Galatians 3 verses 15 to 29

 

Galatians 3 verses 15 – 29

Brethren I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but  man’s covenant, yet if it be conformed, no man disannulleth or added thereto.  Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made.  He saith not And to seeds as of many but as of one, And to thy seed which is Christ.  And this I say that the covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.  For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise but God gave it to Abraham by promise.  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.  Now a mediator is not a mediator of one but God is one.  Is the law then against the promises of God?  God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.  But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.  But before faith came, we were kept under the law shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us into Christ that we might be justified by faith.  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.  For ye are all children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.  For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus  And if ye be Christ’s then are ye Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.

Warren Wiersbe's style of presenting each passage in Galatians is something that I cherish. As I grew up in church I was used to a 4 or 5 point sermon which rhymed and Wiersbe does a  similar pattern. For instance in looking at Galatians 3 verses 15 to 29 Warren Wiersbe's points are:

 

The law cannot change the promise - verses 15 to 18

The law is not greater than the promise - verses 19 and 20

The law is not contrary to the promise - verses 21 to 26

The law cannot do what the promise can do - verses 27 to 29

 

What are the 2 words I will remember from this chapter? Law and promise. In fact the word promise is mentioned 8 times in these verses.

 

 

Been grappling with this last night and again today - For we are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.  I am a child of God today - how - by faith in Christ Jesus.  All the privileges of being a child in a family are mine!  Is that not mind blowing.  And what is even more precious is that later on in verse 28 we read "we are all one in Christ Jesus." United by faith.  Paul says that there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither bond (slave) nor free, neither male nor female.  The promise is mine today - is it yours?

 

Warren Wiersbe in these verses states that Paul makes 4 statements that help us understand the relationship between the promise and the law.  When we talk of the promise (and it is used 8 times here in this passage) we are referring to God's promise to Abraham given way back in Genesis 12.  A Jew clung to this promise (and still does) because it was so very important to their whole basis of faith.  Abraham was justified by faith and had all the blessings of salvation as a result of that promise - and remember this is long before Jesus came into the world to die for our sins.  That promise was given in 2000 BC whereas the law of Moses was given about 1450 BC.  The enemies of the believers in Galatia, the Judaizers implied that the giving of the law changed the original covenant of promise but Paul says it did not.  God made a covenant of grace with Abraham with no strings attached.  There was nothing he had to do, he didn't have to promise anything to God.  Moses could not alter the covenant, he cannot add anything to it nor can he take anything from it.

 

How do I apply all this to my life - how do you apply it?  So many today want to "add to their faith". They believe that faith in Christ is just not enough, there has to be something on our part.  They cannot accept that faith in Christ is all they need.  They will try with good works to others including giving to charity, attending church faithfully every week, even reading scripture and praying.  These are all brilliant in themselves but they do not add to our salvation.  They should actually be something we naturally want to do as a result of our faith.  Even now as I write this many would see what I am doing, writing about scripture as something necessary for salvation.  But it is not.  My faith is in Christ, what he has done on Calvary for my sins.  I am not worthy to be called his child but I am so very grateful that every day God reveals to me how much he loves me continually.  That spurs me on to find out the reason why - and that reason is contained in his scriptures.

 

When I look at photographs of special events such as my daughter's graduation I think of all the ceremony, the dressing up, photographs, speeches, celebrating with a meal.  So too the enemies in the Galatian church, the Judaizers wanted to remember how the law of Moses was given.  There was thunder and lightning, all the people trembled with fear.  Moses was shaking in his sandals - Hebrews 12 verses 18 to 21.  But Paul tried to show that the law which was given to Moses was only temporary - it was given until Jesus himself came to earth.  It was not permanent.  When Jesus died and rose from the grave the law was done away with.  When the law was given to Moses it actually regulated the lives of the Jewish people living in the wilderness at that time but it could not provide spiritual life.  The law was given to reveal sin and prepare the way for Christ.

 

Paul in this passage refers to the image of the "school master". This is an amazing picture - don't think of our school masters but rather in the context of the Roman and Greek household, a school master was someone who took the children to and from school every day.  They watched over them, protecting, prohibiting and disciplining the children.  They were well educated and could even teach the children.  They were still slaves, employed by the family.  This slave was not the father of the children but rather a guardian and disciplinarian.  When a child came to a certain age the slave was no longer needed.  This is what the law is like says Paul - it was only needed until Jesus himself came.  The demands of the law showed the people they still needed a Saviour.

