I realize I have put you in a difficult dilemma since you have been
Getting these sermons from Galatians about every other week.
It is difficult to keep a train of thought throughout a theological discussion
When there are so many breaks and interruptions taken in it.
But tonight we ask for the grace of God to bring our minds back to this discussion and help us to fully understand all that He would teach us.
As you know the Galatians were being attacked by legalists.
The Judaizers had swept in to Galatia and were convincing the Galatians
To get circumcised in order to be pleasing to God.
No doubt with Old Testament in hand
They were showing these Gentile converts that it was necessary
For them to come under the Law in order to please God.
And because the Galatians wanted to be pleasing to God
They were falling into the trap.
And if I might say so bluntly, the reason people so easily fall into the trap of legalism is because they do not understand the truth of Scripture.
That was certainly the Galatians problem:
Galatians 3:1 “You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?”
It was the Galatians gullible ignorance
That had opened the door for their deception.
And I must admit I find this to be true any time I run into legalism.
• Scripture crushes legalism
• Scripture clearly refutes it
But when people do not put in the work to understand the truth,
They are open to a legalist with a few Bible verses and the result is captivity.
The Galatians were told to get under the Law.
Tonight I want to show you why we don’t need the Law.
Now, I do need to preface that statement, even as we explain it.
First off it is important to understand that the Law is not bad.
Romans 7:7-12 “What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “YOU SHALL NOT COVET.” But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead. I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died; and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.”
Paul was direct in that passage that the Law is good.
But even that statement must be understood.
Paul wrote to Timothy:
1 Timothy 1:8-11 “But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.”
There Paul says it is good, but only “if one uses it lawfully”
In other words the Law is perfect if kept within its intended purpose.
When the Law is used as God intended for it to be used, it is perfect.
When people begin to use it outside of God’s design, it is disastrous.
And Paul even spelled out that purpose.
Namely that the Law is for sinners, not for the righteous.
And that is even what Paul showed us last time we studied Galatians.
Galatians 3:19 “Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made.”
The Law came to show sinners their sin.
When used in that purpose, it is effective and vitally important.
One could even argue that one of the main problems of gospel presentations today is the lack of “law” in our preaching.
How do we ever expect sinners to come face to face with their sin, be convicted of their coming judgment, and brought to the threshold of repentance without it?
• The prosperity gospel doesn’t lead men to repentance
• The social gospel doesn’t lead men to repentance
• The ever popular “abundant life” offer doesn’t lead men to repentance
But preaching the law does.
It confronts, it convicts, it condemns
The law leaves sinners looking for forgiveness.
When used in that purpose it is glorious.
But when you take the Law and try to throw it on the back of a righteous person, the point is completely missed and disaster follows.
That is why it is important that you and I have full understanding of what God’s purpose is for the Law and why we are no longer under it.
In the passage tonight Paul will clearly show you
Why you are no longer under the Law.
• Paul will show you why you don’t have to keep the dietary restrictions…
• Paul will show you why you don’t have to worship on Saturday…
• Paul will show you why you don’t have to let the hair grow long on your temples…
Paul will show you why you don’t need the Law.
There are two main points, which we will expound on a little more.
#1 THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW
Galatians 3:23-24
I read those two verses, but I really even want to back up a little into some of the previous verses to help you understand the purpose of the Law.
If you understand the purpose of a tool, then you know if you need it or not.
And in the verses we are going to look at,
We can see three things the Law does really well.
The first we’ve discussed, but lets hit it quickly.
1) THE LAW IS A MIRROR (19, 22)
I want to back up and read these two verses
Because I want to remind you exactly what the Law came to do.
Galatians 3:19 “Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made.”
You understand the point.
Paul was clear in Romans 7 (which we already read) that he wouldn’t even have known about coveting if the Law had not said not to covet.
The Law came to show sinners their sin.
Paul would go on to say in Galatians:
Galatians 3:22 “But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.”
In short, the Law came to expose.
James 1:22-25 “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.”
The law is a mirror.
It comes, as we said, to show sinners their sin.
Let me show you another purpose of the Law.
2) THE LAW IS A PRISON (23)
“But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the Law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed.”
Now there is an interesting statement.
“we were kept in custody under the Law”
The timing of this incarceration is important.
“before faith came”
In other words, before we were saved.
Before we presented faith to God and He presented righteousness to us.
While we were still in our sin, Paul says,
“we were kept in custody under the Law”
And we can really gain a couple of insights from this analogy.
First let’s just think about prison for a second.
Someone commits a crime, and they are put in prison.
WHY DO WE PUT THEM IN PRISON?
• Punishment
• Reform
• Protection
• We put them there so that they will not do it again.
• We put them there to learn from their mistakes.
• We put them there so that when they are released they will not do it again.
Well the Law did the same thing.
The Law was a constant reminder, a constant corrector.
The Law was always on your back.
