Daily Bread 2011 - Galatians 3
Daily Bread 2011 – Galatians 3
Faith or Observance of the Law
1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 4 Have you suffered so much for nothing—if it really was for nothing? 5 Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? 6 Consider Abraham: “He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 7 Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. 8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
What Does This Mean?
As Paul continues to teach on the difference between faith in God’s promises and reliance on the Law, he uses Abraham as an example. Some assume the OId Testament is all “Law based”, and the New Testament is all “Promise based”. But we see both the Law and Promises, (or as Lutherans like to say “the Law and Gospel dialectic”) are found throughout the bible. In this case, Paul gives the example of Abraham who believed God, and it was credited to Him as righteousness. Abram (his original name) was given the name “Abraham”, which meant “father of many nations”; when He came to faith in God’s promises to him. His faith made him part of God’s covenant family.
Was Abraham saved by His faith? Yes. Although Jesus hadn’t come yet, Abraham believed in the promises that would make Him a blessing to the many nations (i.e. the Gentiles that would be most of us!). We see that the Law (as summarized by the 10 Commandments), didn’t come until 430 years later. Meaning for 430 years the Jewish people lived in God’s covenant with them through Abraham’s act of faith. As the passage says, “the Law was given because the sinfulness of the people had increased”. Then in verse 24 it says, “the Law was put in charge to lead us to Christ”. Meaning the Law led us to realization that without Christ we could not measure up to the Law’s demands.
What Does This Mean For Us?
The Law gives us guidelines for living, after all it is God’s law that He revealed to the Israelites to set them apart from the nations. But it is not until we are regenerated through faith, and are given the gift of the Holy Spirit, that we any capacity to live according to the Law. In fact, through the power of the Holy Spirit the “law is written on our hearts”. (Romans 2:15, Jeremiah 31:31-33, Hebrews 8:6-13)
The Law has a purpose and is holy, but it is through God’s promises that our lives are changed and we receive the Holy Spirit. Just like Abraham believed and it was credited to him as righteousness, so when we come to faith we are credited with the same thing. As we come to faith, it is right to give thanks to our Father Abraham, whose faith was a seed for many that came after him. And, in fact, Abraham’s faith in God’s promises gave us a foretaste of the Lamb of God, who would take away the sins of the world in whom we know trust!
Jesus thank you for the gift of faith to trust in Your Father’s promises, which you fulfilled when you left heaven and came to earth 2,000 years ago. May our faith be perfected, as we live out our lives in step with Your Holy Spirit, who first awakened faith in us and continues to keep us in faith until You call us home. Amen.
Faith or Observance of the Law
1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 4 Have you suffered so much for nothing—if it really was for nothing? 5 Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? 6 Consider Abraham: “He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 7 Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. 8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
What Does This Mean?
As Paul continues to teach on the difference between faith in God’s promises and reliance on the Law, he uses Abraham as an example. Some assume the OId Testament is all “Law based”, and the New Testament is all “Promise based”. But we see both the Law and Promises, (or as Lutherans like to say “the Law and Gospel dialectic”) are found throughout the bible. In this case, Paul gives the example of Abraham who believed God, and it was credited to Him as righteousness. Abram (his original name) was given the name “Abraham”, which meant “father of many nations”; when He came to faith in God’s promises to him. His faith made him part of God’s covenant family.
Was Abraham saved by His faith? Yes. Although Jesus hadn’t come yet, Abraham believed in the promises that would make Him a blessing to the many nations (i.e. the Gentiles that would be most of us!). We see that the Law (as summarized by the 10 Commandments), didn’t come until 430 years later. Meaning for 430 years the Jewish people lived in God’s covenant with them through Abraham’s act of faith. As the passage says, “the Law was given because the sinfulness of the people had increased”. Then in verse 24 it says, “the Law was put in charge to lead us to Christ”. Meaning the Law led us to realization that without Christ we could not measure up to the Law’s demands.
What Does This Mean For Us?
The Law gives us guidelines for living, after all it is God’s law that He revealed to the Israelites to set them apart from the nations. But it is not until we are regenerated through faith, and are given the gift of the Holy Spirit, that we any capacity to live according to the Law. In fact, through the power of the Holy Spirit the “law is written on our hearts”. (Romans 2:15, Jeremiah 31:31-33, Hebrews 8:6-13)
The Law has a purpose and is holy, but it is through God’s promises that our lives are changed and we receive the Holy Spirit. Just like Abraham believed and it was credited to him as righteousness, so when we come to faith we are credited with the same thing. As we come to faith, it is right to give thanks to our Father Abraham, whose faith was a seed for many that came after him. And, in fact, Abraham’s faith in God’s promises gave us a foretaste of the Lamb of God, who would take away the sins of the world in whom we know trust!
Jesus thank you for the gift of faith to trust in Your Father’s promises, which you fulfilled when you left heaven and came to earth 2,000 years ago. May our faith be perfected, as we live out our lives in step with Your Holy Spirit, who first awakened faith in us and continues to keep us in faith until You call us home. Amen.
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