Galatians 3:1-3

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.

(v1, NIV)

They apparently do not understand that it is not by works of the law that we are justified, but by faith in Jesus.

I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

(Galatians 2:21, NIV)

This is the preceding verse. If it is through the law that righteousness is attained, Jesus' death is for nothing. The fact that they cannot see this Paul can only attribute it to some odd form of bewilderment or bewitching that has come upon them. They really must have missed it if it was shown to them or they even saw for themselves Jesus crucified.

I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?

(v2, NIV)

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

(Ephesians 1:13, NIV)

set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

(2 Corinthians 1:22, NIV)

The Holy Spirit is God's down payment on us. This seal of approval is our assurance or proof of purchase. In it we have a mark of a true Christian. Paul poses a simple question, did they receive the spirit through the law or through faith? They should already know the answer. Nobody works hard or does any sort of law abiding that grants them the Holy Spirit. It is simply given to them by God through faith.

Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?

(v3, NIV)

The Spirit was given to them through faith and the Spirit is a sign of a true Christian and it also marks the beginning of their new life with Jesus. However, now they believe that it is through following the law that they are justified. So, somehow they began with faith, but have since changed to living by the law. It is true that we as Christians should try to follow the law.

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?

(Romans 6:1-2, NIV)

Clearly, being saved by grace does not give us a free pass to go about sinning. However, we have to understand that it is not what justifies us. It is through faith. However, at the same time, it is through faith that leads to love that leads to obedience. As pastor Calvin at CCCO was saying in his sermon, you can obey someone without loving them, but you cannot love them without obeying them.

If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

(John 14:15, ESV)