Introduction

1. How would you define normal Christianity?

   Usually people will mention giving, witnessing, Bible reading, following the "Golden Rule", etc. Yet we are looking for something that is more at the core of our faith. It is the reason we do all of these other things. Probably the phrases that best describe normal Christianity are "high commitment" or "total surrender". These are scary words that we think most people are not interested in, but is this true?

2. According to the definition defined in the previous point, would you classify most believers in our culture as normal or abnormal? Why?

   In our culture we would have to say that most believers are abnormal, meaning they are living below God’s standard of normalcy. The main reason for this being that the existing standard in most churches and in the minds of most believers is abnormal. We tend to compare ourselves to our culture and other people; from this comparison we form our own opinion of how we think we are doing as a Christian. The average believer and Christian leader has been seduced to accept mediocrity in their spiritual life as normal. What we need to do is compare ourselves to the standard of Scripture and allow God to tell us how we are doing.

3. What is the problem of accepting a Christianity that is abnormal and what can we do about it?

   The problem is that when we live below normal we may have a religion, even salvation, but we lack a meaningful relationship with others (family and friends), in overcoming the trials and heartaches of life, and coping with the stress and pressures of life (casting our cares upon Him). We have a vibrant faith that impacts our daily lives as we live with the sense of God’s presence. The paradox is that people want to be committed to something in their lives, but they do not know what to commit to or how to commit. This series will take us through a process designed to raise us to the status of normal, and maintain God’s standard in our lives. The result will be a more meaningful relationship with God.

I.  What Is Christianity?

1. How is a person declared justified before God (Galatians 2:16)?

   A person is justified before God by putting their faith in Jesus Christ. Justification is a legal term that means to be declared free of sin and its penalty by God. We also call this becoming a Christian. Notice the works of the law justifies no one. In other words, no religious work (prayer, baptism, church membership, etc.) or good deed will earn us God’s forgiveness for our sin. A person is justified by faith alone. This means a person must believe God’s truth that every person is a sinner (Romans 8:28), the price of our sin is death–eternal separation from God in hell (Romans 6:23), salvation is a gift of grace because of Christ’s atoning work on the cross (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 5:8; Romans 6:23b). When a person repents of their sin and puts all of their faith in Christ we call this becoming a Christian.

2. Paul wrote the book of Galatians to combat the false doctrines taught. What was being taught (Galatians 6:18)?

   People were trying to return practicing the Old Testament law as the means of earning salvation. This is called legalism. It is the idea that salvation can be earned through our works. Paul’s teaching had destroyed the idea that salvation would be earned by keeping the works of the law. Paul taught you were saved by faith alone. If he built again (taught) the idea that salvation was achieved by keeping the law he made himself a transgressor since he was not trying to keep the law. The application is to now allow anyone to tell you that salvation is earned or kept by the observance of some religious law. Salvation is by faith alone–this is true Christianity.

3. What did Paul mean when he said he was dead to the law that he might live unto God (Galatians 2:19)?

   Paul expected no help or hope from the law. He was dead to it and looked to another source for salvation. The law simply shows us God’s holiness and condemns us. It says, "Violate any part of me one time and the consequences are death. The law gave no desire or power to live in obedience to God’s commandments. So Paul replaced the law with the gospel of Christ. This is how he was able to live unto God. Christ was the only one who fulfilled the law and paid the penalty for our sin; Christianity refers to all those who have received Him by faith alone.

II.  What Is Normal Christianity?

1. What is the crucified life (Galatians 2:20)?

   The crucified life is to be the normal Christian life; every believer is to live on this level. The crucified life comes from accepting the fact that you were crucified with Christ on the cross of Calvary. At Salvation we became part of the body of Christ (Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 12:27). You, by faith, must accept this fact and enter into Christ’s death. This is not a one-time decision like salvation, but a daily decision and often a decision made several times through the day (1 Corinthians 15:31).

2. How can a person be dead and still live (Galatians 2:20)?

   Paul is not talking about being physically dead, but being dead to our desires and self-will. This is the crucified life and what it means to die to self. In dying to self-will a person is yielding total control of their will over to Christ. They will now allow Christ to live His life and will through their body. So it is no longer that person living and controlling their life, but Jesus living and accomplishing His purposes through the body of that individual; just as He would if He was here again in His own body. The normal Christian life is being truly Christ-like because Jesus is living through us.

3. How would you know what Jesus would do in any given situation? Why would you allow Him to do His will through you (Galatians 2:20c)?

   God’s Word shows us what Jesus would do because He always lived in obedience to it. To live the normal or crucified life we must have a Word-filled life; we must saturate our minds with Scripture and integrate it into our lives. We allow Jesus to live through us because we realize He loved us and gave Himself for us. The abnormal Christian is this way because he/she does not fully understand, appreciate or meditate on what Christ did for them.

III.  Why Are Christians Abnormal?

1. How would a believer frustrate the grace of God (Galatians 6:21)?

   The word "frustrate" means, "to reject, to set aside, to nullify or make ineffective". This person has received God’s grace for salvation, but they are not yielding their will or humbling to the authority of Scripture. Thus, grace is frustrated because it can not complete its purpose of teaching this person to the standard of normal and a meaningful relationship with God. Pride, rebellion and self-will are all part of unbelief and negate the power of grace to work in a life.

2. Galatians 6:21 tells of frustrating the grace of God. What are some attitudes that help frustrate grace?

   People, out of frustration and defeat, give up and say they can not be normal. Spiritual leaders can either get mad at people because they will not be "spiritual" and do what they want; or feel like a failure as a leader. This can lead to the attitude of the expectance of abnormal Christianity which, simply put is, "People will not make commitments today because they are too busy. So why try?" Or there is the attitude of entitlement, which stated is, "I want my way. I am here to be served by committed people rather than being one of them." We live in a culture of choice, which has produced a smorgasbord Christianity where people feel they are free to pick and choose which of God’s commandments they will obey. All of these attitudes produce an abnormal Christianity.

3. What is the key to achieving normal Christianity (Galatians 2:20-21)?

   It is the total yielding of our will to God’s will by submitting to the authority of Scripture on a daily basis. The result of this normal life is a truly meaningful relationship with God, which leads to fulfilling the potential God has planted within each person. Future lessons in this series will give us practical steps on how to go through this process.

Conclusion

1. True Christianity is through faith alone, trusting Christ as Savior.
2. Normal Christianity is daily surrendering control of your life to Christ, allowing Him to live out His will through your body.
3. Abnormal Christianity frustrates both God’s grace and the believer because it keeps him/her from a meaningful relationship with God.

Project

1. Do you understand what normal Christianity is according to Galatians 2:20? Be prepared to explain it in class next week.
2. Honestly evaluate yourself. Upon what level do you live in the majority of the time–normal (_____%) and abnormal (_____%).
3. Realizing a more meaningful relationship with God and ultimately others requires normalcy. Will you work at the process of becoming more normal over the next 12 weeks by doing the following:
1. Attending at least 10 of the 13 classes.
2. Studying the lesson ahead of class.
3. Do the project at the end of each lesson.
4. By completing the above three things you will receive recognition and a certificate of completion for this series.