FROM NOWHERE TO SOMEWHERE
Galatians 3:19-25
S: Law & Grace
Th: Grace-Full Living
Pr: THERE IS AN INTENTION TO THE LAW.
?: What? What is its purpose?
KW: Purposes
TS: We will find in our study of Galatians 3:19-25 four purposes that demonstrate the intention of the law.
The _____ purpose that demonstrates the intention of the law is…
I. IT EXPOSES OUR SIN (19)
II. IT EXALTS THE PROMISE (19-20)
III. IT ENHANCES THE GOSPEL (21-22)
IV. IT ESCORTS US TO CHRIST (23-25)
RMBC 6/25/00 AM
INTRODUCTION:
Have you ever wondered…
1. What’s the purpose?
ILL Notebook: Purpose (C & H---school wouldn’t be so bad)
Calvin is at the sidewalk waiting for the school bus. He is talking to his pet Tiger, Hobbes.
Calvin: You know, school wouldn’t be so bad if you didn’t have to go every day.
Calvin: And if you didn’t have to learn anything…and if you took away all the teachers and all the other kids. If it was completely different, school would be great.
Hobbes: A lot of things are like that.
Calvin: Nobody asks me how things ought to be done. I’ve got tons of ideas.
Poor Calvin!
He has an idea of how school ought to be, but it is not going to be that way.
What he thinks the purpose ought to be does not match up with the way it is.
You know…
2. Sometimes, we would like things to be one way, but it really is another.
TRANSITION:
In a similar way,
1. The Judaizers sought to make the law accomplish something it was not designed to do.
We have been studying the letter written to the church in Galatia by the apostle Paul.
Paul has been battling the Judaizers who have made keeping the Law equally as important as faith.
But, Paul says, this is not what the Law was designed to do.
Now, let us not misunderstand the Law here.
The Law is good.
It is God’s revelation of His own perfect character and His will for a fallen human race living in a fallen world with other fallen humans.
He gave the Law precisely because of His love for His people.
But it had severe limitations.
It could not establish men as righteous.
The Judaizers believed that the law was a remedy for sin.
Paul’s argument was that this was something that the Law cannot do.
2. Last week, we discovered that God makes good on His promises.
We found out that the curse, which the Law pronounces on all men, was borne by our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross.
God’s promise of blessing through Abraham is still possible, but only through faith (13-14).
We also discovered that the Abrahamic Covenant preceded the Mosaic Covenant by 430 years, and thereby has preeminence (15, 17-18).
Since God Himself ratified the Abrahamic Covenant, it cannot be modified or set aside by the later covenant, which was made with Israel through the mediation of Moses.
In this case, newer is not better.
Finally, we learned that the promise made to Abraham demands fulfillment because it was also made to his seed, Jesus Christ (16).
Paul shows that the Abrahamic Covenant had a singular promise, one made to the Son through whom all the promises will be fulfilled.
Since God is both the promissory and the beneficiary in Christ, the promise and its blessings are assured to all, unhindered by the Mosaic Covenant with its curse.
Therefore, the Law did not nullify the promise.
But Paul wants us to understand that but this does not mean that there is no purpose to the law.
3. THERE IS AN INTENTION TO THE LAW.
There is a worth to the Law that is not to be missed.
So…
4. We will find in our study of Galatians 3:19-25 four purposes that demonstrate the intention of the law.
Before we go on, I want to say how much I appreciate you bearing with me these last few weeks.
Paul has been making some deep legal and theological arguments about the superiority of the gospel message.
It has not been easy material.
Although we are not done with the “meat,” we are making it through some of Paul’s most difficult arguments and wordings, which includes today’s study.
So let’s continue on, so that we will hear the whole counsel of God as He has given it to us…
OUR STUDY:
I. The first purpose that demonstrates the intention of the law is IT EXPOSES OUR SIN (19).
What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come.
Note the simple statement…
The law was added to produce transgressions
In other words…
1. The prescription to obey makes a visible rule breaker from an invisible rebellion (Romans 5:20a).
The Judaizers had made the argument that the law corrected sinfulness.
Paul states that this is hardly the case.
Rather, the Law demonstrates man’s sinfulness.
The Law makes visible what is already true inside of us.
There is an insidious and invisible rebellion that is taking place within us.
The Law brings it out to be seen.
Here Romans 5:20 helps us…
The law was added so that the trespass might increase.
But the Law does not only make our sin visible, it also increases our sin.
