Commentary on "Justification and the Law"

PHIL HARRIS

 

Day 4: Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - Promise and Law

 

Overview

Today we are looking deeper into the promise God made to Abraham:

For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. (Rom. 4:13 ESV)

As such, we will explore “the righteousness of faith” and how it differs from the law.

 

Observations

In the lesson we find this statement: “In this verse, “promise” and “law” are contrasted.” This is not a correct statement. In Rom. 4:13 God’s ‘promise’ is the topic where ‘law’ is contrasted with ‘faith’.

God promised Abraham that his offspring would be heir of the world. This promise had nothing to do with the law. It had everything to do with faith. The contrast is law versus faith with the understanding it was the one to the exclusion of the other. Put in human terms, faith trumps law.

The lesson even agrees that salvation is by faith according to Rom. 4:14-17 and then asks us to turn to Gal. 3:7-9 where it says that those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham.

Gal. 3:15 then states that the Law which came 430 years later could not annul the promise already given to Abraham. In Gal. 3:19 Paul then asks and answers the question; Why was the law given?

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. Gal. 3:19 ESV)

It was added…because of transgressions. Prior to the giving of the law on Mt. Sinai, it did not exist. Jesus Christ is the ‘offspring’ God promised to Abraham. Note well this verse states that the law would be in place only until the offspring should come. While there is much more to learn in this chapter let’s move on to Gal. 4:1-7. The law acted as a guardian up until the Messiah redeemed those held in bondage under sin expressed by the requirements of the law. We are no longer a slave to sin and the requirements of the law. We are now sons (and daughters), heirs of the promise made to Abraham.

At a time ordained by God he sent his own Son to redeem all those held in bondage under sin and the law and to adopt us into his kingdom as his children:

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. (Gal. 4:4-5 ESV)

Later in chapter four Paul presents another illustration of what he means by those who have inherited the promise made to Abraham, by comparing the children of Hagar with those of Sarah:

Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. (Gal. 4:21-26 ESV)

 

Summary

1. The law came after the promise made to Abraham and was added because of transgressions. It does nothing to annul or modify what God promised.
2. There are two covenants. The one is represented by Hagar and the giving of the law from Mount Sinai. Those under this covenant are called slaves because they remain dead in their sins.
3. Those born of Sarah, the free woman inherit the promise made to Abraham because of their faith in the gospel message of Jesus Christ. He is the eternal living promised offspring of Abraham.

 

GO TO DAY 5

 

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