“Foolish!” “Bewitched!” The Galatians forgot that Christ was portrayed among them as CRUCIFIED. We need portrayals of Christ crucified to remind us that the cross, not human achievement, is the basis of God's blessing. [1]
“You cannot say that you received the Holy Spirit by the Law. But as soon as the Gospel came your way, you received the Holy Spirit by the simple hearing of faith, before you ever had a chance to do a single good deed. It is the nature of the Gospel to convey good gifts.” [2] Luke verifies this statement in the Book of Acts: “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them which heard the Word.” “And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.” [3]
Paul considered it foolish to seek Christian perfection by dependence on works of the flesh instead of by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT. [4]
Abraham “BELIEVED God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” [5]
Only those who are of FAITH are sons of Abraham. [6]
“In you [Abraham] all the nations shall be BLESSED” means in Abraham’s faith. [7] Faith in God is always what saves people. Those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. [8]
To try to be righteous before God by our works is to be under the curse of the law. Self-righteousness is a curse because we must continue in all things which are written in the book of the Law (which is impossible) and in the end still be condemned by the Law. [9]
Christ REDEEMED us from the curse of the law by becoming accursed for us. [10] Why would anyone want to be self-righteous and be accursed? Christ took our sinful curse upon Himself and offers His righteous merits to us as we trust in Him.
God’s promise of blessing was to Abraham and to his Seed. This Seed refers to CHRIST. It is in Christ that we are blessed and not in becoming a Jew. [11]
Our divine inheritance comes to us by believing God’s PROMISE. [12]
The purpose of the Law is to help us be aware of our TRANSGRESSIONS. [13]
SCRIPTURE has confined all under sin that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. [14]
The law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be JUSTIFIED by faith.
We are all sons of God through faith in CHRIST. [15]
In Jewish literature, “sons-of-God” was a title of highest honor, used only for "the members of righteous Israel, destined to inherit the eschatological blessings" (Byrne 1979:174). But now Gentiles—the rejected, the outsiders, the sinners, those who do not observe the law—are called sons of God. How could a Gentile ever be called a child of God? Paul's answer is clear—through faith in Christ Jesus. Since Christ Jesus is the “Son of God,” all who by faith are in Christ are also sons of God.” [16]
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” means that all people in Christ are considered equally as God’s children. [17] There is no sibling rivalry. No racism. No higher and lower caste of people.
When we are Christ’s, we are Abraham’s seed, and HEIRS according to the promise. [18]
[1] Galatians 3:1 & IVP Commentary
[2] Martin Luther’s Commentary
[3] Acts 10:44; 11:15
[4] Galatians 3:3
[5] Galatians 3:6
[6] Galatians 3:7
[7] Galatians 3:8
[8] Galatians 3:9
[9] Galatians 3:10
[10] Galatians 3:13
[11] Galatians 3:16
[12] Galatians 3:18
[13] Galatians 3:19
[14] Galatians 3:22
[15] Galatians 3:26
[16] Blue Letter Commentary
[17] Galatians 3:28
[18] Galatians 3:29
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