The law exposes sin. Why then was the law given? It was added for the sake of transgressions.... Galatians 3:19 (CSB)
D E F I N D E F E N E D Apologists Martyrs 325 CHRISTIAN EMPIRE Creeds Nicea - Deity of Christ 381 C A N O N Constantinople - Trinity 451 C H U R C H INVASIONS - INFLUENCE Decline of Empire - Rise of Papacy Chalcedon - Hypostatic Union H I S T O R Y CRUSUADES (military monks) MONASTICISM (missionary monks) SCHOLASTICISM (intellectual monks) October 31, 1517 Martin Luther s 95 Theses NATIONALISM SCHISM Martin Luther (Germany) John Calvin (Switzerland) REFORMATION DIVISION REVOLUTIONS MODERNISM REFORMED LUTHERAN Puritans R A D I C A L R E F O R M A T I O N (Anabaptists) ANGLICAN Pietists Conversion of Constantine Merger of Religion/Politics First Pope Recognized 540 R O M A N C A T H O L I C 313 1054 PROTESTANT Reformation 1517 Counter Reformation 1545 Council of Trent O R T H O D O X C H U R C H (Eastern, Greek, Russian) 1962 Vatican II Pentecost: Birth of Church Apostles Creed? Islam 33 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000
The Five Solas of the Reformation Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone is our authority.) Sola Gratia (Grace alone is the source of salvation.) Sola Fide (Faith alone is the means of salvation.) Sola Christus (Christ alone is the object of our worship.) Sola Deo Gloria (God s Glory alone is the goal of our life.)
Now, Paul is expounding the truths that are related to these five solas, but this raises a rather interesting question and a rather troubling question for a religious kind of man, and he was dealing with men who were religious men. They were religious leaders. They knew about the Ten Commandments. They knew about the Law of Moses. They knew a great deal about these things. They thought that they lived by the Law of Moses. And the problem that Paul's doctrine was raising for them was simply, what then is the purpose of the Law of Moses? We have been living for hundreds of years under the Law of Moses, given at Mount Sinai. Why all of these years of subservience to the Law, what is the purpose of it if the Law is not basic to our salvation? S. Lewis Johnson
Paul s Connection with the Galatian Churches 1. After his conversion Paul spends 3 years in Arabia & Damascus (Gal. 1:16-17). 2. Paul & Barnabas meet privately with Peter & James in Jerusalem (Gal. 1:18-24; Acts 9:26). 3. Paul & Barnabas bring a relief offering to Jerusalem (Acts 11:29-30) & stand for the gospel (Gal. 2:1-10). 4. Paul & Barnabas plant churches in Galatia on the first Missionary journey (Acts 13:13-14:20). 5. Paul and Barnabas re-visit the Galatian churches to strengthen & encourage them (Acts 14:21-28). 6. Antioch incident; Paul rebukes Peter (Gal. 2:11-14). 7. Judaizers began to teach that the law and circumcision are necessary for salvation (Acts 15:1). 8. Paul writes Galatians to defend the true gospel of grace. 9. The Jerusalem Council affirms Paul's position on justification by faith in Christ alone (Acts 15:2-35). Judaizer's Teachings 1. Attacks on Paul's authority and message (1:1-2:21). 2. The Law is essential for salvation (2:15-16; 3:1-5; 3:23-25). 3. Ritual observances are required for God's favor (4:10). 4. Circumcision is necessary for all Christians (5:2-3; 6:12-15). Galatians: Epistolary Prescript: Salutation and Greeting Background: Dueling Gospels? There is only one gospel and it is by grace through Christ! Personal Defense of Paul's Authority The Gospel of Grace = Free from the Law Doctrinal Defense of Justification by Faith Practical Defense of Christian Liberty 1:1-5 1:6-9 1:10 2:14 2:15-21 3:1 4:31 5:1 6:10 6:11-17 6:18 Introduction Body Conclusion Prescript Exordium Thesis: My message comes from Christ. (1:10-12) Defense: I am independent of others. (1:13-2:21) Independent of Human Teachers - I went away (1:13-17) Independent of Major Churches - I had one brief visit (1:18-24) Independent of Jerusalem Church Leaders - they added nothing (2:1-10) Independent of the Apostle Peter - I stood against him (2:11-14) Narratio Main Idea: Justification and life come through faith in Christ, not obedience to the law. Justification by Faith (2:15-16) Life in Christ (2:18-21) Propositio Thesis: The Gospel is of faith not law. (3:1-5) Defense: Scripture and Human Experience. (3:6-4:31) Biblical Defense (3:6-25) The Old Testament: Abraham was justified by faith. (3:6-14) The Covenants: The law does not replace the covenant of faith. (3:15-18) The Law: The law leads us to our need for faith in Christ. (3:19-25) Experiential Defense (3:26-4:31) Sonship: The law made us slaves; faith makes us sons. (3:26-4:7) Appeal: Paul's labor for them was to set them free in Christ. (4:8-20) Midrash: Faith and Law have always been incompatible. (4:21-31) Thesis: We are free in Christ. (5:1) Application: Live in freedom. (5:2-6:10) No More Bondage to the Law (5:2-12) No More Bondage to the Sinful Nature (5:13-15) Free to Live in the Spirit (5:16-26) Free to Serve Others (6:1-10) The Weak and Sinful (6:1-5) Teachers (6:6-9) All men, especially believers (6:10) Probatio When Paul heard that the Galatian churches were being persuaded to follow a different gospel that emphasized the law and circumcision, he wrote a passionate appeal defending his authority as an apostle to the Gentiles, demonstrating the superiority of the faith principle over the law, and delineating the practical application of living in the freedom of grace in order to call the church back to the true gospel of grace through faith in Christ alone. Summary: Paul s Signature and Final Appeal Peroratio Epistolary Postscript: Benediction of Grace Postscript Ken Wilson 2017
The Function of the Law The law orders society. The law orders society. The law reveals sin. The law reveals sin. The law guides holiness. John Calvin Martin Luther
The Purpose of the Law 1. To reveal the holiness of God (1 Pet. 1:5-17). 2. To expose the sinfulness of man (Gal. 3:19-22). 3. To reveal God s standard of holiness (Ps. 24:3-5). 4. To guide us to Christ (Gal. 3:24). 5. To establish the nation (Ex. 19:5-8). 6. To separate Israel from the other nations (Ex. 31:13). 7. To restore fellowship with God in the OT (Lev. 1-7). 8. To provide a calendar of worship (Lev. 23). 9. To provide a test of commitment (Deut. 28). 10. To reveal Jesus Christ (Leviticus). J. Dwight Pentecost
The Purpose of the Law 1. The nature of the law is NEGATIVE. 2. The ability of the law is LIMITED. 3. The scope of the law is TEMPORARY. 4. Christ/Faith/Promise are BETTER.
