One purpose is civil. The whole world is blessed if it believes as Abraham believed. Galatians 3:6, KJV: "Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." 3 O foolish Galatians! But if you want to believe your eyes you will find many shortcomings and offenses in the members of the holy Church. It will take me to Christ every time. In the heart fear and trust, sin and grace, Law and Gospel cross paths continually. (II Kings 5:15.) This argument is convincing enough. (Deut. As if he were saying: "I know your defection was not willful. People say: "We might as well live like wild people if the Law does not count. The spiritual witchery of the devil creates in the heart a wrong idea of Christ. It supplies men with a needed realization of their sinfulness. No, the Law does not justify. (3) Foolish. There is no question that Paul is disappointed. Cornelius was justified without the Law, therefore the Law cannot justify. Sin lingers in us, and God hates sin. The heart must be purified by faith before a person can lift a finger to please God. The true children of Abraham are the believers in Christ from all nations. Now as God gave the Holy Ghost to the Gentiles without the Law by the simple preaching of the Gospel, so He gave the Holy Ghost also to the Jews, without the Law, through faith alone. Would you call this being justified by the Law? He justified many kings of Egypt and Babylonia. They turn our attention from the Law to the promises, from sin to righteousness; from death to life. Not for always, but until we have been brought to Christ. The discipline is to last until the boy has been trained to be his father's worthy successor. But thanks be to God, who keeps us in His Word, in faith, and in prayer. He is an Antichrist because he ascribes to his own works the omnipotent capability of conquering sin, death, devil, hell, and the wrath of God. You will answer: Indeed, Christ has taken away my sins. He means to say: "I will give you an illustration from the customs of men. The Jews will not accept this interpretation. Again, in the passage which the Apostle quotes from Deuteronomy 27:26, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." That we might be justified by faith.The Law is not to teach us another Law. This, that we may find the way to grace. A transfusion of righteousness therefore becomes vitally necessary. O foolish Galatians! This list of commentaries is intended to help the reader understand and apply Paul’s message in the book of Galatians. But we must not on their account keep silent. Moses declares, "Whosoever shall not do the works of the Law, is accursed." And such it should be. No merits are mentioned in connection with this promise of the Spirit and all the blessings that go with Him. Are you surprised that reason thinks little of faith? The Jews believed if they kept the Law they would be saved. Through faith we belong to Christ and Christ to us. He strikes down kings, princes, all men. "If I live," says he, "I will mend my life. Rather urge the people to exert and to exercise themselves in good works, so that the Holy Ghost will feel like coming to them.". That the Holy Ghost is received by faith, is quickly said, but not so quickly done. To bless simply means to spread abroad the knowledge of Christ's salvation. The Law does not secure righteousness; it hinders righteousness. No person can hope to understand Paul unless he understands the article of justification. The Apostle is careful to mention the exact number of four hundred and thirty years. It would have happened to me, if Christ had not mercifully delivered me from this error. They were offended at the Law because they did not understand its purpose. The best the Law can do for us is to prepare us for a new birth through faith in Christ Jesus. The questions cut like a knife... View the entire commentary. These two statements are not at all inconsistent. The Scriptures ascribe no righteousness to Abraham except through faith. The fault lies not with Christ, but with us. Galatians 3:8 Parallel Verses [⇓ See commentary ⇓] Galatians 3:8, NIV: "Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: 'All nations will be blessed through you.'" Galatians 3 The apostle in this chapter, I. Reproves the Galatians for their folly, in suffering themselves to be drawn away from the faith of the gospel, and endeavours, from several considerations, to impress them with a sense of it. Otherwise they would not emphasize free will, natural strength, the works of supererogation, etc. Right away foolish reason is once more offended. The faith principle is expanded to all who have faith in Gal. Long ago the prophets visualized the happy changes Christ would effect in all things. When a person has accepted the Gospel, let him first give thanks unto God with a glad heart, and then let him get busy on the good works to strive for, works that really please God, and not man-made and self-chosen works. The devil gets people into all kinds of scrapes. The fact is the Law commands nothing but charity, as we may gather from the following Scripture passages: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might" (Deuteronomy 6:5.) If we lose sight of Christ, we lose out. Just because the Law increases sin, it does not therefore obstruct the promises of God. Wherefore then serveth the law?The question naturally arises: If the Law was not given for righteousness or salvation, why was it given? If all the world had stood at the mountain, all the world would have hated the Law and fled from it as the children of Israel did. He will say: "How can I be holy when I feel my sins?" The world was promised to Abraham because he believed. This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?There is a touch of irony in these words of the Apostle. Whether a person is a