Thoughts for the Day

So, you see, those who believe are the descendants of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, declared the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, ‘All the Gentiles shall be blessed in you.’ For this reason, those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed.

For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the things written in the book of the law.’ Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law; for ‘The one who is righteous will live by faith.’ But the law does not rest on faith; on the contrary, ‘Whoever does the works of the law will live by them.’ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming 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 might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Paul now switches his argument, as to why the Galatian Christians should walk in faith rather than accept the old restrictions of the Law of Moses. He looks back to Abraham. When God called Abraham he made an important promise. He said:

• "Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (Genesis 12.3)

Abraham and Sarah were old and had no children, but God promised them a child, and because of Abraham's faith God promised him that 'all the families of the earth' should be blessed. God counted him as 'righteous', even though not perfect, he was saved by God's grace because of his faith. Paul warns the Galatians if they choose to live by the Law with all its instructions including circumcision (while ignoring the poor and sick), then they shall die under the Law.

Martin Luther, the great reformer in the 16th century said this: “Faith in God constitutes the highest worship, the prime duty, the first obedience .... The first duty of man is to believe in God and to honour Him with his faith...... Faith says to God: ‘I believe what you say.'"

Father-God,
You promised Abraham that he would be
the father of a nation,
and through him all the nations would be blessed,
and he believed in Your words.
When people could not live by obeying the Law,
You sent Your Son Jesus to save us.
He suffered for us
so that having faith in Him
we might receive the Holy Spirit
and be given new life.
Grant us such faith this day, we pray.
Amen.