 

Is it not amazing that we can read all those books in the bible like Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy and realise that they all helped the Jews to live their lives as they passed through the wilderness and in to the promised land.  In fact if you look at some of those laws we still have them today.  The laws given through Moses were to help the people know how to live.  Jesus came to fulfil those laws and by looking to Jesus today we can learn how to live through Christ.

 

There is a story in the New Testament - Matthew 19 verse 16 about a rich young ruler - and this story helps us to understand what Galatians 3 is all about.  This young man had everything anybody could desire but he was not satisfied.  He had tried to keep the commandments all his life but still something was missing.  But these commandments brought him to Jesus one day.  He realised Jesus was the one who could show him what it was that was wrong in his life.  The sad thing is that the young man was not honest as he looked into the mirror of the law for the last commandment (Thou shalt not covet) escaped him and he went away without eternal life.

 

It is sad today but many are like this rich young ruler - they have everything they could possibly want in this world but know deep within their souls that something is missing.  We can have all the money of this world, the latest technology and cars, holidays several times in the year but know ... there is something more.  Or we could be people who try our very best to live a life that reflects our humility by giving away our riches to those in need, helping others who are not as well off and even being very religious.  But both types of people can still come to a point where they know it is not enough, there is something more.

 

The Jews in Jesus' day continually looked to the law for their fulfilment.  God had to finally destroy the temple and scatter the nation.  Today it is impossible for a devoted Jew to practice the faith of his fathers.  He has no altar, no priesthood, no sacrifice, no temple, no king.  All of these have been fulfilled in Christ so that any man - Jew or Gentile - who trusts in Christ becomes a child of God.  The law and the promise work together to bring sinners to the Saviour.

Psalm 20 The name of the Lord

 

Psalm 20 – To the Chief Musician A Psalm of David

The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob, defend thee.  Send thee help from the sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Zion.  Remember all thy offerings and accept thy burnt sacrifice.  Selah.  Grant thee according to thine own heart and fulfil all thy counsel.  We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners the Lord fulfil all thy petitions.  Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed: he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.  Some trust in chariots and some in horses but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.  They are brought down and fallen but we are risen and stand upright.  Save LORD let the king hear us when we call.

This Psalm is in the voice of a multitude that prays on behalf of the king of Israel (David) as he is ready to go into battle (“day of trouble”) – verse 6 “Now know I that the Lord saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.”  This is either David himself or the High Priest on his behalf.  Yet since this is a psalm of David perhaps David took a moment of spontaneous prayer by the people on his behalf and shaped it into a song to remember and recall the spiritual strength and glory of that moment.

Verses 1 and 2 “The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob, defend thee.  Send thee help from the sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Zion.”

The people pray for the king – “may the Lord answer and help”.  The picture is of David preparing for battle and he and the people gather at the tabernacle (sanctuary) in the hills of Jerusalem (“Zion”) to ask God for help specifically in 3 ways – defend, help and strengthen.  Notice the references appealing for God’s help. 

“LORD” is Yahweh, the covenant name of God.

“The God of Jacob” is remembering Israel’s patriarch.

Verse 3 “Remember all thy offerings and accept thy burnt sacrifice.  Selah.”

The sacrifice was commonly made at important moments such as the eve of battle.  This is a prayer that the Lord would see and receive the sacrifices King David would make before war. Notice the little word “all” – a reminder that not all sacrifices were accepted before God.  If they were not offered with faith and in accordance with the Levitical system they would not be remembered or accepted by God.

“all thy offerings” refers to minchah, the gratitude offering

“burnt sacrifice” refers to olah, the bloody sacrifice

“Selah” means a pause, reflective meditation on the words spoken

Verse 4 “Grant thee according to thine own heart and fulfil all thy counsel.”

King David had one desire – to defend the people of God and the kingdom in covenant with God.  When our desires are in accord with the plan and will of God for us we can pray this same prayer with confidence.  We can also look for God to bring our desires more and more into conformity with his in the cause of our Christian growth.

“counsel” means purpose

Verse 5 “We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners the Lord fulfil all thy petitions.”

The confidence the people had in King David’s success.  They had so much trust in God’s deliverance that they had already planned to set up banners of joyful celebration.  This was true of both David and the Son of David of the king of Israel and the king of kings.  Jesus prayed for the success in his work on the cross and it was unthinkable that the Father would not answer the prayers of the Son.

Verse 6 “Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed: he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.”

David expressed the great confidence that God would answer the prayers of his people.  God would save (rescue) the king (his anointed).  The “anointed” here refers to both King David and Christ the Messiah.  The Lord saves his anointed.

