Study Questions for Groups
By Michael C. Mack
1. With whom did you share the gospel message using the Scripture verses from last week’s study? How did that go?
2. What dilemma or struggle did you deal with over the past week?
Ask two people to read aloud Galatians 4:21—5:15 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Then ask a third person to briefly summarize the passage.
3. What would you say is the main theme for this section of Scripture?
4. Let’s dig deeper:
• What contrasts do you see in this passage?
• What comparisons (or even similes) do you see?
• What metaphors do you see?
• What significance do you see in the contrast of being “born according to the flesh” (by “human plotting” in The Message translation) and being “born as a result of a divine promise”?
• Circumcision is not a concern for most modern Christ followers. What religious law-keeping activities or systems—be they self-imposed or imposed on us by others—do we sometimes undertake to try to find favor with God?
• In your own words, according to this passage, what does and doesn’t matter for us as Christ followers?
• Have you ever experienced or seen in others a time when Christian freedom was taken too far or even exploited self-indulgently? If so, what was the result?
• How are Christ followers called to live out their freedom in Christ?
5. What do you learn about God from this passage?
6. What do you learn about humans?
7. What commands do you find in this passage? (Hint: See verses 5:1, 13, 14.)
• Which of these commands will you focus on obeying this week? How specifically will you do that?
8. Think of someone you know who is living according to a law-keeping system to try to find favor with God. (Perhaps they have “fallen away from grace.”) What verses from this week’s lesson will you share with that person to help them accept God’s grace?
9. Based on our study and discussion, complete this sentence: “This week, I will . . .”
10. What circumstance do you anticipate you will need to deal with this week?
For Next Week: Read and reflect on Galatians 5:16-26; 6:7-10. You can also read next week’s supplemental texts as well as the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.
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