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Prof. Stephen Neilly

Prof. Stephen Neilly

When we seek to establish or defend any point of Christian truth, our ultimate appeal must be to Scripture.  People in our culture often appeal to experience, but experience can be deceptive or misinterpreted.  We need a solid foundation of objective truth, such as Paul builds on here.  We now consider Galatians 3:6-9 Blessed with believing Abraham.

1. The faith of Abraham

‘Consider Abraham’ (v6) might seem to be an odd change of approach, but Paul has planned his argument carefully.  Abraham is the great father of the faith and Paul’s opponents probably appealed to him do defend insistence on obedience to the law as necessary for salvation.  As Paul shows, however, Abraham is the perfect example of salvation by grace through faith.  In the case of Abraham, ‘He believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness’ (v6).  Paul is citing Genesis 15:6, which asserts the centrality of faith for a right standing before God.  Abraham ‘believed God’ when he trusted the promise of ‘seed’ – going back to the promise in Genesis 3:15, fulfilled in the saving victory of Christ.  It was not that God accepted Abraham’s faith as a substitute for obedience (thus turning faith into a kind of ‘work’ that Abraham supplied).  Faith was the God-given channel that conveyed God’s justification to believing Abraham.  His faith had no merit contributing to salvation.  Paul also destroys the legalism of the Judaizers in Romans 4:11 which shows that Abraham believed and was justified before circumcision was even commanded.

2. The children of Abraham

Note the unity of the plan of salvation – ‘those who believe are children of Abraham’ (v7).  It is by faith that Jews and Gentiles are admitted to the Covenant of Grace.  There has only ever been one way of salvation.  Being ‘Abraham’s seed’ is not a matter of physical descent but of spiritual kinship by faith (see v29).  Paul continues to oppose the legalists in the Galatian churches.  He stresses that belonging to the seed of Abraham is not a matter of law keeping or receiving circumcision, as he spells out in Romans 2:28-29 – ‘a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code’.  The glorious principle is stated in v9 ‘So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith’, and receive the same salvation.

3. The hope of Abraham

What Paul says about justification by faith, such as Abraham experienced, means that this blessing is equally for Gentiles.  Thus we read in v8 ‘The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith’.  This had always been God’s plan, and there is no other hope for Gentiles.  Note the surprising words ‘The Scripture…announced the gospel in advance to Abraham’ – quoting the promise of Genesis 12:3.  This was explained further in Genesis 22:18 ‘In your seed all nations on earth will be blessed’.  As Paul knows full well, that ‘seed’ is Christ (v16).  Here is the gospel in the Old Testament, the good news of justification by faith in Christ.  It is available to Jew and Gentile without distinction, as God gathers an innumerable multitude of saved sinners (Revelation 7:9).

Some relationships begin well but in the course of time they turn sour.  The early promise is not realised.  The fault may lie with one or both parties in the relationship.  This kind of change is evident in the spiritual life of the Galatians.  One major reason for Paul’s letter is the change he sees in their approach to their relationship with the Lord and the speed with which this has happened. We now consider Galatians 3:1-5 Going on as you began.

1. How had the Galatians gone astray?

Paul once again addresses them directly – in strong language: ‘You foolish Galatians’ (v1).  ‘Foolish’ is not a comment on their intellectual capacity.  The issue is their use, or failure to use, the knowledge of gospel truth that they have.  The problem really lies in their heart attitude to the truth they received.  They are guilty of not applying the truth for their spiritual health and growth.  ‘Who has bewitched you?’ This is a graphic way of describing the deception by false teachers of people who ought to know better (and who are therefore guilty for their failure).  The issue is their abandoning the core truths of the gospel they once embraced – they are not going on as they began.  ‘Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly crucified’ – the vivid preaching of the gospel by Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13).  Through this gospel ‘we…have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we might be justified by faith in Christ’ (2:16).  Abandoning this message puts the person and work of Christ in question.

