Hello
Friends!
During
this week’s gathering, we’ll continue to work our way through the book written
to the Galatians as we consider
the ONE and ONLY saving “salvation” message of “Jesus Christ” as decreed throughout this excellent
Epistle – “Only ONE Gospel!”
Galatians: Only ONE Gospel! (Chapter 3:19-29)
19 Wherefore
then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed
should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the
hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one,
but God is one. 21 Is the law then against the promises of God?
God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life,
verily righteousness should have been by the law. 22 But the
scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus
Christ might be given to them that believe. 23 But before faith
came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should
afterwards be revealed. 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster
to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But
after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 26 For
ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For
as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There
is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male
nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if ye be
Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise –
Galatians 3:19-29
OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: The New Testament was
“written” to NEW born-again “believers”
and in the case of the fourteen “epistles”
written by the Apostle Paul, they were mainly applicable to the “Gentiles” of whom were “called” by “God”
unto Himself. And these beloved “brethren”
had NO past exposure to the Old Testament itself. However, a brief time
after the “gospel” had been “preached” and Paul’s “ministry”
had “matured” the “faithful”
followers IN the “Lord Jesus
Christ” Himself, Paul would then write these magnificent “letters” back TO them for their further “edification”
and “sanctification” in the Lord. Therefore,
these “scriptures” are POWERFULLY profound, very
CAREFULLY crafted
and often CONTAIN complex arguments that are predicated
on deep THINKING upon – The TRUTH of
God!
The
precious TREASURES abounding throughout the “Scriptures” are NOT simply found lying on the surface.
As we’ve “learned” along our joyous
journey through the book of Galatians proper, our serious STUDY efforts are definitely
NOT just
for the sake of the information we glean. Rather, it is through much focused
and thorough thinking and by the building of RELATIONSHIPS where we glean God’s spiritual GROWTH and
MATURITY all
to HIS glory. And it is ultimately for the benefit
of getting to KNOW our gracious “God”
and “Savior” more FULLY and thus “believe”
more FIRMLY in
His wonderful – DOCTRINES revealed!
QUIZZING QUESTIONS: What is the role of the “law” in the “life”
of a “believer” in “Jesus Christ” and is it NECESSARY for
“salvation” unto God?
One
UNBIBLICAL role
is LEGALISM which
proclaims
that we MUST somehow smuggle the “law” into the “gospel”
and thus POLUTE it’s true POWER of which revealed the Judaizers’ WRONG assumptions!
Another UNBIBLICAL role is LIBERALISM which proclaims that the “gospel” absolutely abolishes the “law” of “God”
and thus POLUTE it’s true POWER of which says now that you’re “saved”
by God, you may “live”
absolutely anyway you choose! However, whenever someone “teaches” these “false
doctrines” of sorts, simply wait for the fallout
that ensues… WHY? Because time
and truth
go hand-in-hand! HOW? Eventually, the corrupt “lives” of these charlatans will implode
as their “bad fruit” is exposed in a
maniacal – MORAL
catastrophe!
To
proclaim
that “salvation” itself requires
the “law” is to OPPOSE God’s “grace”
itself. To proclaim that “sanctification”
itself rejects the “law”
is to OPPOSE God’s “commands”
themselves. Therefore, OPPOSITION to “grace”
will DAMN the
non-Christian’s eternal “soul”
within a system of works that will NOT at all “save”
and thus “builds up” what “Jesus Christ”
has already DESTROYED at the cross! Conversely, OPPOSITION to “law”
will CRIPPLE the
Christian’s “life” and DENIES his
NEED for
“obedience” to “God”
and thus seriously – STIFLES Sanctification!
POIGNANT POINT: In BOTH cases, too much preoccupation with the “law” is espoused. LEGALISM separates the “law of God”
from His “Love” and “Grace” attributes. Similarly, a
cheap-grace Antinomian LIBERALISM separates the “law of God”
from His thrice-attribute of “Holy,
Holy, Holy” as His wonderful Word EVERYWHERE declares! Therefore, whether one is a LEGALIST or
a LIBERTINE, they have BOTH defined “Christianity”
by the “law” itself. HOW? By wrongly “teaching”
that either it IS NECESSARY for “salvation” or it is NOT
NECESSARY for “sanctification”
through a “Holy Spirit” empowered – CHANGED life!