Jew, a punctilious and circumcised observer of the Law of Moses, or whether a person is a noble and wise Greek does not matter. God is the God of the humble, the miserable, the afflicted. They despise God, make a liar out of Him, snub Christ and all His benefits; in short they pull God from His throne and perch themselves on it. Verse 4. Several years later the old man asks the lad to do something for him. 2-5) and that of Abraham (vv. Follow Desiring God … Let the scoffers slander us, let them spare us not. Paul's rebuke expresses deep concern for the Galatian believers... View the entire commentary. One of two things has to be done: Either the Law must be covered with a veil and then it loses its full effectiveness, or it must be unveiled and then the full blast of its force kills. In the Apostolic Creed we confess: "I believe in the holy Christian Church." When the Law comes to pay your conscience a visit, say: "Mister Law, you come too soon. With this statement Paul deals a death blow to the Law. To prevent the Jews from misinterpreting the word "nations," the Scriptures are careful to say "many nations." But as soon as the Gospel came your way, you received the Holy Ghost by the simple hearing of faith, before you ever had a chance to do a single good deed." A person becomes a Christian not by working, but by hearing. the epistle of paul the apostle to the galatians commentary by a. r. fausset chapter 3 gal 3:1-29. reproof of the galatians for abandoning faith for legalism. When a person feels the full force of the Law he is likely to think: I have transgressed all the commandments of God; I am guilty of eternal death. This assurance takes in the confidence that our sins are forgiven for Christ's sake. It supplies a certain need. (Acts 10:44.) (Galatians 3 Commentary) Vain ( 1500 )( eike ) means without a cause or legitimate reason, for no purpose, and being without any result. Does the new Christian become mature by doing the works of the law? They deny the righteousness of God, His mercy, and His promises. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.This is the main point of Paul's argument against the Jews: The children of Abraham are those who believe and not those who are born of Abraham's flesh and blood. But there is no glory in it for God, because by their exertions these workers pronounce God an unmerciful slave driver, an unfaithful and angry Judge. How little love is lost upon them the Jews showed by their attitude toward Moses. This chapter contains Paul's important argument about Abraham's faith and his 'offspring', a designation for "those belong to Jesus Christ". When we believe in the Law we may be active enough but we have no life. The Spirit spells freedom from the Law, sin, death, the curse, hell, and the judgment of God. Who has bewitched you [] that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed [] among you as crucified? What did the Prophet tell him?" Because of his faith God extends to him the promise: "In thee shall all nations be blessed.". I hear with my own ears that I cannot be saved except by the blood and death of Christ. It is still in force; Christ abideth for ever in his person, and his spiritual seed, who are his by faith. Galatians 4. Gilbrant - In classical Greek eikē usually means “at random.” The word refers to an action done without a plan or purpose. When you read how the fathers, prophets, and kings accomplished great deeds, remember to explain them as the Epistle to the Hebrews accounts for them: "Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions." If the Law cannot be fulfilled by the believers, if sin continues to cling to them despite their love for God, what can you expect of people who are not yet justified by faith, who are still enemies of God and His Word, like the unbelieving law-workers? Galatians is often used to show Paul believed the Law to be done away with. The people were also offended at the Law because they could not look at the bare face of Moses. Our opponents come back at us with Cornelius. There are exegetical commentaries, scholarly and technical commentaries, as well as commentaries that are easy to understand. When the Law was instituted on Mount Sinai it was accompanied by lightning, by storms, by the sound of trumpets, to tear to pieces that monster called self-righteousness. No, the Law does not justify. Thirsty souls are what Christ wants. The Law is also a light like the Gospel. More and more, however, Christ increases our faith and in the measure in which our faith is increased, sin, Law, and flesh subside. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. (Galatians 3:2-1) Show answer 11. If Christ bears our sins, we do not bear them. If He offers His gifts free of charge, why not take them? "But you haven't manifested any of these fruits under the regime of the Law. Cain remained in the prison of the Law and despaired. Go in peace." As for the scoffers and skeptics, I am so disgusted with them that in all my life I would not open my mouth for them once. When the Law begins to threaten a person with death and the eternal wrath of God, a man just cannot find any comfort at all. We say the Law is good if it is used for the purposes for which it was designed, to check civil transgression, and to magnify spiritual transgressions. We are. In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing." But praiseworthy or not, such virtues do not acquit us before God. It will teach you to appreciate Christ.". When we believe in Christ we live by faith. These contradictions no person can harmonize who does not understand the true way of salvation. And because of his faith in the Christ to come, Peter was delegated to preach unto Cornelius faith in the Christ who had already come. 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