I do not mean anything disparaging by the title to today’s Bible Study Lesson.

But Paul has by now, particularly in Galatians, said over and over again … “The Law of Moses does NOT save a lost soul from Hell!” 

And in our Text this morning, he is at it again! Bravo for Paul! Champion for the Grace of God!

“For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.” Galatians 3:18

Abraham was to be the inheritor of many a blessing, “innumerably so,” even including “Eternal Life!” But he did NOT have to earn those blessings, not a single one of them! He did not have to obey the “Law” in order to have good standing in the Eyes of God!

No!

All those things were given to Him (by the Lord God in Heaven) “by promise!” 

That’s the essence of today’s Verse!

“God gave it (the Inheritance) to Abraham by promise.” Galatians 3:18b, amazing!

All Abraham had to do was believe!

“Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” Romans 4:3, quoting Genesis 15:6 … “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.”

Wow!

One more time, in one more way … Paul has harped on (re-emphasized) the fact that God’s PROMISE does not require the God’s LAW to “kick” it into place, to make it “effective!”

Pauline logic at its best … “For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.”

Amen!

Saved … by Grace!

It is not what I have done, or could ever do!

It is what Jesus did! Period!

Praise the Lord!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Yes, watch Paul the student of history!

Numerically proving that salvation is “by grace”, and has been “by grace” (meaning by the “Promise of God,” just as well say the “Gift of God,” to an undeserving humanity) … since the days of Abraham!

Which would have been, in matter of time, hundreds of years before Moses ever received the Law from Almighty God! (And Paul is about to tell us exactly how many years, Paul the “mathematician” as I indicated in the Lesson title!)

Now here’s today’s Bible Text: “And this I (Paul) say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.” Galatians 3:17

God the Father and God the Son (long, long ago) entered into “Agreement,” into “Covenant” concerning the salvation of us lost souls!  (That verb “was confirmed before” is “prokuroo,” meaning “lorded into existence!” Yes, it utilizes the very Greek word for “Lord,” spelled “kurios!” Plus … this verb is only used here in all the Bible! Very significant!)

Salvation (the Cross of Calvary) was settled as a Fact long before the Law ever existed! Or existed on Stone, anyway!

“Of God in Christ” with the Holy Ghost being the Executor! That is the Plan of salvation to the lost! Who upon hearing, if faith is exercised … are born-again into the family of God!

How long ago did this great Agreement take place? This Covenant “of God in Christ?” Peter says, “before the foundation of the world!” 1st Peter 1:20, King James Version.

Wow!

So … Paul’s “point” today is that the way of salvation, the means of our being cleansed from sin, and our names written down in Heaven … was settled four centuries before the Law was given on Mount Sinai! (Precisely, 430 years, says Paul the Holy Spirit inspired mathematician!)

And that being the case, Paul argues, the Law (all 613 of its commandments) can NEVER render void God’s pristine Plan of salvation!

The verb “disannul” is “akuroo,” can not “repeal!” (Can not “kick off the throne,” can not “un-lord!”) A beautiful word!

The Law can not “make God’s Promise of none effect,” Paul continues! Paul reemphasizes! Here the verb “make of none effect” is “katargeo,” meaning “to render idle!” In the King James Version this rare word is translated as: “destroy” (5 times), “do away” (3 times), or “abolish” (3 times)!

The Law cannot overpower God’s GRACE!

Hallelujah!

Therefore Paul can write again and again: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9, no Mosaic Law mentioned!

Galatians 3:17, truly one of the earth-shaking verses of Scripture! 

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

The Lord willing, another fresh Lesson tomorrow morning.

I am loving Galatians, afresh and anew!

 

When Paul in his Epistles uses the noun “seed,” in reference to a man’s posterity, he generally means the “godly seed,” the “godly line” that ultimately led up to the Birth (the Virgin Birth) of Jesus.

As in our Text today: “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” Galatians 3:16

Many promises were made to Abraham … but here is meant particularly “The Promise” … the “Good News” that God would (through his literal Son Jesus) bless all the nations of the earth! Which He has done, at the old rugged Cross of Calvary!

But Abraham had 2 children, two! (He actually had others later in life, by Keturah. But they do not enter into the picture in Paul’s typology.)

I’m speaking of Ishmael, of course!

What about him?

He was NOT the child of promise, as Paul will prove later in Galatians.

Isaac, however, is that seed!

“Of whom (Abraham) it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called.” Hebrews 11:17

Thus our Text today can boldly declare: “He (God) saith NOT, and to seeds, as of many; but as of one.” 

And through Isaac (and his heirs, his posterity) would come the CHRIST!

Abraham’s ultimate, perfect Seed is Jesus!

One can trace that whole genealogy, around 2,000 years of it, in Matthew chapter 1! Which chapter begins this way: “The book of the generation of JESUS CHRIST, the son of David, the son of ABRAHAM.”

Wow!

Is Abraham that important, in the Plan of God?

YES!

Is Isaac?

YES!

In fact, every “link” (individual) in that godly “chain” … leading from Adam (according to Luke’s account) through Abraham (the Father of the Jewish people) to Mary the Virgin … is that critically IMPORTANT!God the Father carefully guarded that “line!”

