Freed for Freedom - by Ed Wharton (Print)

Textbook for courses: Galatians (SIBI Studio), The Book of Galatians (Classroom Audio)

Galatians is one of the most powerful letters penned by the apostle Paul. It is a succinct abbreviation of the book of Romans, but comes in smaller bites that are more easily digested. Having said that I would caution against thinking that smaller bites means less important, or not as powerful. On the contrary, the arguments are much more compact, and the punch, in some respects, even more powerful. This is especially true with regard to legalism, both ancient and modern, to which the Galatian letter addresses itself.

Perhaps a clarification about legalism is in order. Too often there has been a misunderstanding of what legalism actually is. Consequently it continues to lurk as a threat to God's people. Legalism is not law keeping, it is law depending. Attempting to do away with keeping Christ's commandments as requisite to salvation by claiming that we are not justified by law, and to say we do not have to obey the law, is to say two very different things. Paul never does away with law keeping; he does away with law depending. Salvation is by atonement (what Christ does for me), not by attainment (what I do for myself).

The message contained in Freed for Freedom, as an exposition of Galatians, will be relevant to anyone who finds himself in an extreme position in the body of Christ (whether the rigid right or the loose left). Wharton asks us to do some serious spiritual probing to lead us to a balanced view of the freedom we find in Christ—a freedom that does not play down the importance of obedience. But for anyone who trusts in his obedience to make him right with God, Wharton's exposition of the Galatian letter is devastating.

This book should be useful as a Bible class tool in any adult Bible class in the local church. It will cause us to re-evaluate the ground on which we stand before Christ, and to appreciate what was accomplished at the cross. Secondly, the book should be used as a tool for evangelism. It explains the balance between the grace of God and an obedience of faith.

Freed For Freedom provides a needed air of assurance that salvation is granted to faith-driven people who, in humble obedience, place their trust in Christ for deliverance and preservation.
– Edward P. Myers, Ph.D. Former Professor of Bible and Christian Doctrine at Harding University College of Bible and Religion

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1. Introducing Galatians

PART ONE: HISTORICAL ARGUMENT – 1:1-2:21
2. An Urgent Correspondence
3. From Fanaticism to Faith
4. Paul Endorsed by the Original Apostles
5. An Apostolic Rebuke

PART TWO: SCRIPTURAL ARGUMENT – 3:1-4:31
6. Faith, Not Law, the Means of Justification
7. The Relation of the Law to the Promise
8. Legal Law Makes Slaves of Sons
9. A Contrast of Affections and Motives
10. The Allegory of Hagar and Sarah

PART THREE: PRACTICAL ARGUMENT – 5:1-6:18
11. Consequences of Legalism Upon Our Freedom
12. The Liberated Lifestyle of the Spirit-Guided Man
13. Christ's Cross: The True Motive for Serving

Product Details
Author: Ed Wharton
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 211
Size: 6 x 9 in
ISBN: 978-0-89098-354-6