Question

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Galatians Lesson 5

 

WE ARE ALL CHILDREN OF GOD THROUGH FAITH

 

Galatians 3:15–29

Key Verse: 3:26

 

• THE LAW DOES NOT SET ASIDE THE PROMISE (15–18)

 

1. What is the nature of a human covenant? (3:15) Whatwere God’s promises to Abraham, and how were they fulfilled in Christ? (3:16; 3:8; Ge22:18) When was the law introduced, and why did it not do away with God’s promise? (3:17) On what basis did God give his promised inheritance to Abraham? (3:18)

 

• THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW (19-25)

 

2.  For what purpose did God add the law? (3:19a; Ro7:7,13) Why did God have to give his law to his sinful people through angels and a mediator? (3:19b–20; Ex19:21–22) What did Paul say about the relationship between the law and God’s promise? (3:21a) What is the law’s limitation? (3:21b)

 

3. What does it mean that “Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin”? (3:22a; Ro3:10–20) Who alone receives what was promised? (3:22b) What was our situation before faith in Christ was revealed to us? (3:23) What is the ultimate purpose of the law? (3:24) In Christ, what is our new relationship to the law? (3:25)

 

• WE ARE ALL ONE IN CHRIST JESUS (26–29)

 

4. Read 3:26–27. What is our new identity in Christ Jesus? Why is this so amazing and graceful? (1Jn3:1; 1Pe2:10) How does this happen to us? (3:27)What is the spiritual meaning of “baptized into Christ”? (Ro6:3–5) What does it mean to be “clothed with Christ”? (Ro13:13–14; Eph4:22–24) What does it mean to you to be a child of God?

 

5.  In Christ, what is our new relationship with other believers, regardless of human distinctions? (3:28) How can we accept all kinds of people into our community, and why should we? (Ro15:7; Rev7:9) How did Paul emphasize the new status of those who belong to Christ, Jew or Gentile? (3:29)

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Attachment

• Galatians Lesson 5[1]-questions.doc

Message

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WE ARE ALL CHILDREN OF GOD THROUGH FAITH

Galatians 3:15-29

Key Verse 3:26 “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus”

  Last week we learned that we who are justified through faith in Jesus inherit what was promised to Abraham. Verse 9 says, “So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.” How blessed we are when we receive God’s blessing which was given to Abraham! This is God’s promise. God does not change his words. He keeps his promise. Because of his promise we live by faith in this unbelieving generation. We live in an age of uncertainty. Everything seems to be uncertain and unpredictable—our future, our relationships, our position, and so on. But, God’s promise never changes. Jesus said that even though heaven and earth pass away, [BPW1] God’s word never passes away. (Mt 5:18) Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Heb 11:1) The righteous will live by faith. (Ro 1:17) Those who live by faith will experience the faithfulness of God and his divine power and love every day.

  In today’s passage Paul explains why living by faith is superior to observing the law by contrasting God’s promise with the law. He also teaches us that through faith in Jesus we all become one in him and children of God.

First, Supremacy Clause (15-18) There is a word, ‘Supremacy Clause’, in the United States Constitution.  Supremacy Clause means that ‘the supreme law of the land’ such as  federal laws are superior to state constitutions or state laws that state judges must follow the federal law when a conflict arises between federal law and state constitution or state law. For example, in 1796 the State of Virginia had passed a law during the Revolutionary War allowing the state to confiscate debt payments by Virginia citizens to British creditors. The Supreme Court found that this Virginia law was inconsistent with the Treaty of Paris with Britain, which protected the rights of British creditors. Treaty of Paris (1783), which ended the American Revolutionary War between Great Britain and the United State of America, recognizes the lawful contracted debts to be paid to creditors on either side. Relying on the Supremacy Clause, the Supreme Court held that the treaty superseded Virginia's law, declaring the Virginia law "null and void." In this way the federal law overpowered the state law of Virginia.  This is the first case of Supremacy Clause which was recorded in US history.

  The Apostle Paul uses the same principle as the Supremacy Clause in order to explain the superiority of God’s promise to the Law of Moses. God’s promise with Abraham is superior to Moses’ law such that those who believe in God’s promise are not bound by the Law of Moses. Look at verses 15-18. “Brothers, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. The promise were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.” The law was given to the Israelites through Moses just after they came out of Egypt. God established his covenant[BPW2]  with Abraham and credited him as righteous by his faith 430 years before God gave the law to the Israelites. The covenant, which was God’s promise with Abraham, was superior to and more powerful than the Law of Moses because the promise was confirmed by God himself. (Heb 6:15) No one can change or nullify a promise which was established and confirmed by God himself. Therefore, those who trust in God’s promise are free from the bondage of the law. In other words, those who are justified through faith in Jesus are not bound by Moses’ laws such as circumcision. God justifies sinners through faith in Jesus by his grace, not by observing the law. By God’s grace we are justified and in his grace we become Abraham’s descendants.  Amen.

Second, the purpose of the law (19-25) If the law does not make us righteous and does not provide us what was promised to Abraham, why did God give us the law? What was the purpose of the law? Look at verse 19. “What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator.” The law has a negative purpose because it is related to sin (transgression). The task of police is to protect and serve. But, the image of police is negative rather than positive because it is related to the enforcement of the law. So, you don’t feel comfortable if a police car follows you when you drive. Paul says that the law is related to transgressions. A transgression is the violation of a standard. The law provides the objective standard by which the violations are measured. In order for sinners to know how sinful they really are, how far they deviate from God's standards, God gave the law. Before the law was given, there was still sin (see Rom 5:13). But after the law was given, sin could be clearly specified and measured (see Rom 3:20; 4:15; 7:7). [BPW3] “Each act or attitude could then be labeled as a transgression of this or that commandment of the law.” (Bible Gateway Commentary) In Romans 7:7 Paul confesses, “…Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, ‘Do not covet.’”

