Galatians 3:19-29
Notes
Transcript
The question to consider:
If we are justified with God by faith Alone…then why does the law exist?
So far throughout the book of Galatians Paul has gone to great lengths to explain how a person can be made right with God. The argument that Paul has made is that righteousness cant be earned, it must be given. A person cannot make him or her self right with God, they have to be made right with God by faith in what Christ has done. Paul goes so far as to say, “If righteousness came through the law (that is, through good works, or through one’s religious performance) than it means Christ died for no purpose.” But the implication is this, Christ died for a good reason, because righteousness never came by the law…it came by faith. Abraham was made righteous by faith…and if he was…than so are we.
So any good listener at this point would be asking this question: “So if I am not saved by my works…than does that mean I can live however I want to?” Does that mean that I can just totally disregard the law of God? Does that mean that the Law was worthless?
This is what Paul addresses in this next passage of scripture.
And this is a relevant question for us today. Why did God give so many rules for us to at least try to follow, if he had planned on sending Jesus to be our savior? What is the purpose of the law?
God uses the Law to Reveal Sin and make us Long for salvation.
God uses the Law to Reveal Sin and make us Long for salvation.
Verse 19: “Why then the Law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring (which if you remember from last week…the offspring is Christ) should come to who the promise had been made...”
Keep this context in mind…Paul is dealing with Christians who are thinking that the Law had to be followed in order to truly be acceptable to God. This is why circumcision is such a big deal in Galatia at the time.
And here is Paul’s response, “The law was never given to tell us how to be saved…it was given to show us our sinfulness.”
Notice what Paul says at the beginning of verse 19... “The law was added BECAUSE of transgressions...”
The word transgression comes from the greek word παραβάσεων (para-baas-ion)
It means to deviate or to wonder off the path…and when you wonder off a path…what are you? …Lost…and because people were lost in their sin…God reveals the law in order to show people where they are…or more accurately who they are...
The Law tells us about our sin, not about salvation .
This is what the church in Galatia was missing…they thought that the Law was needed to save them…but…as we see in this passage “THE LAW TELLS US ABOUT OUR SIN, NOT ABOUT SALVATION...
The Law was given by God to reveal sin…not to save us from it...
Listen to Romans 5:13...
13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.
The law doesnt save us from sin…the law shows us that we are sinful…it reveals our sin...
But it doesnt just reveal it…the Law actually increases our sin…it makes us MORE sinful...
Listen to Romans 5:20
20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,
The Law reveals our sin…and it increases our sin…
it functions like a mirror…it shows us that without Christ we are not mostly good people in need of a little behavior modification. The Law shows us that we are dead in our trespasses and sin…we dont need a little tune-up…we need a total heart transplant…we need a resurrection.
Martin Luther-
“The Law is the Hammer of Death, the thunder of hell, and the lighting of God’s wrath to bring down the proud and shameless soul that doesn't see how sinful he truly is…When the Law was instituted on Mount Sinai it was accompanied by lighting, by storms, by sound of trumpets, to tear to pieces that monster called self righteousness.”
This monster of self-righteousness, this stiff-necked beast, needs a big axe. And that is what the Law is, a big axe. Accrodingly, the proper use and function of the Law is to threaten until the conscious is scared stiff.”
The Law shows us how unacceptable we are to God. When we hear the commands of God in the Law…we are supposed to feel like we dont measure up…that’s why the law exists!
…but it also has another purpose...
The Law exists to make sin bitter…but it also exists to make Christ sweet.
The Law is meant to make us long for salvation...
In the Law…we find that we are condemned and enslaved to sin…but in Christ we find forgiveness and freedom.
Look at what Paul says in v. 21-25
21 Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,
You see, Christ speaks a better word than the Law...
You see, Christ speaks a better word than the Law...
This is the whole point of this passage...
Christ is better than the Law...
Where the Law Condemns us…Christ offers comfort
Where the Law Convicts us…Christ offers justification
Where the Law cuts us…Christ offers healing
Where the Law brings us low…Christ lifts up
Where the Law Separates us from God and one another…Christ offers Reconciliation
Where the Law brought forth sin and death…Christ brings resurrection and life.
Where the Law says we are unacceptable…Christ provides acceptance...
....
GOD ACCEPTS YOU...
GOD ACCEPTS YOU...
You know…I almost preached on Proverbs 31 this morning for Mother’s Day…It would have been an entirely appropriate passage…If you are unfamiliar with that passage…Proverbs 31:10-31 is the picture of what a Godly woman looks like.
