Galatians Chapter 3
The Christian, the Law, and Living by Faith
Galatians 3:1–3 — The Principle of Continuing in Faith
1. Paul Confronts Their Blurred Vision of Christ (Galatians 3:1)
“O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?”
— Galatians 3:1, NKJV
Paul opens with a stern rebuke. The word “foolish” (Greek: anoētos) doesn't mean intellectually deficient, but rather lacking spiritual discernment. The Galatians had the truth but were failing to apply it. Paul’s tone shows how serious this deviation from the gospel of grace really is. The Galatians were being seduced into abandoning faith for law—not because they hadn’t been taught, but because they weren’t thinking.
Key point: This wasn’t a case of ignorance; it was spiritual negligence. They weren’t using their God-given ability to discern truth.
"Who has bewitched you?"
This phrase conveys the idea of being put under a spell. Paul is astonished at how easily they were deceived. The verb implies that they were under a kind of spiritual hypnosis—drifting away from the clear gospel that had been presented to them so vividly.
In Greek culture, “the evil eye” was feared. Paul may be using this imagery to suggest that the Galatians had allowed themselves to be spiritually mesmerized by error.
The implication: they had once seen Christ clearly—Paul had so thoroughly preached the crucifixion that it was as though Christ had been publicly posted before them, like a billboard (proegraphē).
Application:
When a church or believer takes their eyes off Christ crucified and begins to emphasize performance, legalism, or ritual, spiritual confusion sets in. Legalism always clouds Christ. Paul’s exclamation shows that to abandon the gospel of grace is not a minor error—it’s insanity.
Spiritual Immaturity:
A spiritually immature believer will accept any teaching without testing it. Just as a child puts anything in its mouth, so the Galatians were spiritually undiscerning, open to deception.
2. Paul Confronts Their Abandonment of Faith (Galatians 3:2–3)
“This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?”
— Galatians 3:2–3, NKJV
Paul appeals to their personal experience. The question is straightforward: How did you receive the Holy Spirit? Was it by doing the works of the law, or by believing the gospel when you heard it?
Did you receive the Spirit by works or by faith?
The answer is obvious—by faith. No one receives the Holy Spirit by keeping the law, getting circumcised, or obeying religious customs. The Spirit is given as a free gift through belief in the gospel (see also Acts 10:44–47).
Paul reduces their entire argument to one question: If God gave you the Holy Spirit through faith, why would you now turn to the law to try to “finish” your salvation?
This rhetorical tactic is devastating. It shows that any attempt to mix grace and law results in abandoning the truth altogether.
"Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?"
The word “perfect” (epiteleō) here means to bring to completion. Paul is asking: “You began the Christian life by the Spirit—do you think you can now finish it by human effort?”
This is not just a theological point—it’s the basis of Christian sanctification. Spiritual growth does not happen by gritting our teeth and working harder. It happens by abiding in Christ through faith (see John 15:4–5).
Key distinction: Law vs. Grace
Law: A system of merit. Do this and live.
Grace: A system of faith. Believe and receive.
Under the law, blessing comes by earning. Under grace, blessing comes by believing. This is not just about how one is saved, but how one grows in the Christian life.
The Flesh Cannot Produce Holiness
No matter how sincere the effort, the flesh—the human nature apart from the Spirit—cannot produce sanctification. Trying to become holy through the law actually fuels pride and failure. This is precisely the danger Paul is exposing.
Satan’s Strategy:
If Satan cannot stop a person from being saved by faith, he will attempt to derail their growth by pushing them back under the bondage of law. Legalism is not just a doctrinal error—it is spiritual sabotage.
Conclusion and Application
Paul’s argument is airtight: the Galatians knew Christ crucified, had received the Spirit through faith, and began their Christian lives in the Spirit’s power. To now pursue spiritual maturity through human effort and law-keeping was not just foolish—it was spiritual regression.
Lessons for Today’s Church:
We must guard against drifting into legalism by always keeping the crucified Christ central.
Salvation is by grace through faith—and so is sanctification.
The Christian life begins, continues, and is completed by the Spirit—not the flesh.
The temptation to return to legalism is always present, but must be resisted. It dishonors Christ and cripples spiritual growth.
Memory Verse:
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
— Galatians 2:20, NKJV
This verse serves as the theological anchor for the entire passage and sums up Paul’s entire argument. The Christian life is lived by faith from beginning to end.
Galatians 3:4–5 — Faith and the Spirit, Not the Law
3. A Question About the Past: Was It All for Nothing? (Galatians 3:4)
"Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?"
— Galatians 3:4, NKJV
Paul continues his line of rhetorical questions to expose the folly of abandoning faith for the law. He appeals now not to theology, but to personal history. He asks them to examine their past walk with Christ and evaluate it in light of their current drift into legalism.
"Have you suffered so many things in vain?"
The word translated suffered (epathēte) can refer to both hardship and experience. It is possible Paul has both in mind: the Galatians had faced persecution for the gospel, and they had experienced the powerful work of the Holy Spirit.
