Untitled Sermon

Galatians 3:1–14 ESV

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 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? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 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— 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. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. 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.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

  III. Doctrinal: A Defense of Justification by Faith (chaps. 3–4)

In the first two chapters of the epistle Paul established the divine origin of his apostleship and his message. Then he turned to the Galatians who were being urged to add works to faith, to keep the Mosaic Law in addition to placing faith in Christ as the grounds of acceptance before God. The Galatian Christians would receive, the Judaizers thought, a more complete salvation and a greater sanctification if they would obey the Law. But, Paul argued, to supplement the work of Christ is to supplant it. There can only be one way of salvation, and that is by faith in Christ alone.1

1 Campbell, D. K. (1985). Galatians. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 596). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Why isn’t the Law for us now?

I. The Law is opposed to life (3:1–18). This is demonstrated by:

A. Experience: How did you first receive and live your spiritual life? (3:1–5)

B. Example: How did Old Testament saints receive spiritual life? (3:6–9)

C. Exposition: What does the Scripture teach about how life is to be received? (3:10–18).1

1 Richards, L. O. (1987). The teacher’s commentary (p. 902). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

V1

who has mesmerized you? like Moglee and the snake in the Jungle book “trust in me” the swirling eyes.

“it was before your eyes.” so what has shifted your eyes from something so vivid as the crucifixion of Christ? distraction (meme of the guy holding the girls hand but looking back at the other girl)

V2 Did you receive the Spirit by works or by hearing with faith?” (hearing and believing) - this was a rhetorical question. they experienced the work of the Spirit by believing in faith what they had heard. He is calling them back to what they had already experienced.

V3 Did you get here by the Spirit but now you need your works of the flesh to maintain it? (saying, “I’ve got it from here”) It’s a slap in the face and lack of acknowledgement of what God has done.

Andy Stanley’s acknowledgement of his success coming through his father’s platform. How do you do it? First, you have a dad who is the pastor of a megachurch, and has worldwide influence through tv, radio and books.

why would they think that what got them in the door wouldn’t keep them in the room? the door was opened from the inside (you just had to step in once it was opened to you. like a door to a mob boss’ lair

V4. did you suffer in vain? Paul appeals to the persecution that they already had to endure in believing in Christ and grace from the Jewish community and others that looked down on this new sect.

V5. Does he (is he referring to Paul or those in the Galatian fellowship who are performing miracles)? Paul is asking them to consider where the real power they experience is coming from. Where will you plug in to receive your power? which outlet is actually active? works of the law or hearing with faith?

V6. Paul pulls out the ace of Abraham, the father of Israel (the pride of the Jews was in being children of Abraham, children of the promise) if Paul could show that Abraham was right with God through his faith and not his works, he would completely crumble the foundation that the Judaizers were standing on. (Gen. 15:6, Romans 4:3)

V7. the promise to Abraham over and over wasn’t just for the Jewish descendants - but for all of his children - beyond just lineage (next verse qualifies what makes one a child of Abraham)

(vv7-9) “it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham” - (song, father Abraham, had many sons...I am one of them, and so are you)

that those who are of faith are the children of Abraham (v. 7), not according to the flesh, but according to the promise; and, consequently, that they are justified in the same way that he was.1

1 Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 2297). Peabody: Hendrickson.

v 8. this thought is followed through in verses 8 and 9. Paul is showing that not only have the Galatian Christians been adopted into the family of God, but they have been in the family of Abraham because of their faith. (the latter shouldn’t seem like it’s as big of a deal as the former, but it was exactly what the Judaizers were claiming the Galatians needed to do -- first Abraham’s code, then Christianity. Only, Paul is showing that Abraham’s justification was through faith, not obedience to the law. Paul even explains that Gen 12:3 is a reference to the gospel - truly “good news” (the early edition!)

Paul wraps up this thought by referring to Abraham as “the man of faith” and showing that the Galatian believers are blessed “along with” not “under”. they received the same blessing, the same adoption as the most revered leader among the Jews. We are all equal at the foot of the cross.

It’s all or nothing when it comes to the law. God is perfect and demands perfection, so if you can’t keep all of the law, you’ve lost before you start. In a very real sense, you are cursed. (Deut. 27:26)///The specific character of the curse is not stated. It is not merely the wrath of God as it issues in final destruction (Meyer); but it represents a condition of alienation from God, caused by violation of his law, with all the penalty which accrues from it, either in this life or the next.1

1 Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word studies in the New Testament (Vol. 4, p. 117). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.

//Paul draws on Deut 27:26 and 28:58 to show that every person—whether Jew or Gentile—who relies on works of the law is under the curse of the law. That curse stands in direct contrast to the blessing of Abraham that comes to those who trust God—including Gentiles (Gal 3:6–9).1

1 Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Ga 3:10). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Paul refutes the arguments of the Judaizers with reason and their own weapons (their law, and their Patriarch)

contrasting blessing and curse (those who go with the law, don't receive the blessing, rather they get the curse - chosen the curse, you have lost before the race has started. for ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (perfection) - control or surrender (i can check things off a list- I feel good about myself, and better than others who aren't following the rules - smugness is not a fruit of the Spirit, you can make it about your goodness or God's goodness. preach by asking questions (that they would be asking) why would anyone choose the law? 

v. 11 who is righteous will live by faith Paul’s quotation from Hab 2:4 provides evidence that justification by faith was always part of God’s plan of salvation. People were not saved by the law in the ot only to be saved by faith in the nt—salvation has always come by faith. Also important to Paul’s argument is that Hab 2:4 does not distinguish between Gentiles and Jews in reference to righteousness. Faith is what matters to God—not a person’s ethnicity.1

