In our sinful flesh, we often turn to works and our own ability to earn holiness and salvation in Christ. But Galatians 3:6-18 teaches the truth that our only hope for salvation is by faith alone through Christ alone. As righteousness is given to Abraham by grace, so it is given to you. Nothing is earned by your works. Verses 6-9 show that we receive the foundation of faith in Abraham. He simply believed God and followed by faith. The gospel of redemption was shown to him - that salvation is for all nations, both the Jews and the Gentiles. In verses 10-14, we learn that we can reject our ability to keep the law. God’s law is so expansive and our sin is so strong that we can never keep it. Even when we may think we can, Jesus shows in Matthew 5:21-22 that there are sins of the heart that take the law to a deeper level. Praise God that Christ became a curse for us (v13) and that we receive the blessing in the Spirit (v14). Verses 15-18 show us that we can rest in the promise given to Abraham. The covenant made was for all nations through him. There is nothing we can earn or add to the substitutionary death of Christ. The Spirit can strengthen us in the gospel by reminding us of this truth that we never earn favor with God by our actions but can rest in the completed work of Christ on our behalf. We are blessed to be a blessing to others (Ps67). May we go, strengthened by the gospel to do this. 

Galatians 3:6-18

6 just as Abraham "believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"?

7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.

8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "In you shall all the nations be blessed."

9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them."

11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for "The righteous shall live by faith."

12 But the law is not of faith, rather "The one who does them shall live by them."

13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us-for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree"-

14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

15 To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified.

16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, "And to off springs," referring to many, but referring to one, "And to your offspring," who is Christ.

17 This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void.

18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.