FHBC Sermon Notes

Galatians 3:15-29 - We all have given and received broken promises. But Lord has always kept every promise he has made, and the greatest of these promises is the gospel. This is Paul's great subject in this chapter.

We are looking the text this morning in three section. The promise made, reminded and fulfilled.

1. The promise of the gospel made. (3:15-18)

There seems to be a possible conflict between the promise made to Abraham, which we are made a part of in Christ, and the law given at Mt. Sanai. What is the relationship? Paul is paying out that they need to see the law in light of the promise. Paul makes the strong argument that one cannot be justified, and found righteous by following the law. The gospel does not replace the law, but gives us the context for the law. We fail under the law, which is our tutor to point us to the gospel, the promise given in the offspring, our Lord, Jesus Christ.

a. The gospel reveals the glory of God.

b. The gospel reveals the love of God for man.

How do we know that God loves us? We look to the cross.


2. The promise of the gospel reminded. (3:19-24)

Here Paul tries to place the law in its proper context. He starts by affirming the holiness of the law. Then he points to the fact that it is a reminder of the gospel.

a. The law reveals God's character.

We know who God is by what we tells us of himself. For instance, the law reveals God's holiness.

b. The law reveals our sinfulness.

v. 19 says God gave us the law because of transgressions. In a sense the laws helps us define and understand unrighteousness. Without that description, we might not know how to define evil.

c. The law imprisons us.

d. The law teaches us about Christ.

This law is like a tutor in school, whose job it is to teach us the truth, the truth about Christ. By itself it is not a means to grace. All those laws of holiness to teach us that God was holy, and that his word was holy. All those sacrifices to point to the ultimate holy sacrifice that would sufficient for saving the world.

Take a walk through all of the OT, not just the law, and you see the promise of Christ revealed and present the beginning.

3. The promise of the gospel fulfilled. (3:25-29)

We are sons and heirs now. By putting on Christ we become of the sonship and inheritance that Jesus has. I think it is important that we don't say sons and daughters here, not becuase men and women are not included, but becuase what we have, men and women, is the sonship is Christ. This explains the context of v. 28-29. To say sons and daughters weakens Paul's argument.

a. The gospel reveals the grace of God.

b. The gospel reveals the power of God.

c. The gospel reveals the faithfulness of God.