By Faith Alone (Gal. 3:1-5) - Part 2

GALATIANS EXPOSITORY SERIES

 

Deep down, the Galatians knew that they were justified by faith alone, for this is how they had come to Christ in the first place. To stop them from going back to the law, Paul made a personal appeal to their spiritual experience.

This appeal came in a series of rapid rhetorical questions—four of them in all:

1. A question about initiation, in which Paul took the Galatians back to the moment of their conversion: "Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?" (Gal. 3:2).
2. A question about completion, or how the Christian makes it to the end of the Christian life: "Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?" (Gal. 3:3).
3. A question about persecution, the cost of following a crucified Christ: "Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?" (Gal. 3:4).
4. A question about miracles and their meaning for the Christian life: "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?" (Gal. 3:5).

Essentially, all these questions boiled down to a single issue: Does the Christian obtain the Holy Spirit by working the law or by hearing with faith?

Once the Galatians were forced to admit that they had received the Holy Spirit by faith alone, the argument was over. This is why Paul said he wanted to ask them only one question. Grant him that the Spirit comes by faith alone, and the whole matter is settled.

 

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