 

  Look at verse 19 again. The purpose of the law is also for the temporary framework until the Seed Jesus comes. The word ‘added’ implies that the law was not a central theme in God's redemptive plan; it was supplementary and secondary to the enduring covenant made with Abraham. The Law of Moses came into effect at a certain point in history and was in effect only until the promised Seed, Christ, appeared. There is a contrast here between the permanent validity of the promise and the temporary nature of the law.

  Look at verse 19b-20. “The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one.” In this verse Paul demonstrates again the inferiority of the law to God’s promise. The Bible says that the law was given through the agency of angels by a mediator, who is Moses. (Deut 33:2, Ps 68:17, Ac 7:53, Heb 2:2) But, the promise was given to Abraham directly by God without a mediator. The law was given through many intermediaries. The law did not provide us a direct access to God. But, the promise given to Abraham was fulfilled in Christ Jesus. And through faith in Christ Jesus, we have a direct access to God.

  In verses 21-25 Paul explains the positive function of the law, especially related to God’s promise. The law had an important place in the redemptive plan of God. But the giving of the law was not the final goal of God's plan. The law was an essential step, but only a step, toward the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises in Christ. Christ Jesus is the beginning, end and center of God's plan. Look at verses 21-22. “Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promise of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.” In these verses Paul tells us about the harmony between the law and God’s promise in fulfilling the purpose of God. The relation of the law to God’s promise is not contradictory but complementary. The law does not provide righteousness. But the law makes us know that we cannot become righteous by observing the law. The law points out our sins and shows us that we are all prisoners of sin and the whole world is under God’s judgment. The law makes us aware that only the way of salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ. The law prepares the way for the gospel. The law puts us down under the curse and the promise lifts us up in Christ. We are left with no exit from under the condemnation of the law so that we might find our freedom only by faith in Christ.

  In verses 23-25, Paul explains the supervisory and temporary role of the law over his people. Paul compared the law to a disciplinarian who supervises, controls, and disciplines a child. Look at verses 23-25. “Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.”  Verse 24 is translated in the NRSV as follows: “Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came”. A disciplinarian is the same as a pedagogue, which comes from paidagogos in Greek. A pedagogue is one who supervises and controls a child. At Paul’s time the role of a pedagogue was separated from that of a teacher, who instructed and educated the youth. The role of the law was like a pedagogue who supervised and controlled the Israelites. Its term was limited until Christ came. When Christ came, the supervision of the law ended. When people become justified through faith in Jesus, the supervisory role of the law was over. So, verse 25 says, “Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.”

Third, we are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (26-29) What happens to us when we are led to Christ through faith in him? We all become sons and daughters of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Look at verses 26-27. “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” Imagine a slave prisoner becomes a prince or a princess. In the Old Testament Joseph was a slave prisoner. But by God’s grace he became the second highest ranking man next to Pharaoh King of Egypt. Genesis 41:42 says, “Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck.” In the movie Ben Hur, the Jewish slave prisoner Judah Ben Hur became an adopted son of a prominent senator of the Roman Empire. Becoming a child of God is more glorious and precious than the ascension of Joseph and the adoption of Ben Hur. We are sons and daughters of God Almighty. We become heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ Jesus. (Ro 8:17) We call the Almighty God “Abba, Father.” (Ro 8:15) What a blessing and privilege it is that we can call God ‘our Father’. We’ll study this blessing and privilege as children of God in chapter 4.

  In a baptism ceremony we are immersed in the water, which symbolizes that our old self dies. When we come out of the water, we live a new life with a new self. We put off the old sin-stained clothes and put on new clothes, even Jesus Christ. Through faith we are clothed with Christ Jesus. When we are clothed with Christ, we all become one. There is no racial, social, or gender distinction among the children of God. Look at verse 28. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Have you ever seen a picture of the cadets of West Point Military Academy? They all look the same and as one because they wear the same uniform. Male and female from all different races look the same because they are dressed in the same uniform. Likewise, those who are clothed with Christ Jesus become one and equal.

  Faith in Jesus Christ destroys all barriers and unites all people[BPW4]  of all nations to be one family. We are brothers and sisters who have the one and same father in heaven. Your father and my father is the same one. How lovely and precious it is when we become one family.  How wonderful it is that we meet every Sunday to hear His voice and spend time with our brothers and sisters! Last Friday I called my mother who is in Korea because it was Asian New Years day. I heard that all my brothers and sisters visited my mother and shared good fellowship. My mother became the focal point around whom my family gathered as one. In the same way our Heavenly Father made us one through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. He is the author and fulfiller of the law. When we learn from him, we become as humble and gentle as Jesus. When we follow him, we grow as holy as Jesus. When we imitate him, we become as righteous as Jesus. When we become like Jesus, we don’t need the law. Jesus showed us everything we need to have a right relationship with God the Father. Jesus taught us how to live as children of God. Jesus illustrated for us how to fulfill the spirit of the law, which is love. I pray that we may all be clothed with Christ. I pray that we all may be clothed with his humility, kindness, gentleness, righteousness, holiness, obedience and so on.

  Look at verse 29. “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Again Paul reminds us of God’s blessing which was given to Abraham. When we belong to Christ, we become Abraham’s descendants. We receive the same blessing and benefits which Abraham shared. We will be a blessing to the world. We are the reason for this world and the purpose of its existence. We are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ Jesus. Amen.

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Attachment

• WE ARE ALL CHILDREN OF GOD THROUGH FAITH-message-3.doc