Aug. 14, 2024

Dear Friends,

I hope you can join us tonight for Bible study as we continue our study in the book of Galatians. The Scripture is Galatians 3:10-29. Notes are attached.

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LIVING THE CHRISTLIFE

WAYNE BARRETT

HILLTOP LAKES CHAPEL

AUGUST 14, 2024

Galatians 3:10-29

10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does

not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is

justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” 12 But the law is not of faith,

rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by

becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 14 so that in

Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised

Spirit through faith.

15 To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it

once it has been ratified. 16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not

say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.

17 This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously

ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. 18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer

comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.

19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom

the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. 20 Now an

intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.

21 Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could

give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything

under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would

be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by

faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all

sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are

all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to

promise.

_______________________

Paul continues his explanation that there is no salvation through the law, that the covenant with

Abraham was always according to faith (not genealogy), that the fulfilment of the promise to

Abraham—and the fulfilment of the law—is in Christ and Christ alone.

v 10 – “For all who rely…”

“under a curse” – as bad as it gets, and certainly without salvation

“for it is written”

Paul makes his case using OT Scriptures

“Cursed be everyone…” – Deuteronomy 27:26, Jeremiah 11:3, Ezekiel 18:4

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No one except Jesus has ever kept the law perfectly, therefore, all are “under a curse.”

v 11 – “Now it is evident…”

Furthermore, no one was ever justified by God on the basis of keeping the law, it was always by

faith, and the Scripture makes that clear—even and especially pertaining to Abraham

“Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by

his faith. – Habakkuk 2:4

v 12 – “But the law…”

Back to the first point, the law and faith are two different things. The system according to the law

has to do with exactly that—keeping the law. Faith is a different system.

“The one who does them shall live by them”—Paul is quoting Leviticus 18:5, “You shall

therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am

the LORD.”

Because of the law and what it reveals about us (our sin), all people are under a curse.

So what happened?

v 13 – “Christ redeemed us from the curse by becoming a curse for us…”

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the

righteousness of God.”—2 Corinthians 5:21

Paul also argues this from Scripture: “his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you

shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God.”—Deuteronomy 21:23

v 14 – “so that”

Here is where it is all headed…

“so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive

the promised Spirit through faith.”

The two statements here are related (both outcomes of the work of Christ), but the second

statement is independent of, not dependent upon, the first. Both “so that” statements refer to

“Christ became a curse for us.” In other words:

Christ became a curse for us

1) so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, and

2) so that we [all] might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

vv 15-18 – “To give a human example…”

Paul continues to demonstrate his point, step by step:

1. A covenant , once ratified, cannot be set aside or added to [epidiatassomai—to supplement].

2. God’s covenant was with Abraham and his offspring.

3. “Offspring” [lit. “seed”] is singular for a reason—Abraham’s offspring to which it points is

Christ

4. The law was given to Moses 430 years (!) later, and cannot cancel the covenant

5. To say that justification (the inheritance) comes by keeping the law, would be to nullify the

covenant, which is based on God’s promise, a promise that always had Christ in view.

v 19 – “Why then the law?”

Reasonable question.

It was added both to teach godly living and to reveal to us that no one is righteous.

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“until the offspring [Christ] should come…” And now that has happened.

“put in place through angels”

Angels were involved in delivering and enforcing the law, but there I little detail in the Scripture

about this.

“For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression

or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a

great salvation?”—Hebrews 2:2-3

“The LORD came from Sinai and dawned from Seir upon us; he shone forth from Mount

Paran; he came from the ten thousands of holy ones, with flaming fire at his right

hand. Yes, he loved his people….”—Deuteronomy 33:2

“by an intermediary”

intermediary – mesités, mediator

Moses. Or, if “it was put in place” is referring to “the promise” that had been made, then

this is Jesus.

v 20 – “Now an intermediary implies…”

One of Paul’s frequent parenthetical statements made in his desire to be thorough

One reading is that the mediator (in v 19 and here) is Christ. And Paul is making clear that Christ

and the Father are “one God.”

“God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself.”—2 Corinthians 5:19

A.T. Robertson: “Over 400 interpretations of this verse have been made!”

vv 21 – “Is the law then contrary to the promises…”

Paul probably addressing an objection he has heard

The law was not given in order to bring life—i.e. the law never was the fulfilment of God’s

promise to Abraham.

And the promise was unto life—which the law cannot provide.

v 22 – “But the Scripture imprisoned…”

One of Paul’s great turns of phrase

The law revealed sin—and so by it all were convicted and imprisoned—under the curse

This was its function

so that!

“the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe”—to make way for the

plan of salvation in Christ through faith

vv 23–25 “Now before faith came…”

One more analogy about the law and its function, now fulfilled in Christ

more lit. “But before faith came, we were held in custody under the law, being locked up

together, until the faith about to be revealed”

continuing, more lit. “so then the law has become our tutor [paidagógos] unto Christ, so that we

might be justified by faith. Now, faith having come, we are now longer under a tutor.”

vv 26-29 – “for in Christ Jesus …”

Paul’s magnificent summary

more lit. “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus”

You were baptized into Christ, and you have put on Christ! It is all about Christ!

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In Christ, there are no distinctions—and among the examples Paul cites, there were very great

earthly distinctions.

And while those distinctions remained, they do not exist in Christ—which certainly changes

(perhaps radically) the way a Christian functions within these distinctions.

And continuing with all who are in Christ—more lit. “if you are Christ’s, then you are

Abraham’s offspring [seed] according to promise—heirs!”

It is all fulfilled in Christ.