After confirming that they have suffered and consequently that the Spirit has been given to them, he rightly goes on to ask whether God worked virtues in them from the works of the law or from the hearing of faith. “Obviously not from works,” [he says], “for it was not from yourselves that any works proceeded, but you heard in faith and were attentive to faith. And for this reason God worked virtues in you; and if he worked, he gave you the Spirit.” .
But the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, announced beforehand unto Abraham, that in him all nations should be blessed. So then they which be of faith shall be blessed with faithful Abraham."
His opponents had turned this about and upside down by saying that faith is of no avail if the law is not added. He shows, on the contrary, that if the law’s precepts are added, faith will no longer be of any use.
such wonders, because you observed the Law, or because you adhered to Faith? Plainly on account of Faith. Seeing that they played this argument to and fro, that apart from the Law, Faith had no force, he proves the contrary, viz., that if the Commandments be added, Faith no longer avails; for Faith then has efficacy when things from the Law are not added to it. You who would be justified by the Law, you are fallen away from grace: Galatians 5:4 This he says later, when his language has grown bolder, employing the vantage-ground by that time gained; meanwhile while gaining it, he argues from their past experience. For it was when you obeyed Faith, he says, not the Law, that you received the Spirit and wrought miracles.
And here, as the Law was the subject of discussion, he moots another special point of controversy, and very opportunely and with much cogency introduces a notice of Abraham.
