Paul explains the relationship between law and grace in chapters 3 and 4. He presents six arguments, three in each chapter, to prove that salvation is by grace, through faith, apart from the works of the law.
The Personal Argument, vv. 1-5
A. Paul preached Christ crucified, not obedience to the Law.
B. The Galatians believed the Gospel and it changed their lives.
1. They received the Spirit (the evidence of salvation, Romans 8:9) by hearing of faith and believing the Word of God, not by obeying some law.
2. The Gospel changed their lives.
3. They willingly suffered for their faith.
4. They were doing works that could never be done through the law.
The Scriptural Argument, vv. 6-14
A. Galatians 3:6-7 quotes Genesis 15:6
1. Abraham was saved by faith, not law.
2. All who trust Christ are children of Abraham, the father of the believing.
B. Galatians 3:8-9 quotes Genesis 12:3
1. God promised to bless the Gentiles through Abraham, which means that Jews and Gentiles are saved the same way.
2. Abraham believed this promised and this faith was accounted for righteousness.
C. Galatians 3:10 quotes Deuteronomy 27:26
The Law does not save–it curses!
D. Galatians 3:11 quotes Habakkuk 2:4 (Romans 1:17; Hebrews 10:38)
E. Galatians 3:12 quotes Leviticus 18:5
There’s a big difference between “doing” and “believing”! Nobody was ever saved by doing the Law, because nobody can ever fully obey the Law.
F. Galatians 3:13-14 quotes Deuteronomy 21:23
1. The Law puts us under a curse, but Christ died to remove that curse.
2. Christ died on a tree and fulfilled this Scripture, 1 Peter 2:24.
3. Christ took our curse upon Himself and we are free to live in Christ.
The Logical Argument, vv. 15-29
A. God’s Covenant with Abraham and his descendants: when a covenant is made, it is illegal for a third party to step in and change it or cancel it.
1. God made a covenant with Abraham 400 years before the Law was given.
2. The Law of Moses could never cancel God’s original covenant with Abraham.
3. God gave that covenant to Abraham’s seed as well; this Seed is Christ.
4. The Law of Moses was not a new way of salvation that cancelled God’s covenant with Abraham.
B. The Law was temporary and only for Israel, vv. 19-20
1. Romans 2:14 and Acts 15:24 clearly shows that God never gave the Law to the Gentiles.
2. The moral law was already written in the Gentiles’ heart, Romans 2:15.
3. The Law was added to Israel and was not a replacement for Abraham’s covenant.
4. Once the Seed (Christ) came, the Law was superseded.
C. The Law convicted us of sin but never saved us from sin, vv. 21-22
1. The Law shows our need for grace; grace enables us to please God through faith.
2. The Law places all under sin, which means that all can be saved by grace.
D. The Law prepared the way for Christ, vv. 23-29
1. The Law was God’s schoolmaster for Israel in their national infancy.
2. The Law kept Israel “in line,” until Christ came and the full revelation of the Gospel was given to Jews and Gentiles.