#6: Fatal Attractions

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 Study Guide

In this series we will study the book of Galatians to see that the one true Gospel--the Gospel of Jesus Christ--provides a balance between rules and law and freedom and grace.

What makes attraction so powerful? What kind of attractions have you encountered in your life that were hard to resist? What do you do to avoid being enticed by those attractions?

Scripture

Galatians 4:8-31

Discussion Questions

This passage highlights four enticing attractions that Christians should avoid because they will ruin your life.

1. The attraction of doing the bare minimum (v. 8-10).
   • How did the Galatian Christians return to their old ways after coming to know Christ as their Savior? Why did they go back to observing the Mosaic calendar? In what ways have many Christians allowed cultural practices to affect the way they celebrate Christmas and Easter instead of focusing on the real reasons why these important Christian events are observed?
   • What is the meaning of bare minimum? Why do some Christians fall into the attraction of doing just the bare minimum in their effort to live out their Christian faith? Does the Lord Jesus expect you as His child to live for Him out of obligation? Why or why not?

2. The attraction of listening only to what I want to hear (v. 12-16). What was Paul’s experience with the Galatian believers? Why did the believers turn away from Paul? Are you aware of your blindspots? Do you appreciate a person who tells you the truth or what you need to hear? What are the dangers of wanting to listen only to what you want to hear? What wise words do Proverbs 11:14, 15:22, and 24:6 say about listening to advice?

3. The attraction of accepting flattery which disguises true motives (v. 17-20). How did Paul expose the motives of the Judaizers in their dealings with the Galatian Christians? Why was Paul very different from these Judaizers who just wanted to use the Galatians as a way to spread their false teachings? What is the difference between encouragement and flattery? How do you know if a person is telling you the truth or just flattering you?

4. The attraction of not having to think for yourself (v. 21-31). What scriptural example in the Old Testament did Paul use to illustrate the truth of his teachings about justification through Christ alone and the false teachings of the Judaizers advocating salvation by works? What did Paul tell the Galatians to do to the Judaizers who, like Ishmael to Isaac, were mocking the children of promise, the true Christians? Paul reminded the Galatians to look at Old Testament history and think for themselves. Why is it important to know the Word of God and to think for yourself in dealing with issues surrounding Christians today?

In Walk: Some attractions are so powerful that it can cause a person to throw out his sense of logic, right thinking, and moral grounding. These can include destructive actions that will certainly affect our relationship with Jesus Christ, cause us to ignore the truth, and cause us hurt at the end. Be aware of these attractions: Doing the bare minimum, listening only to what you want to hear, accepting flattery which disguises true motives and not having to think for yourself. Which of these attractions do you struggle with, and how has it affected your Christian walk? What should you do to avoid being attracted to that destructive action? In what way can you show concern to someone you know who had come to faith but has turned away from the truth?

In Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the very important reminder that I have to go deeper in my knowledge of Your Word and in my walk with you instead of being satisfied with the bare minimum. Help me to listen to godly advice, to distinguish the motives of people who have influence on me. And Lord, please help me to learn to think for myself instead of just believing what I read and hear everyday. May You give me the wisdom I need in my life so that I will not be enticed by things, people, or actions that may be spiritually destructive. These I pray, Father, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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