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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
GALATIANS 3:15-29
LESSON #05
GODS PURPOSE FOR THE MOSAIC LAW
v MEMORY VERSE: GALATIANS 3:22
v WE LEARNED IN OUR LAST LESSON THAT THE GALATIANCHRISTIANS HAD EXPERIENCED SALVATION IN JESUS CHRIST BY FAITH AND NOT BY KEEPING THE LAWOF MOSES.
Ø THE JEWS HAD A GREAT RESPECT FOR THE MOSAICLAW. IN FACT, THEY ALMOST WORSHIPPED THE LAW. THEY THOUGHT MOSES WAS THE MOST IMPORTANTPERSON WHO EVER LIVED. THIS IS WHY MANY JEWS IN THE EARLY CHURCH HAD A DIFFICULT TIMEGIVING UP THE MOSAIC LAW AS A WAY OF LIFE. WHEN THEY SAW GENTILES JOINING THE CHURCH ANDLIVING AS THOUGH THERE WAS NO MOSAIC LAW, THEY WERE UPSET. IT IS BECAUSE OF THESEJUDAIZERS THAT PAUL GIVES HIS NEXT ARGUMENT.
v READ GAL 3:15-18 THE LOGICAL ARGUMENT:
Ø I SPEAK AFTER THE MANNER OF MEN (15) = PAUL BEGINS WITH AN EXAMPLE THAT EVERYONE CAN UNDERSTAND FROM EVERY DAY LIFE.
§ PAUL SAYS THAT IF YOU MAKEA LEGAL AGREEMENT WITH SOMEONE THAT IS SIGNED BY BOTH OF YOU, YOU CANNOT COME BACK LATERAND CANCEL THE AGREEMENT JUST BECAUSE YOU CHANGED YOUR MIND. YOU CANNOT CHANGE ANY OF THEPROVISIONS OF THE AGREEMENT.
· THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT WAS MADEWITH ABRAHAM AND HIS DESCENDENTS OF FAITH (YOU AND ME) THROUGH ONE DESCENDENT (SEED). (16)
¨ THE SINGULAR WORD SEED REFERS TOJESUS CHRIST (GEN 22:18).
· BECAUSE GOD MADE THE ORIGINALAGREEMENT WITH ABRAHAM THROUGH CHRIST FOR US, NO ONE CAN GO BACK AND CHANGE THATAGREEMENT.
¨ THAT AGREEMENT SAID THAT A PERSON ISRIGHTEOUS BY FAITH.
Ø THE MOSAIC LAW CAME 430 YEARS AFTERABRAHAM. (17)
§ THE NUMBER, 430, HAS CAUSEDA LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH MANY THEOLOGIANS. THIS IS HOW IT WORKS OUT:
· THERE WAS 430 YEARS FROM THE TIMEGOD MADE THE COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM UNTIL THE EXODUS FROM EGYPT. (GAL 3:17)
¨ COVENANT GIVEN TO ABRAHAM = 1921 BC
¨ ABRAHAM TRAVELS IN CANAAN 30 YEARS UNTILISAAC IS WEANED = 1891 BC
¨ ABRAHAMS DESCENDANTS STAY IN CANAAN 185YEARS UNTIL JOSEPH IS SOLD TO EGYPT = 1706 BC
¨ THE ISRAELITES STAY IN EGPYT 215 YEARS (NOT400 YEARS) UNTIL THE EXODUS AND THE GIVING OF THE LAW = 1491 BC
§ THEREFORE, YOU CANNOT USETHE MOSAIC LAW TO CHANGE THE AGREEMENT THAT WAS MADE WITH ABRAHAM 430 YEARS EARLIER.
· REMEMBER THAT GOD MADE THEAGREEMENT WITH ABRAHAM UNCONDITIONALLY. ABRAHAM DID NOT HAVE TO DO ANYTHING IN RETURN.
¨ THEREFORE, IT IS AN AGREEMENT OF PROMISE MADEIN GEN 12:1-3. (18)
Ø WHAT WAS THE PROMISE?
§ IT WAS A PROMISEDINHERITANCE OF BLESSING PASSED TO SUBSEQUENT GENERATIONS.
