Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Galatians 3:13-14 Christ has 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"), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
CHAPTER BY CHAPTER: GALATIANS 3
In chapter three Paul zooms out and shows the Galatians that faith in Jesus Christ apart from human works was not a new development. This was the way God established faith in believers from the very beginning. To show the credibility of grace alone from the Old Testament Paul brings the life of Abraham, father of the Jewish people, into view.
Those who were trying to distort the true gospel among the Galatians used Abraham as their example -- especially the rite of circumcision which God gave to Abraham to use as a symbol of His chosen people. But to make circumcision anything more than an outward sign went beyond the truth and the intent of God's inspired word in the Old Testament. Paul states how the historical record of Genesis taught that Abraham was credited with righteousness by believing in God, not by his works. Furthermore, the promise that Abraham would be the father of many nations was a prophecy of the salvation of all people, not just the Jews to whom circumcision had been given. On top of this all, Paul shows that the teaching of justification by faith actually was recorded in the Old Testament, through the prophet Habakkuk. Those who were trying to trick the Galatians were greatly misusing the Old Testament Scriptures.
We can have the same confidence about our faith today. As Paul wrote to the Ephesians, when we use Scripture in truth we have the support of the apostles and the prophets, with Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). That's a spiritual heritage to be proud of. And although the significance of circumcision has faded away, God has given us a new way to enter His family: baptism -- "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galatians 3:26-27).
