In Galatians 3:1-14, the Apostle Paul has a powerful message for the Galatians. Through encouragement he shares a path to reject legalism and to repent of spiritual dullness and rediscover the Holy Spirit. Read on to learn how you can discover the only path to righteousness. 

Paul’s Encouragement to the Galatians

Through the first two chapters of Galatians, we see the Apostle Paul going to the mat with the church of Galatia regarding the centrality of the Gospel and justification by faith through Christ alone. He also reminds us that we’re sanctified by faith in Christ, and we’re to never leave the Gospel behind as believers.

Through our Scripture passage today, we will examine the Apostle Paul’s encouragement to the Galatians.

1) Repent of Your Spiritual Dullness

“O foolish Galatians!” Galatians 3:1

That’s not a normal way to greet people, right? Additionally, he’s using accusatory words. Paul asserts that the Galatians have behaved foolishly in a way that has perpetuated a spiritual dullness because now they depend on the law and their flesh. The power of the flesh isn’t power at all because there’s no power to fulfill the flesh and be justified before God.

“It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.” Galatians 3:1c

Although they weren’t there, Paul says they saw the Son of God on the cross. With that phrase, he means they’re aware of Christ on the cross. The words “publicly portrayed” are not unlike the phrase “announced on a poster.” It’s been vividly and graphically described to them through anointed teaching by the Apostle Paul and other Christian leaders.

A Christian is not someone who knows about Jesus but one who has “seen” Him on the cross. Our hearts are moved when we see that He died not only for us but also for us. That’s when we see the meaning of His work for us.

2) Rediscover the Power of the Holy Spirit

“Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” Galatians 3:2-3

Can the willpower of the flesh produce what only God can produce? The primary evidence of Christian conversion is the presence of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life (Romans 8).

The Galatian church has received the Holy Spirit. But Paul is asking an important question: Did you receive the Spirit by faith in the Word of God or by doing the works of the law by the strength of your flesh?

They know the Spirit’s work was ignited in them through faith in the person of Jesus Christ, but in verse 5, Paul notes: “Does He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?”

Let’s clarify something about this verse. It can be translated as “the Spirit did miracles among you,” but some Bible translations say, “The Spirit did miracles within you.” That’s significant because, yes, while the Spirit does do signs and wonders that are outside of our Western enlightened box at times, however, what he’s affirming is that anytime an individual puts their faith in Jesus Christ, it’s a miracle. It’s miraculous when God’s Spirit witnesses to our spirit.

Paul is asking these rhetorical questions to lay the groundwork for the Galatians to begin reflecting. He’s reminding them of a time when their faith had vibrancy because it had been ignited. It wasn’t because they were trying to justify themselves through circumcision or other Old Testament laws.

3) Remember the Implications of Your Heritage

The Judaizers, a group of false prophets, are telling the Galatian network of churches that they need to add something to the Gospel to be justified before God. Their personal and subjective experience is trumping the clear revelation found in God’s Word.

The Apostle Paul invites the church to turn from subjective experience to the objective evidence found in the revelation of God. As mentioned, that’s why Paul laid the groundwork that God’s promises require the necessity of faith. There’s a lot at stake in that statement.

We don’t judge the Scriptures by our experience; we test our experiences by the Scriptures. In this context, Paul turns the Judaizers’ arguments on their heads. Since the Judaizers wanted to take the believers back into the law, Paul quotes the law!

The Judaizers magnified their place in Jewish heritage as being children of Abraham and the Abrahamic religion. However, Paul uses Abraham to prove their argument isn’t valid.

Abraham was saved by faith. Verses six and seven share: “Just as Abraham ‘believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness’? Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.”

Abraham was counted as righteous, or in other words, made right before God. How was that so? Was it because of circumcision? No, it was because Abraham believed God’s promise. He didn’t start observing the law to be made right with God. Abraham was justified by faith alone.

Let’s examine two words: imputed and imparted.

In Greek, the word “accounted” is a powerful word. The words “accounted” in Galatians 3:6 and “counted” in Genesis 15:6 mean the same as “imputed” in Romans 4:11, 22-24. The context is that God’s imputed righteousness comes through faith in the person of Jesus Christ.

When you put your faith in what Jesus Christ did on the cross, the Bible declares that God then imputes His righteousness in you; He puts Christ into your account. More than this, the believer’s sins are no longer put into your account. This means the record is made clean before God. This is imputed righteousness.

For a Christian, the gift of what God did through Jesus is too good to be true, which makes it too good to ignore. You have an imparted righteousness where it’s Christ within you. This gift is the grace of God that abounds toward you. The gift of the Holy Spirit who empowers you to be faithful and manifest the character of Christ. It’s His righteousness and complete forgiveness of sins.

So, what’s occurring in Galatians, is the Jewish people were very proud of their relationship with Abraham, however, they’ve misconstrued it. The trouble was that they thought their historical relationship saved them and guaranteed their salvation. John the Baptist warned them that their physical descent did not guarantee spiritual life (Matthew 3:9). Jesus also made a clear distinction between “Abraham’s seed” physically and “Abraham’s children” spiritually (John 8:33-47).

Some people today still imagine that salvation is inherited. They believe that they’re Christian by virtue of their ancestry. Regardless if your great-grandparents, grandmother, or father were a Christian, if you’ve never moved toward Jesus in justification by faith for yourself, then you’ve missed it. Christ is for all, and salvation is for both the Jew and the Gentile.

