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Sermon Summary
The text examines Paul’s letter to the Galatians, focusing on their shift from faith to reliance on works. It highlights Paul’s concern that the Galatians have forgotten how they initially received the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ. Paul uses a series of questions and references to their past experiences and the example of Abraham to remind them that righteousness comes through faith, not adherence to the law. He argues that their current path contradicts their initial salvation and the transformative power of the Spirit. The author emphasizes that both salvation and sanctification are gifts of God’s grace and not the result of human effort. The author stresses the importance of remembering the gospel of Christ crucified and abandoning self-reliance
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Main Idea
The way you become a Christian is the same way you grow as one.
Imagine waking up one day with no memory of who you truly are—your past erased, your identity hidden, and the truth about your purpose stolen from you. Movies like The Bourne Identity, The Maze Runner, and Total Recall captivate us with this idea: a hero whose memory has been taken so they won’t embrace their real identity. But as they begin to remember, everything changes—their strength returns, their purpose is restored, and they break free from the lies holding them back. In Galatians 3:1-6, Paul speaks to the Galatians as if they, too, have forgotten something crucial. They had once received the Spirit through faith, yet now they were acting as though their new life in Christ depended on their own effort. It’s as if their memory had been stolen, and Paul is calling them—and us—to remember the truth that set them free in the first place.
Passage
Galatians 3:1–6 CSB
1 You foolish Galatians! Who has cast a spell on you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 I only want to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by the Spirit, are you now finishing by the flesh? 4 Did you experience so much for nothing—if in fact it was for nothing? 5 So then, does God give you the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law? Or is it by believing what you heard—6 just like Abraham who believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness?
Verses 1-6 introduce the next two chapters, which we referred to at the beginning of the study as the meaty middle.
In these two chapters, Paul will present a sequence of six arguments to combat the Judaizers’ distorted gospel. Today is the first: the argument from experience. So, keep that in the forefront. Paul is addressing the Galatians’ salvation experience (their testimony of repentance) and will use it as a launching pad for the truths he wants them to embrace while letting go of the distortions.
Sound good? Great! Let’s jump in.
I – Paul’s call to Reflect (v. 1-6)
Paul has completed his story with Peter and now addresses the Galatians once again.
He calls them to remember what they have already learned and experienced while he was with them. He does this by asking them six questions that they must answer to grasp the gravity of the issue they are facing. Essential truths can slip away if you fail to remember the impact of a moment. That’s why, for instance, the motto for 9/11 is what? Remember.
To ensure they are paying attention, he begins with another wake-up call: “You foolish Galatians!”
I’m going on vacation at the end of this month. How would you react if I sent a note back for an Elder to read and it began with, “You foolish Ashe Alliance Congregation!” Would that get your attention? Would it offend you? Or, knowing my character and care for you, would it pique your interest, making you wonder how you are being foolish and how to correct that behavior?
Definition: The word “foolish” here refers to being unintelligent, senseless, and dull-witted or to a person lacking reason. This is sharp and corrective language. Their blind acceptance of the Judaizer’s false gospel shows they aren’t thinking clearly. What they were doing was as useless as cutting a steak with a tea towel. It makes no sense!
Today, we will unpack Paul’s line of questioning to help them reflect on their past experiences and understand how this sets up his later arguments.
II – Who has cast a spell on you? (v. 1)
Spellbound. Some translations say “bewitched.” This isn’t Jewish language; it’s pagan language. Paul uses the terminology of evil pagan practices, such as witchcraft and spells, to describe how the Galatians are acting and how the false teachers have inexplicably captivated their attention. When he says, “you foolish Galatians,” he probably sees their spellbound gaze and screams, “Snap out of it!” The Galatians have forgotten everything about Paul’s visit. They received the Spirit through Paul’s gospel, but now, they are blindly following the Judaizers with the same zeal they once had for Paul’s teaching.
Vivid portrayal. Here, Paul uses the term Christ crucified as a shorthand for the gospel he preached to them ( as he did here: 1 Cor 1:23; 2:2). Although they were not physically present at Jesus’ crucifixion, Paul preached it so clearly and boldly that it felt as if they had been. When Paul states that Jesus was ‘publicly portrayed,’ he means he explained the crucifixion in such a way that it was as clear as viewing an announcement on a poster in vivid detail.