You may remember how Peter spoke of the Law during the debate
When the Judaizers wanted the Gentiles to come under it.
Acts 15:10 “Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?”
Peter saw it as “a yoke”
And “a yoke” that he had been unable to bear.
The Law was not easy
It was a constant burden on the back
And incidentally this wasn’t just true for Jews.
Jews had the written Law of God.
Gentiles had God’s moral law written on their heart.
Romans 2:14-15 “For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,”
That is what we commonly refer to as the conscience.
It is the guilt you feel when you do something that you know is wrong.
People all over the world, who may never have owned a Bible,
Still know that certain things are wrong.
They are condemned in their heart
They are condemned in their conscience
And that is a prison
• There is no relief from it
• There is no hiding from it
• It is a constant task master
We even see the duration of the prison stay
“kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed.”
There is only one thing that grants freedom from that prison, and it is faith.
(Namely faith in Jesus Christ for forgiveness and righteousness)
AND SO YOU OBVIOUSLY SEE WHAT PRISON TEACHES A MAN
He is guilty
He is dangerous
He needs righteousness
That is what the Law did.
It was a mirror exposing sin
It was a prison incarcerating sinners
3) THE LAW IS A TUTOR (24)
“Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.”
We already mentioned that one of the purposes of prison is reform.
It is meant to teach a person how to avoid further prison stays.
And that is implied here.
After a few years in prison, it ought to send you looking
For the righteousness that keeps you out.
But there is even more implied here than just that.
Paul said “the Law has become our tutor”
When we think of a “tutor” we think of some volunteer who stays after school and helps us get a better grasp on something we are studying.
But that is not what Paul is referring to.
“tutor” translates PAIDAGOGOS (pie-da-go-gos)
And that was a title of an official position.
In Paul’s culture a Paidagogos was not a teacher.
The Paidagogos was a slave.
The primary function of that slave was to raise a child until they came of age.
• The Paidagogos made sure the child made it to school
• The Paidagogos had full authority to discipline the child
• The Paidagogos was an authoritative guide who made sure that when the child became an adult, he or she was a good one.
In short, this “tutor” had a very real and specific goal in mind for the child,
And would not stop until the child reached the mark.
If it took instruction, or discipline, or extra training,
The tutor provided it to make sure that the child did not miss the mark.
And Paul says, that is precisely what the Law was.
It was our Paidagogos, meant to make sure we reached the mark.
WHAT WAS THE MARK?
Faith in Christ
“Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.”
When you think about it, that is very similar
To the work many of us do as parents.
We want to do whatever it takes to make sure our children
Come to the point where they place their faith in Christ.
Throw in all the discipline, instruction, correction, and encouragement –
It all comes with the same goal in mind.
That was the Law.
And those were its purposes.
• The Law is a mirror exposing our sin
• The Law is a prison incarcerating sinners under that sin
• The Law is a tutor driving sinners to faith in Christ
That means that anyone who has yet to reach the mark is still in need of it.
It is a perfect tool for sinners.
So, the Purpose of the Law
#2 THE PASSING OF THE LAW
Galatians 3:25-29
After giving a detailed description of the purpose of the Law,
Paul now wastes no time telling you that it is no longer needed.
And in these final verses, there are three reasons that are clearly seen
As to why we no longer need the Law.
1) THE PURPOSE WAS REALIZED (25-27)
If the purpose of the Law was to lead us to faith in Christ,
Then obviously the point is behind us.
(25-26) “But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”
In the Roman culture it was called:
Toga Virilis – it was when a Roman boy came of age and became a man.
In Jewish culture it is:
Bar Mitzvah
It is when a boy became a man.
It was a celebrated day, because he was no longer under his tutor.
And that is Paul’s point.
The purpose has been realized.
We have arrived.
And what did we arrive at?
“you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus”
• We are no longer servants, we are sons
• We are no longer prisoners, we are sons
We have fully arrived.
And once we are sons there is no more need for a tutor.
And so the first answer you have to someone
Who wants to throw you back under the Law is:
“I am a son of God, why would I act like a slave?”
We “are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”
And then a great doctrinal statement.
(27) “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”
This is a great verse, and one that deserves some explanation.
We often talk about the benefit of being in Christ.
But this verse answers the question, “HOW DOES ONE GET IN CHRIST?”
And the answer “you were baptized into Christ”
Now you can already hear them can’t you?
Ah ha! See I told you that water baptism was required for a person to be saved.
Now hold on for just a second.
Think for just a moment what this entire chapter has been about.
This whole chapter has been about obtaining the blessing of God
And Paul has said repeatedly that the promise is obtained by faith.
To spend this whole chapter down playing works and promoting faith and then all of a sudden to introduce a work like baptism as a necessary requirement for salvation would obviously blow his whole chapter apart.
We have to ask the question
“WHAT IS THIS BAPTISM PAUL IS TALKING ABOUT?”
Or which baptism is Paul referring to?
