Galatians 3:10-14 – The Far, Far Better Way of Faith

As usual, here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:

¹⁰Whoever is out of works of law is under a curse, for it is written, “Cursed [is] everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them,” ¹¹but [it is] evident that no one is being justified in law before God because “the just shall live out of faith.” ¹²But the law is not of faith, but rather, “The one doing these things will live in them.” ¹³Christ redeemed us out of the curse of the law, becoming a curse on our behalf, because it is written, “Cursed [is] everyone hanging on a tree,” ¹⁴in order that the blessing of Abraham might be into the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, in order that the promise of the Spirit might be received through that faith.

In these few verses the truth presented is literally the chasm between Heaven and hell.

Part of me could write for days on the truth presented here.

Another part of me wants to acknowledge the infinite importance of this Truth and then move on. As important as salvation by faith is, yet one of my first thoughts rings from Hebrews 6:1: “Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, …” For over thirty years I have been thoroughly convinced that salvation is by faith and not works.

So like it says in Hebrews, let’s move on.

On the other hand … I do have a thought I want to record. Again, I could write pages exegeting the truth in this passage, literally word by word. Seriously. But a thousand or two good commentaries have already done that. So I will just record my thought.

I’ve always thought it odd that Hab 2:4 “The just shall live by faith” was used to support salvation by faith. It seems that meaning would render the verse something like, “The just shall derive their life from the faith that saved them.” But that is reading a lot into it. It just says, “The just shall live by faith.” The more obvious sense would be that just people conduct their lives by faith,” they literally “live by faith.” That would certainly be true of just people but wouldn’t necessarily address the event of their salvation.

Obviously the Holy Spirit, the Author, thinks it makes perfect sense and applies directly to salvation. For years I have contented myself with that thought and just figured someday I’d study it and see if I couldn’t figure it out. Well, here I am.

Having studied it (finally), read a lot of commentaries, and thought about it a lot, here’s what I think. First of all, the statement, “The just shall live by faith” is a fractal. Its truth repeats itself in a million different ways on a million different scales. It is an all-encompassing statement that defines the very existence of a born-again person. They literally “live by faith” in every possible dimension of their existence. Their salvation came about through faith and it was in fact an event. It occurred in a moment when their heart was first awakened to sincere belief. But the very fact that faith facilitated their salvation itself immediately became the very life-principle of their existence, so that day after day, throughout their days (and nights), in a million different ways, some large, some small, some realized and some not, they thereafter live a life infused and empowered by faith.

So whether you read “The just shall live by faith” as a salvation text or as a life text, the statement is still completely true.

Now, why is it so important that faith is actually the “life principle” of born-again people? This is where I think things get profound. Oh the depth and the height and the breadth and length of the love of God. Earlier in the book I noted that faith is far superior because it requires a relationship, while works does not. Here is another angle where faith is a far better way. As important as “works” might be, they, in and of themselves, do not require any change of heart. As I have alluded before, anyone can go to church, read a Bible, say prayers, give to the poor, build cathedrals, even preach sermons and go to mission fields. Anyone. Born-again or not. But our great and awesome God has no interest in heartless acts of religion. He wants our hearts.

The heart of course is the real problem to start with. “Out of it are the issues of life,” yet unregenerated it is “desperately wicked and deceitful above things.” “My son,” cries the Father, “Give me your heart.” “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” “This people draws near Me with their mouths, but their hearts are far from me.” When the Israelites swore their obedience, God’s response was, “O that they had such a heart in them.”

Works require no change of heart. But the very essence of faith itself is a change of heart. Abraham believed God, therefore it was counted unto him into righteousness.” He believed God. At the very core of his being, in the dark unknowable chambers of his depraved heart, Abraham heard God’s truth and believed it. In his own heart, he believed it. In that tiny yet titanic moment, Abraham’s soul experienced the very change God truly desires. He believed. His heart changed. He saw things differently. He could thereafter never be the same person. He would forever act differently because he was different. His heart was changed.

This all explains why “without faith, it is impossible to please God.” It is also why “the just shall live by faith.” To have true faith is to have a heart changed. To not have a heart changed is in the end useless, no matter how positive, or admirable, or benevolent a given act might be. It is also why the whole “faith/works” debate is really frivolous. People will acknowledge, “Yes, faith is important, but then you must add good works.” What that argument fails to see is that good works are the invariable outcome of true faith. When a person’s heart is changed, their works will change. There is no “must” to it. They will. People whose lives are not changed by their “faith” have not yet the faith they claim.

I have said for years that is one thing I love about studying the Bible, about knowing God. There are those moments when He “turns on the lights” in my heart and even in that moment, I know I shall never be the same. I cannot be the same. He has changed my heart.

Christ became a curse for us, that He might redeem us from the curse of the Law, not so we could turn into Pharisees and legalists, but so that the very promise of the Spirit may be ours, so that we might be indwelt by a life-force that would overcome our evil Adamic hearts, and that through the only means whereby we are ourselves truly changed – by faith.

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. “Desire the sincere milk of the Word, that you may grow by it.” May we all feast on that Word and may God grant us the grace that we understand and believe it in our hearts. Because faith is real, then may “good works” not be a cloak to be worn but the inescapable fruit of truly godly hearts.

May we treasure the love of a Father who isn’t satisfied by external behaviors but rather desires our genuinely changed hearts.

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
fast bound in sin and nature's night;

Thine eye diffused a quickening ray;
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
my chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.