UNDER MOSES, IN CHRIST PART 2 TEXT: GALATIANS 3:23-29 October 24, 2010 REVIEW/INTRODUCTION: In Galatians 3:23-29, Paul compares and contrasts two ways to live. Specifically, he compares and contrasts life under Moses (law) versus life in Christ and shows the different effects that result from each. Every person is either under law and thus in bondage or is in Christ and is blessed. We saw last week from vv. 23-24 Paul s description of life lived under Moses. I. LIFE UNDER MOSES EQUALS BONDAGE. VV. 23-24 Paul provides two illustrations of what this bondage looks like, namely a prison and a pedagogue. A. PRISON, v. 23 B. PEDAGOGUE, v. 24 Life under the Mosaic Covenant was like being held in custody/confinement. And, it was like living under the continual strict, harsh, unpleasant discipline of a pedagogue. The Law served as a mirror in which the people saw how far they were from true righteousness (see Calvin, Galatians, vol. 21, p. 108). The Law s constant threatenings urged OT believers to seek refuge from the curse of the Law in God s promise. The burdensome requirements of the Law continually reminded the people that they were unrighteous. So, for example, the detailed regulations of ceremonies, endless washings and sacrifices, meticulous distinctions between clean and unclean, etc all served to keep their minds continually fixed on their inner corruption and pollution (Calvin, vol. 21, p. 109). Concerning the Law s function, Calvin wrote, gave them no rest till they were constrained to seek the grace of Christ When a man s uncleanness is placed before his eyes, when the unoffending animal is held forth as the image of his own death, how can he indulge in sleep? How can he but be roused to the earnest cry for deliverance? Beyond all doubt, ceremonies accomplished their object, not merely by alarming and humbling the conscience, but by exciting them to the faith of the coming Redeemer. In the imposing services of the Mosaic ritual, everything that was
presented to the eye bore an impress of Christ. The law, in short, was nothing else than an immense variety of exercises, in which the worshippers were led by the hand to Christ (vol. 21, p. 109). The Good News is that God didn t intend for this bondage to last forever, historically or personally (Gal. 3:23). The purpose of the Law s confining and disciplining function was to drive a person to Christ (Gal. 3:24). Christ, Paul says in Romans 10:4, is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. Thus, the Law s imprisoning and disciplining function gives way to Christ both in history and in personal experience. A life of bondage under law is exchanged for life a life of blessing in Christ. This leads us now to vv. 25-29 where Paul describes life lived in Christ. LESSON: II. LIFE IN CHRIST EQUALS BLESSING. VV. 25-29 The phrase, in Christ (cf. vv. 26, 28 and v. 27 into Christ ) is one of Paul s favorite phrases that he uses to speak of the believer s union with Christ (e.g., Rom. 6:11; 8:1; 12:5; 1 Cor. 1:2, 30; 15:22; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 3:26; Eph. 1:3) Union with Christ is the central truth of the whole doctrine of salvation (cf. John Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied, pp. 161, 170). Calvin writes, our whole salvation and all its parts are comprehended in Christ, (Institutes, 2.16.19). Through the gospel and faith the Holy Spirit brings us into union with Christ. The Law locates us most decisively under sin (v. 22). But, the gospel locates us most decisively in Christ (v. 26). In Christ we receive an abundance of spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3). Nothing then is more central or basic to the Christian faith and life than union with Christ. In vv. 25-29, Paul specifies four blessings of life lived in union with Christ First, in Christ we are: A. FREE FROM HARSH DISCIPLINE, v. 25 Paul writes, But now that the faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian In terms of the history of salvation, when Christ died on the cross, the veil of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom (Matt. 27:51) thus ending the temporary function of the Mosaic Covenant as a pedagogue. In the same way, in one s personal experience, all who have come into union with Christ through faith alone are no longer immature children who need the harsh discipline of the law because they are now full-grown sons (v. 26).
