Galatians 3.17 “What
I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the
covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise.” –
St. Paul
I think I have reasoned through this before, but I have
had to reason through it again today: the
Law is apart from the Promise. Always has been. Always will be. The Law was not a covenant; the Law was given to Moses so that through it the people
of Israel (later called the Jews) could relate to God. The Law is not for all mankind,
the Law was for a specific people for a specific time.
I think people get tripped up easily by the Bible. Its
message is very straight forward. It is plainly written and very well laid out.
But here’s where I think the problem is: Religion
demands rules. And the Old Testament Law is a set of rules. And most people
want religion rather than relationship with God. To them, it is easier to try
to follow rules, traditions, and customs than it is to get to know God.
Most people don’t believe God is personable and knowable.
They prefer to deal with an abstract view of God; finding that abstraction excuses
their living. They reason: God is somehow God and He will do what He does, and
if they are harmed or discomforted in the process, well, that’s just karma. To them, friendship with God is impossible and mostly
unnecessary because God is going to do what He’s going to do anyway.
At least with the rules, there is something to follow and
work at. When standing before God, most men (and women and children) will want
to direct God’s attention to what they’ve accomplished so they can tell God: I tried. I got this far. I put some effort
into this. Judge me for my effort, not how I knew You.
What most of us forget in our religious penchant is that
God promised Abraham that through Abraham’s Seed (Jesus Christ) all the nations
of the world would be blessed. That Promise still stands, the Law is long gone.
The Promise is accepted by faith: “So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of
faith.” (Galatians 3.9) The Law was given,
not promised. Only the faithful know
this and relate to God in faith. There is no need for a Law for them, because
they are not Jews and the Law does not apply to them – but faith does. Abraham
was blessed by what he believed, not
by what he did.
I always need to be reminded. I don’t need to memorize
the entire Bible; I just need to know that the Law, as big and powerful as it
was – never circumvented the previous Promise. I need to remember that I am a
child of Promise, not a follower of the Law. I need to be reminded that
centuries ago, a man like me believed God, and it was credited to Him as
righteousness. I must be reminded to keep the proper order of things: Promise
trumps Law every time.
Father, it is so crystal clear: You gave Abraham the gift
of Faith: he believed You. You have never changed the relationship since then.
It is by faith that I relate to You and by faith that I live out my days
knowing You. Help me to remember the proper order of things and what applies to
whom. The Law was never meant for Your kids. Thank You God! Amen
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