“The Promise of God That Changes Everything” Galatians 3:15-29

Grace Abounds

A Sermon Series Through the Book of Galatians

“The Promise of God That Changes Everything”

Galatians 3:15-29

Introduction

There is a pattern throughout history of how God brought redemption to pass. He has made multiple covenants with humanity. Adamic covenant, Noahic covenant, Davidic covenant, Mt. Saini covenant, etc. All these covenants are all pointing to the redemption of mankind. Then with Jesus, he announces a new covenant that is made in His blood for the remission of sins.

The covenant that was made with Adam was one of obedience, “If you follow God’s Word you will live eternally and have communion with God; if you break God’s law it means death and you are separated from God (they had to leave the garden).” The second Adam (Jesus)[1] also had to follow the same covenant, but instead of breaking God’s Word, He kept it perfectly. Last week we looked at how we are under a curse because we broke God’s law, and Jesus became the curse for us by taking the wrath of God upon him while on the cross. Paul continues his argument against human effort and how it does not establish or keep a relationship with God.

God’s Promises Are Eternal (vv. 15-18)

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.

Paul is arguing that a promise (a covenant) was made to Abraham and to his offspring. He is quoting Genesis 15:5-6 where God was talking about blessing Abraham, but Abraham was concerned that he would have no offspring to pass on the blessing of God to when he died, “And he (God) brought him (Abraham) outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring” 6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.”

Paul gives an earthly example of people who have contracted, covenanted together – once all the terms are agreed upon, and the contract is signed (ratified), then you can’t change it. No one can back out or change what’s in the covenant – how much more when God gives a promise. He will always keep His end of the promise – it is within His character to do so.

Paul is saying that God’s promise to Abraham does not apply to all of humanity, instead it applies only to one person, that he says is Christ. Through Abraham to his offspring (Jesus) is promised by God to have countless children.[2] When a person places their faith in Christ they become a child of Abraham. Faith is the means to becoming a child of God[3], not following the law.

“By definition, an inheritance is not earned but simply received, and to work for that which is already guaranteed is foolish and unnecessary. Trying to earn the inheritance God promises through faith in His Son is much worse than foolish. To add works of the law to faith in God’s promise is to “nullify the grace of God” and to cause Christ to have “died needlessly” (2:21).”[4]

 So If salvation is by faith, why did God give us the law? (vv. 19-20)

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.

Transgressions

So if God made a promise to Abraham (salvation by faith) that is completed in Christ (faith in Christ as the means of salvation), then why have the law on the middle? Paul gives two reasons, 1) “because of transgressions,” – “the conscious disobeying of definite commandments.” “stepping over the boundary” The law produces transgressions by showing a person their total sinfulness, their inability to please God by his own works, and his need for mercy and grace.

Paul says something similar in Romans 4:15, “For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. . . but where there is no law there is no transgression.”

The law shows man God’s standard, how their sin is an offense to God, and that they stand before God having sinned against their Creator – and that they will be held accountable to God for not keeping the standard. This is why the whole of the Bible is important for people today – Christianity is not about three steps to a better life, how to have a happy marriage, or six ways to move up the ladder at work. Mankind will never seek God’s grace and mercy if they are not made aware of how they have offended God. Why would they seek mercy, if they are not aware that they are sinners?

The purpose of the law was to drive men to despair.

 Intermediaries

And the law was given from a distance, 2) “it was put in place through angels by an intermediary,” – the law came to mankind by an intermediary, not by God directly. It is God’s word, and it originates from Him – but it was delivered by Moses and angels. “The promise of salvation by faith was so precious to the heart of God that He gave it to Abraham in person.”[5]

Today, God also comes directly to every person who will have His Son as Lord and Savior. There would come a day when God would speak directly to people, and not go through angels or prophets – but through His Spirit.

God Speaks Directly to Those Who Have Faith in Jesus.

God’s Promise of Salvation (vv. 21-22)

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.

Paul then asks, (v. 21) “Is the law then contrary to the promises of God?” contrary means “against” or “opposed to,” Does the law work against, or is it opposed to the promise of salvation by faith? Paul says, “certainly not!” The law cannot give eternal life. If it were possible to have salvation multiple ways then it would make Jesus’ death unnecessary.

The law, “the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin,” – It has locked up, secured on all sides, and gives no means of escape from sin. We have to have be pressed in from all sides, with no means of escaping the reality of our sin, and how we have offended God, with no means to make that right. We have been found guilty, imprisoned with no means of escape, sentenced to death, and driven to despair – and at that point we cry out for grace and mercy.

Romans 7:24 “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”

“so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.” John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” God promises that if a person places their trust in Jesus, that they will not perish because of their sin, their breaking God’s commands, but instead will be given eternal life, forgiveness of their sin.

Salvation is promised to those who believe in Jesus Christ.

 The Effects of the Law Upon A Person (vv. 23-24)

If you live under the law, or you are a follower of Jesus who is tempted to add works to what Jesus has already done on the cross, there are effects upon you (before and after conversion). Before salvation there is bondage that the relationship brings. Paul gives two figures to represent God’s law – the prison and a guardian.

 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.

