The Faithfulness of God's Redemptive Plan

Read

Galatians 3:10–26 (ESV)

10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” 12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

15 To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. 16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. 17 This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. 18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.

19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.

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, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.

Opening Prayer

Two Primary Covenants

The Covenant of Works between God and Man...

Originally given to Adam in the Garden of Eden stated...

Obey & Live … Disobey & Die

Adam & Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden...

The result was Humanity fell under condemnation.

So, we have the Covenant of Works.

The covenant between God and Man that we have all, also, broken...

And, subsequently are under the condemnation of the Law.

However, God instituted another covenant.

The Covenant of Grace.

God introduced this Covenant in Genesis 3 in seed form...

As the gracious promise to redeem a people unto Himself.

Ever since that promise of grace in Genesis 3...

God has been unfolding in greater detail how this Covenant of Grace would be fulfilled...

While at the same time reminding us that the Covenant of Works has been broken.

Last week, we looked at a question about the Law...

v.19 Why then the Law?

Why the Mosaic covenant?

IOW, are you telling us that God put into place the Law of Moses, the Mosaic Covenant, and it plays no role in the salvation of man?

And, then Paul tells us that it does serve a purpose in the salvation of men...

And, we answered that question last time...

What is the Purpose of the Law of Moses?

Three truths regarding God’s purposes for the Law of Moses (v.19-25):

To convict of sin.

The schoolmaster.

Temporary in Nature.

It was to prepare us for the faith revealed in Jesus Christ.

And once the promised Messiah came it was no longer necessary.

Was intended by God to point to our need of Jesus.

So, to the objections of the false teachers and the natural inquiry of the Galatians...

Paul says, yes the Law has purpose for salvation...

It was to show our sin, convict of us sin, point us & prepare us for the Messiah, and it was temporary in nature.

Now, I want to start out this morning by looking at what Paul says in v.21...

Galatians 3:21 (ESV)

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.

This is very important to understand.

When the NT reveals that:

circumcision is no longer required.

the Mosaic Covenant has been fulfilled and is no longer necessary.

God gives Peter a vision that all kinds of meat are clean to eat.

There’s, naturally, going to be an inquiry as to why?

So, Paul answers a potential objection to the doctrine of justification by faith alone.

Is the Law evil if it only condemns?

Is it contrary to the Promise of Salvation?

Paul’s answer is Certainly Not!

The weakness of the Law is not the Law, but our inability to keep it.

The law is only words and rules. It can only inject the idea of behavior into the mind of a person. It can only demand—demand that each precept be kept and obeyed. The law is mere words, cold and lifeless. It is entirely external to man, outside the body of man. It has no spirit, no life, no power to enable a person to do the law.

Paul has answered the question of why the Law.

Now, Paul is answering the weakness of the Law...

Which is really a weakness in us.

But it needs to be understood that...

The Mosiac Covenant is Not a Covenant of Works.

It is not a covenant in which God is saying be perfect and live.

As if obedience to the Law of Moses was somehow God offering an alternate way, other than the promised Messiah, to become righteous in God’s eyes.

When the Mosaic covenant was given…

All were already under sin. The Covenant of Works already broken.

The covenant of works has already been broken by all in Adam...

And, in our own personal sin.

The very fact that there is a sacrificial system put in place presupposes sin.

And, a sacrificial system is gracious.

But, the fact that the Mosaic covenant was misused to be a system of righteousness is a reality.

Paul says in,

Romans 10:1–3 (ESV)

1 Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

The problem that ethnic Israel, in general, had was that they abandoned God’s purposes for the Mosaic Covenant...

And started seeing it as a system of being righteous, on their own, in God’s eyes.

They looked at the Mosaic covenant as an alternative route to the promises.

But, God never intended it for such.

The Mosaic Covenant was a temporary covenant of preparation until the promised Messiah arrived.

It was inferior to the promises given to Abraham.

Which is why Paul says in...

Galatians 3:19–20 (ESV)

19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.

Paul is showing the inferior nature of the Mosaic covenant by saying there was mediator between God and Israel...

That mediator was Moses.

But, the promise is from God Himself, no mediator in the giving of this promise.

God gave the promise directly to Abraham.

Now, Paul explains this by giving us...

A Human Example to Give Us a Basic Understanding of a Covenant.

Paul brings our minds to the elemental components of a covenant.

He gives us this example of how even a man-made covenant binds the participants to each other when a covenant is made.

Now, why this human example of the binding nature of a covenant?

Because, even in the fallen sinful world, it is understood that it is wrong to go against/break a covenant.

Even in a fallen sinful world, a contract is binding...

And, there are severe consequences if you break a covenant or go against it.

You cannot ignore or reject (annul) an agreement once it has been agreed upon (ratified).

And, if that is true in between fallen human beings...

How much more a holy God who cannot tell a lie...

Hebrews 6:13–17 (ESV)

13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” 15 And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. 16 For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. 17 So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath,

God placed Himself in the oath.

It wasn’t, well, I’ll lay my mortgage on the line.

If I don’t keep this oath you can have my house.

Or, if I don’t keep my oath you can take my car back.

No. This promise of redemption...

This covenant of grace is so important to God...

It is such a guarantee by God, to us, His people...

That God says this promise is so sure that I am putting my life on the line...

This is such a sure promise, God says, that I put my life as the surety.

Dear Christian, this is the confidence that we have of our redemption...

Of our full salvation.

This is the confidence that we have of our redemption in Jesus Christ.

God made the covenant with Himself...

And, says May I die if I do not keep this promise.

Nothing is going to come between God and keeping that promise...

And it will come by promise and nothing else...

Which is why Paul says in...

Galatians 3:17–18 (ESV)

17 This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. 18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.

So, further explanation that God did not give the Mosaic Covenant to do away with the Covenant of Grace...

Expressed through the promises to Abraham...

God gave the Mosaic Covenant to support and prepare the way of the Promised Seed who would fulfill all that was necessary for the Promises to be kept.

More to say for next time, but how beautiful is this...

We have this Covenant of Grace in Genesis 3 that unfolding as we progress through the OT...

We’re being given more clarity of how it will be brought to fulfillment.

We’re given more clarity to the mercies that God put into place for the Messiah to come...

The lengths that God has gone to insure the promises are kept...

And to insure that the people of God receive the Messiah.

Application

Let us rejoice in the surety of redemption.

Let us rejoice in the absolute faithfulness of God.

Let us rejoice in the long-suffering of God in the redemption of His people.

Romans 11:33 (ESV)

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

Closing Prayer