Pauline Reflections 19 - 7th March 2009
 

Thus Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. Realize then that it is those who have faith who are children of Abraham. Scripture, which saw in advance that God would justify the gentiles by faith, foretold the good news to Abraham, saying, through you shall all the nations be blessed. Consequently, those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham who had faith.
Galatians 3:6-9

In these verses Paul defined the identity of the Galatian converts as they struggled with the conflict between their new status and the demands of the Jewish Law. As has been shown in history, converts to a new religion often face a crisis of identity in reconciling their new status with their past and with their cultural identity. I can recall that during my days of study in preparation for the priesthood, I used to ask myself questions like: Am I first an African before being a Christian? Does my Christian status rob me of my cultural heritage and identity? Questions like these are not very easy to answer, especially when the convert begins to practise the new faith and finds elements of another culture dominating his own.

In this case, the Galatians, new in the faith, were perhaps persuaded to acquire a Jewish identity by accepting circumcision. They were probably reminded that the mother church in Jerusalem was a law-observant Jewish church. It became important for Paul to reassure them and to confirm their identity. Thus, in these verses, Paul compares them to the status of Abraham, whom we refer to as our father in faith even today. Abraham was justified by faith. The Galatians like Abraham heard with faith and experienced justification. In verses 7-9, Paul emphasised that it is faith that matters, for Abraham and for the children of Abraham, in contrast to the claims of the opponents that circumcision and observance of the law are very necessary.

Faith in God is even more necessary in our time. Faith gives meaning to life, makes us see light at the end of the tunnel, and helps us to overcome the storms and challenges of life. We should avoid the tendency of becoming so entrenched in rules and rituals that we end up loosing our focus - faith in God and in his promises.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of my faith. Increase my faith, and may I always trust and serve you just as I am - and not as anyone else. Amen