After having shared his background and firm stance on the gospel of grace, Paul now turns his attention to the Galatians. He begins by calling them foolish, meaning that they were not wise in listening to the false teachings of these Judaizers. They had caused many within the church to disobey what they knew to be the truth. Jesus Christ had permanently destroyed death and sin through His perfect sacrifice on the cross so there was no need for the Galatians to include human works into God’s plan of salvation (3:1). Paul then asks them if they had received “the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” He goes on to ask if salvation began “in the Spirit” but was “now being made perfect by the flesh?” In verse 5 Paul again asks them whether Jesus Christ brings salvation “by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith.” Paul points all the way back to Abraham (father of the Jewish nation) and how he “believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” If this is true, only those “who are of faith are the sons of Abraham.” Jews and Gentiles alike become the spiritual children of Abraham through faith because God promised that through his seed would “all the nations…be blessed.” In verse 10 Paul makes a bold statement by saying that “as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse” and then quotes Deuteronomy 27:26 where it says “cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things written in the book of the law, to do them.” Keeping the law is impossible and therefore salvation can never come through the works of the law; in fact, James 2:10 says that “whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.” Jesus Christ “redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us.” Jesus Christ purchased our freedom from sin by perfectly fulfilling the demands of the law and paying the death penalty which was commanded by the law (3:13-14). God made the promise to Abraham that through him all nations would be blessed and He has kept that promise by sending Jesus Christ, the seed of Abraham, to die for the sins of all mankind (3:15-18); therefore, salvation could never be found in the works of the law!
Dear God, thank You for not making salvation dependent on our works, but granting us the promise of salvation through faith!
