Galatians 3:12 ‘However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM.”’
The Law is good. They give us guidance on how to treat each other, how to relate to God. In the broader context the bible teaches us how to raise children, to conduct business, marriage relations and much more. However, this verse addresses hints at how to be right with God. Basically to keep the Law perfectly. We all know to do that isn’t possible. By that standard it’s not possible to have a relationship with God based on how well we keep the law. While the Law had several purposes, one was to show us it’s not possible to fix our past wrongs.
What are we to do? Today’s verse hints at it. It says the law was not of faith. That makes us think of Abraham. The famous verse about this is Genesis 15:6, “Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” What interesting about this is that this was hundreds of years before Moses and the Law. When most think of the Old Testament, the Law comes to mind. Yet Abraham’s model predated the Law.
Trusting God to fix it is the answer. That’s how Abraham did it. He knew that God was trustworthy. We know much more about God, having the entire bible does that. But with the knowledge that Abraham had, that was enough. We can trust Him.
What Moses and the Law gave us was how to treat others and God. He also showed that “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22). We saw this with Abraham. There were animal sacrifices back then.
However, these sacrifices weren’t permanent. Hebrews 10 speaks to that. Verse one says, “For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. Then verse four spells it out, “For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”
The permanent blood sacrifice was Jesus. The animal sacrifices were just temporary until Jesus came. He could have came and died as soon as Adam and Eve sinned. However, it wouldn’t have been appreciated. Galatians 4:4 says, “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, having been born of a woman, having been born under the Law.” All of history is a beautiful love story of how God sought to redeem us.
Our great God can be trusted. He has shown us the way. His name is Jesus. Lord, thank You for all You’ve done for us. The way of faith, trusting that You can do it, is what You still want from us. Help us to trust.