2. How do we begin the Christian life?

Paul recalls the Galatians’ initial response to the gospel – ‘filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit’ (Acts 13:52).  They began ‘with/by the Spirit’ (v3) – a saving response to the gospel is God’s gift.  Salvation comes not by law-keeping but ‘by believing what you heard’ (v2).  Paul returns to the contrast he has already expounded.  Justification is by faith in Christ (2:16).  There is no place for legalism, allowing a role in salvation to human effort or works.  That is the principle stated in 2:16 ‘by observing the law, no-one will be justified’.  The Galatians had responded to the gospel on the basis of faith, hence their being filled with joy and with the Spirit (Acts 13:52).

3. How must we continue the Christian life?

Paul now exposes their folly, and that of Peter and Barnabas: ‘After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?’ (v3; ESV ‘are you now being perfected by the flesh?’).  The fundamental contradiction is beginning by grace but trying to continue by works.  The ‘flesh’ denotes what unaided and imperfect human nature can offer.  They are trying to combine conflicting and incompatible paths, grace and works.  Here is a deep irony: they describe this following of works as ‘being perfected’ when in fact it is a path that leads away from growth in holiness.  Paul recalls their past experience – ‘Have you experienced (or ‘suffered’) so much for nothing?’ – they are in danger of throwing away the early blessings of salvation by faith.  Paul seeks to awaken them – ‘Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law or because you believe what you heard?’ (v5).  We must go on in the same way as we began, by faith in the Lord.

God’s way of salvation through the redeeming work of Christ alone has often been misunderstood and even caricatured.  It may be portrayed as unworthy of God (how can God require nothing of sinners?) or as promoting immorality (is there no place for obeying God’s law?).  Such objections arose even in New Testament times and were current at many times in church history.  We now consider Galatians 2:17-21 Christ lives in me.

1. A mistaken path

Paul is still setting out the truth of the gospel in the context of the controversy in Antioch, with the Judaizers seeking to add obedience to the Mosaic law as necessary for salvation.  Paul’s key statement is in v16 ‘a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ’.  In v17 Paul deals with the objection of the Judaizers to his teaching.  They argued that Paul denied the need for law-keeping to be saved and relied only on faith, yet sin was still evident in his life – ‘does that mean that Christ promotes sin?’  The Judaizers blame his doctrine of justification by faith for the sin that remains in his life.  Is Christ a sin-promoter?  Paul is emphatic – ‘Absolutely not!’ (v17).  Paul is not being inconsistent, unlike Peter.  Justification by faith is the gospel and must be maintained and defended.

2. A saving union

Paul develops his argument that faith in Christ cannot be encouraging sin.  Paul knew from his own experience that efforts to keep the law could not save – see Romans 7:7.  The law exposed sinfulness and even promoted it.  This, however, set him on the right path.  He lays out the heart of the gospel in v20 ‘I have been crucified with Christ ‘ -this is how a sinner may live.  Paul speaks of a spiritual union between Christ and his people.  Thus Romans 6:5 ‘we have been united with him in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection’.  Our sin was laid on Christ and his righteousness is counted as ours.  Hence we are justified ‘by faith in Christ’ (v16).  We receive all the benefits flowing from Christ’s death and resurrection.  Even more wonderful – ‘but Christ lives in me’ (v20).  This is the glorious privilege enjoyed by all who are in union with Christ.  Spiritually we are indwelt by the Saviour through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  Note Colossians 1:27 ‘Christ in you, the hope of glory’.

3. A transformed life

Union with Christ changes everything.  The believer is dead to sin – it will never again be his master, yet he still lives – ‘The life I now live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God’ (v20).  The entire life of the believer depends on and has its focus on Christ.  It is to be lived ‘by faith’ – the very opposite of dependence on law-keeping.  The gospel keeps bringing us back to the cross.  There we see ‘the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me’.  The definitive historical event of the cross is central to God’s provision.  The contrast between the mistaken path and the gospel path is absolute.  ‘I do not set aside the grace of God’ (v21).  If works contribute to salvation, ‘Christ died for nothing’.  No place can be given to works in the reception of salvation, or the gospel is forfeited.

Malcolm Ball