Galatians 3: Children of Promise
From the Galatians' own experience and the Scriptures, Paul argues that righteousness comes by faith, the law was a guardian, and the blessing of Abraham is ours in Christ.
Galatians 3 (WEB)
1 Foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you not to obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly portrayed among you as crucified?
2 I just want to learn this from you. Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith?
3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now completed in the flesh?
4 Did you suffer so many things in vain, if it is indeed in vain?
5 He therefore who supplies the Spirit to you, and works miracles among you, does he do it by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith?
6 Even as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.”
7 Know therefore that those who are of faith, the same are children of Abraham.
8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the Good News beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you all the nations will be blessed.”
9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham.
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who doesn’t continue in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.”
11 Now that no man is justified by the law before God is evident, for, “The righteous will live by faith.”
12 The law is not of faith, but, “The man who does them will live by them.”
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree,”
14 that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
15 Brothers, speaking of human terms, though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been confirmed, no one makes it void, or adds to it.
16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He doesn’t say, “To seeds”, as of many, but as of one, “To your seed”, which is Christ.
17 Now I say this. A covenant confirmed beforehand by God in Christ, the law, which came four hundred thirty years after, does not annul, so as to make the promise of no effect.
18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by promise.
19 What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the seed should come to whom the promise has been made. It was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.
20 Now a mediator is not between one, but God is one.
21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could make alive, most certainly righteousness would have been of the law.
22 But the Scriptures imprisoned all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, confined for the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
24 So that the law has become our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
26 For you are all children of God, through faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to promise.
Galatians 3 (KJV)
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?
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
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?
6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
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.
9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
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.
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.
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.
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.
22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
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.
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.
29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 3 (ASV)
1 O foolish Galatians, who did bewitch you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly set forth crucified?
2 This only would I learn from you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now perfected in the flesh?
4 Did ye suffer so many things in vain? if it be indeed in vain.
5 He therefore that supplieth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.
7 Know therefore that they that are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham.
8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the nations be blessed.
9 So then they that are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham.
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.
11 Now that no man is justified by the law before God, is evident: for, The righteous shall live by faith;
12 and the law is not of faith; but, He that doeth them shall live in them.
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
14 that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men: Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one maketh it void, or addeth thereto.
16 Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
17 Now this I say: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of none effect.
18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise: but God hath granted it to Abraham by promise.
19 What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; and it was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.
20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one; but God is one.
21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could make alive, verily righteousness would have been of the law.
22 But the scripture shut up all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
23 But before faith came, we were kept in ward under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
24 So that the law is become our tutor to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But now that faith is come, we are no longer under a tutor.
26 For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ.
28 There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are one man in Christ Jesus.
29 And if ye are Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, heirs according to promise.
Summary
Paul turns from his story to a direct, almost exasperated appeal: who has bewitched the foolish Galatians, before whose eyes Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified? He asks them to reason from their own experience—did they receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Having begun in the Spirit, why turn now to the flesh? Then he reaches back to Abraham, who believed God and was counted righteous, so that those who believe are his true children and share his blessing. The law, by contrast, brings a curse on all who fail to keep it perfectly. But Christ redeemed us from that curse by becoming a curse for us, hanging on the tree, so that the blessing of Abraham and the promised Spirit might come to the nations through faith. Paul explains that the promise to Abraham, given centuries before the law, cannot be annulled by the law that came later; the promise finds its fulfillment in one seed, who is Christ. So what was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions and served as a guardian, a tutor, to lead us to Christ until faith came. Now that faith has come, all who are baptized into Christ have put on Christ. In him there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for all are one—and if we belong to Christ, we are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise.
Key Figures
- Paul — The apostle who reasons urgently from experience and Scripture to recall the Galatians from the law to faith in the crucified Christ.
- Abraham — The father of faith who believed God and was counted righteous, and to whose seed the promise of blessing for all nations was given.
- Christ Jesus — The promised seed of Abraham who redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, so the blessing and the Spirit might come to all who believe.
- The Holy Spirit — Received by the Galatians through faith, not law—the very proof Paul appeals to that righteousness comes by believing, not by works.
Key Verse
Galatians 3:13 (WEB)
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree,”
Lessons Learned
- We receive the Spirit and God's blessing by faith, not by the works of the law.
- Righteousness has always come by faith, as Abraham's example shows.
- Christ took the curse we deserved so that we might receive the promised blessing.
- In Christ all distinctions of race, status, and gender give way to one new family of faith.
- What begins by grace continues by grace. Paul asks, “Having begun in the Spirit, are you now completed in the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3, WEB). We do not start by faith only to finish by works.
- Faith makes us Abraham's children. “Those who are of faith, the same are children of Abraham” (Galatians 3:7, WEB). Belonging to God's family is by belief, not bloodline or law-keeping.
- Christ carried our curse. He became “a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13, WEB), bearing on the tree the condemnation we earned, so the blessing might be ours.
- In Christ we are one. “There is neither Jew nor Greek… for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28, WEB). Faith creates a unity no human division can break.
- Paul appeals to the Galatians' experience: they received the Spirit by faith, not law (3:1-5). Why is that such a powerful argument?
- How does Abraham demonstrate that righteousness has always been by faith (3:6-9)?
- What does it mean that Christ “became a curse for us” (3:13), and why is that such good news?
- If salvation is by faith, what then was the purpose of the law (3:19-25)?
- Galatians 3:28 says we are all one in Christ. How should that truth shape the way we treat people who differ from us?
- Their own experience settles the question: they received the Spirit and saw miracles when they simply believed the gospel, long before any law-keeping. To return to the law now would deny what God had already done among them. Help the group see how God's past grace in our lives anchors us against drifting into self-effort.
- Abraham was justified by believing God's promise, centuries before the law existed (3:6). This proves that faith, not law, has always been the way to righteousness. The agitators appealed to heritage; Paul shows the true children of Abraham are those who share his faith.
- Under the law, all who fail to keep it perfectly stand cursed. Christ took that curse on himself, hanging on the tree in our place, so the blessing promised to Abraham could reach us. Encourage the group to dwell on the wonder of this exchange—our curse for his blessing.
- The law was a temporary guardian or tutor, added because of sin, to expose our need and lead us to Christ (3:24). It could not give life or make us righteous; it pointed beyond itself to the Savior. Discuss how the law still drives us to the cross by showing us our need.
- This is partly personal application. In Christ, the dividing walls of ethnicity, status, and gender lose their power to rank or separate us. As leader, invite the group to examine where they still draw lines, and to celebrate the radical equality and unity the gospel creates.