Galatians 3:1-14: Removing Family Obstacles

In Galatians 3 Paul begins to unfold his argument that a not guilty verdict before God and membership in the family of God does not require us to all look or act the same.

Early on Paul calls them the primarily Gentile Galatians foolish because they had begun so well but are now giving into those advocating a different gospel.  They have been "bewitched" according to Paul, believing those that are saying they must practice a Jewish flavored Christianity in order to be:  1.  Acceptable to God  2.  Members of the Christian family.

Did they receive the Spirit (at the moment of turning to Jesus) because they took on Jewish practices?  It would be like us requiring folks to sing in a certain way, to worship by our preferred form, to be baptized just like we were, to do church like we do church, etc.  If they follow God like I do (because my system is the best one) then they will be more blessed.  Did the miracles among them and their experiences of the Holy Spirit come by anything other than faith in Jesus the Messiah?  (Note:  The Holy Spirit is meant to be experienced and the preferred reading of verse 4 is "Did you experience so many things . . ." rather than "Did you suffer so many things) .

Paul asks six questions to show the Galatian Christians that they have gotten away from the basics and are now submitting to things that are not required by the Lord.  Others say they are required and now they are confused.  What practices are we requiring of others so that we accept them?  What must others do in our mind which makes them acceptable to God and legit family members.  Have we added some things (ex. speak in tongues, have a daily quiet time, wear certain clothing, etc.).  You see, the legalism here has to do with good things that the Jews did-- keeping the sabbath a certain way, following the Jewish calendar, being circumcised, etc--and not merely about things some may not allow (drinking, smoking, wearing dresses etc.)

Beginning in verse 6 Paul breaks out OT texts to show his opponents (and the Galatians) that a Jewish flavored system of Christian living was not God's intent for everyone.  Abraham (Gen 12) was accepted by God due to His faith and not by following a God-given way of living which was given to the Jewish people.  Those who rely on faith alone are sons of Abraham.  Those not of faith are not his children--even though they may even have the blood heritage.  In fact, the gospel was proclaimed in Genesis 12--the Great Commission of the OT.  It says that Abraham and his family was to be a blessing to all the nations.  From the beginning God planned to rescue people from every nation, tribe, and language (Rev 5, 7) by faith.  However, Israel failed in bringing this about and became internally focused and misunderstood God's purposes as if to say that all must follow as they did--by adherence to a temporary system of religion.

Paul's opponents would have said that to practice Christianity in the Jewish way is the way to the greatest blessing.  On the contrary says Paul . . .requiring the Jewish expression actually brings a curse because one who lives by the Jewish law must keep all things written in it--which is impossible.  Paul uses Deut 27:26 and Leviticus 18:5 to establish that human effort is no way to live and then shows that "by faith" is the way to live (according to Abraham and also what God says in Habakkuk 2:4).  And of course, this practically means a wide variety of Christian practices are acceptable to God.  One should read Galatians and be reminded of other things Paul has written regarding the way we live by faith-- don't want to eat meat . . . no problem.  Want to celebrate one day as more important than another no problem.  Want to have a drink of alcohol . . . no problem.  Want to require a church membership class for potential members . . . no problem.  Want to baptize by pouring . . . no problem.  Want to require a uniform for those coming to church . . . no problem.  Just don't require everyone else to do or not do what you do or don't do-- because the Lord doesn't!  Accept others who practice different because they have different convictions or a different culture.  They are just as equal a member of the family as you and have also been declared not guilty through the sacrifice of Jesus.  This is the whole main point of Galatians.

Paul concludes this section by pulling the big stumbling block out of his bag, namely that the Messiah, Jesus was crucified as a criminal.  As a result, according to God-given Jewish documents (Deut 21:23) the Messiah was under God's curse.  The Jews had no framework to accept this (and had we been Jewish when Messiah came we may have also rejected the message of the cross). Why did Jesus become a curse?  To remove the curse that comes about by all of our failures to live up to God's requirements!  As a result of God's law we are all under a curse.  However, it was the Father's will to crush His Son (Isa 53) and forsake Him (Ps

To conclude this section Paul shows that the blessing of Abraham (Gen 12) and the promise of the Spirit (from the OT) has come on all who respond to the sacrificial death of Jesus by faith alone.  Gentiles are full members of the family--even though they don't follow a Jewish system of living.  Jew and Gentile are now one family and one cannot be arrogant against the other.  There is one way to family membership (through Jesus by faith).  This was God's intent from the beginning.  That which has divided peoples for thousands of years has now been torn down.  What walls between yourself and others need to be torn down?