BROADCASTS.com

Christ Jesus set us free so that the blessing given to Abraham would come to the Gentiles through Christ. He did it so that we might receive the promise of the Holy Spirit. The promised Spirit comes by believing in Christ (Galatians 3:14).

Our text is the conclusion to the story that began in Genesis 12. Abram is called by God and given this promise, \u201cI will make you into a great nation. And I will bless you. I will make your name great. You will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you. I will put a curse on anyone who puts a curse on you. All nations on earth will be blessed because of you\u201d (Genesis 12:2-3).

The following chapters deal with one question, \u2018Does Abram believe God?\u2019 Not, \u2018Does Abram believe in God?\u2019 He does believe in God; he has heard him speak. The issue is, does Abram believe what God is saying? Is God good for the promises he has made?

This is faith then and now. Do we believe what God is saying?

In Galatians 3, Paul is calling us to this kind of faith. But in between Genesis 12 and Galatians 3 we have the entire story of the people of Israel, God\u2019s holy nation. Faith was part of their life. But so was keeping the law that God gave through Moses. If you did not keep the law, you were cursed. You were stoned to death, after which your body was hung on a tree. This symbolized that you had been cursed by God because of your sins. This was life in Israel.

But now non-Israelites were joining the church. The question became: do these non-descendants of Abram need to keep the law of Moses? Paul\u2019s answer is emphatic, \u2018No way\u2019. Abram pleased God by faith not by keeping the law. Paul argues that there are two ways to please God: 1) we keep the law, all of it or 2) we believe in Jesus Christ. If we choose the first option, we must keep the law perfectly. The whole thing, all the time.

It is easy to recognize that attempting to be saved by works (keeping the law) will lead to profound anxiety and insecurity, because we can never be sure that we are living up to standards sufficiently. This makes us over-sensitive to criticism, envious and intimidated by others who outshine us. It makes us nervous and timid (because we are unsure of where we stand) or else swaggering and boastful (because we are trying to convince ourselves of where we stand).

No one can live up to God\u2019s standard. But if we do not, we are cursed and deserve to be stoned and hung on a tree. This is one of those difficult biblical teachings that does not go over very well in our age. We are not supposed to think of ourselves negatively, it will lead to low self-esteem. Yet, this is essential Christianity.

If we can accept our condemned position before God, is there any hope for us? That is where the second choice comes in. Paul makes the case that Jesus stands in our place. He received the curse we earned (13) so that we might receive the blessing He earned (14). Our sins and curse are given to Him: His righteousness and blessing and Spirit are given to us.

Jesus \u201cbecame\u201d a sinner for us, and we have \u201cbecome\u201d righteous. His taking the curse means that God regards him a sinner; likewise, our receiving the blessing means that God regards as if we are perfectly righteous and flawless. Salvation means much more than forgiveness. We do not simply have our slate wiped clean; we also become perfect in God\u2019s sight. And we stay perfect in God\u2019s sight. No need for negative thinking here.

The Christian life is about having our hearts melted and molded by knowing and trusting Christ crucified. We never move on from the gospel\u2014we never can, and never need to. Faith is laying hold of Jesus Christ personally. Christ is the Bread of life; faith feeds upon Him. Christ was lifted up on the cross; faith gazes at Him there.

The gift of the Spirit is the fulfilment to Abraham that through Him God will the Gentiles. The Spirit is the distinguishing mark of the believer in Jesus. In these verses, the promised blessing includes justification (being put into right favour with God \u2013 God says he is pleased with us), eternal life (being received into fellowship with God \u2013 a fellowship that cannot be broken by our sin) and \u2018the gift of the Spirit\u2019 (being regenerated and indwelt by Him). This is the priceless triune \u2018blessing\u2019 of the Christian believer.