 The law is a prison (that you lock yourself inside)

 Until a person acknowledges his basic sinfulness and inability to perfectly fulfill the demands of God’s law, he will not repent or seek salvation, so “before faith came,” or now that we have it, we are imprisoned until, “faith would be revealed.” We are held captive either to our own ignorance and darkened hearts, or we are imprisoned, by the law itself which shows us our sinfulness.

The law was never intended to replace or be a barrier to faith – the OT Jews could be saved by faith, just as Abraham was. The spiritually minded Jewish person, who sought to love God, and serve Him would have been overwhelmed with a sense of guilt and inadequacy, He wanted to obey, yet knew he could not. Even under that way of living, he could cry out for mercy and have faith in God’s eventual promised Savior.

The problem was that many did not – instead they replaced the intention of the law with manmade traditions, and fooled themselves into thinking they were actually keeping the law. Jesus went after these manmade traditions and the religious leaders hated him for it.

Matthew 5:17-20 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

The law is a guardian (that guides you to despair)

 When Paul mentions the law is like a guardian or a guide; it is a reference to a paidagogos. This was a slave employed by Greek or Roman families to supervise young boys for their parents. They taught them, disciplined them, but the role was never permanent. It was a great day for a young man to finally receive his freedom from his paidagogos. Their job was to take care of their charge until adulthood but then the relationship was changed. The sole purpose of the law was to guide people to Jesus.

“Before Christ came, the law of external ritual and ceremony, especially the sacrificial system, pictured the once-for-all, perfect, and effective sacrifice of Christ for the sins of the world. When the perfect Christ comes into the believer’s heart those imperfect pictures of him have no more purpose or significance.”[6]

 The Effects of Faith Upon A Person (vv. 25-26)

Faith Changes Our Relationship With God (v. 25)

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.

After salvation the believer enjoys freedom that a relationship with Jesus brings. These false teachers, who insist that you must keep the law, plus following Jesus, remain under the guardian, the guide. But now that faith has come, our relationship with the law changes.

God’s moral standards don’t change, but now that the Holy Spirit lives within the believer, they are them empowered to be obedient to them.[7] The first thing God gives to every believer, when they become a believer in Jesus is Himself – the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Because we are all sons of God, we can approach God, our Abba

Faith Changes Our Relationship With Other Believers (vv. 27-29)

27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”

The baptism here is not a water baptism by immersion, but is a picture of immersing yourself into the life of Christ. Like a garment, you wrap yourself, surround yourself with Christ. All believers, without exception, are one with Christ.

In the Roman tradition, “when a youth on attaining manhood, removed the crimson-bordered toga praetexta, the garment of childhood, and put on the toga virilis, the garment of manhood. At that time the young man would take his place among the family councils, taking on the responsibilities of maturity and enjoying the freedom that went with the position of adult sonship.”[8]

Jewish men would wake up every day and say a prayer, thanking God that they had not been born a Greek, nor a slave, nor a woman. Jewish men, according to their beliefs, had certain spiritual privileges/benefits that these three groups did not.[9]

“Paul describes Christ’s death as the means by which the Gentiles (churches in Galatia) received the blessings of Abraham, the promised Spirit was given, and the status of full sonship was procured (child of God). In other words, the time of Christ ushered in something new, which had been promised long ago.”[10] He is not discussing gender roles or a change of how God has ordained the home and church.

Paul has laid out an argument that salvation is by faith alone, and that is true for everyone (Jews, Greeks, slaves, free people, males, and females) Everyone comes to God the same way – salvation is by faith, not following the law. And the benefits are equally the same before God (the presence of the Holy Spirit, forgiveness of sin, having put on Christ, etc.)

Conclusion

John Bunyan in his book Pilgrim’s Progress, writes:

“As I walked through the wilderness of this world, I lighted on a certain place where was a den, and laid me down in that place to sleep; and as I slept, I dreamed a dream. I dreamed and behold, I saw a man clothed with rags, standing in a certain place, with his face from his own house, a book in his hand, and a great burden upon his back. I looked and saw him open the book, and read therein; and as he read, he wept and trembled; and not being able longer to contain, he brake out with lamentable cry, saying “What shall I do?”

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[1] 1 Corinthians 15:45-49; Romans 5:12-21

[2] See also Genesis 17:16 Abraham is not promised may children but one ‘a child.’

[3] In this ancient culture the rights to adopted children were even more secure, “This irrevocable character attached to a will especially where the inheritance of sons was concerned – above all where the inheritance of adopted sons were concerned. . . shows how in the Greek world the rights of an adopted son were even more secure than those of a son by birth.” F. F. Bruce, New International Greek Testament Commentary, Commentary on Galatians (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1982) 171.

[4] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Galatians (Chicago, Illinois; Moody Press, 1987) 86.

[5] MacArthur, 87.

[6] MacArthur, 96.

[7] Ephesians 2:10

[8] John Piper & Wayne Grudem, Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, A Response to Evangelical Feminism (Wheaton, Illinois; Crossway Books, 1991) 158.

[9] Piper & Grudem, 158.

[10] Richard Hove, Equality In Christ, Galatians 3:28 and the Gender Dispute (Wheaton, Illinois; Crossway Books, 1999) 38.