Galatians 3:1-29
In Genesis 22:18 we have God's promise to Abraham. "In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice." In Paul's letter to the Galatians he makes reference to that verse, saying, "Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, 'And to seeds,' as of many, but as of one, 'And to your Seed,' who is Christ." God promised to bless all the nations through Abraham's Seed. Galatians 3:16. The blessing was that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, even as Abraham was justified because He believed.
The Galatians had been bewitched by legalistic preachers, who proclaimed another gospel of works, the works of the law. According to them, obedience to the law of Moses was a condition of salvation.
Paul argues that the law was given to Moses four hundred and thirty years after God's promise to Abraham. The law cannot annul or make void the promise. So the question is raised, "What purpose then does the law serve?" Paul answers, "It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made." The law was given to reveal sin.
Come to grips with the truth of Galatians 3:23-25. "But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor." Before faith came we were under the tutor, the law, which told us that we were sinners. It couldn't save anyone. But it was given to bring us to Christ, the Seed, through whom the nations would be justified by faith.
After faith has come, we are no longer under the tutor. "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." Romans 10:4. We have been redeemed from the curse of the law by the blood of Christ. Jesus "wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross." Colossians 2:14. The handwriting of requirements? This is a reference to the law of Moses, not the ceremonial law, but that which was written in stone. See also 2 Corinthians 3:4-18.
The law is holy and good and just, but it made nothing perfect. Hebrews 7:19. How were you justified? How did you receive the Holy Spirit? How does God work in your life? Not by the works of the law, but by faith alone in Jesus Christ.
Father, thank You for the Seed through whom the blessing has come. Free from the law, O happy condition. Thank You for the liberty that we have in Jesus Christ. In His name. Amen!
