Galatians 3 the law and the promise bible questions. Believers in christ are justified by faith, not by works of the law. But that would involve the overthrow of gods government, and the ending of his existence. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. The promise focuses on gods grace, sovereignty, and blessings. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. Just as no one can set aside or amend an irrevocable agreement, so it is in this case. So, paul emphasizes that the law was given to moses through angels, and moses in turn mediated the law to the people. Here paul deals with the problem of faith and works of law and also with the relation between law.
The law could not bring about gods blessing but only a curse vv. For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise. Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the book of the law. Its purpose was to make obvious to everyone that we are, in ourselves, out of right relationship with god, and therefore to show us the futility of devising some religious system for getting by our own efforts what we can only get by waiting in faith for god to complete his. Many have wrongly interpreted passages in galatians as meaning an end to the ten commandments or just the fourth commandment the sabbath. Salvation is a free gift of god received through faith and it is not dependent on any human effort. And this i say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by god in christ, that it should make the promise of no effect. Galatians 3, new international version niv the bible app. It was an addition made to underline the existence and extent of sin until the arrival of the seed jesus to whom the promise referred.
First, he argues that since the promise was given first and the agreement between god and abraham was set up and ratified as a promiseagreement, it cant be changed by something that happened 430 years later. So the judaizers are wrong to teach the galatian christians to supplement their faith with works of the law, and paul is bending all his efforts in. It was added because of transgressions until the seed to whom the promise referred had come. Trials can be one way to discover what you are truly relying upon. In these verses paul has shown the galatians what the law could not do, in spite of the promises and preaching of the judaizers. This study comes from week 109 of the reading plan, galatians. In doing so, however, he did not neglect the vital role of the law of god. God gave his law through angels to moses, who was the mediator between god and the people.
For if the inheritance could be received by keeping the law, then it would not be the result of accepting gods promise. Alistair begg discusses the relationship between the law and faith and the important role condemnation plays in the proclamation of the good news. I know that the law is perfect and would be a way to heaven if anyone could actually follow it. In response, the apostle paul explained that abraham, the father of the faith, was justified by faith alone.
Paul says that the law was added because of transgressions galatians 3. The law was inaugurated in the presence of angels and by the hand of a human intermediary moses. New american standard bible for if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise. The law is inferior to gods promise and a mediator is not for one party, but god is onegalatians 3. The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by god and thus do away with the promise. The role of the old testament law in galatians zondervan. I was a fairly new and inexperienced pastor in my first church. Promise and faith go together, never promise and the law. In response to those who wanted to make human performance a part of salvation, the apostle paul declared to the galatians the liberty found in the gospel.
Galatians and the law what is the law in galatians. Also, in verse 20, because the promise to abraham was given directly by god to abraham, whereas the law was given through intermediaries. Is the law then against the promises of godif the law was added because of transgressions, and curses for them, and if the inheritance is not of it, but by promise, were it, it would not be by promise, then, says an objector, it is against the promises. Clearly no one is justified before god by the law, because, the righteous will live by faith. The law, which came 430 years later, does not revoke a covenant that was previously ratified by god and cancel the promise. Or, more literally, they were not thinking things through. The law background paul is anticipating a possible argument from the judiazers in the churches in galatia. The difference between a promise and a law galatians 3. In galatians 3, paul listed some of the theological reasons why the galatians should not have been deserting christ and falling for a false gospel.
Transcript message for our scripture reading this morning we are turning again to galatians chapter 3, verse 15 through verse 22, and reading these verses, which so wonderfully and succinctly, in fact almost in a legal way, set forth the relationship between moses and abraham, or the law and the promise. The law could not nullify the promise of god to abraham for several reasons. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the. Which law is the apostle paul speaking about in galatians above. In chapter 2 paul had to instruct the galatians again that they are not saved by keeping the law of moses and in chapter 3 he exhorts that they are placing themselves. It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. Pauls sixth argument is that the law as a covenant was not designed to supplant grace but to show the need for grace 3.
The judaizers were propagating a false gospel among the members of the church in galatia by insisting that gentile converts needed to keep the jewish ceremonial law for their justification before god. In your relationship with god, do you rely on observing the law or do you rely upon the promise of god. Pauls argument in galatians is therefore covenanthistorical. Here paul contrasts the oneness of god with a mediator moses, who stands between two parties god and the people. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that. However, the law spoken of all through galatians is the law of moses which is also called the book of the law, the mosaic law and book of the covenant. The legal heir receives his inheritance by law, if there be no will. But the scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in jesus christ might be given to those who believe. Whatever the laws purpose is, it must fit within the context already established by the promise. W97 galatians 3 the law vs the promise open face fellowship. Paul is concerned that the galatians will be as bad off as pagans if they return to the. In the last passage we looked at, paul warns the galatian christians who were influenced by a new teaching continue reading galatians 3. I am reading galatians 3 and verse 19 should answer one of the time old questions of why have you given the law.
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto christ, that we might be justified by faith. All people who are baptized into christ are one, as abrahams offspring and heirs to gods promise galatians 2. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. Scripture does not say and to seeds, meaning many people, but and to your.
Christ as the organ of fulfillment the epistle to the galatians, 162. David gordon argues that paul uses promise, law, and faith in galatians to denote three covenantadministrations by synecdoche a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa, and that he chose each synecdoche because it characterized the distinctive but not exclusive. Some say paul was speaking of the moral law, so they can do away with the ten commandments and be excused to continue living in sin. The promise, therefore, is in every way superior to the law. For if the inheritance depends on observing the law, then it no longer depends on a promise. The book of galatians has become a real stumbling block for many christians when it comes to understanding which law paul is referring to in his letter to the galatians. Galatians 3 the law and the promise 15 brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise. As we return to chapter 3 of the book of galatians this morning paul continues to expound the truth of the gospel. For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise.
After all, the israelites continued to be the children of abraham and continued to keep the abrahamic covenant by believing the promises. But god has granted it to abraham through a promise. Topics new testament studies understanding law in romans and galatians by jeff a. The law, which was given four hundred and thirty years later, cannot break that covenant and cancel gods promise. For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise. This leaves open the question, they why did god even give the law. Abrahams belief in god was credited to him as righteousness.
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