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ALIVE TO THE LAW? GALATIANS 3:15-22

The promises of God preceded the law therefore we must be alive to our justification and salvation in Jesus as the promised offspring of Abraham.

REFLECTION 

Alive to the law? is the theme for our reflection. Paul continued to debunk the teaching of fake teachers among the Galatians. The fake teachers held the view or believe that adherence to the Law of Moses is important for believers to be justified as children of God. The Galatian Christians seem to be alive to the law and not the promises of God to Abraham which through faith has been fulfilled through his offspring, Jesus. Paul cites an example that when a person makes a will or a covenant until the same person ratifies or alters the will or covenant, it remains unchanged. It is, for this reason, Paul wrote that “even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. (Galatians 3:15) 

In the same manner, God’s promises of giving  Abraham an offspring, who is Jesus to save humanity through faith had remained unchanged. It is important to note that the laws given to Moses did not alter God’s promise of an offspring to Abraham. Paul explained that “is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. (Galatians 3:21-22) In other words, we must be alive to faith in the promises made to Abraham  by  God which is Jesus and not be alive to the law that “… was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, (Galatians 3:19)

The key lesson of today’s reflection is that believers must be alive to God’s promises to Abraham and not the laws given to Moses. God promised Abraham an offspring, although Isaac was the one God intended at the material moment, Jesus was the penultimate offspring through whom all who believe become offsprings of God through faith regardless of race, nationality, gender and ethnic identity. The law given to Moses did not nullify these promises since the promise of Jesus preceded the law. Jesus, the offspring of Abraham is truly the fulfilment of the law. Jesus precedes the law and at the same time fulfils the law therefore all believers must have faith and be alive to the promises of God (Justification and salvation in Jesus) and not be alive to the law (which was only made because of our transgressions). To be alive to the law is to live in guilt of our transgressions but to be alive to Jesus is to be reminded of our justification through faith in Him. Shalom.

PRAYER

ALMIGHTY GOD, HELP US TO PUT OUR FAITH IN JESUS YOUR PROMISED OFFSPRING AND MESSIAH SO THAT WE MAY NOT ERRONEOUSLY DWELL ON THE LAW AS A MEANS TO JUSTIFICATION FOR THROUGH  FAITH IN JESUS WE ARE JUSTIFIED TO BECOME YOUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS.

Jean-Paul Agidi (Rev)