John Chrysostom (4th-century church leader) said this of 3:1:
“He [Paul] says this both to reprimand and to commend them. He commends them for having received the facts with such enthusiasm. He blames them because, having seen Christ stripped, crucified, nailed, spat on, mocked, drinking vinegar, insulted by thieves, pierced with a spear … they have forsaken this man and run back to the law, showing no awareness of Christ’s sufferings.”
The driving force, then, of Paul’s first questions is to show the danger and absurdity of embracing a gospel that empties the cross of Christ of its power by making His atoning death unnecessary.
Takeaway #1: Paul’s call to the Galatians was to snap out of it and remember what he had told them and to clearly see Jesus’ atoning work. It’s a good question to ask you today: Do you understand what Jesus did for you on the cross? If not, avoid distractions that capture your attention.
III – How did you receive the Spirit? (v.2)
Now that the shiny allure of the distorted gospel has been removed, Paul asks them to reflect on their own personal salvation experience and the experience of their brothers and sisters while he was with them.
First, he asks how they received the Spirit of God. This is a reflection on how they became Christians. Think back, Galatians. When the Holy Spirit came upon you, what were you doing or embracing? Did the Spirit come as you labored to obey the law? Is your obedience what drew Him in? Did he come because you were eating the right food or because he saw the mark of circumcision?
Let’s take a quick walkthrough of Paul’s time in Galatia:
Pisidian Antioch – Paul preached in the synagogue, presenting a highlight reel of the Old Testament. The Jews were eager to hear more, so the entire town came out the following week. Prominent Jews grew jealous and picked a fight, so Paul went to the Gentiles, who embraced his message of salvation.
Acts 13:48–49 CSB
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and honored the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed. 49 The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.
Iconium: Paul and Barnabas went into a synagogue and spoke to Jews and Greeks. Many believed. Some Jews fought against Paul, but they continued to preach, and God performed signs and wonders through them.
Acts 14:3–4 CSB
3 So they stayed there a long time and spoke boldly for the Lord, who testified to the message of his grace by enabling them to do signs and wonders. 4 But the people of the city were divided, some siding with the Jews and others with the apostles.
Soon, they wanted to kill Paul, so he and Barnabas fled to Lystra & Derbe so they could continue to preach.
Lystra – Paul healed a crippled man, leading the townspeople to mistakenly believe that he and Barnabas were Zeus and Hermes. Paul corrected them, directing their attention to the one true God. Soon after, Jews from the first two cities arrived and attempted to execute Paul by stoning. However, Paul survived, returned to the city to demonstrate that he was alive, and then traveled to Derbe the next day.
Derbe – They preached the gospel and made disciples.
Re-tracing the loop – They then revisited the churches they had just planted to encourage them, establish elders, and strengthen their faith amid the same persecution that Paul had endured.
Acts 14:22 CSB
22 strengthening the disciples by encouraging them to continue in the faith and by telling them, “It is necessary to go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”
That doesn’t sound like they received the Spirit by works of the law, does it? Well, if you didn’t receive the Spirit that way, how then?
Wasn’t it by faith (or by believing what you heard)? Wasn’t the message of the gospel the power of God for salvation? To those in Pisidian Antioch, didn’t you rejoice and get appointed to eternal life when you believed? To those in Iconium, didn’t you receive the Spirit when you heard us preach in the synagogue or saw the miracles God performed through us? To our brothers and sisters in Lystra, don’t you remember when you stopped thinking I was Hermes after the crippled man was healed and accepted Yahweh as the only true God? My friends in Derbe, did I not preach the gospel to you, and soon after, you received the message and became disciples?
Takeaway #2: Now it’s your turn. Remember what your moment of salvation was like. Did the Spirit wash and regenerate you because you were so good at keeping the rules, or was it a recognition that you were a sinner and unclean that caused you to cling to Christ?
IV – Are you so foolish? (v.3)
This is a rebuke for answering these two questions wrong.
Paul’s mind is grasping to understand why they were denying what they had clearly understood before. We preached the gospel. You heard the gospel. You responded to the gospel in faith. Why, then, do you now think you must revert back to works? That line of reasoning is utter foolishness and spiritually senseless!
You are adhering to a teaching that contradicts what you have come to know as true. While we should not solely rely on our experiences for spiritual growth, in situations like this, where one encounters the gospel and the truth of salvation by faith in Jesus, it becomes a beneficial exercise.
V – How did you start, and how do you continue the faith? (v.3)
In the first section, Paul was asking about becoming a Christian. How did you receive the Spirit?