The Father saved the son from sin

The Father saved the son from pride

The Father saved the son from self-reliance

The Father saved the son from doubt

The Father saved the son from failure

The Father saved the son from death by raising him from the dead

 

He is saved by an answer – God is not silent to his anointed

He is saved from heaven – God hears and sends help from his throne

He is saved with power with the saving strength

He is saved with skill and favour with the strength that comes from his right hand

Verse 7 “Some trust in chariots and some in horses but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.”

David knew what kings and the people usually trusted in – human strength and the ways it is often expressed (in chariots and in horses).  David drew a strong contrast (“we will remember”) – trust in God alone.  David put his trust in the person, the character of God.  He didn’t carry the name of the Lord as a magical incarnation rather the name speaks of the comprehensive character of God and is an expression of his faithfulness to his covenant with Israel.

Verses 8 and 9 “They are brought down and fallen but we are risen and stand upright.  Save LORD let the king hear us when we call.”

David’s trust in God could be justified on many grounds but one of those was the simple truth that David found that trusting God works.  He learned that this faith leads to success.  Those who have trusted in chariots and horses have bowed down and fallen.  Those who remembered the name of the Lord have risen and stand upright.  The rescue David had confidently sang of had not completely come.  He still needed to cry out “Save Lord”.  He still had his trust in the anticipated answer of the Lord.

 

Galatians 3 verses 1 to 14

 

Galatians 3 verses 1 – 14

O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you.  This only would I learn of you.  Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith?  Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect by the flesh?  Have ye suffered so many things in vain? If it be yet in vain.  He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit and worketh miracles among you, doth it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?  Even as Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness.  Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.  And the scripture forseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying In thee shall all nations be blessed.  So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.  For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse for it is written cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.  But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God it is evident for The just shall live by faith.  And the law is not of faith, but The man that doeth them shall live in them.  Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us, for it is written Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree.  That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

 

Earlier today I saw a posting about having little time to read God's word. Sometimes when we set out to spend a period of time reading something happens to interrupt that plan and we end up maybe only reading a few verses of scripture with no time to think through what they mean. Well for me today I started out with my usual writing out of the scripture passage I was looking at and was stopped before I wrote very much. Not so much that I had to leave it there but rather God broke in to my practice and clearly made me think about what I was reading.

 

Yesterday I posted about Hannah Steele's last chapter of her book Living His Story Together. It was on the Holy Spirit. Today as I read Galatians 3 and journaled I realised that this was about the work of the Holy Spirit in the believers lives. Did you know that Paul mentions the Holy Spirit 18 times in the book of Galatians?

 

In his opening words of chapter 3 Paul asks the believers to remember back to the time when they first heard the gospel story which he brought to them. He was present when they accepted and trusted in Christ through the word of God. Now Paul asks - did you receive the Spirit by faith in the word of God or by doing the works of the law? The Judaisers had come in and said they needed more than their faith in Christ. It had to be added to. In other words they needed to follow the law of Moses in addition.

 

Warren Wiersbe points out that it is the Holy Spirit that convicts us of sin - John 16 verses 7 to 11. Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3 that when a sinner believes in Christ he is born in the Spirit. A believer is also baptised by the Spirit so that he becomes a part of the spiritual body of Christ - 1 Corinthians 12 verses 12 to 14. The believer is sealed by the Spirit as a guarantee that he will one day share in the glory of Christ - Ephesians 1 verses 13 and 14. I have a responsibility therefore to the Spirit - to walk, by reading God's word, praying and obeying God's will. It is like a drink of water - constantly drinking for hydration. Nothing needs to be added - walk in the Spirit to grow in the Spirit! What an amazing challenge today!

 

On Thursday I started to read Galatians 3 verses 1 to 14 and posted about the Holy Spirit. I have actually been struggling with making sense of these words and think I have now understood what Paul is saying.

 

Paul sets out 6 arguments to prove that God saves sinners through faith in Christ and not by the works of the law. Today many believe that by doing good works, being charitable and loving people they will somehow be able to get into heaven one day. This is a works based religion and scripture states that it is by faith in Christ alone that secures our salvation.

 

Paul's first argument is one that I already talked about - the personal argument. Paul reminds his readers that he was there when they first accepted Christ. They realised that Christ had been crucified for their sins - verse 1. At that time the Holy Spirit came into their lives and performed a miracle of grace and power.

