Lesson 19 July 21, 2002

Review:

3:13-14 Only Christ is able to deliver from the Curse of the Law

3:13 What was accomplished in redemption

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law,

Who is the subject?

Redeemed from what?

How?? The means of Redemption

having become a curse for us-

Paul has been painting a very vivid picture here for the Galatians.

1. All mankind is under a curse vs:10.

2. Christ became a curse for us, while bearing our sin on Calvary vs:13.

3. He redeemed us, purchased us out from that curse vs:13

Documentation: quote of Dt. 21:23

for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE "--

Summary of 3:13

1. Being under a curse, mankind is helpless, unable by his own efforts to satisfy the just demands of the law and therefore find acceptance before God.

2. But Christ was able to satisfy the just demands of the Law, paying the penalty demanded by it on our behalf.

3. He was the only one qualified to redeem us since he perfectly kept the law and therefore was without spot and blemish. Mat. 5:17; 1 Pet. 1:18-19

4. By being obedient to the will of the Father in going to the cross and bearing our sins He became a curse for us.

5. This leaves God free, without compromising His integrity, His essence in any way to give mercy to the one who believes in Jesus Christ.

3:14 The purpose of redemption (two-fold)

He concludes the argument in vs:14 with 2 purposes for redemption.

First purpose: in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles,

Second purpose: so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Observations 3:14

1. One of the things that we should pick up as we go through here, is that Paul is showing the need for systematic theology.

2. Example: Faith is so central and important that many other doctrines must be related to it.

3. Notice here that Paul comes full circle, he began his questions with the Holy Spirit and faith (vs:2) and ends this paragraph by personalizing the indwelling of the Holy Spirit by faith.

Doctrine of Redemption

Romans 3:24

There are 4 key areas of doctrine in Paul's focus here:

#1. "being justified"

- The idea is to declare righteous; speaks of a legal reality!

- To be justified is to be acquitted by God from all charges that could be brought against them because of their sins.

#2. The 2nd key focus is "as a gift by His grace"

The believing one is justified; declared righteous as a gift by His grace!

#3. The third key word = grace; by His grace

- This really gives us the reason that guilty sinners can be justified; It lies in the sphere of God's grace!

#4. The fourth key word = redemption;

- "through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus."

It is what is embodied in redemption that allows God to declare man righteous through a decisive judicial act and allows Him to maintain His holiness untainted.

- Redemption involves 3 concepts:

#1. a prisoner #2. a purchaser #3. a price

- Basically the idea of redemption is to deliver by paying a price.

- This brings into view the death of Christ as a sacrificial death, a substitutionary death.

- The work of Christ in fulfilling the OT types and prophecies of redemption is portrayed very vividly through the 3 words that are used for redemption in the N.T.