· WHAT WAS THE INHERITANCE?
¨ A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THROUGHJESUS CHRIST. (GEN 17:7)
· IN CONTRAST, THE MOSAIC LAW WASCONDITIONAL. GOD SAID THAT IF MAN OBEYED, GOD WOULD BLESS HIM. IF MAN DID NOT OBEY, GODWOULD CURSE HIM.
¨ THEREFORE, THE MOSAIC LAW WAS NOT ANAGREEMENT OF PROMISE.
Ø IT WAS AN AGREEMENT BASED ON PERFORMANCEINSTEAD OF PROMISE.
· THE IMPORTANT POINT TO REMEMBERIS THAT THE LAW WAS SET ASIDE WHEN JESUS CHRIST CAME TO EARTH.
v THE BIG QUESTION: IF THE LAW SAVED NO ONE, IF THE LAW COULD NOT GIVELIFE, AND IF THE LAW ONLY CONDEMNED MAN, WHY DID GOD GIVE THE LAW TO MOSES? OF WHAT VALUEWAS IT?
v READ GAL 3:19-26 THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW
Ø THE LAW REQUIRED A MEDIATOR (19-20)
§ GOD GAVE THE LAW TO ANGELSWHO GAVE IT TO MOSES WHO GAVE IT TO THE PEOPLE.
§ GOD GAVE THE PROMISEDIRECTLY TO ABRAHAM. IT REQUIRED NO MEDIATOR.
· GOD MADE THE COVENANT WITHABRAHAM ALONE (20) WITHOUT ABRAHAMS PARTICIPATION. THAT IS WHY THERE WAS NO NEED FORA MEDIATOR TO MAKE SURE BOTH SIDES FULFILLED THEIR PART OF THE COVENANT.
Ø GOD GAVE THE LAW ONLY FOR A SHORT PERIOD OFTIME UNTIL CHRIST CAME. (19) GOD ALWAYS MEANT FOR THE MOSAIC LAW TO BE TEMPORARY.
§ GOD GAVE THE LAW BECAUSE OFSIN. GOD GAVE THE LAW TO REVEAL SIN, NOT REMOVE IT.
· PAUL SAYS THAT THE LAW IS NOTOPPOSED TO THE PROMISE OF GOD. (21)
¨ THE PROMISE TO ABRAHAM WAS NOT NULLIFIEDBECAUSE THE LAW CAME IN ALONGSIDE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
Ø IF A LAW COULD MAKE MAN RIGHTEOUS AND FORGIVEHIS SINS, GOD WOULD HAVE MADE THAT LAW. HOWEVER, FORGIVENESS, LIFE, AND RIGHTEOUSNESS DONOT COME BY LAW, BUT BY GRACE.
· WE WERE KEPT UNDERTHE LAW, SHUT UP UNTO THE FAITH WHICH SHOULD AFTERWARDS BE REVEALED. (23)
¨ THE WORDS KEPT AND SHUT UPMEAN = LOCKED IN AND GUARDED BY A MILITARY GUARD.
Ø LEGALISM IS LIKE THAT. IT INHIBITS FREEDOM.IT INHIBITS GRACE THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT.
¨ ALL THE OLD TESTAMENT BELIEVERS DURING THEPERIOD OF LAW (FROM MOSES TO CHRIST) KEPT THE LAW BY FAITH. BY FAITH THEY PERFORMED ANIMALSACRIFICES THAT COVERED SIN. THEY WERE WAITING FOR THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS CHRIST WHENALL THAT SIN WOULD BE FORGIVEN AND THEIR FAITH WOULD BE MADE COMPLETE.
§ THE LAW WAS THE SCHOOLMASTER(24-26)
· WHAT WAS A SCHOOLMASTER?
¨ CONTRARY TO WHAT MOST PEOPLE THINK, THE TERMSCHOOLMASTER HERE DOES NOT MEAN TEACHER.
