New Testament / Galatians

  • Inheritance by the Promise

    Galatians 3:17–18

    Ephesians 1:13–14 says the Holy Spirit is the “guarantee” of our inheritance. When Jesus returns to usher in the new heavens and earth (Rev. 21), the promises to Abraham will reach their consummation as we are blessed with ...Read More

  • Abraham’s One Offspring

    Galatians 3:15–16

    Today’s passage reminds us that we receive the promised blessing of God not by genetics but through personal trust in the Messiah. Thus, the true children of Abraham are those who have faith — whether Jew or Gentile. In this ...Read More

  • Cursed on Our Behalf

    Galatians 3:13–14

    Martin Luther’s commentary on Galatians gives this pastoral advice: “So if sin vex you, and death terrify you, think that it is (as indeed it is) but an imagination and a false illusion of the devil. For there is ...Read More

  • Faith Versus Works

    Galatians 3:11–12

    John Calvin comments, “The contradiction between the law and faith lies in the matter of justification,” and so the law “has a method of justifying a man which is wholly at variance with faith.” It is not that we are ...Read More

  • The Curse of the Law

    Galatians 3:10

    Martin Luther comments on Galatians 2:17 that God’s law “requires perfect obedience unto God, and condemns all those who do not accomplish the same,” and on 3:10 he says that to follow God’s commandments is not ...Read More

  • Father Abraham

    Galatians 3:6–9

    In justification, “our record does not change, but our guilt does” (R.C. Sproul, Faith Alone, p. 96). God does not ignore our sin when He justifies us, and He knows that until we die we will battle sin and ...Read More

  • The Gift of the Spirit

    Galatians 3:1–5

    Good works are not wholly absent from the Christian life. They do not earn God’s favor, but they do prove that we have faith (James 2:14–26). Martin Luther says good works “ought to be done not as ...Read More

  • Crucified with Christ

    Galatians 2:17–21

    Issues like the curse of the Law that were raised briefly today will have to wait a few days for more analysis. In closing, note that Galatians 2:19–20 reveals that being united to Christ means being crucified with ...Read More

  • Justification by Faith Alone

    Galatians 2:14–16

    Martin Luther’s commentary on today’s passage includes this nugget of wisdom: “God is honored in His Son. Whoever then believes that the Son is our mediator and Savior, he honors the Father, and him again does God honor ...Read More

  • Confrontation in Antioch

    Galatians 2:11–13

    The confrontation with Peter is an important segue for Paul to begin explaining the doctrine of justification, and we will consider it more tomorrow. Today, consider how Peter’s failure proves that “we are nothing with all our gifts be ...Read More

  • Remembering the Poor

    Galatians 2:10

    Martin Luther comments, “After the preaching of the gospel, the office and charge of a true and faithful pastor is to be mindful of the poor.” Our pastors and leaders must lead the people of God in assisting the impoverished ...Read More

  • Apostolic Fellowship

    Galatians 2:7–9

    The truth of the gospel binds believers together, and by the Holy Spirit we are empowered and enabled to love those who are in Christ even if they are different than we are. It is the love of one another ...Read More

  • Paul’s View of the Apostles

    Galatians 2:6

    Critical to today’s passage is the understanding that the Jerusalem apostles added nothing to Paul’s gospel. Paul was called later, but that did not make his preaching deficient. At any rate, in the final analysis there are no ...Read More

  • False Brothers in Jerusalem

    Galatians 2:3–5

    It is the duty of all believers, not just our pastors and other leaders, to contend for the faith. We must be especially wary of incremental steps to undermine biblical authority and the historic Christian faith. Denominations do not typically ...Read More

  • Paul Returns to Jerusalem

    Galatians 2:1–2

    Many of the problems we have in the church arise from the misunderstandings we have about other Christians and the work they are doing. Teachers, especially, can run into difficulties when their words and intentions are misrepresented. As Christians we ...Read More