Living by Faith

Galatians 3:6-14 & 26-29 Faith is knowing and believing that something is true without having to see it for yourself. It involves acting on the truth of that belief without having to actually see the ground under the next footstep. Abraham became the model of what it means to have faith in God. There were two primary examples of Abraham’s faith. God told him to go to a land that He would show him — Abraham went. Abraham was told to take his only son Isaac and offer him to God as a sacrifice. Abraham carried out the command to the point of raising the knife to kill his son. God saw his faith and provided a substitute sacrifice, a ram caught in the thicket. The Scripture says that, “Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. Paul is pointing out to the Galatians that they had been saved, ("received the Spirit”) by believing what they had heard. Now they were trying to maintain their salvation by their own effort. In doing so they were placing themselves under the curse of the law. The curse being, one is not able to keep the law adequately, so he is condemned before he starts. Jesus kept the law perfectly and gave His life as a sacrifice for our sins. The penalty of the law that was due us came upon Him. Through faith in Jesus and His sacrifice on our behalf, we are redeemed, and the blessing Abraham received comes to us. That blessing is His Spirit that He places within us. It is not a promise of a bunch of miracles, although they often come. It is a new position of relationship with God. Verse 26 says, “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” Read the life of Abraham in Genesis 12-25 and take note of his relation to God. Isaiah 41:8 tells us that Abraham was God's friend. He didn’t walk perfectly; but he walked with God.