Faith or Works? (1): O Foolish Galatians! (Galatians 3:1) by Rev. Angus Stewart
I. What They Rejected
II. What This Involved
Psalm singing: 92:4-10; 38:14-22; 53:1-5; 130:1-8
Scripture reading: 1-Gal.2.3" class="scriptRef">Galatians 2-1-3:1

Prof. Herman Hanko on Galatians 3:1: “The foolishness of the Galatians is evident in that they do not ‘obey the truth.’ We do not usually think of our relation to the truth as one of obedience. We speak of obedience to the commands and admonitions of the gospel, while the truth is the object of our faith: it is to be believed and confessed. Nevertheless, this distinction is only one of convenience. The admonitions of the gospel are the truth, teaching us who God is and how he is to be served and worshiped. But the truth is not a mere proposition that one can take or leave without any dire consequences. The truth always demands faith and repentance, conversion and humility. The truth demands such things because the truth speaks of our relation to God, who is our creator and redeemer. In following the Judaizers, the Galatians were disobedient to the truth. They rejected it and went in another direction from the way that the truth had pointed out to them. They chose disobedience to Christ and confidence in their own ability to do good works and save themselves. The text makes clear what this disobedience really was: they rejected Jesus Christ crucified” (Justified Unto Liberty, p. 173).

Psalm 92:4-10
4 For thou, Lord, by thy mighty works
hast made my heart right glad;
And I will triumph in the works
which by thine hands were made.
5 How great, Lord, are thy works! each thought
of thine a deep it is:
6 A brutish man it knoweth not;
fools understand not this.
7 When those that lewd and wicked are
spring quickly up like grass,
And workers of iniquity
do flourish all apace ;
It is that they for ever may
destroyed be and slain :
8 But thou, O Lord, art the most High,
for ever to remain.
9 For, lo, thine enemies, 0 Lord,
thine en’mies perish shall;
The workers of iniquity
shall be dispersed all.
10 But thou shalt, like unto the horn
of th’ unicorn, exalt
My horn on high: thou with fresh oil
anoint me also shalt.

Psalm 38:14-22
14 As one that hears not, in whose mouth
are no reproofs at all.
15 For, Lord, I hope in thee; my God,
thou’It hear me when I call.
16 For I said, Hear me, lest they should
rejoice o’er me with pride ;
And o’er me magnify themselves,
when as my foot doth slide.
17 For I am near to halt, my grief
is still before mine eye:
18 For I’ll declare my sin, and grieve
for mine iniquity.
19 But yet mine en’mies lively are,
and strong are they beside ;
And they that hate me wrongfully
are greatly multiply’d.
20 And they for good that render ill,
as en’mies me withstood ;
Yea, ev’n for this, because that 1
do follow what is good.
21 Forsake me not, O Lord ; my God,
far from me never be.
22 0 Lord, thou my salvation art,
haste to give help to me.

Psalm 53:1-5
1 THAT there is not a God, the fool
doth in his heart conclude :
They are corrupt, their works are vile,
not one of them doth good.
2 The Lord upon the sons of men
from heav’n did cast his eyes,
To see if any one there was
that sought God, and was wise.
3 They altogether filthy are,
they all are backward gone;
And there is none that doeth good,
no, not so much as one.
4 These workers of iniquity,
do they not know at all,
That they my people eat as bread,
and on God do not call ?
5 Ev’n there they were afraid, and stood
with trembling, all dismay’d,
Whereas there was no cause at all
why they should be afraid :
For God his bones that thee besieg’d
bath scatter’d all abroad ;
Thou hast confounded them, for they
despised are of God.

Psalm 130:1-8
1 LORD, from the depths to thee I cry’d.
2 My voice, Lord, do thou hear:
Unto my supplication’s voice
give an attentive ear.
3 Lord, who shall stand, if thou, O Lord,
should’st mark iniquity?
4 But yet with thee forgiveness is,
that fear’d thou mayest be.
5 I wait for God, my soul doth wait,
my hope is in his word.
6 More than they that for morning watch,
my soul waits for the Lord;
I say, more than they that do watch
the morning light to see.
7 Let Israel hope in the Lord,
for with him mercies be ;
And plenteous redemption
is ever found with him.
8 And from all his iniquities
he Isr’el shall redeem.