In the first two chapters of Galatians, Paul has been perplexed because the believers in Galatia have reverted back to the Law after beginning their relationship with God by faith in Christ. In the beginning of chapter 3, his frustration hits the climax by calling them foolish! Our section today builds on the previous section. Let’s read Galatians 3:7-14:
Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. 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 abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.” Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “The righteous man shall live by faith.” However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “He who practices them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”— in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Anytime you see the word “therefore”, it should remind you to look back. Our first verse in this section talks about Abraham, and the last verse of the previous section also talked about Abraham: “Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” For the rest of chapter 3 and 4, we will see a lot of Abraham! Remember, Abraham was the father of the Jewish race. In Genesis 12, Abraham was chosen out of all the men of the earth. Abraham became the father of Isaac, and Isaac became the father of Jacob (Israel). Jacob’s twelve sons became the tribes of Israel (Joseph had a double portion with his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim; see also tribe of Levi). So, when Paul brought up the name “Abraham”, he had the Jews’ attention: “Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.” This statement must have hit the Jews reading it like a ton of bricks. Notice, the verse didn’t mention anything about coming from a specific tribe. Paul said Abraham’s sons are those who have faith in Jesus Christ!
Paul mentioned that “God… preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham ‘All the nations will be blessed in you.’” So, if you have faith in Jesus Christ, you are blessed along with Abraham. You are Abraham’s son. However, if you follow the Law, Paul explains you are under a curse. What?! Paul pointed his readers back to Deuteronomy 27:26 “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.” If you don’t live out all things written in Law, you are cursed! How are we to live then? Paul again points us back to the Old Testament “The righteous man shall live by faith” (cf. Habakkuk 2:4). Thankfully, God didn’t leave us alone to live by faith “in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you have the Spirit of God inside of you. Why don’t you take some time right now and thank God for giving you His Spirit and ask Him to help you live by faith. See you next week!