Contextual Insight:
During Paul’s first missionary journey in the region of Galatia, he and his companions were fiercely persecuted. In Acts 14, Paul was stoned and left for dead in Lystra. It is likely that new converts also experienced backlash from the Jewish community for embracing the gospel of grace. If they now embraced legalism, it would mean that all that suffering was for nothing—a betrayal of what they once stood for.
“Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”
— Acts 14:22, NKJV
Spiritual Application:
If one starts the Christian journey by faith and then trades that faith for works, everything previously experienced under grace is effectively nullified. It’s not just a doctrinal error—it’s a total reversal of spiritual progress.
Alternate understanding:
The phrase “suffered so many things” can also be rendered “experienced so many things,” and this fits well within the argument Paul is building. Consider the spiritual benefits they had received: the indwelling Holy Spirit, spiritual gifts, answered prayers, and miraculous works. If they turn back to legalism, all those blessings would be rendered fruitless. They would not lose their salvation, but they would be forfeiting growth, power, and reward.
"If indeed it was in vain": Paul holds out hope. Perhaps it is not too late. If they return to walking by faith, those past experiences will not have been in vain. But if they continue pursuing righteousness through the law, they are severing themselves from the grace by which they once stood (cf. Galatians 5:4).
4. Paul Calls Them to Examine the Source of God’s Blessing (Galatians 3:5)
“Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”
— Galatians 3:5, NKJV
"He who supplies the Spirit to you"
Paul is speaking of God, who not only gave them the Spirit at conversion, but continually supplies (epichorēgō, meaning "lavishly provides") the Holy Spirit. This is a present tense verb, emphasizing ongoing provision.
“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
— Luke 11:13, NKJV
This isn’t a one-time event. The Spirit is not just given at salvation, but continues to empower, guide, and work among believers.
"And works miracles among you"
This refers to the supernatural manifestation of the Spirit—healings, deliverance, spiritual gifts—all of which the Galatians had witnessed. These weren’t generated by effort or rituals. They flowed from faith.
"Does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?"
This is the crux of Paul’s argument. God's ongoing work in the believer’s life is never based on adherence to the law but always in response to faith. There’s no miracle that ever came from checking boxes or keeping rules—only through the active belief in God’s power and promises.
This echoes Paul's earlier statement:
“This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”
— Galatians 3:2, NKJV
Paul uses repetition deliberately. He wants them to make a clear choice between two mutually exclusive systems:
Works-based righteousness (Law)
Faith-based righteousness (Grace)
Why do some lack spiritual power or blessing?
It’s not because they haven’t worked hard enough. It’s because they have placed their confidence in their own performance rather than in Christ.
Why are some richly blessed?
It is not because they earned it. It is because they have believed God. Faith is the channel through which grace flows.
“Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed.”
— Romans 4:16a, NKJV
Application to Today:
If we lack the Spirit’s power, the solution is not to try harder but to trust more.
If we are walking in blessing, it is not a mark of superiority, but of grace accessed through faith.
The Spirit does not reward our law-keeping. He responds to our faith in Christ crucified and risen.
Summary
In Galatians 3:4–5, Paul appeals to both past experience and present blessing to expose the Galatians' error. Everything they had—suffering for Christ, miraculous spiritual experiences, and ongoing provision of the Spirit—came through faith, not through the law. To now return to law-keeping is not only foolish—it is spiritually wasteful.
The choice remains:
Works of the law = frustration, emptiness, futility.
Hearing of faith = power, blessing, spiritual vitality.
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:7, NKJV
B. Abraham: An Example of Those Justified and Walking by Faith
Galatians 3:6–7
1. How Abraham Was Made Righteous Before God (Galatians 3:6)
“Just as Abraham ‘believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’”
— Galatians 3:6, NKJV
Paul now shifts from experience to Scripture. He appeals to the example of Abraham, the patriarch whom the Judaizers revered as their founding father. Paul uses their own hero to refute their error and to demonstrate that righteousness comes by faith, not law.
“Just as Abraham…”
Paul presents Abraham not as an example of works-based righteousness but as the model of justification by faith. This was a direct challenge to the Judaizers, who boasted in their lineage from Abraham and insisted on legal observance as proof of covenantal inclusion.
“And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.”
— Genesis 15:6, NKJV
This was centuries before the Law was given and even before Abraham was circumcised (Genesis 17). This nullifies the idea that obedience to the law or ritual made Abraham righteous. It was faith alone.
Faith Preceded Circumcision
Paul would later expand this in Romans 4:
“Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised.”
— Romans 4:9–10, NKJV
This demolishes any idea that law-keeping or religious identity secured righteousness. Instead, righteousness was imputed—that is, credited—by God to Abraham simply because he trusted God's word.
