Galatians 3:18-19 "For if the
inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham
by promise. (19) Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added
because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was
made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator."
The entire book of Galatians is Paul's addressing the
contrast between law and grace. I realize there is a vast difference in
people's approach to both. There are those who believe that you have to do good
works in order to get to heaven. On the other end of the spectrum, you find
people who believe they can live any way they want to because they are saved by
grace. Paul's teachings take us down the path of balancing the two.
In Ephesians 2:10, we read that "we are God's
workmanship created unto good works." In Titus 3:5, we read
"not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His
mercy, He saved us..." There must be a balance,
and I believe Paul, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, achieves that balance
when he said, "the life I NOW live, I live by the faith of the Son of God
"
God has given us an inheritance by His promise.
We cannot do enough good works to be a possessor of that inheritance, but we
must strive to be good stewards of that inheritance. How can we do that?
It seems to me that the best stewards are those who seek to serve and please
the Lord in our lives. Lord, please help me to be a better steward.