The Superiority of Faith

I. THE FOOLISHNESS OF GALATIANS (Galatians 3:1-5)

A. Their Bewitching (Galatians 3:1)

1. The cause of their bewitching – “O foolish Galatians”
a. Foolishness frequently associates or identifies a matter with sinfulness (1 Samuel 26:21; 2 Samuel 24:10; Psalm 5:5; Psalm 69:5; Psalm 107:17; Proverbs 13:19; Proverbs 14:9; Proverbs 24:9)
b. Certainly there would be a concern for sinfulness in the passage, but perhaps the greater focus is the lack of wisdom on the part of the Galatian believers.
1.) Foolishness is generally associated with ignorance (Psalm 73:22; 1 Peter 2:15).
2.) However, foolishness is the rejection of wisdom (Deuteronomy 32:6; Psalm 94:8; Proverbs 1:7; Proverbs 24:7).
2. The result of their bewitching – “ye should not obey the truth”
a. The Bible makes a strong association between witchcraft and rebellion (1 Samuel 15:23).
b. The Galatians’ leading away from the truth was identified as being bewitched.
c. Their bewitching caused them to not obey the truth.
1.) Truth disobeyed eventually perishes (Jeremiah 7:28)
2.) Disobedience of truth is obedience to unrighteousness (Romans 2:8)
3.) Obedience purifies the soul (1 Peter 1:22)
3. The accountability of their bewitching
a. Before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth
b. Crucified among you
c. While some might consider this a contradiction or an inaccuracy, Christ had been crucified among them and before their eyes by faith.
1.) Faith is the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).
2.) It should also be noted that they would have been witnesses of Christ’s crucifixion by
i. The preaching of the cross (1 Corinthians 1:17-18, 23; 1 Corinthians 2:2)
ii. The crucified life of ministers of the gospel (Galatians 2:20; Galatians 5:24; Galatians 6:14)
iii. In other words, these men were eyewitnesses of Christ’s crucifixion by faith. To reject the necessities of Christ’s redemptive work for personal righteousness was an act equal to witchcraft.

B. Their Salvation (Galatians 3:2)

1. The statement denoting salvation
a. “Received ye the Spirit”
1.) The apostolic age was an age of transition. One such transition was in the reception of the Holy Ghost.
2.) Those Jews who had followed the Lord and obediently went to the Day of Pentecost, received the Spirit of God on that day (Acts 2:1-18).
3.) The Gentile Cornelius received the Holy Ghost at salvation (Acts 10:44).
4.) That the latter is the expectation of these believers is clear because of the words of Galatians 3:3 and Galatians 3:14.
b. “Having begun in the Spirit” (Galatians 3:3)
2. The event leading to their salvation
a. Was it by the works of the law?
1.) The works of the Law did not provide an indwelling Spirit.
2.) The Law was a figure or shadow (Colossians 2:16-17; Hebrews 8:4-5).
3.) The Law pointed forward to Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:24).
b. Was it by the hearing of faith?
1.) This phrase is only mentioned two times in the Bible (Galatians 3:2, 5).
2.) The words hearing and faith mentioned in the same passage almost always deals with the word of God (Romans 10:17; Hebrews 4:2).

C. Their Perfection (Galatians 3:3)

1. The folly of their thinking.
2. The obvious question
a. Having begun in the Spirit
b. Are ye now made perfect by the flesh? (see Romans 7:6; Romans 8:4)

D. Their Suffering (Galatians 3:4)

1. Have ye suffered so many things in vain?
2. If it be yet in vain.
3. In other words, these folks suffered for proclaiming initial faith in Christ Jesus. If they were now of the mindset that the works of the flesh were key, then they had suffered in vain.

E. Their Ministers (Galatians 3:5)

1. Those who ministered the Spirit and work miracles
2. Do they do so by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith?

