The Book of Galatians in 30 Tweets

Paul is en fuego in his letter to the Galatians. He’s flaming with a righteous apostolic anger. Best advice perhaps is don’t try this at home.

But do read it at home. Hear it preached. Study it. Write about it. Even tweet it. Whatever it takes to have Paul’s blazing fire warm the coals of your love for Jesus and for his gospel of grace.

Here’s installment number four in tweeting Paul’s epistles. We started with Romans. Then 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians. Now batting: The Book of Galatians.

For starters, here’s a one-tweet summary of the letter:

Jesus’s astounding grace is to be admired and appreciated, not added to. #Galatians

What follows are 29 more designed to walk you through six red-hot, gospel-rich chapters, each with a Galatians hashtag. Grab a Twitter account and help us get #Galatians trending today, if you would.

Here’s the full slate of Galatians tweets we’ll be dispensing throughout the morning:

Jesus gave himself at the cross both for us and for God—for our good and ultimately for God’s glory #Galatians 1:1–5

There is one gospel. One path from which saving grace flows to sinners: Jesus. Every counterfeit is damnable #Galatians 1:6–9

People-pleasing is inconsistent with calling Jesus Lord. Christians are servants of the God-man—not servants of any mere man #Galatians 1:10

The Christian gospel is not the product of human reason or speculation or conversation, but only divine revelation. #Galatians 1:11–22

It makes God look really good when his people's persecutors become his gospel's preachers. Pray for the persecutors #Galatians 1:23–24

Do not yield—even for a minute—when grace-despising false “brothers” slip in to spy out the legit freedom we have in Jesus #Galatians 2:1–6

As poor sinners, saved only by God’s astounding grace, it is madness to think we'd remember the gospel but forget the poor #Galatians 2:7–10

For the Christian, the final standard of our conduct is not rule or law or list, but the truth of the gospel of grace #Galatians 2:11–14

The Christian not only once despaired of self and turned to Jesus, but daily, continually, unstoppably turns to him #Galatians 2:15–21

True Christians don't nullify divine grace by trusting their effort, but celebrate the grace of Jesus’ death and life for us #Galatians 2:21

It is spiritual foolishness to think we could begin the Christian life by the Spirit's strength, but keep going in our own #Galatians 3:1–4

It is spiritual foolishness to think we could connect with the Spirit by our doing rather than receiving his doing by faith #Galatians 3:5–6

It is not pedigree or performance that brings us into God’s family and his eternal favor, but receiving his grace by faith #Galatians 3:7–9

The road that leads to death is marked Law-Self-Deeds, but the supernatural path to life is called Promise-Spirit-Faith #Galatians 3:10–14

Don’t get your wires crossed. God’s law is not meant to give us life. It can’t. Only his Promise. Law has another purpose #Galatians 3:15–19

Life is by God’s Promise, not his Law. Why then the Law? Because of our sin, and to show us our need for his Promised One #Galatians 3:19–22

Law is no route to Jesus’ acceptance or ongoing approval. It’s meant to make us despair of our deeds & depend only on him #Galatians 3:23–29

In God's unique Son, by faith, we are no longer slaves, but adopted sons—and amazingly, heirs with Jesus of all he inherits #Galatians 4:1–7

We only know God because he 1st knew us. Don’t give in to the sinful religious instinct that you can work your way to him #Galatians 4:8–11

It is gut-wrenching to see friends or family turn from the gospel of divine grace to trusting in their own human effort #Galatians 4:12–20

In Jesus, we are not slaves of the law, and citizens of the old city, but children of promise, and citizens of the New #Galatians 4:21–31

Jesus set us free—to be free from sin, not slaves to law. It’s not your deeds that count for his acceptance, but only faith #Galatians 5:1–6

The kind of faith in Jesus that alone sets us free is a faith so full and vital that we can’t help but extend love to others #Galatians 5:6

Better to castrate yourself than trick others into shunning grace and thinking circumcision is needed to be right with God #Galatians 5:7–12

The Christian is called to true freedom—free from slavery to self, free enough to love others with self-sacrifice #Galatians 5:13–15

The short-sighted desires of sin are at odds with the desires of the Holy Spirit, our new selves, and what we really want #Galatians 5:1–26

Don’t drop the hammer on a struggling brother. Be gentle. Get a shoulder underneath the load, and help him up. Like Jesus #Galatians 6:1–5

Not trusting in our do-gooding for acceptance with God frees us to be resilient do-gooders for all, esp fellow believers #Galatians 6:6–10

Opposition, persecution, affliction, come what may / Our only boast is Jesus Christ—his cross, his gospel, grace #Galatians 6:11–18

 

The Book of 2 Corinthians in 42 Tweets

The Apostle Paul and the Corinthian church had a complicated relationship, and Second Corinthians is a personal letter from Paul that captures the tension. It's a letter that speaks to ministry, leadership, and preaching, and it's a letter that speaks to church conflict, church unity, and the financial support of the church. Along the way we see the mountaintops of the New Covenant and the New Creation in Christ. But we also travel through the valley of gospel paradox to see that "God’s grace is more clearly seen and more deeply savored in our weaknesses than in our strengths" (Jon Bloom). The letter is structured around these many related and connected themes, and what follows is my fallible attempt to break this infallible book into 42 thematic tweets.

