Galatians 3

1. Galatians 3 The Power and Purpose of Faith

2. Galatians 3 • Verses 1 through 5 (Psalm 117) • When we approached chapter 3, it is important to remember That this was one of the early churches, one of the first that Paul founded. • It was in this first journey that the whole question of circumcision had arisen. • Paul is shocked and baffled to find that all of his teaching had been subverted. • Paul is referring to the events of Acts chapter 15. It makes you wonder if they conflict with Peter in chapter 2 occurred in Galatia.

3. Galatians 3 • Paul’s language is harsh and his tone is strident, partly because he is still young as a missionary. However, this passage gives us some very deep doctrinal teaching. • The focus of the passage is verse 3. Verse 3 asks the pinnacle question of the book. If your salvation begins in the Spirit, can it be finished in the flesh? In other words, can we as human beings perfect a work begun by God?

4. Galatians 3 • Obviously, the answer is no. But the question remains: what status do these new Christians have under the Old Testament? (Remember, there is no New Testament yet.) • This is the central question of the Bible. • Remember, at this point, the church is still seen as a sect of Judaism. • Paul himself goes to the synagogue in every town he visits. • This is the essential missionary question.

5. Galatians 3 • The church at Galatia had been taught by Jews (probably from the Church of Jerusalem) is that they needed to be circumcised and follow the law. • But even if they did this, they would still not be welcomed into the fullness of fellowship. • However, as Christians, they were not welcome in the pagan services they have left. • What were they? They found themselves betwixt and between.

6. Galatians 3 • Paul is deeply frustrated with the church at Galatia. This frustration is probably with the Jewish Christians as well as the Gentile Christians. • In order to answer their question, Paul goes back to first principles. • How had salvation come to the church at Galatia? • Had come through faith, or had it come through requiring the new church to follow the Law? • This is the heart of Paul’s argument: how could you forget the anointing of the Spirit?

7. Galatians 3 • Verses 6 through 9 are remarkably controversial. • Part of the controversy is translational. • The key Old Testament passages include Genesis 15:6; Genesis 12:3 and Genesis 18:18 (just two of many); Genesis 12:7 and 13:15 (again, to name just two). • The first passage Paul quotes is simple enough: Abraham’s faith was credited as righteousness. ( Titus 3:5). The word credit is a good translation of the Hebrew term.

8. Galatians 3 • Verse 8 is likewise relatively uncomplicated. All the nations will be blessed through Abraham. • Verse 9 introduces complications. • Paul introduces the idea that we are blessed with Abraham. The word with indicates union or a binding. • Paul uses this idea to lay the foundation for what he is about to argue. • Verses 10 through 14 represent a significant change in concept about the law.

9. Galatians 3 • Paul’s argument is that the Law placed a curse upon mankind. • Notice how he unveils the argument. He begins by quoting Deuteronomy 27:26-if you start down the law, you must stay with the law. • But then he quotes Habakkuk 2:4, the just shall live by faith. Notice that he selects a passage that comes after Deuteronomy. • Verse 13 and verse 14 bring this ought to its obvious conclusion: for the law to be fulfilled, a man must be cursed. Christ fulfilled that curse, bringing the Promise to us all.

10. Galatians 3 • What Promise is brought to us all? • The Promise of Abraham. • Now it gets tricky: let us look at verses 15 through 18. • Paul has been accused by many commentators of distorting the text. Let us take a look at Genesis 12:7 ; 13:13; and 24:7. • It sure looks like Paul is taking liberties with the text.

11. Galatians 3 • However, Paul is focusing on the Promise given to Abraham. • All nations will be blessed. • His children will be innumerable. • Promises about the land. • Paul points out, quite logically, the promises precede the Law by 430 years. How can Abraham be accountable to a law that has not been given? • That still leaves us the puzzle of circumcision.

12. Galatians 3 • Has Paul forgotten Genesis 17:10? • Clearly not, because Paul is a Jew. • Paul is distinguishing between covenants. • The promise to Abraham that all nations would be blessed is different from the promise of the land. • So, what is circumcision? • Circumcision is the mark of God’s approval. In the Old Testament. • What is the mark of God’s approval for the Church?

13. Galatians 3 • Paul answers this question in verse 18. • The mark of the Church is a promise. • It is a promise fulfilled in Christ. • What is that promise? • That we are all children of Abraham by faith. • That faith, that promise, that covenant, is signified, like the Old Testament promise, with a “circumcision not made by Hands,” the ceiling of the Holy Spirit. • Because of that, we are sons and heirs with Abraham in Christ.

14. Galatians 3 • The heart of this text is powerful. • Christ is beyond cultural constraints. • Christ is the inheritor of the promise to Abraham. • Our life with Christ makes us in inheritor’s. • If we are Christ’s, we are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the Promise. • What Promise? That our faith has been accredited to us as righteousness. We are heirs with Christ and sons of God.