Lesson 3
THE LAW VERSUS FAITH
Galatians 3:1-29
Memory Verse: 3:11
Introduction:
Paul now begins to compare law and grace. Grace is God’s unmerited favor, but the law is a curse. How foolish for anyone who has been saved by grace to desire to go back under the law, which cannot save nor keep!
The law had three parts:
1. Then ten commandments.
2. The ceremonial law of sacrifices and offerings, which foreshadow Christ.
3. The judgment law, given for the civil government of Israel.
Sometimes the Bible refers to one being the law, and sometimes all three being the law. This can be determined by the context and interpretation.
I. BEWITCHED BY FALSE DOCTRINE vv. 1-14
A. The Gift of the Spirit Is by Faith, vv. 1-5.
1. Bewitched [fascinated] (occult power), v. 1; Galatians 5:7, “Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?”
a. Satan has his way of doing this, 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”
A. T. Robertson says regarding this expression: “to speak, then to bring evil on one by feigned praise or the evil eye (hoodoo), to lead astray by evil arts. Only here in the New Testament. This popular belief in the evil eye is old and persistent, Deuteronomy 28:54, “So that the man that is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave:”
b. Christ the only cure, Deuteronomy 32:6, “Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? Is not he thy father that hath bought thee? Hath he not made thee, and established thee?”
2. If they received the Spirit by faith, how foolish to change back to the flesh, vv. 2-3.
a. The Holy Spirit need not be sought; like salvation He came by faith, v. 14, “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”
b. We must beware of false doctrine on the Holy Spirit, Colossians 2:8, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”
3. If they went back to the law, all their suffering would have been in vain, v. 4; Acts 14:1-7, “And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed. 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. 3 Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4 But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles. 5 And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them, 6 They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about: 7 And there they preached the gospel.”
4. Were the miracles by faith or by law? v. 5; Acts 14:9-10, “The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, 10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.”
B. Abraham an Example of Salvation by Faith, vv. 6-9.
1. Abraham was justified by faith, v. 6;
a. He believed God, Genesis 15:6, “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.”
b. He was declared righteous before circumcision, Romans 4:9-10, “Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.”
2. All who believe are children of Abraham, v. 7;
a. The Judaizers were teaching that a person had to be saved by the works of the law.
b. They which have faith in Christ are the children of Abraham, Romans 4:11, “And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:”
3. Abraham justified by faith, long before circumcision and the law given. This is still God’s only way, vv. 8-9; John 8:56, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.”
C. The Law Cannot Save, it Can Only Curse, vv. 10-14.
1. Judaizers were being cursed by the law, v. 10; Deuteronomy 27:26, “Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.”
a. The Lord told them to search the Scriptures, John 5:39-40, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.”
b. They have zeal, but not the knowledge of the truth, Romans 10:1-4, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
2. Justification comes only by faith, v. 11; Habakkuk 2:4, “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.”
3. The law and faith as a means of justification are mutually exclusive of one another, v. 12.
a. You shall keep my laws, Leviticus 18:5, “Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.”
b. A man must live by these laws, Romans10:5, “For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.”
c. The law knows nothing of grace, but demands absolute obedience as its only condition of justification, James 2:10, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”
4. Christ delivered from curse by becoming a curse, v. 13; Deuteronomy 21:23, “His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.”
There are three Greek words that together reveal the story of redemption:
a. “Agorazo” which means to BUY IN THE SLAVE MARKET, 1 Corinthians 6:20, “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
b. “Exagorazo” means to BUY A SLAVE OUT OF THE MARKET PLACE, Galatians 3:13, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.”
c. “Lutroo” means to SET FREE by means of a RANSOM:
1) Redeemed by the blood of Christ, 1 Peter 1:18-19Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not REDEEMED with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers. 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:”
2) Redeemed from all iniquity, Titus 2:14, “Who gave himself for us, that he might REDEEM us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
5. Gentiles are saved in the same manner. v. 14.
a. The blessing of Abraham, vv. 6-9, 29; Genesis 12:2-3, “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
b. That blessing is through Abraham’s “seed,” v. 16; Genesis 22:18, “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.”
c. That we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith, vv. 2, 5; Galatians 4:6, “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”
II. DELIVERED BY TRUE DOCTRINE vv. 15-29
A. The Law Cannot Change the Covenant of Promise, vv. 15-18.
1. A confirmed covenant cannot be changed, except by both parties, v. 15.
“The illustration is, that when a contract or agreement is made by men involving obligations and promises, no one can add to it or take from it. It will remain as it was originally made. So with God. He made a solemn promise to Abraham. That promise pertained to his posterity.” —Barnes Notes on NT
2. The faith way of salvation was before the law, during the law, and after the law, v. 16.
a. Notice how much hangs on the letter “s” as we consider the difference between “seed” and “seeds,” Genesis 13:15, “For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.” Genesis 22:18, “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.”
b. Abraham gave all that he had TO ISAAC according to God’s promise, Genesis 25:5-6, “And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.”
3. The promise given 430 years before the law and could not be nullified by the law, v. 17.
a. The promise was through the righteousness of FAITH, Romans 4:13, “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.”
b. The promise was according to the election of grace and not of works, Romans 11:5-6, “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”
4. The inheritance is by promise and not by law, v. 18. Many people depend on works, but we depend on Christ for salvation.
B. The Purpose of the Law, vv. 19-29.
1. The law was added to show transgression until the promised seed should come, vv. 19-20. Exodus 19:8, “And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.”
2. No law could bring salvation, v. 21.
3. The “scripture” is in the singular refers to a definite passage, v. 22.
a. In God’s sight no man shall be justified by works, Psalm 143:2, “And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.” This was quoted in Galatians 2:16, “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”
b. Man is cursed for not doing the law, Deuteronomy 27:26, “Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.” This was quoted in Galatians 3:10, “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.”
4. Old Testament people looked forward to Christ, we look back to Him, v. 23, Romans 7:6, “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.” See also Galatians 4:2.
5. The law was a guardian to bring sinners to Christ, v. 24. The schoolmaster was an instructor or a tutor i.e. a guardian and guide of boys. Among the Greeks and the Romans the name was applied to trustworthy slaves who were charged with the duty of supervising the life and morals of boys belonging to the better class. The boys were not allowed so much as to step out of the house without them before arriving at the age of manhood.
6. Since faith has come, we are no longer under the law, v. 25.
7. Children of God by faith. Note change from WE to YE which would indicate change from Jew to both Jew and Gentile.
8. Baptism is the UNIFORM of the Christian, v. 27. The uniform does not make a man a soldier, but simply identifies him as one.
9. All who are in Christ, are all one in Christ, v. 28. This speaks of equality. We still remain male and female, but all who have been saved are all in Christ.
10. If you are Christ’s, you are related to Abraham without going to the law or through the law. v. 29.
–Lesson by E. L. Bynum; Revision by Art Davison