“Just as Abraham ‘believed God,
and it was accounted to him for righteousness’ “
– Galatians 3:6 –
Paul balanced the sujective experience with objective evidence: We do not evaluate the Word by our experience; rather we judge our experience in the light of the Word. The apostle presented statements from the Old Testament to prove that salvation is through faith iin Christ, not by the works of the Law.
Therefore, he began quoting Moses in order to show that God’s righteousness was attributed to Abraham only because he believed in God’s promise. It was accounted to him; that is, his account received a credit of righteousness that paid off the debts of sin. The Jews were proud to be descendants of Abraham, but salvation is not automatically inherited. Gos has children, but He does not have grandchildren. We all need to be born as children of God.
Salvation was promised to all nations through Abraham, so Paul took that gospel to the Galatians: sinners are justified by faith, not by keeping the law.
Paul quoted Habakkuk 2:4 and said that “the just shall live by faith” (v. 11). The Holy Spirit inspired three books to explain this statement. Romans refers to the “just” as the sinner who is justified from sin (Rom. 1:17 and 6:7; cf. 3:24-28; 5:19; 6:7); Galatians teaches that the “just shall live” (Gal. 3:11), and Hebrews says how that will take place: by faith, and not by the law (Heb. 10:38; cf. 4:2; 6:1; 10:22, 38; 11:1).
The legalists wanted to appeal to the attractions of a religion based on the works of the law, while Paul showed the joy of a relationship of love and life through faith in Christ. If believers could exchange faith and grace for the law and works, they did not need to have fellowship with the Lord. For a true Jew, Abraham’s blessing came through Christ. For a Gentile, the gift of the Holy Spirit was bestowed through Christ.
“This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the
freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. We did not give in to them for a
moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you” (Gal. 2:4-5).
Jesus suffered the utmost humilliation by being crucified to redeem us. Redemption meant buying a slave, not to own him, but to give him freedom. The legalists wanted to take redemption to the freedom of the child of God into slavery.
Perhaps there is some “bewitching” thought in your heart
or lingering around you that is not based on the Bible.
Paul alerted the Galatians regarding that, and also us.
Why choose slavery when we can choose freedom?
“You cannot keep birds from flying over your head,
but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair”
(Martin Luther).
Allow yourself to be guided by the Holy Spirit, you will be amazed…