Yesterday, our pastor mentioned that Galatians is a wonderful book to study. Studying Galatians teaches us that faith in what Christ has done instead of what we do is our only answer for redemption. We can’t make ourselves right with God and free ourselves from sin. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Old Covenant Law.
“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree'), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Galatians 3:13-14, NKJV).
Do you know that sickness was listed as a curse under the Old Covenant law for breaking it? And God did bring sickness as punishment to the Hebrews for breaking the law (Deuteronomy 28:58-61). BUT Galatians 3:13-14 says that Christ, having hung on a tree, became our curse and REDEEMED us from the curse of the law. That is the grace of God! Because of Jesus, sickness is no longer a curse. God doesn’t send sickness to punish us. Sickness is the result of a fallen world. At the Cross, Jesus became our punishment. He did a complete work to forgive and heal all those who believe in Him.
Abraham lived long before the Old Covenant Law was given to Moses. God’s promise to Abraham—that he would have a child in his old age and through that child God’s promise (Jesus) would come to everyone—was not based on obedience to God’s law. It was based on a right relationship with God that comes by faith (Romans 4:13). The promise of God—Jesus Christ—is given to us all—not as a result of our works but by faith.
“O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain” (Galatians 1:1-4, NKJV).
Paul talked about how foolish these Galatians were—how they were saved by grace but then tried to make themselves right with God by their own works. Paul tried to pull them away from works and back to grace and faith. We are saved by grace, forgiven by grace, and made righteous by grace through faith. Yet, so many times, we try to prove we have faith through our works.
“I ask you again,” Paul continued, “does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ” (Galatians 3:5, NKJV).
You can’t be saved by works, and you can’t be healed by works of the law. Just like people try to earn their salvation, they think that have to do something to earn healing. And trying to earn your salvation or your healing is appealing to your own righteousness instead of believing by faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. God doesn’t work miracles in response to anything we do. We receive miracles by faith.
“Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith,” Paul declared (Galatians 5:6, NLT). The Word reminds us that—just as we are made righteous by grace through faith and we are forgiven by grace through faith—we are also healed by grace through faith.
Faith is the substance of what you hope for. Do you hope to be well just as you believe you are saved? Faith is the evidence of things not seen. Do you believe that you are healed in Christ even when it is not yet seen or experienced?
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and don’t judge your condition or how you feel or what your flesh tells you. Your faith in Jesus alone forgives and heals you. Sow your faith in God’s Word. It is an incorruptible seed. Be good ground and receive His truth. By the wounds He took for you, you are healed (Isaiah 53:5). Don’t get weary or give up (Galatians 6:9). Don’t forget the Lord’s benefits. The Word says that He forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases (Psalm 103:2-3). Have faith in Christ—alone.
©2020 Lynn Lacher
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