Our scripture this morning is Galatians 3:5-9.
“I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ. In the same way, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God. What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would make the Gentiles right in his sight because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.” So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith.”
Paul tells us that “obeying the law” as many people of that time did (and still today, if we’re honest), is not the way for the Holy Spirit to enter our lives. Paul isn’t saying the rules don’t count, but rather a set of constraints is not the way to be saved. We must be ready to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).
Those who feel we need a rule for everything miss the point of God’s love, Christ’s example, and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We are taught that a loving relationship with our Creator is the basis for all we do. Instead of checking a voluminous set of regulations on behavior, we should ask our loving Father for guidance.
As we grow in faith and righteousness, it becomes easier to determine what He would have us do. We don’t have to rely on our thinking. Through repentance and prayer, time in God’s word and the support of fellow Christians, we can see and follow the way that has been prepared for us.
Gracious God, we are sorry for the times we have ignored Your love and Your plan for us. Forgive us and help us to be the people You intend, sharing the truth of the Gospel with all the world. Amen.