Matthew 3:11 “As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
John actually mentioned 3 different baptisms right there.
• Baptism in water – (which John tells us the purpose of – repentance)
• Baptism in the Holy Spirit
• Baptism in fire
The next verse explains the fire baptism:
Matthew 3:12 “His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
Obviously in the context of the passage, fire is judgment.
So we have water baptism which equals repentance
And we have fire baptism which equals judgment
The only one left is Holy Spirit baptism.
This must be salvation.
1 Peter 3:21 “Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you — not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience — through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,”
There Peter also says that baptism saves you
(similar to what Paul is saying here in Galatians)
But Peter also qualifies the statement.
“not the removal of dirt from the flesh” – (i.e. the water)
No, the baptism Peter is talking about is
“an appeal to God for a good conscience”
Why would someone appeal to God for a good conscience?
Because they have been under the prison of the Law remember,
And they are condemned.
And under that condemnation that appeal to God for forgiveness.
So obviously being “baptized into Christ”
Is much more than getting in the water.
Romans 6:3-7 “Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.”
Now look at that passage for just a second.
Any mention of water at all? No
What was mentioned?
Death – burial – resurrection
To the extent that sin might be done away with in our lives.
What Paul is referring to there is FAR SUPERIOR
To anything you can accomplish by getting in the water.
• Paul is talking about complete death to self
• Paul is talking about complete denial of self
• Paul is talking about that appeal for a good conscience
And this is what it means to be “baptized into Christ”
You don’t get into Christ by getting in the water
You don’t get into Christ by walking an aisle
You don’t get into Christ by praying a prayer
You get into Christ when you die to self and trust in His death on your account
And then are raised by His new life (i.e. the Holy Spirit)
That is baptism of the Holy Spirit and that is how you get in Christ.
And when that happens you are “clothed” with Christ.
In other words, you are covered by Him.
His righteousness is credited to you,
And when God looks on you, He sees Him.
And Paul’s point here in Galatians is that once you have reached that point, WHY WOULD YOU GO BACK TO THE LAW?
The purpose of the Law is already realized at that point.
Let me show you another reason the Law has passed
The Purpose was Realized
2) THE PARTITION WAS REMOVED (28)
In verse 26 Paul said “you are all sons of God”
Here we get our second “you are” statement.
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for YOU ARE ALL ONE in Christ Jesus.”
As I mentioned earlier, the Law was a mirror.
It came to expose.
And one of the things it obviously revealed is
Who was and who was not righteous.
It was a divider
It was a partition
It revealed who God’s people were and who His people were not
But since we came to Christ and were made sons of God,
What we used to be absolutely does not matter.
We are “clothed” with Christ.
It doesn’t matter what we used to be, now we are all righteous,
And it doesn’t matter what the Law would say.
And so whatever dividing line you would draw, whether that be racial, economic, or gender, is absolutely irrelevant.
We don’t need the Law separating us, Christ has already united us.
“You are all one”
Ephesians 2:11-18 “Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands — remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR; for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.”
• We don’t need a tutor, we are already sons
• We don’t need a revealer, we are already one
The Purpose was Realized The Partition was Removed
3) THE PROMISE WAS RECEIVED (29)
Here is the third “you are” statement.
“And if you belong to Christ then YOU ARE Abraham’s descendants, HEIRS ACCORDING TO THE PROMISE.”
Remember that promise we talked about earlier in the chapter.
How the promise was made to Abraham and to his seed (Christ)
Well, if we are in Christ, then the promise is ours.
And that is Paul’s reasoning.
Why would you run to the Law at this point?
• Do you need a mirror to show you what sin is? No
• Do you need a prison to make you want righteousness? No
• Do you need a tutor to lead you to faith? No
You already have all those things.
To put it plainly,
THE LAW IS A TOOL THAT IS NO LONGER NEEDED ON YOU
• You already found Christ
• You already found faith
• You already have the promise
• You are already an heir
You are already perfectly pleasing to God
And made an heir of His perfect kingdom.
The Law cannot improve upon that.
And so the Law is passed.
People who now try to throw you back under the Law
Do so because they do not understand the purpose of the Law
Or the effect of what Christ did.
And I hope then you can see, not only how unnecessary the Law is for you now, but also how foolish it would be to return to it.
And that has also been part of Paul’s point during this chapter.
LEGALISM IS STUPID!
Let me leave you with one final passage.
Matthew 9:14-17 “Then the disciples of John came to Him, asking, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. “But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results. “Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”
Did you hear their legalistic appeal?
Why don’t they fast?
And Jesus said, because that would be dumb and pointless.
• Would you put unshrunk cloth on an old garment?
• Would you put new wine into old skins?
What they were suggesting had no purpose or place.
And that is true for legalism.
The goal is faith in Christ,
Because that is how we become righteous and an heir of God.
The Law is a great tool to lead us to faith in Christ,
But once we get there, we no longer need it.