The Proper Relationship Between God’s Promise and His Law (Wed. Sept. 13)

The word of the day is “promise.”  Since the Reformation, many think in opposites:  Law/Gospel; Faith/Works; grace/merit.  In terms of today’s reading of Galatians 3:15-22, they juxtapose the promise given to Abraham with the directives given to Moses.  But the problem is that then these believers pit one category against the other as if each canceled out the other. But when Paul argues that righteousness is by faith, he states, “Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not!” (vs. 21).  The Almighty is One with one will and purpose.  And He did not establish one order of salvation only to contradict Himself with another.  Today we learn that we need to put the categories that describe God’s work of salvation…

The Gift of the Holy Spirit: An Outward Sign of Saving Faith (Tues. Sept. 12)

The word of the day if faith  In our reading of Galatians 2:21-3:7 St. Paul asks an urgent  question:  “Did you receive the Holy Spirit by works of the Las or by the hearing of faith. (OSB vs. 2:2). He is so adamant that he asks the same question again (OSB vs. 2:5). Salvation is a Process That powerful question seems a bit off track. Why didn’t Paul say, “Were you saved by faith?” The answer is that “salvation” is a process. The Greek Archdiocesan Website states, “The reception of the gift of salvation is not a one-time event, but a lifetime process. St. Paul employs the verb “to save” (sozesthai) in the past tense (‘we have been saved,’) [Rom…