¨ IN THE WEALTHY ROMAN HOUSEHOLD OF PAULSDAY, THERE WAS A SERVANT OR SLAVE. WHEN A CHILD WAS BORN INTO THAT FAMILY, THE PARENTSAPPOINTED THAT SERVANT TO WATCH OVER THAT CHILD. THAT SERVANT TOOK CARE OF THE CHILD,DISCIPLINED HIM, AND RAISED HIM UNTIL HE WENT TO SCHOOL. EVERY DAY THE SERVANT TOOK HIM TOSCHOOL. HE MADE SURE HE ARRIVED THERE AND DID NOT STRAY FROM THE PATH. THIS SCHOOLMASTERSERVANT CONSTANTLY WATCHED THE CHILD TO MAKE SURE HE DID EVERYTHING HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO.HE TAUGHT HIM WHAT WAS RIGHT AND WHAT WAS WRONG UNTIL HE WENT TO SCHOOL. THEN THE TEACHERCONTINUED THE CHILDS EDUCATION. WHEN THE CHILD WENT TO SCHOOL, HE NO LONGER LEARNEDFROM THE SCHOOLMASTER, BUT HE LEARNED FROM THE TEACHER.
Ø THE MOSAIC LAW WAS THE SCHOOLMASTER.IT TAUGHT MAN WHAT WAS RIGHT AND WHAT WAS WRONG. IT MADE MAN FEEL GUILTY EVERY TIME HEBROKE THE LAW. IN THE SAME WAY, THE CHILD FELT GUILTY EVERY TIME THE SERVANT CAUGHT HIMBREAKING THE LAW OF THE HOUSEHOLD.
Ø WHEN JESUS CHRIST CAME, THE HOLY SPIRITCONTINUED THE EDUCATION OF THE CHILD OF GOD, THE BELIEVER. THEREFORE, THE BELIEVER INJESUS CHRIST DOES NOT GO BACK TO THE SCHOOLMASTER (THE LAW) FOR HIS GUIDANCE.
Ø WHAT WAS JESUS ATTITUDE TOWARD THE LAW? (MAT 5:17-20)
§ THE LAW WAS OF SUPREMEIMPORTANCE.
§ THE LAW EXPLAINED GODSPERMANENT STANDARDS.
§ THE LAW WAS RELEVANT TO MANAND HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
§ THE LAW SERVED GODSPURPOSE.
Ø WHAT WAS PAULS ATTITUDE TOWARD THE LAW? (ROM 7:12)
§ THE LAW WAS HOLY.
§ THE LAW WAS JUST.
§ THE LAW WAS GOOD.
§ THE LAW WAS TEMPORARY.
§ THERE IS A LAWFUL USE OFTHE LAW AND AN UNLAWFUL USE OF IT. (1TIM 1:8-11)
Ø WHAT DID OTHER DISCIPLES THINK OF THE LAW?
§ THE LAW WAS LIKE A MIRRORTHAT HELPS US TO SEE OUR FILTHY SELF. (JAM 1:22-25)
· YOU DO NOT WASH YOURSELF WITH AMIRROR. YOU NEED THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST TO DO THAT.
v READ GAL 3:27-29 THE BENEFITS OF BEING A CHILD OF GOD
Ø IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, AN INDIVIDUAL BELIEVERWAS NEVER CALLED A SON. GOD CALLED THE NATION OF ISRAEL, SONS, BUT GOD CALLED AN INDIVIDUAL BELIEVER, A SERVANT. (EXO4:22 JOS 1:2 1KIN 11:38)
Ø IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, THE BELIEVER IS CALLEDA SON OR A CHILD OF GOD. (JOH 1:12)
§ IN THIS SECTION OF GAL 3,PAUL GIVES US THE BENEFITS OF OUR NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.
· BENEFIT #1 BAPTIZEDINTO CHRIST (27)
¨ PAUL DOES NOT REFER TO WATER BAPTISM HERE.WHEN YOU INVITE JESUS CHRIST TO COME INTO YOUR HEART, THE HOLY SPIRIT IMMERSES YOU INTOTHE BODY OF BELIEVERS. (1COR 12:13)
· BENEFIT #2 — PUT ON CHRIST (27)
¨ WHEN YOU COME TO CHRIST, HE GIVES YOU A NEWNATURE. YOU ARE BORN AGAIN.