Our Verse for today one more time: “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” Galatians 3:16

Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Did you ever think about studying the 3:16 References in the Bible? (Our Text today being among them.)They are quite amazing! As in John 3:16, for example. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

In fact, 1 Timothy 3:16 is pretty impressive as well. “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” Jesus in a sentence!

Do some searching today!

 

Paul now uses a “human” illustration of “divine” truth.

“Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.” Galatians 3:15

To Paul, to “speak after the manner of men” suggests “putting something into words a man can understand.” The Greek has it: “to speak anthropologically!”

He is here illustrating from “everyday life.” (But still writing under the direct Inspiration of God the Holy Spirit, “word for word” I believe.)

Therefore … “Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.”

By “covenant” Paul means “commitment, agreement,” almost “contract.” (In Greek it is the noun “diatheke.” Derived form both “dia” and “tithemi.” Essentially meaning “placing something,” usually a sacrificed animal, “between two agreeing parties!” (The still bloody animal pieces suggesting the utter gravity of the covenant! Deadly serious business!)

(Even in Hebrew “covenant” most often translates “beriyth,” originally from a root verb meaning “to cut,” as in “cutting” that sacrificed animal “into pieces.”)

Paul’s point being that even among (honest) human beings, a serious commitment is honored! “A man is only as good as his word,” the old timers used to say!

“Confirmed” translates the Greek verb “kuroo,” a cognate form of “kurios,” that is … “something that holds supremacy!” An agreement that “lords” over you! You MUST obey it, abide by it!

To “disannul” means (Greek “atheteo,” from “a” plus “tithemi”) really NOT to place that bleeding (dead) animal into the mix, between the two vowing people or groups of people! To void an agreement, or even more so … not to enter into it in the first place!

Again the point being: if a man “contracts” to do something (and wants to retain his honor) he will NOT back out of the deal! 

But neither (Paul continues) will he “add to” the original covenant, its stipulations, either! Here the verb is more complex, more compound. It is (in Greek) “epi” plus “dia” plus “tasso!” It is actually (primarily) a military term! To obey orders, to be in one’s rightful place! Not to do something you shouldn’t! 

Get it?

Even with humans … a “bond” is a “bond.”

We today don’t kill animals to ratify a pact, we simply shake hands. Or “sign on the bottom line” of a legally binding document! But the promise is still in force!

Now to put Galatians 3:15 into some “context.”

God the Father promised Abraham that Jesus (through Abraham’s loins, through Isaac and his many godly descendants) would come to earth and ultimately be a Blessing to all nations! (Via the blood drenched Cross of Calvary,  turns out!) That was a indeed covenant … and GOD KEPT HIS WORD!

Nobody breaks such a serious pledge!

And this covenant works via truth, via faith! This is an important sentence, that last one. “Via faith!” Which would be “saving” faith! 

By love, not by law!

God said He would send His Son to be the Saviour of the world … and that belief in Jesus would grant a person Eternal Life!

1 John 4:14 … “And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.” Amen!

And how does one accept this Saviour?

By taking God at His Word!

Trusting, leaning upon, believing! 

It’s this simple, with the Holy Spirit being in the middle of the situation … “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:31

Praise the Lord!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

If man so keeps his word … what do you think the Almighty, Righteous God will do? In fact, already has done! Will always do!

 

Paul is a great proponent of the Wisdom of God!

And that pristine Wisdom certainly shines in today’s Text, Galatians 3:14.

Read it with me. “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” 

Wow!

God had previously promised Abraham to be such a source of blessing. “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing (through Isaac and his descendants) : and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: AND IN THEE SHALL ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED.” Genesis 12:-1-3

God’s Ultimate Blessing, His Son Jesus Christ came to earth in human flesh … was born of Abraham’s seed … Jesus being a later Descendant of that great man of faith. (Both the Son of God was He, and the son of Abraham!)

And this Jesus, not being merely the Saviour of the Jews … made Himself available to the lost GENTILES as well (to us lost Gentiles)! Yes, I am saved by Grace, having made this Darling Jew (from Abraham’s lions) named Jesus, God the Son (as I’ve said) … my Redeemer and Lord!

True indeed … “The blessing of Abraham has come (and is continuing to come) on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ!” Just like Paul wrote!

And so we have “received” (“lambano” in Greek, meaning “to take hold of, to take advantage of, to catch”) the Promise of Eternal Life by faith in Jesus!

Well, Paul specifically says the Promise of the “Spirit” (the “Holy Ghost” Himself) … but that Promise IS Eternal Life!

Spiritually then, not physically, I am (in this salvific sense only) a child of Abraham! Remember Galatians 3:7, a few days ago? “Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.”

This fact does NOT in any way negate God’s promises to national (some day born-again) Israel, concerning their Land or the (second) Coming of the Messiah, or the Millennium!

But spiritually, a saved Jew and a saved Gentile are now “one” in the Lord!

Here’s this truth, beautifully and succinctly stated: “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:13

Hallelujah!

It all occurs “by faith” … in Jesus the Son of God the Son of Abraham!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell