Galatians 3, Part 2: Superiority of Faith

GALATIANS 3:19-29

Application: The purpose of the Law was to expose sin and to bring the repenting to the One who could remove it, justifying them by faith. Conviction of sin, repentance, and faith in Christ saves.

PAUL GIVES US THE MESSAGE OF OUR APPLICATION IN CLEAR & STRONG WORDS IN HIS MESSAGE TO THE ROMANS IN 3:20-21 :

“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall be no flesh justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested...”

PAUL WAS IN A SPIRITUAL WAR WITH THE JEWISH AGITATORS WHO WERE PREACHING ANOTHER GOSPEL FILLED WITH FALSE DOCTRINE TO THE CHURCHES HE HAD PLANTED AND NOURISHED.

THE STAKES IN THIS WAR WERE VERY HIGH AND WERE SUBJECT TO ALL THE STRENGTH PAUL COULD BRING.

HIS WORDS IN THIS CHAPTER SHOW URGENCY, IMPATIENCE, AND DIRECTNESS TOWARD DEFEATING THIS FALSE GOSPEL LEADING HIS CHURCHES AWAY FROM THE TRUTH.

WE SAW HOW HE ASKED A SIMPLE QUESTION AS TO HOW THESE BELIEVERS HAD RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT?

WAS IT THROUGH THE FLESH OR BY THE TRUE GOSPEL MESSAGE?

WE SAW HOW HE HAD CLEARLY SHOWN THEM THAT THE PROMISE OF ABRAHAM HAS NOW COME TO THE GENTILES.

WE SAW HOW HE MADE THE CLEAR DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE FREEDOM OF CHRIST'S GOSPEL AND THE BONDAGE OF THE LAW.

WE SAW HOW HE MADE THE STRONG POINT THAT ABRAHAM HAD BEEN JUSTIFIED BY FAITH AND FOUND RIGHTEOUS BY GOD 430 YEARS BEFORE THE LAW WAS EVEN GIVEN.

THEN PAUL IN TODAY'S VERSES SHOWS THAT THE COMING OF JESUS CHRIST CHANGES THE STATUS OF THE LAW AND PRODUCES A NEW FELLOWSHIP.

HE SAYS THAT THE LAW HAD BEEN A CUSTODIAN UNTIL THE MESSIAH ARRIVED AND NOW THAT HE HAD COME, HIS LIFE HAD FULFILLED THE LAW AND THEREFORE BROUGHT BELIEVERS INTO A NEW FELLOWSHIP OF SPIRIT, NOT OF RULES OR LEGALISMS.

PAUL SAYS A NEW AGE HAD ARRIVED IN WHICH THE HOLY SPIRIT DWELLS IN ALL BELIEVERS AND THAT THE LORD'S WILL FOR HIS PEOPLE IS NO LONGER REVEALED IN JEWISH PRIESTS.

HERE IS THE BOTTOM LINE OF PAUL'S MESSAGE:

THE TRUE HEIRS OF ABRAHAM ARE NOT FOUND IN FLESH OR IN TRIBE, OR EVEN IN ONE NATION, EVEN IF IT WAS ORIGINALLY THE CHOSEN NATION.

IT IS NOW BY FAITH UNDER GRACE AND IS GIVEN TO ALL WHO BELIEVE AND IS MANIFESTED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE FLESH OF THE BELIEVER, ONLY THE FAITH IN THE HEART.

ALL WHO BELIEVE ARE EQUAL AND FOLLOW JESUS IN UNITY & EQUALITY UNDER THE DOMINION OF THE MESSIAH SENT TO REDEEM ALL THOSE WHO WILL BELIEVE.

3:28 SUMMARIZES IT ALL: “THERE IS NEITHER JEW NOR GREEK, THERE IS NEITHER SLAVE NOR FREE, THERE IS NEITHER MALE NOR FEMALE, FOR YOU ARE ALL ONE IN JESUS CHRIST”.

NOW LET'S LOOK TOGETHER AT OUR VERSES:

19-21: PAUL TELLS US THAT THE LAW OF GOD GIVEN AT MT. SINAI WAS GIVEN FOR A SPECIFIC & DESIGNATED PERIOD OF TIME, TILL THE SEED SHOULD COME.

HE IS ASSURING THE CHURCHES THAT THE PROMISE OF THE BLESSING OF GRACE & SALVATION HAD ARRIVED IN JESUS CHRIST.

