You know, there are some Scripture passages that, after reading them, you have this intense desire to respond by doing something. Passages that cry out for action such as “Go into all the world” . . . or “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling”. But then there are other passages that you read and you sit back and realize there’s nothing to be done. Those are the passages concerning our salvation . . . those are the passages like Galatians 3.

Paul is defending the gospel in Galatians . . . combating those who preach a “Jesus plus” form of the good news as in, Jesus plus obeying the rules and regulations of the law, . . . which, he says, is really no good news at all. Instead, Paul says in the latter part of Galatians, it’s all about a promise. A promise made by God to Abraham concerning God’s intention to bless all peoples . . . and to do so through one of his progeny . . . the God Man, Jesus Christ. “Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as of many, but as of one, ‘And to your Seed,’ who is Christ.” (Gal. 3:16).

The promise was concerning blessing and inheritance. The promise was made to Abraham . . . the covenant established with him. The promise spoke of his Seed, as the means of enacting the promise. The scope of the promises availability was to all nations throughout all ages. The promise being received by those who have, by faith, been baptized into Christ and put on Christ (3:27). “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (3:29).

So I sit back this morning and consider again the implications of being a “promise person.” It’s almost overwhelming. Nothing I could have done, nor could ever do, to merit the inheritance associated with the promise. No “to do” list long enough to make me a “worthy recipient” of the blessings promised through Abraham. Instead, by His grace, I have been made a child of God through faith in Christ Jesus (3:26). A child of God and joint heir with Christ . . . heir to an inheritance of unimaginable riches reserved in heaven for all those “promise people.”

So what does a “promise person” who can do nothing to merit the promise do? Right now, it is to chew on and enjoy the truths concerning promise . . . to bask in the light of His glorious blessing . . . and just to thank Him and praise Him.

There will be opportunity as the day begins to “respond” to the promise with a holy determination to live in a manner consistent with being a child of promise . . . but for right now, I just sit back in wonder . . . in awe . . . in gratitude . . . and rejoice in being a “promise person.” Amen.