“Abraham was not justified merely because he believed that God would multiply his seed, but because he embraced the grace of God, trusting to the promised Mediator.” — Calvin
Imputed Righteousness: The Gospel in the Old Testament
The word “accounted” comes from the Greek word logizomai, meaning to credit to one’s account. This isn’t a fictional righteousness—it is real righteousness based on God’s promise and imputed through faith. Paul underscores this doctrine throughout Romans 4, which serves as a theological exposition of Genesis 15:6.
“For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’”
— Romans 4:3, NKJV
“And therefore ‘it was accounted to him for righteousness.’”
— Romans 4:22, NKJV
Faith: Trusting God, Not Just Believing in God
It’s not merely that Abraham believed in God’s existence. Even demons do that (James 2:19). Rather, Abraham believed God. He took God at His word, resting on His promise—even when it seemed impossible.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
— Hebrews 11:1, NKJV
“Faith in God constitutes the highest worship, the prime duty, the first obedience, and the foremost sacrifice… The first duty of man is to believe in God and to honor Him with his faith.” — Luther
Faith as the Basis, Not the Source, of Righteousness
It’s important to clarify: faith does not create righteousness—it is the channel by which God credits righteousness. God does not reward belief with righteousness as if it were earned. Rather, He counts faith as the basis on which He graciously imputes righteousness.
“His faith was not his righteousness, but God so rewarded his exercise of faith, as that upon it He reckoned the righteousness of Him in whom he believed.” — Matthew Poole
2. The True Sons of Abraham (Galatians 3:7)
“Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.”
— Galatians 3:7, NKJV
“Therefore know…”
Paul is making an authoritative declaration. The verb “know” is in the imperative—Paul commands the Galatians to understand this vital truth: True sonship to Abraham is by faith, not genetics.
“And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
— Galatians 3:29, NKJV
“Only those who are of faith…”
This strikes at the heart of Jewish pride. They believed their natural descent from Abraham ensured their status before God. Paul turns that argument upside down. Spiritual lineage—not biological descent—is what counts.
“Do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.”
— Matthew 3:9, NKJV
This truth rebukes any claim that Jewish heritage, circumcision, or law-keeping secures a higher spiritual status. Paul draws a direct line: just as Abraham was justified by faith, his true children must be also.
Abraham Has Two Kinds of Descendants
Genetic sons — national Israel.
Spiritual sons — those of faith, whether Jew or Gentile.
Paul is not advocating replacement theology. The Church does not replace Israel. Rather, he emphasizes that God's plan includes both spiritual children (the Church) and physical descendants (national Israel) in His redemptive timeline.
“For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery… that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.”
— Romans 11:25, NKJV
God has not cast off Israel. There remains a future role for ethnic Israel in God’s prophetic program, particularly in the Millennium (Romans 11:26; Revelation 7:4–8; Zechariah 12–14). Yet spiritual sonship is not determined by heritage, but by faith in Christ.
Application for Today
To the legalist: Righteousness is never achieved; it is received by faith.
To the self-confident religious person: You are not accepted because of your background, rituals, or performance.
To the Gentile believer: You are no second-class Christian. You are a true child of Abraham by faith in Christ.
To those confused by replacement theology: The Church does not erase Israel. God has a distinct and future plan for both.
To all who believe: Your identity is rooted in your relationship to Christ, not your ethnicity, achievements, or upbringing.
Summary
Abraham stands as the definitive example of justification by faith. Paul uses the patriarch revered by the Judaizers to prove that no one has ever been made righteous by the law. Abraham’s righteousness was accounted to him by faith, long before any law was given. Therefore, only those who share Abraham’s faith share in his spiritual legacy. They are the true sons of Abraham, regardless of their nationality or background.
“Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.”
— Galatians 3:7, NKJV
Galatians 3:8–10 — Faith, Not Law, Secures the Blessing
3. The Blessing of Righteousness by Faith Is for All Nations (Galatians 3:8–9)
“And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed.’ So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.”
— Galatians 3:8–9, NKJV
a. “And the Scripture…”
Paul now appeals to the supreme authority: Scripture itself. This seals his case. He has already appealed to experience (Galatians 3:1–5), and now moves to biblical authority. The phrase “the Scripture… foreseeing… preached… saying” personifies Scripture, treating it as the voice of God.
Paul viewed the Scriptures as living and active, the very words of God (cf. 2 Timothy 3:16).
This quotation comes from Genesis 12:3, repeated in Genesis 18:18 and Genesis 22:18—the Abrahamic Covenant.
Paul’s view is that when Scripture speaks, God speaks. It is not merely a record of divine speech; it is divine speech.
“The heart and soul of God is in the Scripture.” — Trapp
b. “Foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith…”
The gospel was not a new idea introduced by Jesus or Paul. God declared it from the beginning. The justification of the Gentiles by faith was foreseen by God and embedded in His covenant with Abraham.
“And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
— Genesis 12:3, NKJV
This clearly reveals God's redemptive intention: a universal gospel that extends to all nations—not merely to Israel.
