Today we
are looking at the promises given in Galatians 3. Paul explains the reason for the law and the
promise given to current believers in Christ.
15
Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one
can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it
is in this case. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed.
Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your
seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. 17 What I mean is this: The law,
introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously
established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18 For if the inheritance
depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his
grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.
1.
In
Vs 15, Paul calls them brothers and sisters because they are of the same family,
and this was a familiar thought in their day as it is ours. We are in the family of God because of our
association and acceptance of Jesus Christ and we have been adopted into God’s
family. We are sons and daughters of the
Lord. Paul gives them an example of
everyday life so no one can set aside, excuse, justify or add a human covenant
or element that has been duly established as it is in this case. An agreement in the ancient world was binding
in the ancient world. It could not be
broken unless both parties agreed on it.
It was either done by a verbal, handshake, or some form of symbol
usually a signet ring.
2.
In
Vs 16, The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. This did not mean many people but to just one
person, who is Christ. Jesus is the
fulfillment of all promises given to Abraham.
It is through Jesus Christ that all people would be blessed. It is through Christ that the fulfillment of
Abraham being the Father of many nations would come. It wasn’t through the law, or priest, it
happened through Jesus Christ alone. It
is faith in Jesus Christ and His work on the cross that all people, nations,
tribes, and languages are blessed. He is
the universal savior and that is how all people become descendants of Abraham
by faith.
3.
In
Vs 17, that the law was introduced 430 years later at Sinai and does not put
aside or replace the covenant God made to Abraham or do away with its
promise. The giving of the law did not
supersede or replace the promise to Abraham that through his seed all nations
would be blessed. That was the
misrepresentation that the Judaizers were making. They were saying that the law was the
covenant made through Abraham which it was not.
4.
In
Vs 18, Paul says that if the inheritance and promise given depended on the law
then it is not in effect, but God in His grace, mercy and love gave it to
Abraham. Abraham lived in an age we call
conscience. He simply took God at His
word, trusted God and in obedience did what God asked him to do. We live in the age of grace and our world
operates the same way. A way to remember
Grace is God’s, riches, at, Christ’s, expense.
We receive the promises of God today by faith because of what Jesus
Christ did for us. That is what
communion which we are going to celebrate next month is all about.
Why,
then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until
the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through
angels and entrusted to a mediator. 20 A mediator, however, implies more than
one party; but God is one.
1.
In
Vs 19 Paul explains why the law was given.
It was given to show sin and what transgression was. It was a set of laws and boundaries given so
mankind would know what God wanted. It
gave the nation of Israel a framework to operate. It helped people to understand
substitutionary death. The law showed
what sin was and how through the death of another their sins could be forgiven. The law was given through angels which most
people did not see and entrusted to a mediator.
It gave them a practical glimpse of what Jesus would do when He came in
the fullness of time and offered himself on the cross. His last words were, “it
is finished and all things have been fulfilled.
2.
Paul
in Vs 20, then reveals an incredible truth, a mediator implies more than one
party, but God is one. He alludes to the
fact that God is trinity here. The
Father, Son and Holy Spirit were working together. The fact of the matter is the angel talked
about here was Jesus Christ. He is
referred by scholars in the Old Testament as the Angel of the Lord. Paul is saying that Jesus gave the law,
introduced substitutionary death, fulfilled the law, and gave his life so
mankind could have the promise of Abraham.
21
Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a
law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly
have come by the law. 22 But Scripture has locked up everything under the
control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus
Christ, might be given to those who believe.
1.
In
Vs 21, Paul answers a question brought forth by the Judaziers, “Is the law
opposed to the promises of God?”
Absolutely not. The law was not
given to impart life if it did than righteousness would have come by the
law. The law was a school master, it was
a boundary or guidebook showing what sin was.
Man, now knows what God requires and what sin looked like. You
might say it was the YouTube of what sin was.
2.
In
Vs 20, Paul hits the nail on the head. Scripture
has made it clear that everything is under the control of sin. God told Cain that he could master sin, but
it was looking for an opportunity to master him. When Cain sinned, all mankind was then
subject to sin. All mankind are sinners.
All have fallen short of the glory of God. However, sins power was destroyed when the
promise came who was Jesus Christ. Now
if we accept Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, broken body and shed blood by
faith all that was promised to Abraham is now ours. We have been restored to man’s original
state. All the promises of God are yes,
and amen in Jesus Christ.
23
Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked
up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. 24 So the law was our
guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that
this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
1.
In
Vs 21, Paul says before the coming of this current age of grace and faith,
mankind was held in custody. You might
say in spiritual and natural jail. We
were like prisoners. This happened until
faith that was to come through Jesus Christ would be revealed. Paul equates the law to doing jail time. He knew because he was imprisoned in a way of
thinking that led him to persecute the church.
Law keeping is a spiritual prison.
Instead of freeing you it binds you.
It is blindness leading to bondage.
2.
In
Vs 22, Paul says that the law was a guardian.
A guardian has rights and responsibility, but they are not necessarily a
parent. A parent has a relationship
based on love. A guardian does not
always. They give you boundaries but not
freedom. A parent gives freedom with
responsibility. The law was in place
until the law fulfiller Jesus Christ came and through Him, we are justified or
declared righteous in the sight of God.
3.
Now
that the age of faith and grace has come.
We are no longer under the guardian or the law we have all the rights,
freedom, benefits and inheritances as sons and daughters of God.
So
in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you
who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is
neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female,
for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are
Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
1.
In
Vs 26, Paul states his theme of all of us being the children of God. This being one of his first letters by the
time he gets to Ephesians some 13 years later this whole though was
complete. Paul took Jn 3:16, to
heart. God’s love brought Christ into
the world to save all mankind.
2.
In
Vs 27, Paul talks about how in water baptism you identified with His death
burial and resurrection. Now you have
clothed in Christ. He says we have new
clothing of righteousness. We have the
nature, essence, goals, promises, and character of Christ. We want to do the will of our Father and
bring righteousness, peace, and joy into our world.
3.
In
Vs 28, Paul says there is no distinction in Christ we are all one in
Christ. We are all part of God’s
family. Adopted by the same means and
method. Sons and daughters with
everything that goes with it. Eternal
and Abundant life. What the law could
not do Jesus who is the fulfillment of the law did.
4.
In
Vs 29, Paul puts everyone who has accepted Jesus Christ is the seed of
Abraham. As Abraham came in the time of
conscience we do in the age of grace by faith in the promise of God. Jesus was that promise, and He was that
seed. We are joint heirs with Jesus
Christ. Everything that Jesus secured is
now ours.
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