In Galatians 3:1–6, Paul confronts the Galatians for drifting from the gospel of grace, reminding them that they received the Spirit not by works but by “hearing with faith.” This sermon emphasizes that the Christian life—both its beginning and its continuation—is entirely dependent on God’s grace, received through faith. Good works are not the cause of salvation, but the result of it. Christians must resist the temptation to rely on self-effort and instead daily return to the gospel, trusting in the Spirit’s power for sanctification.

This passage comes at the end of Paul’s bold defense of the gospel of grace—that we are justified by faith, not by works of the law. It’s an audacious claim, and it raises the question: if salvation is by grace, does it matter how we live? Paul’s answer is deeply personal and theologically rich. The Christian life begins with death: “I have been crucified with Christ.” The old self—the one that lived as its own reference point—has died, and now Christ lives in us. The Christian life isn’t about trying harder, giving up, or achieving spiritual greatness. It’s about living in union with Christ—Christ as the reference point for everything we do. 

Paul confronts Peter for acting in a way that misrepresents the gospel, reminding us that justification is by faith in Christ alone—not by works or law-keeping. When we misuse God’s law as a means of righteousness, we not only mislead others but also obscure the good news of grace. The law functions like a mirror, showing our need for Christ, while only Christ can make us righteous. Justification is a gift received, not earned or maintained through human effort.

Some troublemakers had infiltrated the churches in Galatia, and they were spreading a non-gospel — specifically, they said that if you wanted to be saved, you needed to obey the Law of Moses. Conversely, Paul had taught the true gospel: that salvation comes through Jesus’ obedience, not ours. To undermine his teaching, they attacked his credentials as an apostle and questioned the source of his gospel. Today, we need to know: can we trust Paul’s gospel? If so, we’ll need to know where it came from.

Instead of opening this letter to the Galatian churches with a thanksgiving for them — as Paul normally does — he begins by stating that he is astonished that they are so quickly deserting Jesus. The Galatians didn’t think that they had deserted Jesus! But Paul labors for Christ formed in them through the book of Galatians by demonstrating that departing from true gospel doctrine is deserting Jesus himself. In these first handful of verses, Paul sets out the terms of true gospel doctrine.

Guest Preacher Charisma Clarke

Jesus commissioned his apostles (sent ones) to bring his testimony to us — who who haven’t seen the Risen Jesus. Our faith does not come by sight, then, but by hearing. As we hear and receive Scripture’s testimony about who God is and what he’s done for us, we are receiving the very word of Christ, and thereby offered the gift of eternal life. Not by our righteousness, but by his grace; our mere faith is counted by him as righteousness.

The first day of creation, God spoke light into the darkness. John 20 brings us to the first day of New Creation, when the Light of the World was brought forth from the darkness of death. And just as the first creation story culminates in Adam meeting his bride, so this New Creation story shows us Jesus and his Bride — the Church.

The resurrection of Jesus is our betrothal to the heavenly Bridegroom. And it marks the re-opening of the gates of Eden for the Second Adam and his Bride.