Now, he will discuss another key aspect of faith: how do you live like a Christian?
1. As you reflect, you know you began by the power of the Spirit.
2. Why do you think you should continue and finish in the power of the flesh?
Do you not think that you continue to live and grow by the same Spirit who gave you new life? You cannot gain or retain God’s attention or favor through your actions, whether it involves cutting your flesh in circumcision or relying on your own will, strength, and enthusiasm to keep God’s laws.
You don’t start one way and finish another. God’s sustaining power and presence are meant for every part of life.
That is why many of us fall back into well-worn spiritual ruts. We understand how God does the work of saving us, but now that I am saved, it’s up to me to grow and mature. This process of maturing and becoming more like Jesus is called sanctification.
Paul’s point is that salvation and sanctification both come from the Spirit’s transformative power, not our own!
Takeaway #3: Once more, I ask you, which parts of your life are still closed off and inaccessible to God? What are you attempting to manage without Him? Which struggles have you been hesitant to involve Him in?
VI – Was your persecution for the gospel in vain? (v.4)
At this point, Paul asks them to remember what they went through. Remember the Jewish rulers who opposed us. Remember their murderous intentions and actions (at least once). Remember how they continued to persecute you after we left. Reflect on my advice when I said, “It is necessary to go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”
Did the Jews persecute you because you tried to follow the law? Of course not! They would support that effort. Weren’t you mistreated like I was because you stood your ground in faith rather than relying on your law-keeping efforts?
Think about it, guys! If you rely on the flesh through the works of the law, all that you have endured will be in vain. Don’t do that to yourselves!
See the consequences of turning to and embracing a distorted version of what I told you and what you yourselves experienced!
Takeaway #4: Don’t lose the ground you have gained by forgetting your own salvation experience!
VII – Did God give you His Spirit and work Miracles because of faith or law-keeping? (v.5)
Paul now asks the same question again, but from a different angle: Did you receive God’s Spirit through the works of the law? Did He perform miracles among you because you were good at keeping His commands?
Now, Paul introduces God’s wonder-working power into the conversation. Hopefully, the first part has already been established: They received the Spirit through faith in Jesus. So, on the one hand, his apostolic miracles in Galatia authenticated his version of the gospel as the real one (v. 5; see Rom 15:18–19; 2 Cor 12:11–13).
But remember, Paul is now speaking to how they live their Christian lives. To that end, you should know that the word ‘among’ can also mean ‘within.’ So, while this could refer to the miracles Paul performed in the region, it could also refer to the transformational work of the Spirit in one’s own life.
Spiritual growth and transformation don’t happen because you sinned a little less today. They come by the power of the Spirit as you bring another area of your life into submission to Christ in faith, and trust God to clean it out and make it fruitful.
Either way you look at it, God performed miracles because of faith!
VIII – Do you operate in the same faith as Abraham? (v.6)
Galatians 3:6 CSB
6 just like Abraham who believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness?
Now, Paul will connect their salvation and lived experiences to the truth and nature of faith.
You see, the Judaizers based their argument on Moses as the source of the law that they should adhere to. The focus, then, was on Moses.
In a genius move, Paul references Abraham, the founder of the faith, who lived centuries earlier. Why did Paul reference Abraham? First, he had faith in God, His promises, and His future Messiah before the law was given. Second, he had no reason to be noticed. He was a pagan in a foreign land. I’m sure he was exposed to many different gods, but he decided to put his faith in Yahweh.
What was the result? His faith was credited (imputed) to him as righteousness! He didn’t have to work for it. He didn’t have to earn it. It had nothing to do with what Abraham did; it was all a work of God’s grace. All Abraham did was believe, and he was given a righteousness that was not his own.
Although the concept of gaining salvation, justification, and righteousness through works of the law was prevalent in their day, it doesn’t mean it was how God initially designed it. Far from it! God’s people have always, from the very beginning, been saved and made righteous by faith and faith alone!
As a sneak peek into the upcoming weeks, I want to show you how Paul structured his argument for the remainder of this chapter and part of chapter four. This style of writing is known as chiastic structure (or chiasm), a literary technique in which ideas are arranged in a mirrored or symmetrical pattern to emphasize central themes. In this instance, I’ll present it as an A-B-C // A’-B’-C’ pattern:
A | 3:6–9. The promise was to Abraham’s faith.
B | 3:10–12. The curse of the Law.
C | 3:13, 14. Redemption by Christ.
A| 3:15–18. The promise was to Abraham’s faith.
