The late Muhammad Ali in a Reader’s Digest interview once commented: “One day we’re all going to die, and God is going to judge us [our] good deeds and bad deeds. If the bad outweighs the good, you go to hell, if the good outweighs the bad, you go to heaven.” There is little doubt that Ali is one of the greatest boxers ever to live, but his theology is sketchy.
In Galatians chapter three Paul writes about the gospel of freedom. He realizes that the Judaizers were teaching a counterfeit gospel that added to Christ the law (works). Paul is deeply concerned about the Gentile (non-Jewish) believers because the Judaizers were trying to make the Gentile’s also Jewish. In essence, this counterfeit gospel was teaching that Jesus is good, but to be truly accepted by God you must also follow Old Testament ceremonial law and be circumcised. Paul’s frustration with this falsity is clearly revealed in his statement in Galatians chapter five: “I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves” (Gal 5:12). The problem is that the Judaizers were following the poor leadership of the Pharisees whom Jesus described: “Everything they do is for show” (Matt 23:5a). Therefore, Paul reminds everyone of the true gospel.
In the first few verses of chapter three of Galatians Paul confronts those believers who were trying to make it through life on their own strength as well as falling into the trap of people-pleasing. Now don’t get me wrong it is not wrong to please people, but people-pleasing is when one compromises what they know to be right to be accepted by others. In the Galatian church, people were exchanging the true gospel of peace (salvation by grace) for a counterfeit gospel (salvation by works). The Judaizers were saying you are saved through Christ and works, but the true gospel is God’s promise of salvation delivered in Christ alone, by faith alone. In fact, the very Spirit of God is given to those who come to God by faith.
Paul uses Abraham as an example of saving faith. He is the perfect example for many reasons, but especially since he is the earthly father of the Jewish people and the recipient of the Abrahamic Promise. If Abraham is made acceptable to God by works the Judaizers are right, but if he was made acceptable through faith alone the true gospel Paul has shared is proven true for both Jew and Gentile (all people). In other words, Paul shows that salvation has always been by faith. Paul explains: “I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ” (Gal 3:5). He continues: “The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God” (Gal 3:7). Then he concludes: “So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith” (Gal 3:9). The Spirit is given to all believers, like Abraham, through faith. In Genesis, we discover that God promised Abraham that, “in Abraham all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (see: Gen 12:1-3). This promise is not confined to an immediate, single family or a single nation, but all the families of the earth. This promise is fulfilled in Christ through whom all believers are made true sons and daughters of God (see: Gen 15). Jesus has redeemed us so all (Jew and Gentile) can receive the promise of salvation through Christ (Gal 3:13-14). Jesus is all we need. Jesus allows the promise made to Abraham, way back in Genesis, to be fulfilled (Gal 3:15-16). We are free from the bondage of sin as well as the chains of religion, which would make us work to receive the promise (Gal 3:21-22).
Now back to Ali’s statement. He was right one day all of us will stand before God and give an account of our lives, but Jesus is the difference maker. Paradise is not a matter of good works or some cosmically divine scale of good and bad deeds. Eternity with God is based solely on faith in Christ. Those who chose Christ, who receive His offer of eternal life, are true sons and daughters of God and those who don’t are not. The true gospel of peace is that we are saved by faith alone, and it is this grace of God that allows us to find salvation, and it is this same grace that allows us to continue in faith as those who are saved.
We have much to celebrate as true sons and daughters of God. I am so grateful to enjoy God’s promise to Abraham with each of you. Out of deep appreciation, we get to love God and make Him known.