Galatians 3:1-9
1: You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?
2: This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
3: Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
4: Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?
5: So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
6: Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. 7: Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.
8: The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.”
9: So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.
Paul asked how the Galatians could be so misled after they’d seen, and even experienced, Jesus Christ Himself through the preaching of the gospel, and miracles done among them. They’d even received the Spirit of God within themselves. He asked if this happened by keeping the Law, or by faith. Why were they so foolish to think having “begun by the Spirit” they could be “perfected by the flesh?”
The Law would in no way bring them to a higher level of righteousness, or any greater standing with God, than what faith in Christ would. There is no better way to please God or come into the highest level of relationship with Him than through faith in Jesus. It’s already been proven that no one can attain righteousness through the Law. Everyone sins and falls short. Paul asked if they had suffered so much—whatever persecution had come because of their faith—for them to just to give in now and abandon what the Lord had done for them, which was to enable them to receive the Spirit of God within and the eternal life He purchased with His own blood.
Paul went on to show, much as he did in Romans, that Abraham’s faith was considered righteousness to him. Abraham, who is considered to be the father of the Jewish faith, received his righteousness by faith. The Law wasn’t given until centuries later to Moses. Long before the Law was given, faith was the justifier of Abraham, in God’s eyes, and not just the justifier for the Jews, but for all nations. This was God’s plan all along—righteousness by faith for all. The Law was just a part of that plan to set apart the oracles of God until the time came when they could be written in the hearts of men and not on tablets of stone. Preserving the words until they could come alive in us who believe.
Paul went so far as to say that those who are of faith are the sons of Abraham, making a new definition of who the sons of Abraham are—previously considered to be only the Jewish people. Yet now, we see the blessing of Abraham falling upon the believers in Jesus Christ bringing to fulfillment the salvation God promised to all nations so long ago.
2: This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
3: Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
4: Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?
5: So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
6: Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. 7: Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.
8: The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.”
9: So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.
***
Paul asked how the Galatians could be so misled after they’d seen, and even experienced, Jesus Christ Himself through the preaching of the gospel, and miracles done among them. They’d even received the Spirit of God within themselves. He asked if this happened by keeping the Law, or by faith. Why were they so foolish to think having “begun by the Spirit” they could be “perfected by the flesh?”
The Law would in no way bring them to a higher level of righteousness, or any greater standing with God, than what faith in Christ would. There is no better way to please God or come into the highest level of relationship with Him than through faith in Jesus. It’s already been proven that no one can attain righteousness through the Law. Everyone sins and falls short. Paul asked if they had suffered so much—whatever persecution had come because of their faith—for them to just to give in now and abandon what the Lord had done for them, which was to enable them to receive the Spirit of God within and the eternal life He purchased with His own blood.
Paul went on to show, much as he did in Romans, that Abraham’s faith was considered righteousness to him. Abraham, who is considered to be the father of the Jewish faith, received his righteousness by faith. The Law wasn’t given until centuries later to Moses. Long before the Law was given, faith was the justifier of Abraham, in God’s eyes, and not just the justifier for the Jews, but for all nations. This was God’s plan all along—righteousness by faith for all. The Law was just a part of that plan to set apart the oracles of God until the time came when they could be written in the hearts of men and not on tablets of stone. Preserving the words until they could come alive in us who believe.
Paul went so far as to say that those who are of faith are the sons of Abraham, making a new definition of who the sons of Abraham are—previously considered to be only the Jewish people. Yet now, we see the blessing of Abraham falling upon the believers in Jesus Christ bringing to fulfillment the salvation God promised to all nations so long ago.
Comments
Post a Comment