Galatians | Week 2 Study Guide

Week 2 – Galatians Chapter 2
Nicky Whye | By Faith Alone
PRINTABLE VERSION

Hello friends,

We pray that God has begun to write the story of His deep love and unending grace over your life through the powerful truths found in Galatians. As you cultivate His word into your life, keep Melody’s encouragement in mind…

God isn’t in love with your potential or your performance.
He’s in love with your person.

Your goal is not just to get through this content, but to get this content through you. Choose questions that are most meaningful to you and/or that lead your group into deeper conversation. Use any remaining content for personal study or reflection throughout the week. Be REAL with yourself, God and others as you commit to cultivating the truth of God’s word into your life SO THAT you can live out what you’re learning.

Cultivate Truth
Read Galatians Chapter 2. Make note of any words, phrases or verses that speak to you. In your own words summarize what you want to take away from this chapter. How will you begin to cultivate that truth into your life?

Key Verses
“Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.” Galatians 2:16 NLT

Quick Study
If time only allows for quick study this week, linger here: Nicky challenged us to shake off the chains of law and obligation SO THAT we can live in the fullness and freedom of God’s grace. Where in your life are you living with a “have to” attitude instead of a “get to” gratitude?

Notable Quotes from Nicky

  • It is faith in Jesus that leads us to accepting God’s incredible grace.
  • We get to live under grace rather than having to live under the law.
  • The grace of the cross compels us towards righteousness.
  • We want so badly to make things right, but we can only do it by the grace of the Father.
  • God’s grace leads us into freedom. 

Reflect & Discuss
Choose the questions that will lead you and/or your group into reflection and discussion:

  1. As you reflect on Nicky’s message, what most encouraged you? What most challenged you?
  2. Grace is a gift we receive when we believe in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. What Jesus did for us should compel us to become more like Him. What is one thing you see in Jesus that you want to cultivate into your own life?
  3. What are some rules or “have-tos” you are living by? These could be habits, practices or patterns of thought. As you consider these, are there any that began as good for you, but without balance, could lead to bondage?
  4. Read Galatians 2:16, this week’s key verse. Paul drives one point home over and over, widening his audience until he reaches the universal truth that no one is made right by obeying the law.
    • How does this truth free you from striving to prove you’re “good enough?”
    • How does this truth challenge you to avoid looking around at others [comparing] or even looking down on others [competing] to measure righteousness?

Cultivating a Life in Christ
Respond to God, inviting Him to cultivate this week’s truth into your life.

We simply can’t tip the scales. We could heap on good deeds, hard work, virtues and values, but we will never outweigh Jesus. Which is precisely why He willingly paid our debt in full. Jesus not only forgives us, but He declares us righteous before God once and for all. Let’s stop settling for good enough. Jesus has already given us His very best.

“All of our faults, all of our failures are covered in the blood of Christ.” Nicky Whye

Follow Nicky’s lead and make note [use an index card, journal or your bible] of any areas in your life where you want to experience freedom, wholeness and healing. This could be physical, spiritual, emotional or relational. Invite God to begin the work of cultivating freedom into your life. Keep in mind, you might not be where you want to be, but if you pursue growth, with grace, you won’t be where you were.

Dig Deeper
Choose any of these dig deeper opportunities to cultivate more of God’s word into your life.

  • Read Galatians 2:21. The enemy wants to sell us the lie that we’ll exhaust God’s grace. According to this verse, why is that impossible? How does that truth invite you to be REAL with God?
  • Read Galatians 2:20 and 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. We are flawed and also filled with the Spirit of God. Both things are true. Make a list celebrating what you love about who you are right now. Alongside that, make note of the ways you’d like to grow or mature to become the best version of who God created you to be.

Supporting Verses

“17 But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! 18 Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. 19 For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. 20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.” Galatians 2:17-21 NLT

“14 Either way, Christ’s love controls us.  Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. 15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.” 2 Corinthians 5:14-18 NLT