Is Salvation a Moment or a Movement?
The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.”[a] Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”[b] He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. -Galatians 3:12-14
Bound, Believing, and Becoming. Are we Bound by religion, Believing without repentance, or Becoming through relationship? The question cuts deep into the heart of modern Christianity, where outward religion often replaces inward renewal, and confession sometimes stands without conversion. Have we settled for being bound to rules or believing for benefits without becoming like Christ? Too many chase the comfort of blessings but not the call to transformation. Does our believing truly break the chains of being bound, or are we still in bondage because our faith never matured into becoming? For some, belief has not birthed freedom but only redefined captivity under a Christian label. Are we becoming who we were born to be, or merely bound by what we used to be, still believing but barely changing? The Spirit invites us to move beyond empty forms of faith into a living, growing relationship that reshapes us from glory to glory, not Bound, not just Believing, but truly Becoming.
The Holy Spirit is not impressed by titles, wealth, or even the appearance of ministry. When we say, “The Holy Spirit invites us to move beyond empty forms of faith into a living, growing relationship,” it means that faith is more than routines, good works, or outward displays of service. It is not about attending church, giving money, or being seen doing ministry activities. Those things alone can be empty forms of faith if the heart is not being transformed.
A life of luxury can sometimes hide the truth that spiritual growth has been neglected. You may have comfort, influence, or recognition, and even spread the gospel in words, but if your faith does not reshape your character, humility, love, and dependence on God, it is incomplete.
The phrase that reshapes us from glory to glory speaks to the process of ongoing transformation, becoming more like Christ in heart, actions, and priorities. It is not about glory in the eyes of the world, wealth, or accolades. True faith breaks bondage, produces authentic obedience, and molds your life into Christ-likeness.
When it says, not bound, not just believing, but truly becoming, it is a challenge:
Not bound - don’t be trapped by rules, comfort, or self-interest.
Not just believing- don’t stop at confession or intellectual assent.
Truly becoming - let the Spirit work in your heart so your life reflects Christ in every choice, relationship, and act of service, whether or not anyone is watching, and even if it costs you comfort or recognition.
In other words, wealth and outward ministry cannot replace the inner work of the Holy Spirit. True faith is measured by transformation, humility, love, and obedience not by mansions, luxury, or appearances.
The Law vs. Faith
Paul makes a clear distinction between the Law and Faith in Galatians 3:12 when he writes, “The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, ‘The person who does these things will live by them.’” Here he is quoting Leviticus 18:5, which summarizes the Mosaic covenant; if you obey all the commandments, you will live. The Law demands perfect obedience and is entirely performance-based, relying on human effort to achieve righteousness. Faith, in contrast, is trust-based, relying not on what we do but on God’s grace and promise. Paul is contrasting two systems of righteousness; the Law system says, “Do and live,” while the Faith system says, “Believe and live.” These two cannot be mixed; you are either living by self-effort under the Law or by surrender and trust in God through Faith.
The Curse of the Law
Paul explains that “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.” The curse of the law refers to the penalty for breaking it. Deuteronomy 27 through 28 lists blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, and since all have sinned, everyone stands under that curse. The word redeemed in Greek, exēgorasen, means bought out of the slave market. Paul is showing that Christ took our place, bearing the full curse we deserved including the wrath, separation, and death attached to sin. When he says, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree,” he is citing Deuteronomy 21:23, where someone executed and hung was considered rejected by God. Christ, the sinless One, became sin for us as described in 2 Corinthians 5:21, enduring the law’s curse so that we could stand righteous by faith.
The Spiritual Exchange
Paul continues by saying that “He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles.” Abraham was declared righteous by faith as recorded in Genesis 15:6 long before the law existed. That blessing, which is right standing with God through belief, was always God’s plan. Through Christ, Gentiles, or non-Jews, now share in that same promise, receiving righteousness and the Holy Spirit not by works but through faith. This blessing is not only positional, giving a change of status, but also transformational, because the Spirit enables obedience that flows from love rather than fear.
Salvation, Holy Spirit & Steadfastness
The doctrine of Once Saved, Always Saved claims that once a person genuinely receives Christ, their salvation can never be lost regardless of what they do afterward. Paul’s passage in Galatians does not support such a careless interpretation. In fact, it shows the opposite, salvation is a covenant of faith, not law, but faith must remain living, active, and enduring.
Here is why:
The Law Cannot Save, but Neither Can Lawless Faith- Paul destroys legalism, but he never promotes license. In Romans 6:1–2 he says, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid.” Faith that truly saves produces transformation. The Spirit we receive by faith empowers us to walk differently. If someone claims faith yet rejects the Spirit’s leading, they are returning to self-rule, the same pride that made the Law unbearable.
Faith Must Be Maintained in Relationship- Salvation is not a legal transaction that locks us in automatically; it is a relational covenant that must be lived in. In John 15, Jesus says, “Remain in Me, and I will remain in you… if anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown away.” In Galatians 5:4, Paul warns believers, “You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” This shows that a person can fall from the position of grace if they abandon faith, either by turning back to self-righteousness or by living in rebellion.
The Spirit is the Seal, but Seals Can Be Broken-Ephesians 1:13–14 says the Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee of our inheritance, but seals protect only what remains under the owner’s authority. If a believer willfully resists the Spirit, rejecting correction, they grieve Him as described in Ephesians 4:30 or even quench Him as in 1 Thessalonians 5:19, endangering that relationship.
Thus, Christ redeemed us to live by the Spirit, not to return to sin’s bondage or legal pride. True salvation is relational and transformational, requiring ongoing faith, obedience, and Spirit-led growth.
Transgression, Trust, and Transformation
Law cannot produce life, only death, because it depends on human perfection.
Christ bore the curse, taking our penalty so we could be justified by faith.
Faith brings the Spirit, who empowers us to live as God’s children.
Faith must continue, because salvation is by ongoing trust, not a one-time decision.
The goal is transformation, not mere escape from punishment.
Paul’s argument demolishes both extremes. Legalism claims that salvation can be earned by works while lawlessness assumes that a person can remain saved while ignoring Christ. Christ freed us not from obedience but from condemnation. He redeemed us to restore relationship and to establish a faith walk that endures.
As Hebrews 3:14 says, “For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.” Galatians 3:12–14 is not a license for once saved, always saved. It is a call to forever faith, a faith that endures, obeys, and abides, the kind of faith that receives the promise of the Spirit and continues walking in step with Him until the end.
