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BEING BIBLICAL (GALATIANS 3:1-14)

Apostle Paul underscores the importance of faith over works using Abraham as an example and Jesus as the one through whom we receive the Holy Spirit, justification and the blessings of God.

REFLECTION. 

Being Biblical is the theme for our reflection. The Bible is God’s inspired Word therefore all believers must rely on it for instruction and guidance in understanding the will and commandments of God. Being Biblical means making references or living according to the standards or teachings of the Bible. It is important to note that at the time Paul wrote his letter to the Galatians the only Scripture available for reference was made up of the Torah (the 5 books of Moses), Psalms and the Prophets. (Matthew 22:37-40)

Paul relies on the Torah to explain the importance of faith over works to the Galatian Christians whose understanding had been tempered with by fake teachers who stressed that faith alone is not enough to receive the Spirit of God. They erroneously taught the Galatians that a person must fulfil the precepts of the law in addition to his or her faith to please God and receive the Holy Spirit. Paul strongly maintained the fact faith in Christ is what is required hence he wrote in Galatians 3:5-9 that  “Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.”

My dear friend, if works are what justifies us as Children of God then Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross is useless. God knew that we were unable to achieve righteousness through the law to receive justification to become His children therefore He provided His only Son, Jesus, so that when we believe or put our faith in Him the law will no longer be the standard of our justification but by faith and through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall receive justification as sons and daughters of God. It is, for this reason, Paul wrote in Galatians 3:11-14 that “Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall 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 is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.” In other words, the Bible reveals to us we are not counted or deemed to be righteous because of our perfect obedience of the law of Moses and other laws in Scripture but we are made righteous because we have faith in Jesus Christ whose blood washed our sins away and made us whole and acceptable before God. Through faith in Jesus we made righteous and empowered by the Holy Spirit to do what law requires of us to please God. Shalom.

PRAYER 

HOLY SPIRIT, ENABLE US TO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE TEACHING OF THE BIBLE AND MAY OUR FAITH IN JESUS BE MADE MANIFEST IN OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Jean-Paul Agidi (Rev)