From the beginning of Abraham’s relationship with God, the blessing of salvation was promised to all the nations of the world. God preached the “Good News” to Abraham centuries ago, and Paul brought that same Good News to the Galatians: Sinners are justified through faith and not by keeping the law.

That’s why the Great Commission ties into Genesis 12:3. When God said, “Through you, I’m going to make a great nation,” He’s referring to the fact that through Abraham, He’s going to send the Messiah, Jesus. It’s through Jesus’s death and resurrection that all people of every tribe and tongue will have the opportunity to respond to God’s love.

The logic here is evident: If God promised to save the Gentiles by faith, then the Judaizers are wrong in wanting to take the Gentile believers back into law. The true “children of Abraham” are not the Jews by physical descent, but Jews and Gentiles who have believed in Jesus Christ.

“So then, those who are of faith (believers) are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.” Galatians 3:9 (note added)

We can reason that means multiplied descendants. In addition to physical children, we also have “spiritual children” as we make disciples. We can also consider God’s blessings on his descendants.

However, God’s greatest blessings through Abraham and the Jewish nation relate to our eternal salvation—the ultimate blessing of God. Jesus Christ is that promised “seed” through whom all the nations have been blessed (Galatians 3:16). Note that the verse doesn’t use “seeds” plural, meaning many people. Instead, it says “seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.

Now, contrast that with Galatians 3:10, which states:

“For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.’”

Everyone who thinks they will inherit eternal life or that they’re good with God because they’re a good person, the Scripture says you’re living under a curse. This means that if you fail to uphold the law, which we all have, apart from the grace of Christ, you’re living under a curse.

While we, as enlightened Westerns, may shrivel at words like “curse,” “condemnation,” “wrath,” “damnation,” and “hell,” these are realities articulated by Jesus and the Apostle Paul.

“Psychologically, everyone who is seeking to save themselves by their own performance will experience a curse subjectively. At the very least, attempting to be saved by works will lead to profound anxiety and insecurity, because you can never be sure that you are living up to your standards sufficiently, whatever they may be. This makes you over-sensitive to criticism, envious, and intimidated by others who outshine you. It makes you nervous and timid (because you are unsure of where you stand) or else swaggering and boastful (because you are trying to convince yourself of where you stand). Either way, you live with a sense of curse and condemnation.” Tim Keller, author, and pastor

Works righteousness can never save the sinner; only faith righteousness can do that. Look at what the law cannot give you:

• The law cannot justify the sinner (Galatians 2:16).

• The law cannot give you righteousness (Galatians 2:21).

• The law cannot give the gift of the Holy Spirit (3:2).

• The law cannot give the spiritual inheritance that belongs to God’s children (3:21).

• The law cannot give life (3:21).

• The law cannot give liberty (4:8-10).

Why, then, go back to the law? This salvation comes through Christ! Do you want the blessing of Abraham? It comes through Christ! Do you want the gift of the Holy Spirit? It comes through Christ! There is no reason to go back to the law!

Rest in Grace

Earlier in the letter, the Apostle Paul asked, “Who has bewitched you (Galatians 3:1b)?” In the original language, it says, “Who has cast a delusional spell among you?” Paul’s asking, how could you believe that by God, encapsulated in the flesh, went to the cross, died, and was resurrected, that by keeping the laws will somehow make you right with God? Even more so, to the degree that you can ignore what God did through Christ!

What is there about legalism that can so fascinate the Christian that we turn from grace to law?

Legalism appeals to our old nature. It also appeals to our senses. Instead of walking by faith and not by sight, the legalist walks by sight and not by faith. However, legalism leaves you with dry religion because this person can only measure himself and compare himself with others.

Living by works righteousness is exhausting. It’s taxing to operate out of our old nature in the flesh. But when you’re in relationship with God, and we understand how to commune with our Creator, it requires so much less of ourselves. When we respond to God’s love through faith in the completed work of Jesus, we can be made right before Him.

True believers measure themselves with Christ, not other Christians. The Apostle Paul taught us that it’s far better to take God at His word and rest on His grace. We are saved “by grace, through faith,” and we must live “by grace, through faith.” We are at peace with God and in ourselves because of the presence of Jesus. This is the way of blessing.

TL;DR

1. In Galatians 3:1-14, Paul passionately addresses the Galatians, urging them to abandon their reliance on the law and return to the foundational truth of the Gospel: justification by faith in Christ alone.

2. He chastises them for their spiritual dullness and reminds them that they received the Holy Spirit through faith, not by works.

3. Paul emphasizes that true believers, like Abraham, are justified by faith, not by observing the law.

4. He warns against the curse of legalism and highlights the blessings of living by grace through faith.

5. Ultimately, Paul calls the Galatians to rest in the grace of Christ, ensuring their faith is vibrant and rooted in the transformative power of the Holy Spirit.

Related Reading

The Essential Gospel: A Lesson of Faith Over Fear by Rev. Paul Lawler

The False Gospel of Legalism by Rev. Paul Lawler

Empowered by Grace: Finding a Life Rooted in God’s Love by Rev. Paul Lawler

There Is No Other Gospel by Rev. Paul Lawler