Now That Faith Has Come

Text

Gal 3:23-29.

Introduction - Before faith came

Galatians 3:23–24 “23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.”

“Before faith came” - this simply communicates a process whereby man can come to God

What Paul refers to is the way to justification through faith in Jesus. “faith coming” is another way of saying “Jesus coming” = the means of justification had come.

The Law lead us to the means of justification but didn’t justify us

“we were kept in custody” - imprisoned by the law [vs. 22 says we were imprisoned by sin as well]. Before faith came we were imprisoned but only until faith is revealed

Here we are stripped of every avenue of self-justification and human effort until the right time where God will send the Seed

The law served as a tutor/schoolmaster to take your hand bring you to the principal: Jesus. When Jesus comes the tutor’s purpose is then fulfilled. Only then can we be justified by faith. In the development of this word (paidagogos), it never had the connotation of permanence.

I cannot be justified by law and by Jesus.

The law is unable to justify you

Jesus can’t justify you while you cling to the law

You must release the law to grab on to Jesus

You cannot cling to effort, merit, good works as your means of salvation while trying to cling to Jesus

- But now that faith has come -

#1 - We Are Free From the Tutor

Galatians 3:25 “25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.”

Scholars suggest that there is no word in the English that fully expresses the meaning of the paidagogos [pedagogue = transliteration]

This person was given the charge of young men from about six (6) years old until adolescence

They were to teach them customs, etiquette, manners and such. This got them ready for their next stage in life

They were widely known to be rough, and strict disciplinarians. Many cases their charges were afraid of them, using things like tweaking the ears, cuffing the hands, whipping and pinching. Punishment was used to correct behaviour

One such paidiagogos is beleived to have broken up wild parties and sent the instigators of to the executioner

The picture Paul paints is not to emphasize only the educational aspect but the fear and prison aspect

The Law was only deisgned to do so much. Break a law you were punished with death, fine, or banishment.

What the Law was doing was exposing the wretchedness of sin and the ultimate path for the one that sins

It was a harsh taskmaster, a stern discplinarian, a man you dare not cross or mess with, a teacher that would strike you the minute you mess up

He was their to correct behaviour, not transform the child, that’s the job of a teacher (didaskalos)

This function was not to whip you into shape but to draw you to Christ

“now that faith has come”

Interesting note about the paidagogos is it was many times a slave’s job.

A slave getting a freed person, to their next stage in life. Someone is free but temporarily under the tutor

This means God never intended for you to be in bondage: not to sin, fear, death, satan, merit, tradition

This is what God has for you!

I no longer under the management, training, guidance of the demands of the Law

I have a new Master, Rabbi, Prophet, High Priest, Healer, Good Shepherd, Door, A Lamb - His Name is Jesus

#2 - We Are All Sons of God

Galatians 3:26 “26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”

Notice the shift in the language, I’m not a prisoner, under guard...I am a son of God

The means by which I became a son was faith in Jesus Christ, not the Law

No man/system of man can make you a son of God only faith in Jesus Christ

No man/system of man can take away your sonship in Jesus Christ

John 1:12 “12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,”

APPL. That’s not in our power so we need to be careful who we wanna kick out of God’s kingdom. These Jewish Christians need to understand this, so do we.

This would certainly come as a shock to them that Gentiles get to bypass the requirements of Law and step into sonship with God.

Paul used the term “Son of God” 17x in this letter to the Galatians

So it’s remarkable that he employs its usage, not to point to Jesus, but to us!

Why is sonship important?

Notice the family themes Paul use: seed (3:16), inheritance (3:18), adoption (4:5), heirs (3:29), motherhood (4:19)

We justification puts us in a assembly of other justified people God calls His family. WE ARE GOD’S CHILDREN

Additionally, now that we are in Chist, we don’t need the paidagogos, we have Jesus.

The law no longer kills you as a son, Because you life is hid in God in Christ

The Law no longer condemns becasue their is no longer any condemnation to those who are in Christ

The Law no longer imprisons because if the Son made you free, you are free indeed

“Now that faith has come”

#3 - We Are One

Galatians 3:27–28 “27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

The Greek term gar indicates reason. vs. 26 and vs 27 begin with this Greek term that’s translated, “for”.

The metaphor of “clothing” suggests an ethical transformation

This could’ve been pointing to:

The changing of robes when a Roman boy enters adulthood

The Pagan practice of the Galatians changong clothes as they pledged alliegence to their false gods

The act of derobing prior to baptism and being given a new robe after baptism

Regardless of what Paul had in mind as a reference, he now says, “you’re clothed in Jesus

You are now all one. . . Jew, Greek, slave, free, man or woman

There are no boundaries in salvation