The promise of the Spirit through faith.

Galatians 3:10-22 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

For all who are of works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all the things written in the book of the Law, to do them.” ¹¹ Now, that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “the righteous one will live by faith.” ¹² However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “The person who performs them will live by them.” ¹³ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”— ¹⁴ in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

¹⁵ Brothers and sisters, I speak in terms of human relations: even though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it. ¹⁶ Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as one would in referring to many, but rather as in referring to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ. ¹⁷ What I am saying is this: the Law, which came 430 years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. ¹⁸ For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.

¹⁹ Why the Law then? It was added on account of the violations, having been ordered through angels at the hand of a mediator, until the Seed would come to whom the promise had been made. ²⁰ Now a mediator is not for one party only; but God is only one. ²¹ Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? Far from it! For if a law had been given that was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. ²² But the Scripture has confined everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

Genesis 15:4-6 says: Behold, the word of the Lord came to him (Abraham), saying, “This man will not be your heir; but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.” And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” Then he believed in the Lord; and He credited it to him as righteousness.  We are those heirs, heirs of the promise through faith. In today’s text it says:  Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”— in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Brothers and sisters, I speak in terms of human relations: even though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it. Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as one would in referring to many, but rather as in referring to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ. What I am saying is this: the Law, which came 430 years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.  So, the promise of blessing through Christ, the seed of Abraham came 430 years before the Law was given. That promise was not nullified by the Law. It was and is still only by faith that anyone is saved. In John 14:6 Jesus says: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.”

The text says: Why the Law then? It was added on account of the violations, having been ordered through angels at the hand of a mediator, until the Seed would come to whom the promise had been made. Now a mediator is not for one party only; but God is only one. Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? Far from it! For if a law had been given that was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. But the Scripture has confined everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. The Law was given to make evident the need for a Savior and Redeemer. No one is justified by the Law. The text says: “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all the things written in the book of the Law, to do them.” Ephesians 2:8-9 says: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Salvation and redemption is a gift that is available to all, but is given only to those who receive it by faith, to those who believe in Christ. Believing though is more than just acknowledging that Jesus lived, it is believing that he died to redeem us from sin. To receive the gift of salvation by grace, we must choose redemption over sin.

Romans 6:23 says: The wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Jesus died so that we could live. He fulfilled the requirement of the Law.  Here's the thing, just as the Law did not nullify the promise of blessing through Christ, neither did Jesus nullify the Law. In Matthew 5:17-20 Jesus says: “Do not presume that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter shall pass from the Law, until all is accomplished! Therefore, whoever nullifies one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you that unless your righteousness far surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”  In John 14:15 Jesus says: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”  We cannot receive the gift of salvation if we do not also keep His commandments. We are not redeemed from the sin we choose to continue in. 1 John 1:5-10 says: God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. We cannot receive the blessing of God’s promise if we make Him a liar.

Thank You heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ and precious Holy Spirit for the gift of salvation and redemption through grace. I believe. By the power of the Spirit, may I keep Your commandments and walk in Your righteousness. Amen.