Greetings members and friends and welcome to another commentary and preview to this Sunday’s study of the Word. This Sunday’s study text is entitled “Freedom And The Law” and it is based on Galatians 3:18-29.
Today’s study is about those who are and have become the spiritual descendants of Abraham and heir with him to the promises God made to him. The main point Apostle Paul wants to make to his readers in Galatia is that the pathway to both becoming a descendant and heir is through faith and not the law.
This part of Paul’s letter to the church there was initiated because a number of the Galatian disciples were questioning whether it was necessary to fulfill a requirement of Jewish law to be circumcised in order to be fully accepted by God. They got this idea from Jews who were coming behind places Paul had been and contradicting and undermining Paul’s teaching in and of the primacy of faith alone.
Paul writes to them and makes several arguments to refute this claim of justification by the law the Jews were making. He reminds them that they first received the Spirit and His gifts not by anything they did or had knowledge of concerning the law, but by the hearing and believing of faith. This is an acknowledgement that God has accepted them by or through their faith.
Next he tells them that Abraham received the promise before the law was given through Moses and the giving of the law did not nullify the promise or covenant God made with Abraham. Abraham was justified and declared righteous not by the works of the law, but by faith. He believed God and God counted Him righteous on that basis.
He concludes that they are Abraham’s seed and heirs to the promise through the faith of Abraham and not by the works of the law they may perform.
Paul answers two questions that arise from the doctrine of justification by faith. One question relates to what then is the purpose of the law if justification is through faith. Paul explains that the purpose of the law was and still is to expose transgressions.
A second question asks if the law then is against or in conflict with the promises of God. Again, Paul answers that law was given as a stop gap measure until Christ. The law alone was not able to provide life for humanity and make people righteous because of the transgressions. Yet it has and does act as a guide to let man know what is the will of God.
But faith supersedes the law and does what the law is incapable of doing. While the law is a rule, measure or standard by which something or someone can be measured or evaluated as to how close one comes to abiding by it, its purpose is not and never was intended to make people righteous or just before God.
Just and righteousness is the purview of faith. Faith goes beyond an act or work and deals with the intent of the heart and mind of the spirit. Faith takes into account a person’s desire for and importance of relationship with God.
The law of itself can’t do and reveal what only faith alone can. It is by and through faith that people without the law, with the law, who broke the law both knowing and unknowing, willingly and unwillingly are justified before God.
Faith reveals something about us. The law can only expose or inform our conscience about certain aspects of God’s will and expectations. It cannot nor is it intended to make us righteous or just before God.
Christians and God-fearing people are free from the law in any attempt to be or made righteous or just by it and are bound by faith to be and made just and righteous before God. The law is not invalidated or rendered void by faith, to the contrary faith vindicates or proves the righteousness of the law.
Well, be sure to look over the study again and come prepared to offer your comments, questions and perspective on the meaning of the study. If you can’t attend your own Sunday School class this Sunday, you can join us live and online at 9:00 am at www.fbmbc.org and clicking the online services link.
You can also join us live by dialing 508 924-2890. If you have any comments or questions, be sure to place them in the comment section or you can share them on Sunday. So, let’s all have a great lesson and discussion this Sunday and remember to fear God and keep His commandments.
Pastor Jordan
