No More Performance.

Today we're starting back up in Galatians chapter 3. In this chapter, Paul really cracks down on legalism and highlights the gift of God's grace through faith.

God's grace is sufficient, and it is the antidote to all worry. When we remember that God's grace is enough, we don't have to strive any longer, but we can rest in Him! The Galatians, however, forgot the power of God's grace and were deceived. Paul wasn't going to let that slide.

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?

Galatians 3:1-3 NIV

Paul is completely taken aback. He remembers being very clear to the Galatians about what the true gospel is, so why are the Galatians being so easily swayed toward a false gospel of works instead of faith? This kind of legalism is so easy to fall into, and we are all susceptible to it! But ultimately, we cannot be saved through the works that we do, it is by faith alone.

Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

Galatians 3:6 NIV

It doesn't say that Abraham performed the most sacrifices, or did the most good works, or loved his wife better than anyone else. No. It said that he believed God. I so often struggle to trust that belief is enough. I try to supplement my weak faith with good works and striving. But God is enough when we are weak. Even when I am afraid and when I overthink, God is faithful, and He wants me to give up my every anxious thought. Belief in God is the only thing that can save, since we can never be righteous enough to save ourselves.

Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. 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.” So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

Galatians 3:7-9 NIV

Paul is emphasizing the importance of faith in our standing with God and His people. Jews were considered the sons of Abraham since they were actually descendants of Abraham. But under the new covenant of Jesus, the sons of Abraham are now all those who believe, not those who are descended by blood. Jesus' blood is our new covenant, and not the Abrahamic law or Jewish heritage.

The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.” Christ 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 pole.” He 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.

Galatians 3:12-14 NIV

You guys! That is so cool! The promises of the Old Testament and even the quote from Deuteronomy were a part of God's massive game plan. God promised that Abraham's blessing would go to "all peoples on earth" (Genesis 12:3). And here is Paul, an apostle of Jesus who is a descendant of Abraham, bringing the good news of salvation to the GENTILES! Finally, we are seeing that promise being fulfilled.

God always keeps his promises, no matter how long it may take, he will not forget. He always comes through. Praise God for that today.

The law is not worthless now, but it has been fulfilled.

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

Galatians 3:15-16 NIV

God gave Abraham this promise out of His own grace, not out of the faithfulness of the Jews. Even though God's people failed to fulfill their end of the covenant time and again, God was still faithful to send Jesus, the perfect sacrifice. God gave Abraham the law so that the Jews had something to follow until the coming promise. The promise wasn't contingent on them following the law.

There is no hope in the law because we will always fail to keep it perfectly and the law also outlines consequences to disobedience. Now that Jesus has come, we continue to follow the way of the Lord not because it gives us hope or salvation, but because Jesus already has. We work out of love for the father, not to earn his love! Paul sums up this point in verses 23-25:

Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

Galatians 3:23-25 NIV

Boom! That's it! We don't need the law to keep us within the bounds of God's best because now we have Jesus as a precedent and teacher for how we are to live. The law has great wisdom, but we are not a slave to the law anymore. The sacrifices can cease because Jesus was sacrificed. We are free from the Sabbath because Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath. We are free because Jesus has set us free (see John 8:36).

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Galatians 3:27-29 NIV

Paul isn't saying here that there are no differences between Jew and Greek or male and female, rather, he is saying that in Christ, we are all in the same standing when we believe in Jesus. No one is greater than another. Jewish believers are not "more Christian" than gentile believers because we are all "little Christs" now. Meaning we walk with God and live to emulate Christ in how we live. We are not under the law or the bloodline of Abraham, but now we are under the blood of Christ.

Are you Christ's? Are you under His blood? Are you surrendered to Him?

If so, you are fully accepted and fully made righteous under Him. You are a Christian. That is your identity and everything you do will flow from that.

God, help me to surrender to you today. I need you to continue to fill me with your Holy Spirit so I can discern what is best. As I read the scriptures daily, I get to learn more about what your will is for your followers, and I can live out of that knowledge. Even though I don't know what you have in store for my life, I know you have a plan that is much greater than anything I can come up with. I give up control to you, the one who is much greater than I and the one who frees me from all anxiety. You are God. I am not. Thank you. Amen.