Precept and Promise

Galatians 3:15-29

In our previous study, I suggested that Paul presented his thoughts on justification from four different perspectives.

1. The perspective of experience (verses 1-5).
2. The perspective of scripture (verse 11-14).
3. The perspective of logic (verses 15-29).
4. The perspective of history (chapter 4).

This lesson will concern the third perspective - perspective of logic.

Paul was a logical person. The Christian faith is rational and Scripture is directed to minds that process information sequentially and analytically. There are some deep mysteries in Scripture that challenge the sharpest minds, but God has basically given us a book that is crafted to appeal to the thought processes of normal people. In this section of Galatians, Paul labored to show that the premises he taught concerning the gospel are reasonable and understandable to the masses.

PROMISE TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER LAW

Paul wanted his readers to understand that it is logical to believe that promise has priority over precept.

Brothers, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case (verse 15).

Notice how he softened his language. In verse 1 he addressed them as "foolish Galatians." Now they are brothers. We enter into various agreements with others for the purpose of transacting business almost every day. Paul's point is that if you go through the legal requirements to execute an agreement in human business, no third party can arbitrarily set aside that agreement.

So what does that have to do with Paul's subject of justification?

The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," meaning one person, who is Christ.

Notice the meticulous wording of Paul's reasoning. He went out of his way to make a point about grammar. He wanted to make sure they understood that he was using the singular word "seed," not the plural word "seeds." Abraham received an unconditional promise from God. That promise had nothing to do with the land of Canaan. It had nothing to do with the Jewish people. It was neither an ethnic promise nor a national promise. It was a spiritual promise.

Let's make sure we understand the unconditional nature of the promise.

What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. (Verse 17)

Now do you see why we say that promise takes precedence over law? The law that was given to Moses on Sinai could not set aside the promise. So what point was Paul making? Up to here he's actually been saying things that everyone knows and already accepts. Paul was actually laying the foundation for the real point he wanted to make in verse 18.

For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

Please note that Abraham's inheritance was received through grace. Abraham did absolutely nothing to qualify himself for the promise. As a matter of fact, if you go back to Genesis, you will find that the covenant was offered to Abraham while he was asleep. The inheritance depends on promise, not the law. The law was not given to eliminate the promise that God made to Abraham. In his book, From Slavery to Sonship, Jerry Jones wrote, "Giving the law 430 years later didn't bring about a new means to be saved; it simply hastened the need for man to see his need for the grace of God." (p. 79).

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