And
“God” had indeed “established”
the “law” for the subsequent 1,500
years until the “promise was made”
of the pre-incarnate God-man “Jesus
Christ” the “only begotten
Son of God” had arrived on earth. Thus “Abraham” had “received
the promises” from “God”
through his OBEDIENCE by the sacrificial “offering”
of “Isaac” his “only
begotten son” unto “blessings”
of which were BEYOND comprehension…
And said, By myself have I sworn,
saith the Lord, for because thou
hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in
blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the
stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed
shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of
the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice – Genesis
22:16-18
By faith Abraham, when he was
tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his
only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called
– Hebrews 11:17-18
Next,
the Apostle Paul’s ANSWER to his own QUESTION concerning the PURPOSE of
the “law” in conjunction with
the “righteousness” of “God”
is VERY clear:
Wherefore then serveth the law?
It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the
promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now
a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. Is the law then against
the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could
have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law – Galatians 3:19-21
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: The “law”
was “ordained by angels” by the agency of a “mediator” sent by “God”
Himself. Therefore, His Holy “law”
came to “angels” then to “Moses” then to the PEOPLE
themselves…
Who have
received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it – Acts 7:53
And
these “mediators” are INFERIOR to
“God” Almighty. WHY?
Because “Moses” and the “angels” are CREATED beings. Thus, the “promise”
indeed came – DIRECTLY
from GOD!
Here
Paul has compared the SUPERIORITY of the “promise” back
in verses 15 to 18 with the INFERIORITY of the “law”
found here in verses 19 to 29 of this section of “scripture”
in where we now “learn”
the PURPOSE of
the “law” itself! HOW?
The “law” was “added
because of transgressions” in revealing the “sin” and “guilt”
of EVERYONE quite
clearly. And succinctly, the “seed”
which was the “glad tidings” and “promise”
to “come” was “made
unto the fathers” found in “Jesus Christ”
alone:
And we declare
unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers…
And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could
not be justified by the law of Moses – Acts 13:32 & 39
For all the
promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us – 2 Corinthians 1:20
What LAW
does TO us…
Therefore, the “law”
was ultimately “given” to drive LOST people to “God”
through “repentance” by “faith” absolutely ALONE for His “justifying”
great “grace” completely UNMERITED. And the “law”
has “concluded” to
the “sinner” just how SINFUL we ALL are:
But the scripture hath concluded
all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them
that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the
law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed – Galatians 3:22-23
Thus,
the “scripture hath concluded” that the “law” from MOSES to JESUS is a historical period of time in
which over all of those HUNDREDS of years it is proof positive that the “law” can NOT save! In fact, even WITH the “law of God”
established in its rightful place, the nation of “Israel”
went absolutely APOSTATE until all that remained was a small REMNANT of
them who “believed God” but were
“kept under the law” and “shut up unto the faith” even BEFORE their
“faith” was rightly “revealed”
to them – BY God
Himself!
CONTEXTUAL COMMENTS: The PURPOSE of the “law”
is NOT to CURE the
“sin” problem. Rather, it is to CURSE the
“sinner” eternally! Therefore, when one realizes
the definition
of “sin” and recognize it’s existence
in their life along with the reality that they are a
guilty REBEL against the Holy “God”
of the universe and that the “law”
will NOT eternally
“save” the soul, the final PURPOSE of
the “law” now comes into play…
What FAITH
does FOR us…
Next Paul says the “law” is bondage and discipline
and thus serves TWO purposes: As a PRISON and as well as a TUTOR
from “God”
Himself…
Wherefore the law was our
schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But
after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster – Galatians 3:24-25
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: Paul says the “law”
is a paidaggos or
“schoolmaster” of sorts and refers to
someone who is a “teacher” of instruction. In the ancient Roman world this role would usually be
performed by a slave who had the responsibility of a chaperone
and mentor assigned as the GUARDIAN of that child. WHY?
To keep the child from trouble, danger
and to ensure that the child was under control so that he
didn’t do foolish and harmful things. Typically,
the “schoolmaster”
would serve as a SEVERE disciplinarian for the child WHEN
he got out of line!
