What does 'made perfect' mean in Galatians 3:3?
In Galatians 3:3, 'made perfect' means being made right with God. The verse contrasts having begun in the Spirit with trying to be perfected by the flesh, which refers to the Law. The Law was fleshly, weak, and beggarly; being made right with God comes by faith, not by the works of the Law.
Les explains that in Galatians 3:3, 'made perfect' means the same as being made right with God. He notes the Galatians had begun in the Spirit, the work of the Holy Spirit that generated salvation because of their faith. The question is whether they would now be made perfect by the flesh. Les identifies 'the flesh' as the Law—fleshly, weak, and beggarly. The verse's repetition of 'foolish' stresses that receiving the Spirit comes by the hearing of faith, not the works of the Law. Faith is taking God at His Word: God said it, we believe it, and He recognizes it, moving in to do everything needed.
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
More Questions
What does Galatians 3:3 ask?
Galatians 3:3 asks whether, having begun in the Spirit, you are going to move into a deeper spiritual life by the flesh.
Why does Paul repeat the same point in Galatians 3:3 that he already made in verse 2?
Verse 3 repeats the same teaching as verse 2 in different words because repetition is the mother of learning, and until we hear these things over and over they do not soak in.
What does 'having begun in the Spirit' and 'made perfect by the flesh' mean in Galatians 3:3?
Having begun in the Spirit means the Holy Spirit generated salvation through their faith, and being made perfect by the flesh means trying to become right with God by the flesh.