 

The second argument Paul demonstrates is from scripture. Paul quotes 6 Old Testament scriptures to prove that salvation is by faith in Christ and not in the works of the law. The Judaizers who had come in to the assemblies wanted to take the believers back into the law so Paul quotes from the law. And since they magnified the place of Abraham in their religion, Paul uses Abraham as one of his witnesses. In verses 6 and 7 Paul quotes Moses to show that God's righteousness was placed to Abraham's account only because he believed God's promise. In the same way when a person believes in Jesus as their own and personal Saviour, their sins are no longer his. The record is wiped clean and the believer cannot be brought into judgment for their sins. Whilst the Jewish people placed great emphasis on Abraham they also believed that because of him they were guaranteed eternal salvation. This is something people still believe today - people will look back to their parents or even grandparents and know they had a personal faith in Christ so assume they will on account of them be saved. Unless a person comes to Christ individually they will never know salvation.

 

In Galatians 3 verses 8 and 9 Paul shows that Jesus' salvation is for the Gentiles as well as Jews - the word "heathen" refers to Gentiles. Paul quotes from Genesis 12 verse 3 and proves that from the very beginning of Abraham's relationship with God the blessing of Abraham's relationship with God, the blessing of salvation was promised to all the nations of the world. God preached the good news to Abraham centuries ago and Paul now brought that same good news to the Galatians. Sinners are justified not by keeping the law but through faith. The true "children of Abraham" are not the Jews by physical descent but Jews and Gentiles who have believed in Jesus Christ. If you read again the covenant God made with Abraham you will discover that there are many different blessings promised - some personal, some national and political but also some were universal and spiritual. God did not make Abraham's name great among Jews but also among Christians, Muslims and many others. God did multiply his descendants and God did bless those who blessed Abraham. He also judged those who cursed his descendants - for instance Egypt, Babylon and Rome. But the greatest blessings that God sent through Abraham and the Jewish nation have to do with our eternal salvation. Jesus Christ is that promised "seed" through whom all the nations have been blessed.

 

In verses 10 to 12 we can see that this salvation is by faith not the law. Paul now quotes from Deuteronomy 27 verse 26. The law demands obedience and this means obedience in all things. Paul next quotes from Habakkuk "the just shall live by faith." Nobody could ever live "by law" because the law kills and shows the sinner he is guilty before God. Some might argue that it takes faith to obey the law so Paul quotes from Leviticus to prove that it is doing the law not believing it that God requires. Paul wants them to enjoy a relationship of love and life not be bound up in legal works. In verses 13 and 14 Paul shows once more that salvation comes through Christ.

 

As I look again at Galatians 3 verses 13 and 14, Paul shows that salvation comes through Christ. Paul basically is asking his readers ... Does the law put sinners under a curse? Then Christ has redeemed us from that curse! Do you want the blessing of Abraham? It comes through Christ! Do you want the gift of the Spirit but you are a Gentile? This gift is given through Christ to the Gentiles - all you need is Christ! There is no reason to go back to Moses. Paul quotes Deuteronomy again - "He that is hanged is accursed of God" (chapter 21 verses 33). The Jews did not crucify criminals, they stoned them to death. But in cases of shameful violation of the law the body was hung on a tree and exposed for all to see. This was a great humiliation because the Jewish people were very careful in their treatment of a dead body. After the body had been exposed for a time it was taken down and buried. Of course Paul's reference to a "tree" relates to the cross on which Jesus died. He was not stoned and then his dead body exposed; he was nailed alive to a tree and left there to die. But by dying on the cross Jesus Christ bore the curse of the law for us; so that now the believer is no longer under the law and its awful curse. "The blessing of Abraham (justification by faith and the gift of the Spirit) is now ours through faith in Jesus Christ." Notice the word "redeemed" in verse 13 which speaks of a purchase particularly of a slave for the purpose of setting him free. It is possible to purchase a slave and keep him as a slave but this is not what Christ did. By shedding his blood on the cross he purchased us that we might be set free. The Judaizers wanted to lead the Christians into slavery but Christ died to set us free. Salvation is not exchanging on form of bondage for another. Salvation is being set free from the bondage of sin and the law into the liberty of God's grace through Christ.

 

As I read Galatians 3 and thought about the Judaisers who tried to convince the Galatian believers that the way of the law was better than the way of grace, I thought ... well not much has changed today. So many want to be religious, observe rituals, ceremonies and even fasting. In doing these things they believe they are obeying the doctrines of faith. They are in fact setting up a system that satisfies the senses, they are measuring and comparing themselves with others. It is all legalism. I was challenged by how I need to measure myself with Christ and not with other Christians. There is no room for pride in my spiritual walk. I need to live and rest on grace alone - it is not about my achievements, in for instance how often I attend church or follow the rituals of my church or even pray and fast. I have been saved by grace through faith and I therefore must live by grace through faith. This is the only way to blessing - not bondage! What a challenge.