What were the Galatians established in?

As I think about having our hearts established in grace, many, many passages come to mind. One particular passage - which is really a six chapter epistle that's worth reading over and over again - reveals a great contrast between being established in "doing" and being established in grace. The Galatians, in Paul's absence, had changed the foundation upon which they were building their lives in Christ. Paul had some not-so-kind words for them about all this in his letter to them, and he even went so far as to call them "foolish" and to ask who had cast a spell on them. Basically, their problem was that while they had received Christ by faith alone, they were now trying to lay a foundation of perfection in their life in Christ through their own fleshly deeds.

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Gal 3:1-3

Paul reminds them that the gospel that he had already preached to them hadn't been given to him by man, but through the revelation of Jesus Christ. More on that in a second.

Paul goes on to say something that's very easy to skim over, but that I think is very important. He reminds them of just how advanced in Judaism he had been during his former life as a Pharisee. (He gives a more complete account of this in Philippians 3:4-6, where he lists the many reasons why he would have confidence in his fleshly actions and heritage, before coming to Jesus by faith alone). This is all very important as he works to reestablish the case for the true gospel to these foolish Galatians.

See, the same Jesus who had revealed the gospel of grace to Paul had previously said (during a very famous teaching on some mountain), "unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." To many people who would take Jesus' words at face value without considering the context of the full revelation of the gospel of His grace, this might be taken as a word from Him for them to begin working harder at becoming more and more established in righteous deeds that would exceed even the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees.

Paul had considered himself very advanced in Judaism. And according to his words to the Philippians, he had considered himself blameless according to the righteousness which is in the law. But again, Jesus said, "unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees..."

What I believe it comes down to is this: We find that it had been revealed to Paul that his former life, which had been established in Judaism, the works of the law, and in his superior performance as a Pharisee, wasn't nearly good enough! In fact, as he told the Philippians, he ended up counting all of it as loss (as DUNG), so that he could gain Christ. The only righteousness that would ever count, and the only righteousness that could ever hope to exceed the best of the best of the righteous Pharisees, was "not... my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith..." (Phil 3:9).

The entire foundation of Paul's life had been completely torn up and ripped apart and chucked away! He turned from being established in fleshly commandment-keeping to a solid foundation of trusting in a righteousness that was not his own but that had been given to him freely as a gift, by grace. He rebuked the Galatians for receiving this free gift but yet trying to go on to establish perfection through works.

It is good that the heart be established in grace. Grow in grace.