Galatians 3

Flesh & Blood (3:1-14)

1You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 4Have you suffered so much for nothing—if it really was for nothing? 5Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?

What did Paul call the Galatians?
Who bewitched the Galatians?
What were they denying?
How did they receive the Spirit?
How do people receive the Spirit today?
After we are saved, do people sometimes return to human effort?
Why is believing a piece of information so important?

6Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." 7Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. 8The 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." 9So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

What made Abraham ‘as righteous’?
Who are Abrham’s children?
What did Abraham receive in advance?
What must we do to be considered righteous today?
What will happen to us if we have faith?
What do you think this blessing entails?

10All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." 11Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." 12The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them."

If you are trying to be saved by works, what are you under?
If you are trying to obey the law, what laws must you perfectly obey?
How many people, then, can be justified by the law?
Do the righteous live by the law or by faith?
Has anyone ever followed everything written in the Book of the Law?
How were pre-cross Jews saved?
How are post-cross Christians saved?
How do we live by faith?

13Christ 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 tree." 14He 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.

What did Christ become?
Why did Christ redeem us?
How should we respond to Christ’s willingness to become a curse?
How do we know if we have placed our faith in Christ?

Elect in the Son (3:15-18)

15Brothers, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case.

Once a human covenant is established, can the details be changed?
Does everyday life illustrate God’s ultimate truth?

16The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," meaning one person, who is Christ.

What promises are Paul referring to here?
Who are the seeds?
Who is the seed?
What would it have indicated if the text had said seeds, plural?
What does it mean that the text says seed, singular?
Where then can we find spiritual security?

17What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

What, then, was ‘added’ to the covenant?
What does the inheritance depend on?
How should we view the law given to Moses?
How should we view the promise given to Abram?

Purpose of the Law (3:19-25)

19What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. 20A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one.

Why was the law added?
When was the law to end?
Who was the mediator?
Was there a mediator when the promise was given?
What do laws accomplish in America?
What do rules accomplish in a home?
How do you feel when you break a law?
How do you feel when you break a promise?

21Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

Are the law and the promise in conflict?
Was the law ever meant to give life?
Who receives the promise?
Should we be seeking obedience or Christ?
How do we become children of the promise?

23Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. 24So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. 25Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

What were we held prisoners by before faith?
When was faith revealed?
Why was the law put in charge?
Are we still under the supervision of the law?
When we fight the law, who wins?
Have you ever felt condemned?
What is the difference between condemnation and conviction?
If we are not under the law, what are we under?

Children of God (3:26-29)

26You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,

Who is Paul speaking to?
How do we become ‘sons of God’?
Why didn’t he say ‘sons of Abraham’?
What does it mean to you to be a child of God?

27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

Was he referring to literal baptism or spiritual baptism?
How had they clothed themselves with Christ?
What does it mean to be baptized spiritually?
What is the significance of water baptism?
How are we clothed with Christ?

28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Is race a factor in God’s church?
Is class a factor in God’s church?
Is gender a factor in God’s church?
What do we become once we join God’s church?
Have churches applied these standards of equality?

29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Who must we belong to in order to be considered Abraham’s seed?
What else does belonging to Christ make us?
How can we gain the greatest inheritance?