Study of Galatians Part 8 - Galatians 3:6-14

As last week’s study closed, Paul quoted from Genesis 15:6: “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (Galatians 3:6). What does that mean? What Paul wrote later in his Letter to the Romans, Chapter 4, helps us to understand, as he quoted the same passage there, in Romans 4:3, and then commented that someone who works for wages expects to be paid. His wages are not a gift, but are what is due to him or her. He has earned that pay (Romans 4:4).

In contrast, in the spiritual realm, with regard to salvation, a person should not try to earn salvation by doing good works, but simply “believe or trust in Him (God) who justifies the ungodly.” That “faith or trust is counted as righteousness” for people, no matter who they are (Romans 4:5).

What Paul says here just does not sound right to our human reason and way of thinking in this world. It used to be said, “There is no such thing as a free lunch.” The common perception is that you only get what you have earned and deserved and paid for. (That thinking may be changing, in a culture where people think they deserve a break and deserve more and more for themselves, regardless of their actions. But in general, people still think they should work and earn for themselves in some way if they are capable of doing so.)

In the spiritual realm with God, that will not work, Paul is saying. Go back to Galatians 3, verse 10. Paul writes, “All who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law and do them.’” This is a quotation from Deuteronomy 27:26, and in Deuteronomy 28:15-68, there is a long list of curses and judgments coming even for God’s Old Testament people of Israel if they sinned and rebelled against God’s will. And from what we just read, they would have to do it all correctly to be acceptable to God.

This is a message found throughout the Bible. See, for example, James 2:10-11: “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. For He who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not murder.’ If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.’”

See also what Jesus says in  Matthew 5:21-22 and 27-28. Who of us has never broken these commandments of God, in the ways that Jesus says are still sins? Hear also what is said in James 3:2: “For we all stumble (sin) in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect person, able to bridle his own body.” Who among us is really that perfect?

See also the story in Mark 10:17-22, where a man asks Jesus what he must do “to inherit eternal life.” Jesus talked about keeping the commandments and then challenged the man about wise use of his “great possessions,” showing him that he was trusting in possessions too much, instead of trusting God. The disciples, who seemed to think that it was always a sign of blessing and favor with God to be very wealthy, asked Jesus, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus answered very bluntly, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. All things are possible with God” (Mark 10:23-27). Imagine that! It is impossible for us to be saved by our efforts and work to please God, no matter how hard we try.

That is exactly what Paul was trying to teach the Galatian Christians as he wrote to them. If they listened to and followed the false teachers, who had given them a bunch of new laws to follow to be a "genuine" Christian, then they were doomed. They would have to keep all these laws perfectly. One failure - and they were unacceptable and condemned as sinners. And who is perfect? No one, according to God’s standard, if they tried to please God by the good things they did. (See Matthew 5:48.)

So Paul said, in Galatians 3:11, “Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by (keeping) the law,” because the law says, “The one who does them shall live by them” (Leviticus 18:5, Galatians 3:11-12). And who does that, all the time?

Paul is saying that we need to give up on trying to save ourselves by our good works and efforts. That will never work. We need to trust God and what he can do for us, for as Jesus said, “With God, nothing is impossible,” for our salvation (Mark 10:27). Or as the Genesis quotation said, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (Galatians 3:6). Abraham was declared and counted as a righteous man simply by faith, by believing God Himself and His promises, and not by doing his own works of the law.

And this was a promise not just for Abraham, but for all people who live by faith in God and especially in the work done for us by Christ Jesus. His work saved us, not our work. Paul said, “Know then that it those of faith who are the sons of Abraham,” as well. For God was preaching this Good News, this Gospel, to all people, including non-Jews, when he said to Abraham, “In you, (in your descendant, Jesus) shall all the nations be blessed” (Galatians 3:8). “So then,” Paul said, “those who are of faith (in Jesus) are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith” (Galatians 3:9, 12-14).

Trusting in Jesus and His saving work is enough, Paul is emphasizing. Everyone who trusts in Him is counted as righteous. That is true of the Galatian Christians and that is true of us, as well. Any sin of ours curses us, but Jesus has “redeemed us” (paid the price to rescue us) “from the curse of the law.” What good news for us all!

There is much more that Paul says, in Galatians and Romans, about this, and we will continue on in weeks ahead. Keep reading in Galatians and Romans 4, if you have time. The Lord’s blessings! And keep hoping in Christ alone and what He has done for you!