Blog: Max Dawson
January 9, 2017
That’s the language used in Galatians chapter three. Paul speaks of “the promise” in that chapter. In fact, he uses that word no less than nine times in that place.
Several members of our congregation have just begun the Chronological Bible Reading for 2017. Today we are reading from , where God repeats His promise to Abraham. “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed” ().
This promise is one of the three made by God in . The other two being the land promise and the nation promise. Those other two promises were only significant to the degree that they were preparatory and necessary in bringing about the third promise–the seed promise.
Galatians chapter three contains the most direct possible of all statements showing that the seed promise was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The number of significant points that can be made from that chapter are almost without number. I do not have the space here to list and elaborate on all the points that might be made. But, please allow me to make a significant point on .
“…that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”
The “promise of the Spirit” in this verse is not about Christians receiving the Holy Spirit, though that is a view held by many. (As a side note, I do not deny that Christians have the Holy Spirit. They receive a saving relationship with “Father, Son and Holy Spirit” at baptism. See .)
The “promise of the Spirit” has to do with the one who made the promise. The promise made to Abraham was made by the Holy Spirit and repeated to Isaac and Jacob by the Spirit. It was further refined when the Holy Spirit spoke to David telling him that of the fruit of his body He would “raise up the Christ to sit on his throne” (). The one raised was seated at God’s right hand, from which He provides blessings to all nations.
The promise of the Spirit then is about Gentiles (and all Christians) receiving what the Holy Spirit promised to Abraham, that through his seed all nations would be blessed.
THE FINAL WORD
Later, in that same chapter (), the apostle taught that if you belong to Christ, “then you are heirs according to the promise.”
The grand scheme of God through Abraham dates back 4,000 years. And, if you are in Christ, you are part of that grand scheme. You! An heir! Astounding! Is there anything more amazing? What an awesome God we have! Appreciate Him!
Blessings to you, my fellow heirs,
–Max