The Function of the Law: The law reveals our need for grace in Christ. Galatians 3:19-20
Function: Reveals our need for grace The law exposes sin (19a). The law was critical until Christ (19b). The law was an intermediated step (19c-20).
The law exposes sin. Why then was the law given? It was added for the sake of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise was made would come. Galatians 3:19 (CSB)
The law exposes sin. Why then was the law given? It was added for the sake of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise was made would come. Galatians 3:19 (CSB)
Purpose: For the sake of sin The law was given to restrain sin. The law was given to define sin. The law was given to deal with sin. The law was given to increase sin. Tom Schreiner
The law exposes sin. The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:20-21 (NASB)
So the law s main work was to expose sin. It is the law which turns sin [missing the mark] into transgression [stepping over the line], showing it up for what it is, a breach of the holy law God. John Stott
The first purpose of the law was to multiply transgressions so that it would be evident that the law itself is not the answer to the sin problem. The second comment on the purpose of the law is articulated here. The law was never meant to be in force forever. Tom Schreiner
The law was critical until Christ. Why then was the law given? It was added for the sake of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise was made would come. Galatians 3:19 (CSB)
The law was an intermediate step. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one. Galatians 3:19c-20 (NIV)
The main idea of the verse seems clear in context. On the one hand, the law is inferior to the promise because it required mediation: from God to angels to Moses to the people. On the other hand, the one God spoke directly to Abraham. Hence, the promise is clearly superior to the law. The indirect way the law came to Israel suggests that it should not be placed on the same plane as the promise. Tom Schreiner
The Compatibility of the Law: The law works with grace to point to faith in Christ. Galatians 3:21-22
Compatible: Law working with grace The law cannot bring life and righteousness (21). The law imprisons everyone as sinners (22a). Life and righteousness come through faith in Christ (22b).
The law cannot bring life and righteousness. Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. Galatians 3:21 (NIV)
The law imprisons everyone as sinners. But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. Galatians 3:22 (NIV)
Life and righteousness through faith in Christ But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. Galatians 3:22 (NIV)
All those who are right with God throughout redemptive history are justified by faith. The coming of faith represents the inauguration of a new era in redemptive history, the time when God was fulfilling his eschatological promises. Faith is portrayed as an objective reality that has now dawned. Tom Schreiner
Faith has always been the means by which humans relate to God. The object of the faith has now been revealed as the God who has decisively revealed himself in the Son: and this, for Paul, is the key point to be made in response to the agitators. Douglas Moo
The Limits of the Law: The law remained until the gospel of faith in Christ arrived. Galatians 3:23-25
Analogies: Jailer and Tutor Here is Paul's point: before Faith came, we were held in prison by our jailer, the Law. Before Faith came, were held under strict discipline by our custodian, the Law. For us to return to these would be like a freed convict rushing back to the prison cell day after day or high school graduate asking his strict childhood nanny for permission to go to the bathroom. However, the law, as both jailer and pedagogue, did its job to lead us to Christ so we would be justified by faith (3:24). Chuck Swindoll
Limits: The law remained until Christ Before faith the law imprisoned everyone (23). The law was our a guardian guiding us until Christ came (24) Because the message of faith in Christ is clear the law is obsolete (25).
The law imprisons everyone as sinners. Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. Galatians 3:23 (NIV)
Law or Promise Under Law Under Sin Under a Curse Under a Custodian Under Promise Under Christ Under Grace Under Faith
The law was our a guardian. So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Galatians 3:24 (NIV)
guardian, tutor, nanny (παιδαγωγός) A guardian was usually a slave whose duty was to conduct a child to and from school and to oversee his conduct until the child matured. The term often had negative connotations of being beaten to be kept in line (taskmaster). The guardian is different than the teacher (διδασκαλας) who was kind and patient. The most important point is that the guardian was temporary and only had a role until the child matured.
The law is obsolete. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. Galatians 3:25 (NIV)
Only Christ can deliver us from the prison to which the curse of the law has brought us, because He was made in curse for us. Only Christ can deliver us from the law s harsh discipline, because He makes us sons who obey from love for their Father and are no longer naughty children needing tutors to punish them. John Stott
The Gospel Truth: The law had a temporary and transitional purpose exposing our sin and condemnation until the message of faith in Christ was made clear.
The Gospel Response: Stop relating to God as if you are under law. You are not in prison. You are not being nannied. Trust God. Believe His promises. You are a son not a slave, act like it. The gospel of grace is liberating. The life of grace is living a response of love.