Galatians 3:3-7 (WEL) Are you so foolish? Having started by the Spirit, are you now finishing by your own efforts? 4 Have you suffered so many things for no reason, if it really was for no reason? 5 Therefore, does he who supplies the Spirit and works miracles in you do it by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith? 6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, 7 So then, we understand that those who are of faith are the children of Abraham.
V3 Are you so foolish? Having started by the Spirit, are you now finishing by your own efforts?
Foolishness because of a retreat from God’s ways. Why would they give up spiritual blessings? Deception. The forcefulness of the false teachers using logic and corrupt hermeneutics sways the faithful. We must know what is true. Logic and false Bible interpretation do not diminish our responsibility to read and interpret the words of the Holy Spirit in their plain, normal sense.
Can anyone use fleshly methods for church growth, spiritual renewal, revival, or anything else? NO. It must be done God’s way as taught in the New Testament.
Outward practices on the flesh (circumcision) or humans’ efforts to achieve God administering grace are foolish and do not increase sanctification, knowledge, or wisdom.
The people were relying on God to teach them by the words and teaching of the Apostles. The teaching of the Apostles today is the New Testament. It is the teaching and guidance of the Holy Spirit, which He also uses to move us into situations and experiences to teach us. Now, they hear from false teachers that they must do whatever they say and rely on human views and teaching instead of the view and teaching of the Holy Spirit.
David Guzik writes about this: “It worked like this: A Gentile was told he must come under the Law of Moses or God would not bless him. This meant he must be circumcised according to the Law of Moses. So he has the operation and as soon as the cut is made, the Holy Spirit is poured out upon him. Of course, this is not how it works. We receive the Holy Spirit by faith and not by coming under the works of the law.”
V4 Have you suffered so many things for no reason, if it really was for no reason?
Paul states that if those things were so wonderful for spiritual growth, “why am I suffering? I’m stupid.” Following the plain, normal sense of Scripture leads to knowing truth, speaking truth, living truth, spiritual growth, and stability.
V5 Therefore, does he who supplies the Spirit and works miracles in you do it by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith?
The supplier is God: 1) God the Father (John 14:26) and 2) God the Son (John 15:26). If the Holy Spirit is doing all these blessings through you, how will human efforts as circumcision help do more? What more can a person have?
V6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,
Salvation is by our faith in Jesus Christ alone. Our sanctification (God molding us to be the Christian He wants us to be) is by our faith alone (obedience). Our glorification (in heaven) is by faith. In fact, all eternity we will live by faith—believing God’s words and obeying them.
Salvation is by faith alone just like Abraham’s salvation received before circumcision. Compare Genesis 15:6 with Genesis 17:9-13).
V7 So then, we understand that those who are of faith are the children of Abraham.
Faith not works means someone is a child of faith like Abraham. Mosaic Law had not yet been given. It was faith that God recognized, not following ritual or Mosaic Law.
Bible Knowledge commentary:
“Striking a tremendous blow at the Judaizers, Paul linked the past with the present and declared that just as Abraham was saved by faith, so were those who now claimed to be his children (huioi; lit., “sons”). Abraham and his spiritual descendants, both Jews and Gentiles, have all been declared righteous by faith. Moreover, this conclusion is in harmony with the Scripture, which states that all nations will be blessed through Abraham (cf. Genesis 12:3). Thus, the justification of uncircumcised Gentiles was anticipated in the universal aspect of the Abrahamic Covenant when God announced the gospel (lit., “the good news”) to Abraham. It should not be overlooked that Paul referred to Scripture speaking as though God were speaking, so it can rightly be affirmed that what the Bible says, God says.”
We learn:
- Jewish or any other human rituals are meaningless.
- True Christianity is all by faith—believing in God.
Questions:
- Are you relying on rituals and sacraments to achieve holiness?
- Are you living by believing the Bible in its plain, normal sense?