In the event that there is really any interest at all in what Galations 3 says about the law of God in an exegetically faithful manner ...
Gal 3
7 Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.
As we join WITH Abraham in that Faith - we are among the Saints - both OT and NT no Change. The same Solution - Faith in God.
8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "" ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.''
Gal 03
9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.
We are blessed WITH Abraham - "the BELIEVER" showing our UNION/Identification/Continuity with the SAINTS of the OT. Seen again in Heb 11.
Faith is attributed “Before the Cross” even in the case of Abraham. We see this again in Heb 11 regarding the giants of faith in the OT set as examples EVEN for NT saints. This sets the “context” for “faith” in Gal 03 as we shall see it used again later.
10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, "" CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM.''
No restriction in time - ALL (OT and NT) are under the curse of the law (ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God) Rom 3.
No sense of "Well you really don't have to worry about this curse since no law exists after Christ died".
Those under the Old Covenant of “obey and live” – live under a curse – today as they did in the OT. This is not the picture of Abraham but of Judas.
11 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, "" THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.''
12 However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, "" HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM.''
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us for it is written, "" CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE''
No one is justified by the Law – OT or NT. No change.
Christ redeemed US from the curse – (HE Became a Curse for US!) – yes that is true.
That means that mankind (both OT and NT) is under a curse until we come to the point of belief – until we come to the faith of Abraham. No Change OT, NT.
The LAW STILL places ALL under a curse until they come to FAITH OT, NT no change.
14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
15 Brethren, I speak in terms of human relations: even though it is only a man's covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it.
16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, ""And to seeds,'' as referring to many, but rather to one, "" And to your seed,'' that is, Christ.
17 What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise.
That promise given to Abraham (called the Gospel in vs 8 ) EXISTS in parallel with the Law of God at Sinai - for the OT saints. It precedes that Sinai event.
The promise “remains” OT and NT – no change.
The Law still condemns – OT and NT – no change.
18 For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.
19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made.
Many people jump on this point (excluding almost the entire chapter to do so) and claim to see a start for the 10 commandments at Sinai and "an end" of the 10 commandment law as soon as Christ is born (not even content to wait for his death on the cross). And indeed - the verse does make it appear that either the law or the "agency of a mediator" is started at Sinai and ended with the coming of Christ as Messiah.
In Hebrews 7 we see that in fact it is
the law regarding the agency of the mediator - the "earthly priesthood" that was "new"
at Sinai and ended with Christ as HE became our High Priest - no longer is it "man" according to the chapter.
But is that what we are to get from Gal 3 as well? Are we to conclude that Paul is saying that Murder and idolatry and taking
God's name in vain "used to be ok before Sinai" and are "now ok after the birth of Christ"?
Is he speaking about the Mosaic code of
Deut 6:5 "Love for God" and Levitical code
Lev 19:18 "Love for your neighbor" and
saying that transgressing these laws of Moses used to be ok before the cross and are once again ok to transgress after
the coming of Christ as a Baby?.
Paul teaches in the next chapter that when Christ came 'the see came"
He was born "Under the law" fully obligated to obey
it perfectly (sinlessly) Gal 4:4-5 that He might redeem those who were "under the law". In Gal 3 Paul points out that the law
places "ALL men under sin" Gal 3:22-23 showing our "need" of salvation - our "need" of a Savior.
IF the law ended at the birth of Christ there was nothing left for him to "obey". If the law that "Defines Sin" ended at the cross
then those born after the cross - "need no savior" - for as Paul says
"where there is no law there is no sin" Romans 4:15.
But Paul makes the case in Romans 7 regarding his own post cross experience - that it was the 10 commandment law that
still defined sin for him and placed him in need.
20 Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one.
21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law.
The ONE Gospel was in effect in the OT as much as 430 years BEFORE Sinai.
The LAW of God was never a means of salvation - Rather the Gospel promise preceding Sinai by at least 430 years was in effect WHILE Sinai's law was ALSO in effect. No contradiction. "Is the LAW CONTRARY to the Gospel"? Paul's answer is that it NEVER was!
God did not give Adam the Sabbath so Adam could be saved. Nor would Abraham, Moses, David be "saved" by resting on Sabbath instead of accepting God's substitutionary sacrifice of Christ. NOR could they be "saved" by Loving God (Deut 6:5) and Loving their neighbor (Lev 19:18)
When God said coveting was sin in order to tell lost humanity that by simply turning away from their sin of coveting - LOST humanity
could be saved. Salvation - WAS and still IS based on a promise. And coveting is STILL wrong, and loving God is STILL right and
God's Creation Sabbath is STILL "made for mankind" Mark 2:27.
22 But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
All are still under sin - all still need Christ all still need to resolve the problem of scripture shutting them up under sin by
turning to Christ, by believing by being "justified by faith". We must all turn from rebellion to faith in Christ. And when we
do "scripture" is not abolished.
Again - my point. Sin is still a reality
- the law (even the law of gal 3 mentioned here as scripture - and as given at Sinai) still defines sin and places us under it.
The "all" that we find here (in the context of writing to the gentiles of a gentile church in Galatia) is really all - not just Jews.
The same all that is condemned here - will be justified and saved if they turn to faith and believe (vs 28)
23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed.
24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.
25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
The text did not say "but when Jesus came to earth we were no longer bound by
God's Law". it says "but after faith is come we are no longer under a
schoolmaster". it is the moment of faith in Christ
- not the moment of crucifixion that transfers a human out of the lost state (condemned under the active and authoritative scripture of God)
"You are all children of God by Faith".
In Christ,
Bob