And the Scriptures, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, declared the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the Gentiles shall be blessed in you.” 9 For this reason, those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed. (Gal 3:8–9)
Scriptures prophesied the true justification of faith. God says that all the nations will be blessed by Abraham. God gave Abraham faith and abandon, and, through Abraham, his strong blessing flows out to all the nations. We may be good and virtuous without entering into the state of faith, leading a settled and good life. But for perfect justification, we must enter faith. Therefore, we receive the blessing along with Abraham, the gift of faith.
For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the things written in the book of the law.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law; for “The one who is righteous will live by faith.” (Gal 3:10–11)
Those who trust the works of the law are mistaken and bring on themselves the curse that makes them guilty. The law has power only because of its ability to condemn and kill. Because the law is ultimately based in violence, it cannot be depended upon to save and deliver. We understand that the law does not communicate grace, because the threat and use of violence must accomplish the law. Hence, the believer cannot have confidence in the works of the law. Instead, we put all our trust in the grace of God merited by Jesus Christ, who accomplished the law perfectly. He fulfilled the law by grace as he lived the will of his Father. Jesus Christ trusted his Father.
The consequence of this belief is clear. The just live by faith; therefore to be justified, live by faith. To be justified, let us live faith. When we live this faith, we will be just since the just live by faith. This argument suffers no contradictions.
But the law does not rest on faith; on the contrary, “Whoever does the works of the law 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 hangs on a tree.” (Gal 3:12–13)
The law in itself does not establish trust in faith. It stops before faith. The law does not have the Spirit and is ignorant of the way of faith.
Jesus Christ delivers us from the heavy burden of the law with its servitude and curse. Instead, Jesus Christ works in our hearts so that we abandon ourselves to him and walk in faith. Paul writes that Jesus Christ delivers us from the observation of the law since it is contrary to the words of Jesus Christ. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill” (Matt 5:17). Therefore by his death, Jesus Christ accomplishes the fulfillment of the law. He came to deliver us from the curse of the law, that is to say, the heavy slavery of the law. The violence of the law is a heavy yoke upon our hearts. Instead, the yoke of Jesus Christ is gentle and humble in heart. Jesus says, “For my yoke is easy and my burden light” (Luke 11:30).
But how does Jesus Christ deliver us from this harsh servitude? It is by making himself cursed for us, he places himself under all the rigors of the law with full responsibility for this heavy burden. By doing so, he delivers us from the severity of the law and fulfills the justice of His Father. He places in us perfect grace and makes this easy by the power and efficacy of his love. We must not look upon his love as a law, but as a pleasure greater than the world, that carries us with sweetness and with nothing contrary to God’s good will. We obey God and he delivers us from slavery to the law. For us, we remain in God’s sweetness and graciousness.
Why do people stay with the violence and difficulty of the law? They do not walk in the Spirit but they trust only in the law. They accomplish things only with strange violence. This new life of faith seems impossible to them, and instead of this, they want the pleasure and ease of the world. Because they do not want this faith, they enter into death.
In order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (Gal 3:14)
The blessing of Abraham is the Spirit of the Lord that brings faith and abandon. This communicates to us the promises of Jesus Christ. But do all Christians receive the Spirit? No, because not all Christians trust Jesus Christ. Instead, they trust their own actions and propriety. They do not trust God.
Brothers and sisters, I give an example from daily life: once a person’s will has been ratified, no one adds to it or annuls it. 16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to him offspring; it does not say, “And to your offsprings,” as of many; but it says, “And to your offspring,” that is, to one person, who is Christ. 17 My point is this: the law, which came four hundred thirty years later, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. (Gal 3:15–17)
God gave his promise as a gift so we could have the freedom of his children. This promise was made before the law was given. The law does not mean the end of God’s promises. Faith tells us that the promises are ours. Therefore, by faith and not by the law is Jesus Christ received in the heart. The law does not abolish the promise but is given as a favor of the promise.
God gave the law as a pledge of the fulfillment of the promise. The law serves as a forerunner of Jesus Christ. Once Jesus Christ came, the law was finished because Jesus Christ was the end and consummation of the law. Jesus Christ confirms the strength of the law because the law leads us to Jesus Christ. But once we have arrived in Jesus Christ, the way of the law ceases, because we have entered into Jesus Christ and faith. The law is finished as a way but is not destroyed and abolished. To the contrary, the law helps us see Jesus Christ and his perfection. The law is reunited in the end and perfectly consummated where all becomes one in Jesus Christ.
For if the inheritance comes from the law, it no longer comes from the promise; but God granted it to Abraham through the promise. 19 Why, then, the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring would come to whom the promise had been made; and it was ordained through angels by a mediator. (Gal 3:18–19)
Our inheritance comes from God and our inheritance is God. God promised an inheritance to Abraham and the inheritance is Jesus Christ. This promised faith gives us the Jesus Christ.
We see that the gift of Jesus Christ did not come to us through the law. If Jesus Christ were given to us through the law, he would have been the reward and recompense of the law. God made the promise before the law; the promise is not the reward of the law.
But why, says Paul to himself as an objection, is the law given to us, if the law does not give Jesus Christ? The law, he responds, has been given to stop sin; the law is given as a way to view sin and a way to lead us to Jesus Christ, since the law introduces the person to the faith and this communicates Jesus Christ. Therefore the law must be given first and the person was initially subject to the law, so that sin was clearly seen. The law shows sin but cannot completely destroy it. The law was prepared and given to humanity by angels. These are not communications made by Jesus Christ but by the intermediaries of ministering angels.
Yet this subjection to the law was absolutely necessary. This is the narrow door that holds the person still in order to prevent sin while God purifies the soul. The reason for this is that the people use their choices for sin so God wants to abolish sin so the person will return to God. The law provides a necessary purification through the mediation of angels.
But this state of servitude that appears perfect will never communicate Jesus Christ himself who is the Son of the promise. Only Jesus Christ gives us himself.
This law is the way of introduction, since it leads the soul to the pure faith, where it may never enter unless purified by the way of the law. This law helps us grow by keeping us captive and still. This law holds the person in an interior state that does not waste its energies externally. The external law regulates everything and takes