From Slavery to Sonship

 

 

Freedom in Christ- 6

 

TITLE: From Slavery to Sonship

TEXT: Galatians 3:15-29

TONE: Warning

TARGET: Believers

TASK: To warn believers of the yoke of the law and the need of grace.

TEACH: One of the greatest enemies of the Christian life is the religious life. Religion is the broad way that most people take, thinking that somehow, they can do something to please God. Christianity is the narrow way that helps us understand what God has done for us. Religion is made up of rules and regulations and rituals and will somehow outweigh our bad ones. Christianity is based on faith in a Person and on a relationship with that Person, the One who died and paid the full penalty for the sins of the whole world. Religion is what I do for God. Christianity is what God has already done for me. Religion is an effort. Christianity is a gift.

 

The reason it is so appealing to us is that we like feeling as if we are giving God a boost. We love talking about all we are doing rather than emphasizing what He has done for us. In Genesis 11, we see one of the earliest attempts to reach God by human effort (Chuck Swindoll, Study Bible Notes, pg. 21).

 

TRUTH: In the portion of Scripture Paul presents a structed argument regarding the relationship between the law and the promise of God made to Abraham. In verses 15-18, Paul uses a legal analogy to illustrate that a covenant (promise) cannot be annulled or added to once it is ratified, emphasizing that the promise to Abraham and his seed (Christ) precedes the law given at Sinai.

 

In verses 19-25, he explains that the law was given to reveal sin and serve as a guardian until Christ came, highlighting its temporary nature. Finally, in verses 26-29, Paul declares that through faith in Christ, believers are united as children of God, transcending ethnic, social and gender barriers. This passage highlights the superiority of grace against the law. In order, to walk in and guard the freedom we have, we need to be reminded of several key biblical principles.

 

_____________________________________________________________________

I.  God’s Promises are Secure (3:15-18)

Explanation: The Apostle Paul emphasizes the unshakeable nature of God’s promises, particularly as they relate to the covenant made with Abraham. Paul begins by illustrating the concept of human covenants, noting that once they are established, they cannot be altered or annulled. This foundational trust serves to highlight the reliability and permanence of divine covenants. Paul’s argument suggests that if human agreement are binding, how much more so are the promises of God, who is faithful and unchanging (Heb. 6:13-18).

 

Theologically, this passage invites us to consider the doctrine of covenant theology, which emphasizes the overarching narrative of God’s redemptive plan through covenants. The covenant with Abraham is pivotal, as it sets the stage for God’s unfolding plan of salvation. God’s promise to Abrahma that ‘all the nations will be blessed through you’ (Gen. 12:3) is not merely a historical event but a theological cornerstone that points to the coming of Christ. Paul identifies this ‘seed’ as Christ Himself (Gal. 3:16), underscoring that the fulfillment of God’s promises hinges on Christ and not on the Law or human effort.

 

Paul’s assertion that the Law, introduced 430 years after the promise, does not annul the covenant established by God (3:17) is a profound theological statement. It affirms that the Law serves a different purpose -not as a means of salvation, but as a guardian or tutor that reveals sin and leads us to Christ (3:24).

 

The security of God’s promises communicates a profound assurance for believers. Paul’s argument reassures us that our relationship with God is based not on our ability to keep the Law, which is inherently flawed due to human sinfulness, but on the unbreakable promise of God fulfilled in Christ.

 

When Abram asked (Gen. 15:1, 4-7), God ratified the covenant by a ceremony common to the ancient Near East. On the Lord’s instructions, Abram took a heifer, a female goat, a ram, a turtledove, and a pigeon, then cut them in hald and laid the two sides of each animal opposite one another, with a path in between. At sunset, God caused a deep sleep, as well as ‘terror and great darkness,’ to fall on Abram. After reassuring Abram of His promises, the Lord symbolically passed between the animals in the form of ‘smoking oven and a flaming torch” (vv.12-17).

 

Ordinarily, both parties to a covenant would walk between the slain animals whose blood would symbolically ratify the agreement. But in this case, God alone walked through, indicating that the covenant, though involving promises to Abraham and his descendants, was made by God with Himself. The covenant was unilateral and entirely unconditional, the only obligation being on God Himself. (John MacArthur, Galatians, pg. 83).  

 

Furthermore, the one and only heir of every promise of God is Christ. Every promise given in the covenant with Abraham was fulfilled in Christ and only Christ. Therefore, the only way a person can participate in the promised blessings of Abraham is to be a fellow heir with Christ through faith in Him.

 

This section encourages us to trust in the faithfulness of God, knowing that His promises are secure and that our relationship with Him is grounded in His eternal covenant rather than our transient work.

