Proper 12 (NTA)

Galatians 3:15-29

¹⁵ To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. ¹⁶ Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. ¹⁷ This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. ¹⁸ For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.

¹⁹ Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. ²⁰ Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.

²¹ Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. ²² But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

²³ Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. ²⁴ So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵ But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, ²⁶ for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. ²⁷ For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

You know it is troublesome sometimes to figure out whose son I actually am. Am I a Son of God like Christ Jesus? Has he handed over his sonship to me? Am I a son of Abraham, whom I have never met? Maybe I am a Son of the Heavenly Father, who I can call upon as my own Father? Or is my earthly Father who actually impregnated mother my actual Father? What if I have been adopted?

Well I think the better thing to remember is that I no longer have to worry about a nurse maid, like the Law. St Paul reminds us that we no longer need the Law to curb us because we have faith in Jesus Christ. But do not be so quick to throw the Law out, because the Law still points out that I can earn my salvation. The Law still tells me that I have to love and care for my neighbor. The Law still tells me I have love my Father, whoever that is. The Law still commands me to do the will of God.

You have been Baptized. You have put on Christ Jesus. You are now saved. Your sins are forgiven. They have been removed from you. You have been washed clean. But this does not mean that we will not sin again. St Paul just wants to point out that God gave a promise to Abraham. That promise is fulfilled in Christ who makes you a Son of God. The Law does not veto it, nor can the Law undermine this promise. It is the eternal promise of God to send his only begotten Son into the flesh to save sinful human beings from eternal fire.