In our studies on Galatians called ‘Living in Freedom’, we see in chapter 3 that the apostle Paul couldn’t believe that so many believers had drifted so far and so quickly from a simple faith in Christ and needed to be urgently rescued from living in a religious way (Galatians 3:1). Magic and sorcery were common in Paul’s day. Magicians used both optical illusions and Satan’s power to perform miracles, and the people were drawn in without recognising their dangerous source. They were bewitched. 

By equating the smooth arguments of the false teachers with the imagery of their hypnotic magic, Paul grabbed the attention of the Galatian church. Paul wanted to shock them as to the state of their real spiritual condition because he himself was shocked at how it has been so easy for them to fall away from the truth, as if someone had put a spell on them. 

This passage shows how easy it is to drift in our faith. Maybe you were once were passionate for Jesus but now you are more casual about your relationship with Him and in reading and studying God’s word. Maybe you were once a generous giver but now you’re mean with your money and no longer give tithes and offerings. Maybe you were once an active participant in prayer meetings, in person or online, but now not so much or not at all. Maybe you were once careful about what programs you watched or things you searched on the internet but now you mindlessly scroll through the tv menu or web pages. Maybe you once were passionate about winning people to Jesus but now it’s been a long time since you have led someone to Christ because you are passionate about other activities.  

This passage should make us all take stock of our lives. Have you lost your sense of purpose? Are you in a good place emotionally, mentally and spiritually? Have you drifted in your faith? You can avoid the dangers of drifting away from all the blessings and freedoms God has in store for you. We must always be focussed on staying on course for the rest of our lives. In Galatians 3 we discover some keys to making sure that we don’t drift in our faith. 

1. Faith is in Christ alone (Galatians 3:1-5) 

2. Faith in Christ means receiving the promises of God (Galatians 3:6-9; Genesis 15:6)  

3. Faith in Christ means being freed from condemnation (Galatians 3:10-14,19) 

Apply  

1. Faith is in Christ alone. It’s not the result of anything we can do (Galatians 3:1-5). Paul argued that just as they began their Christian lives in the power of the Spirit, they should also grow by the Spirit’s power. Why would they suddenly abandon the Holy Spirit and try to live by the flesh which had done nothing to make them Christians? The Galatians had taken a massive and unnecessary step backwards when they decided to insist on keeping the Jewish laws. For we grow spiritually because of God’s work in us by His Spirit, not by human effort of by following special programs and rules. The false teachers who advocated for salvation by works and denied the power of the cross had infiltrated the Galatian churches at the time of Paul’s writing. They were jealous of the Galatian believers’ freedom in Christ and were attempting to force them back into slavery by the law. So Paul had to remind them of the foundations of their faith. Their faith rested in Jesus as their saviour. The name ‘Jesus’ means ‘God saves’. Jesus is the Son of God who is the only means for saving us. His title ‘Christ’ means ‘anointed one’, the prophesied and promised King who would rescue and redeem Israel from their oppression and reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords across the whole world. The word ‘crucified’, referring to the execution of Jesus on a criminal’s cross, made no sense to many of the Jews but it was God’s plan to rescue the world. The Galatian disciples had heard the truth that Christ was crucified and died for sinners. They heard this truth, believed it, and obeyed it; and as a result were born into the family of God. They received God the Holy Spirit: the big evidence of conversion is the presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. The Spirit came into the Galatians’ lives because they trusted Jesus Christ. They experienced miracles from God the Father: the same Holy Spirit who came into them at conversion continued to work in them and through them to build up the church. These miracles would therefore include wonderful changes within the lives of Christians, as well as signs and wonders within the church fellowship. These are the core truths that distinguish a religious person from a real Christian. Have you received and experience a revelation of Jesus Christ crucified? Have you experienced the Holy Spirit? Do you believe the miracles in the Bible? Salvation is through Christ alone.  

2. Faith in Christ means receiving the promises of God (Galatians 3:6-9). Paul exposed the flaw in the argument that Gentiles had to become Jews in order to be Christians. He showed that the real children of Abraham, who they called their father, are those who have faith. It’s not those who keep the law. Abraham himself was saved by his faith. It had nothing to do with his work (Genesis 15:6). Abraham’s fruitfulness came because he was totally dependant on his faith in God’s promises not on how hard he worked. This is something we too need to learn when we are believing to multiplication in our lives and ministries. Yes we need to go out to reach people but it is God who gives the increase according to His promise that those who ‘remain’ close to Jesus will bear much fruit. Your fruitfulness will come according to your faith in God’s promises. You must believe to receive. The promises that God gave to Abraham apply to all believers in every age and from every nation. The promise is that God will be with you and at work in you. 

3. Faith in Christ means being freed from condemnation. The law had an important role to play (Galatians 3:19 (GNT)). What Paul is saying here is that the law was given to clearly teach right from wrong: not so that we could be made right through following the law, but that we’d recognise we are sinners in need of saving. The law then condemns us and shows our guilt. But our faith in Christ brings great understanding and freedom (Galatians 3:10-14). In short the law curses and condemns us but Jesus who paid the price of our sins frees us from every curse and all condemnation (See Charles Wesley hymn: And can it be?). Through Jesus shedding His blood for sinners, all the chains of religion and guilt were broken and we are now free to know and enjoy fellowship with a Holy God. Are you free from sin and guilt and condemnation? Well the reality is that you will never be free as long as you are relying on your own efforts to please God. Religion and good works can’t save you. The law will only show you where you have gone wrong. It won’t help you get right. Circumcision won't save you. Observing religious rules and regulations won't save you. Be careful never to drift into that trap. Instead understand that faith must be in Christ alone; faith means receiving the Promises of God and faith means to be freed from condemnation. Today is your day to choose to live in the freedom that Christ offers you. Come to Him now repenting of your sins and of where you’ve drifted from Him, and receive His forgiveness, love and the power of the Holy Spirit for yourself.