You see…
2. The rebellion and insubordination of the human heart intensifies and expands when it meets the law (Romans 7:5).
Paul, again writes in Romans…
For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death.
The Law arouses us.
When we hear about what we should not do, we want to do it.
Our sin increases!
ILL
Take for instance this new drum set we just got this week.
You know what, we don’t want you touching it.
So we are tempted to put up a sign that says, “Do not touch!”
Now as soon as you heard that, what did you want to do?
I know what you wanted to do.
You wanted to touch it.
In fact, some of you want to come right up here now and touch it, all because we said, “Do not touch!”
The rebellion and insubordination of your human heart is intensifying and expanding as it hears law.
This means that…
3. The law increases sin by stirring up self-assertion and hardening hearts in self-satisfaction.
God has devoted over a thousand years of history (from Moses to Christ) to help us see ourselves in the failures of Israel.
They became hard-hearted to their own sin.
Instead, they should have looked in the mirror of God’s law and been appalled.
To the Judaizers, the Law of Moses was like a weed killer.
Apply a little, kill a few weeds; apply a lot, kill them all.
Paul’s words here and elsewhere reveal that the Law was really more like a fertilizer.
The Law made sin evident; it even caused sin to multiply.
This brings us to…
II. The second purpose that demonstrates the intention of the law is IT EXALTS THE PROMISE (19-20).
(19) What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. (20) A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one.
1. The law was to cause a longing for the fulfillment of the promise.
Simply, the Law was a preparation for the coming of the Messiah.
After the realization set in that the Law was impossible to keep, it was supposed to cause a longing for something more.
Yet, as we noted last week, the Judaizers thought that the Law superseded the Promise.
It nullified God’s covenant with Abraham and provided a better one.
Paul, though, says that is not so.
2. The promise is superior because it comes directly from God.
Paul demonstrates the Law’s inferiority by saying it came through two inferior parties, angels and Moses.
The Promise, on the other hand, was not mediated.
It came directly.
It came directly from God.
The promise has superiority over the Law because God gave the promise unilaterally, on his own, while the law came through a mediator.
Promise trumps Law.
Abraham had no part in establishing or keeping the covenant.
The responsibility was God’s alone.
This does not mean that the Law is bad.
It does help, for the Law is like an x-ray.
It shows what is wrong.
It identifies the problem.
So the Law is no more opposed to grace than an x-ray is opposed to healing.
The x-ray cannot repair what is wrong, but it can expose the problem and point to the solution that is necessary for recovery.
This leads us to…
III. The third purpose that demonstrates the intention of the law is IT ENHANCES THE GOSPEL (21-22).
(21) Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. (22) But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.
1. The law was unable to give life and thus, held people in sin (Deuteronomy 31:26-27).
Moses understood the darkness of the human heart when he said…
“Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God. There it will remain as a witness against you. For I know how rebellious and stiff-necked you are. If you have been rebellious against the LORD while I am still alive and with you, how much more will you rebel after I die!”
The Law stood as a witness against them.
And it brings the full weight of God’s curse down upon every violator.
Unfortunately, the Judaizers saw law as consistent with faith.
But they did not see the logical conclusion, for if it was consistent with faith, it makes the death of Christ tragically unnecessary.
Faith in Christ becomes, at best, an optional means of salvation.
But Paul says, the Law cannot impart life.
It makes us a prisoner.
The word Paul uses means to be locked up securely.
It means to be enclosed on all sides so that there is no way of escape.
The Law binds us and imprisons us.
This does mean, though, that we ignore law.
On the contrary, we are never to stop proclaiming the moral, ethical standards of the law.
It is still imperative in driving people to Christ.
For unless we realize that we are living in violation of God’s law and therefore stand under His divine judgment, there is no reason to be saved.
Grace is meaningless to a person who feels no inadequacy or need of help.
The Law’s intention is to drive us to despair over our sins and to a desire to receive the salvation that God’s sovereign grace offers to those who believe.
You see…
2. The law pointed to a greater need (Ezekiel 36:26-27).
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
The Law makes us long for the promise’s fulfillment.
It points us to faith, belief and grace.
It shows us our need, a new heart given by the Holy Spirit.
This brings us now to…
IV. The fourth purpose that demonstrates the intention of the law is IT ESCORTS US TO CHRIST (23-25).
(23) Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. (24) So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. (25) Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.
