Culver Community Church
Pastor Chris Sweeney
Sermon Notes
August 25, 2019
Galatians 3:10-29 – The Righteous will Live by Faith! (Part 1)
Today, we begin at verse ten and what we’ll see (repeatedly) is Paul making his arguments by quoting from the Old Testament. Remember, this book is one of the very first New Testament texts written. These believers could not turn to the gospels, or Romans or to the epistle to the Galatians (Paul was writing it!) Their faith was based upon the gospel, which properly explained the Jewish scriptures. All these centuries the Jews had the Word of God, but didn’t fully understand, even the prophets did not know all of what the Spirit prompted them to write! (see 1 Peter 1:10-12)
{vs 10} Now that we’ve looked at Father Abraham and faith, Paul moves to talk about the Law – that Law that they wanted (and yes, that sometimes we want) to go back to, to rely on. What Paul is saying is – ‘this is my gospel, now let’s take a look at what you’re pushing.’ Literally, this says ‘for as many as are under the Law’ or who are ‘of the Law’. Paul is talking about those who associate themselves with, rely on or are bound to the Old Testament Law. It is not just that they see the law as important – the law is given by God, it is important and has a good purpose in God’s plan! It is that they see it as all-important - their whole position depends on the keeping of the law – this is how they are defined – once again - they are of, under, or bound to the Law!
Now one thing I know, I have learned in my years is that you and I must be careful of what we tie ourselves to! If it is a weight, it will slow you down – near the water, it will pull you down until you drowned! If it is a jetpack, it will give you wings! Binding our seatbelts is intended to protect us, but it can also be the cause of our injuries. If you are binding yourself in marriage – (I ask this for counseling) – “Are you certain, as sure as you can be - - - that this is the person you want to be tied to?” Not to disparage marriage or their fiancé; it’s a wonderful God-given institution and a beautiful way to live – if you have chosen well! (Hi, honey – I love you!) If you choose too quickly, without really knowing a person or choose poorly - - - you are in for a lot of misery! (an uphill battle!) Does this person have hidden sin? Are they drowning in debt (which will soon be yours)? Do you really know or are you just attracted? No one is perfect (your knight in shining armor or pretty princess), but we want to select men and women who have a heart for God, who will walk with us as we walk with Him!
For these people (Paul’s people, the Jews and believers who put themselves under or try to follow this) have no hope! That is a strong statement! As the old westerns used to say, they’ve hitched their wagons to the Law. The problem with this is that the Law will not take them where they want to go, where they think it will! Law followers are under the weight of all that is written and it is a curse - - - not a way to God! Rather than being a way to God (acceptance, salvation) the Law brings each of us to our need, to the cross!
The “Book of the Law” refers to the covenant laws God made with His people during the time of Moses – it is God-given, and God does not give bad things! This must have confused them (us) because we know that following God’s counsel, His Word, His Law brings blessings (i.e. Psalm 1:1-2 & Psalm 119). Every good and perfect gift comes from above… (James 1:17). Paul’s quote is from Deuteronomy 27:26 and it plainly tells us that the curse is the penalty for not continuing to keep the Law (all of the Law, in every way!) It is interesting (to me) that the Hebrew scriptures today have lost the key word ‘all’ from this verse – it has been lost, perhaps because subconsciously they know no one can keep it all! That is the problem of the legalist – they want to keep part of the Law, usually the part that comes easy for them - - - but with the Law it is all or nothing! Christ came under the Law and He was not cursed because He kept the Law perfectly, as none of us could! The curse is not the Law, itself – it is perfect! The Law can point out where we fail and fall short of God’s will, but it cannot produce righteousness in us; that was not its purpose. It is a standard (a description of how to live Godly, to be loving) – but for sinners that standard only serves to show us how much we don’t measure up!
{vs 11} Paul brings in another passage from the Old Testament, Habakkuk 2:4, which reminds us that the righteous will live by faith, not by law. If you are found to be righteous, just or approved before God, then you have done it by a life of faith. If your life is all about living under the law, then God will never find you approved. This verse is so important; so concentrated, and packed with power and meaning! It speaks right to the heart of this debate, and because it is so basic to our understanding of faith and grace, God quotes it three times in the New Testament (Galatians 3:11; Romans 1:17 & Hebrews 10:38)! The question here is not should the Law be followed but rather should we rely on the law to justify us! It is good to keep from stealing, murdering, idoling, adultering, etc. (I made some of those words up) – but it is not good to put our trust in these rules (in the Law) to prove ourselves to be righteous or to save ourselves, instead of our actual Savior!
