Hello Advent Family,

Grace doesn’t make sense.  Everything in life is based on performing.  You study hard and do well in school, you get an A.  You work hard at your job, you get a promotion or raise.  You do well at a sport or hobby, you get recognition and praise from others.  Grace is different.  God does for us what we could never accomplish.  Perhaps that is why it is so easy to slip back into “law” thinking.  Thinking that somehow we can or need to earn God’s favor.  The Galatian church struggled with this and often we can too today.  Let’s look together at Paul’s words in Galatians 3.  

For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.  12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will 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 hung on a pole.” 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. 15 Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. 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. 18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise. 19 Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. 20 A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one. 21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22 But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

Paul is telling us that the law isn’t bad but it’s purpose was ultimately to expose our need for Jesus, our need for a Savior.  The problem is that subtly when we slip into thinking that we can earn favor with God by our behavior, our need for Him actually lessens.  Trying to earn His favor subtly moves us away from Him instead of where we belong depending upon Him fully.  We strive to live lives that honor God out of our love for Him and others not to please Him or somehow earn His favor.  We need to simply rest in God’s amazing and crazy grace that doesn’t make sense.  The more we do the more we rely upon Him and cling to Him and are activated in our faith.  

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave