Bullet Point Bible - Galatians 3

Rebuke: Experience of the Spirit Through Faith

¹ You foolish Galatians! Who has cast a spell on you? Before your eyes Jesus Christ was vividly portrayed as crucified!² The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard?³ Are you so foolish? Although you began with the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by human effort?⁴ Have you suffered so many things for nothing?-if indeed it was for nothing.⁵ Does God then give you the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law or by your believing what you heard?

Paul expresses strong exasperation ("O foolish Galatians!") at their turn from grace to law-keeping.
"Bewitched" suggests they've been misled by deceptive influences (the Judaizers).
The centrality of Christ's crucifixion, vividly preached to them, should have prevented this error (Gal 3:1).
Paul appeals to their own experience: Receiving the Holy Spirit came through faith ("believing what you heard"), not adherence to Mosaic Law (Gal 3:2).
He questions the logic of starting their Christian life by the Spirit's power but trying to perfect it through human effort ("the flesh") (Gal 3:3).
The phrase "human effort" (Greek: *sarx*, often translated "flesh") contrasts reliance on self/external rituals with reliance on the Spirit.
Paul reminds them of potential suffering endured for their faith, questioning if it was meaningless if they abandon the gospel's core (Gal 3:4).
He reinforces the point: God's ongoing work (giving the Spirit, miracles) is linked to faith, not works of the law (Gal 3:5).
This section establishes the core conflict: faith versus works of the law as the basis for relationship with God and Christian living.
The rhetorical questions are designed to make the Galatians reflect on the inconsistency of their new direction.

Example: Abraham Justified by Faith

⁶ Just as Abraham believedGod, and it was credited to him as righteousness ,⁷ so then, understand that those who believe are the sons of Abraham.⁸ And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the gospel to Abraham ahead of time, saying, " All the nationswill be blessed in you ."⁹ So then those who believe are blessed along with Abraham the believer.

Paul shifts from the Galatians' experience to scriptural proof, starting with Abraham, the father of faith.
He quotes Genesis 15:6 to show Abraham's righteousness was credited based on belief, not works (Gal 3:6).
This establishes a foundational principle: Righteousness before God comes through faith.
True spiritual descendants ("sons") of Abraham are identified not by physical lineage or law-keeping, but by sharing Abraham's faith (Gal 3:7).
Paul personifies Scripture ("the scripture, foreseeing...") to emphasize its divine origin and foresight.
The gospel message (justification by faith for all nations) was preached "ahead of time" to Abraham through God's promise (Gal 3:8).
The quote from Genesis 12:3/18:18 ("{{All the Gentiles will be blessed in you}}") is interpreted Christologically – blessing comes through Abraham's descendant, Christ, received by faith.
This directly counters the Judaizers' claim that Gentiles must become Jews (follow the law) to be included in God's people.
Conclusion: Believers (Jew or Gentile) share in the blessing promised to Abraham precisely because they, like him, operate on the principle of faith (Gal 3:9).

Contrast: Curse of Law vs. Redemption in Christ

¹⁰ For all who rely on doing the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written, " Cursed is everyone who does not keep on doing everything written in the book of the law ."¹¹ Now it is clear no one is justified before God by the law, because the righteous one will live by faith .¹² But the law is not based on faith, but the one who does the works of the law will live by them .¹³ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us (because it is written, " Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree ")¹⁴ in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, so that we could receive the promise of the Spirit by faith.

Paul contrasts the way of faith (blessing) with the way of law (curse).
Relying on law-keeping for righteousness places one under a curse because perfect, perpetual obedience is required (quoting Deut 27:26) – a standard no one meets (Gal 3:10).
Scripture itself (quoting Hab 2:4) makes it clear that justification (being declared righteous by God) comes through faith, not law (Gal 3:11).
The principle of the Law is fundamentally different from faith; it demands *doing* for life (quoting Lev 18:5), whereas faith involves *believing* and *receiving* (Gal 3:12).
Christ provides the solution: He "redeemed us" (bought us back) from the law's curse by taking the curse upon Himself (Gal 3:13).
His crucifixion ("hung on a tree") fulfilled the curse described in Deuteronomy 21:23, substituting Himself for those under the curse.
Christ's substitutionary atonement removed the barrier of the law's curse.
The purpose of Christ's redemption was twofold: 1) To extend Abraham's blessing (justification by faith) to the Gentiles, and 2) For all believers (Jew and Gentile) to receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith (Gal 3:14).
This section powerfully argues that the law cannot save but only condemn, while Christ saves by fulfilling its demands and bearing its penalty.

Analogy: The Unbreakable Promise to Abraham

¹⁵ Brothers and sisters, I offer an example from everyday life: When a covenant has been ratified, even though it is only a human contract, no one can set it aside or add anything to it.¹⁶ Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant. Scripture does not say, "and to the descendants ," referring to many, but " andto your descendant ," referring to one, who is Christ.¹⁷ What I am saying is this: The law that came 430 years later does not cancel a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to invalidate the promise.¹⁸ For if the inheritance is based on the law, it is no longer based on the promise, but God graciously gave it to Abraham through the promise.

