Introduction: Let’s review for just a minute. Last week we learned
that the original contract between God and Abraham was that Abraham
would believe God (trust God) and God would credit righteousness to
Abraham. These were the promises between Abraham and God. This
contract was operative even though Abraham was a sinful man. We also
learned that we inherited Abraham’s side of this contractual
agreement between God and Abraham. After the original contract, God
gave humans the Ten Commandments (and other laws), and after that,
Jesus came to make good on the contract between Abraham and God. So,
where does this leave the law? Is it a relic of the past? If so, why
was it given after the original contract? If it is not a relic, what
role does it play in our day to day lives? Let’s wade into our study
of the Bible and learn more!
- The Law Versus the Promise?
- Read Galatians 3:21. What do you think Paul is really
asking the Galatians? On the face of it, Paul seems to be
asking if the law in some way nullifies God’s side of the
contract. Is that correct? - Look again at Galatians 3:21. What answer does Paul give?
What does this answer tell us about the question Paul was
asking? (Paul essentially says, “What would make humans
righteous? Would the law do that? No!” Since the law
cannot make us righteous, Paul tells us that the law
cannot be “opposed,” or be a substitute, for our inherited
contractual agreement.) - Read Galatians 3:22. What is your relationship with sin?
(If you are a part of the world, then you are “a prisoner
of sin.”) - What is Paul’s authority for saying that the “whole
world is a prisoner of sin?” (Paul tells us “the
Scripture declares.” The Bible tells us that we are
prisoners.) - What does common sense tell you? (As we discussed
when we studied Galatians 2, Paul argues that we
inherently know that we have a continual problem with
sin – a problem that the law cannot cure.) - Look again at the last part of Galatians 3:22. What is the
cure for our continual sin problem? (God’s promise is that
if we trust Him, which means believing (trusting) in what
Jesus has done on our behalf to give us righteousness, we
will be righteous.)
- The Law
- Read Galatians 3:23. Wait a minute! Paul has been arguing
to us that the promise (the contractual promise of
righteousness) came before the law. How can he now write
that the law “locked [us] up until faith should be
revealed.” (The fulfillment of God’s side of the promise
was Jesus coming to earth as a human, living a perfect
life, and dying on our behalf to pay the penalty for our
sins. Before that we were “locked” into eternal death
because of our sins.) - Read Galatians 3:24. Paul states the purpose of the law.
What is it? (To “lead us to Christ.”) - How does the law lead us to Christ? I thought Paul
previously told us ( Romans 7:7-12)that our sinful
reaction to the law caused us to do the very things
we are not supposed to do. Just like the “do not
touch” signs in a car museum make you want to touch
the cars! How does this lead us to Jesus? (We realize
that we cannot keep the law. The law is the standard,
and the only way we meet its perfect standard is
through what Jesus has done on our behalf.) - Instead of “lead us to Christ,” the King James
Version translates Galatians 3:24 as “the law was our
schoolmaster.” What additional insight does that
provide? (When you look at how different translations
render the original language, it is like looking at a
gem from different angles. We learn something when we
find ourselves in violation of God’s law. We learn
His law is right, and we learn that we are lousy at
keeping it. That teaches us that the law is good and
we are not. We need to claim Jesus’ perfect
substitute on our behalf.) - Read Galatians 3:25. What does it mean that we are no
longer “under the supervision of the law?” The law no
longer has anything to teach us? How can that be? - Is there a difference between a teacher and a
supervisor? Is there a difference between a school
teacher and a police officer? (This would be a great
distinction based on the way this verse is translated
into English. But, when I looked this up in Strong’s,
the same Greek word is used in verse 24 (teacher) as
is used in verse 25 (supervisor).) - This puts us in a logical box. Galatians 3:24 tells
us that the law leads us to Jesus. Galatians 3:25
says we no longer need the leading of the law. Can
you explain this? - Read again Galatians 3:24-25. If the role of the law has
changed between these two verses, has anything else
changed between these verses? (Verse 24 says that the law
“lead[s] us to Christ.” Verse 25 says, “now that faith has
come.” On the face of it, I would have thought that “faith
coming” meant “Jesus coming.” But, if you read “faith
coming” as your faith in Jesus arising, then we can see a
reasonable distinction. The law supervised us (taught us)
about our need for Jesus. When Jesus came, and we believed
He is our perfect substitute, then the Holy Spirit becomes
our primary teacher, not the law.) - In case you are doubtful about this explanation, let’s
review what Paul says about the law in Romans. Read Romans
8:1-2. What does Paul say has changed here? (He says that
the “law of the Spirit of life” set us free from “the law
of sin and death.” This sounds like a life led by the
Holy Spirit has set us free from a life led by the Ten
Commandments.) - Read Romans 8:3-4. What does this tell us the law is
powerless to do? (It cannot save us because we are “sinful
man.” However, in Jesus “the righteous requirements of the
law might be fully met.”) - What is the qualifier here? (That we live “according
to the Spirit.”) - Does this now make sense to you? Before Jesus came,
the law taught us about God and taught us about our
inability to live a perfect life. Since Jesus came,
He fulfilled our obligation to the law (if we accept
His sacrifice on behalf of our sinful life), but
Jesus has done more than that. Jesus has given us the
Holy Spirit to be our life guide.) - Read John 16:5-7. Who comes after Jesus departs to heaven?
(The Holy Spirit.) - Read John 16:8-11. What is the job description of the Holy
Spirit? (Exactly what Paul is telling us! Just as the law
revealed to us our inadequacies, the Holy Spirit convicts
us of guilt. He convicts us of “sin and righteousness and
judgment.”) - Do you think that the Holy Spirit has a different
standard for living than set forth in the Ten
Commandments? (Read Romans 3:31. There is nothing
wrong with the law, there is something wrong with us!
That is why we need grace. The Holy Spirit is God. It
is most illogical to think that the Holy Spirit would
lead us to do things that the law identifies as sin.) - Read Romans 8:5-8. What does Paul say is the relationship
between the leading of the Holy Spirit and the law? (If
the “sinful mind” does not “submit to God’s law,” this
suggests that the mind “set on what the Spirit desires”
does in fact submit to God’s law.) - Is “submitting” the same as “obeying?” (If we make a
loop here and end up saying that we must obey the law
in order to be saved, then we are just like the
“bewitched” (see last week’s lesson) Galatians! As
Galatians 3:3 warns, we must not begin with the
Spirit and then return to trying to attain
righteousness by our human effort.) - Read Hebrews 8:10. What does it mean to have God’s law
written on our heart? (This is the place we want to be.
The Holy Spirit lives in us and brings us to the point of
wanting to do God’s will. We are no longer rebels, we are
grateful followers of God.) - Friend, do you want God’s law written in your heart? Do
you want a living relationship with God, and not a
relationship with a relic (human obedience to the law)?
Why not ask the Holy Spirit every day to lead your life? - Next week: From Slaves to Heirs.
