Galatians 3
1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
You understood the cross of Christ and yet you are suckered into following a false religion. Paul, unlike the world today, didn't sugar coat things.
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Paul wants to know, Do you receive the Spirit of God by law or by hearing of the cross and Christ paying the price for us all?
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Many today have heard The Truth to turn from it for the worldly way and yet continuing to call themselves "Christians". They fall for every sort of false doctrine coming from the mouths of fakes. Some of the problem is these so-called "Christians" worry about what others will think of them in the here and now instead of what God thinks about them now and to come. That's the difference between flesh and spirit.
4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
It's foolish to believe any part of their flesh can save them. That would be rejecting Christ
5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
When a miracle was done by Jesus or any of the prophets or apostles, do you think it was done by the law? No, miracles happen by faith. You know God's Will will be done in your life no matter what anyone says or does. 2 Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Abraham's faith was shown as he offered Isaac on an altar for a sacrifice. He heard God and he listened. Abraham remembered Gods promise to him and Sarah that through Isaac would come nations and peoples so numerous as the sands of the seas, and the stars in heaven.
7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
You become a child of that promise when you have that same kind of faith Abraham showed.
8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
God will justify the Gentile through faith and by faith will you be blessed.
9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
Do you have the same faith as Abraham? ........ Well, there you go!
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
You want to follow the law without Christ, have at it. There is no salvation under the law.
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
That faith is in Christ Jesus or nothing!
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
We should follow the law, but the law has nothing to do with faith or salvation, it has to do with a moral line and a healthy life. Christ is our faith, or redemption.
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Christ took the stripes so that we could be healed both physically and spiritually. God knew we couldn't keep the law, that's why He sent His Son. Isaiah 53:5-6 5 But He was wounded for out transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord [the father] hath laid on Him [Jesus Christ] the iniquity [sins] of us all.
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
[Everyone] in the world can "receive the promise" - "Through faith" = repentance is for all that will believe.
15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.
Gods promise is much better than any mans contract. Gods contract gives life everlasting.
16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
430 years after the covenant with Abraham, the law came into effect. That law given to Moses cannot make any effect to the promise God gave Abraham. The promise that was in his Seed and that Seed is Christ, where the whole world, all races would be blessed.
17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
If a covenant could be a promise, then there would be conditions to the promise within the law, the promise that God gave Abraham was given by faith.
19 Wherefore then serveth the
law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom
the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
The law was given because of the transgressions of
people. Look around you today. Look at what happens without rule of law. We need
the law, but without Christ we die in the law. Christ is our promise. He is our life!
20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.
Without a mediator, God is one, but when we are in Christ Jesus, we are one with God.
21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
The law is what keeps us in line. Without it there is chaos and evil. The promise of salvation through Christ with the law are morals with peace of mind.
22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
Where is your faith? If you believe Christ came and died for you, if you believe His Word and follow Him, then you have accepted that promise.
23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
Before Christ died on the cross, all they had was the law to follow and through that law was the blood ordinance of sacrifice.
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
The "schoolmaster" = is from the law and within it are the lessons that God expects from each of us. When we fall short of the law, we can go directly to God for our forgiveness through Christ.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
We are not justified by law, but by faith in Jesus Christ and this in no way means the law is not with us today, but that we have The Way to life through faith in Christ.
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
The blood of Christ was sufficient for your sins and you that accept Him have been baptized by His blood upon your repentance. It's a new day!
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Condition! These are of all ethos that have accepted Christ.
29 And if ye be Christ's,
then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
"If" = the condition here. "If" you
believe than you are part of that promise given to Abraham. You accept Life and peace of mind over death and worry.