Promise Over Law
Notes
Transcript
Last week:
Paul calls out the Galatians for being disturbed in their faith
That we have received the Holy Spirit by faith, by believing, not according to our works
No man can be justified by the works of the Law
Today, we get to see how the Promise is much greater than the Law
Illustration:
Waiting to board a plane, on which he had a reservation, Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., overheard the piteous plea of a private at the ticket window: “I’m going overseas in three days. I want to see my Ma before I go. I can go home and back only if I travel by plane!” It was explained to him that every seat on the plane was taken.
Just then, Brigadier General Roosevelt stepped forward and said, “I’ll surrender my seat to him!” “But,” protested a fellow officer to the general, “this is a matter of rank!” “That’s right,” quickly replied General Roosevelt, “he’s a son, I’m only a general!” God conferred the highest honor upon us when he called us sons!
This honor is not earned, but rather, promised to us.
By the Promise (V.15-18)
V.15
O: Brethren, I speak in terms of human relations:
I: To understand, Paul speaks in terms we would understand
A: We often need to use things in this life to explain spiritual realities.
It is often very helpful to understand scripture and spiritual truths
Application:
“A sermon without application is like a house without any windows”
-Charles Spurgeon
This helps people understand
O: even though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it
I: In agreements made between men, when it is finalized, no one makes any changes to it and it is valid.
A: EX: Signing to buy a house or property
Once agreed to, it doesn’t change
V.16
O: Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ.
I: The promise to Abraham was not to all his heirs, but only to one, and Paul says that one is Christ.
A: The promise: Genesis 22:18
18 “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
This is prophetic of Jesus… even though Isaac would become the sole heir of Abraham, this speaks of Jesus.
V.17
O: What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise.
I: The Law does not take away nor replace the promise made to Abraham
A: The Law came 430 years after the promise made to Abraham
The promise was already ratified, verified, it could not be added to nor changed
V.18
O: For if the inheritance is based on the law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.
I: Earning the inheritance means it would not be a promise anymore, but earned. But God promised it to Abraham, not have him earn it.
A: Paul explains also in Romans 4:10-15
10 How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised;
11 and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them,
12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised.
13 For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.
14 For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified;
15 for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation.
Purpose of the Law (V.19-24)
V.19
O: Why add the Law then?
I: What is the purpose of the Law??
A: This is a great question, because many have fallen into the trap that the law has replaced the promise… the original replacement theology.
O: It was added because of transgression, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made
I: Sin was the reason for the Law, that by Moses and the witnesses of angels, the law would hold people accountable until Christ came.
A: You see, the law came because of sin, because the promise would not be fulfilled until the seed, until Jesus.
Why? Hebrews 9:22
22 And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
V.20
O: Now a mediator is not for one party only, whereas God is only One.
I: A mediator is between two parties, and God is One party…
A: Many would agree that this verse is obscure
I like how James Boice explains this…
Galatians 1. The Law Was Given because of Man’s Transgression (19–21)
“The general thought seems to be that the promise must be considered superior to the law because the law is one-sided. The law was mediated, and this means that man was a party to it. The promise, on the other hand, is unilateral; man is not a party to it.”
V.21
O: Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be!! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law.
I: If God intended that the law would bring righteousness, then he would have surely made it that way. But since it never could, it does not compete with the promise, but serves a whole other purpose altogether.
A: (Put your application here)
V.22
O: But the scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
I: The Bible is clear, all through the Old testament, that the Law can’t be a source of righteousness, and only through Jesus, can you receive the promise.
A: Jesus says in John 5:39
39 “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;
Then He carries on and says in John 5:46-47
46 “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me.
47 “But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”
This promise can only come through Jesus, not by the Law.
So if you want the promise, then you must believe.
V.23
O: But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed.
I: Before we believed, we were held prisoner by the Law, and our works blinded us to this righteousness by faith.
A: This is a reality that Paul speaks about in Titus 1:10-16
10 For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,
11 who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.
12 One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”
13 This testimony is true. For this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith,
14 not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.
15 To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.
16 They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.
V.24
O: Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.
I: The Law and its final purpose was to lead us to Christ, to faith, not of works.
A: The Law leads us to faith… it proves to us that we cannot live up to the standards.
The thing about the Law, is it gives us the heart, the character of God… How He wants to be worshipped, How we are to conduct ourselves, how to treat others and how to relate to God.
But because of sin, we can’t do that the right way, we can’t follow it. We learn that when we look at it. The purpose was never to find life or righteousness, but to see the righteousness and Holiness of God. It was a tutor to us
Now of Faith (V.25-29)
V.25
O: But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
I: With believing, the tutor, the guide is no more.
A: We don’t need the tutor anymore, because the Spirit of God now lives within us, who testifies of Jesus.
26 “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me,
V.26
O: For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus
I: It is our belief in Jesus that we are now children of God
A: To be a child of God, all you need is to believe.
You don’t need to be circumcised
You don’t need to become a Jew
You don’t need to follow some kind of law
You are sons of God because of faith
V.27
O: For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
I: Those who believe in Christ are now covered by Him, take in His character, the old is washed away.
A: Going back to Titus, in Titus 3:3-7
3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.
4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,
5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Also we read in Ephesians 4:21-24
21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus,
22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,
23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
V.28
O: 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. (29) And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise.
I: Your culture, your social status, your society does not define you as a believer. You have all become part of the family because of Jesus, and because of that, then the promise to Abraham in Christ is yours.
A: Paul dismantles those who are trying to disturb the Galatians. The promises are not based on the flesh, but according to the One and gracious God who has redeemed us by His blood.
Does this mean that God no longer has a purpose for Israel? Not at all. There are still promises specifically to the Jews and God dealing with them, but you do not need to be a Jew to be an heir of the promise.
How about men and women? Are the roles for male and female done away with? Not at all. God has a purpose and plan for both men and women in the kingdom, as heirs according to the promise. Their callings and roles are different, but they are still heirs of the promise.
We get to rejoice that the promise is ours, no matter our social status, no matter what culture we were born into, no matter what gender you were born as… the promise is yours in Christ Jesus.
