Justified by faith

Galatians 3:1-2
¶ O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Paul, the apostle of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, admonishes members of the church of Galatia for they were infected a false belief by some Judaizers and Jewish converts to Jesus who still held to the Torah, the law, and began to promote the idea that the Gentile believers should be circumcised to be saved. Because some of the other apostles also were persuaded by this false notion and thus separated themselves from their Gentile brethren, Paul had to rebuke this serious falsehood and try to stop it from spreading any further.

Paul’s letter to the Galatians is important to understand this then present Judaism against gospel conflict that Jesus encountered in his ministry and continued to affect the early apostolic Church of Christ of the first century.

Let us go through, line by line, just one chapter of Galatians, the third chapter, to better understand what Paul was rebuking and communicating to the larger Church.

Paul starts off reprimanding the Galatians calling them “foolish,” for not obeying the truth as laid by Christ and his crucifixion in the gospel. He begins asking the question, did they receive the Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost, by works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? This is the foundational key issue question asked by Paul to the Galatians.

Paul asks another key question.

Galatians 3:3-4
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.

Are the Galatians so foolish to think now that they have begun in Spirit, having received the Holy Ghost, that now they are perfected, before God, in the flesh? Having suffered so many things have they learned of Christ in vain? If their faith was yet in vain.

Paul asks a third question.

Galatians 3:5
He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Did Christ who ministered to them the Spirit, and worked miracles in their presence, had done so the works by the law of God, or was it by the hearing of faith that they received the Spirit?

Paul then goes on to explain using Abraham as an example of a man with faith.

Galatians 3:6-9
¶ Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. 9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

Abraham, who was as a heathen before he met YHWH God, believed in God, and was accounted, or imputed, righteousness before God. Paul teaches that therefore, those who are of faith, are the same as the children of Abraham.

According to the Scriptures foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith in God, God preached the good news to Abraham when he told him, “In thee shall all nations be blessed.”

Briefly read the promises of God to Abram (Abraham) in the book of Genesis.

Genesis 12:1-3
¶ Now YHWH had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Genesis 15:3-6
And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. 4 And, behold, the word of YHWH came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. 5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. 6 And he believed in YHWH; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

Therefore, those which be of faith in God are blessed with faithful Abraham.

Paul illustrating this faith of Abraham and our faith in God, then turns to the law of God.

Galatians 3:10
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

Paul cites out of God’s Old Testament law explaining if one is under the law, and the works of the law, then one is also under the curse for failure to obey all contained in the law as it is written.

For cursed is everyone who continues not obeying all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. This can be seen in the book of Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy 27:26
Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Paul compares this precept of the law to faith.

Galatians 3:11-12
But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. 12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

Paul then states the obvious, that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, and then quotes another scripture saying “the Just shall live by faith.” Paul states that law of God is not of faith, but the man who does the deeds of the law shall live by the law. Again, if one trespasses any one part of the law one is guilty of all the law.

The scripture Paul was quoting from was from the prophet Habakkuk.

Habakkuk 2:4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

Paul then continues.

Galatians 3:13-14
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Christ has redeemed us from the law and its curses, being made himself a curse for us; meaning he took upon himself all our sins and took upon himself the curse of the law, the wrath of God’s punishment we surely deserved for breaking the law. Christ was crucified on a tree and according to the law, “Cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree.”

Deuteronomy 21:22-23
And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: 23 His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which YHWH thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

Paul switches back to Abraham, teaching that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles through Christ Jesus that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith in Jesus the Christ.

Paul then speaks of a covenant made by men.

Galatians 3:15
Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.

A covenant is confirmed, and sealed when the covenant maker dies, but no man cannot disannul or add to it once its confirmed.

Paul then writes of Abraham and his seed.

Galatians 3:16-17
Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

Paul teaches that to Abraham and his seed were the promises made, this promise was made to a seed, singular, and that Seed is Christ Jesus. God’s law made with Israel, also of the seeds of Abraham, 430 years later cannot disannul the promise God made to Abraham.

Paul then speaks of the inheritance.

Galatians 3:18
For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

God gave the inheritance by promise to Abraham, not by the law of God to Israel.

Paul then asks what purpose then serves the law of God made to Israel?

Galatians 3:19-22
¶ Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. 22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

The law was created because of sin or transgressions, until the promised seed, Christ Jesus should come. Paul asks “is the law against the promises of God?” The law is not against the promises of God, for if the law given to Israel had brought righteousness to men, then there would be no need for the promised seed of Christ. But the law and scripture concluded all under sin that the promise by faith in Jesus the Christ, and his saving work on the cross, might be given to them who believe.

Paul continues.

Galatians 3:23-26
But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Before justification by faith, there was the law and Israel only knew of the law and following and obeying the law, living by the Torah, not a justification by faith (living by the Spirit). Therefore, the law was our schoolmaster, or teacher, to bring us to Christ, where one is justified before God by faith in Jesus. After our justification by faith in Christ happens, we are not any longer under the schoolmaster of the law. For we all receive the inheritance by God as children of God through our faith in Jesus the Christ.

Paul continues mentions baptism next.

Galatians 3:27-29
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

For as many have been baptized into Christ Jesus, and become part of the body of believers of Christ, have put on Christ, or the Holy Spirit of Jesus. If one belongs to Jesus with his Spirit indwelling inside him or her, then that person is heir to the promises made to Abraham and his Seed, and thus a living part of Abraham’s seed — the children of faith.

So, in conclusion, we are only justified before God’s eyes by faith in his Son Jesus the Christ, the Messiah of Israel, not by the law or the deeds of the law. Christ has redeemed Israel and all others (Gentiles) only through faith in Jesus Christ and his sin atoning blood sacrifice on the cross, and his resurrection from the dead to life forever more by the power of Almighty God.

Will not you join me in praising our heavenly Father for giving us his Son Jesus to die on the cross as a substitution for our sins, as a curse for our curse, to save us from the wrath of punishment for failure to obey all the law of God. Jesus truly saved us from the curse of the law we in no way could perfectly keep. What an Amazing loving, gracious, and merciful God we truly serve!

We thank you Lord for giving us your holy Spirit, by our faith in you and your saving testimony!

We thank you Lord for your promise of the inheritance, so that we could be born again as children of faith as of the seed of Abraham!

Praise God for he has redeemed his people Israel, and all others who will in truth seek God, join the New Covenant through Jesus Christ, and believe into his beautiful saving name.

Do you know Jesus?

He is the Seed of Abraham!

Do you know he died for your sins?

Will you become a child of God through Christ in your baptism?

Are you covered by the atoning blood of Jesus?