DavidT
Member
Apostle Paul was trained under one of the best Hebrew scholars of his day, Gamaliel. Paul thus well understood God's law, but not about The Gospel until Jesus smote him with blindness on the road to Damascus (Acts 9). Therefore, we can TRUST what Apostle Paul taught about the difference between Faith on God's Gospel Promise vs. law keeping, for they are not the same thing.
The Galatians were being fooled by false brethren that were pushing law-keeping to be saved in Christ. Here in Galatians 3, Paul explains how the Gospel Promise was first, before the giving of the law.
Gal 3:1-9
3 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
Yeah, just who... had bewitched those Galatians away from understanding the difference between Faith and the law? Paul just calls them "false brethren unawares brought in" in Galatians 2.
5 He therefore That ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth He it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Wow! now that is a huge... difference in comparison Paul made there. The law cannot boast about miracles that our Heavenly Father and His Son works through His servants according to Faith.
6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
KJV
Do you know what Paul means that those who believe on Jesus Christ are 'blessed' WITH faithful Abraham? It means all those in Christ INHERIT with faithful Abraham, which Paul even says at the end of this chapter!
Gal 3:10-18
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, 'Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.'
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
Do you realize brethren that Paul was pulling that from The Old Testament Scriptures?
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, 'Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:'
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Do you see what Paul said above, that the "blessing of Abraham" might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ? Just what... blessing of Abraham is that? It is the Gospel Promise by Faith which was first given to Abraham by God. Abraham believed God, and God counted Abraham's Faith as righteousness. And Abraham wasn't even circumcised yet!
15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.
16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
KJV
The giving of the law by God was 430 years after... God had given Abraham the Gospel Promise by Faith. That is what Paul said there in verse 17.
God gave The Gospel Promise as a Gift, not as a work of the law which would mean it would be a 'debt' from a work by us that God would owe us (see this example in Romans 4). His Salvation is by Promise through Faith, and not by works, and not by the law. Righteousness was imputed to Abraham because of his Faith... on God's Promise, not by a working of the law which the law wasn't even given yet.
Gal 3:19-29
19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.
Like Paul taught in 1 Timothy 1, the law was not made for the righteous, but for the sinner and the ungodly.
21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
Once again, like Paul taught here and in 1 Timothy 1, the law was given because of "transgressions", and Paul said the law was for the sinner and unholy, not the righteous. Many go on endless debates about his point when it's a simple matter that God's law is to be as help to maintain peace for His people.
The law never was to act as a means to His Salvation. If it had been meant as a means towards His Salvation, then Paul would not have said the above, that "if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law."
22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
KJV
The Galatians were being fooled by false brethren that were pushing law-keeping to be saved in Christ. Here in Galatians 3, Paul explains how the Gospel Promise was first, before the giving of the law.
Gal 3:1-9
3 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
Yeah, just who... had bewitched those Galatians away from understanding the difference between Faith and the law? Paul just calls them "false brethren unawares brought in" in Galatians 2.
5 He therefore That ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth He it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Wow! now that is a huge... difference in comparison Paul made there. The law cannot boast about miracles that our Heavenly Father and His Son works through His servants according to Faith.
6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
KJV
Do you know what Paul means that those who believe on Jesus Christ are 'blessed' WITH faithful Abraham? It means all those in Christ INHERIT with faithful Abraham, which Paul even says at the end of this chapter!
Gal 3:10-18
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, 'Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.'
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
Do you realize brethren that Paul was pulling that from The Old Testament Scriptures?
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, 'Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:'
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Do you see what Paul said above, that the "blessing of Abraham" might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ? Just what... blessing of Abraham is that? It is the Gospel Promise by Faith which was first given to Abraham by God. Abraham believed God, and God counted Abraham's Faith as righteousness. And Abraham wasn't even circumcised yet!
15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.
16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
KJV
The giving of the law by God was 430 years after... God had given Abraham the Gospel Promise by Faith. That is what Paul said there in verse 17.
God gave The Gospel Promise as a Gift, not as a work of the law which would mean it would be a 'debt' from a work by us that God would owe us (see this example in Romans 4). His Salvation is by Promise through Faith, and not by works, and not by the law. Righteousness was imputed to Abraham because of his Faith... on God's Promise, not by a working of the law which the law wasn't even given yet.
Gal 3:19-29
19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.
Like Paul taught in 1 Timothy 1, the law was not made for the righteous, but for the sinner and the ungodly.
21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
Once again, like Paul taught here and in 1 Timothy 1, the law was given because of "transgressions", and Paul said the law was for the sinner and unholy, not the righteous. Many go on endless debates about his point when it's a simple matter that God's law is to be as help to maintain peace for His people.
The law never was to act as a means to His Salvation. If it had been meant as a means towards His Salvation, then Paul would not have said the above, that "if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law."
22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
KJV