· BENEFIT #3 YOU AREALL ONE IN CHRIST (28)
¨ ONLY IN JESUS CHRIST ARE ALL PEOPLE ONEWITHOUT RESPECT TO RACE, COLOR, OR GENDER.
· BENEFIT #4 — HEIRS TO ABRAHAMS PROMISE
¨ WHEN YOU BELONG TO JESUS CHRIST, YOU INHERITTHE PROMISE OF AN ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD BY FAITH.
v SUMMARY:
Ø GOD GAVE THE LAW TO BRING PEOPLE TO CHRIST.THEREFORE, THE LAW AND THE PROMISE WORK TOGETHER.
§ THE LAW HOLDS UP A MIRRORTO SHOW MAN HE IS SINFUL.
§ THE PROMISE HOLDS UP JESUSCHRIST TO SHOW MAN HOW HE MIGHT BE SAVED AND FORGIVEN.
Ø WHAT SHOULD BE THE NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVERSRELATIONSHIP TO THE LAW OF MOSES?
§ THE CIVIL AND JUDICIAL PARTOF THE MOSAIC LAW WAS FULFILLED IN JESUS CHRIST. THEREFORE, IT IS NO LONGER BINDING ON THENEW TESTAMENT BELIEVER. (ROM 6:14 EPH 2:14)
§ THE RELIGIOUS ANDCEREMONIAL PART OF THE MOSAIC LAW WAS FULFILLED IN JESUS CHRIST. THEREFORE, IT IS NOLONGER BINDING ON THE NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVER. (COL 2:14 HEB 9)
§ THE MORAL PART OF THEMOSAIC LAW HAS IN SOME SENSE BEEN FULFILLED IN JESUS CHRIST AND IN SOME SENSE IS NO LONGERBINDING ON THE NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVER.
· WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER ITS LEGALCODE OR UNDER ITS CONDITIONAL CONDEMNATION AND CURSES. (ROM 7:6)
¨ NO PENALTY OF THE LAW OR ITS POWER IS OVERTHE BELIEVER.
§ THE MORAL PART OF THEMOSAIC LAW IS IN SOME SENSE STILL BINDING ON THE BELIEVER.
· THE BELIEVER IS STILL UNDER THESTANDARDS AND PRINCIPLES OF HOLINESS THAT EXEMPLIFIED THE HOLINESS OF GOD. THESE STANDARDSEXISTED BEFORE THE MOSAIC LAW WAS GIVEN BECAUSE THEY ARE BASED IN THE CHARACTER OF GOD.WHEN THE MOSAIC LAW CAME, THESE PRE-EXISTING STANDARDS OF GODS HOLINESS WEREINCORPORATED INTO THE LAW. (1COR 9:21 ROM 8:2-4)
¨ THE BELIEVER, HOWEVER, IS NOT ENCOURAGED TOLEGALISTICALLY KEEP THE MORAL LAW IN HIS OWN STRENGTH, BUT TO ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TOCHANGE HIM INWARDLY TO CONFORM TO THE STANDARDS OF GOD.
HOMEWORK
GALATIANS 3 — CONTINUED
THE RELEVANT RESULTS OF GALATIANS 3
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERSTO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.
v APPLICATION OF GAL 3
Ø WHAT NEW THINGS HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT THEMOSAIC LAW?
v PREPARATION FOR THE REULTS OF GAL 3
Ø READ ALL OF GAL 3
§ READ DEU 28:1-2,15
§ READ MAT 19:16-22
· EXPLAIN JESUS RESPONSE TOTHE RICH YOUNG RULER IN LIGHT OF WHAT YOU LEARNED ABOUT KEEPING THE MOSAIC LAW.
· MANY PEOPLE, EVEN CHRISTIANS,FALL INTO LEGALISM. THEY APPROVE OF IT AND PROMOTE IT. WHAT IS IT ABOUT LEGALISM THATMAKES IT ATTRACTIVE TO MANY PEOPLE?
v MEMORY VERSE: GALATIANS 3:25
