Paul's Epistles - Galatians
Part 7 – The Law
and the Promise
Pastor Bruce A.
Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org
INTRODUCTION
Paul has continued to preach “Christ the
Deliverer”, the only one who can deliver us from the Law!
Remember, the 10 commands of God, the Law
of Moses, was given by God, NOT to justify or save anyone, but to show our
guilt and need for a savior.
Paul, being educated by one of the
greatest teachers of the Law, Gamaliel,
understood the Pentateuch (Greek), or
Torah, Paul came to realize that the Law does not justify anyone, nor does it
save, Christ however, was the answer to the condemnation brought by the Law.
Putting Faith in
Christ allowed one to receive His Grace, which was our Salvation.
Saved by Grace.
The ONLY
salvation there is, which can only be found in the one who satisfied the
requirements of sin, which was sacrifice.
Paul was upset
and confronted Peter when Peter began to bend to pressure from the circumcised.
Peter began to
separate himself from the Gentiles, and began teaching things such as obedience
to the Law and circumcision, which is contrary to the work of Christ, and
therefore, not only is it not necessary, it negates the work of the Cross, and
paints a picture of Christ as being insufficient.
This offended
Paul because it was contrary to the teachings of Christ, therefore Paul
confronted Peter and opposed him on this front, claiming that Peter was not
only teaching false doctrine, but causing brothers and sisters to fall,
including Barnabas.
Paul’s opposed
Peter, and last week looked at Abraham’s Faith to prove works cannot save. This
week we will look at the Law and the Promise.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE Galatians 3:15-22
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.
19 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.
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.
I.
HUMAN COVENANT OR
LEGAL CONTRACT
a.
No one can set aside (ignore) or add to a legal
contract that has been officially established
i. The Abrahamic
Covenant of Justification by Faith is still in force
ii. It
cannot be “set aside” or broken
b.
The promises were spoken to Abraham and his seed
(singular)
i. All those who are
brought in through Salvation by Faith in Christ have part in this Promise
ii. The
Abrahamic Covenant which is Justification by Faith
c.
The Law was established 430 years later
i. The Law “Law of
Moses”
ii. The Law
of Moses did not annul the Abrahamic Covenant
iii. The
“inheritance” is ONLY established by God in the Promise of the Abrahamic
Covenant!
II.
WHY WAS THE LAW
GIVEN AT ALL?
a.
The Law was added because of transgressions (sin)
i. The Law was given
to define sin
b.
The Law was given through angels and entrusted to
mediator
i. In other words,
Moses was the mediator
ii. For
there to be a mediator, there has to be more than one person involved
iii. The
mediator is the middle person between two or more people who are at enmity or
hostile with each other.
c.
Mediator implies more than one party, but God is one
i. God is the mediator
of the New Covenant
1.
But in a different way than Moses
ii. Jesus
is God, and Jesus is also man
1.
Consequently, the New Covenant doesn’t depend
upon man, but rather the man Christ Jesus.
iii. Therefore
this Covenant cannot fail
III.
IS THE LAW IN
OPPOSITION TO THE PROMISES OF GOD?
a.
Absolutely not
b.
If a Law had been given that could impart life then
righteousness would certainly have come by the Law
i. The Law of Moses
could only show man what he was without God
1.
sinful
ii. but it
had now power to change the man!
iii. When we
have Faith in Christ, we become part of the Promise, which is the New Covenant
1.
Then we are changed by the power of the
Holy Spirit
c.
But scripture locked everything up
i. The Law cannot give
eternal life
ii. It
could only exact its penalty, which is death
CONCLUSION – The promise by faith of jesus christ might be given to
them who believe
Eternal life comes
by Faith in the Promise.
That Promise is
Jesus Christ, and what He accomplished at the Cross!
The word “believe”
demands that Christ and the Cross ever be the object of our faith!
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