Seventh Day Baptist
Christian Education Council
PO BOX 1678
Janesville, WI 53547
For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.
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. Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.
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. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 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. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
(ESV)
—Galatians 3:18-29
by: Lisa Moore.
After Paul started the Galatian church on the doctrine of salvation through faith, the Galatian brethren fell victim to persuasive Jewish men who taught that they had to keep the Mosaic Law in addition to belief in Christ in order to be saved. Paul’s letter reinforced that we are no longer subject to the Law. This does not mean we can do anything we want—kill steal, etc. It simply means that we cannot earn salvation by keeping the Law. The Law points out our wrongs but has no power to make us righteousness. Only faith in Christ can save us.
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