Paul’s point: If God intended to justify the Gentiles by faith, why should they now be forced to live like Jews? If righteousness would come by faith to all nations, then requiring law observance contradicts God’s own plan.
c. “Preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand…”
The gospel message—justification by faith—was embedded in the Abrahamic promise. Abraham didn’t just receive a promise of land or physical descendants. He was the prototype of salvation by grace through faith.
“Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
— Genesis 15:6, NKJV
This gospel in seed form—that salvation would come by faith and not by works—was proclaimed long before the Law.
“The faith of the fathers was directed at the Christ who was to come, while ours rests in the Christ who has come.” — Luther
d. “Those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham”
The blessing here is not health, wealth, or territorial expansion, but justification—a right standing before God.
Faith unites the believer with Abraham, not according to ethnicity, but according to spiritual kinship.
Believers share the same covenantal blessing Abraham received: righteousness through faith.
“They who are of faith” refers to those whose lives are marked by ongoing, trusting dependence on God, not a momentary impulse to believe.” — Morris
Application:
This is a sharp rebuke to legalistic Judaizers and a comfort to Gentile believers. Those who walk by faith are not second-class—they are full heirs to Abraham’s blessing.
C. The Law in Light of the Old Testament and the New Testament
1. The Law of Moses Brings a Curse (Galatians 3:10)
“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.’”
— Galatians 3:10, NKJV
a. “As many as are of the works of the law…”
Paul turns now to the opposite side of the equation. He contrasts the blessing of faith with the curse of relying on the law.
The Jews, and Judaizing Christians, believed the law was the path to righteousness.
Paul shows from Scripture that this is not only false but damning—it brings a curse, not a blessing.
“The hypocritical doers of the law are like foolish builders who start with the roof before laying the foundation.” — Luther
b. “Are under the curse…”
Paul quotes from Deuteronomy 27:26, which clearly states that failing to obey all of the law results in a curse.
“Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law by observing them.”
— Deuteronomy 27:26, NKJV
The law is not a partial covenant. If you want to live under it, you must obey it entirely, continually, and perfectly.
The law offers no leniency, no curve, and no exceptions.
One failure puts you under the curse.
“For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.”
— James 2:10, NKJV
c. Blessing Through the Law?
Some might object by pointing to Old Testament praise of the law (e.g., Psalm 1, Psalm 19, Psalm 119). But two important clarifications must be made:
Law sometimes refers to the Word of God in general—not just the Mosaic legal code.
“Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.” — Psalm 119:97, NKJV
This speaks of divine instruction broadly, not legalism.
The law can be a blessing only in this sense: it reflects God's moral order. To live according to God’s design brings inherent blessing, like following the manufacturer’s instructions. But that’s very different from using the law to achieve righteous standing before God.
“Paul is not condemning the law. He is condemning the misuse of the law as a means to salvation.”
d. “Cursed is everyone…”
This is no trivial matter. To be cursed is to be condemned by God Himself. It is not merely suffering consequences or misfortune. It is divine judgment.
The word “all” in “all things which are written” is crucial.
According to historical sources (as Clarke notes), ancient scribes may have intentionally removed the word "all" in printed Hebrew texts of Deuteronomy 27:26. Paul, however, insists on it, affirming the all-encompassing demand of the law.
“There are no small sins before such a great God.” — Morris
Summary of the Curse:
To live under the law is to live under a relentless demand to perform.
It offers no grace, no forgiveness, no power to change.
It was never meant to justify—it was meant to expose sin (Romans 3:20).
Application:
Are you trusting in Jesus or in your own performance?
The Gospel frees you from the unbearable weight of trying to earn God’s favor.
Righteousness is a gift, not a wage.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
— Ephesians 2:8–9, NKJV
Galatians 3:11–12 — Justification Is by Faith, Not Law
2. The Old Testament Declares That Justification Comes by Faith (Galatians 3:11)
“But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for ‘the just shall live by faith.’”
— Galatians 3:11, NKJV
a. “But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident…”
Paul continues to expose the futility of attempting to be justified by the law. Having already appealed to Abraham’s justification by faith (Galatians 3:6–9), he now reinforces the argument with a direct citation from Habakkuk 2:4.
“Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith.”
— Habakkuk 2:4, NKJV
The apostle declares this truth as evident—clear and undeniable. This verse dismantles any illusion that legal observance can result in righteousness before God.
The phrase “in the sight of God” reminds us that human attempts at law-keeping may impress other men, but God sees the heart. And in His sight, no one is justified through the law (cf. Romans 3:20: “Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”).
b. “The just shall live by faith.”
This quotation is a foundational pillar of New Testament theology. It appears three times:
Romans 1:17 — Emphasis on faith:
“For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’”
The focus is on how the just live—by faith alone.Hebrews 10:38 — Emphasis on life:
“Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”
This stresses endurance—true faith perseveres and sustains spiritual life.Galatians 3:11 — Emphasis on justification:
The emphasis here is on being just—declared righteous before God—not by works, but by faith.
