You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? … Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?
Galatians 3:1–2
Many of the New Testament letters remind believers not to go back to relying on the law. Just as today, the early Christians needed to be reminded: “You don’t have to be good to get God to forgive you or bless you!”
This was Paul’s message in today’s verses. It’s as if he’s saying to us, “You foolish believers! You gave your lives to Jesus by faith. You didn’t have to do anything but confess and believe and you were saved. Now, you think you need to turn back to your good works to try to earn God’s blessings?”
The fact that our right standing with God and the blessings we get from him are FREE is what distinguishes Christianity from every other world religion. In every other faith, people believe they get what they deserve. Do good things and you get good things. God (or whichever deity) will be happy with you. But if you do bad, you’re going to get it.
Imagine how Jesus turned the world upside down with his teachings! In a world that relied on good works as a way to God, they would have been shocked when Paul preached about being right with God not by following laws but by receiving a “righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith” (Philippians 3:9).
Have you been relying on a performance-based relationship with God? As a believer, you have a faith-based relationship with God, which is why you’re called a believer, not a do-gooder! Your standing in God’s family is a gift, and you are righteous—which empowers you to “do” right!