Introduction

The apostle Paul’s question (Galatians 3:2) to the Galatian church is just as relevant today as it was in Paul’s day. Modern day Judaizers (legalist) are perverting Paul’s gospel of grace worldwide. Denominations have always been guilty of adding to the finished work of the cross, deceiving the majority. Remember false teachers don’t come into a church with a whole new gospel but they add enough to make Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection powerless for salvation. Paul warns twice in Galatians 1, that if anyone even an angel preach any other gospel then the gospel he preached they are cursed by God. Strong language, but to the false teacher it means nothing.

Have you ever considered the question that the apostle Paul posed to the Galatian believers? The same question applies to believers today.  ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses?

Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ.’

What message? That Christ Jesus died for our sins, was buried and rose again three days later.

‘Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day ‘

I Corinthians 15:1-4

This question, found in Galatians 3:2, is far from being merely rhetorical. It is a sharp response to a grave distortion of the gospel—a perversion that threatened to undermine the foundational truth of the gospel of grace. That now, according to the new revelations given to Paul by the ascended and glorified Lord Himself; salvation is by grace through faith alone in the finished work of the cross apart from the law and works.

The Context

The context behind Paul’s question is crucial to understand. Men from the Jerusalem church, where Peter, James and John were the leaders, had infiltrated the congregations Paul had established. They were insisting (actually commanding) that salvation was not through faith in the death, burial and resurrection alone but required adherence to the Mosaic law and circumcision Acts 15:1,5.

‘And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” ‘

Acts 15:1

‘But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”’

Acts 15:5

In effect, they were adding conditions, works to Paul’s gospel, a direct assault on the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice. Paul had already made it clear in the previous chapter that if we are saved by the law, then Christ’s death was in vain (Galatians 2:21).

I do not set aside ‘the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”’

Galatians 2:21

Against this backdrop, Paul’s question to the Galatians takes on an urgent tone.

He confronts them with the stark reality: their salvation was not dependent on law-keeping, circumcision, or anything other than faith alone in the gospel.

Paul’s Timeless Warning

Paul’s letter to the Galatians stands as a timeless warning against any attempts to water down or distort the simplicity of the gospel. It emphasizes the unchangeable truth that salvation is a gift of God, received by faith alone.

The apostle Paul’s apostolic authority is established in Galatians 1:1, while Galatians 1:8-9 warns of the severe consequences of deviating from the gospel he preached.

The distinctiveness of Paul’s gospel is further illuminated in Romans 16:25, emphasizing its revelatory nature. It was a secret, hidden in the mind of God until it was revealed to Paul. Similarly, Romans 2:16 underscores the significance of the gospel revealed to Paul, stating that all mankind will be judged by the gospel revealed to him.

In admonishing the Galatians, Paul not only defends the purity of the gospel in Galatians 2:5, from the Judiazers (legalist) sent from the Jerusalem church, but also highlights the liberating truth that salvation is by faith alone in the gospel apart from the law. Paul’s words resonate with clarity and remain relevant for believers today as most of Christendom has added everything they can think of to the flawless, finished work of the cross.

Embracing the Truth

As we reflect on Paul’s impassioned plea and warning to the Galatians, it is vital that we reassert our commitment to the gospel of grace, guarding against any attempts to undermine its sufficiency.

Embrace, with unwavering conviction, the truth that salvation is a gift freely offered to all who believe, by faith alone, in the finished work of the cross.

Bible Study

Here are the Bible verses as they appear in this post.

I Corinthians 15:1-4
Galatians 3:2
Acts 15:1
Acts 15:5
Galatians 2:21
Galatians 1:1
Galatians 1:8-9
Romans 16:25
Romans 2:16
Galatians 2:5