1 Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Ga 3:11). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

(my thought) it seems to be an image here of standing in front of a judge, representing yourself - and your case is as weak as something off of the People’s Court

3:11. Paul quotes Habakkuk 2:4 (on which see comment on Rom 1:17) as evidence that a righteousness based merely on human obedience is inadequate. Paul’s knowledge of the Old Testament is thorough: he has selected the only two texts in the entire Old Testament that speak of both righteousness and faith together (in v. 6 Gen 15:6; here Hab 2:4).1

1 Keener, C. S. (1993). The IVP Bible background commentary: New Testament (Ga 3:11). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

v. 12 the law is not from faith This phrase means that the law is based on doing, not trusting. Paul’s point here is not that the law fails to justify those who do its works, but that God did not intend for the law to make people righteous. (illustration: Sydney putting together her bed for college getting into my tools and using the wrong ones (Stephen will share next week what purpose the law actually played, but it was never to make people right with God) Paul cites Lev 18:5 in this verse to show that Scripture itself teaches that the law’s function is to provide a way to live obediently under God’s rule1

1 Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Ga 3:12). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

3:12. But perhaps faith and the Law could be combined; perhaps both are needed. Quoting again from the Old Testament Paul proved this to be scripturally impossible. Law and faith are mutually exclusive. The basic principle of the Law is found in Leviticus 18:5: The man who does these things will live by them. Only perfect performance could win divine approval under the Law, but since that was not achievable the Law could only condemn a person (cf. James 2:10) and cause him to cast himself on God in faith.1

1 Campbell, D. K. (1985). Galatians. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 598). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

3:13. The positive side of Paul’s argument emphasized that there is hope for all who have broken the Law and are therefore under its curse. That hope is not in man but in Christ who redeemed us from the curse of the Law. But how did Christ redeem (exēgorasen, lit., “buy out of slavery”; cf. 4:5; see chart “New Testament Words for Redemption” at Mark 10:45) man? The answer is by becoming a curse for us. This is a strong declaration of substitutionary redemption whereby Christ took the penalty of all guilty lawbreakers on Himself. Thus the “curse of the Law” was transferred from sinners to Christ, the sinless One (cf. 1 Peter 3:18), and He delivered people from it. The confirming quotation from Deuteronomy 21:23 refers to the fact that in Old Testament times criminals were executed (normally by stoning) and then displayed on a stake or post to show God’s divine rejection. When Christ was crucified, it was evidence He had come under the curse of God. The manner of His death was a great obstacle to faith for Jews until they realized the curse He bore was for them (cf. Isa. 53).1

1 Campbell, D. K. (1985). Galatians. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 598). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

3:14. Two purposes for Christ’s redemptive work are given, each introduced by the Greek conjunction hina, “in order that” (cf. 4:5): (1) Gentiles might receive the blessing given to Abraham; as already stated (3:8) this is a reference not to personal or national blessings but to the promised blessing of justification apart from works of the Law, available to all who believe; (2) all who thus believe might receive the promise of the Spirit, that is, the Holy Spirit, who was promised (cf. v. 2). Again the apostle emphasized that salvation and sanctification come by faith, not by works.1

1 Campbell, D. K. (1985). Galatians. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 598). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

3:13. Again following the Jewish principle of linking Old Testament texts on the basis of key words they shared, Paul cites Deuteronomy 21:23 to show that Christ took the “curse” that belongs to all who fail to perform the whole law (Gal 3:10).

[people swallowed in debt know the anxiety of creditors calling, making threats, feeling helpless, like there’s no way out from under all the bills] the blessing of God’s grace is Him saying, “I’ll take care of it. It’s no longer an issue for you. You won’t here from them again. and anyone that tries to convince you that you still owe, be confident in knowing that it’s a scam call.

being made [genomenos]—‘having become.’ a curse for us—having become what we were, in our behalf [huper hemōn: Phile. 13 sanctions also ‘in our stead’], “a curse,” that we might cease to be it. Not merely accursed, but a curse, bearing the curse of the whole human race. ‘He was called a curse for my sake who does away my curse’ (Gregory Nazianzene). So 2 Cor. 5:21, “sin for us;” not sinful, but bearing the whole sin of our race, regarded as one vast aggregate (see note). ‘Anathema’ means ‘set apart to God’s glory,’ but to the person’s own destruction; “curse” [Katara] is an execration.1

1 Brown, D., Fausset, A. R., & Jamieson, R. (n.d.). A Commentary, Critical, Experimental, and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments: Acts–Revelation (Vol. VI, p. 382). London; Glasgow: William Collins, Sons, & Company, Limited.

Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree This quotation is from Deut 21:23. When Christ became a curse for us through His loving sacrifice on the cross, He accomplished redemption and atonement for those who believe.1

1 Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Ga 3:13). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

3:14. In Jewish expectation “the blessing of Abraham” includes the whole world to come; here Paul says that believers have the down payment of that world (cf. Eph 1:3, 13–14) in the blessing of the Spirit (cf. Is 44:3). (For the relationship of the promise of land to the promise of the Spirit, cf. also Hag 2:5 with Ex 12:25; 13:5.)1

1 Keener, C. S. (1993). The IVP Bible background commentary: New Testament (Ga 3:13–14). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

“so that in Christ...” we receive two things, the blessing of Abraham (adoption as God’s sons), and the indwelling Spirit (ambassadors with God’s power)