Now that Christ has come (the full revelation of the things that were dimly promised and witnessed to under the Law), the believer is no longer in bondage to the strict, disciplinary function of the Law (see Calvin, Galatians, vol. 21, pp. 107, 109-110). To be under Law is to live under its continual whippings and caning (i.e., curse), which is bondage. But, the Good News is that Christ has freed us from the curse of the Law by taking the harsh discipline for us (3:13). Having done this, He then brings us into union with Himself (vv. 25-29). In this way, we exchange bondage under the Law for blessing in Christ. But, someone may ask: What does it look like to no longer be under a pedagogue? What does it look like to be free of the harsh discipline of the law in comparison to possessing life in Christ? 1. FIRST, TO BE UNDER LAW IS TO LIVE UNDER HARSH DISCIPLINE BY A JUDGE. BUT, TO BE IN CHRIST IS TO LIVE UNDER LOVING DISCIPLINE BY A FATHER. I am often asked, Is God angry with believers when they sin? The answer is yes but not in the way many believers often think. Vindictive wrath is applied to those who are dead in sin and under the law. Fatherly chastisement is applied to those who are dead to the law and alive in Christ. The discipline of a pedagogue leads to slavish fear. Young boys were often scared of their pedagogues. In the same way, all who live under Law live in slavish fear of God (cf. 1 Jn. 4:17-18). But, the discipline of a Father leads to filial fear. Ralph Erskine discussing the difference between slavish and filial fear writes, Though I will not send them to hell, nor deprive them of heaven, no more than I will break my great oath to my eternal Son; yet, like a father, I will chastise them; I will correct them for their faults: I will squeeze them in the mortar of affliction, and press out the corrupt juice of Old Adam that is in them; yea, I will hide my face: I will deny them that communion and fellowship with me that sometimes they had, and give them terror instead of comfort, and bitterness instead of sweetness And hence, when the believer hath gone aside and backslidden, what is it that brings him back to God? his freedom from law-threatenings, and being only under fatherly correction, when he sees this, it breaks his heart, and melts it more than all the fire of hell could do. The slavish fear of vindictive wrath discourages him, weakens his hands in duties, and makes him run away from God: but the filial fear of God s fatherly wrath, which is kindly, is a motive of love that encourages him to his duty. Which of these motives think you will work up the believer to most obedience?...this legal one, O! My wrathful Judge will send me
to hell, if I do so and so ; or this Gospel one; O! My God and Father in Christ Jesus will be angry at me, and deny me His love-tokens? I suppose the former works upon enmity, and raises it, but this works upon love, and inflames it, ( Law-Death, Gospel-Life, pp. 56-57). There is an infinite difference between the Christian s and the unbeliever s relationship to the Law. The discipline of a pedagogue reveals a lack of righteousness. The discipline of a Father leads to the peaceable fruits of righteousness (Heb. 12:11). To be under Law is to be in bondage to the curses and threatenings of the law for disobedience (Gal. 3:10). But, to be in Christ is to be free from the curses and threatenings of the law despite our ongoing disobedience as believers. The blessing of union with Christ is that the law in the hand of Christ no longer condemns the believer. It no longer threatens the believer with vindictive wrath. In Christ the Law s flaming arrows of judgment have been quenched for believers. We are no longer under condemnation (Rom. 8:1). Because of imputed righteousness, we are now as righteous before God as Christ is. We are reckoned as if we have done all that Christ did for us. This is the first and fundamental benefit of trusting in Christ. The whole power and penalty of the Law was laid upon Christ and in him fulfilled and ended (Gal. 3:13; 3:23). And so now because we are in Christ, Samuel Rutherford declared, The Gospel forbids nothing under pain of damnation to a justified believer, more than to Jesus Christ. This is the good news for all who are in Christ. This first blessing raises an important question. Since we are no longer under a pedagogue (i.e., Mosaic Covenant), does the Law have no place in the believer s life? Do we have nothing more to do with the Law? Certainly not! To be sure, the Mosaic Covenant has no binding authority upon the life of a Christian than does the Russian constitution for Americans. One must make a distinction between the eternal moral law of God and the temporary Mosaic Covenant of Law. The pedagogical function of the Mosaic Covenant has ceased but not the pedagogical function of the moral law. There is a sense in which God s law is eternal (moral law). God s law neither began nor ended with the Mosaic Covenant. There is also a sense in which God s Law is temporal (Mosaic Covenant). It is important to distinguish between the history of salvation and the order of salvation. As far as the history of salvation is concerned, the Mosaic Covenant s function as a