This concise verse strikes a fatal blow to legalism. A man is either justified by law or justified by faith. Scripture declares the latter.
c. Trusting Abraham’s Merits?
Paul indirectly confronts the misplaced Jewish reliance on physical descent from Abraham. Because they knew they fell short of the law, many Jews placed hope in Abraham’s righteousness being credited to them. But Paul’s argument shows that the true descendants of Abraham are those who share his faith—not his bloodline.
3. The Law Requires Absolute Obedience (Galatians 3:12)
“Yet the law is not of faith, but ‘the man who does them shall live by them.’”
— Galatians 3:12, NKJV
a. “Yet the law is not of faith…”
The law and faith are fundamentally different systems. They do not overlap. They do not work together. They operate on two completely different principles.
Faith is trusting in God’s finished work.
The law is doing what God commands.
The idea that one could “try his best” under the law and let faith cover the rest is a false synthesis. God never offered righteousness through a mixture of effort and belief. It is either law or faith—not both.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
— Ephesians 2:8–9, NKJV
b. “But ‘the man who does them shall live by them.’”
This citation from Leviticus 18:5 reinforces the principle that the law demands perfect and continuous obedience:
“You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the LORD.”
— Leviticus 18:5, NKJV
The law says nothing of intentions. It demands action. And not occasional, half-hearted action, but complete and continual doing. The standard is perfection, not sincerity.
Paul also cites this verse in Romans 10:5:
“For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, ‘The man who does those things shall live by them.’”
Nehemiah 9:29 echoes the same:
“And testified against them, that You might bring them back to Your law. Yet they acted proudly, and did not heed Your commandments, but sinned against Your judgments, ‘which if a man does, he shall live by them.’ And they shrugged their shoulders, stiffened their necks, and would not hear.”
And Ezekiel 20 repeats this principle several times, showing God's consistent standard:
“And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them.’” — Ezekiel 20:11, NKJV
See also Ezekiel 20:13 and Ezekiel 20:21.
c. Obedience Is All or Nothing
The law knows nothing of partial credit or good intentions.
Trying is not enough.
Hoping is not enough.
Wanting to obey is not enough.
Only doing—and doing all—qualifies under the law.
But as Paul has already proven in Galatians 3:10, no one does all that the law requires. Thus, all who are “of the works of the law” are under a curse.
Summary of Galatians 3:10–12 (The Bad News):
Galatians 3:10 — The law brings a curse if not perfectly obeyed.
Galatians 3:11 — No one is justified by the law; righteousness comes by faith.
Galatians 3:12 — The law demands exact performance, not just good intentions.
This is the culmination of Paul’s devastating legal argument: The law cannot justify—it can only condemn.
Conclusion:
The law and faith cannot be blended. The law demands perfection and offers no grace; faith embraces the righteousness that God offers freely in Christ. These verses expose the futility of works-based salvation and prepare the way for the next great truth: Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law.
Galatians 3:13–14 — Jesus Redeems Us from the Curse of the Law
"Christ has 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'), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."
— Galatians 3:13–14, NKJV
Paul now turns from the devastating curse brought by the law to the glorious redemption found in Jesus Christ. The word redeemed carries with it the idea of a ransom being paid — not simply rescuing by force, but paying a price to secure release. In the ancient world, redemption was a transaction well understood. After a battle, important captives were ransomed back by their families or nations. Slaves could be redeemed by paying a price, either through their own savings or by a relative. In the Roman Empire, these transactions were often finalized at a temple, and the names of redeemed individuals were etched into stone to mark their new status as free men. In the same way, Christ redeemed us — not with silver or gold, but with His own blood. He paid the ultimate ransom to set us free from the curse that the law had rightly pronounced over all lawbreakers.
The curse of the law, as described in Galatians 3:10–12, is the just penalty for failing to keep all that the law requires. None of us fulfilled it perfectly. Therefore, all of us were under that curse. But Paul makes the glorious declaration: “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us.” That is to say, Jesus bore the full penalty that the law required — not by association, not by accident, but by substitution. He stood in our place, bearing our guilt and shame, and was counted as cursed so that we might be counted as righteous. This is the doctrine of substitutionary atonement in full view: the innocent bearing the penalty for the guilty. It cost Jesus not merely suffering, but Himself. He became the target of God’s wrath and judgment so that those who believe in Him would never stand in that target zone again.
The depth of this truth is underlined by the scriptural citation Paul includes: “for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.’” This is a reference to Deuteronomy 21:23, which says, "his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God." While this passage originally referred to the post-mortem display of a criminal’s body, the New Testament applies it directly to crucifixion. In the first-century Roman world, crucifixion was not merely execution — it was public humiliation, shame, and exposure. To be hung on a tree or cross was to be seen as cursed by both God and man. In that moment, Jesus bore more than physical pain — He endured the shame of a criminal and the wrath of the Father for sin that was not His own. His body was also taken down before nightfall, in accordance with Deuteronomy 21:23, fulfilling the law’s requirement even in His death, as seen in John 19:31–33, which says, "Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath… the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs."
