That The Promise Could Be Given By Faith

Galaterne 3:19–29
Galaterne 3:19 siger “Det (the Law) was added on account of transgressions, having been ordered through angels”. Og, “The meaning is, that the promulgation of the law at Sinai was no primary or essential feature of the divine plan, but it was “added” (Ga 3:19) for a subordinate purpose—the more fully to reveal the evil occasioned by Adam, and the need and glory of the remedy by Christ”.1

As we read earlier in, Galaterne 3:17, the law followed four hundred and thirty years after the promise. Paul explains that the law defines sin, or I would say, exposes sin and makes it open for all to see, i

Romerne 4:15 (LEB) For the law produces wrath, but where there is no law, neither is there transgression.

Lets also recognize that God’s angels are ministering spirits for us, but they do His word and execute his will. og “Belief that angels acted as intermediaries in the giving of the Law to Moses is well attested in the NT: retsakter 7:38, 53; Gal. 3:19; also in Jewish tradition”2.

Hebræerne 2:2 (LEB) For if the word spoken through angels was binding and every transgression and act of disobedience received a just penalty,

Now we see in Galatians 3:22 at “the scripture (loven) imprisoned all under sin”. We were all caught together under, Hebræerne 2:2 “a just penalty”. That is, in Galatians 3:24 “until Christ, in order that we cold be justified by faith”. Once we believed,og “were baptised into Christ” as vs 27 siger, “then you are descendants of Abraham, heirs according to the promise” in Galatians 3:29.

Master of Everything

Galaterne 4:1–7
When we are born into this world, Galaterne 4:3 “we were children, we were “(subject to) enslaved under the elemental spirits of the world”3.

As the authors of “Live in Liberty” say, “Our consciences are shaped by the laws of culture, custom, and religion. The conscience—together with issues of shame, saving and losing face, rules of taboo and the like—spins a web which holds us captive”4.

A little later, they say, “The ancient world was awash with fear and superstition. The gods of the elements (earth, wind, fire, water) as well as the elements of the heavenly bodies (sun, måne, and planets) all had to be appeased to obtain blessing”5.

And though we today may not believe we need to appease the gods of the elements, we may none the less live in fear of the power of nature. The act of god as it is called in the world, the devastating power that may strike you down unexpectedly.

Men, in Galatians 4:4 “God sent his son … født under loven” and in vs. 5 “that he might redeem (from the just penalty of Hebrews 2:2) … that we might receive the adoption”. So that in vs. 7 “you are no longer a slave but a son … an heir.”

At That Time … You Were Enslaved

Galaterne 4:8-12
Now we know God and are free. In Galatians 4:8 it says “when you did not know God, you were enslaved” then in vs. 9 it says, “because you have come to know God, or rather have come to be known by God” as we read in Galatians 4:7, “we are heirs”. Now we are written in the lambs book, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit.

Åbenbaring 21:27 (LEB) And every unclean thing and one who practices detestable things and falsehood will never enter into it, except those who are written in the book of life of the Lamb.

1 Kor 6:19 (LEB) Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

Why would they, as Paul says in Galatians 4:9 “turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental spirits?” Then in vs. 10 he describes these as the observation of “days and months and seasons and years”. There is a natural cycle of life and we do need a break from work and to remember our families and it is good to have a feast and enjoy the benefit of the work we have done, but these things in themselves cannot fulfill us.

Salme 16:11 (LEB) You will make known to me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. At your right hand are pleasures forever.

Esajas 40:31 (LEB) But those who wait for Yahweh shall renew their strength. They shall go up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and not be faint.

This is where we find a fulfilled and satisfied live, in the joy of the lord.

Until Christ Is Formed In You

Galaterne 4:13–20
In Galatians 4:13 we find that the Galatians were compassionate with Paul and his infirmity as he first preached the gospel t them. Og, it seems that “the majority in the Galatian churches were Gentiles (Ga 4:8, 9), yet these were soon infected by Judaizing teachers (teaching the Jewish customs and Law of Moses), and almost suffered themselves to be persuaded to undergo circumcision (Ga 1:6)”6.

