GALATIANS

THE MAGNA CARTA OF CHRISTIAN LIBERTY

Chapter 3:15-22Howard Buck

JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH

In the first 14 verses Paul has shown that Abraham was justified by faith, not the law. Paul will now

anticipate the argument that will be brought by the Judiazers in verses 3:15-22.

The argument is to prove that the Law didn’t change the basis of salvation.

It is and always will be based on faith..

Per MacArthur:

The heart of his (Paul’s) answer is that the covenant with Abraham was an unconditional covenant of

promise relying solely on God’s faithfulness, whereas the covenant with Moses was a

conditional covenant of Law relying on man’s faithfulness..

So, the argument begins

Keep in mind that the Judiazers said that you must be circumcised to be a Christian or you must keep

the Mosaic law to be saved.

This is interesting when you consider which came first, the declaration of Abraham’s righteousness (based on faith), circumcision or the Mosaic law:

Abraham was declared righteous 14 years before the call for circumcision and 500 years before the

Law!!

3:15 Brethren, I speak in terms of human relations: 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.

A great start. Paul points out how serious a covenant, or agreement is between men.

Like a union contract today, once ratified both sides must adhere to its terms..

So what is Paul’s point?...

If man values a covenant/agreement how much more will God value the one He made with Abraham?

The agreement was sealed in Genesis 15 but check out the comment in Hebrews:

Heb. 6:13 For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater,

He swore by Himself, 14 saying, “I will surely bless you and I will surely

multiply you.” 15 And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the

promise.

Remember how the animals were cut but only God passed though them? In other

words, He promised or swore by Himself to keep His vow..

So what…God made a vow with us, a new covenant that if we

believe in Christ as Savior and Lord,

He will in turn give us?...Eternal life in His presence

Think we can trust Him?

Tell me the difference in Paul’s address to the church from 3:1 to 3:15..

16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,”

as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ.

This ties with verse 14, how?..

Paul speaks of the promise in 14

What is the promise?...

The Holy Spirit

How do we get it?..

Through the work of Christ!!!

3:14 …that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith..

17 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.

What does this mean:

If God made the promise of salvation coming through Abraham’s seed: Jesus, how could the giving of the law change or nullify the plan??

If you wonder about the math:

430 years is the time elapsed between God’s last statement of the covenant and the giving of the

Law to Moses.

The Law came 645 years after Abraham but 215 years later God repeated the Abrahamic covenant

to Jacob, exactly 430 years prior to Moses on Sinai..

(17) A covenant previously ratified by God

Therefore:

It has lasting authority

Cannot be annulled

Is unilateral (God promised Himself)

Eternal

Irrevocable

Will be completely fulfilled with the salvation of Israel and the millennial kingdom..

(MacArthur Study Bible)

Faith in the fact

Faith in anticipation

Pre-Cross:

Post Cross:

Both kinds of faith (led) lead to Salvation His blood cleansed

both sides of the cross!!!

18 For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to

Abraham by means of a promise.

Paul drives home the point, do you see the logic in this statement?...

God made a promise, if He changes that promise by applying the condition that man must keep the law

it is no longer a promise!!

If this is true, what kind of a God are we worshipping, one who changes His mind???

Also notice how the promise was granted to Abraham?...

It was given, meaning it is a gift!!!

Why should we care?...

Paul is talking to Gentiles, (us) meaning we share in this promise and the salvation it brought..

19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through

angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made.

Why would you add the law because of transgressions?

Transgression means to “cross the line”

God is simply defining where the line is!!

If the sign says “don’t walk on the grass”…

Did you notice something in this verse that maybe you haven’t before?...

How about ordained by angels…mediator

We all carry the Cecil B. DeMille version of the giving of the law which isn’t quite accurate.

Check out these verses:

Deut. 33:2 He said,

    “The LORD came from Sinai,

    And dawned on them from Seir;

    He shone forth from Mount Paran,

    And He came from the midst of

ten thousand holy ones;

    At His right hand there was flashing lightning for them..

Ps 67:17 The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands;

    The Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness.Acts 7:53 you who received the law as ordained by

angels, and yet did not keep it.”How many angels were present when the law was

given?...

Myriads, thousands upon thousands

(ordained = to order or establish something formally)

Heb 2:2 For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and

disobedience received a just penalty,

How was the Law delivered?...

By angels!!!

20 Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one.

Who was the mediator?...

Moses

Why is he called the mediator?...

Because the law came from God THROUGH Moses

So, which is superior, the law that was delivered by angels and mediated by a man

or the promise that only involved God?...

21 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.

Could the law be contrary to the promise?..

No

If so, there would then be a contradiction or conflict in the nature of God..

Paul’s point?

If the law could have saved then righteousness would have been based on the law

Rather, the law cannot save because man can’t keep it, while righteousness is based on faith.

What is the main point of the law in the first place?...

To point the way to Christ!!!!!

22 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.Who is under sin?...

Everyone..

22 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.How are they there?...

Because of scripture..

22 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.What is the promise?...

Justification by faith (vs.14)..

22 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.Where is that faith placed?...

Jesus Christ..

I hope you have all noticed how green this presentation has been

Yes, I too am doing my part to stop global

warming..

What shall we remember?

1. Salvation is, and always was based on faith

2. God’s vow to us provides eternal life in His presence