The Promise and the Purpose Galatians 3:15-25

The one and only heir of every promise of God is Christ. Every promise given in the covenant with Abraham was fulfilled in Jesus Christ and only Jesus Christ. Therefore the only way a person can participate in the promised blessings to Abraham is to be a fellow heir with Christ through faith in him. John F. MacArthur, Jr.

I. The Promise to Abraham is Preeminent Gal 3:15-18

A. The promise is permanent 3:15

Gal 3:15 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.

1. the contract principle of man

2. the contract principle of God Heb 6:16-19

16 Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie , we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.

The covenants (or contracts) between God and man:

The Edenic how life is to be lived in paradise

The Adamic how life is to be lived by sinful man on a corrupt earth

The Noahic new conditions subsequent to the flood

The Abrahamic revelation that God deals with his own by grace through faith

The Mosaic the required standard of living that reflects the character of God

The Palestinian terms and conditions under which the Jews will live in the promised land

The Davidic confirmed the coming of a redeemer-king and established the prospect of his kingdom

1 The New the confluence and culmination of all promises and every previous covenant

2 Cor 1:20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen " is spoken by us to the glory of God.

B. The promise points to a person 3:16

Gal 3:16 The promises 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.

1. the offspring [“seed”(plural)] of the devil

Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring {seed}and hers {seed}; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."

John 8:44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

2. the offspring [“seed” (singular)] of the woman

a. Deut 18:15, 18-19 15 The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him. 18 “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. 19 If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.”

b. Ps 22:29-31 29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him — those who cannot keep themselves alive. 30 Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord. 31 They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn — for he has done it.

c. Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

d. Isa 52:13-15 13 See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. 14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him — his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness — 15 so will he sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him.For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.

2 e. Isa 53:5-6 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

C. The promise is previous to the precepts 3:17

Gal 3:17 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.

If a contract can be set aside by a subsequent contract, then the first is essentially worthless.

D. The promise procured eternal provision 3:18

Gal 3:18 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.

Heb 6:13-18 13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants." 15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. 16 Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie , we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.

II. The Purpose of the Law is Presented Gal 3:19-25

A. The law is provisional 3:19-20

Gal 3:19-20 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. 20 A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one.

The command to Christians now is:

Matt 22:37-40 37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

3 Eph 4:1As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

Eph 5:1-2 1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God

B. The law is preparatory 3:21-22

Gal 3:21-22 21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22 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.

C. The law is professorial 3:23-24

Gal 3:23-24 23 Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. 24 So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. NIV 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith. NASB

Paidagogos; NT:3807 paidagogos (pahee-dag-o-gos'); a boy-leader, i.e. a servant whose office it was to take the children to school; (by implication [figuratively] a tutor ["paedagogue"]):KJV - instructor, schoolmaster. (New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003) paidagogos NT:3807, "a guide," or "guardian" or "trainer of boys," lit., "a child-leader" (pais, "a boy, or child," ago, "to lead"), "a tutor," is translated "instructors" in 1 Cor 4:15, KJV (RV, "tutors"); here the thought is that of pastors rather than teachers; in Gal 3:24,25, KJV, "schoolmaster" (RV, "tutor,"), but here the idea of instruction is absent. "In this and allied words the idea is that of training, discipline, not of impartation of knowledge. The paidagogos was not the instructor of the child; he exercised a general supervision over him and was responsible for his moral and physical well-being. Thus understood, paidagogos is appropriately used with 'kept in ward' and 'shut up,' whereas to understand it as equivalent to 'teacher' introduce, an idea entirely foreign to the passage, and throws the Apostle's argument into confusion." (Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)

Gal 3:24 So that the Law served[to us Jews] as our trainer [our guardian, our guide to Christ, to lead us] until Christ

[came], that we might be justified (declared righteous, put in right standing with God) by and through faith AMP

D. The law is powerless 3:25

Gal 3:25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

1. the disconnection shown by the law

2. the connection established by faith

Eph 2:8-9 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

4 TNBS Questions Lesson 11 Preparation for week 12

Read Galatians 3:26 – 4:7

1. How is it that Paul can say we “are all sons of God”? How does that happen and what does it mean? Read: Isaiah 63:16; John 1:12-13; Romans 8:14-16; Ephesians 1:4-6 for help with your answer. ______

2. How does it happen and what does it mean to be “baptized into Christ’? Read: John 14:15-23; Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 3:16-19; 1 John 3:24 for help. ______

3. From Galatians 3:25-29 , list the blessings that accrue to believers regardless of race, gender or station. ______

4. From Galatians 3:27, what 2 applications can you derive from being “clothed…with Christ”?

Romans 3:21-22; Philippians 3:7-9 ______

Romans 13:13-14; Ephesians 4:22-24 ______

5. From Galatians 4:1-7 and Romans 8:16-17; What makes you think you have a right to an inheritance? ______

5 Of what do you suppose this inheritance will consist? ______

6. What criteria does Romans 8:17 require before there will be any inheritance? ______

7. From Galatians 4:1-5; what exactly is Christmas all about? ______

8. How has this passage encouraged you? ______

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