally leads to the imperatives of the gospel (Gal. 5:13-6:20), which opens onto the imperative section of the letter:
- We will not indulge and pander to the flesh (Gal. 5:13, 16-21).
- In love we will serve others (Gal. 5:13-14).
- We will not brutalize one another in word or action (Gal. 5:15).
- We will live in the Spirit whom we received when we believed (Gal. 5:22-26).
- We will engage in spiritual restoration (Gal. 6:1-2).
- We will be humble (Gal. 6:4-5).
- We will serve and do our part in the body.
- We will bless those who teach us (Gal. 6:6).
- We should embrace reaping (Gal. 6:7-8).
- We won’t grow weary in well-doing (Gal. 6:9-10).
- We will accept persecution for the cross of Christ (Gal. 6:11-13).
- We will boast only in Christ and His cross (Gal. 6:14-15).
- We will pursue peace, mercy, grace and Christ (Gal. 6:16-20).
