Get the appGalatians: The Life I Now Liveಮಾದರಿ
Back at the beginning of the chapter, Paul made several references to the Holy Spirit. Then he showed that true children of Abraham will always be those who believe, who put their faith in God, rather than those who obsess over law-keeping.
In verses 10–13 Paul continues to contrast relying on works of the law and faith in Christ. On the one hand, in verse 10, everyone who tries to keep the law and fails in even one detail is cursed – here Paul quotes Deuteronomy 27:26. By contrast, in verse 11, he quotes Habakkuk 2:4 to show that the righteous person lives by faith.
Back to the law again, in verse 12 Paul shows that it cannot be merged or blended with faith. We either live by law or by faith. Yet by faith in Christ, as Paul shows in verse 13, Christ bought us back from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us as He hung on the tree at Calvary (this time quoting Deut. 21:23).
When we arrive at verse 14, we are back to the blessing of Abraham for the Gentiles. This was mentioned in passing in verse 8, but now we have an added detail. The blessing promised to believing Gentiles is the promise of the Holy Spirit!
Why is the Holy Spirit the promised blessing? Because the loss of the Spirit was at the centre of the fall of humanity right back at the beginning. When Adam and Eve sinned, they began to die physically, but they instantly died spiritually. That is, the Spirit who had united them in fellowship with each other and God was gone and they curved in on themselves. But God promised to solve the sin problem and here is the resolution – Christ’s death at Calvary has bought the Spirit for believers! We can now be united with Christ again.
Paul is not contrasting determined law-keeping effort with a simple mechanism of faith. The key to salvation and the Christian life is not mere faith; it is the presence of the Holy Spirit Himself!
Reflection
How important is the Holy Spirit to your understanding of the gospel and living the Christian life? In what ways does the Holy Spirit direct your heart to Christ?
Scripture
About this Plan
Paul wrote the book of Galatians to Christians who were tempted to add good works to the gospel. Although we might not want to admit it, adding to the gospel is a great temptation for us too. So be encouraged as Peter Mead takes us through these devotions, be reminded that Christ is everything, and that the gospel is all we need for our lives now in Jesus.
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