The Promises: Galatians 3:15-22, especially vs. 18: "For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise."
Let us realize, as we read in Galatians, that it is an extended exhortation by St. Paul against the trap of legalism. The letter was evoked in the first century against certain Jewish Christians who wished to see the Church revert to all the practices of Judaism. However, it is also true that anyone at any time in history may fall into the entanglement of legalism and lose the life that is in Christ. In today's reading from Galatians, the Apostle shows that legalism empties the promises that are fulfilled in Christ.
St. Paul begins with a reference to the covenant and promises that God made with and to the Patriarch Abraham (see Gen. 12:1-3;15:1-21;17:1-7; and 22:16-18). Initially, the Apostle quotes the key promise, Gen 22:18, "And to your Seed." Then he declares that the Seed is "Christ" (Gal. 3:16). The full, original statement of the Divine promise reads: "And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed because thou hast hearkened to My voice" (Gen. 22:18 LXX).
Historically, this particular promise was given by God in response to Abraham's absolute, unswerving faith in the Lord's trustworthiness with respect to His promises (Gen. 22:1-15). The emphasis in the Genesis account is on faith in God, and therefore on the willingness to act contrary-to-appearances because of unbounded trust. Faith, the Apostle asserts, came in the sequence of history well in advance of Law - by a good 430 years (Gal. 3:17).
The temporal primacy of faith points to its primacy in spirit with God. Faith in God has greater worth or value with the Lord than objective obedience to the details of His Code of Law. The Apostle cites several reasons why this is so. As important as the Law is, and as holy and good as it is, it cannot annul the promises that were made before it was given (vs. 17). In other words, when God gave the Law to Moses, that Code given from Mt. Sinai did not set aside the promises that were already in place. Even God's holy Law does not supersede the promises. They still stand after Moses' great work. Put another way, the inheritance promised to the Seed, to Christ, is foremost among the promises of God, and the Lord extends it to those who, like Abraham, have unwavering faith in Him (vs. 18).
Note what follows. St. Paul is swift to point out that the Law was not a waste of time nor superfluous. He will say, in verse 24, immediately after this reading, that the Law functioned as "our custodian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith." [NBV] In today's lesson, the Apostle sets the stage for this insight by showing how the custodianship of the Law functions. Those who live under the Law of Moses are confined "under sin that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe" (vs. 22).
Law is a very able instrument of God, exposing the sin in all of us, for even good and godly rules have a way of provoking us to disobey them, because of sin operating within us. Therefore, if one foolishly believes that by having a clear-cut set of rules he will be able to attain righteousness, he is sadly mistaken. At best the Law is a restraint. As St. Paul says, "if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law" (vs. 21). Conversely, God's promises convey the assurance of life and righteousness.
The promise made to Abraham was a promise made to his Seed, to Christ. It promised that in Christ, the Seed of Abraham, "all the nations of the earth shall be blessed" (Gen. 22:18). That promise is being fulfilled in Christ. People of every nation, language, and tongue are being blessed with life in Christ. Let us not trade fulfillment in the Lord for any legalism!
Behold, the Hope of Israel hath come. Rejoice, O nations; for the Light appeareth!