Theme 1: The Foundation of Soteriology – The Relationship Between Law and Promise
In his exposition of Galatians 3, Pastor David Jang pinpoints the core of Christian soteriology by focusing on two pillars—“the Law” and “the Promise (Covenant).” In Galatians 3, the Apostle Paul addresses the Gentile believers in the Galatian church, refuting the false teaching that “salvation can be attained by observing the Law.” Instead, Paul underscores that the promise (covenant) given to Abraham predates the Law and that salvation ultimately rests on God’s promise and our faith in that promise.
Pastor David Jang first presents an overarching biblical narrative. The promise that began with Abraham’s calling in Genesis 12 is fully realized in the New Testament through Jesus Christ, showing that the path to being declared righteous by faith was already available in Abraham’s time. Before the Law was given, Abraham believed God (Gen. 15:6), and that faith was counted to him as righteousness. This indicates that long before the Law was instituted, there existed a paradigm for salvation based on “justification by faith.”
The Law, given to Israel through the Sinai Covenant following the Exodus, was never meant to nullify or replace the Abrahamic Covenant (the Promise). According to Pastor David Jang’s interpretation, Paul clarifies the function of the Law by stating it was “added because of transgressions” (Gal. 3:19). In other words, the Law exposes sin for what it is, revealing humanity’s complete helplessness before God. Being “held in custody under the Law” does not signify oppression or loss of freedom; rather, the Law functioned as a “guardian” (Gal. 3:24) until Christ came, protecting humanity in its sinful state while leading people to recognize their guilt before God.
Pastor David Jang does not deny the Law’s significance. Instead, he stresses that it was never intended to be the foundational means of salvation. The Law cannot save; it merely defines sin and helps us realize our inability to attain righteousness on our own. By contrast, the Promise conveys God’s sovereign, unilateral grace. The Abrahamic Covenant existed prior to the Law, and it is ultimately fulfilled in the “one seed,” Christ. It is this promise that opens the way for humanity to be liberated from sin and to draw near to God, while the Law was a tutor meant to guide people until the Promise arrived.
Hence, Pastor David Jang emphasizes that Scripture as a whole testifies to salvation as coming not from “works” but from “faith”—specifically, faith in the Promise. This is the very heart of the gospel. Losing sight of this core leads to legalism, dulling the power of the cross and ultimately subverting the essence of the Christian faith.
Theme 2: The Abrahamic Covenant and Justification through Christ
The Abrahamic Covenant constitutes the origin of salvation. Pastor David Jang highlights the pivotal moment when Abraham, prior to the Law, was pronounced righteous (Gen. 15:6). Even though Abraham was childless at the time, he received God’s promise that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars. When Abraham trusted that promise, God counted his faith as righteousness—fully apart from the Law or any human merit—introducing a fresh paradigm based on faith, promise, and grace. This paradigm gradually develops through Israel’s history and culminates in Jesus Christ.
Pastor David Jang then explains Paul’s argument in Galatians 3, along with Romans and Hebrews. Paul identifies the “offspring” mentioned in the Abrahamic Covenant not as many but as “one” (Gal. 3:16). That singular “seed” is Jesus Christ, through whom the promise extends to all humanity. Thus, the Abrahamic Covenant is not merely a specialized covenant for the Jewish people but God’s overarching plan for redeeming all people from sin.
The heart of the gospel displayed in this “one seed,” Christ, is the righteousness imparted by faith. While the Law could not solve the sin problem, Christ’s atoning work does. Just as Abraham was justified by faith in God’s promise, so also anyone can now be justified by faith in Christ—a reality open to every nation and people group. Salvation is not achieved through circumcision or legalistic acts; it springs solely from the grace made possible by the cross and resurrection of Christ.
Pastor David Jang refers to this as the “way of salvation initiated and completed by grace,” with the Abrahamic Covenant as the starting point or foreshadowing of that journey. Just as Abraham’s covenant was given by grace through a promise, our justification in Christ functions on the same basis. Consequently, the church emerges as the extended family of Abraham, made up of every tribe and tongue, and each believer, now cloaked in Christ’s righteousness, experiences a new identity as a child of God.
