Morning Moments

C. Curse or Christ 3:18-29
The choice is simple live by the law and bear the consequence of the curse of the law or live by faith and enjoy the blessing of freedom in Christ. Let's get this clear: You did NOTHING to be justified. RIGHT! Neither did you DO anything to put yourself into Christ's death and resurrection. RIGHT! You must DO to live under the law. RIGHT! And you are judged by what you failed to do. RIGHT! So which is better?

1. The Inheritance 3:18
Paul's clarity by comparison is critical. Which is it, Christ or conditions? God's promise in Christ is not based upon "DOs and DON'Ts. "He who has promised WILL DO IT." "The promises of God are yea and amen." "For God is not slack concerning His promise..." Our faith in Christ is a gift from God and it is the same faith by which we share in His death and resurrection to newness of life. It has nothing to do with keeping anything - WE are the ones who are KEPT by the POWER of God through FAITH (and that not of ourselves). Our inheritance is reserved in Heaven and is untarnished, untainted, and undefiled because THAT is what God has promised.

2. The Intent 3:19
Then what was the purpose of the law? The text is perfectly clear - it was added because of transgressions. Think of it this way: Kids keep crossing your yard walking to school so you put up a sign that says, "Keep of the grass". That is what God did in giving the law. They may not have thought much about crossing on your grass before but not every time they do it they KNOW they are violating your wishes. NO law could be given making them do right, but merely exposing the wrong there were doing by stating the law. Law was given until the promise of LIFE came and we who have received the promise are not free from the law through New LIFE.

3. Initiator 3:20
This whole thing was accomplished by a mediator. It is a covenant relationship established between two parties by a mediator, but who you mediate bilaterally between the two parties? NO ONE! So it is a unilateral mediation by God Himself in the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ and by His Holy Spirit. JESUS is the MEDIATOR between God and man and the Holy Spirit seals the deal.

4. The Instructor 3:21-29
Does that make the law against the promise? Of course not! But no law could be given that would give life. Go back to the illustration of your yard. If mere concern for your yard would have kept the kids from walking on your grass, you would never have had to post the sign. The sign guarantees nothing; it is only a warning or a demand or a request. Only lawbreakers need a law. The problem is that we are all law breakers when it comes to God. He posted a sign by the law but He pardoned the transgression by the cross.

The law was to be the teacher that lead us to Christ by showing us how desperately we need him and how we might be justified by faith alone. We are not only cleared but children of God through faith in Christ, so there is no long need of a school master. We have now "put on" Christ and are now neither Jew nor Gentile, bond nor free, male nor female, but one in Christ. In other words no race, no sex, no position in life has any advantage over another. We are the spiritual seed of Abraham and heirs according to the promise.

BLESSINGS!