The purpose of Christ becoming a curse was not merely to neutralize the penalty we deserved, but to impart to us blessings we did not deserve. Paul states that Christ did this so "that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus." This blessing was not limited to the Jewish people, nor was it transferred by ethnic descent. Rather, the blessing of Abraham — justification by faith — was now offered to the Gentiles through union with Christ. Paul had already explained this blessing in Galatians 3:8–9, pointing out that Abraham was declared righteous by faith, and not by works of the law.
It is significant that Paul specifies the recipients of this blessing as “the Gentiles in Christ Jesus.” The blessing does not come by virtue of being a Gentile, nor is it automatically inherited by Jews. It comes only through identification with Jesus Christ — through faith. There is no national or ethnic priority in the gospel. Justification is not by bloodline, but by faith-line. Whether Jew or Gentile, all are one in Christ Jesus when united to Him by faith. As Romans 3:22 says, "even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference."
Paul concludes this section with the phrase "that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." Here we are reminded that not only are we justified and blessed in Christ, but we also receive the indwelling Holy Spirit — not by law-keeping, not by ritual, but by faith. The Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance and the seal of our redemption (cf. Ephesians 1:13–14). The Spirit's coming into our lives is not the reward of religious effort, but the fruit of simple trust in Christ. The same way Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness (Genesis 15:6), we too believe, and receive the Spirit and every promise bound up in our salvation.
Galatians 3:15–18 — The Unchanging Nature of God’s Covenant with Abraham
“Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it. Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as of many, but as of one, ‘And to your Seed,’ who is Christ. And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect. For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.”
— Galatians 3:15–18, NKJV
Paul appeals to a basic human principle to illustrate a divine truth. Even among men, once a covenant is ratified and confirmed, it cannot be annulled or modified. Contracts made in good faith stand as binding. If this principle holds true in human affairs, how much more in the case of God’s covenant. God does not change, and His covenant with Abraham was given with divine authority and permanence. The apostle addresses the Galatian believers as “brethren,” indicating his affection and desire to correct them in love. Though he is confronting doctrinal error, he still sees them as part of the family of faith, not enemies, and he reasons with them patiently from Scripture.
Paul zeroes in on Genesis 22:18, which says, “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” He points out that the word seed is singular, not plural. This distinction matters greatly — the promise to Abraham was not to all of his descendants indiscriminately, but to one specific descendant: Jesus Christ. Paul says plainly, “He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as of many, but as of one, ‘And to your Seed,’ who is Christ.” This means the promise is fulfilled not through the nation of Israel in general, but through the Messiah, the One born of Abraham’s line.
This covenant promise to Abraham, Paul explains, came long before the law — four hundred and thirty years before, to be exact. The giving of the Mosaic Law at Mount Sinai did not and could not overturn the prior, unconditional covenant God had made. The law was temporary; the promise was eternal. The law was conditional; the promise was based on grace. If the inheritance — the full blessings promised to Abraham and his Seed — were based on the law, then the nature of the promise would be voided. But Scripture clearly affirms that “God gave it to Abraham by promise.”
The verb “gave” is translated from the Greek word kecharistai, related to charis, meaning grace. It’s in the perfect tense, which in Greek denotes completed action with continuing results. In other words, God graciously and permanently granted this promise. It wasn’t earned; it wasn’t merited; it was freely given. And because it was grounded in divine grace, it stands secure regardless of human performance. Paul is drawing a sharp contrast: the law is a bilateral agreement with conditions and consequences; the promise is a unilateral gift rooted in God’s faithfulness.
Galatians 3:19–21 — The Purpose of the Law in Light of the Promise
“What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.”
— Galatians 3:19–21, NKJV
Anticipating the objection that the law must have some enduring value if it was given by God, Paul asks, “What purpose then does the law serve?” The answer is twofold. First, the law was added because of transgressions — not to cure sin, but to expose it. It was given to identify sin clearly, define God’s holy standard, and restrain evil until the coming of the Messiah. According to Romans 7:7–8, the law did not create sin, but it made sin known, and even stirred up rebellion within the fallen nature of man. It served as a magnifying glass, making the problem of sin undeniable.
Second, Paul emphasizes the temporary nature of the law. It was added “till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made.” That Seed is Christ, and the law was never meant to be a permanent covenant for salvation. Jesus Himself said in Matthew 5:17, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” Thus, the law pointed forward to Him, but it is no longer the means by which we approach God. Christ has fulfilled the law’s righteous demands on our behalf.
Paul notes that the law was “appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.” This refers to the traditional Jewish understanding that the law was delivered on Mount Sinai with the involvement of angels. Acts 7:53 confirms this view, saying, “who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.” The mediator referred to here is Moses, who stood between God and the people. This reinforces the bilateral nature of the law — it involved two parties, with conditions and consequences on each side.