B | 3:19–25. The use of the Law.
C | 3:26–4:11. Sonship in Christ.
And what is the emphasis in this structure? You got it… Christ!
Now, hopefully, you are well-equipped to understand the meaty middle. It is framed around six arguments laid out in a memorable pattern so that we can easily grasp the core truths.
As we close today, I want to leave you with a thought and a quote from Tim Keller about functional saviors that really drives home today’s application: “Though we began with Jesus as Savior, something has now become our functional savior in place of Jesus. Instead of believing that Christ is our hope and goodness, we are looking to something else as a hope, to some other way to make us feel good and complete.”
He then goes on to say that “the way to progress as a Christian is continually to repent and uproot these systems [trying harder or rely on our own efforts] in the same way that we became Christians—by the vivid depiction (and re-depiction) of Christ’s saving work for us, and the abandoning of self-trusting efforts to complete ourselves. We must go back again and again to the gospel of Christ crucified, so that our hearts are more deeply gripped by the reality of what He did and who we are in Him.”
Questions to Consider
In what areas of your life might you be tempted to “finish by the flesh” rather than by the Spirit?
What events in Paul’s ministry to the Galatians might have influenced his strong language in this passage?
What contrasts does Paul make between the Spirit and the flesh?
What is the significance of Paul mentioning Abraham’s faith in verse 6?
FAQs
FAQ on Galatians 3:1-6
- Why does Paul call the Galatians “foolish”?
- Paul uses the term “foolish” to express his concern that the Galatians are being unintelligent, senseless, and dull-witted in their acceptance of the Judaizers’ false gospel. Their behavior demonstrates a lack of clear thinking and a blind faith in teachings that contradict their initial understanding of Christ’s gospel. They are behaving in a manner that is as useless as cutting steak with a tea towel.
- What does Paul mean when he asks, “Who has cast a spell on you?”
- Paul is using strong, even pagan, language to describe how the Galatians are acting, suggesting that they have been inexplicably captivated by false teachers. This highlights the bewitching allure of the distorted gospel and how it has caused them to forget the truth they initially embraced through Paul’s preaching. He is encouraging them to “snap out of it!”
- How did the Galatians receive the Holy Spirit, according to Paul?
- Paul emphasizes that the Galatians received the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ, not through works of the law. He reminds them of their initial conversion experiences, where the Spirit came upon them as they believed the gospel message. He references his preaching to them in various cities, such as Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. He reminds them that they rejoiced and believed when they heard the word of the Lord, that miracles occurred as they proclaimed the Gospel, and that they abandoned their false idols to accept the one true God.
- What does Paul mean when he asks if they are “now finishing by the flesh”?
- Paul is questioning why the Galatians believe they must now rely on their own efforts and adherence to the law to continue in their faith, after beginning their Christian lives through the power of the Spirit. He asserts that both salvation and sanctification come from the Spirit’s transformative power, not from human effort.
- Why does Paul emphasize remembering their past experiences of persecution?
- Paul reminds the Galatians of the persecution they endured for their faith, particularly from Jewish rulers, to highlight that it was a result of their stand in faith, not their adherence to the law. If they now turn to the law, all their suffering would be rendered pointless.
- What does Paul mean when he talks about miracles being wrought in them through faith?
- The wonder-working power of God was made manifest among them because of their belief in Jesus. But Paul is also connecting to their present, asking if they are relying on works or faith in their present sanctification. He reminds them that spiritual growth and transformation don’t happen because you sinned a little less today. They come by the power of the Spirit as you bring another area of your life into submission to Christ in faith and trust God to clean it out and make it fruitful.
- Why does Paul use Abraham as an example?
- Paul uses Abraham as an example to demonstrate that righteousness is credited through faith, not through works of the law. Abraham believed God before the law was given and his faith was credited to him as righteousness. This pre-dates and therefore undermines the Judaizers’ argument that the Mosaic Law is necessary for right standing before God.
- What is the main point that Paul is trying to make to the Galatians in this passage?
- The main point Paul is making is that the Galatians have forgotten the core truth of the Gospel: salvation and continued growth in faith come through the power of the Holy Spirit, received by believing in Jesus Christ, and not through adherence to the law. He urges them to remember their initial experiences of faith and not to turn to a distorted gospel that empties the cross of its power. He illustrates that Christ must not be displaced by something else acting as a functional savior and that we need the re-depiction of Christ’s saving work in our hearts constantly.