The Just Shall Live by Faith

Galatians 3:15–25 NKJV

15 Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it. 16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ. 17 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. 18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise. 19 What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one. 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

Law Like a Brush Fire

Adapted from Who Will Deliver Us? by Paul F. M. Zahl

A duck hunter was with a friend in the wide-open land of southeastern Georgia. Far away on the horizon he noticed a cloud of smoke. Soon he could hear crackling as the wind shifted. He realized the terrible truth; a brushfire was advancing, so fast they couldn't outrun it.

Rifling through his pockets, he soon found what he was looking for&md;a book of matches. He lit a small fire around the two of them. Soon they were standing in a circle of blackened earth, waiting for the fire to come.

They didn't have to wait long. They covered their mouths with handkerchiefs and braced themselves. The fire came near&md;and swept over them. But they were completely unhurt, untouched. Fire would not pass where fire already had passed.

The law is like a brushfire. I cannot escape it. But if I stand in the burned-over place, not a hair of my head will be singed. Christ's death has disarmed it.

https://www.sermonsearch.com/sermon-illustrations/3731/law-like-a-brush-fire/

The law teaches us what sin is. It shows us how we have strayed away from God’s will for our life.

The law leads us to Christ. There is no righteousness in the law. The law teaches us what sin is.

The promise preceded the law. Over the period of years and decades and centuries, the promise was made contingent on the law or the ability to keep the law. This was not God’s way or His intention. He gave the promises to Abraham. He did not give the law to Abraham.

Genesis 18:19 NKJV

19 For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.”

If the promises were given to Abraham and the law was not given at this time, then why did God give the law? Paul addresses this in verse 19:

Galatians 3:19 NKJV

19 What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.

Something happened within that nation from the time they entered Egypt until the time they were freed slaves. Parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles were not teaching about God as they should have. They were gradually giving up a part of who they were to gain some of the Egyptian culture. Sin or transgressions were seeping in and distorting what God wanted them to be.

Sounds awfully familiar,does it not? The church as a whole has given up ground and

Weve turned from Your ways Lord Your fruit weve ceased to bear We lack the power we once knew in our prayers That gentle voice from heaven We cease to hear and know The fact that He has risen no longer stirs our soul

https://www.lyricsfreak.com/c/carman/revive+us+oh+lord_20311639.html#:~:text=%20Revive%20Us%2C%20Oh%20Lord%20Lyrics%20%201,On%20High%202%20%C2%B7%20Great%20God%20More%20

Jeremiah 31:31–34 NKJV

31 “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

It was very important for the priests to teach the people about God when they came to the synagogue on the Sabbath. The only scriptures they had in their homes were Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11-13-21. This was all going to change. Now it was not just for the priests to know about God and have a relationship with God, but it would be open to all people. It was going to be a huge transformation.

Matthew 5:17 NKJV

17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

Even though Israel did not keep their part of covenant and sinned against God, God does not leave anything unfinished. Jesus came to die as the sacrificial lamb to redeem mankind. To complete or finish the original covenant.

John 19:30 NKJV

30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

The law or old covenant was now finished.

Hebrews 8:13 NKJV

13 In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Think about your Bible. It spells it all out. The old testament and the testament. Testament in this form means covenant. It was originally called the Old Covenant and the New Covenant in Greek. When it was translated to Latin by Jerome in the 5th century, it was translated to testamentum. When the bible was translated to English in the 14th century, testamentum was translated to testament.

According to a third century rabbi, Moses gave 365 prohibitions and 248 positive commands. David reduced them to eleven in Psalm 15. Isaiah made them six (Isaiah 33:14, 15). Micah 6:8 binds them into three commands. Habbakuk reduces them all to one great statement: The just shall live by faith.

https://www.sermonsearch.com/sermon-illustrations/3732/negative-and-positive-commands/

Matthew 22:37–40 NKJV

37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

We must get back to the basics. We must be the workers in His fields. It starts in our own hearts. Revival must begin in us and spread like a wild fire. Our prayer, REVIVE US O LORD.