pedagogue was only temporary. However, as far as the order of salvation is concerned, the moral law (not the Mosaic Covenant) still retains a lawful function under grace. This seems to be what Luther is saying in his Galatians commentary when he says that one must understand the duration of the Law either literally or spiritually (Luther s Works, vol. 26, p. 317). By literally, Luther has in mind the cessation of the whole Mosaic system of worship coming to an end when Christ first came. By spiritually, Luther has in mind the first use of the Law, which is disclosing transgressions and terrifying a man. But, just as the Law gave way to the coming of Christ in the history of salvation, so to it gives way to Christ in the order of salvation. Once the Law has served its purpose of exposing our sin, it no longer has any claims on us, judgment must give way to grace. What role then does God s law play for those who have been justified and brought into union with Christ (LW, vol. 26, p. 348)? The Law as a prison and pedagogue drives us to Christ, in whom we trust for justification and life. Once we are in Christ, the gospel drives (i.e., gospel-driven) us back to the Law not as a rule of life to obtain life but rather as a rule for life to show us how to live. In chapters 5-6, Paul will reveal how God s law continues to play this vital role in our lives as believers. Calvin describes the Law in the life of a believer as a bridle to keep us in the fear of the Lord, a spur to correct the sluggishness of our flesh, (Galatians, vol. 21, pp. 109-110). He continues by stating that in so far as the Law is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that believers may be instructed in every good work, (2 Tim. 3:16-17)- is as much in force as ever, and remains untouched, (Galatians, vol. 21, p. 110). In summary, the goal of the believer s union with Christ is to be brought into perfect conformity to God s law by grace through faith in Christ alone. Christ did not live, suffer, die and rise again so you can live however you want. The whole purpose of His incarnation, obedient life and death and victorious resurrection was to create in you a holy nature so that you will be careful to walk in His statutes and obey His laws (Ezek. 36:26-27). Martin Luther responding to accusations of antinomianism writes, For God is not gracious and merciful to sinners to the end that they might not keep his Law, nor that they should remain as they were before they received grace and mercy; but he condones and forgives both sin and death for the sake of Christ, who has fulfilled the whole Law in order thereby to make the heart sweet and through the Holy Spirit to kindle and move the heart to begin to love from day to
day more and more, (Martin Luther, Complete Sermons of Martin Luther, vol. 3, Eighteenth Sunday After Trinity. Second Sermon: Matt. 22, 34-36. p. 188). It is through union with Christ that you are justified and it is through union with Christ that the Holy Spirit sanctifies you. Christ died so that you might be justified by the righteousness of God that comes through faith alone and not by your own righteousness (Philip. 3:9). And, Christ died so that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in you as you walk by the Spirit (Rom. 8:3-4). REFLECTION: The goal then of our union with Christ is that we might keep the law of God (i.e., love God and people perfectly; Matt. 22:37-39). In order to do this, we must be in Christ and then understand that because we are in Christ we are no longer under the harsh discipline of the law. The Holy Spirit, as Paul will show us, is not a spirit of bondage but rather the Spirit of Adoption. 6 because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba! Father! 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God, (Gal. 4:6-7). And so, the Good News to all who are in Christ, is that we are free from the strict harsh discipline of a pedagogue. As a result, God, writes Walter Marshall, does not drive you along with whips and terrors, or by the rod of the pedagogue, the law. Rather, he leads you and draws you to walk in His ways by pleasant attractions (Hosea 11:3-4). The love of Christ, of course, is the greatest and most pleasant attraction to encourage you to godly living (2 Corinthians 5:15; Romans 12:1), (The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification, p. 236). John Fonville Permissions: Permission is happily granted to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that you do not revise the wording in any way and do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For web posting, a link to this document on Paramount's website is preferred. Any exceptions to the above must be approved by John Fonville. Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By John Fonville.