Lockman - Bible questions and answers

		Gal 3:1 O you foolish and thoughtless and superficial Galatians, who has bewitched you [that you would act like this], to whom--right before your very eyes--Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified [in the gospel message]?
		Gal 3:2 This is all I want to ask of you: did you receive the [Holy] Spirit as the result of obeying [the requirements of] the Law, or was it the result of hearing [the message of salvation and] with faith [believing it]?
		Gal 3:3 Are you so foolish and senseless? Having begun [your new life by faith] with the Spirit, are you now being perfected and reaching spiritual maturity by the flesh [that is, by your own works and efforts to keep the Law]?
		Gal 3:4 Have you suffered so many things and experienced so much all for nothing--if indeed it was all for nothing?
		Gal 3:5 So then, does He who supplies you with His [marvelous Holy] Spirit and works miracles among you, do it as a result of the works of the Law [which you perform], or because you [believe confidently in the message which you] heard with faith?
		Gal 3:6 ¶ Just as Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS, [as conformity to God's will and purpose--so it is with you also]. [Gen 15:6]
		Gal 3:7 So understand that it is the people who live by faith [with confidence in the power and goodness of God] who are [the true] sons of Abraham.
		Gal 3:8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the good news [of the Savior] to Abraham in advance [with this promise], saying, "IN YOU SHALL ALL THE NATIONS BE BLESSED." [Gen 12:3]
		Gal 3:9 So then those who are people of faith [whether Jew or Gentile] are blessed and favored by God [and declared free of the guilt of sin and its penalty, and placed in right standing with Him] along with Abraham, the believer.
		Gal 3:10 ¶ For all who depend on the Law [seeking justification and salvation by obedience to the Law and the observance of rituals] are under a curse; for it is written, "CURSED (condemned to destruction) IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, SO AS TO PRACTICE THEM." [Deut 27:26]
		Gal 3:11 Now it is clear that no one is justified [that is, declared free of the guilt of sin and its penalty, and placed in right standing] before God by the Law, for "THE RIGHTEOUS (the just, the upright) SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." [Hab 2:4]
		Gal 3:12 But the Law does not rest on or require faith [it has nothing to do with faith], but [instead, the Law] says, "HE WHO PRACTICES THEM [the things prescribed by the Law] SHALL LIVE BY THEM [instead of faith]." [Lev 18:5]
		Gal 3:13 Christ purchased our freedom and redeemed us from the curse of the Law and its condemnation by becoming a curse for us--for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS [crucified] ON A TREE (cross)"-- [Deut 21:23]
		Gal 3:14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might also come to the Gentiles, so that we would all receive [the realization of] the promise of the [Holy] Spirit through faith.
		Gal 3:15 ¶ Brothers and sisters, I speak in terms of human relations: even though a last will and testament is just a human covenant, yet when it has been signed and made legally binding, no one sets it aside or adds to it [modifying it in some way].
		Gal 3:16 Now the promises [in the covenants] were decreed to Abraham and to his seed. God does not say, "And to seeds (descendants, heirs)," as if [referring] to many [persons], but as to one, "And to your Seed," who is [none other than] Christ. [Gen 13:15; 17:8]
		Gal 3:17 This is what I mean: the Law, which came into existence four hundred and thirty years later [after the covenant concerning the coming Messiah], does not and cannot invalidate the covenant previously established by God, so as to abolish the promise. [Ex 12:40]
		Gal 3:18 For if the inheritance [of what was promised] is based on [observing] the Law [as these false teachers claim], it is no longer based on a promise; however, God granted it to Abraham [as a gift] by virtue of His promise.
		Gal 3:19 ¶ Why, then, the Law [what was its purpose]? It was added [after the promise to Abraham, to reveal to people their guilt] because of transgressions [that is, to make people conscious of the sinfulness of sin], and [the Law] was ordained through angels and delivered to Israel by the hand of a mediator [Moses, the mediator between God and Israel, to be in effect] until the Seed would come to whom the promise had been made.
		Gal 3:20 Now the mediator or go-between [in a transaction] is not [needed] for just one party; whereas God is only one [and was the only One giving the promise to Abraham, but the Law was a contract between two, God and Israel; its validity depended on both].
		Gal 3:21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a system of law had been given which could impart life, then righteousness (right standing with God) would actually have been based on law.
		Gal 3:22 But the Scripture has imprisoned everyone [everything--the entire world] under sin, so that [the inheritance, the blessing of salvation] which was promised through faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe [in Him and acknowledge Him as God's precious Son].
		Gal 3:23 ¶ Now before faith came, we were kept in custody under the Law, [perpetually] imprisoned [in preparation] for the faith that was destined to be revealed,
		Gal 3:24 with the result that the Law has become our tutor and our disciplinarian to guide us to Christ, so that we may be justified [that is, declared free of the guilt of sin and its penalty, and placed in right standing with God] by faith.
		Gal 3:25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under [the control and authority of] a tutor and disciplinarian.
		Gal 3:26 For you [who are born-again have been reborn from above--spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified and] are all children of God [set apart for His purpose with full rights and privileges] through faith in Christ Jesus.
		Gal 3:27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ [into a spiritual union with the Christ, the Anointed] have clothed yourselves with Christ [that is, you have taken on His characteristics and values].
		Gal 3:28 There is [now no distinction in regard to salvation] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you [who believe] are all one in Christ Jesus [no one can claim a spiritual superiority]. [Rom 3:22; 1 Cor 12:13]
		Gal 3:29 And if you belong to Christ [if you are in Him], then you are Abraham's descendants, and [spiritual] heirs according to [God's] promise.

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