10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” 12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. (Galatians 3:10–14, ESV)
Through this passage over the past couple of weeks, we’ve examined two reasons the gospel of grace transfers us from curse to blessing: it shows us the way of faith and that Christ is the one to consume the curse. The third reason the gospel transfers us from curse to blessing is that it brought the Spirit to us. Because Jesus died and rose, when we believe in him, we become recipients of the Holy Spirit (cf. Eph. 1:13-14, 2 Cor. 1:22). He is God, and he makes his home in us. Paul explained this truth this way:
So that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. (Galatians 3:14)
We talked about the blessing of Abraham in the last chapter, but now Paul gives it a precise definition: the promised Spirit (14). The Galatians knew this was true, and Paul had already interviewed them earlier in this chapter about it. Had not the Spirit come upon them when they believed? Yes, he had. And the Galatians knew it.
Now, Paul labels the gift of the Spirit as the blessing of Abraham—a fantastic title. God told Abraham that people of all nations would be blessed through him (Genesis 12:1-3). That blessing came through the gospel of Jesus, but here, Paul says the gospel brought the Spirit of God to live within us. That is the blessing of Abraham!
This was a key point for the Galatians because they might have begun thinking that the Law of the Old Testament was entirely worthless to Paul. But it was not. Over and over again, throughout the First Testament, God's prophets, priests, and kings pleaded with God's people to obey the law. If they did, a beautiful society would emerge, and they would drink in the goodness of living in God's blessing. The law gave them just rules for how to govern daily life and worship. But, though it could govern them for good, restrain them from evil, and bless them in practical ways, it could not justify them in God's sight. When we believe in the gospel, the Spirit comes to live within us, and he begins to help us live for God.
As Paul will say later, the Spirit helps us love, and the whole law is fulfilled in one word: to love our neighbor as ourselves (Galatians 5:13-14). In a sense, the Spirit helps us live according to the very law we could not keep. When I read the Law of the Old Testament, I think of myself as reading principles I can now adhere to only by the power of the Holy Spirit. As I fellowship with Christ, his life flows into mine, and I am empowered and transformed to live in the way his law promotes. I am not justified by it. I am not approved by it. But I can now grow into doing more and more of it because of the Spirit within me.
Life in the Spirit is wonderful. He is like a battery that energizes me for this life of faith. He is like a lamp that illuminates the path in front of me. He is like a fire that warms me from the bitter cold of life and burns off impurities. He is like a mirror that shows me where I need to change. He is like water that satisfies a deep thirst within. He is like a wind in my sails, propelling me to his destination. He is like a guide who comes along and leads me on the next leg of a long journey. With the Spirit within, you can be led by God himself! This is a blessing the gospel gives.
Conclusion
I once heard the story of two men whose row boat capsized above Niagara Falls. The current rapidly carried them to the falls. People on the shore floated a rope out to them, and they both grabbed it. But one of the men saw a large log floating by and, in a panic, let go of the rope and grabbed at the log instead, leading to his demise. [1]
We might trust in many other things—our religious activity, prayers, or good deeds—but only Christ can deliver us. Cling to his cross! Rely on him! Depend on him!
When we do, we escape the curse of the law and enter into the blessing of the gospel. It brings us into a life of faith. It shows us that Christ took on our curse by becoming a curse for us on the cross. It allows us to partake in the blessing of Abraham, namely by receiving the Holy Spirit the prophets of old said would come.
And, with the Spirit leading and empowering our lives, we can enjoy the very life the law hoped to achieve—one where we trust in the true and living God, refuse to worship anything that would dehumanize us, are free from all forms of shameful defilement, and are generous and just, keeping God's rules and acting faithfully (Ezekiel 18:5-9). It is a life where God puts his laws into our minds and writes them on our hearts (Heb. 8:10).
The Spirit empowers us, partly by reforming our motivations. And with this change of perspective and fresh empowerment, our lives come to be describable with just one word—blessed!
[1] Spurgeon, C. H. 1972. Around the Wicket Gate. Welwyn Garden City, England: Evangelical Press.