II. THE BLESSING OF FAITH (Galatians 3:6-18)

A. The Faithfulness of Abraham (Galatians 3:6-9)

1. His personal righteousness (Galatians 3:6)
a. His example – “Even as”
b. His demonstration of faith
1.) Abraham believed God
i. Abraham’s testimony of faith
1. Faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness (Romans 4:9).
2. Men are to walk “in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham” (Romans 4:12).
3. The promise was given to Abraham “through the righteousness of faith” (Romans 4:13).
4. “They which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham” (Galatians 3:9).
5. “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed” (Hebrews 11:8).
6. “By faith Abraham…offered up Isaac (Hebrews 11:17).
ii. Abraham’s faith concerning a promised seed (Genesis 15:1-6)
1. The LORD’s opening lines (Genesis 15:1)
2. Abram’s concern for a seed (Genesis 15:2-3)
3. The LORD’s clarification (Genesis 15:4)
4. The LORD’s promise (Genesis 15:5)
5. Abram’s faith and reward (Genesis 15:6; see Romans 4:1-5, 16-25; Galatians 3:6; Hebrews 11:8-12)
iii. Abraham’s covenant by faith (Genesis 15:7-18)
1. The LORD’s opening lines (Genesis 15:7)
2. Abram’s concern for his inheritance (Genesis 15:8)
3. The invitation to a covenant (Genesis 15:9-11; Psalm 50:5; Jeremiah 34:13-20)
4. The LORD’s unconditional covenant (Genesis 15:12-18)
iv. Abraham’s faith concerning Isaac’s offering (Genesis 22:1-19)
1. God’s request of Abraham (Genesis 22:1-2)
2. Abraham’s obedience (Genesis 22:3-10)
3. The LORD’s intervention (Genesis 22:11-14)
4. The LORD’s reconfirmation of the promise (Genesis 22:15-19)
5. The testimony of Abraham’s faith in the offering of his son (Hebrews 11:17-19; James 2:20-24)
2.) It was accounted to him for righteousness (see the preaching of Elihu – Job 33:30); Note: It is often thought that Job lived at the same time as Abraham.
c. His message
1.) Its likeness
i. Even as (Galatians 3:6)
ii. Know ye (Galatians 3:7)
iii. So then (Galatians 3:9)
iv. Just as Abraham’s faith was the basis for his righteousness, even so, the saint’s righteousness if a matter of faith in the Lord and His word.
v. Faith yielded righteousness. It was “counted” (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3), “reckoned” (Romans 4:9), and “accounted” (Galatians 3:6) to him for righteousness.
2.) Its distinction
i. Abraham believed what God told him about a seed (Genesis 15:5-6), whereas we are required to believe the gospel of the death, burial, and resurrection.
ii. Abraham was not in the body of Christ; we are.
iii. Abraham went to paradise when he died; we go to the third Heaven.
iv. Abraham trusted in something future; we trust in something past. NOTE: This does not mean Abraham was looking forward to the cross, but that the seed that he was promised was not something that had already came to pass.
2. His extended blessing (Galatians 3:7-9)
a. His offspring (Galatians 3:7)
1.) They which are of faith
2.) The same are the children of Abraham
i. The Lord Jesus gave some food for thought regarding a distinction between the seed and children of Abraham (John 8:33-40).
ii. Jesus agreed that they were of the “seed” of Abraham (John 8:37; Romans 9:7).
iii. Jesus basically told them that they are not “children” of Abraham (John 8:39). Why weren’t they called “children of Abraham”? Because they were not “of faith.”
b. His gospel (Galatians 3:8-9)
1.) The messenger of his gospel – “the scripture” (Galatians 3:8)
i. It foresaw.
ii. It preached.
iii. Other personifications of scripture
1. Scripture speaks
a. In Romans 9:17, the scripture speaks to Pharaoh
b. In Exodus 9:1, 8, 13, 16, the Lord speaks to Pharaoh
c. Therefore, the scripture is identified with God
2. Scripture preaches
a. In Galatians 3:8, the scripture preaches to Abraham
b. In Genesis 12:1; Genesis 18:18; Genesis 22:18, God preaches to Abraham
c. The scripture is identified with God
3. Scripture sees
a. In Hebrews 4:12, the word of God is quick and powerful
b. In Hebrews 4:13, no creature is manifest in his sight
c. The antecedent for the pronoun, his, is the word of God in verse 12
d. The scripture is identified with God
2.) The motive of the gospel (Galatians 3:8) – foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith
3.) The message of the gospel (Galatians 3:8-9)
i. Gospel defined (Isaiah 61:1 with Luke 4:18; and Romans 10:15 with Isaiah 52:7 and Nahum 1:15)
ii. Gospel preached to Abraham (Galatians 3:8) – “In thee shall all nations be blessed”
iii. Gospel extended (Galatians 3:9)

