Let me remind you of what verse 4 of Romans 4 says. “Now, when you work a job, do your wages come as a gift or as compensation for your work? It is most certainly not a gift”. A gift is not earned. A gift is given. Now with that let's continue.
15 For the law brings God’s wrath against sin. But where the law doesn’t draw the line, there can be no crime. 16 This is the reason that faith is the single source of the promise—so that grace would be offered to all Abraham’s children, those whose lives are defined by the law and those who follow the path of faith charted by Abraham, our common father.
Faith is the source “so that grace….” Wow. Abraham lived and walked in grace. You see there was a period of Abrahamic grace before we get to the back side of Calvary. Abraham did not live by the law, he walked by grace and faith. He walked in the promise given him by God.
The presence of the Spirit is none other than the fulfillment of the promises to Abraham. It’s the same today. The promises of God are all ours. We walk in them by faith. Faith is the action we take to receive all that God has promised. That’s what ushers in the power of the Spirit. The Spirit only came through Abraham’s descendant. The new covenant with God is mediated by Jesus and the Spirit, not the law.
Galatians 3:6-10. Paul is not letting loose of this revelation surrounding Abraham and his righteousness.
6 You remember Abraham. Scripture tells us, “Abraham believed God and trusted in His promises, so God counted it to his favor as righteousness.”
Believed God and TRUSTED in His promises. Oh if we could just put away our false humility of unworthiness and simply receive and trust the promises of God. Why is it so necessary for us to think we can earn any favor from God? We can’t. Jesus earned all the favor and Jesus satisfied all the judgement and wrath of God at the cross. Get over it. You can’t because He already did. Just receive it. The problem with us is we are so used to the familiar that it is difficult for us to receive His favor.
7 Know this: people who trust in God are the true sons and daughters of Abraham. 8 For it was foretold to us in the Scriptures that God would set the Gentile nations right by faith when He told Abraham, “I will bless all nations through you.” 9 So those who have faith in Him are blessed along with Abraham, our faithful ancestor. 10 Listen, whoever seeks to be righteous by following certain works of the law actually falls under the law’s curse. I’m giving it to you straight from Scripture because it is as true now as when it was written: “Cursed is everyone who doesn’t live by and do all that is written in the law.”
Paul said “I’m giving it to you straight from Scripture because it is as true now as when it was written”. Well I’m saying the same thing to you. I’m giving it to you straight from Scripture because it is as true now as when it was written. It’s not me speaking it’s scripture, given by inspiration of God to His mighty men who penned the revelation given.
So what is it that Paul and now I am giving to you straight. If you try to live by the law, and don’t keep every bit of the law, you are cursed. Since Jesus fulfilled the law, all we do is believe God and trust in the finished work on the cross. Then there is no possible way to be cursed.
Continue studying through the verses in Galatians 3. They are so powerful about living by grace versus performance under the law. God made a promise to Abraham and his offspring. God said inheritance comes by faith and grace. Verse 18 shows us how God set it up. It shows how God cannot lie. It shows God to be the promise keeper, not just the promise maker.
Here’s verse 18. “You see, if the law became the sole basis for the inheritance, then it would put God in the position of breaking a covenant because He had promised it to Abraham.”
God actually put himself in a tough position. If the law was the basis for inheritance, then God would be breaking the covenant He made with Abraham. He told Abraham ALL nations would be blessed because of Abraham. Those that are the offspring of, heirs of, and descendants of righteous Abraham, will inherit also because of the promise.
What’s neat about this promise is that God could not find anything greater than Himself to swear after concerning this promise, so He swore on Himself.
Hebrews 6:13,14.
13 Remember when God made His promise to Abraham? He had to swear by Himself, there being no one greater: 14 “Surely I will bless you and multiply your descendants.”
Galatians 3:29 tells us who the descendants of Abraham are and that the promise is theirs through inheritance. Here’s that scripture in The Voice translation. “Since you belong to Him and are now subject to His power, you are the descendant of Abraham and the heir of God’s glory according to the promise.”
Do you want to know what it is you have been blessed to receive? Are you curious about what God has done and will continue to do for you? Are you worried you haven’t done enough good works or performed enough for God to bless you? Well just study what God did for Abraham and increase that over a thousand times.
That’s what is ours through the inheritance, because we are JUST LIKE ABRAHAM. Actually, we have a greater covenant than ever before and it has nothing to do with your goodness or performance. It has everything to do with Jesus and all that He has done and is doing.
Time to get set free from the untruths surrounding our righteousness. Ephesians 4:24 reads “Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy”. Put it on like you do a new dress or pair of pants or shirt.
You notice it says “PUT ON”. That means that you already have it, now you just have to decide to wear it by putting it on. You don’t have to go to the Mall and purchase that new dress or shirt. It’s hanging right there in front of you. It’s yours. Now just Put It On.
In this scripture it says you are “truly righteous and holy”. Then what’s the argument and discussion all about. You are righteous and holy. You cannot work or perform to be righteous and holy. You have been made righteous and holy.
Romans 11:16 declares “And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their descendants will also be holy—just as the entire batch of dough is holy because the portion given as an offering is holy. For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be too”.
It’s a declaration that we are holy. Go back to the first statement in the scripture above. If Abraham is holy, and we are the descendants and heirs of Abraham, then we are holy. “Just Like Abraham”. Grace and Peace.
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