Theme 3: Justification by Faith and the Impossibility of Keeping the Law
At the core of faith lies the principle of “justifying sinners,” and the method for achieving justification is faith, not adherence to the Law. Pastor David Jang points out that while the Law establishes many commands—“Do this” and “Do not do that”—it is impossible for human beings to keep them all perfectly. Jesus clarifies this further by extending the domain of the Law to the thoughts and intentions of the heart, explaining that even lustful desire in one’s mind is equivalent to adultery. Therefore, the standard is absolute obedience not just in behavior but also in attitude—a feat no one can accomplish. As a result, the Law forms a massive barrier that humans cannot surmount, and any attempt to gain righteousness through the Law inevitably leads to despair.
Paul illustrates this by saying, “Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin” (Gal. 3:22), suggesting that the Law essentially imprisons everyone in the cell called “sin,” proving that no one can escape solely by personal effort. This underscores that the Law, in the ultimate sense, is not a means of salvation; rather, it serves to unmask our sinfulness. Here, the gospel of Christ shines brightest. Through faith, we break free from the shackles of sin, liberated from the guilt the Law reveals. This aligns with the Old Testament prophet Habakkuk’s words, “The righteous shall live by his faith” (Hab. 2:4), which Paul frames as a cornerstone of his soteriology.
Pastor David Jang elaborates that genuine faith is more than intellectual agreement or emotional excitement; it is a complete surrender to Jesus Christ, who died for us on the cross. Through this faith, Christ’s righteousness is credited to us, enabling us to stand before God as righteous individuals. Having received justification, believers are no longer under the crushing demands of the Law but are granted the status of God’s children, able to serve Him freely and joyfully.
By clarifying justification by faith, Pastor David Jang dismantles all attempts to secure salvation through Law-keeping. This correction redirects the church to the essence of the gospel, eliminating any reliance on human endeavor or virtuous deeds for salvation. Instead, it paves the way for a life wholly rooted in grace and faith.
Theme 4: Sanctification and Freedom through the Holy Spirit
Justification is not merely a change in legal standing; it inaugurates a transformative process in daily life. At this stage, Pastor David Jang focuses on the role of the Holy Spirit. Building upon the relationship between Law and Promise and the principle of justification by faith, he shows that sanctification through the Holy Spirit forms the natural outworking of true faith. Galatians 5–6 and Romans 8 provide key passages describing how the Holy Spirit guides believers—now justified by faith—into new life.
Because the Holy Spirit dwells within believers, what was humanly impossible under the Law becomes possible. Under the Law, people could not fully extinguish sinful tendencies or uproot deep-seated desires like greed or lust. However, with the Holy Spirit’s indwelling, a profound, heart-level renewal begins. The Holy Spirit inscribes God’s law upon our hearts (Jer. 31:33, Heb. 10:16), serving as the very wellspring of divine power that leads believers to naturally practice righteousness.
Pastor David Jang highlights the “inner freedom” brought about by the Holy Spirit. Believers are no longer driven by external mandates, nor do they do good out of fear of punishment. Instead, they serve God as His children, motivated by love and gratitude. In the Holy Spirit, they discover true freedom, and by that freedom they love, serve, and perform good works. This stands in stark contrast to legalistic observance. Previously, one strove to meet outward requirements; now, the Holy Spirit shapes a believer from within, resulting in joyful, spontaneous obedience to God.
Moreover, sanctification by the Holy Spirit extends beyond individual growth to encompass community and even the cosmic order. Pastor David Jang references Romans 8, which depicts all creation eagerly awaiting the revelation of God’s children. Through the Holy Spirit’s work, believers will ultimately participate in the liberation of creation itself. The fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22–23) exemplifies the process of growing into the likeness of Christ, aligning with God’s larger purpose of restoring the entire creation.
Theme 5: The Theology of Oneness – Breaking Down the Wall Between Jew and Gentile
Anchored in soteriology, pneumatology, and the principle of faith revealed in the Abrahamic Covenant, Pastor David Jang underscores the importance of the church’s unity. At the close of Galatians 3, Paul declares, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). This statement goes beyond individual salvation to highlight the unifying and reconciling power of the gospel in the community and ultimately in the cosmos.
Pastor David Jang emphasizes that no discrimination based on ethnicity, social status, or gender is permissible in the church. Legalistic teachers sought to confine salvation by forcing Gentiles to receive circumcision and embrace Jewish culture, but Paul reinterprets the Abrahamic Covenant as fundamentally universal. The Covenant is fulfilled in the “one seed,” Christ, and through Him it expands to every nation. Because of this, Gentiles also become the offspring of Abraham by faith.