B. The Failure of the Law (Galatians 3:10-14)

1. The curse of the Law (Galatians 3:10)
a. The recipients of the curse – “as many as are of the works of the law”
b. The nature of the curse – “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them”
1.) All have sinned and violated God’s holy Law (1 Kings 8:46; Psalm 143:2; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:23).
2.) The cost of disobedience is the curse (Deuteronomy 26:11-26)
3.) Disobedience in one point is disobedience in all (James 2:10)
4.) The Law demanded complete conformity, whereas a life of faith yields a life of conformity (Romans 9:30-33).
5.) The provisions of the Law were never justification or internal righteousness (Hebrews 9:13-14).
2. The conflict with faith (Galatians 3:11-12)
a. The conflict in justification (Galatians 3:11)
1.) The finding
i. No man is justified by the Law
ii. In the sight of God
iii. It is evident
2.) The proof – “The just shall live by faith” (see Habakkuk 2:4)
i. The distinction (“his faith” versus “faith”)
ii. The provisions of the distinction
1. An Old Testament man depended upon his own faith.
2. A New Testament man depends upon Christ’s faith (Galatians 2:2).
iii. The purpose of the quote; to use an Old Testament passage to prove justification by faith
b. The conflict in obedience (Galatians 3:12)
1.) The conflict stated
i. The Law is not of faith.
ii. The man that doeth them shall live in them.
2.) The conflict spelled out
i. The Law says that a man must DO before he can LIVE (see Galatians 3:21).
ii. Faith says that a man must LIVE before he can DO.
iii. The problem of the Law is that man cannot DO and therefore cannot LIVE (Romans 8:3).
3.) The conflict misunderstood
i. Even in the Old Testament God was concerned with the heart more than with the outward act of keeping the ceremonies.
1. It was possible to offer the sacrifices without having a heart for God (Proverbs 15:8; Isaiah 1:11).
2. It was also possible to have a heart for God and not be able to keep the ceremonies (i.e. times of captivity)
ii. The outward obedience of the Law had a tendency to cause men to stumble as it related to faith.
3. The cure for the curse (Galatians 3:13-14)
a. The redemptive work of Christ (Galatians 3:13)
1.) Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law.
2.) He was made a curse for us.
3.) Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree (Deuteronomy 21:22-23; see Isaiah 53:4).
b. The promise of the Spirit (Galatians 3:14)
1.) Associated with the blessing of Abraham
2.) Available to the Gentiles
3.) Through Jesus Christ and faith
i. Justified freely (Romans 3:24)
ii. Peace with God (Romans 5:1)
iii. The atonement (Romans 5:11)
iv. Eternal life (Romans 6:23)
v. The victory (1 Corinthians 15:57)
vi. The blessing of Abraham (Galatians 3:14)
vii. Sanctification (Hebrews 10:10)

C. The Preeminence of Promise (Galatians 3:15-18)

1. Rules of a covenant (Galatians 3:15)
a. Unconditional
1.) It must be confirmed (Galatians 3:15)
i. To settle any disputes (Ruth 4:7; 1 Kings 1:14)
ii. To give strength to something (Isaiah 35:3; Acts 15:32)
2.) No man can add to it or disannul any part of it (Galatians 3:15)
i. After a covenant was confirmed no new rules could be added
ii. After a covenant was confirmed no rules could be removed
b. Conditional
1.) Both parties are responsible for keeping the covenant
2.) If either side fails to keep his end, the covenant is void
2. Superior in its recipient(s) (Galatians 3:16)
a. The promises of the law are only made to those who unerringly adhere to its commandments.
b. The promises of the promise are given in Abraham and ultimately Jesus Christ. Also, with it being an unconditional covenant, there are no demands to be met. A man enjoys the benefits by simply exercising faith (Galatians 3:9, 14).
c. Note: This is a good place to point out the importance of every word/letter of God (Genesis 12:7; Genesis 13:15-16; Genesis 15:5; Genesis 17:7-8; Genesis 21:12; Genesis 22:17-18; Genesis 26:3-4; Genesis 28:13-14).
3. Superior in its continuance (Galatians 3:17-18)
a. The covenant of promise preceded the covenant of the law (Galatians 3:17).
b. The time period of 430 years is likely a reference to the time expiring between the final confirmation of the promise given to Jacob and the giving of the law
1.) Israel’s time of affliction in Egypt is given as 400 years (Genesis 15:13; Acts 7:6).
2.) Israel’s complete time in Egypt is given as 430 years (Exodus 12:40-41).
i. Jacob arrived at the age of 130 (Genesis 47:8-9).
ii. He lived seventeen years in Egypt and died at 147 (Genesis 47:28).
3.) Jacob, or Israel, had the covenant confirmed before entering Egypt (Genesis 46:1-4).
c. The law cannot disannul the promise to make it of none effect (Galatians 3:17).
d. The inheritance was given by promise (Galatians 3:18).
1.) If the inheritance shifted to a basis of law, it would have ceased to be by promise.
2.) In essence, this would have disannulled the covenant of promise.
3.) The law was never intended to provide an inheritance. Instead, it was given for the purpose of temporal purification and fellowship with God (Hebrews 9:13-14).