Paul says of these teachers in Galatians 4:17, at “they zealously seek you … that you may seek them zealously”, in other words, these teachers were drawing people away from God so they would become their followers.

Do You Not Understand The Law?

Galaterne 4:21–31
Paul asks here in Galatians 4:21 “do you not understand the law?” As we read from Hebrews 2:2 “every transgression and act of disobedience received a just penalty”. If we live under the law, we face the inevitable penalty.

There is though, a part of human nature that wants a simple formula. If you do this, then this will happen. So we think, OK, I can be good, until we aren’t. We say, I can observe the Sabbath, until we don’t. We are in this natural world with all of humanity under the law of sin and death. There is an enemy that doesn’t play fair and he has trapped us. But God has a different plan, accept the promise, accept Jesus Christ and you will be saved.

God has offered two paths, the law which is your working for righteousness to attain salvation, and the promise which is the free gift of God.

Esajas 64:6 (LEB) And we all have become like the unclean, and all our deeds of justice like a menstrual cloth, And we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities take us away like the wind.

Paul uses the birth of Abraham’s sons to show the difference between these covenants in Galatians 4:24-26 (LEB) “which things are spoken allegorically, for these women are two covenants, one from Mount Sinai … but the Jerusalem above is free”. This turns the whole story upside down because the Jews believed they were the “sons of Abraham” that would inherit. And in their culture, the first born son would inherit. But this is not God’s plan. The inheritance comes through the promise, through the son of Abraham and Sarah, through the descendants Isaac.

This presentation by Paul, tying our inheritance with God to the promise through Abraham, makes one thing absolutely clear, the inheritance does not go to the one, in Galatians 4:23 “born according to human descent”.

The Judaizers, the teachers of the Jewish custom and the Law of Moses, were often sent by the established religious leaders of the day. The high priest, the elders, the Pharisees, the Sadducees and of these, Jesus said, i

Matthew 23:27 (LEB) “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and of everything unclean!

Paul is warning them in very clear and strong terms to “drive out the female slave and her son” in vs 30 which is saying, drive out the spirit of religion that on the outside appears beautiful, but inside is dead. We are to live by the Holy Spirit, the same spirit that was poured out in Acts 2:4 and in Acts 10:44.

For Freedom, Christ Has Made Us Free

Galaterne 5:1-6
Paul continues and tells the people in Galatians 5:1 to “Stand firm, derfor, and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery”. Then Paul takes an extreme stand by saying in vs. 2 “if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing!”.

Paul had been part of the assembly of leaders and elders in Jerusalem where they drafted a letter to the churches saying it wasn’t necessary for Gentiles to be circumcised. The letter simply said, i

retsakter 15:28–29 (LEB) For it seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us to place on you no greater burden except these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from food sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you* keep yourselves from ⌊these things⌋ you will do well. Farewell.

Paul makes it very clear that if you are depending on the law for salvation, then Christ can not save you … It is only, in Galatians 5:6 “faith working through love”.

Study Verses

  • Galaterne 3:19–29
  • Galaterne 4:21–31
  • Galaterne 5:1-6

Today’s Reading

  • Galaterne 3:19-29
  • Galaterne 4:1-31
  • Galaterne 5:1-6

References

  • 1. Jamieson, R., Fausset, EN. R., & Brun, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 2, p. 233). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
  • 2. Ellingworth, P. (1993). The Epistle to the Hebrews: a commentary on the Greek text (pp. 137–138). Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press.
  • 3. Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English Bible (Ga 4:3). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
  • 4. Bush, D., & Due, N. (2015). Live in Liberty: The Spiritual Message of Galatians (p. 120). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
  • 5. Bush, D., & Due, N. (2015). Live in Liberty: The Spiritual Message of Galatians (pp. 120–121). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
  • 6. Jamieson, R., Fausset, EN. R., & Brun, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 2, p. 322). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

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