IN VERSE 21 PAUL ASSURES THAT THE LAW OF GOD THAT HAD BEEN GIVEN WAS NOT CONTRARY TO THE COVENANT PROMISE AND THAT THE LAW WAS NEVER INTENDED TO PRODUCE RIGHTEOUSNESS.

PAUL MAKES THIS POINT VERY WELL IN 2ND COR 3:7 WHEN HE TEACHES THAT THE LAW WAS THE MINISTRATION OF DEATH.

IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH ETERNAL LIFE. 

THIS IS WHY THERE IS NO RULE OR WORK WE MAY DO TO BRING LIFE ETERNAL.

22: “... BUT THE SCRIPTURE HATH CONCLUDED ALL UNDER SIN...”

THE WHOLE VOLUME OF HOLY SCRIPTURE AND IN A VERY PARTICULAR WAY THE SCRIPTURE OF THE LAW DECLARES THAT ALL OF US, BY OUR VERY NATURE, ARE UNDER THE POWER AND DOMINION AND GUILT OF SIN UNTIL GRACE ARRIVES IN OUR HEART.

WHEN ADAM FELL, HIS NATURE THEN FELL ONWARD TO ALL WHO HAVE BEEN CONCEIVED BY MAN SINCE.

GOD'S WORD DECLARES THAT WE ARE ALL GUILTY AND NONE ARE RIGHTEOUS, NO NOT ONE.

WE ARE SHUT UP AS PRISONERS UNDER A DEATH SENTENCE, WITHOUT HOPE IN OURSELVES. 

BUT-BUT-BUT

THE PROMISE BY FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST MIGHT BE GIVEN TO ALL WHO BELIEVE.

THIS PROMISE IS THE PROMISE OF LIFE ETERNAL, SALVATION FROM WRATH, AND THE NEVER ENDING SMILE OF DIVINE APPROVAL ON US. 

ALL THIS IS GIVEN BY GRACE TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE.

IT IS NOT OUR BELIEVING THAT FULFILLED THE PROMISE AND BROUGHT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS TO US THAT WE MAY STAND JUSTIFIED BEFORE THE LORD.

THE PROMISE WAS FULFILLED AND COMES TO US BY THE FAITH OF JESUS.

THE PROMISED IS FILLED AND GIVEN BY HIS OBEDIENCE UNTO DEATH AS OUR SUBSTITUTE.

HEBREWS 10:10 IS OUR BEST TEACHING: “BY THE WILL OF GOD WE ARE SANCTIFIED THROUGH THE OFFERING OF THE BODY OF JESUS CHRIST, ONCE FOR ALL.”

23:  “...BEFORE FAITH CAME WE WERE KEPT...”

WHAT FAITH IS PAUL TALKING ABOUT HERE?  WHOSE FAITH IS IT?

OUR FAITH IN CHRIST IS NOT REVEALED TO US BUT IS GIVEN TO US FREELY AND WORKED IN US BY THE MIGHTY OPERATIONS OF GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT. 

CHRIST IS REVEALED TO US AND FAITH FOLLOWS THAT REVEALING.

WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT REVEALS CHRIST TO THE HEART AND CONVINCES HIM OR HER THAT SIN HAS BEEN PUT AWAY BY THE ATONEMENT, THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS HAS BEEN BROUGHT IN BY THE OBEDIENCE OF JESUS, AND THAT JUSTICE FOR EACH BELIEVER HAS BEEN SATISFIED, THE SINNER COMES IN TRUST THROUGH FAITH THAT IS THE GIFT OF GOD, NOT OF OURSELVES.

24:  WE NOTICE THAT THE WORDS 'TO BRING US” WERE ADDED BY THE TRANSLATOR. WHILE THE WORDS MAKE THE SENTENCE SMOOTHER, IT ALSO IS WORTHWHILE TO NOTICE THAT WITHOUT THE ADDED WORDS, THE SCHOOLMASTER WAS UNTO CHRIST, MAYBE A MUCH MORE DIRECT & FORCEFUL THOUGHT.

IT WAS THE LAW'S PURPOSE, LIKE A SCHOOLMASTER, TO DIRECT GOD'S ELECT TO CHRIST AND TO BE SURE THEY GET THERE.

THE SCHOOLMASTER  WAS THE LAW UNTIL CHRIST CAME TO FULFILL IT , AND ONCE THIS WAS DONE, THERE IS NO LONGER A NEED FOR IT.