ILL Notebook: Cleansing (never unpacked)
A boy returned from 2 weeks at his first summer camp. He showed his mother two ribbons that he had won: One for making improvement in swimming, the other for naming the most birds on a nature hike. His mother asked him about a third ribbon in his pocket. "Aw," he said, "I got that blue thing for having the neatest packed bag when we were ready to come home. “I’m proud of you," his mother said. “It was easy," replied the lad. "I never unpacked it."
Well, sometimes, looks can be deceiving.
But, there is no doubt, the boy was going to need a washing.
And if the parents take a closer look, and come a little closer, they would see how bad it was.
This is what the Law does for us.
It gives us a closer look if we are willing.
But there are limitations, for…
1. The law is a great mirror, but a terrible washcloth.
The mirror shows our true condition.
It drives us to soap and water.
But what we don’t do is take the mirror down off the wall and attempt to clean ourselves with the mirror.
It can’t clean us, no matter how bad we need it (or how long we have been in the same clothes).
The Law, even when kept to the best of a person’s ability, is nothing but a prison, a death row cell where one waits for eternal execution.
The Law tells shows us our guilty helplessness, our moral and spiritual degeneracy and our need of a Deliverer.
But it does no more than that.
Paul uses an interesting term to describe the Law’s work in our life.
He calls it a paidagogos.
Some versions translated it as a teacher or schoolmaster, but these are incorrect.
A paidagogos was a slave employed by Greek or Roman families whose duty was to be in charge or supervise young boys in behalf of their parents.
They took them to school, watched over them, even scolding and disciplining them.
But what makes the parallel so interesting is that the paidagogos was not permanent.
The boy would become a man and have his day of freedom.
Then the relationship changed and the paidagogos had no more authority or control.
This describes the Law’s duty.
It watches over us and guides us toward grace.
2. The law demonstrates that we are a prisoner to sin until we embrace Christ through faith.
As we noted last week, Christ became a curse for us.
He loved us and gave himself for us, so that God can forgive our sins and grant us entrance into heaven.
By dying for us, Jesus Christ is punished for our each and every infraction of God’s law, in other words, for every sin that we have ever committed or will ever commit.
There is no more gracious an act conceivable by the human mind.
It is only in the cross that any of us have any hope of heaven.
It is these truths that we must embrace.
APPLICATION:
Now, what seem to be opposites are not to be seen as so, for…
1. The promise and the law work together for the same end.
Abraham and Moses work together.
The promise given to Abraham pointed to someone greater that would bless all nations.
The curse of the law given to Moses intensifies the need.
Both Abraham and Moses point us to flee toward Christ.
Let it be understood, though, that the Law by itself leads us to nowhere.
But when it is combined with the promise, we can go from nowhere to somewhere.
This is the grace that God offers to us.
For…
2. The promise is fulfilled, Christ has come, and we can be grace-oriented believers.
What God promised to give his people, the forgiveness of sin, a righteousness which justifies, the blessings of the promise given to Abraham’s children, the gift of the Holy Spirit, are freely given to those who trust the Savior.
But we must realize that the danger that Paul faced and battled in the early church is still very much alive today.
The law-orientation still exists in the form of legalism.
We need to realize that…
3. Legalism is the greatest menace to the church.
We could make a list of sins today that serve to hinder the progress of the believer and the church alike.
But there is a serious detriment that has to be continually called out to every generation of the church.
Legalism is subtler and more pervasive and, in the end, more destructive than the sins we seem to concentrate on.
The reason is is that religion becomes the base of rebellion.
Satan clothes himself as an angel of light and makes obedience to commands as his base of operations.
Since the human heart is so proud and unsubmissive, it uses religion and morality to express its rebellion.
And it leaves the more destructive, but subtle sins left unchecked, like pride and gossip.
This is why we must seek to be grace-oriented and not law-oriented.
The intention of the Law was to lead us to grace, not more law.
So, as we celebrate God’s good grace to us, we are not to be found retreating back into the “have-to-ness” of law.
Instead, we are to be known for grace.
For our motivation to do the right thing is because we want to, not because we have to.
So what are you going to be known for?
Grace or law?
BENEDICTION: [Counselors are ]
Rejoice today…that your sin has been exposed and you have not been left ignorant to live in your foolish ways;
Rejoice today…that the promise has come and you can be a participant in the good news; your sin has been forgiven as you trust Jesus as Savior and Lord;
Rejoice today…that you can live freely in His love, with a new heart formed by the Holy Spirit; God is at work in you!
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
