As we’ve been studying Galatians it has become clear that Abraham was a man of faith who believed the promise God gave him. All who follow his example of faith become children of Abraham. This fulfills God’s promise to him: “All nations will be blessed through you” (Galatians 3:8).
It took Abraham a long time to finally, simply accept the promise God made to him that he would have a son through Sarah, his wife. That son, Isaac, would be the beginning of a special line of people through whom the Messiah would come. Once Abraham believed this, God declared him righteous.
That was not the end of his faith journey. In a way it was the beginning. Each day following his son’s birth was a new opportunity and challenge, and required him to “live by faith.” I’m sure he had many ideas about how he wanted his son and future progeny to live, but many of those ideas had to be placed on the altar.
Ultimately God asked Abraham to offer his son Isaac on an altar. He had to release what he had received in order to keep it. Paul also had to turn from all he had done to obtain God’s favor, and simply believe in God’s promise and provision. He put it like this in Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
This transaction can only take place by faith. Once we understand this we are released from self-effort and self-interest and are ready to live by faith. This is the key to experiencing the fulfilled life.