 

Application: Value the unchangeable promises of God. 

________________________________________________________________________

I.  God’s Law is Revealing (3:19-22)

Explanation: In this section, the Apostle Paul addresses the purpose and function of the law, articulating its role in God’s redemptive plan. Ge begins by posing a crucial question: “what, then, was the purpose of the law?” (3:19). This question invites us to delve deeper into the theological significance of the Law, which is often misunderstood in its relationship to grace and faith.

 

Paul used an illustration that was familiar to all his readers -the child guardian. In many Roman and Greek households, well-educated slaves took the children to and from school and watched over them during the day. Sometime they would teach the children, sometimes they would protect and prohibit, and sometimes they would even discipline.

 

By using the illustration, Paul was saying several things about the Jews and their law. First, he was saying that the Jews were not born through the law, but rather were brough up by the law. The law was the guardian the disciplinarian. So, the law did not give life, but regulated it. Second point Paul made was even more important. The work of the guardian was preparation for the child’s maturity. Once the child came to age, he no longer needed the guardian. So the law was a preparation for the nation of Israel until the coming of the promised seed (Warren Wiersbe, Study Bible, pg. 1723).

 

Illustration: A good example of this purpose of the law is the account of the rich young ruler (Matt. 19:16). This young man had everything anybody could desire, but he was not satisfied. He had tried to keep the commandments all his life, but still something was missing -to create in lost sinners a sense of guilt and need. The sad thing is that the young man was not honest as he looked into the mirror of the law.

 

Theologically, the Law serves as a divine revelation of God’s character and moral standard. It reflects God’s holiness and righteousness, providing a clear moral framework for humanity (Ex. 20:1-17). However, Paul emphasizes that the Law was added ‘because of transgressions’ (3:19), indicating that it was intended to address human sinfulness. Thus, it serves as a diagnostic tool to reveal our failures. The Law makes clear the human reality of depravity.

The purpose of the law was and is, to drive men to despair over their sins and to a desire to receive the salvation that God’s sovereign grace offers to those who believe (MacArthur, Galatians, pg. 87).

 

In verse 21-22, Paul further clarifies that the Law is not contrary to God’s promises. Instead, it complements them by revealing that impossibility of achieving righteousness through human effort. He states, ‘if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the Law” (3:21).

 

Application: Acknowledge that laws role in revealing sin, but depend on grace.

________________________________________________________________________

II.                        God’s People have a new Identity (3:23-29)

Explanation: In this section, the Apostle Paul expounds on the profound transformation that occurs in the life of a believer through in Christ. This passage marks a pivotal shift from the Law to grace, articulation the new identity that believers possess children of God. Paul begins by explaining that before faith came, the law acted as a guardian, or tutor, to lead us to Christ (3:24). This imagery reflects the pedagogical role of the Law in God’s redemptive plan.

 

The term ‘guardian’ (Gk. paidagogos) suggest a temporary arrangement, emphasizing that the Law was never intended to be a final destination for God’s people. Instead, it functioned to prepare them for the revelation of Christ. This aligns with the biblical theology theme of typology, where the Law serves as a type or shadow of the reality found in Christ (Heb. 10:1).

 

In verse 25, Paul declares that with that coming of faith, believers are no longer under the guardianship of the Law. This signifies a radical shift in identify; those who have faith in Christ are now adopted into God’s family. As Paul writes in verses 26-27. This new identity transcends ethic, social, and gender boundaries, as Paul points out (3:28). This theological assertion reflects the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers, a key tenet of our theology, emphasizing that all believers are equal in in standing before God and have access to Him through faith.

 

Application: Embrace your status as justified in Christ and live in the freedom He provides.

________________________________________________________________________

Priesthood of Believer

 

This doctrine assets that, through faith in Christ, every believer is a made a member of a holy priesthood, as articulated in 1Peter 2:9. This means that believers are not dependent on a human priesthood or intermediary for their relationship with God. This doctrine asserts the following:

 

1.      Direct Access to God: Believers have the privilege to approach God directly in prayer and worship without the need for a mediator (Heb. 4:16). WE MUST PRAY!

 

2.      Spiritual Authority and Responsibility: Every believer is entrusted with the responsibility to minister to others, share the Gospel, and serve within the body of Christ. This includes exercising spiritual gifts for the edification of the body (1Cor. 12). WE MUST EXERCISE AUTHORITY!

 

3.      Community and Service: The priesthood of all believers fosters a sense of community where each member contributes to the life and mission of the Church. It encourages shared leadership and mutual accountability. WE MUST SERVE!

 

© 2012 - 2025 Blake Gideon. All rights Reserved