In Galatians 3:1-14 Paul proves from the Old Testament prophets that God’s plan all along was to declare righteous those who believe in Christ. The law he gave to Moses at Mt. Sinai was never meant to save. Instead Jesus redeemed us. From the beginning, salvation is through faith.

Previous Posts: Gal 1:1–10; Gal 1:11–2:10; Gal 2:11–21

Bewitched

Paul is frustrated with his audience. He calls them foolish and bewitched, like someone has cast a spell on them. “Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified” Paul reminds them (3:1). He fires off a series of questions:

• Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you he
• ard? (3:2)
• Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? (3:3)
• Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? (3:4)
• Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? (3:5)

The Galatians are betwitched—baskainó—a word used only here and nowhere else in the New Testament. An outside force has put them in a trance so that they no longer clearly see and believe Christ. His readers who started their new lives in the Spirit are now trying to become perfect by their own human effort (3:3 NLT). This is foolishness. This Greek word—anoétos—”exposes a spiritual condition marked by culpable failure to grasp revealed truth.”¹

I feel this way about some people! I’d love to pepper them with a series of questions because I’m incredulous that they can believe and act as they do. But often my frustration isn’t about vital things of the faith. Sometimes it is. More importantly, I examine myself to see if I am the fool.

How might you be trying to become perfect by your own human effort instead of trusting the Spirit to finish what he started?

Father Abraham

Paul turns to his ancestor and the father of their nation, Abraham, to prove his point. Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (3:6) And the Galatians “who have faith are children of Abraham” (3:7). Quoting Genesis 15:6, Paul reminds them that their own scriptures “foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham” (3:8). In Gen 12:3, 18:18, 22:18, and 26:4, God promises that “All nations will be blessed through you” (3:8). “So,” Paul argues, “those who rely on (have) faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith” (3:9).

From the beginning, before Christ came, faith was always the means to God, the way we become righteous. Abraham—before the law or circumcision—believed God! (Consider too that he had no New Testament, books, podcasts, pastors, or mentors.) And God declared him righteous and treated him likewise. God graciously offers that same blessing of righteous to Abraham’s children and to the whole world, which includes you and me. This is why my parents and my husband and I dedicated our lives to telling the world that they too are blessed.

Have you believed God and been credited with his righteousness? How might you still try to be righteous in order to be declared righteous?

The works of the Law

To prove his point that “all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse” (3:10) and “no one who relies on the law is justified before God” (3:11) Paul quotes the prophets: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law” (Deut 27:26, Jer 11:3). Rather, Paul emphasizes that “the righteous will live by faith” (Gal 3:11, Hab 2:4, Rom 1:17). The law was “not based on faith” but instead required everyone to do it perfectly (“The person who does these things will live by them” 3:12, Lev 18:5).

Paul is telling us it’s all faith, not our attempts to obey the law completely and perfectly. Salvation is a free gift from God. And by receiving God’s free gift, God regards us as perfectly righteous and flawless. I think Paul says this even more clearly in his letter to the Romans:

If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. (Rom 4:2–5)

How might you be trying to live by a set of religious rules, checking off religious boxes instead of by faith?

Christ Redeems Us

Paul ends this section of his letter with the wonderful words that “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law.” He did this “by becoming a curse for us” (3:13). Again Paul proves his point by quoting the Old Testament belief that hanging symbolized the curse of divine rejection:² “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole” (Deut 21:23). Paul also tells his readers why Christ redeemed us: “in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus” (3:14) and “so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit” (3:14).

Redeemed means “to buy out” like purchasing a slave with the intention of granting their freedom.³ Christ died on a cross (1 Pet 2:24) and took the curse so that Gentiles could receive the blessings of Abraham and that both Jews and Gentiles might receive the Holy Spirit.

I am redeemed! I have the blessing of Abraham even though I am not a Jew. I have the Holy Spirit. I am declared righteous. I have all this by faith, not by following religious rules. In response, I live who I truly am.⁴

How are you living as the righteous, Spirit-filled person that you are?

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, thank you for taking the curse of sin for me, for redeeming me. Thank you for giving me Abraham’s blessing. I receive this gift and I resolve to live who I am.

---

1. https://biblehub.com/greek/453.htm ↩︎
2. Timothy Keller, Galatians for You, 75. ↩︎
3. https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/galatians-3/ ↩︎
4. As of this writing, I’m reminding myself that I don’t live in fear of humankind, but I am secure in Christ. While circumstances may get more difficult, nothing will change the fact that I am God’s child and his Spirit guides me. ↩︎