PAUL CONFIRMS WHAT HE HAS SAID BY POINTING OUT THAT EVERY BLESSING THEY HAVE RECEIVED WAS RECEIVED THROUGH FAITH (GALATIANS 3:1). Paul now reminds the Galatians of how they first came to Christ, and what had been their experience then. They had responded to the working of the Holy Spirit. They had... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Oh foolish Galatians. Who has bewitched you before whose eyes Jesus Christ was set forth as crucified among you? This only would I learn from you. Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing (or ‘preaching') of faith? Are you so foolish. Having begun in the Spirit, are you... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Did you suffer (or experience) so many things in vain? That is if it is indeed in vain.' It is possible that the Galatian Christians had suffered persecution as a result of their response to Christ (Acts 14:22). If so, he is pointing out that they would not have suffered like that if they had simp... [ Continue Reading ]
‘He therefore who supplies to you the Spirit, and works powerful works among you (or ‘within you'), does he do it by the works of the Law or by the hearing of faith? Even as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness.' The example of Abraham is now cited as evidence that God... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Know therefore that those who are of faith, those are the sons of Abraham.' Thus the true sons of Abraham are those who like him exercise faith in the promises of God and are accounted righteous accordingly (John 8:39), and they then live accordingly. But the way that they live is the result of the... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And the Scripture, foreseeing that by faith God accounts as righteous the Gentiles, preached the Gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “in you shall all the nations be blessed”. So then those who are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.' Furthermore the Scripture make crystal clear that the... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse, for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things that are written in the book of the Law, to do them”.' Now, he says, let us now consider the Law. The first thing that the Law requires is total obedience. And as... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LAW CAN ONLY CONDEMN US BUT WE HAVE BEEN REDEEMED FROM THE LAW (GALATIANS 3:10). Paul then points out the folly of trying to become acceptable to God by our own works.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Now that no man is reckoned as righteous by the Law in the sight of God is evident, for “The righteous shall live by faith”. And the Law is not of faith, but “He who does them shall live in them”.' For not only does Scripture teach us that the Law brings us under a curse, so that no man is finally... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us. For it is written, “Cursed is every one who hangs on a tree”.' And now Paul gets to the essence of the salvation provided in Jesus Christ. It comes about by Christ taking our place in order to set us free. It is by Chri... [ Continue Reading ]
‘That on the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.' And the purpose of His being made a curse for us was so that through faith we might be accounted as righteous, receiving the blessing of the Spirit. For we can on... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BLESSING OF ABRAHAM PRECEDES THE LAW (GALATIANS 3:15). ‘Brothers, I speak after the manner of men. Though it is but a man's covenant, yet when it has been confirmed no one makes it void or adds to it.' Paul looks first at the general idea of covenant ‘from men's point of view'. Let them consid... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He does not say ‘and to seeds', as of many, but as of one, ‘And to your seed', which is Christ.' Notice also, he says, that the covenant is made with Abraham and ‘his seed' (Genesis 12:7; Genesis 13:15; Genesis 24:7). Then he reminds them th... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Now this I say. A covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years after cannot disannul, so as to make the promise of no effect.' To put it another way. God, in His unmerited love and favour, gave the inheritance to Abraham and his seed by irrevocable promise... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For if the inheritance is of the Law, it is no more of promise. But God has granted it to Abraham by promise.' The later inheritance, to be obtained by fulfilment of the Law, was dependent on fulfilling the Law. If that fulfilment failed the promise failed. But the promise to Abraham was given a l... [ Continue Reading ]
‘What then is the Law? It was added because of transgressions until the seed should come to whom the promise has been made, ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not of one, but God is one.' What was then the nature of the Law? It was a temporary measure, put in place... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT THEN WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW? (GALATIANS 3:19). He now raises the question as to what the purpose of the Law is.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Is the Law then against the promises of God? God forbid. For if there had been a Law given which could make alive, truly righteousness would have been of the Law.' Is the Law then in opposition to the promises of God? Not at all. No one will pay more reverence to the Law than Paul. There is no faul... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But the Scripture has shut up (concluded) all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.' Indeed the Scripture declares that through the Law's teaching, and through ‘the Law written in the heart' (the conscience - Romans 2:14), the whole world,... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But before faith came we were kept in ward (kept under restraint) under the Law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed, so that the Law has been our custodian to bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come we are no longer under a custodi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.' For having responded to Christ we are accepted as righteous in God's sight and are thus adopted as full grown sons, sons who have reached maturity, a sonship received ‘in Christ Jesus', through faith. This will be expanded on shortly (Gal... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For as many of you as have been baptised into Christ, have put on (‘clothed themselves with') Christ.' The whole context forbids us as seeing this as suggesting that baptism mechanically results in ‘putting on Christ'. It demands that this means ‘you have responded in faith (that is what the passag... [ Continue Reading ]
‘There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.' And as all who are His are ‘sons of God' there can be no difference between them. Being a Jew or a Gentile (thought of by Jews as ‘dogs') has been done away... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And if you are Christ's then you are Abraham's seed, heirs according to the promise.' The idea of being ‘clothed with Christ' and indwelt by Christ is now connected back with the promise given to Abraham (Galatians 3:7; Galatians 3:16) and connected forward with the reception of the promised Holy... [ Continue Reading ]