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Listen "Galatians 3:14-26 Commands & Promises"
Episode Synopsis
At the beginning of Galatians chapter 3 we saw that way back in ancient History, God made an audacious promise to a man named Abram. The promise was that God would be with him, and he would bless him in such a way that the entire world would be blessed through Abram and through his descendants. This week, Paul continues to show from the Old Testament Scripture that because Christianity is fundamentally is about a promise, your security depends on what God has done for you, not what you do (or fail to do) for God.
“After God gave the promise to Abraham, he gave the law to Moses. Why? Simply because he had to make things worse before he could make them better. The law exposed sin, provoked sin, condemned sin. The purpose of the law was, as it were, to lift the lid off our human respectability and disclose what we are really like underneath – sinful, rebellious, guilty, under the judgment of God, and helpless to save ourselves. . . .
Not until the law has bruised and smitten us will we admit our need of the gospel to bind up our wounds. Not until the law has arrested and imprisoned us will we long for Christ to set us free. Not until the law has condemned and killed us will we call upon Christ for justification and life. Not until the law has driven us to despair of ourselves will we ever believe in Jesus. Not until the law has humbled us even to hell will we turn to the gospel to raise us to heaven.”—John Stott.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Read Gen 15:1-18. How do the details of God’s covenant ceremony with Abram encourage you?
When do you tend to fall into the belief that your own efforts at obedience make you more/less acceptable to God?
(v. 23-25) how does Paul explain that the law “leads a person to Christ?”
Read Matthew 5:17-22, & Romans 3:19-20. What do these verses say about the purpose of the Old Testament law? About our ability to be righteous (accepted) by them?
Read the quote from John Stott on the opposite page.
How does knowing the seriousness of God’s law increase your gratitude Jesus? How does it change your view of yourself?
Do you tend to think too much or too little about God’s law?
“After God gave the promise to Abraham, he gave the law to Moses. Why? Simply because he had to make things worse before he could make them better. The law exposed sin, provoked sin, condemned sin. The purpose of the law was, as it were, to lift the lid off our human respectability and disclose what we are really like underneath – sinful, rebellious, guilty, under the judgment of God, and helpless to save ourselves. . . .
Not until the law has bruised and smitten us will we admit our need of the gospel to bind up our wounds. Not until the law has arrested and imprisoned us will we long for Christ to set us free. Not until the law has condemned and killed us will we call upon Christ for justification and life. Not until the law has driven us to despair of ourselves will we ever believe in Jesus. Not until the law has humbled us even to hell will we turn to the gospel to raise us to heaven.”—John Stott.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Read Gen 15:1-18. How do the details of God’s covenant ceremony with Abram encourage you?
When do you tend to fall into the belief that your own efforts at obedience make you more/less acceptable to God?
(v. 23-25) how does Paul explain that the law “leads a person to Christ?”
Read Matthew 5:17-22, & Romans 3:19-20. What do these verses say about the purpose of the Old Testament law? About our ability to be righteous (accepted) by them?
Read the quote from John Stott on the opposite page.
How does knowing the seriousness of God’s law increase your gratitude Jesus? How does it change your view of yourself?
Do you tend to think too much or too little about God’s law?
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