How to Build a Bridge to Nowhere

How to Build a Bridge to Nowhere Galatians 3:6-14

Faith is infinitely powerful, because it gives glory to God which is the greatest service that can be offered him. To give glory to God is to believe in him, to regard him as true, wise, righteous, merciful, almighty—in short, to acknowledge him to be the author and giver of all goodness. Martin Luther

I. Abe and the Prophesied Seed What faith does Gal 3:6-9 6 Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." 7 Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. 8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." 9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

A. Abe’s conversion 3:6

1. the pleading of the Judaizers

2. the promise of God Genesis 15:1-6

3. the precept of God Genesis 17:9-13

4. the progression

5. the parallel Romans 4:7-12

6. the principle Romans 2:28-29

7. the practice Hebrews 11:8-10; 17-19

B. Everybody’s conversion 3:7-9

1. same faith 7

2. same foundation 8

3. same fact 9

1 There is no advantage to faith in ANY precursor membership, asceticism, or ceremony

There is no advantage for sanctification in ANY precursor membership, asceticism, or ceremony

There is no advantage for blessing in ANY precursor membership, asceticism, or ceremony

II. Abe and the Presented Scripture What law cannot do Gal 3:10-12 10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." 11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them."

A. The damning of the curse 3:10

1. Deuteronomy 27:13-26 2. Deuteronomy 28:15-20

B. The declaration of the contrast 3:11

1. Habakkuk 2:4 “…but the righteous shall live by his faith.”

Rom 1:17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

2. Habakkuk 2:4 “…but the righteous shall live by his faith.” Heb 10:36-38 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay. 38 But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him." C. The drawing of the conclusion 3:12

Lev 18:5 So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am the LORD.

Whereas Repentance and Faith are integral; Law keeping and Faith are mutually exclusive.

III. Abe and the Promised Savior What Jesus did Gal 3:13-14

13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

A. The curse of the law 3:13

2 Cor 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Those who were hung 1. Israel’s leaders Nu 25:1-4 2. Ahithophel 2 Sam 17:23

2 3. Absalom 2 Sam 18:9-15 4. Judas Matt 27:3-5

Before conversion, Saul of Tarsus: “Jesus cannot be the Messiah. He died under God’s curse on a tree.”

After conversion, Paul the Apostle: “Jesus must be the Messiah. He died under God’s curse on a tree for us” B. The blessing in Christ 3:14

1. the redeemed

2. the recipients

a. the baptism of the Spirit

b. the gift of the Spirit

c. the indwelling of the Spirit

d. the seal of the Spirit

e. the filling of the Spirit

f. the anointing of the Spirit

3 TNBS Questions Lesson 10 Preparation for week 11

Read Galatians 3:15-25; Romans 7:1 – 8:4 (Yes, it’s lengthy, but well worth the time)

1. Is the law a good thing or a bad thing? Why? ______

2. How does Paul say a marriage contract is broken and how does he relate this to our marriage to the law when we become Christians? ______

3. The “Abrahamic covenant” was a promise made by God dependent only upon His faithfulness. By how many years did that covenant precede the giving of the law? Why is that important? ______

4. How can we, as Christians, relate to the struggle Paul describes in Rom 7:15-23? ______

5. When sin rears its ugly head in our lives (which it certainly will) and we feel overwhelmed and discouraged, what do we do with it? ______

6. How would you encourage someone caught up in and frustrated by a legalistic religious system? ______

7. What does Paul say is our spiritual condition prior to faith in Jesus?

4 ______

8. Answer Paul’s question in Gal 3:21, then, in your own words, give the reason for your answer. ______

9. What is the purpose of the law? ______

10. How does faith free us from the law? ______