This “breaking down the dividing wall” theology resonates with Ephesians 2:14–16, where Paul explains that Christ has dismantled the wall of hostility separating Jew and Gentile. Ethnic exclusivism, cultural barriers, and the boundaries of the Law give way in Christ. The church is the gathering place of diverse peoples united under one faith, one baptism (Eph. 4:5), and one gospel. This oneness is not a mere ideal but requires tangible acts of hospitality, love, and service within the community.
Through this vision of unity, Pastor David Jang shows that the gospel does not simply concern individual souls. It transforms social relationships, driving believers to strive for reconciliation and peace among all people. The gospel transcends geographical, ethnic, and cultural boundaries, turning animosity into forgiveness and harmony. Pastor David Jang holds that this “tearing down of walls” is a cosmic mission of the church, reflecting the ultimate fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant. The “promised land” is extended in a spiritual sense to God’s Kingdom, where all the faithful dwell together.
Theme 6: Eschatological Restoration and the Church’s Mission
Finally, Pastor David Jang draws these themes together from an eschatological perspective. The promise that began with Abraham and now justifies believers in Jesus Christ through faith continues in the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. Beyond this, the grand restoration of humanity and the universe awaits, linking these doctrines to an eschatological hope. Creation yearns for the revealing of God’s children (Rom. 8:19), and the majestic scene of heavenly worship in Revelation—where the entire cosmos shouts “Holy, holy, holy” (Rev. 4)—presents the ultimate destiny that human effort under the Law could never achieve. This indicates that salvation extends far beyond resolving internal human dilemmas and ushers in a cosmic-scale renewal.
In light of this eschatological hope, the church’s mission is put into focus. Pastor David Jang cautions that whenever the church proclaims a “different gospel” or becomes entangled in legalistic practices, the power of the cross grows faint, and the essence of salvation is undermined. Heretical teachings, extreme legalism, and cultural exclusivity detract from the life-giving core of the gospel and obscure the comprehensive hope and restoration intended by Christ.
However, when the church clings to the true gospel—finding joy and freedom in justification by faith—it stands as a pilgrim community traveling toward the heavenly city while still on earth. Through its journey, the church showcases the Kingdom of God ahead of time. By living in the Spirit and forming Spirit-shaped communities, glimpses of God’s Kingdom appear for the world to see, pointing people toward eternal life, the path of faith, and the way of grace.
A church animated by eschatological hope experiences freedom from the oppressive weight of sin and the Law, and it uses that freedom to serve and love, thereby manifesting the values of God’s Kingdom in the present. Pastor David Jang underscores that remaining faithful to the gospel’s core enables the church to continue steadily on the pilgrimage of faith, never faltering along the way to the promised heavenly homeland.
Within this eschatological vision, every dimension—from the Promise and the Law, to Abraham and Christ, to faith and justification, to the Holy Spirit and sanctification, and finally unity in the community and cosmic renewal—interlocks in Christ. At the center of it all, the church looks forward to the glorious conclusion of God’s plan: His eternal Kingdom. That Kingdom is neither gained by works nor Law-keeping but solely by grace and faith, and the church boldly proclaims this truth to the world.
Conclusion
Pastor David Jang’s soteriological reflections on Galatians 3 encompass wide-ranging theological insights that traverse the entire canon of Scripture. By examining the relationship between Law and Promise, he reveals how God’s grace was preordained long ago and how the model of justification by faith was already in place in Abraham’s day. The Law does not serve as a conduit to salvation; it merely uncovers sin, while true salvation is granted solely through faith in Christ. Anchored in this faith, believers are sanctified and liberated by the Holy Spirit, building a community where distinctions such as Jew and Gentile, or male and female, no longer divide. This unity then leads to an eschatological expectation of God’s restoration for the entire creation.
Ultimately, Pastor David Jang accentuates the crucial importance and purity of the gospel. He repeatedly warns against slipping into “another gospel,” urging believers to remember that the bedrock of Christianity is to receive the saving promise of Jesus Christ’s cross and resurrection by faith. This theological clarity frees the church from the chains of legalism, inspiring them to worship God freely, follow the Spirit’s leading in love and service, and continue the pilgrim journey toward heaven. In so doing, the church inherits the promise and participates in God’s glorious plan in this present age, beaming forth the light of the true gospel for all to see.