For though ye
have ten thousand instructers (paidaggos) in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus
I have begotten you through the gospel – 1 Corinthians 4:15
Therefore,
this DISCIPLINE was adamantly administered
in such a way that the boys in the Roman world would long for
the day when they were old enough to step
out from under the paidaggos placed
in CHARGE over them. And looking back from
the vantage point of “faith”
in “Jesus Christ” alone, notice the usage
of “we” to which Paul refers. Here he now
moves from the third person to first person pronoun. WHY? Because
he has been contrasting the “promise”
to “Abraham” and the “law”
objectively. Now here he is referring to
himself personally as well as ALL other “believers”
both “Jew” and “Gentile” alike – Saved BY
Grace!
For sin shall
not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace – Romans 6:14
And
finally, Paul points to the “seed”
of BLESSINGS that
are “promised” to the “children
of God” found IN our Lord “Jesus Christ”
alone:
For ye are all the children of
God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into
Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither
bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ
Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according
to the promise – Galatians
3:26-29
We
are ALL the “children of God” whether a “Jew” or a “Greek”
or as “bond” or as “free” or “male”
or “female” by “faith”
and were “baptized” as ONE when
we “put on Christ” Himself:
But as many as
received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them
that believe on his name – John 1:12
Know ye not,
that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his
death? – Romans 6:3
And because ye
are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying,
Abba, Father – Galatians 4:6
Our
Heavenly “Father” has
indeed set the boundaries for individual “nations”
themselves as well as submission unto differing “authority” structures within His wonderful
PLAN of redemption. And for those of whom
“believe God” are eternally placed
in “Jesus Christ” making NO
determining distinction of gender, social status or
ethnicity
with regard to His lavish “love”
for His own. WHY? Because these “things” are completely FOREIGN to
our faithful “fellowship” in Him through
His “Only Begotten” Son – JESUS
CHRIST!
REMNANT REMINDER: Thus, “we” are “Abraham's seed” and descendants
just as “according to the promise” from our great “God” Himself. WHAT are the beautiful BENEFITS
of being a “son” of the “Most High God” of Glory? We have the AUTHORITY to
go DIRECTLY to
the THRONE of
“grace” itself! We also POSSESS the
“Holy Spirit” of Whom has taken up His
rightful RESIDENCE in “us” as a “promise”
of “our” incredible “inheritance”
in Him. Therefore, “we” are NOT simply a solemn “slave”
but a saved “son” and an “heir” of “God”
and “joint heirs” with “Jesus
Christ” our Lord – We ARE the CHILDREN
of God!
In closing:
A
great “preacher” of the grand “Gospel” message once succinctly said of “Heaven” and “Hell”
eternal:
“The greatness of the misery of hell and
the greatness of the bliss of heaven is correspondent to the
greatness of the things God has done to procure the one and save us from
the other.” – Jonathan Edwards
The
Apostle Paul also asks:
How shall we escape if we neglect
so great a salvation? – Hebrews 2:3
That
passage leads to THE most URGENT question
of all, doesn’t it? – YES it DOES!
And
as an EVIL example to illustrate “another
gospel” propagated by Satan himself… The Roman Catholic Church
system through their Council of Trent falsely
“teaches” its unsuspecting frail
followers this luminous LIE of absolute ANTI-BIBLICAL
proportions:
"If anyone says that the sinner is
justified by faith alone, let him be anathema" – Trent, Canon 9
We
can only understand the GREATNESS
of our Lord’s “salvation” work if we discern
the REALITY of “Heaven”
and “Hell” respectively. WHY?
Because “Hell” is such MISERY and
“Heaven” is such BLISS! Thus, “God”
greatly accomplished ALL of His royal “redemption”
in the midst of His “creation”
mandate. HOW? By “sending”
His “Only Begotten Son” our “Lord Jesus Christ” as the ONLY eternal ESCAPE from the sinister “sin”
and enslaving “evil” found in ALL of
mankind – For HIS own ETERNAL glory!
REAL REFLECTIONS: Beloved, may God give US the courage and boldness
to “contend earnestly for the faith”
that was signed, sealed and delivered
some – 2000 years ago…
Beloved,
when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was
needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly
contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints – Jude 3
Praise the Lord Jesus Christ!
With
these thoughts in consideration towards your own personal studies, please read
through verses 19-29 in the third chapter of
the excellent book to the Galatians.
We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!
Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><
Encouraging Concepts
Truth for Today
"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"Lighthouse Publications <><
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