Spend time in prayer and silence with God, asking Him to meet with you and speak to you.
Bible Reading
Consider Abraham, “He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. The scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do EVERYTHING written in the Book of the Law.” Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.” The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
– Galatians 3:6-14
Devotion
Paul now uses an illustration from the life of Abraham to make his point regarding justification. He begins by quoting Genesis 15:6, “He (Abraham) believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Abraham was made righteous in God’s eyes by simply believing what God said. Abraham is a great example of justification by faith. It cannot be said that Abraham was justified by the law because the Mosaic Law was not given until four hundred years after Abraham. Neither can it be said that he was justified by circumcision because he was justified before God gave him the commandment of circumcision. Circumcision was the outward evidence of Abraham’s faith, just as baptism is the external evidence of a believer’s faith today. Neither circumcision nor baptism can save or justify the sinner in God’s sight. Therefore, just as Abraham was justified or saved by believing what God said, we too are justified or saved by believing in God’s One and Only Son: Jesus!
The Big Question
How does knowing that salvation is the result of God’s grace make you feel? How does knowing that God maintains your salvation by His grace make you feel? With grace comes freedom! This important doctrine of justification by faith allows the believer to get off the religious treadmill and begin to experience a new way to live. The pressure is off! How does it feel?
Conclude your time in prayer and silence, reflecting on what God revealed to you today.