Sunday School

THE LESSON BACKGROUND. After defending his apostleship (see Galatians chapters 1-2) and the doctrine of justification by faith (see Galatians chapters 3-4), Paul set out to defend Christian freedom in daily living (see Galatians chapters 5-6). His argument was that life regulated by the inner control of the Holy Spirit produces the godly behavior the law could never produce. Paul affirmed that believers still struggle with sin and don’t always do what we should even though we desire to honor Christ. The flesh and the Spirit are at war with one another with our minds and bodies the battleground. That “these (the flesh and Holy Spirit) are contrary the one to the other” (see Galatians 5:17) is a truth that all of us know too well. This is where our lesson begins.