ROMANS 10:4 SAYS IT BEST:  “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth”.

THE LAW HAS BEEN FULFILLED BY THE OBEDIENCE OF JESUS AND BECAUSE OF THAT FACT, WE WHO BELIEVE MAY STAND JUSTIFIED BY WHAT HE ACCOMPLISHED.

FAITH IN HIM AND HIS WONDERFUL SACRIFICE FOR US SHOULD MAKE US LOOK AWAY FROM OURSELVES AND ANYTHING WE MAY DO, AND LOOK ONLY TO HIM IN TRUST & FAITH.

DID NOT JESUS TEACH THAT WE ARE TO DENY OURSELVES AND FOLLOW HIM?

PAUL IS SAYING THAT ONLY IN HIM IS GRACE GIVEN FOR SALVATION AND ONCE WE ARE FULLY IN TRUST TO HIM WE ARE FULLY JUSTIFIED. 

THERE IS NO WORK, NO EFFORT WE CAN DO TO JUSTIFY OURSELVES.

25:  “...BUT AFTER FAITH HAS COME...”

SINCE FAITH HAS COME WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER THE LAW.

26-29: WE ARE NOT ADOPTED INTO THE HOLY FAMILY BY OUR OWN EFFORT, NO MATTER HOW WORTHY WE THINK WE MAY BE.

WE ARE ALL SINNERS AND ALL SIN IS NOT EQUAL IN CONSEQUENCE BUT ALL SIN IS EQUAL IN OFFENSE TO GOD.

WE ARE NOT ADOPTED BECAUSE WE BELIEVE.

RATHER, OUR FAITH IN CHRIST IS THE FRUIT AND EVIDENCE OF OUR ADOPTION. 

WE WILL SEE IN CHAPTER 4 THAT GOD SENT FORTH HIS SON, BORN OF A WOMAN, AND BORN UNDER THE LAW TO REDEEM US.

ADOPTION COMES AFTER REDEMPTION, AND BECAUSE WE ARE ADOPTED, HE SENT FORTH HIS SPIRIT INTO OUR HEARTS.

THE LESSON IS EVEN GIVEN MORE POWERFULLY FOR US IN EPHESIANS 1:4   “ACCORDING AS HE HATH CHOSEN US IN HIM  BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, THAT WE SHOULD BE HOLY AND WITHOUT BLAME BEFORE HIM IN LOVE.”

THIS POINT IS ONE OF THE STRONGEST IN ALL OF OUR FAITH.

OUR JUSTIFICATION WAS TOTALLY ACCOMPLISHED BY CHRIST, OUTSIDE OF OUR EXPERIENCE. ALTOGETHER WITHOUT US, ONLY BY THE FAITHFUL OBEDIENCE OF OUR LORD AS OUR SUBSTITUTE.

PAUL USES THIS PHRASE “THE FAITH OF CHRIST” MANY TIMES IN HIS WRITINGS

• ROMANS 3:22  

• GAL 2:16  

• GAL 2:20 

• GAL 3:22  

• EPH 3:12   

• PHIL 1:9

EVERY SINGLE TIME HE WRITES OF JUSTIFICATION ACCOMPLISHED FOR US, THIS IS THE PHRASE HE USES.

WE HAVE BEEN CONDITIONED TO THINK OF FAITH AS ONLY IN CONNECTION WITH OURSELVES.

WHEN WE READ AGAIN & AGAIN ABOUT THE FAITH OF CHRIST WE SEEM TO TRANSLATE IT IN OUR OWN MINDS AS FAITH IN CHRIST.

THIS IS UNTRUE AND WE SHOULD SHUN ANY SUCH UNDERSTANDING

WE COULD NEVER HAVE BEEN SAVED BY FAITH IN CHRIST UNLESS FIRST THERE HAD BEEN THE FAITH OF CHRIST.

YES WE MUST HAVE FAITH IN OUR LORD, BUT THIS FAITH IN HIM IS A RESULT OF THE FAITH OF HIM.

THERE ARE TWO REASONS TO CONSIDER THIS IMPORTANT THOUGHT.

FIRST: WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT INSPIRES PAUL (AND OTHERS) TO WRITE ABOUT THE FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST HE IS REFERRING TO THE FAITHFUL PERFORMANCE  OF ALL THE FATHER'S WILL AS OUR ASSURANCE, SUBSTITUTE, AND REDEEMER.

