10. What is it that counts for God’s blessing, and so what was the purpose of the Law?

¹⁰ Are the Galatians so senseless as to believe that having started by receiving the spirit due to faith, they can finish serving God by works of Law? It is the hearing by faith that counts, as with Abraham, who “put faith in Jehovah, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Now, according to God’s promise, “those who adhere to faith are being blessed together with faithful Abraham.” They have been released from the curse of the Law by Christ’s death on the stake. Christ is the Seed of Abraham, and the Law made 430 years later does not abolish the promise concerning that Seed. What, then, was the purpose of the Law? It was “our tutor leading to Christ, that we might be declared righteous due to faith.” Now we are no longer under the tutor, nor is there now any distinction between Jew and Greek, for all are one in union with Christ Jesus and “are really Abraham’s seed, heirs with reference to a promise.”​—3:6, 9, 24, 29.

15. How was the letter beneficial to the Galatian congregations, and what guidepost does it provide for Christians today?

¹⁵ The letter was beneficial to the congregations in Galatia in clearly establishing their freedom in Christ and discrediting the perverters of the good news. It made plain that it is by faith that one is declared righteous and that circumcision is no longer necessary in order for one to gain salvation. (2:16; 3:8; 5:6) By setting aside such fleshly distinctions, it served to unify Jew and Gentile in the one congregation. The freedom from the Law was not to serve as an inducement for the desires of the flesh, for the principle still held: “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” It continues to hold as a guidepost to Christians today.​—5:14.

16. What faith-building explanations of the Hebrew Scriptures are to be found in Galatians?

¹⁶ Paul’s letter helped the Galatians on many points of doctrine, drawing on the Hebrew Scriptures for powerful illustrations. It gave the inspired interpretation of Isaiah 54:1-6, identifying Jehovah’s woman as “the Jerusalem above.” It explained the “symbolic drama” of Hagar and Sarah, showing that the heirs of God’s promises are those made free by Christ and not those remaining in bondage to the Law. (Gal. 4:21-26; Gen. 16:1-4, 15; 21:1-3, 8-13) It clearly explained that the Law covenant did not negate the Abrahamic covenant but was added to it. It also pointed out that the time interval between the making of the two covenants was 430 years, which is important in Bible chronology. (Gal. 3:17, 18, 23, 24) The record of these things has been preserved for building up Christian faith today.