Here is my brief summary...
The Godly woman is completely trustworthy
She is never spiteful…but always full of joy...
She meets all of her husbands needs…and never complains
She is generous to her kids, her grandkids, and her extended family
She is a savy buisness woman.
She is a real estate entrepenuer.
She surprises her family with exotic gifts.
She is up before dawn…reading her Bible…making breakfast…organizing the house...and working out to stay strong.
She is a splendid gardener...
She saves money...
She rolls out of bed and eagerly gets right to work…doesnt even need the first cup of coffee
She gets to the end of the day and never gets tired of her duties
She’s a homemaker
She is a philanthropist—giving aide to the needy and the poor
She knits and sews her families clothes…as well as dresses herself in fine clothing.
She designs beautiful gowns and sells them...
She always faces tomorrow with a smile...
She listens more than she speaks…and When she speaks…nothing but wisdom flows from her mouth
Everyone around town loves her—and she makes her man proud to hold her by his side.
She keeps an eye on everyone in the house...
Her kids love her and never show her disrespect...
Her husband is proud of her and never stops singing her praises...
…I asked Betsy last night what she feels when she reads that passage…and she said to me “If im honest…I feel inspired…but mostly I feel like I dont measure up...
That’s the law…the law says to the tired worn out momma’s in the room..you are a failure…you dont measure up…You are unacceptable...
The law says to the mothers in the room... in order to be acceptable…your husband has to pleased…your kids have to be perfect…you floors have to be swept…the counters have to be clean…the bed has to be made...your bank account has to be full…dinner has to be cooked…clothes have to be ironed…and on and on the list could go...
The Law shows you that you indeed do not measure up...
But Christ speaks a better word, Momma…You were once under the Law…but now that you are in Christ…you are not defined by your to-do list by the end of the day…you are not defined by your kids behavior…you are not defined by your husband’s affection…as important as all those things are…you are not defined by the gift you got on Mother’s Day or how instagram worthy of a post you get today...
You have a much greater gift…by faith in Christ…you are a Daughter of the King.
YOU MAY FEEL UNACCEPTABLE…BUT IN CHRIST GOD ACCEPTS YOU...
And this isnt true just for the momma’s in the room…this is true for each and everyone of us...
If you are in Christ…you are not defined by your obedience to the Law’s demands…you are a Son…or a Daughter...
What would it look like if we became a church that radically believed this truth?
If God accepts me…well it means im free to be unaccepted by anyone else...
My family, my friends, my Boss, and even my BODY can reject me…but God accepts me...
We are free to share the gospel and be rejected…because, in Christ, we are accepted by God.
But not only that…since God accepts me even though I dont live up to the Law…it means that I can accept others even though they dont either.
The Law and the Gospel speak this truth to us…God hates sin…but he loves sinners.
And so this is our aim here at HRBC…we are aiming to be a church where sin is put on notice…sin is hated…sin is never safe…it is never acceptable...
But SINNERS…Sinners wont find a people to be more loving, more gracious, more accepting, and more patient than the people here at HRBC...
We long to be a church that hates sin…but radically loves broken down sinners.
We wanna be a church that agrees with what Martin Luther wrote about this passage...
The Law is also a light like the gospel. But instead of revealing the grace of God, righteousness, and life, the law brings sin, death, and the wrath of God to light.
This is the buisness of the Law, and here the business of the Law ends, and should go no further.
The buisness of the Gospel, on the other hand, is to quicken, to comfort, to raise the fallen. The Gospel carries the news that God for Christ’s sake is merciful to the most unworthy sinners, if they will only believe that Christ by His death has delivered them from sin and everlasting death unto grace, forgiveness, and everlasting life.
May be be a church that always tells the truth about sin... sin isnt safe here...because we uphold the Law....We gotta let the law do it’s work on us…we allow people to be hopeless that sin brings...
But we gotta quickly follow that up with the hopefilled truth of the gospel.
And so our church…here is what we are going to be…we are gonna be a place that is never hosptiable to sin…but we are gonna be a hosptial to sinners
we are gonna be a Chruch that is never hospitable to sin…but we are gonna be a hospital to sinners
....If you are a sinner and you feel like you deserve nothing by condemnation…then welcome my friend. You just stepped into a community of people that are just like you…I am just like you…No-one in this room is above you…we are all sinners in this place…and the only hope we have is in the good news that Jesus took our place…you are welcome here…you are safe to be your real self here…you wont be condemned in this room…because Christ was condemned for you....