The afflictions of a minister are designed by God to achieve the comfort and salvation of his flock. #2Cor 1:1–7

We look death in the eye to see our weakness and to lean on the God who raises the dead. #2Cor 1:8–11

Integrity is simplicity and straightforwardness, not contortion or distortion. #2Cor 1:12–14

We seek to live in integrity, to make our yes yes. Jesus' Yes is always Yes. We are secure in sovereign goodness. #2Cor 1:15–22

Leaders do not lord over but co-labor with a congregation for joy. #2Cor 1:23–2:4

When this joy abounds in his converts, Paul experiences great joy himself. To rob them of joy = to rob himself of joy. #2Cor 1:23–2:4

A church will be sinned against — will the church respond with forgiveness and comfort, or anger and condemnation? #2Cor 2:5–11

The gospel is Christ. #2Cor 2:12–13

Do not peddle the word as if there were no God listening — as if the main Person in the universe didn't matter. #2Cor 2:14–17

The competence required for New Covenant ministry is found only in God’s Spirit. #2Cor 3:1–6

If the beauty of God was awesome in the old covenant, how much more brilliant and awesome in the new covenant! #2Cor 3:7–11

Gospel ministry is turning blind spiritual eyes into the blazing beauty of God in Christ. #2Cor 3:12–18

Why would we tamper or soft-sell the gospel — it is the glory of God beaming in the face of Christ. #2Cor 4:1–6

Ministers are clay pots, afflicted, perplexed, struck down to display the resurrection power of gospel ministry. #2Cor 4:7–12

Ministry exists because “as grace extends to more and more people it increases thanksgiving, to the glory of God.” #2Cor 4:15

As our outer self wastes away our inner self is renewed as we look to the unseen. #2Cor 4:16–18

Do we long to be at home with Christ, even if we must surrender our bodies? #2Cor 5:6–10

In the fear of God, let us aim to persuade others with the gospel. #2Cor 5:11–13

Christians are those controlled and compelled by Christ's love. #2Cor 5:14–15

If anyone is in Christ — new creation! #2Cor 5:17

"He made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." #2Cor 5:21

All Christians, like the Apostles, are to move toward need, not toward safety and comfort. #2Cor 6:1–13

We are set apart, temples of the Holy Spirit, therefore we must protect ourselves from sin and worldly partnerships. #2Cor 6:14–7:1

Hard words are risky, hard words hurt, but hard words bring health. #2Cor 7:2–9

Worldly grief hardens and kills. Godly grief brings repentance and life. #2Cor 7:10–12

Extreme poverty + abundant joy = radical generosity. #2Cor 8:1–7

Write this on your wallet: Christ sacrificed his riches for me, became poor for me, to make me spiritually rich. #2Cor 8:8–15

A trustworthy, gospel-faithful celebrity preacher is useful for the global church. #2Cor 8:16–24

Give money willing, bountifully, cheerfully, not covetously, sparingly, begrudgingly. #2Cor 9:1–6

Our radical financial generosity, our happiness, and God’s glory all rise together in unison. #2Cor 9:6–15

We are at war, armed not with swords, guns, or bombs but with Gospel truth. #2Cor 10:1-6

Paul was led to defend his Apostolic authority. #2Cor 10:7–18

Satan attacks us with a twisted 'gospel' just like he attacked Eve with twisted words. #2Cor 11:1–6

Paul supported himself for the sake of the Corinthians. #2Cor 11:7–15

Paul’s whole life was one stressful risk after another. He had two choices: waste his life or live with risk. #2Cor 11:16–33

Paul was caught up to heaven, returned, and refused to write a New York Times bestseller about it. #2Cor 12:1–6

God used Satan’s hostile intentions for Paul's holiness. #2Cor 12:7–10

"I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls." #2Cor 12:15

The Christian pastor cannot expect to comfort or save his people except by following the Calvary Road. #2Cor 13:1–4

Paul expects church disunity because he knows some professing Christians are phony. Test yourself. Is Jesus in you? #2Cor 13:5–10

Rejoice, restore, comfort, agree, live in peace — and thereby manifest God in your harmony. #2Cor 13:11–13

"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." #2Cor 13:14