In contrast, the promise to Abraham was unilateral. That is the meaning behind the next statement: “Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one.” Paul’s point is that the promise was given directly by God, without the involvement of a human mediator. It was God alone who made the promise and God alone who guarantees its fulfillment. Faith in Christ is not a contract — it is a gift. Unlike the law, which required human performance, the promise rests entirely on divine faithfulness.
Paul then poses the rhetorical question: “Is the law then against the promises of God?” And he answers emphatically, “Certainly not!” The law is not evil, nor is it opposed to God’s promise. The problem lies not in the law, but in us. The law could never give life or power to obey. As Paul says, “For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.” But the law brings no spiritual life. It reveals our guilt, not our righteousness. Only Christ, and faith in Him, brings the life and righteousness the law could never provide.
Martin Luther insightfully observed that many confuse the purpose of the law. He wrote, “People foolish but wise in their own conceits jump to the conclusion: If the Law does not justify, it is good for nothing. How about that? Because money does not justify, would you say that money is good for nothing? Because the eyes do not justify, would you have them taken out? Because the Law does not justify it does not follow that the Law is without value.” In other words, the law is good when used lawfully (cf. 1 Timothy 1:8), but it cannot justify or save. It is the mirror that shows us our sin, but it cannot cleanse us. Only the blood of Christ does that.
Galatians 3:22 — The Scripture Confines All Under Sin
“But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.”
— Galatians 3:22, NKJV
Paul now transitions to show the purpose of the law and Scripture in revealing man’s condition. He writes that “the Scripture has confined all under sin,” using a vivid image of incarceration. The word confined carries the sense of being locked up with no way of escape — a prisoner, under complete restraint. The Word of God, through the Law, does not merely inform us that we are sinners; it locks us up under the reality of sin’s dominion. This confinement is not unjust, for the Scripture rightly exposes the truth: “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10). Our thoughts, intentions, and actions all fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23), and Scripture makes that fact inescapably clear.
The bars of this spiritual prison are not forged by men but by divine truth — truth that reveals God's holy standard and condemns all who fall short. As commentator Leon Morris notes, sin is personified as a jailor, holding humanity under its dominion and preventing escape. Many deny their imprisonment and boast in their own righteousness, but the evidence is simple: if one claims not to be a sinner, then let them cease from all sin. Yet none can. The very inability to live without sin confirms the reality of the imprisonment.
But there is hope. Paul says that “the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.” The promise cannot be earned or unlocked by law-keeping. It is a gift, a promise freely offered to those who believe. Only faith can open the prison doors. The law can diagnose but not deliver. The law can imprison but not liberate. The gospel, however, is the offer of divine pardon. In an extraordinary image, the Judge becomes the Warden who not only offers release but fulfills the sentence Himself. Christ bore the full penalty of our sin, satisfying justice so that faith in Him leads to complete release.
The door to the prison is not broken down by our efforts. Instead, it is opened by grace, and we walk out freely — not because the law was ignored, but because its demands were fully met in the crucified and risen Christ. As Morris observed, the law ends up serving not as the gateway to liberty but as the jailor pointing toward the only possible escape: faith in Jesus Christ.
Galatians 3:23–25 — The Law as a Tutor to Lead Us to Christ
“But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.”
— Galatians 3:23–25, NKJV
Paul expands on the imagery of confinement by introducing a second metaphor — that of a guardian or tutor. He writes, “Before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law.” The Greek verb here, phroureo, conveys the sense of being held in protective custody. Unlike the previous image of harsh imprisonment, this is the watchful care of a guardian. The law, in this sense, served to preserve Israel and instruct humanity, restraining sin and preparing the world for the arrival of the Messiah. It was not a savior but a steward — one who could guide, correct, and protect, but not justify.
The purpose of the law, Paul states clearly, was to serve as a “tutor to bring us to Christ.” The Greek word paidagogos referred not merely to a teacher, but to a guardian — typically a servant entrusted with the supervision and moral guidance of a child. This guardian would escort the child to his real instructor. In this analogy, the law is the stern custodian, the moral chaperone who disciplines us and brings us to the only true Teacher — Jesus Christ. The law teaches us that we are sinners; it exposes our inability to meet God’s perfect standards and compels us to look beyond ourselves for righteousness.
This role of the law is only temporary. Paul explains, “But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.” Once a person comes to saving faith in Christ, the tutor’s job is complete. We graduate from the school of the law and enter into sonship through faith. The lessons of morality, holiness, and God’s righteous standard are not discarded, but the believer is no longer subject to the condemnation or control of the law as a covenant. Instead, he is under grace — living by the Spirit, walking in faith, and trusting in the finished work of Christ.
