plant a seed

Galatians 3:15-21

The key words of this passage are: covenant, law, seed(s), promise. Paul's argument is that the the promise given to Abraham is not dependent on the law, nor is it done away with by the law. The law was given to contain (not sure that's the best word but I couldn't think of another) or restrain (is that any better?) sin until the promise was fulfilled. He bases his argument on one letter, saying that Abraham was promised seed not seeds and therefore the promise is about Jesus not about all his descendants. This seems like shaky hermeneutics based on our present use of the word seed (a seed package doesn't just have one seed in it, we seem to use seed and seeds interchangeable to speak of the plural).
Paul remains adamant that righteousness is not achieved by doing works or keeping the law. This week I'm listening to Bruxy Cavey speak all about how the gospel is the good news message that God became one of us to show us God's love, save us from sin and destroy religion. This is Paul's message: we don't need the temple rituals, we don't need the law, we don't need religious practices because Jesus is the mediator between us and God (implying that it is not the church, it is not our religious practices, it is not the temple sacrificial system, it is not the law). When I add religion, I am one of the hypocrites and Pharisees that Jesus challenged and spoke against so often. God, I repent of falling in love with my structures and rituals rather than growing in my love and experience of Jesus. Please save me from my tendency to worship forms rather than the substance.