Lesson 33 August 25, 2002
Review:
3:24
Nature of the confinement under the Law
Therefore the Law has become our tutor (to lead us)
to Christ,
The ultimate purpose of the confining, being kept in
custody, the paidagogos function of the law is that of making clear ones
absolute need of salvation.
so that we may be justified by
faith.
Summary of 3:24
1. The
guardian - slave, the paidagogos, was
appointed custodian of the potential heir from 6-16.
2. Just as the paidagogos could not effect the
child's heirship neither could the
Law cause justification.
3. Like the paidagogos, the Law kept watch over those committed to its
care (Israel) detailing for them with its commands, prohibitions, keeping them
in a condition of dependence and restraint continually revealing to them their
true condition through their transgressions.
4. Use of paidagogos once again points out the
inferiority of the Law over against the promise.
5. "Until
Christ" indicates the temporal
aspect of the Law.
6. Paul is leading up to a major change after the
cross. Just as the child who came of
age and received the full rights as an heir, the church age believer is a son,
an heir from birth, no longer in bondage to the sin nature.
7. In
pointing out the inferior status under the law to what we now have in Christ,
Paul is forcing the Galatians to think through their status in Christ and to
consider why they would want to put themselves back under such a system that
kept them in custody.
8. Believe
that Paul has made his point very strongly to the Galatians. [and to Judaizers]
a.
Justification (salvation) is by faith in Christ, that is His work on the Cross for the
sinner. [7 times he made the point since
2:16]
b. Man's
works of righteousness cannot gain or acquire the perfect righteousness needed
for Justification. [all from the source of the sin nature]
c. God in
giving to Israel the Law never intended it to replace the Abrahamic covenant,
the blessing by faith.
d. Paul's
point here is that the Law's purpose was to confine, or keep in custody all under authority of the Law to prove or demonstrate the reality that man
cannot look to themselves for salvation
and must look to God's grace provision
through Christ our Savior.
3:25-4:7
From
here to 4:7 Paul is going to give a doctrinal
argument drawing a contrast between the blessings that are ours in
Christ and the status under the Law.
3:25
The change, The First Advent - The Cross
But now that faith has come, we
are no longer under a tutor.
- The B.L.
is that the relationship that Israel had with the Law is no longer in effect.
Summary 3:25
1. Now that
the Faith, the Messiah has come, fulfilled the will of God and become the
redemption price for each one who would believe in Him, we are freed from the
curse of the law, no longer under the authority of the law.
2. Because
of this, we no longer need the paidagogos, as the restrainer. We now as
believers have the indwelling Holy Spirit illuminating His Word as our
restrainer.
3. Paul's
argument: If we are no longer under the
authority of the law, why should you Galatians'
(mostly Gentile) be intimidated by the Judaizers into putting yourselves
under its authority, its confinement.
4. The
Judaizers' contention of the need to integrate
the Law, totally violated the true purpose and intent of the Law.
3:26 -
27 Benefits of the Promise, that is
being Sons of God
We
find here the first of a number of distinctions made relative to the believers
status before God in the present dispensation, after the coming of the seed,
that begun after the Cross.
For you are all sons of God
through faith in Christ Jesus.
Contrast
here in context is between status before the Cross as children needing a guardian, needing the protection of the
Law; now after the cross we're adult sons in union with Christ!
3:27
continues the thrust the blessing that flows from faith
For all of
you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
- being
clothed with Christ here is speaking of our current position in Christ;