The law never promised life, nor was it ever a path to justification. Its divine purpose was to expose sin, reveal God's righteousness, and prepare hearts for the gospel. As Andrew Jukes insightfully put it, “Satan would have us prove ourselves holy by the law, which God gave to prove us sinners.” The Law, when rightly used, leads to despair in self and faith in Christ. But once we have been brought to Jesus, we are no longer under its disciplinary rule. We have passed from the classroom of condemnation into the freedom of grace.
Martin Luther aptly described this dynamic with his usual wit: “The simile of the schoolmaster is striking. Schoolmasters are indispensable. But show me a pupil who loves his schoolmaster.” The law performs an essential service in pointing us to Christ — but it cannot save. Its stern voice is replaced by the gentle call of the Shepherd: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28, NKJV).
Galatians 3:26–27 — By Faith, We Find Our Identity in Christ
“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
— Galatians 3:26–27, NKJV
Paul makes a bold and deeply theological statement that cuts against the false doctrine of legalism infiltrating the Galatian churches. He declares that believers are not sons of God through obedience to the Law of Moses, but rather “through faith in Christ Jesus.” This truth dismantled centuries of rabbinical tradition which emphasized law-keeping as the basis for one's closeness to God. Instead, Paul affirms that divine sonship—being in an intimate relationship with God as Father—is granted solely through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.
This new standing is profound. To be “sons of God” (the Greek word huioi connotes mature, adopted sons with full inheritance rights) means we are no longer slaves, outsiders, or merely servants. We are members of the divine household, brought near by the blood of Christ. This is not merely a legal status, but a relationship filled with love, nearness, and divine care (cf. Romans 8:15–17). The method by which we enter this sonship is equally powerful—it is “through faith in Christ Jesus,” not ritual, not heritage, and certainly not the works of the law.
Paul continues in verse 27 with the imagery of baptism: “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” This baptism is not a reference to the physical act of water immersion per se, but to the spiritual reality it symbolizes—the believer being immersed into the person and work of Christ by faith. Just as a person is fully enveloped in water during baptism, so the believer is completely united with Christ, his identity submerged into the person of Jesus. The old self is crucified; the new self is raised in the likeness of Christ.
This identification with Christ leads to the next image: “have put on Christ.” The phrase refers to the putting on of a garment. The believer is spiritually clothed with Christ, which signifies the adoption of His righteousness, His standing before God, and His identity. Just as a uniform denotes the role and authority of the person wearing it, so “putting on Christ” represents the believer’s new position, accepted and beloved in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:6). We do not play dress-up—we live out a spiritual reality that transforms both how we see ourselves and how we are seen by the world. The garment of Christ should be worn daily, impacting our thoughts, conduct, and testimony.
Galatians 3:28–29 — Our Equal Standing in Christ Through Faith
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
— Galatians 3:28–29, NKJV
Paul now makes one of the most powerful declarations of spiritual equality in all of Scripture. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” These words were revolutionary in the first-century Greco-Roman and Jewish world, where social and religious divisions were rigidly enforced. In that context, Jewish men would often pray, “Thank You, God, that I am not a Gentile, a slave, or a woman.” But Paul, under divine inspiration, obliterates these man-made categories when it comes to our spiritual identity in Christ.
This verse does not suggest that all earthly distinctions are erased in practice—gender roles, economic responsibilities, and cultural identities still exist. Scripture elsewhere teaches differing roles for men and women in the home (Ephesians 5:22–33) and the church (1 Timothy 2:11–15), and recognizes economic realities such as slavery and servanthood (Ephesians 6:5–8). What Paul is declaring here is that none of these distinctions affect our standing before God. In Christ, there is absolute spiritual equality. All believers are “one in Christ Jesus”—united by the same Savior, saved by the same blood, indwelt by the same Spirit, and destined for the same inheritance.
This unity is not achieved by human effort, ecumenical compromise, or cultural conformity. It is a supernatural result of our union with Christ. As Leon Morris rightly noted, this is not a man-made unity but a God-given one that binds all the redeemed together with Christ and with each other. Therefore, to divide the body of Christ by race, class, gender, denomination, or politics is to act in contradiction to the unity Christ purchased with His blood.
In verse 29, Paul adds a stunning conclusion: “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” This directly refutes the Judaizers’ claim that Gentile believers must adopt the Mosaic Law in order to be true sons of Abraham. Paul’s argument is clear: if you belong to Christ by faith, you are already Abraham’s seed in the spiritual sense that matters to God. You are a recipient of the Abrahamic covenant's blessings—not through circumcision or law-keeping, but “according to the promise.” God’s promise to Abraham that “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3) is fulfilled in those who believe in Jesus Christ (cf. Romans 4:16–17).
Thus, Paul reaffirms the supremacy of faith over law, grace over works, and spiritual union over ethnic or social identity. The true issue, then, is not ethnicity, legal observance, or social status, but simply this: “If you are Christ’s…” That is the essential question. If you are Christ’s, then your identity is secure, your inheritance is guaranteed, and your place among the redeemed is irrevocable.
