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Our Rights
Today is another tightly worded and argue passage. If you have any questions about it, please let me know. Paul has already torn down any thought that we might want to continue in slavery to the law, so now the question is, "What purpose did the Law serve?"
First Paul demonstrates that the promise existed before the Law. God promised His great promises to Abraham about (spiritual) descendents and blessing to the nations BEFORE the Law was given. The Law didn't cancel out the previous promise to Abraham, but is something separate. We hold to the promise given to Abraham - the Law is not necessary for it because the Law came later.
With that out of the way, what then is the purpose of the Law? I don't have to deal with all the ways that Paul answers this, but here is a good summary of why the law was given:
"First, Paul answers the question by stating the purpose of the law (v. 19b): “it was added because of transgressions.” Scholars here are divided: Should we translate “It was added because of transgressions,” or “It was added for the purpose of revealing transgressions”? Put differently, which came first: sin or the law? Did God add the law because the people were sinning, or did the people suddenly learn that they were sinning because God gave the law? Later Paul states that the law does not give life (vv. 21–22) but is a teacher (v. 24); elsewhere he says that “through the law we become conscious of sin” (Rom. 3:20; cf. 7:7) and that when there is no law there is no sin (4:15; cf. 5:13). Romans 5:20 states that “the law was added so that the trespass might increase” (cf. 7:13). Thus, I conclude with many who see the purpose of the law as being that it was given in order to reveal certain kinds of behavior as sinful. The law, then, was a judging instrument for the people of God; through its written code they learned that certain behavior was contrary to God’s will. We might diagram it thus:
Abraham—Israel’s bad behavior—Law of Moses—SIN." [1]
Paul then moves on to an illustration of this: the Law was a guardian to guide us, but now that Jesus has come, we no longer need the guardian. He then moves on to ANOTHER illustration of a son and inheritance - the explanation involves a little bit of understanding Roman inheritance law, but it's not vital so I won't deal with it here. Basically the meaning is like this:
Under the law you were just a child. A child is treated as one with no rights because they don't understand how to properly use them. The Law was the guardian or "nursemaid" that took care of you until adulthood. Now that Jesus has come, we are no longer children but have our inheritance, the Holy Spirit, that shows us the way. This changes things.
That's a really rough summary of a LOT of things in this passage and a bit to come, but I hope it helps explain a bit. So what exactly are our new "rights" now that we fully heirs?
"The scope and value of our “sonship rights” in Christ accumulate almost beyond our comprehension. These rights, given to us freely through faith in Christ, include:
• We are no longer debtors, nor cursed (3:13).
• We have received “new life” (2:20).
• We are part of a new family (4:5).
• We have received the Spirit (4:6; 5:25).
• We have experienced a supernatural birth (John 1:12–13; Galatians 4:28–29).
• We have the promise of future resurrection of our bodies (Romans 8:23).
• We have the promise of a place in the future (John 14:2).
• We will be with Christ in eternity (John 14:3).
• We enjoy the same special relationship with God previously limited to Israel (Romans 9:4; Galatians 3:28).
• We receive inestimable riches predestined for us by God through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:5)." [1]
Wow - that was a lot to cover. Questions? Comments?
Our Rights
Today is another tightly worded and argue passage. If you have any questions about it, please let me know. Paul has already torn down any thought that we might want to continue in slavery to the law, so now the question is, "What purpose did the Law serve?"
First Paul demonstrates that the promise existed before the Law. God promised His great promises to Abraham about (spiritual) descendents and blessing to the nations BEFORE the Law was given. The Law didn't cancel out the previous promise to Abraham, but is something separate. We hold to the promise given to Abraham - the Law is not necessary for it because the Law came later.
With that out of the way, what then is the purpose of the Law? I don't have to deal with all the ways that Paul answers this, but here is a good summary of why the law was given:
"First, Paul answers the question by stating the purpose of the law (v. 19b): “it was added because of transgressions.” Scholars here are divided: Should we translate “It was added because of transgressions,” or “It was added for the purpose of revealing transgressions”? Put differently, which came first: sin or the law? Did God add the law because the people were sinning, or did the people suddenly learn that they were sinning because God gave the law? Later Paul states that the law does not give life (vv. 21–22) but is a teacher (v. 24); elsewhere he says that “through the law we become conscious of sin” (Rom. 3:20; cf. 7:7) and that when there is no law there is no sin (4:15; cf. 5:13). Romans 5:20 states that “the law was added so that the trespass might increase” (cf. 7:13). Thus, I conclude with many who see the purpose of the law as being that it was given in order to reveal certain kinds of behavior as sinful. The law, then, was a judging instrument for the people of God; through its written code they learned that certain behavior was contrary to God’s will. We might diagram it thus:
Abraham—Israel’s bad behavior—Law of Moses—SIN." [1]
Paul then moves on to an illustration of this: the Law was a guardian to guide us, but now that Jesus has come, we no longer need the guardian. He then moves on to ANOTHER illustration of a son and inheritance - the explanation involves a little bit of understanding Roman inheritance law, but it's not vital so I won't deal with it here. Basically the meaning is like this:
Under the law you were just a child. A child is treated as one with no rights because they don't understand how to properly use them. The Law was the guardian or "nursemaid" that took care of you until adulthood. Now that Jesus has come, we are no longer children but have our inheritance, the Holy Spirit, that shows us the way. This changes things.
That's a really rough summary of a LOT of things in this passage and a bit to come, but I hope it helps explain a bit. So what exactly are our new "rights" now that we fully heirs?
"The scope and value of our “sonship rights” in Christ accumulate almost beyond our comprehension. These rights, given to us freely through faith in Christ, include:
• We are no longer debtors, nor cursed (3:13).
• We have received “new life” (2:20).
• We are part of a new family (4:5).
• We have received the Spirit (4:6; 5:25).
• We have experienced a supernatural birth (John 1:12–13; Galatians 4:28–29).
• We have the promise of future resurrection of our bodies (Romans 8:23).
• We have the promise of a place in the future (John 14:2).
• We will be with Christ in eternity (John 14:3).
• We enjoy the same special relationship with God previously limited to Israel (Romans 9:4; Galatians 3:28).
• We receive inestimable riches predestined for us by God through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:5)." [1]
Wow - that was a lot to cover. Questions? Comments?
[1] Scot McKnight, Galatians, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1995), 179.
[2] Bruce B. Barton, Galatians, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1994), 127.
[2] Bruce B. Barton, Galatians, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1994), 127.
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