3rd June 2023 – Galatians 3:19-24
19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.
21 Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.
There is yet another distinction to be made - that between law as a righteousness of works and law as the structure of society. Law is built into the very structure of society as the way God intends that His world should operate - that by which (as the Reformers taught) the indirect kingship of Christ is exercised in the world, whereas His direct kingship is exercised in the Church by the gospel. As one scholar has put it, 'The State will never be governed by the Word - in the sense of the gospel - but exclusively by the word of the Law, quite simply by the Decalogue, which is not the actual 'Word' of Christ.' In relation to this, the same scholar says in another place, 'It cannot indeed be otherwise, if it be true that only in the Church, that is, in faith, the real word of Christ can be received, whereas in the State we have to take into account that many, indeed most, of its subjects will not know or will not believe the 'proper word of Christ'.' That this aspect of the law is a 'constant', and not changed one way or the other by the gospel, should surely be evident; there can be no question of this being superseded, nor is it in view in Paul's teaching in Galatians.
2nd June 2023 – Galatians 3:19-24
19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one,…
1st June 2023 – Galatians 3:19-24
19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one,…
31st May 2023 – Galatians 3:19-24
19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one,…
30th May 2023 – Galatians 3:19-24
19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one,…
29th May 2023 – Galatians 3:19-24
19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one,…
28th May 2023 – Galatians 3:19-24
19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one,…
27th May 2023 – Galatians 3:15-18
15 To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. 16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And…
26th May 2023 – Galatians 3:10-14
10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident…
25th May 2023 – Galatians 3:10-14
10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident…