“In their bondage the people had to a great extent lost the knowledge of God and of the principles of the Abrahamic covenant. In delivering them from Egypt, God sought to reveal to them His power and His mercy, that they might be led to love and trust Him. He brought them down to the Red Sea—where, pursued by the Egyptians, escape seemed impossible—that they might realize their utter helplessness, their need of divine aid; and then He wrought deliverance [...]
Darrel: This week the seven billionth life began breathing on this earth. What do you think about that?”
Matt: Terrible, terrible news. Population growth is all messed up because most of the new lives are starting out in poverty with no education. You know where that leads.
Darrel: Where?
Matt: The smart end up ruling the ignorant and we end up with a massive fiefdom.
Darrel: But Jesus will come before that happens.
Matt: Only if we get busy and fulfill our duty to spread [...]
“ ‘He was in the assembly in the desert, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; and he received living words to pass on to us’ ” (Acts 7:38, NIV). 1
In Galatians 3:19, 20, Paul continues his train of thought about the law not nullifying the covenant of grace; this is important because, if the theology of his opponents were correct, the law would do just that. Think, then, what our position as sinners would [...]
Does Paul’s statement about the law being added at Mount Sinai mean that it did not exist previously? If not, what was the difference before and after Mount Sinai? Read Gen. 9:5, 6; 18:19; 26:5; 39:7–10; Exod. 16:22–26. 1
God did not need to reveal His law to Abraham with thunder, lightning, and a penalty of death (Exod. 19:10–23). Why, then, did God give the law to the Israelites in that manner? It was because, during their bondage in Egypt, the Israelites had lost sight of God’s greatness and His [...]
Key Thought: The law serves to reveal God’s character and show our deficiencies, leading us to our acceptance of Christ’s righteousness and our redemption by faith.
[Teaching Plan for Priority of the Promise November 2, 2011]
1. Have a volunteer read Galatians 3:15-18
A. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
B. What is the difference between a contract and a will ( or testament)?
C. Personal Application: How [...]
In Galatians 3:19–29 Paul makes multiple references to “the law.” What law is Paul primarily referring to in this section of Galatians? 1
Some, believing that the word until in verse 19 (ESV) indicates that this law was only temporary, have thought the passage must refer to the ceremonial law, because the purpose of that law was fulfilled at the cross and thus came to an end. Though this makes sense by itself, it does not appear to be Paul’s point in Galatians. While both the [...]
Paul has argued strongly for the supremacy of faith in a person’s relationship with God. He has repeatedly stated that neither circumcision nor any other “works of law” are a prerequisite to salvation, “because by works of the law no one will be justified” (Gal. 2:16, ESV). Moreover, it is not the works of the law but faith that is the defining mark of the believer (Gal. 3:7). This repeated negation of the works of the law raises the question, “Does the law have [...]
Even if his opponents conceded that Abraham’s life was characterized primarily by faith, Paul knew that they still would have questions about why God gave the law to Israel about four centuries after Abraham. Did not the giving of the law nullify any previous arrangement?
What is the point of Paul’s analogy between a person’s final will and testament and God’s covenant with Abraham? Gal. 3:15–18.
A covenant and a will are generally different. A covenant is typically a mutual agreement [...]
Read for This Week’s Study:
Gal. 3:15–20, Gen. 9:11–17, Matt. 5:17–20, Exod. 16:22–26, Gen. 15:1–6.
Memory Text:
“For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise” (Galatians 3:18, ESV).
Someone once asked a politician, “Have you kept all the promises that you made during the campaign?” He responded, “Yes . . . well, at least all the promises that I intended to keep.”Who hasn’t, at one time or another, been [...]
