GALATIANS 3:1-14
GALATIANS 3:1-14
New International Version
3 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? 4 Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? 5 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? 6 So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. 8 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.” 9 So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
GALATIANS 3:2
I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?
REFLECTION
Paul went straight to the point, reminding the GALATIANS that they didn’t receive the Spirit by following a set of rules or through good behavior (no matter what some of his opponents were teaching). It was only by faith in Jesus. This is still a struggle for many people today. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that we can somehow earn God’s favor by being really good, donating to charity, or volunteering at church. While all of these things are great, they aren’t enough to earn God’s grace in your life. In fact, nothing is. Grace is given, not earned. It’s a free gift from God, available only through faith in Jesus.
RESPONSE
How does understanding that grace is a free gift from God change the way you approach your relationship with Him?
God gives us grace freely, but the Bible says we were also created for good works. What is the relationship between grace and works meant to look like in our lives?