IT REFERS TO THE FAITHFUL FIDELITY AS THE RIGHTEOUS SERVANT OF JEHOVAH.

HIS WORK, IN OUR PLACE WAS NECESSARY TO ARRANGE THE PATH OF GRACE FOR THE SALVATION OF HIS ELECT.

SECOND: PAUL IS STRESSING THIS POINT TO FURTHER ASSURE THE BELIEVERS IN GALATIA, AND EVERY BELIEVER WHO HAS COME TO FAITH SINCE, THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE ADDED TO OR TAKEN AWAY FROM THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL.

IN THESE THREE VERSES WE COME TO THE CLIMAX OF THE LETTER.

FROM THE BEGINNING PAUL HAS BEEN THE CHAMPION OF THE CAUSE OF UNITY IN CHRIST.

PAUL WENT TO JERUSALEM A SECOND TIME TO SEE JAMES, PETER AND JOHN TO ASSURE THAT HIS OWN MISSION TO THE GENTILES WAS NOT SPLITTING THE YOUNG CHURCH.

PAUL CONFRONTED PETER AT ANTIOCH TO ASSURE THAT ALL BELIEVERS WERE CONSIDERED EQUAL BEFORE THE LORD, AND THAT NO RULES OR LEGALISMS WOULD DIVIDE THEM.

TO BE VERY SURE THERE IS NO POSSIBILITY OF MISUNDERSTANDING HIS TEACHING, WHICH WAS REVEALED TO HIM ONLY BY GOD, HE

REPEATS THE THOUGHT SEVERAL TIMES:

•  3:26  “IN CHRIST JESUS”

• 3:27  “BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST”

• 3:27  “HAVE PUT ON CHRIST”

• 3:28  “ONE IN CHRIST JESUS”

• 3:29  “CHRIST'S” MEANING BELONGING TO CHRIST

BEING BROUGHT INTO CHRIST QUALIFIES A PERSON TO BE ABRAHAM'S DESCENDANT SINCE HE TAUGHT US IN 3:16 THAT CHRIST IS “THE” SEED OF ABRAHAM.

BEING IDENTIFIED WITH JESUS, BEING A PART OF HIS BODY ITSELF, RATHER THAN STILL UNDER THE LAW INCLUDES EACH BELEIVER INTO THE PROMISE GIVEN OF A REDEEMER TO COME.

THIS POINT GOES DEEPER THAN HOW WE WORSHIP TOGETHER, AND IT CHALLENGES THE JEWISH BELIEVERS TO UNDERSTAND THAT EVEN IN SOCIETY AWAY FROM THE CHURCH, ALL ARE EQUAL.

SO NOW PAUL HAS REDEFINED THE MEANING OF “PEOPLE OF GOD”.

BEFORE CHRIST, THE PRIDE OF THE JEWS WAS THE LAW.

IT MADE THEM SPECIAL, HOLY, AND SET APART AS CHOSEN BY GOD.

BY KEEPING THE RULES, THE JEW MAINTAINED THE POSITION AS A PREFERRED ONE, CONSIDERED ABOVE ALL OTHERS.

BUT THE MESSIAH CAME AND THE QUESTION OF WHO REALLY BELONGS TO GOD'S PEOPLE WAS TRANSFORMED.

CHRIST FULFILLED THE PROMISE MADE TO ABRAHAM, WHICH WAS THAT ALL PEOPLES WOULD BE BLESSED IN HIS NAME, EVEN THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE THE LAW OF MOSES IN THEIR HERITAGE.

THE PEOPLE BELONGING TO GOD IS NO LONGER DETERMINED BY THE LAW BUT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT GRANTED BY JESUS CHRIST.

THE BEAUTY OF THIS PERFECT POINT IS THAT THE COST TO THE LORD TO ARRANGE IT WAS EXTREMELY HIGH, THE HUMILIATING DEATH OF HIS ONLY SON.

BUT THE COST TO US IS FREE AND IT BRINGS OUR FREEDOM FROM THE BONDAGE OF SIN.

HOW DOES IT DO THAT?

GAL 2:20 TEACHES US THE ANSWER.

IF WE TRUST IN CHRIST, ACCEPTING THE REDEEMING WORK , WE LIVE BY THE FAITH OF THE SON OF GOD WHO LOVED US AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR US.