Gal 3:2-10 | TNotes | STEP | 3:2 The Galatians, like all Christians, received the Spirit by faith in Christ, not by obeying the law of Moses (see Acts 2:38-39 ; Rom 8:9-11 ; 2 Cor 1:22 ; Eph 1:11-14 ; cp. Acts 10:44-48 ; 11:15-18 ). God accepted the Galatians because of their faith in the message . . . about Christ (cp. Rom 10:14-17 ), which made their turning to the law absurd (Gal 3:3-4 ).

3:2 ^a The Galatians, like all Christians, received the Spirit by faith in Christ, not by obeying the law of Moses (see Acts 2:38-39 ^b; Rom 8:9-11 ^c; 2 Cor 1:22 ^d; Eph 1:11-14 ^e; cp. Acts 10:44-48 ^f; 11:15-18 ^g). God accepted the Galatians because of their faith in the message . . . about Christ (cp. Rom 10:14-17 ^h), which made their turning to the law absurd (Gal 3:3-4 ⁱ).
3:3 ^j by ... human effort (literally by flesh): Paul makes a pun: The Galatians were trying to become perfect by human effort through keeping the law about circumcising the flesh of the male foreskin.
3:4 ^k Have you experienced (or suffered) so much for nothing? This could refer to suffering, but what is known about the Galatian church does not suggest this. Paul was probably referring to the spiritual experiences the Galatians had through the Holy Spirit (Gal 3:3 ^l, 5 ^m). Turning to the law for right standing with God would mean regarding the work of the Spirit as meaningless.
3:5 ⁿ work miracles: See 1 Cor 12:4-11 ^o. The Holy Spirit is present with believers and in the church because of faith in the message . . . about Christ.
Summary for Gal 3:6-9: 3:6-9 ^p Abraham’s experience shows that faith has always been the basis for relationship with God and for receiving what God has promised. 3:6 ^q This quote is from Gen 15:6 ^r, where God established his covenant with Abraham (see Gen 15:1-21 ^s; 17:1-27 ^t). This statement is foundational in defining God’s relationship with humanity (see Hab 2:4 ^u; Rom 4:1-8 ^v, 17-22 ^w).
3:7 ^x Gentile Christians—including the Galatians—are among the real children of Abraham, not by keeping the law of Moses, but by faith in God (see Rom 4:9-17 ^y, 23-25 ^z; cp. Matt 12:48-50 ^aa).
3:8 ^ab the Scriptures looked forward: By faith, Abraham foresaw the coming Messiah (cp. John 8:56 ^ac) and received the message that “All nations will be blessed through you” (Gen 12:3 ^ad; 18:18 ^ae; 22:18 ^af).Through Abraham’s offspring, the Messiah, God would accept all nations on the same basis as Abraham himself—by faith.
Summary for Gal 3:10-12: 3:10-12 ^ag By relying on circumcision, the Galatians depended on the law. Those who look to the law for right standing with God are under a curse. They cannot keep the whole law, so they cannot receive blessing under its terms. 3:10 ^ah Paul here quotes Deut 27:26 ^ai, which summarized the curse that Israel would experience if they failed to keep all the stipulations of God’s covenant (see Deut 27:9-26 ^aj; cp. Deut 28:15-68 ^ak; 31:26 ^al; Josh 1:8 ^am; Mal 2:2 ^an; see also Gen 3:14-19 ^ao; 4:10-12 ^ap). It is impossible for sinful human beings to obey God’s will completely (see Rom 3:9-20 ^aq).