Paul uses a human analogy (a ratified covenant or will) to illustrate the permanence of God's promise (Gal 3:15). Human agreements, once finalized, cannot be arbitrarily changed.
He argues God's covenant with Abraham is even more secure.
Paul makes a specific point about the recipient of the promise: It was made to Abraham and his singular "descendant" (Greek: *sperma*, seed), whom Paul identifies as Christ (Gal 3:16).
This interpretation emphasizes Christ as the ultimate fulfillment and mediator of the Abrahamic promise. While controversial to some, Paul uses the singular form in Genesis (e.g., Gen 13:15, 17:8) to point ultimately to Christ.
The Law, given 430 years after the promise to Abraham (referencing the time from the patriarchs to Moses, cf. Exod 12:40 LXX), cannot annul or supersede the earlier, divinely ratified promise (Gal 3:17).
The promise and the law represent two distinct principles for receiving the inheritance (salvation, relationship with God). They are mutually exclusive bases (Gal 3:18).
Since God granted the inheritance to Abraham based on promise (an act of grace), it cannot now be based on law-keeping (an act of works).
This section reinforces the priority and permanence of God's grace-based promise over the later requirements of the Law.

Purpose: Why the Law Was Added

¹⁹ Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the descendant to whom the promise had been made. It was administered through angels by an intermediary.²⁰ Now an intermediary is not for one party alone, but God is one.²¹ Is the law therefore opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.²² But the scripture imprisoned everything under sin so that the promise could be given-because of the faithfulness of Jesus Christ-to those who believe.

If salvation is by promise through faith, Paul anticipates the question: What was the Law's purpose? (Gal 3:19a).
The Law was "added" (implying it was secondary and temporary) "because of transgressions." This likely means it was given to reveal, define, expose, and perhaps restrain sin.
Its duration was limited: "until the arrival of the descendant" (Christ), the one to whom the promise ultimately pointed (Gal 3:19b).
Paul notes the Law's mediated administration (through angels and Moses, the intermediary), contrasting it with the directness of the promise (Gal 3:19c).
The mention of an intermediary highlights a distinction: contracts need mediators, but God's unilateral promise didn't. "God is one" emphasizes His self-sufficiency and the direct nature of His promise (Gal 3:20). This verse is notoriously difficult, but likely contrasts the mediated Law with the direct Promise.
Paul refutes any notion that the Law contradicts God's promises ("Absolutely not!") (Gal 3:21a).
If the Law could impart spiritual life, then righteousness *would* have come through it, but it couldn't (Gal 3:21b). The Law diagnoses the problem (sin) but cannot provide the cure (life/righteousness).
Instead, Scripture (representing the Law's effect) "imprisoned everything under sin," demonstrating universal human sinfulness and inability to achieve righteousness through works (Gal 3:22a).
This "imprisonment" served a purpose: to shut off the path of works-righteousness and highlight the necessity of the promise, which is received by faith in Jesus Christ and given to believers (Gal 3:22b).
The Law, therefore, served a preparatory role, revealing the need for the salvation offered through Christ.

Result: From Confinement Under Law to Sonship in Christ

²³ Now before faith came we were held in custody under the law, being kept as prisoners until the coming faith would be revealed.²⁴ Thus the law had become our guardian until Christ, so that we could be declared righteous by faith.²⁵ But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.²⁶ For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith.²⁷ For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female -for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.²⁹ And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to the promise.

Before the era of faith inaugurated by Christ, humanity (particularly Israel) was "held in custody" or "imprisoned" under the Law's authority (Gal 3:23).
The Law acted as a *paidagōgos* (guardian, tutor, disciplinarian – often a slave overseeing a child), leading people *to* Christ (Gal 3:24). Its role was protective and preparatory, not salvific in itself.
The goal of the Law's guardianship was justification by faith, which became available in Christ.
With the arrival of faith (personified as an era or system centered on Christ), the Law's role as guardian ceases for believers (Gal 3:25).
Through faith in Christ Jesus, believers attain the status of mature "sons of God," no longer needing the Law's disciplinary oversight (Gal 3:26).
Baptism into Christ signifies this new identity, where believers have "clothed yourselves with Christ," taking on His character and righteousness (Gal 3:27). This is a metaphor for intimate union and identification.
This union in Christ transcends all major social, ethnic, and gender distinctions of the ancient world: Jew/Greek, slave/free, male/female (Gal 3:28). While distinctions remain functionally, they lose significance regarding spiritual status and access to God. All are "one" in Him.
The climax: Belonging to Christ means believers are the true "descendants" (seed) of Abraham and therefore "heirs" to the promise God made – salvation and the Spirit received by faith, not law (Gal 3:29).
This powerfully concludes Paul's argument: identity in Christ through faith fulfills the promise to Abraham and renders obsolete the divisions and requirements imposed by the Law.

The Bullet Point Bible

Galatians 3