III. THE LAW, THE PROMISES, AND FAITH (Galatians 3:19-29)

A. The Purpose of the Law (Galatians 3:19-25)

1. To confirm sin (Galatians 3:19-20)
a. The need for the law (Galatians 3:19a)
1.) The law was put in place to roll back the penalty of sin until Jesus Christ would come (Hebrews 9:13).
2.) The word remission does not necessarily mean doing away with hence the message of Simon Peter (Acts 2:38).
b. The time of the law – “till the seed should come” (Galatians 3:19b; Hebrews 7:11-12, 18-19, 22)
c. The weakness of the law (Galatians 3:19c-20)
1.) Attended by the angels (Galatians 3:19c)
i. Ordained by angels
ii. Given by the disposition of angels (Acts 7:53)
iii. Thousands of angels attended Sinai (Psalm 68:17)
2.) Required earthly mediators (Galatians 3:19c-20)
i. The law required a mediator.
ii. A mediator is one who goes between two parties (Galatians 3:20).
iii. In such cases where a mediator is required in an earthly agreement any one of the three parties can cause complications in the agreement.
iv. Initially, the Israelites requested that Moses serve as the mediator (Exodus 20:18-22). It would be fair to say that going forward, the Levitical priesthood may have served as the mediator.
v. All of this stands in stark contrast to the promise.
1. The law introduced multiple sides with multiple accountabilities.
2. The promise relied only on God’s faithfulness (Romans 4:13-16).
2. To condemn sin (Galatians 3:21-22; Hebrews 7:19; Romans 3:10-20)
a. The perfection of the law (Galatians 3:21; Romans 4:15; Romans 7:7-12)
1.) This was the perfection of law.
2.) Law could not provide righteousness.
b. The sinfulness of man (Galatians 3:22a; Romans 3:19-20)
1.) The scripture concluded
2.) All under sin
c. The hope of the gospel (Galatians 3:22b; Romans 4:13)
1.) The promise by faith of Jesus Christ
2.) Might be given to them that believe
3. To convert sinners (Galatians 3:23-24)
a. To keep the Old Testament saints (Galatians 3:23; Romans 3:25; Hebrews 9:15)
b. To bring them unto Christ (Galatians 3:24; Galatians 4:4-5)
4. To give way to faith (Galatians 3:25)

B. The Position of the Saint (Galatians 3:26-29)

1. Children of God (Galatians 3:26)
a. Ye are all the children of God (Philippians 2:15; 1 John 3:1-2)
1.) Because ye are sons, God hath sent for the Spirit of his Son into your hearts (Galatians 4:5-6; Romans 8:14-17).
2.) As a son, you are an heir (Galatians 4:7).
b. By faith in Christ Jesus
2. Baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:27)
a. As many of you as have been baptized into Christ
b. Have put on Christ
c. Note: A special study on baptism
1.) Scripture testifies of various baptisms (Hebrews 6:2; Matthew 3:11-12).
2.) The baptisms bear distinct details.
i. Water baptism (Matthew 3:11)
1. Administrator: John
2. Subject: You (believers)
3. Medium: Water
ii. Baptism with the Holy Ghost (Matthew 3:11)
1. Administrator: Jesus
2. Subject: You (believers)
3. Medium: Holy Ghost
iii. Baptism of Galatians 3:27
1. Administrator: Unnamed
2. Subject: You (believers)
3. Medium: Christ
3.) The baptism of Galatians 3 is the baptism of Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Colossians 2:11-12.
3. One in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28)
a. There is neither Jew nor Greek.
b. There is neither bond nor free.
c. There is neither male nor female.
4. Heirs with Christ (Galatians 3:29)
a. If ye be Christ’s
b. Then are ye Abraham’s seed
c. And heirs according to the promise