Galatians
Galatians was taught by Dr. James Modlish
GALATIANS
THREE
(Lesson
Three - 3:1-29)
Intro:
We
come now to the doctrinal section of the book of
Galatians, (chapter 3 & 4). Of course all scripture
is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for
doctrine, (chapters 3 & 4) seem to contain a heavy
concentration of New Testament truth, thereby, these two
chapters have become a spiritual battle ground. Paul in
chapter three, explains the relationship between law and
grace. Three words are repeated:
faith
(14 times), law
(19 times), and promise
(11 times).
In chapter
three Paul presents three arguments, seeking to prove
salvation and justification by faith, through faith,
apart from the Old Testament Law.
I. The
Personal Argument - (3:1-5)
Paul's
first appeal is made to their knowledge of their own
experience, although not foolproof, Paul asks, "What
happened to you when you got saved?" "Did you receive the
Spirit by keeping the Law or was it by an administration
of the grace of God?"
It is
interesting here to note that almost all of the "New
Bibles" eliminate the phrase in verse one "that ye
should, not obey the truth". Who would want that
out?
In verse
four Paul asks them, "You have suffered so much for your
stand for Christ, you received the Spirit by hearing of
the Word of God, are ye now going to revert back to the
Law? What was it all worth?"
A very
important question is asked in verse three, "You've begun
in the Spirit, now are you going to continue in the
flesh?" In other words, the Law is flesh. Romans 8
teaches that the Spirit continues the work of grace and
fulfills the demands of the law in us.
Paul
concludes the personal argument by asking the Galatians: "This man (or men) who are bewitching you (vs. 1), does
he minister by the Spirit by grace or law?"
II. The Old
Testament Argument - (3:6-14)
A. (Verses 6 & 7) - Paul quotes (Gen. 15:6) "How was
Abraham saved?" More precisely "How was righteousness
imputed to Abraham?" Although Abraham received his
imputed righteousness as we have, by faith, Abraham was
justified by his works. (Ja. 2:21,24) Abraham was
justified by works (Gen. 22). We are justified by the
works of Christ (Rom. 4:2, 5:1).
B. (Verses 8 & 9) - Paul quotes (Gen. 18:18). God
Promised to bless the nations through Abraham. The gospel
of verse 8 certainly is not the gospel of grace
preached-today, for even the apostles did not understand
the gospel fully until (Acts 15). What Peter preaches in
(Acts 2 and 3:19) is not the gospel preached today. The
point is the promise of (Gen. 18) was given before the
Law and will be fulfilled without the Law!
C.
(Verse 10) quotes (Deut. 27:26). Paul points out that
those who are under the Law are under a curse. James
tells us that if we offend the Law in one point we are
guilty of the whole Law. (See Jer. 11:3; Deut. 28: 61)
.
D.
(Verse 11 quotes Habakkuk 2:4)... in part. The word "his" is eliminated.
[1].
Faith in the Old Testament is manufactured by the
individual - (Heb. 11:1-30) it is attributed to him as
part of his own doing.
[2]. The personal element enters because
salvation under the Law is a combination of faith and
works - (Ja. 2,3; Rom. 10: 15).
[3]. Faith in the New Testament is the gift of
God (Eph. 2:8,9; Gal. 2:20) and not even the faith
exercised can be called a work - (Rom. 10:16).
E.
(Verse 12) quotes (Lev. 18:5). There is a vast difference
between doing and believing. Nobody was ever saved by
doing the Law because no one ever could fully obey the
Law.
F. (Verses 13 & 14 quotes Deut. 21:23). The point being
Christ became a curse, he bore the curse of the Law
himself (1 Pet. 2:24) so that Abraham's promises might be
bestowed by faith without the Law. The promise was made
without qualification of the Law, and Jesus did away with
the Law anyway!
III. The
Logical Argument
Paul
compares the Law to a human contract. When two people
make a contract (Abraham & God), it is illegal for a
third party to step in (Moses, the Law) and nullify the
contract. God made a contract with Abraham long before
the Law was given to Moses. The Law of Moses could never
cancel the promise or contract given to Abraham. The
Mosaic Law was not a new way of salvation that canceled
God's promise to Abraham. The Judaizers would retort,
"Why did God give the Law?"
Answer:
[1]. The Law was temporary, given to the Jews
(3:19,20) Rom. 2:14; Acts 15:24 makes it clear that
the Law was not given to the Gentiles. The Gentiles
had the moral law written on their hearts. (Rom.
2:15)
[2]. The Law convicted of sin and was
never designed to save. "It was added because
of transgressions" Given until the seed (Christ)
should come. The Law shows that I am in desperate need
of grace. The Law forces the sinner to trust in the
grace of God!
[3]. The Law prepared the way for
Christ. Those that have not come to Christ
remain under the Law. The Law is a schoolmaster or a
teacher. (vs. 24,25)
The Law kept
the Jews "in line" so to speak but through the
course of the history of that infant nation, their sin
and idolatry only proved that no one could keep the
Law.
The man who
exercises faith, receives the Holy Spirit as part of a
spiritual inheritance, that was promised to Abraham and
began with his justification.
The question
is then, "Why would keeping the Law perfect that which
was already accomplished for you?"
"O
foolish Galatian..."
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