Galatians 3:1–9 (ESV)
By Faith, or by Works of the Law?
3 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 2 Let me
ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did
you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— 6 just
as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?
7 Know then that it is those of faith
who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” 9 So
then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
The Galatians’ experience (vv 1–5) and Scripture’s witness concerning Abraham
(vv 6–9) teach that all believers are heirs of Abraham, to whom faith “was counted … as righteousness” (v 6). Paul warns against being mesmerized by the foolish notion that salvation is completed by works of the Law. Those who see
the crucified Christ in faith, however, see their sins completely forgiven.
I pray: How blessed we are, Lord, to be the heirs of Your promises! Thank You for granting me faith through Your Word.
Amen.
Edward A. Engelbrecht, The Lutheran Study Bible (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2009), 2007.