{vs 12} This quote from Leviticus 18:5 is clear - if you want to live by the law, you must do it. There is an old joke and I’ll just give you the punchline – “Sure we Jews keep the Law, we just don’t do it!” The Law is not about trying to do it, not about understanding it, or agreeing with it, and not even about wanting or intending to do it. No, it is only the man who does them who shall live by them. Critics might say, "Look, I'll do my best under the law and let faith cover the rest.” Paul proves from these Old Testament quotes that this simply isn't good enough. His answer is simple enough - the law is not of faith – once again we see the two cannot be used together to be justified. Many a man/woman of God who has faith and is saved will strive to do the things found in the Law - - - but a bit of faith and a bit of Law cannot be added together to be found acceptable in God’s sight! If you choose Law, then you must live it out (all of it, perfectly which we’ve already said is impossible for us mere humans!)
{vs 13} Because we didn't (couldn’t) live perfectly (actually do the Law), we all fell under a curse. But God (I love when those words come together!) – but God – sent Jesus to redeem us from the curse of the law. Redeemed is one of those words we always hear in Christian circles but let’s make sure we understand it. If you’re old enough you might remember redeeming old Coke bottles – the grandfather of today’s recycling. The stores would buy back the empties in order to sell them back to the bottling facilities. Historically, those captured in battle who were of value – property owners, wealthy or skilled were held for ransom until they could be bought back from their captors. The price paid (a ransom) was set based on the estimated value of the prisoners. This came to be used of slaves who’s freedom was purchased and those condemned to death, freed by payment to the judge/court. Most importantly, Jesus bought us out of defeat, out of slavery, and out of a death sentence to bring us back to God’s family as adoptive sons/daughters who will reign with Christ through eternity! Redemption isn't just rescuing or snatching away from unpleasant consequences; Jesus did not effect a jailbreak! No, this is much more - Our redemption is His paying a price (unthinkable price) to rescue and bring us out from under the curse of the law. We have been justified – judicially declared innocent, otherwise we would be fugitives – wanted by the law! I hope that you understand something important here – in this court scenario it is not the Devil or the forces of Hell that receive this ransom - - - it is to God that we owe our sin debt! We have rebelled against our own Creator and sold ourselves into slavery to sin and death. The Devil only had a claim on the human race because Adam and Eve willingly followed him, instead of trusting God. Jesus was sent by the Father (voluntarily) to pay the price to the Father, the perfectly just and righteous God on our behalf so that God would not be forced to condemn us! After all a just God cannot just look the other way or set condemned, hardened criminals free - - - that would go against that just nature! God delays justice, the execution (literally) of the penalty of sin so that we might have time to repent and accept the gift! Jesus had to become condemned in order to take our place – to become accursed so that our punishment, our curse would fall upon Him.
God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. - 2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV
It is a simple (but hard to believe) trade – Christ is condemned and we are credited with His righteousness.
"Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole [tree]." – taken from Deuteronomy 21:23. This does not have the idea of being executed by rope or strangulation as we might think. No, it speaks of having the corpse "mounted" on a tree or other prominent place (like city wall or gate), in order to expose the executed one to the elements and supreme disgrace. The text expresses the idea that anyone who is not executed by the standard method (stoning), someone whose crimes are so horrible, that they not only deserve death but deserve to be publicly exposed to shame (something worse than death in their culture) – this person is accursed by God! That is exactly what God sent Jesus to be – executed, publically displayed and disgraced – paying the ultimate price (ransom) to redeem all who would receive the offer by believing in Him!
{vs 14} What is this blessing given to Abraham – exactly what we have already been talking about – believing and being credited with righteousness. But that’s not all . . . believers (true children of Abraham) also receive the promise of the Holy Spirit! The prophets declared this promise of God’s indwelling to Israel (i.e. Joel 2:28-29 & Ezekiel 36:27) but notice that Christ made it available to the Gentiles – to all who by faith are in Christ! (notice carefully it is by faith, not by Law!