Living By Performance or Promise!
Read Duet. 19-21; Galatians 3
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SCRIPTURE:
“But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit[a] through faith.”
Galatians 3:12-14, ESV[1]
OBSERVATIONS:
The theme of this chapter is that the Galatians have been deceived to revert to living out the Law rather than receiving and walking in the grace of God. The chapter crescendos with these verses in which Paul in graphic terms is pointing the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made on the Cross as being the action that sealed the promise for our being freed from the slavery of sin which is the meaning of redemption that the Cross bought us out of the slave market of being a slave to sin.[2]
In verse 12, Paul literally is stating that the law is not faith, rather “The one who does them shall be saved.” Paul is stating that Performance is what qualifies one to be saved. Now Paul does not say this, but these are my words because the tone of text almost has the nuanced thought, “So how is that working for you?” Furthermore, the Apostle reinforces this thought with Jesus became the curse so that we did not have to live under the curse of sin or even attempt to perform for our righteousness. Jesus carried the burden of the curse of sin in order that we can be blessed. He offered the promise of each one of us living out the blessings of Abraham that offered salvation for Gentiles but also inverse 14, “we have received the promised Spirit through faith.”
The idea is that the Spirit is the power by which we can live our freedom out in Christ Jesus.
APPLICATION:
The Holy Spirit spoke to me this morning in these verses that I must be aware in the frailty of my own humanity how I at times unconsciously default to: “Doing for God instead of being with God.” As a Pastor it is so easy to make my task list as the priority and then believing the lie that all my work in the Church somehow is a sign of my growing in maturity. My placing trust in my performance gives ground to trusting the Promise of what Christ has already done for me. My performance can replace lingering in His presence. In the words of Pete Scazzero, I can give place do being a “Human-Doing” not a Human Being!”[3] I have a choice I can Live by my Performance or I can Live by the Promise. I choose living by the promise in which my activity flows out of my personal life with Jesus Christ!
PRAYER:
“Lord allows me to be seeking the power of your presence. It is there that I feel your pleasure. I repent of me at times making my task list more important than my time with you. I choose you! I love you Jesus you are my Lord and my Hope which gives me peace. I ask that you fill me with your Holy Spirit to remain in the rhythm of your Heartbeat. I pray this now in Jesus’ name! Amen!
Footnotes:
[1] Hebrew - Greek Key Word Study Bible English Standard Version, ed. ThD. and General Editor Spiros Zodhiares, ESV edition Warren Baker, D.R.E. (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1984, 1990, 1991, 1996 and 2013 by AMG International Inc.). p 1350.
[2] Fritz Rienecker and Cleon Rogers, "Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament," (Grand Rapids Michigan: Zondervan Publishing Company, 1976). p 508.
[3] Peter Scazzero, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: it's impossible to be Spiritually Mature, while remaining Emotionally Immature (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2014, 2017). p 32.
Resources:
Hebrew - Greek Key Word Study Bible English Standard Version. Edited by ThD. and General Editor Spiros Zodhiares, ESV edition Warren Baker, D.R.E. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1984, 1990, 1991, 1996 and 2013 by AMG International Inc.
Rogers, Fritz Rienecker and Cleon. "Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament," (1976).
Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: It's Impossible to Be Spiritually Mature, While Remaining Emotionally Immature. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2014, 2017.